“Then it’s a good thing I enjoy baking. With me around, you’ll have an endless supply of desserts.”
I lace my fingers through his and squeeze. “My hero.”
“I think we make a left at the next street.” He fiddles with his glasses and presses them higher up on his nose. “Yeah, it’s a left.”
“Can you read what the street signs say?”
“Sometimes. I tried to learn a few things for the trip, but sadly not many of the lessons stuck.”
When we turn the corner, the sleek, high-end shops give way to a lovely green space filled with towering leafy green trees, a Zen rock garden, and a koi pond. It’s too late in the year for the cherry blossoms to still be in bloom, but if we’d been here a few months earlier, I wager it would’ve been a sight to behold. A few tourists occupy benches as they munch on their own breakfasts, but otherwise, the park is deserted. We pause as I take my mobile out and snap a dozen or more photos.
“We’re nearly there; it’s just on the other side of the courtyard,” Art says.
“This isn’t a park?” I sputter.
“No, it’s all part of this office building.” He laughs.
“Entryways like these should be mandatory in London,” I muse, taking notes of how the structures around us seamlessly use elements of Japan’s ancient past and greenery to give the illusion that this building has been here forever.
“I agree with you. Except I don’t know if people would be willing to sacrifice the space or the money for it.”
“You’re right. Space is at a premium in London. But a girl can dream.”
A set of glass doors opens with a whoosh. The air is nice and cool. I hadn’t realized until just now how humid it is outside.
“Here we are.” Art pulls open a door to a cafe with a pink-and-white striped awning. “Ladies first.”
Inside, it’s a whimsical world resembling a fairy garden. Artificial trees as tall as me are covered in fake moss and bright purple wisteria. Some of the trunks contain holes large enough for an owl to fit into, while others contain medium-sized wooden houses with red-and-white mushroom roofs and toadstool chimneys. All the trees are interconnected by wooden bridges. As I take a closer look at one of the black holes, I’m greeted by a pair of eerie glowing yellow eyes.
“Eek.” I jump back, bumping into Art’s chest. “What is this place?”
He lets out a deep roaring laugh. “Welcome to one of Tokyo’s infamous cat cafes.”
As soon as the words leave his mouth, I notice that the ground contains about a dozen different felines who are lined up in a row, eating their morning meal. There are blacks, grays, whites, calicos, orange and whites, tuxedos, and striped tabbies.
“I hope you don’t mind cats. I know you’re a dog person, but the puppy, owl, and hedgehog cafes didn’t open this early. This one was the closest and had the best reviews. All their animals are rescues that are up for adoption.”
I rise up onto my toes and peck him on the cheek. “This is brilliant. I’m not just a dog person. I’m an animal person.”
“Phew.” He wipes his forehead with the back of his hand. “I booked us in for a thirty-minute visit. We can either play with the cats first or eat first.”
“Let’s eat first, then we can play.”
A few minutes later, a hostess seats us at an emerald-green table in the back area of the café, tucked away from the cats. The lighting is much dimmer. The walls are painted hues of dark-green to resemble a forest. Each table contains a glass lantern, lit by a tealight candle. We’re left alone with a laminated menu, thankfully written in both English and Japanese.
Art orders a stack of blueberry pancakes and a side of eggs. No surprise. I decide to be more adventurous and have a go with thematcha-flavored ones with some extra whipped cream and strawberries on top. We order a pot of Earl Grey to split.
“Have I surprised you?” He rests his elbows on the table.
“Yeah, you have. I never would’ve thought to visit a cat café. What made you think of it?”
“I was looking through a list of different things tourists come to Japan for, and animal cafés happened to be one of the top results. I’d had my heart set on taking you to an owl café, but this is the next best option.”
“Well, you chose well, I’m beyond excited. I’ve always wanted to adopt a cat, but I’ve been too nervous to do it.”
“Because of Lillian?” he asks.
“That’s part of it.” I nod.
