After eating the legendary floating noodles and having some aesthetic dining experiences in Kyoto, I figured I’d point out two of my favorite cafes there as well. They both involve two of my favorite things: small animals & videogames so naturally I had to check them out. I will be detailing my experiences below so hopefully more people will decide to visit!
Pug Cafe Living Room
Pug Cafe Living Room is a small space where you can interact with adorable little pugs dressed in colorful jerseys. It was opened in the living room of the Japanese family’s house who owns it and currently there are 15 friendly pugs that reside there. The system is very simple; you pay 1500 yen to enter and you have a full hour to play with the pugs. The entry fee includes treats so naturally the pugs will come to you if you feed them! They are quite energetic so it was difficult for me to take photos, but I really enjoyed my time here. You can extend your visit for 500 yen per 30 minutes if you wish. The cafe is a bit more crowded on the weekends but I was able to walk in on a Saturday and not have any wait time. Be sure to check their calendar to see if they are open because they do have some irregular holidays. If you are a pug lover, this is an experience that you can’t miss.
Cafe la Siesta is a retro gaming cafe located in central Kyoto with 8bit-themed drinks, old school games, music events, and more! I lucked out by coming here on a Wednesday night when all of the arcade games were free to play. I ordered a Space Invader drink that had Crab-shaped ice cubes which was highly aesthetic and tasted awesome. The wall of cartridges was also quite fun to check out because their collection of games was massive. I’ve been to many gaming bars in Asia, but this and Space Station in Osaka are my favorites due to the friendliness of the staff and the welcoming atmosphere (not to mention the interior decor). I was only here for a short time but got the perfect buzz.
Last August during the Mountain Day holiday weekend, I ventured to the riverside village of Kibune in Kyoto to try their legendary floating noodles. These somen noodles are very unique because they float down a bamboo shoot directly to your table and are chilled to cool you down during summer season. It’s definitely a dining experience worth having if you enjoy Japanese food! In this article I will be highlighting my summer experience in Kyoto and will hopefully inspire more people to travel here.
*For reference, Mountain Day is a relatively new national holiday that was announced in 2014. It honors the mountainous terrains of this country and most Japanese companies give this day as paid holiday (making it a three day weekend most years). It occurs August 11th. Be aware that this weekend is usually travel-heavy, but you can still see and do a lot if you plan your trip accordingly.
Floating Noodles at Hirobun (in Kibune)
Kibune is a popular resort destination that attracts large numbers of Japanese couples and families each year (which I didn’t realize beforehand), but is also home of the famous Hirobun restaurant that serves floating somen noodles from a bamboo shoot. As the noodles float to your seat, you can stealthily grab with your chopsticks and eat them with soy sauce. Though people make it out to be a challenge, it’s actually not that difficult and the restaurant staff will adjust the speed if they see you are having trouble. The last batch of noodles is marked pink so you know when your course is over. We paid around 2000 yen for a noodle course with dessert and enjoyed the experience thoroughly.
The main con of this was the three hour wait time… Unfortunately this activity is so popular in the summer that it attracts hundreds of people per day and there are limited seats at the floating somen table. There is no reservation system, so you must show up in person to write your name on a wait list in order of who arrived first. We arrived around 12pm and already there were many people ahead of us. However, the plus side is that there are so many things to see in Kibune that you can easily leave and come back when it is close to your turn.
While we waited, we walked around the river, tried some ice cream from a local confectionery, and hiked by the Kibune Shrine Okumiya so we could test our luck. There is also the nearby Kurumadera Temple and hotspring that you can visit to kill time. If you think about it, three hours in nature really goes by quickly. It would be a lot more mundane if we had to wait that long for a restaurant in the city. At first I hesitated about waiting, but now I’m so happy that I did because I got to experience pretty much everything Kibune has to offer.
Getting to Kibune
From Kyoto Station, take the Nara Line Rapid Miyakoji to Tofukuji Station, then the Keihan Main Line Semi-Express to Demachiyanagi Station Station, then the Eizan Main Line Local to Kibuneguchi Station. From here you can take a local bus to the shrine. Though it involves a few transfers, the journey only takes about 1.5 hours and costs 1020 yen making it the perfect day trip from Kyoto.
Here is a collection of aesthetic food finds in Nagoya, Japan (Volume 1). ♥
This country has no shortage of of aesthetic foods so I will continue to share cafes that I stumble across in future posts! Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, most dessert cafes in Nagoya remain open as of March 2020.
Ai Cafe
On the very first day of my recent trip to Nagoya, my best friend and I decided to rise up to the challenge and order all 3 bears on the “Spring Fair” menu at Ai Cafe. This included sakura ice cream bear soda, strawberry bear toast, and a whopping king bear parfait. This challenge is not recommended for the weak due to the large amounts of aesthetic food you will receive—we were completely unprepared for the massive pink ice cream and extra thicc toast and waffle dishes all shaped like bears that stared back at us. But with careful strategy and pacing, we defeated them all and washed them down with a Kenshiro Coffee. The staff was super accommodating to take the time to make this for us.
