Cats and Coffee

I took the gal out this Friday for a little fun. I decided to meet up with her at Ikebukuro after she got off work. I took her to several places and she had a good time. Usually when we are out and about we end up going to a few random places that we just happen to run across. This time we ran across a place I had only heard of but never experienced first hand; a cat cafe.

In Tokyo many landlords will not allow animals. I have never understood this policy because Japanese people love their pets. Anyway, due to the mean spirited policies of many landlords some businesses have found a great way to make some money and provide unlimited happiness for a countless number of people. A neko cafe is a place a person can go and pay a small fee(around 1,000 yen an hour) and drink plenty of free coffee while spending time with lovable, cute beyond words, cats. I have been wanting to take my gal to one of these places for months but I could not find one. As luck would have it we just happen to run across one in Ikebukuro. Actually, there are several cat cafes in Ikebukuro so finding one should not be all that hard.

The majority of the customers were women. This does not surprise me considering the cute factor involved. There were a few guys there with their girlfriends. A cat cafe is the perfect date spot. There is no Japanese gal who would refuse an invite to a cat cafe.

I did notice this one guy who was totally into the cats. He was talking to one of the gals who worked there about the shop`s blog. He was very excited about one of the cats having a birthday. It was a pure white cat named pudding. It seemed like spending time with the cats was the biggest thrill in his life. He was taking pictures of the cats and seemed to treat them as his personal friends. He loves those cats like family. My heart really goes out to people like him. I am willing to bet that he has a really bad job, does not make a lot of money, and lives in a very small apartment. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for such gentle simple people. The cats are a big part of his life. They give him a reason to live, provide him a lot of happiness, and prevent him from tossing himself in front of a train.

I guess I understand those kind of people. I have lived in the gutter and know all too well how even the most simple of pleasures can bring so much happiness. At one time in my life I lived in a pure shit apartment working as a dish washer. I had a mattress on the floor, a PC, microwave, play station and a stack of books. The town I lived in had a high number of stray cats. Once every two weeks I had just enough extra money to buy a bag of dry cat food. I would go to the local park late at night and feed all the local stray cats while smoking a joint. It gave me so much happiness. Feeding those cats while burning a joint late at night in the park got me though the hard times.

Overall, the cat cafe experience remained me of the simple pleasures in life. It really is true that the more we have the less we have in life. There are people living in Tokyo whose biggest trill in life in being able to spend an hour with a few cute cats. It also reminded me of how all the struggles in my life are now being rewarded. I think that I will visit a cat cafe again soon. Tokyo has its own unique kind of stress that I have never experienced before. Cats and coffee may be a simple pleasure but it is one which should not be passed up for sure.

A Brewing Problem in the Gaijin Sub-Culture

I have always considered Tokyo to be a pretty safe place. The city has a slight problem with train suicides and crazed mass murders from time to time, but overall it is safe to go about your daily life. Well, it seems as if an odd wind is moving the air as of late. People are starting to act really strange.

I have been noticing some really odd behavior from other Gaijin as of late. Some kind of inner chaos has been brewing up from the depths of Tokyo and infecting the hearts and minds of those caught in the spider`s web. I don`t know how many people have noticed this, or even give a flying rats ass, but something is rotten. I smell shit. I smell the kind of shit that I have only smelled in good old West Virginia. A kind of extreme discontent which hollows out people until nothing is left inside of them except anger and madness. I know this kind of social ill well as I grew up surrounded by it everyday. It slowly grips the minds of the people. At first, it is wrote off as just another random nut who forgot to take their meds. Soon enough you start to see it everywhere and few people can pretend it is not happening.

I will give you a good example. When I got off work this past Tuesday evening I met up with my wife in Ikebukuro for a few drinks to unwind. Well, around 11:00 pm we made our way home. Well, all was fine and dandy until we reached the Joban line. A middle age looking Gaijin was standing a couple of feet away from us. He was watching us from the corner of his eye and attempting to listen in on our conversation. I could smell trouble on him but wanting to enjoy my evening I did not pay him much mind. When the train arrived, the wife and I, squeezed into a semi-comfortable spot and started chatting a little. We where not being all that loud really. We where talking about random stuff and making jest about our experiences of the day. I noticed out of the side of my eye that this guy was still watching us and listening to every word we were saying. I found this odd but I still was foolish enough to not pay attention to him.

