Owl Cafe in Asakusa

We have talked about animal cafes before on my blog (the cat cafe in Shibuya). However, have you heard of the owl cafe? In Asakusa, there was a small cafe with many different kinds of owls and a few other small animals called Owl Cafe Asakusa. While the cafe seems to be no more, there are several other owl cafes around Tokyo. This post will give you an idea of what an owl cafe is like in Japan!

Most animal cafes charge an admission fee or a fee for how long you stay, but they provide free drinks. This was the same way. We paid a small entrance fee and then had our choice of a free drink inside.

There were so many owls! Some you could pet and others were less friendly. Most were sitting on a little roost just relaxing, but some were flying around freely.

The ones I pet were so soft and seemed to be used to humans petting them.

There were also a few special animals there like otters, some turtles, and other types of birds. We spent about an hour inside looking at the different owls and other animals. It is definitely a really fun experience!

If you like animal cafes, check out my other post about Cat Cafe Mocha, as well. I hope you’ll visit an animal cafe on your next trip to Japan! It is an extraordinary experience.

Takoyaki in Dotonbori, Osaka

Let’s tako-bout takoyaki… lame joke? Yes, I know. Takoyaki is basically fried octopus fritters. It starts with a savory batter, to which the cook adds chunks of octopus, tempura crunch, pickled ginger, and green onion. It is fried in a special pan that allows the takoyaki to be made into a sphere shape. The cook rotates the fritters with chopsticks or a metal poker until it’s the perfect shape.

Once it’s all cooked, these fritters are usually covered in a special sauce, mayonnaise, little bits of seaweed called aonori, and some bonito flakes. When it’s all done, the heat makes the bonito flakes dance as they melt on top of the takoyaki. The taste is creamy from the batter but also a very hearty seafood flavor. The sauces complement the seafood perfectly! But watch out, if you’re too eager to eat these, you will scald your entire mouth from the gooey batter inside. It’s best to take a small bite and let the inside cool a bit before you eat these.

We ate these at Takoyaki Juhachiban Dotonbori in Osaka. This shop is right on the main street in Dotonbori. You’ll recognize it right away from the big takoyaki on the front of the building. This was by far the best takoyaki I’ve had. If you’re looking for a nice snack after some karaoke or a full meal, this place has options for several different serving sizes.

Definitely check this place out next time you’re in Osaka!

Gachapon Cat Accessories

Yes, you read that correctly. Cat accessories. Gachapon, or gacha gacha machines, are small prize vending machines similar to a gum ball machine in the US, but they dispense different small items. There are all sorts of gachapon items, from weird keychains for your favorite sushi to small bags shaped like bread and even the occasional lewd anime swag in the back of the gachapon stores. There are ENTIRE STORES filled with gachapon machines, hundreds of them. Usually, you walk in, they have a change machine for you to get coins, and then you go to the gachapons. Each item usually costs about 200 to 300 yen and is more about the collection or fun aspect than it is about buying something.

Since the items are randomly disbursed, and there are usually about 6 different options per one machine, people will spend tons of money on one machine, just trying to get the option they want. For example, if a gachapon is themed with mini figurines from your favorite anime, you might put in coin after coin, just trying to get the main character figurine somewhere in the machine.

Now, we know what these machines are, but let’s talk about my favorite type of gachapon… Cat Accessories. Yes, hats for your cat. I’ve even found wings for your cat. There is usually only one or two of these in a gachapon store, but they are by far my favorite. I’ve found Pokémon cat hats, Sanrio cat hats, fruit shaped cat hats, little cat scarf hats, and, as mentioned, bat wings for cats. Let’s take a look at some of my favorites…

Here is one of the cat bonnets we got from the machine shown in this post’s main image.

Next, here’s a super cute Sanrio PomPomPurin hat.

This one is an Alolan Raichu Pokémon hat.

Here’s a cat accessory haul… A radish hat, a yellow bunny ear hat, and some cat wings. There’s also a few buttons in here, too.

Next time you’re in Japan, keep a look out for these amazing machines. Gachapons are everywhere, but can you find your favorite cat hat?

Conveyor Belt Sushi - Hinatomaru

One thing that Japan is known for is their sushi, of course. And one of the most interesting ways to eat sushi is at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant! That’s why, when we went to Asakusa, we searched for a conveyor belt sushi restaurant to try. We found Hinatomaru while walking along all of the shopping streets close to Senso-ji temple.