A professionally Tweeted summary of the 3 bear challenge:
OKAY. TIME TO SEPERATE THE BOYS FROM THE MEN. IF YOU’RE NOT ON AT LEAST THREE BEARS BY LUNCH, GTFO OUT OF MY FACE SIMP. pic.twitter.com/KayVHVuPmC
Interestingly enough, Ai Cafe’s closest station is Gokiso Station, which I made a hilarious Japanese pun of: ごきそさまでした！
You may not think it’s funny, but I do.
Psychedelic Pattern Smoothies at Tuwl’s
While exploring the charming little shopping area of Osu Kannon, we stumbled upon a very small smoothie stand called Tuwl’s that sells psychedelic pattern smoothies. Unfortunately this place does not seem to be on a map yet, but it’s easy to find if you are walking towards the Taito Station. The smoothies are not only intricately designed, but they also taste out of this world. You can choose the fruit juice you want with a base of seeds, tapioca, or granola. I chose avocado juice with the seed base and was happy to find it was mixed with chopped strawberries too. My friend got the raspberry banana version which looks very similar to mine but has a different taste and pattern. All I can say was that the smoothie trip was worth it and it’s worth trying at least once.
Lyrical Coffee Donut
At one point during my trip to Nagoya, I thought I woke up in an alternate universe where coffee and donuts were “lyrical”, flowers grew from the ceiling, and it was snowing in Tokyo during sakura season but still sunny and pleasant in Aichi Prefecture. However, I learned that this was just every day life at Lyrical Coffee Donut (almost). This little cafe and flower workshop is tucked away near Kamejima Station making it still somewhat central to Nagoya. We ordered the sakura and coconut donuts (which we shared with our son, Waddle Dee), and also tried a floral jelly drink with the sandwich set. It tasted beyond delicious, and because it was sakura season the flower donuts were quite popular. I hope to come back here and try some more variety in the near future.
Yama Coffee
Not wanting to completely break our bear diet, we set off to Yama Coffee near Osu Kannon to try the infamous marshmallow coffee set. The marshmallows come in various shapes and sizes, but I had my heart set on the panda ones because they were the most aesthetic. I was delighted to see that they had added pink ones to the set to commemorate sakura season. I ordered a latte and they drew a macha leaf pattern on it which added to the panda theme. I feel like I can never drink coffee without marshmallows again because they add a perfect fluffy texture that packets of sugar can’t obtain. Yama Coffee is a coffee experience that I think everyone should have.
Queen’s Healthy Diner
Soy Chicken is Best Chicken.
After experiencing a sugar-induced coma from consuming all the bears, we realized we should eat something a little more healthy for dinner. My friend introduced me to Queen’s Healthy Diner which is not far from Sakae Station. This little diner is owned by a nice woman who prepares much of the food all by herself. I had a vegan salad and soy milk macha drink with alcohol, and my friend ordered the soy karaage (fried chicken) with homemade mayonnaise. I have to say that they karaage was by far the best thing on the menu. It tasted like like fried tofu and had the texture and appearance of karaage but was much healthier and easier to digest. In addition to this, there are vegan burritos, pizzas, and pastas available. This restaurant is every vegan in Nagoya’s dream come true.
Ogura Toast at Cafe Gentiane
I’m not sure who exactly came up with the strange idea to spread azuki bean paste on top of buttered French toast, but it somehow became a popular dish in this region after the first World War movement. Bean paste isn’t the first thing I’d think to add to my toast, but it surprisingly makes a delicious topping. The texture is a bit thicker than jam or jelly, but it’s just as sweet and usually comes with a side of butter or whipped cream as well. This dish is dubbed “Ogura Toast” and can be found all over Nagoya and other places in Aichi Prefecture. Since we were short on time, we settled for a place called Cafe Gentiane in Nagoya Station, but you can find Ogura Toast in a lot of other cafes here. You really can’t go wrong with French toast in Japan because it has a lot of rich variety.
Now Closed: Little Baby Dogs
When I first attended World Cosplay Summit dressed as Futaba from Persona 5 in 2017, I stumbled upon a small ice cream place in Sakae called “Little Baby Dogs“. The beautiful chocolate-dipped ice cream cones and heart-shaped toppings made this place a real charm (not to mention the name). Unfortunately this shop is now closed, but my memories of cosplaying and eating ice cream here will last forever.
Have you ever had a craving for Balllls? Though most tapioca places in Japan seem to be closing due to the trend dying off, Balllls Tapitera in Osu is actually just moving to a new location. I look forward to its grand re-opening and seeing more strange places like this in the future.
