Pug Cafe!

Not for eating! In Japan, different themed "cafes", where you can hang out with critters such as owls, macaws, and, in Kyoto, pugs!

At this cafe in Kyoto, you have eleven, count 'em, eleven pugs to hang out with! For a few yen, you can get a handful of treats and play, cuddle with, and wrestle with the pups! The deals are pretty nice:

"Guests can choose one of two drink courses when they come to Living Room. For 500 yen (US$4.80), you get one drink and an hour of play time. For 1000 yen ($9.60), you get unlimited time and unlimited drinks!" (Miller)

Reservations are filling up fast, so if you plan to visit, be sure to call ahead! These cafes are not only popular tourist spots, but also excellent for people who have anxiety or just want a lot of puppy cuddles!

Want A Brewski? Try Asahi! - Beer in Japan

Hendrik Doeff: The Beer Father

When one thinks of alcohol in Japan, beer isn't necessarily the first beverage that comes to mind. Usually, sake is associated with Japan, and with good reason- the sweet rice wine is uniquely associated with Japan and is a very popular Japanese beverage, both at home and abroad. However, beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in Japan. (Grimm) Beer was first introduced in Japan as a "specialty import" by Dutch merchants in the 17th century, with the first actual brewery starting up in the 19th century. (Grimm) Necessity begets genius, and when the Napoleonic wars saw a beer shortage in Europe, a Dutch brewer and tradesman, Hendrik Doeff, decided to take matters into his own hands and open his own brewery in Dejima. (Grimm) Commercial beer production began when Norwegian-American William Copeland opened the Spring Valley Brewery in Yokohama in 1870. (Grimm)

The first native run brewery was began when hops were discovered in the island of Hokkaido- Seibei Nakagawa was sent to Germany to learn German brewing, and when he returned, he began the Pioneers Brewing Company, which would brew a very famous flagship beer: Sapporo Cold Brew! (Grimm) Other famous brands would be Kirin and Asahi. (Grimm)

Link: http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/08/a-brief-history-of-japanese-beer-sapporo-ichiban-craft-beer-in-japan.html

Tasty Taiyaki: There's Something Fishy About This Dessert

One of the most popular traditional desserts in Japan is a really cute little fish cake known as a taiyaki! Don't be fooled by its fishy exterior: taiyaki is only shaped to look like a fish, but it's filled with a yummy red bean curry paste. (Asahi) The name "taiyaki" literally translates to "baked sea bream", despite there being no fish in the treat. (Asahi) Taiyaki stands are a common sight in winter, as many people like to warm up with a hot, sweet treat! (Asahi)

Taiyaki was first baked a little over a century ago, and the recipe remains generally unchanged (but still extremely popular) today. (Asahi) While it was first sold in the Edo period, its first big rise in popularity came in 1976, when the kids' song Swim Tayaki-Kun became a hit, ultimately rising to become the top song in Japan, selling over 4.5 million records. (Asahi)

The pastry itself is very similar in taste, texture, and cooking procedure to a pancake, while the paste is merely red beans and sugar mashed up into a paste. (Asahi)

Links:

Taiyaki

Swim, Tayaki-Kun

Taiyaki filled with ice cream- there is actually a God, and He is benevolent