Fukuwarai, a bakery in Nara, is cage-free

In response to an inquiry from Animal Rights Center Japan, Bakery Fukuwarai in Nara responded that all the eggs they use are already cage-free and that they would support the cage-free declaration.

The owner says,

At first, we used cage-free eggs as a concept of natural food, but I learned that ordinary eggs are efficiently produced with chickens trapped in tiny cages and eating bad food like genetically modified feed. When using animal products in the future, feed safety and whether animals are kept with care are important criteria, so we support the cage-free declaration.

This store kindly agreed to declare cage-free.  In this bakery, eggs are used only for melon bread and scones.  They also serve bread that does not use eggs or milk.

What is cage rearing?

In cage rearing, which is the common rearing method for eggs in Japan, chickens are placed in cages and are overcrowded in order to prioritize productivity.

As a result, chickens are susceptible to illness due to lack of exercise, and drugs are used to prevent the spread of illness.

In Japan, over 90% of the farms use battery cage rearing.

It’s misleading to say that that’s healthy, and it’s definitely not natural.

Caged chickens

On the other hand, there do exist a few cage-free egg farms, which allow chickens to roam.

Cage-free chickens   (not the farm where Bakery Fukuwarai sources eggs from.  Another cage-free farm.)

Cage rearing is being abolished all over the world, but Japan’s animal welfare is currently far behind.

A simple thing we can do to reduce the number of hens who continue getting exploited in their cages and go through life immobilized is for the consumers to stop buying cage-reared eggs and eliminate your egg consumption.

People who become aware of the actual situations and make humane and ethical choices today are what will lead to a sustainable future.

Click here for a list of other cage-free companies and shops