Barking Mad

Another weekend, another trip around Tokyo. This past weekend was a long one, the Japanese government tries to arrange holidays on mondays so the citizens (and aliens) can have a long weekend... sometimes, ya gotta love this country.

So being a car'less' family we took the train to Jiyugaoka to meet my ex-boss Anthony and his boyfriend Harwin, at their invitation, for lunch around their neck-of-the-woods.

I must say Mei and I were very impressed with Jiyugaoka, while still (technically) in central Tokyo, it didn't have that big city feel. Instead it felt like a little village with plenty of wonderful nooks and crannies for one to explore, heck, the train tracks run right through the middle of town. Fashionable and trendy, but down-to-earth at the same time, Jiyugaoka is a contrast of the new and old, little mom & pop shops selling kitchenware next to a GAP... but yet, strangely enough, it works.

Anthony and Harwin brought us for lunch at a little Italian bistro featuring an appetizer buffet/viking with your choice of entree (buffets here are called viking, weird huh? the Japanese must think the Nordic tribes of yore feasted on buffets). It was a lovely day, so we sat alfresco in the basement patio, taking in the cool air and hint of sunshine. The food was good, but the portions small, especially if your daughter decides to help herself to half your entree...

After lunch we took a quick walk around Jiyugaoka, it certainly merits a more leisurely visit. When we go there again, I will post some pictures.

One shop of interest was The Barkery. From the outside it looked like a little pink pâtisserie... on closer inspection, one notices little outfits hanging on little racks, perhaps a child's outfitter, a store for 'little people'? Nope... dog clothes. And at the far end of the shop on the back wall, little windows with cute little poodle pooches barking their little heads off... hence The Barkery.

Cost of a pudgy petite poodle pooch? ¥800,000... that's US$8000. For that price, they throw in puffy pink polyester poodle pooch pyjamas.

Barking mad... I'd say.