Asakusa’s Owl & Parakeet Cafe

"This is fun," I said to the girl working at the cafe, raising my voice to be heard above the squawking. "But it would never be allowed in America!" She looked at me, baffled, and asked why not. At this moment, there were six parakeets on my head, and bird poop was running down my shoulder. Something was pecking at my neck and, in the next room, people were petting an eagle. I considered explaining, but decided against it. Regarding animal cafes, the rift between our cultures might be too wide.

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Yumenoshima, Also Known as Dream Island

Close your eyes and picture "Dream Island." What do you see? Rolling hills, verdant valleys, beaches of fine white sand? Okay, now open your eyes and... Welcome to Yumenoshima! What's with that look of dismay? You weren't expecting an artificial island created from landfill, with a greenhouse powered by waste incineration, and a fishing boat exposed to nuclear radiation? Well, too bad. Yumenoshima is Dream Island, Tokyo-Style.

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