Out of no where he starts going off on me like a dog with rabies. He was talking pure shit to me for no good reason at all. From what I was able to understand he said the following: `I don`t like you motherfucker. Who do you think you are? You can fool the Japanese but there is a fellow Gaijin on the train with you. I don`t like you motherfucker. I have lived in Tokyo for ten years and I can have you snuffed out. I know people in Kita-Senji so you better watch yourself asshole. You just shut the fuck up now before something happens to you.`

In this kind of situation a lot of people would tense up and dirty a pair of pants. I on the other hand grew up around this kind of redneck behavior so I was able to stay cool as ice. The important thing to remember in these situations is to not show any fear on your face. Even if you are about to crap all over yourself do not show any fear on your face or you might as well bend over and get anal raped. The whole damn mess was made complex due to the fact that we are on a crowed train and I have my wife with me. If I start a fight it would be really nasty resulting in many people getting the hell beat out of them. A southern boy and a Yankee only one wrong move from brawling on a crowed train in Tokyo is not a good situation to be in at all. My only real option was to keep this guy at bay until I reached Kita-Senju and could get the hell out of the situation. He wanted to fight me real bad and there was no way in hell I was going to back down from this dick. Although, I had no desire to fight him but if he threw a punch I was going to knock him into next week.

My wife just gave me the `Ryan don`t it` look which is often confused with the `Please don`t get into a fight in Tokyo`look. The last thing I want to do is anger my wife. She controls the sex and I do not want her to take that away. Plus I actually love her and do not want to put her in a dangerous situation. Everyone else just stood frozen hoping that these two Gaijin are not going to fight on the train. So, I told the guy I have no problem with him and stared him down until we got to Kita-Senju. I got off the train but he did not follow me. I guess he really did not want any after all.

I am noticing this kind of shit happening more and more often in Tokyo. There is a section of the Gaijin sub-culture who are losing their damn minds. Maybe I am a magnet for these kind of people or I just give off a smell that says, `Come over here and whip you ass on my face.` Every so often over the last two months some other Gaijin will come up to me and say or do something totally crazy. Like the old drunken Irish guy who ruined my lunch break one day when he would not stop following and talking to me.

I really have a hard time understanding where all this anger and insanity is coming from as of late. Gaijin in Japan live in a sub-culture on the edge of society. Maybe some people just cannot handle being different and after a while they just lose their marbles. There is also the fact that because Gaijin are in a sub-culture some people who are already mentally unstable view this as an open window to raise hell with other Gaijin who have attained any type of social integration within mainstream Japanese society i.e. marriage.

For now I have no answer to this growing problem. The best I can do for now is to give this some deeper thought and deal with these insane people as they come. If you can offer up some kind of game plan to deal with this problem please feel free to leave a comment. Maybe we can figure this out together.

Antonio Inoki SakabaBar and Grill

Recently, I was invited by the staff at my job to go out for a little drinking. They have been working hard recently and wanted to get a little drunk and blow off some steam. Well, it is always nice to get out with co-workers with so I agreed. They decided to meet up in Ikebukuro after everyone was finished; they usually finish after me due to their heavy work load. My fellow teacher Hamed was also attending so I looked forward to the outing. I have recently only started exploring Ikebukuro so this was a good chance to discover a new place. They took me to something I never expected to see in Tokyo; a pro-wrestling bar and grill!

I always thought that for the most part Japanese to do take to pro-wrestling well. I know that they have pro-wrestling but I assumed it was only a passing fancy for only the those who get really board. As it turns out the Japanese love pro-wrestling. They love it enough to have a bar and grill themed after the Hulk Hogan of Japanese pro-wrestling Antonio Inoki Sakaba!

The entrance to Antonio Inoki Sakaba Bar and Grill


I felt a little shock walking into the place. Hamed just had a look of a deer in head lights. I really think he was beside himself in the mist of such an odd but fun place. The entire place was pro-wrestling themed out to the max. When you enter they ring a fight bell just before taking you to your seats. The bar area is a wrestling ring; which adds to the charm of the place. The seating area I found to be interesting. Almost all the seating is just like the ring side tables which the announcers set at during a match. There were plenty of TV sets constantly showing Antonio Inoki Sakaba`s best fights. I got to see this guy take on the legend Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. Also, order the salad for some extra fun. Just trust me on that one.

The menu was very American style but themed for pro-wrestling. The oddest of the choices was a sausage on a hook. I do not know how that is connected to pro-wrestling but it sometimes better not to ask in Tokyo. I did not try any of the food myself, due to the fact I had a big lunch, so I cannot say if it is any good. Although, the beer selection is up to snuff. They actually have Coors! It is rare that I find any place in Tokyo which sells Coors. It is one of the best beers from America; a real treat for me for sure.

I really suggest checking this place out. It is something different and fun to do in Tokyo. It is really easy to find actually. When you arrive at Ikebukuro station exit the central east gate. After that, turn left and it is right beside the Big Camera shop. Have fun and let me know what you think of the place.

This is why you should order the salad