Thank you for reading Volume 1 of my aesthetic food journeys in Nagoya. If you have any recommendations, please drop them in the comments! I will be writing more volumes in the future.
Last month I wrote about my aesthetic adventures to the Capybara Zoo and Planet Cafe, but here are some other noteworthy spots in Hamamatsu that are worth checking out. If you go to Shizuoka Prefecture, you should definitely try the eel here because it’s some of the best in Japan. In addition to that, there is also a tiny fantasy-themed village you can explore. I’ve only been to Hamamatsu twice for music events, but I ended up stumbling into a lot of cool things on my journey.
Eel Eateries
As soon as I arrived at Hamamatsu Station, I immediately decided to go to an eel restaurant so I could finally try this city’s prized food. I chose a small shop called 八百徳 that was about a 3 min walk from the station because they had a set meal for a nice value. Cooked eel has a nice texture and is rich in protein so it’s a fit choice for an adventurer. I ordered the main unagi set served with rice, a side of vegetables, and miso soup which was delicious. You can eat eel all over Japan, but you can tell by the exquisite taste that they are farmed to perfection here. Most eel sets will cost 1500 ~ 2700 yen here but is worth it in my opinion.
For those that are up for fishing, there is a lake in Kosai City where you can catch them yourself! I have not been to this place, but it is somewhere I will consider traveling to in the future if I come back here again.
Nukumori Village
This fairy-like village nestled in a forest was designed by famous architect Shigeyoshi Sasaki and feels like something straight out of a Miyazaki movie! Originally Nukumori Village was a furniture workshop, but due to its beautiful European architecture it has attracted a lot of people and expanded. You can find small boutiques, restaurants, museums, and other aesthetic designs here. I enjoyed walking through the miniature houses with stained-glass windows and taking photos of them. There is an owl cafe called “Warmth of Owl“ here as well (I didn’t go but found it interesting). Despite it being a tourist destination, I arrived around 2pm and found that it was serene and quiet. It felt like less of a tourist trap and more of a relaxing day trip from the city to me.
From the crafty eel-shaped banisters to the one-of-a-kind unagi pie ice cream dessert served at the cafe here, this eel pie factory is truly a gem. Here you can learn all about the process of eel pie baking and buy some fancy souvenirs for your friends (I handed out several to my friends at the club). What exactly makes up an eel pie, you ask?
“Eel extract, garlic and other such flavorings are blended together with carefully-selected fresh butter to make the confection.”
The description sounds a bit fishy, but I can confirm that all of the samples I tried tasted like salted butter cookies. In other words: Eel Pie is absolutely delicious (especially with ice cream)! You can buy eel pie at various souvenir shops in Shizuoka, but coming to the factory is the best experience because you can order it fresh at the cafe. As someone who loves weird food, I simply could not pass this opportunity up.
Please note that the factory is a bit far from the main city, but you can take a taxi or walk 18 mins here from Okubo Bus Stop via city bus.
Chillwood Bar
My friend and I were looking for a place to pregame before an event at Planet Cafe and stumbled upon a place called Chillwood Bar not far from the station. Not only is this bar cozy with a wide range of cocktails and bottles of wine, but the owner looks and acts just like Sojiro from Persona 5. We had some real-life anime going on here. I ordered a sakura fizz cocktail and my friend and I split a bottle of wine. Everyone was very friendly and asked me various questions about my life and travels in Japan. I was more than happy to share my experiences with them since the alcohol was flowing. I am glad to have made this website [Resurface to Reality] so I archive these memories and continue to create more.
Here is a collection of recent aesthetic food finds in the Kansai region of Japan focusing on Kyoto and Osaka (Volume 1). ♥
This country has no shortage of of aesthetic foods so I will continue to share cafes that I stumble across in future posts!
AKICHI
While wearing a butterfly-patterned dress, I managed to find butterfly ice cream at AKICHI in Namba (Osaka) that perfectly matched my drip. This colorful little alley functions as both a photo space covered in murals and a nook full of bakeries and cafes. I tried the strawberry and vanilla milk-flavored ice cream from Deglab; the “soft cream laboratory”. Not only was it topped with an elegant white chocolate butterfly and edible pearls, but it was also mouthwatering delicious! It felt like a dream come true. There is also a tapioca shop and bakery upstairs if you are looking for other desserts, but the ice cream is some of the best in town.
Wagurisenmon Saori
There’s nothing like eating a bowl of noodles in Kyoto. Or a Mont Blanc ice cream dessert disguised as noodles, because that makes perfect sense. At Wagurisenmon Saori in downtown Kyoto, you can confuse your taste buds by digging into these dessert noodles with a spoon and tasting a thick layer of cake and ice cream below. Kansai cooking is nothing short of amazing:
The taste of this dessert was average due to the “noodles” being somewhat tasteless, but as an aesthetic food enthusiast I could not pass this opportunity up. Definitely try it if you like the concept, but regular Mont Blanc sold in French bakeries throughout Japan taste a lot better and are cheaper. I will never forget this experience though.