This place was fantastic. You could take any of the sushi off of the conveyor belt as it circled the restaurant. The chef would choose a fish and make a few dishes with it. He then loaded it on the belt for customers to select from. You could also tell him what you’d like to try, and he’d make it just for you. It was like a moving buffet combined with a made to order restaurant. There were also hot water spouts and a jar of matcha in front of you, so that you could have some tea with your meal.

My favorite was the tuna. It really did just melt in your mouth. I also really liked the tamago. It was the sweet but salty tasting Japanese omelet.

The chef was hilarious. He was laughing and joking with us the whole time. He made the experience really fun and enjoyable.

At the end, you count up all of your color coded plates to pay. The plate color determines the price. It was a simple and delicious meal, and it was really affordable. I definitely recommend checking out this restaurant the next time you go to Tokyo’s Asakusa area.

The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum

What do you imagine when you think of a museum? A place with exhibits and displays that you can read about, maybe some historical facts, or some art… what about a museum that transports you back in time to Japan in the late 1950’s, that lets you fully interact with the exhibits, that lets you eat the ramen on display. The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum is more of a food amusement park than a traditional museum. Yes, they have things to read and historical exhibits, but the main room is filled with 7 retro ramen shops and a bar. You can hang out in the streets of Tokyo from 1958 while eating some delicious ramen. The ceiling looks like the sky, and each shop is a detailed building in the recreated city atmosphere.

I tried ramen from two different shops. My absolute favorite was the spicy red miso ramen from Ryu Shanghai Honten. I got the vegetarian version, but they also have it with pork. The signature red miso has quite a kick to it! It’s hot and spicy and pairs perfectly with the broth and fresh green onions. This is an absolute must-try!

Next, we tried Komurasaki tonkotsu ramen. They have a pork version, but I had the vegetarian version here also. It came with soy meat and a creamy broth that was very similar to the original. On top, there were some shaved garlic chips. It was so good!

At this point, I had eaten two full bowls of ramen. The meat versions are available in half sizes, but the vegetarian versions are only full size. So I was absolutely stuffed! We sat and had a nice drink and watched a street performer in the central court.

After that, we did visit the historical displays and read about the origins of ramen. We also stopped by the gift shop for some last minute souvenirs.

This food amusement park is only a quick train ride from Tokyo and is a definite must for any visit to Japan. If you find yourself in Tokyo, I definitely recommend the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum!

Digital Art Museum - TeamLab Borderless Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan

One of my absolute favorite places that we visited while in Japan was the digital art museum in Odaiba called TeamLab Borderless. This is not just a museum… it is a fully immersive and interactive experience. You are part of the art, explore the art, become the art. It’s like a whole playground for all ages filled with the most beautiful designs that you are fully experiencing.

The entire building has an open room to room flow. You just walk around and end up in different areas, part of different experiences. One area was all flowers that popped when you touch them. Another area was a strange climbing experience. There was a field of what I can only describe as lily pads with digital projections flowing across them as you walk among them. You can touch everything and everything reacts to motion and touch in the digital artwork.

One of the coolest exhibits was the tea house. You can go and choose from several types of tea. They will create it for you and bring it out to you, setting it on the table in this dark room. Then, the tea comes to life. smart projections from above you make floral designs in your tea bowl. The flowers bloom as your tea sits still, but when you lift the tea, the blooms fall apart. No matter where you move the bowl, the blossoms find your drink.

Another amazing experience was a totally dark room with a net that suspends you high above a mirrored floor. You lay in the middle of this net, almost as if it was a birds nest, and thousands of projections fly by you on the walls and ceiling. It feels like you’re watching the night sky come alive while suspended in mid air.

Of course, there are the very popular giant illuminated balloons. They change color and bounce slowly. There are also various kid-friendly (or adult-friendly) play areas. We climbed on some uneven suspended planks in a neon glow area. We even went down a big slide that had fruit projected onto it. When you slide down, the fruits are disturbed and bounce all over the place.

There really is so much to see here. So much, that I can’t even cover all of it. Finally, one more mention… The lantern room. A room filled with color changing lanterns and mirrors. This entire place feels like some out of body experience. If you get to visit, I definitely suggest it. Also, check out the many other TeamLab exhibits across Japan and the rest of the world. I’m sure you’ll find something that will blow your mind!