Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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Pet palace

With a large number of Japan’s pets — and in particular dogs — being pampered to a thoroughly disturbing degree, it’s hardly surprising that ‘pet hotels’ are considerably better than a basic kennel decked out with several cages and a large stock of tinned food. Yet today’s opening of The Pet Inn Royal at Narita Airport takes this animal accommodation approach to an entirely new level.

pet hotel japan

The Inn consists of 170 ‘rooms’, varying from a relatively standard cage for 4,000 yen (20 pound) a night, to a luxury suite costing a mind boggling 20,000 yen. But before you balk in disbelief and consider leaving Rover tied up in the garden with a few bowls of food and a note to the neighbours, the hotel — as the advertising pamphlets are keen to point out — is fully equipped with air conditioners and purifiers. Along with staff on duty around the clock. Which it has to be said, is pretty impressive — if a tad unnecessary.

the pet inn royal

Combine this with the availability of veterinary care and grooming services, and you’ll be able to relax on the beach, comforted by the hotel’s claim of, “Enjoy your travel overseas knowing that your pet is in good hands.”

Yet don’t worry if your companion is something other than a dog. The Pet Royal Inn can also accommodate smaller animals such as cats, rabbits and even ferrets. Although whether the latter will be treated to comedic trips inside a staff member’s trousers as they are apparently accustomed wasn’t disclosed. Similarly, no comment was made on the availability of cat clothing.

cat dressed as elephant

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I spy

Computer Associates International Inc. has recently formed an anti-spyware squad as part of its ongoing effort to raise awareness amongst computer users. And in a bid to give the promotion maximum exposure, the organisation has chosen TV celebrity Kaori Manabe as leader of its ‘spyware extermination squad’.

manabe kaori

Whilst the move may initially look like a cynical attempt to gain maximum publicity from a pretty face, Manabe-san was apparently picked due to the popularity of her blog. The young woman further demonstrating her credentials by wearing an official hat and saying, “I want to find out if people around me are taking anti-spyware measures.”

Which all in all makes for a very worthy cause indeed. Plus with the addition of Manabe-san on board, it’s something a large number of people will be keen to get behind and vigorously support.

kaori manabe

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Cat custody

Despite a crazed feline biting off the toes of an elderly woman, the animal protection centre where the captured beast was being held received over 160 calls from cat lovers, pleading that the toe loving tabby’s life be spared.

japanese socks

Yet even with such a history, officials at the centre initially allowed the animal to play with visitors whilst a decision was being made. However perhaps not surprisingly, they quickly noticed that the cat was untamed; although whether this had anything to do with the animal looking menacingly at guests’ fingers or toes wasn’t disclosed.

Based on these findings, the protection centre decided to wash its hands of the feline and give it a new home. An official saying, “The general public was worried about the future of the cat. Considering the opinions of those who did not want the cat put down, we decided to give it to an animal lover.”

nasty cat

Rather them than me.

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Lavatory love

If it somehow managed to escape your attention, November 10 was ‘Toilet Day’. Twenty-four hours of bowl related bawdiness introduced by the Japan Toilet Association.

Whilst this year’s big day may have already been and gone, cistern specialist TOTO has marked the occasion with some celebratory toilet paper. Each roll decorated with humorous senryu — 17-syllable poems similar to haiku.

japanese toilet paper

These potty related poems were collected from around 10,000 entries, with 19 of the chosen senryu appropriately describing lavatories and their usage. And any discharge devotees reading this will be pleased to hear that the unique item is available at all good bookshops, or alternatively online through TOTO’s website. Priced at a relatively reasonable 350 yen (1.75 pound) a roll.

However rather than simply using the product in the conventional manner, you might want to consider saving it. A spokesperson for the project urging buyers, “Don’t flush your love for the toilet away.”

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Apple ardour

After years of, ahem, fruitless effort, 71-year-old Tetsuo Watanabe has finally achieved his ambition of growing an apple over a thousand grammes in weight. The happy horticulturist boasting, “I have finally achieved my goal.”

Watanabe-san’s Stark Jumbo apple — a variety unsurprisingly known for its size — measures a whopping 15 centimetres in diameter; weighing an equally impressive 1,030 grammes. Yet despite his understandable glee, the large fruit specialist may well have achieved his aim last year, had a similarly large apple he’d nurtured not been stolen.

However after finally tasting success, Mr. Watanbe appeared relaxed about the theft, even joking, “Next year, I want to grow an apple too big to steal”. The old man’s sense of humour equally apparent in this decidedly freaky looking photo.

big apple