Jinen Sushi
All of my Japanese friends that travel to Osaka continually talk about butter unagi (eel) sushi, so I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I’ve eaten eel many times and think that it’s tasty and a good source of protein, but the downside is it’s considerably expensive compared to other foods. However, Jinen Sushi offers a pretty good deal on their nigiri and sushi rolls and you can order them individually. I eagerly ordered the unagi butter and confirmed that it was worth the hype. Eel normally has somewhat of a tough texture, but the sticks of butter add a softness to it that you normally wouldn’t expect. Because you can only get this in Osaka, I ordered another round. In America butter is a normal topping found in mass quantities, but here it’s far less common so you really treasure moments like this.
Happy Labo Popcorn
While I was going to a show in Osaka one day, I noticed mysterious steam coming from a street vendor. Curious to see what it was, I was surprised to find that it was actually frozen rainbow popcorn that turns your breath white! Happy Labo Popcorn definitely has a unique theme going for it and sells some interesting ice cream too. Usually I’m not a fan of flavored popcorn, but when frozen it actually has a sweet but still mild taste. It’s definitely attention-grabbing and fun to walk around with.
Cocochi Cafe
I was browsing Instagram one day when I came across an orange on my feed, but it wasn’t just an ordinary orange. It was an orange (wait for it)… WITH A FACE. Not just any face, but it had googly eyes and mustache. Truly blessed with poise and perfect symmetry. Whatever it was, I had to order it. My aesthetic food journey took me to Cocochi Cafe in Kyoto which is a cozy dessert place near the Imperial Palace. I can proudly say that drinking orange juice out of an orange with a handsome face is one of my biggest life accomplishments. There is also a cute dog at this cafe that is happy to greet you!
JTRRD Cafe
JTRRD Cafe started out as a small restaurant in Osaka that eventually became so popular that it opened branches in Kyoto and Nagoya mainly due to its patterned rainbow smoothies. Unfortunately the day I went they were out of ingredients for the smoothies, but I still enjoyed the paprika curry and omelet rice (which I shared with a friend because the serving size was so big). It was probably some of the best curry I have ever tasted due to the way it was seasoned. Paprika is truly an underrated ingredient. Next time I come back to this area, I will make an effort to try the famed smoothies too!
Panbo
By this point I’ve experienced a lot of unique desserts in Japan, but pancake skewers are a new thing to me. At Panbo Osaka, you can choose the size of skewer you want (which consists of mini pancakes and fruits on a stick) then add chocolate, sprinkles, and other toppings to flavor it. The mini pancakes are surprisingly filling, and the marshmallow at the top makes me feel like I’m at a campfire. Speaking of camping…
Hammock Cafe
Picture a hammock cafe where you can relax and drink with your friends in hammocks. Now picture that same cafe with all you can drink alcohol. Welcome to Revarti Osaka, maybe one of the best watering holes in all of Japan. I’ve been to hammock cafes in Tokyo before, but they sure didn’t have the all you can drink option (maybe they will in the future, but this place was way more relaxed). I was brought here with my bartender friend from Space Station, and with a group of 4 people I’m pretty sure we only paid around 1500 yen each. They had everything from wine to high balls to vodka cocktails too so I indulged in everything. We also tried dunking crackers into chocolate fondue with huge marshmallows baked into it. This was by far one of my best drinking experiences in Osaka that was followed by a 12 hour party at club dapnia. A night I will never forget!
The Longest Softcream in Japan
At Long Softcream on American Street in Osaka, you can eat the longest soft-serve ice cream in Japan standing at a whopping 40cm. But be quick~ It will melt fast if you try to eat it during the summer. The irony is perhaps compared to the average size of American desserts, it’s not so long after all. The taste is pretty ordinary, but I bought it mainly for the meme factor. I will be writing more in detail about the wacky things you can find on American Street in the future because this is just the beginning!
BONUS: Individually Sealed Sliced Pieces of Bread
I can’t remember exactly where this place was, but the fact that it sells individually sealed sliced pieces of bread is simply amazing. All it needs is a side of unagi butter!
Thank you for reading Volume 1 of my aesthetic food journeys in Kansai. If you have any recommendations, please drop them in the comments! I will be writing Volume 2 focused on Nagoya in the near future.
View of Amanohashidate from Kasamatsu Park’s ropeway.
Due to the abrupt school closure and cancellation of public events put into effect by the Japanese government as prevention of the Corona Virus spread last week, I suddenly found myself with an abundance of free time. Not wanting to waste this newfound freedom, I decided to hit up my friends in Kansai and see what the situation was like in the west. As predicted, they informed me that there were noticeably less tourists around Kyoto and the prices of hotels had dropped drastically. This was my chance! Avoiding the public areas where the usual masses occupy (and now an increase of students too), I set my sights on a remote sandbar located in northern Kyoto: Amanohashidate.
