Category Archives: Animals

June 26

Funeral For A…What?

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So, I was walking through the stately Ikegami Hongan-ji temple grounds this spring, and I saw this sign. I guess with the shrinking population and all, the number of regular funerals is going down, so they’re branching out into…pet funerals. Yes, for about $350, you can have a real priest chant real sutras over your […]

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October 13

Mobbed By Lemurs At The Exotic Animal Petting Zoo!

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Who can say they never clutched the fence at their local zoo’s lemur exhibit and didn’t long to sneak over the top just for a few minutes (or, okay, in my case, A FEW HOURS) to cavort with those frisky, big-eyed, long-tailed cuties? Admit it – you’ve always secretly wanted to, haven’t you? Well, now […]

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September 13

Shiba Dango!

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Okay, usually biting a dog butt would not be top of my to-do list, but I’d totally make an exception for these so-cute-it-hurts shiba dango! Compared to other takes on this classic heaven-on-a-stick festival snack, these are way more adorbs than mitarashi donuts and run gooey rice ball rings around the inexplicable mitarashi sundae topped […]

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August 18

The Lost Cat Shrine

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Don’t you just hate it when your kittehs get a touch of the walkabout? Well now you can do something about it. A quick prayer at the Tachikawa Suitengu Shrine will have them back on your doorstep quicker than a twist of the can opener! If you’d like to visit the Lost Cat Shrine the […]

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May 20

Confessions Of A Shiba Stalker

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Okay, I’m going to come right out and admit I don’t actually have a dog. You would, however, be forgiven for assuming that I was knee-deep in shiba inus, on account of I own a scary amount of stuff that is almost exclusively bought by fanatical pet owners who, uh, own shiba inus. But if that wasn’t bad enough, it gets worse. I stalk them. […]

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May 15

The Wedding Of Your Dreams

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Because what nuptial event could possibly be complete without… • Read a novel set in Tokyo

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May 11

A Leopard For Your Butt

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I’ve seen fruit for your patootie and warriors for your derriere, but this is the first time I’ve encountered top-of-the-food-chain predators for your butt. Am trying hard not to imagine the Japanese bathroom where this would fit right in… • Read a novel set in Tokyo

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