March 24, 2010: Tokyo Ii

As nosotros were getting laid to locomote out for Japan, our truthful cat Zimbra realised something was afoot as well as decided to brand Cindy experience fifty-fifty to a greater extent than guilty close leaving him behind past times staging a still protestation on her bag. Once nosotros got here, Cindy's kitten-guilt grew fifty-fifty stronger, as well as the only agency to instruct her through it was to accept her to Nekobukuro - Cat House - a weird truthful cat play expanse at the hap of a subdivision shop inwards Ikebukoru.

For 600 円 (around $7) y'all tin give notice pass equally much fourth dimension equally y'all desire patting, playing alongside as well as hassling the 10-15 cats roaming approximately a three-room truthful cat jungle-gym. Sounds amazing doesn't it? Alas, the reality is a piffling less exciting. The cats brutal into ii categories - sleeping:

or hiding:

The original clientele of Nekobukuro are parents as well as their excited piffling kids, who run madly approximately grabbing handfuls of kitty's tail or 'patting' them alongside a piffling also much enthusiasm. Thus the cats that guide maintain the liberate energy shroud - either upward high or downwards low.

They're nevertheless cute, as well as y'all tin give notice at to the lowest degree pat some of the lazy sleeping ones, but the whole experience was a piffling strange - I guess they guide maintain amend lives than the strays we've been seeing everywhere, but it didn't look similar life inwards the Nekobukuro was a barrel of laughs. The skillful affair close the morning's cat-based amusement was that it was within - overnight Tokyo had turned rainy, as well as a steady stream came downwards on us for the balance of the day.

Our side past times side lodge of concern was lunch, as well as Pure Cafe came highly recommended past times the Vegan Pocketguide. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 quick develop ride to Shibuya as well as nosotros were laid upward to walk through the pelting to Omote Sando as well as rail it down.

Alas it wasn't to be. Despite managing the hardest role - getting us to the Omote Sando tube halt which was the reference betoken for our Pure Cafe map - I as well as so spent a skillful 45 minutes thinking nosotros were facing at ninety degrees from the direction nosotros were truly facing. In this situation, a fairly undetailed piffling map is very, rattling frustrating. By the cease I was convinced that the Pocketguide had completely misled us. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 quick scan of i of the rattling helpful neighbourhood maps past times the side of the route set me direct - I'm merely an idiot. Once nosotros had ourselves all turned around, nosotros located Pure Cafe inwards close ninety seconds. Unfortunately it was also slow to grab dejeuner - nosotros had a coming together scheduled alongside Matt at some other tube station inwards less than 20 minutes.

We arrived at Roppongi as well as shamefacedly explained our failure. Matt speedily located a Mos Burger, which Lisa had recommended to us earlier nosotros left - they've got i vegan burger, a weird vegie patty squished betwixt ii rice cakes (250 円, $3).

The burger was okay - a fighting of a let-down later the high hopes nosotros had for Pure Cafe, but quick as well as filling inwards an emergency dejeuner situation.

Our argue for visiting Roppongi was some other rainy hateful solar daytime activity: the Mori Art Museum. The major exhibition was called 'Can at that spot hold upward art?', as well as featured immature Japanese artists - generally working alongside installations or multimedia. I enjoyed a lot of it, especially these tiny trees cutting out of retail packaging:

and the crazy audio installations alongside moving parts as well as flashing lights, all controlled past times a few turntables as well as some fancy circuitry:

The Mori Art Museum is on the 53rd flooring of the Roppongi Hills complex as well as included inwards the ticket toll to the exhibitions is access to Tokyo City View, an observatory. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 rainy nighttime is non the best fourth dimension to visit, but at that spot were nevertheless some pretty striking views across the lit upward city.

Our finally halt for the hateful solar daytime was Hiro, for dinner at J's Kitchen, some other Pocketguide recommendation. Matt as well as I spent a lot of fourth dimension carefully considering our dinner options.

I striking upon the teriyaki tempeh sandwich laid (1575 円, $18), a tempeh sandwich, served alongside salad as well as a bowl of soup. If y'all ignore the slightly ludicrous price, this was a peachy alternative - the tempeh was saucy as well as moist, the staff of life lightly toasted as well as the salad as well as soup provided skillful support. If cypher else, this reinvigorated our enthusiasm to brand to a greater extent than tempeh sandwiches when nosotros instruct dorsum to Australia. Delicious.

Cindy opted for the fifty-fifty to a greater extent than expensive seitan balls inwards sugariness as well as sour sauce (1680 円, $20), which were comparatively less exciting. The seitan balls as well as vegies were beautifully cooked but a lot hinged on the sauce as well as Cindy wasn't overly enthused past times it. She nevertheless sampled dessert, a vegan custard tart, that was quite dry out as well as wholesome tasting, alongside a hint of citrus - it was hardly going to hold upward rich or eggy at a vegan macrobiotic restaurant.

With the pelting showing no sign of letting up, at that spot wasn't much to produce but pick out grip of the tube dorsum to Matt's house. On the walk domicile nosotros stopped inwards at the local supermarket - for sure i of the highlights of a see to whatever novel country.

Matt helpfully pointed out a laid of mochi-based sweets as well as some plum liqueur for us to cease the nighttime with. The mochi were a fighting weird - i had a red-bean based sauce, which is something neither Cindy or I guide maintain exclusively come upward approximately to yet. The other had a sugariness as well as slightly soy-sauce tasting sauce, which was a fighting much for me, but has converted Cindy to a slightly crazed mochi-hunter for the balance of the trip.

The plum liqueur came inwards cute piffling single-serve jars, each alongside a plum stewing at the bottom.

Nothing says 'classy' similar a homo drinking from a jar.