If you follow my adventures, you’ll know that I went to Amanohashidate last year after Nanoboro Festa in August (see An Eerily Beautiful Beach in Northern Kyoto). However, because I visited the fishing village of Ine first that day, it was already dark when I reached Amanohashidate and I could only take pictures of the highly aesthetic neon-colored beach. It was definitely worth the trip, but this time I wanted to arrive during the day time so I could take pictures from the top of the ropeway. The ropeway is at the north end of the sandbar located in Kasamatsu Park, so you must arrive before 5pm if you want to get to the top. Fortunately I made it there early and managed to take a lot of awesome photos!
I arrived at Amanohashidate Station from Kyoto Station around 2pm and decided to walk on the beach for a while. It was windy and a bit chilly, but the coast was still beautiful to see because the sun was out. All shops still seemed to be in operation here, and it was easy to ask people at the tourist center for directions. A few Japanese tourists were here in addition to myself, but the numbers were considerably less than the summer. I was happy because that meant I had the optimal photo opportunity. I found it funny how Amanohashidate has an anime girl personification in addition to a cute pinecone mascot!
For lunch I grabbed a kani meshi (krab rice) bento and a small selection of sushi from Kyoto Station. See my Tentacle Bento Article for more information about the best on-the-go lunches in Kyoto. In addition to octopus, crab here is also amazing (sorry, Mr. Krabs)!
To cross the sandbar, you can either rent a bike for 200 yen/2 hours and ride 20 mins to the other side, or take a boat ride for 600 yen and cross it in 10 mins (from the Amanohashidate Official Tourism website). I’m normally a biker, but since it was windy I opted for the boat ride. A family and their dog joined me so I wasn’t alone. Kasamatsu Park is just a short walk from Ichinomiya Pier and the chair lift is very fun to ride.
Here is footage from my GoPro of the sandbar and the chairlift. It’s really amazing to see how big Kyoto is:
At the souvenir shop at the top of the mountain I found some nice oddities. The pinecone nuts were very interesting, and even more so were the pastries with a design of a person staring at you while bent over. Apparently this is the pose many people use in their photos with the sandbar when they reach the top. I guess it looks cool because you can see the sandbar inbetween your legs but… why? Stay weird, Japan.
After riding back down the chairlift, I spent my remaining time on the beach as planned. I highly recommend coming here in the summer if you have time because it gives you some of the best views of Kyoto. I would like to come in the summer again and attempt to go swimming here!
Directions: From Kyoto Station, take the Hashidate Limited Express 5towards Toyo-Oka. This costs around 5000 yen but it has the fewest transfers and will get you there in 2 hours. The express train also has an antique vibe to it and is fun to see.
I will be writing about fun places in Kansai as well as the all you can drink capsule hotel I found in central Kyoto next. The fear of the virus has not stopped my traveling or events organized by my friends even though large scale events such as Anime Japan have been cancelled. Please remember that it’s safe to travel in Japan if you continually wash your hands, use sanitizer, and practice good hygeine.
The Tower of the Sun stands proudly in Osaka representing the evolution of life.
Over the weekend while attending a unique club-turned-campsite event at Club Daphnia, I decided to stop by the Tower of the Sun (太陽の塔) because it’s one of the few attractions in Osaka that I haven’t been to yet. The Tower of Sun is located in Osaka’s Expo ’70 Commemorative Park among flower gardens, museums, and other recreational facilities. There’s even a “Dream Pond” with pedal boats (much like Tokyo’s Ueno Park) and a foot bath you can use. This area is truly a unique place and feels like it’s part of an RPG map with the Tower as a dungeon surrounded by fields of flowers. It’s also far away enough from the city that you can leisurely relax here, but you can easily access it by riding the Osaka Monorail.
The tower itself is 70m tall and was designed by the artist Taro Okamoto for the 1970 Japan World Exposition. The design was a hit success and attracted millions of visitors so it still stands in the exact same place today. According to the Official ’70 Expo Website, the three faces of the tower each represent a different phase of life:
The “Golden Mask” located at its top, which shines and suggests the future, the “Face of the Sun” on its front, which represents the present, and the “Black Sun” on its back, which symbolizes the past.
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0423.JPG
From the front it looks like it only has two faces, but if you walk around to the rear of the tower you can see the black face of the past and enter the museum. Unfortunately due to the effect of the corona virus, the museum was temporarily closed. However, the gift shops and cafes were still open and there was a lot of sightseeing for me to do in the park. There is a 4th face within the tower as well as intricate sculptures demonstrating the evolution of life (from the dinosaur age until the present) so I hope to come back to see it in the future when it’s open.
