Manuscript Cafe

This is for the writers and working travelers out there.

The Manuscript Cafe in Koenji is a concept cafe where you pay to have someone nag you and keep you from leaving so you can focus and do your writing.

Designed to combat procrastination and encourage productivity, this unusual cafe requires patrons to set a specific writing target and won’t let you leave until you complete it.

You can also choose the intensity level of the staff’s hourly check-ins: mild, normal, or hard.

If you are unable to meet your deadline and need to extend your time, then you must pay a penalty fee.

The cafe provides high-speed WIFI, cooling laptop stands, charging ports, and free self-serve tea and coffee.

The atmosphere is similar to that of a library, with no distracting music or conversation and a limited capacity of only 10 people.

Note: Their hours are irregular because they share a space with a recording/filming studio. So check before you go.

Here’s the official website: Manuscript Cafe

Location on Google Maps

Gomi (Garbage)

Gomi means “garbage,” and Japanese people take their gomi seriously.

Japan places high cultural value on cleanliness, respecting shared spaces, and personal responsibility in that regard, so they don’t litter. Thus, Japanese cities are incredibly clean, even the major cities with millions of people. 

What’s more remarkable and surprising is Japan’s scarcity of public waste bins. This is due to a 1995 terrorist attack in Tokyo. Sarin gas was released in the subway, and as a result, most public trash receptacles were removed to improve security.

In Japan, it’s normal to carry your trash around with you until you get to a proper place to throw it away. This is often your home or hotel. You can find public trash bins at convenience stores, near vending machines, in chain coffee shops (Starbucks, etc.), and near shops/stands that sell food. So, if you don’t want to carry your trash around, it’s generally best to eat or drink your consumables near where you got them and then dispose of the trash in the bins provided.

A second concern is that garbage is sorted more specifically in Japan than in other countries. The major categories you will see are burnable goods, non-burnable goods, and recyclable goods. So, pay attention to which bin you use to toss your waste in.

If you live in Japan, every municipality has rules for sorting waste that determine how you sort things, what kind of bag/container you put them in, and when you put those things out for collection (often on different days for different types of garbage). Thankfully, as a tourist, you can simply follow the directions at your hotel or make use of the waste bins at the konbini. It also doesn’t hurt to have a plastic bag for your trash as you explore the city if you don’t intend to eat where you bought your food.

Shime no Ramen

Shime no Ramen or Shime Ramen means final dish ramen, and it’s a big part of Japanese drinking culture. 

When you’re out having a great time with Japanese people, hopping from venue to venue, and having drinks and snacks at various izakaya, I recommend you save room for a bowl of ramen at the end of the night.

In the United States, after a night of drinking, you may end up at a diner, a taco truck, or a 24-hour burger spot, before you head home. In Japan, you usually have final ramen.

Although people sometimes have different “Shime” (final) foods such as ocha-zuke, onigiri, udon, soba, or a rice dish, ramen is the most popular final dish.

Conveniently, many ramen joints stay open late (even 24 hours sometimes), catering to post-drinking diners.

Ramen’s salt content helps restore sodium levels while the liquid rehydrates you. The noodles are great for settling your stomach and providing energy for the journey back home or to your hotel.

It’s my great hope that you have the experience of bar hopping with locals and ending the night slurping late-night (or early morning) ramen. If not, you can always go have Shime no ramen after a night out with your traveling companion(s) or solo.

Last week’s most clicked link was this Japanese TV show

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