Hello again!! This is How Unique Japan! This time, I am going to introduce an area that is really famous as “Nostalgic” and “Retro”. It is “Ya na ka area”.
If you would not get how the old Japanese style looks like. Please take a look at the first picture below.
Some decades ago, such a situation was everywhere. It was a small street and everything squeezed into it. (Some tourists would feel a little messy in fact). For us, that area is like it is left from the latest time. So that is why many Japanese usually visit there to get a “Nostalgic” feeling. Both sides of the street are filled with different types of stores.
OK! Let’s take a look around the area.
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The bakery shop “ATOM”
It looks like a normal bakary shop. However, they always baked bread with lava stones from Mount Fuji. To be honest, I thought it could be expensive when I entered the shop. But, almost all of them are just 2 dollars around. It is interesting.
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“The vending machine space”
Next unique shop is that.
So, there are no workers there. Instead of them, just vending machines standing. They treat unique products. Please watch at them closer. You would see them selling meat-buns or some kinds of noodles (ramen). I wondered where we should take the foods after we buy them, because there aren’t any chairs.
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（So what is next…）
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” The cat tail” …wait, what??
What does the shop sell about? It is “Cat Tail Donut” shop. So, they product the donuts like…THIS!
Strangely, they make the donut that forms like “Cat tail”. Thus, this shop has varied colored donuts based on real cat’s fur color. Please look at the picture below.
The strip one imitates the tabby cat. The left one is the cat that has patchy pattern color. When I first saw those, I didn’t notice they were “Donut”, to be honest. The taste was good. Soft like castella and not too sweet. Humm, Interesting.
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(oh? I got good smell around…)
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“Old food markets for locals”
There are of course many old food markets around. Because many locals still use that area for consuming daily food. Please look at those pictures under. The first one is “fish market”. And second one is “greengrocer”.
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As you see, the fish market and greengrocer have been lasted so long and loved by locals. They are at least 50 or 60 years old.
As well as, there is a good skilled grinder/polisher of kitchen knives and scissors workplace. You can order them to polish your kitchen knives into very new or better condition. You are also able to buy new.
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I already walked long… but not over yet! Let me show you tow uniqueness shops more, then I would get the conclusion!
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Please see the picture bellow. It looks fancy shop. What are inside? (In fact, I accidently found this shop. I didn’t have no idea about that shop at that time.)
“Sablier de Verrier” (Hourglass shop)
Wow. This shop sells many hourglasses. They are beautiful!
The owner told me that we can order the custom-made one as well. That means, we can bring the sand from any beaches or shore line and order them to create the original hourglass. Thus, many couples or families usually come there with the sand after the travel around beaches as the honeymoon or memorable trip. So, we can make our own memento. Sounds cool, doesn’t it?
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Few… I’m getting a little tired. Let me take a rest in a café which is the last uniqueness in Yanaka area I introduce this time. The café name is
“The café there are birds”
The entrance of café looks normal. But the workers in the café are special. Please say “Hi” to…
HIM! He just showed up in front of the customers (me)! It is really like “Har◯y potter” isn’t it?
Yup! The last café named “The café there are birds” is here! This café keeps many kinds of birds basically owls.
They also have an interesting rule that we need to pay about 14 dollars (1500 Japanese yen) to acquire 1 hour to stay including one drink at first. During the time, we can freely walk around and communicate the birds / owls. If you want, we could feed bird’s snacks for them as well (the feeding cost is separated from the 1 hour’s).
BTW, they are cute! OK. Let’s take a look around.
In fact, it is not a big café, but it makes sense. Because the staffer told me that they couldn’t accept many people coming. If they do, it would be stressful for birds. She told that.
We can also choose one owl and bring him/her on the table, then we can play with him/her. First time is free, but second time, we need to pay extra (about 3 dollars).
It looks like animal abuse for business? Do not worry. Because all staffers take care of them very well. The owl’s working time is organized, which means, no owls need to work so long.
That was great fun! In fact, I didn’t get relaxed in café because I was really hyped! And it is finally the last unique shop I introduce in Yanaka area. Thank you so much that you read such a long article. I must appreciate. Now, you could be able to assume that the area is worth to visit. If you have a plan to travel to Japan, I highly recommend that area! This is the conclusion of my explore of Yanaka.
Let me say thanks again, and if you got interested in my page, feel to free to visit the front page of my blog!