This tower has become somewhat of a meme in Japanese society due to its unique design. I’ve seen a number of people cosplay it on Halloween and apparently it has somewhat of a cult-like following. Some Japanese people around me were describing it as “scary-looking” but it just looks like something out of a NieR game to me. I honestly think what it symbolizes is truly wondrous and I’m happy that they kept it as the mascot of the Expo park. The souvenirs they sold at the gift shop were hilarious too! You could buy anything from $100 action figures and plush dolls to $5 dollar keychains. I liked the design of the T-shirt too. I bought a keychain because I thought it was very cute.
Friendly Tower of the Sun takoyaki man.
On my way back I saw a takoyaki store that had Tower of the Sun action figures next to it. As I was taking a picture, the man gave me a thumbs up sign. I really love Osaka and am excited to write all about my adventures here! Despite the fear of the virus, life in Osaka seems to be carrying on as normal which is relieving.
Access
1-1 Senribanpakukoen, Suita, Osaka 565-0826 Entrance Fee: 250 yen (the cheapest I have paid to enter a tourist attraction in a while)
Carpainter plays a 90 minute set at EFEKT’s 7th Anniversary at Planet Cafe, Shizuoka.
During my backpacking trip to the Capybara Zoo of Japan, I spent an entire night dancing at Carpainter’s Future Legacy Tour held at Planet Cafe in Hamamatsu. I had previously attended the album’s original release party at Contact Tokyo in December, but I wanted to travel here so I could experience the music scene in Shizuoka in addition to seeing him perform at a rare venue. This particular event was not only a release party, but it was also combined with EFEKT’s 7th Anniversary. In this article I will be reporting my experience at Planet Cafe and also talking about Carpainter’s latest releases: Future Legacy and Super Dance Tools Vol. 1.
Planet Cafe & EFEKT
Planet Cafe is one of the most famous music venues of Shizuoka located in the populous city of Hamamatsu. Unlike its name implies, it has the atmosphere of an underground club instead of a cafe. It’s divided into two rooms with one bar and one DJ booth, making it easy to listen to music and socialize with people. I found it to be much more laidback than the typical clubs in the Tokyo scene. The entrance fee was only 2500 yen and well worth the price for the quality of music. The party lasted from 9pm – 5am so it was quite a long time—almost the duration of a music festival! There was never a dull moment in the club because the music selection of all the artists was carefully chosen.
EFEKT is an “all style bass sound music” party routinely held by a group of Shizuoka-based DJs at Planet Cafe. In addition to bass music, you can except to hear a lot of nonstop dance tracks with techno and disco influences here. At this party in particular, I heard a lot of fire UK Garage tracks which really made me happy. In addition to Carpainter, they have featured artists such as Licaxxx, submerse, and Chimpo at their previous events at Planet Cafe making the lineup more diverse each time.
Resident DJs: MASKAT, SADA, SUGURU, SINYA (see the EFEKT Twitter for more information).
Future Legacy is Carpainter’s 3rd official album defined as “The Japanese Techno Revival”. Its 14 tracks are reminiscent to old school techno and breakbeat music with a bit of house music effects as well. A recent DOMMUNE article mentions that Carpainter used rich and melodious synthetic sounds in the album’s production influenced by Detroit techno similar to his Orient EP. Future Legacy also features the usage of female vocals for the first time in the track O.V.E.R. ft. Utae. The album fuses old techno sounds with Carpainter’s own unique style making it one of the best nonstop dance releases I’ve heard in quite a long time. I’ve enjoyed keeping up with the album’s production and would rate it quite high in terms of originality.
The album’s first track Re Genesis starts with a slow and simple build that immediately draws you in. He used this track to open his set at Planet Cafe and it instantly got the crowd excited. My personal favorites from this album are “Tiger & Dragon”, “Chaos or Order”, and “Declare Victory”. A big theme of this album is the balance between looping sounds and inserting cuts and breaks to keep the dance spirit alive. Each song has a unique way of doing this so it’s something you’ll want to keep on repeat for a while! The album ends with the previously mentioned uplifting dance track O.V.E.R. that was originally premiered at Trekkie Trax’s 7th Anniversary. It truly is a treasure of Japan and is available worldwide:
Planet Cafe
I arrived to Planet Cafe around 11pm which gave me the perfect amount of time to drink and socialize before seeing the special guest performers. The club attendees were a mostly a mix of Shizuoka locals and people who had traveled from Tokyo to see the event (like myself). Though I was the only foreigner, I found it very easy to talk to people here. The number of people that attended this was similar to the Carpainter event at Outer Kochi last year, so overall it was a good crowd and there was lots of room to dance.
Carpainter played a 90 minute set that consisted of a wide range of music including records with songs he grew up hearing in the Netherlands with his brother Seimei. In addition to tracks from Future Legacy, he also played his previous bangers like PAM!!! and mixed it into an old style of techno music. It was really fun to watch the crowd’s reaction because no one knew what song was coming next. My personal favorite was this creative slip-in of “Mr. Roboto” towards the end:
In addition to Carpainter, isagen, a Shizuoka-based DJ and producer was also featured as a special guest in the lineup. I have previously written about isagen in my LARGE SIZE article last year, but he has really grown as a skilled DJ since my last article. In his set at Planet Cafe he played songs from his cgab release on Trekkie Trax as well as tracks I didn’t recognize (which I assume will be part of a future release).
Recently isagen has been featured on THREE THE HARDWARE, which is a unique video project started by tofubeats that demonstrates the production of DTM (desktop music) made with second hand equipment. A recent video called THIS IS UK STUDIO explores some of the sound effects that isagen and other featured artists have made through experimentation. This project is inspirational because it shows that you can make virtually any sound on your hardware with the right technique:
My clubbing experience in Hamamatsu was unforgettable and I hope to come back here in the future to listen to new types of music!
Super Dance Tools Vol. 1
Super Dance Tools (Vol. 1) is the latest release by Carpainter which contains 17 tracks over 5 minutes designed to be used as “tools” for DJs. The loops with the combination of acid techno and hard techno sounds make it an addictive dance album by itself, but it sounds even better when the songs are skillfully transitioned into other songs during sets. The album has gained international praise by artists such as Anna Lunoe, and the songs have been featured on London radio shows such as NTS.
You can listen to a preview of the album below:
A great example of Super Dance Tools being utilized is in this video of Addison Groove’s Getterfunk Takeover set where “B-Reverse” is played:
Addison Groove @addisongroove played “B-Reverse” from SUPER DANCE TOOLS Vol.1👏👏👏
My top picks on this album are “Supernova” and “Drifting” because they have a nice build that makes me want to loop them on repeat for hours, but “1994” comes as an unexpected surprise because it ends the album on a mellow note. I hope to see more artists use these tools to create unique sounds, and anticipate the possibility of more volumes in the future.
Final Remarks
Carpainter will always be one of my favorite artists in Japan because he has introduced me to so many styles of music through his DJ sets. Despite being from Michigan, I had no idea what Detroit Techno sounded like until I heard him describe it in his interviews as a major influence of songs he produced for Orient and Declare Victory. The people that I’ve met through his events continually inspire me to listen to new music and travel around Japan to experience it in different places. I am excited to see what direction his music takes him in the future and hope that someday he fulfills his dream of debuting in the UK. If that happens, I will definitely be looking more into the UK music scene as well!
After seeing the capybara zoo and the capybara illuminations of Izu, I decided to make my way to the coastal city of Atami and do some exploring around the beach and local area. I chose to stay at this district during my backpacking trip through Shizuoka because it is centrally located and has a lot of nice seafood restaurants and floral parks you can visit. My accommodation was at Megumi Guesthouse because it has an onsen and was only 3500 yen per night when I booked it. Not bad at all!
Here are some of my favorite discoveries that I found during my two-day stay in Atami:
Idematsu Sun Beach
One of the best things about Atami is that the beach is only 5 minutes walking from the station! When I woke up and went for my morning run, this was the very first place that I visited. It was very serene and quiet, which is rare for a beach near the city. Despite it being February, the temperature was extremely mild too. It almost felt like a private beach to me. In the summer, Atami holds a fireworks festival that many people attend. I would like to come back during that time and see how the atmosphere changes!
BonBon Berry House & Maruya Terrace
If you love strawberries… well you’re absolutely going to love BonBon Berry! This confectionery is full of fruits and desserts of high quality. I first tried the original strawberry stick with manjuu and a small piece of strawberry cake. It was so delicious, I came back the following day to try more~ I next ordered the strawberry shu cream that looks like a giant glazed strawberry but is actually a giant creampuff. I traveled here in February, yet the strawberries were so fresh I felt like it was summer!
For lunch I decided to stop at Maruya Terrace near the central shopping street. This restaurant will let you choose your favorite fish from the seafood store across the street and grill it for you on a seasoned sandwich. I chose their famous mackerel sandwhich:
This is one of the best fish sandwiches I have ever eaten!!
I couldn’t believe this sandwich was only 700 yen! Seafood in Hokkaido and Kanazawa are much more expensive. Atami is definitely one of the cheapest places to eat quality fish and I would like to try many kinds in the future!
Atami Ropeway & Kinomiya Shrine
Atami Ropeway definitely gives you access to one of the best views in the city! For only 600 yen (roundtrip), you can take a cable car to the top of a mountain and see the city and surrounding seaside area. As expected, the view was breathtaking~ I was happy that I brought my GoPro here.
Next I walked to the nearby Kinomiya Shrine because it’s one of the most famous in Atami. I loved the green foilage and the leaves that were made into the shape of a heart:
If you’re looking for a hotspring, I recommend going to the nearby Nikkoutei Ooyu. It is only around 1000 yen to go for the day and has a beautiful view of the surrounding nature.
Atami Plum Garden & Akao Herb and Rose Garden
Though February is usually not the prime season for flowers, I decided to check these gardens out anyway since I was in the area. I was surprised to find beautiful buds when I first went running through the Atami Plum Garden. According to the official website, this area has the fastest blooming plums in Japan:
This garden is divided into several areas; they have a Japanese garden, a Korean garden, an art museum, and dozens of plum trees that you can photograph pretty much year round. I was surprised to find a miniature cave and waterfall here too. This is much prettier than a lot of gardens that I’ve been to so I’m happy I came. The entrance fee is only 300 yen.
Finally, I went to Akao Herb and Rose Garden, which actually is a garden up in the mountains! From the bus stop, a free van will take you to the top (or you can choose to walk to the entrance). When this garden is in full bloom, it truly looks like heaven. Unfortunately I could not capture many flowers in bloom, but I got an awesome picture of me in my Orient T-Shirt on the swing. I did manage to capture the photo below:
February flowers of Akao Herb and Rose Garden.
What I liked about this garden is that there were hammocks and benches where you could relax and see the seaside. In addition to the swing, they also had a trampoline! There were many fragrances you could try for free as well. This was one of the best views I have ever seen from a flower park, and I regret that I could not take more pictures of the roses. All the more reason to come back here in the summer!
Entrance here is only 1000 yen.
Final Remarks
I love Atami because everything you need is either walking distance or just a short bus ride away: the ocean, mountain, hotsprings, restaurants, and beautiful gardens. It’s very easy to relax and find inner peace here. In addition to the capybaras, I loved the nature and food. I’m so glad I discovered yet another floral beach paradise in Asia and I recommend that everyone else come and experience it for themselves.
Getting to Atami
From Tokyo Station, take the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen towards Shin Osaka. Atami Station is only 37 minutes away, which is closer than getting from one end of Tokyo to the other! The cost is 4300 yen which is about the same as going to Nikko or Hakone. It’s definitely worth the cost.
On my way back to Atami after meeting the friendly capybara at Izu Shaboten Zoo, I couldn’t help but notice an advertisement on the train with a picture of illuminated capybara in a garden full of LED lights (much like the photo I took above). I was completely captivated by the image. What was this magical place with LSD visuals and sparkling wonder doing in rural Japan? Being the spontaneous adventurer that I am, I had to investigate!
With a quick Google search, I discovered that it was Izu Granbel Park, located adjacent to the capybara zoo I went to earlier that day. Fortunately the park was open until 9:30pm, so it made the perfect after party location for my trip. I immediately got off at the closest station and rode the Ito train line to Futo Station. On the way I bought a mini bottle of wine from the nearby Family Mart and walked 20 minutes to the park (because illuminations are way more fun to watch with alcohol).
What’s hilarious is that Google Maps directs you to the back entrance of the park (which was closed when I reached it) so I had to jump a small fence to get inside. However, my efforts of navigating a dark and solemn back road to reach my destination would be rewarded with a brilliant lightshow over a global atmosphere of twinkling bulbs:
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I had definitely fell down the capybara hole and landed in some strange wonderland. When I walked through the back entrance, I was greeted by giant neon candies and an endless field of glowing flowers as far as the eye could see. Upon descending a hill in that area, a sea of radiant fish and a luminous backdrop of Mt. Fuji greeted me (only in Japan). When I turned to walk up towards the front entrance, I stumbled upon a garden of lollipops with capybara and red pandas frolicking in them. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was a photo opportunity here with literally every step. This felt like something that I had made up in a dream because it was so bright and beautiful!
This was the best illumination I had ever seen in Japan. Previously I had visited Aichi’s Floral Oasis, but this park’s lightshows were much more elaborate. In addition to the global atmosphere of lights, they also had a mini zoo with gerbils and other small animals. In the summer there is a waterpark and various rides open too. Besides the LED (LSD?) capybaras, my favorite attractions were the Tunnel of Dreams and the unexpected dinosaur exhibit. There’s also a glowing pirate ship and pirates restaurant that is dog-friendly. If I had a dog, I would definitely bring them here!
This park really expanded my mind and put me in a good mood, so I would recommend it to everyone that visits Shizuoka! You’ll find that the illuminations outside of the city are much more fun to see, plus this is probably the only place in the world where you can see real capybaras bathe at hotsprings during the day and illuminated ones at night. A real fantasy come alive.
Address and Admission Price
Address: 1090 Futo, Itō, Shizuoka 413-0231
Entrance to the park is only 1300 yen (much cheaper than what I’ve paid to enter other illuminated parks).
Capybara bathe in Devilman: Crybaby.
If you are interested in reading more about capybara bathing in hotsprings, please see my Izu Shaboten Zoo article.
