Yuna Yabe is new to pet ownership. With her eyes set on becoming a better owner, Yuna is going all out with by starting up a brand new regular article series. For her first entry, Yuna is introducing a fun café she visited together with her puppy! The café the two of them visited is called “Bondi Café Yoyogi Beach Park” and it’s located in the Okushibu area. It’s 324m from Yoyogi-koen Station via the Chiyoda Line and 5 minutes by foot from Yoyogi-Hachiman Station via the Odakyu Line. It’s easy to get to from either station. What’s better is that it’s close to places like the Bunkamura museum, Tokkyu Hands and NHK meaning you can make a day out of your trip on a stroll with your dog. First of all, let’s learn a little bit about the protagonist of our story. Mozuku-kun is a 1-and-a-half-year-old male long coat chihuahua. His latest interests include chasing the robot Roomba vacuum cleaner. His charm points are his brown eyes and nose and sticking his tongue out. Please treat him well♪ The café has a service that includes a rug and water bowl for dogs. But it seems like Yuna’s lap is where Mozuku-kun feels most at ease! Behind the café is a promenade where you can take a leisurely walk without having to worry about incoming cars. It’s generally a quiet area, making it a peaceful and pleasant stroll for even scaredy-dogs. The roads in this area are paved beautifully so it’s a perfect spot to snap a photo with your puppy for Instagram. The café looks out onto Inokashira-Dori, so you can get a view of Yoyogi Park and the green ambience of the tree-lined streets. The lavish greenery is gorgeous, it’ll make you forget you’re even in Shibuya! Even Mozuku-kun was in pretty high spirits. I wonder if he noticed all the green too? On the café’s list of recommendations is their homemade tofu pancake with coconut butter for ￥900 (tax included). You can get a heap full of fruits like in the photo above to top your pancake for an extra ￥500. If you’re a fruit lover then definitely try ordering this. There are 5 sauces to choose from to top your pancake, including the classic maple syrup and even chocolate. Yuna went with caramel sauce, her absolute favourite. Mozuku was well behaved at first, but after seeing Yuna enjoying her food so much he stuck his tongue out in complete captivation and begged. But the pancake is a little too rich in flavour for Mozuku-kun, so he was given his favourite dog food later on. This is a caramel macchiato (￥700 tax incl.) made using speciality coffee by the barista who creates the drinks one by one to perfection. The latte art is super cute, so be sure to take a selfie with your puppy and upload it on your social media. You’ll definitely get a lot of likes. If you’re looking to go out on a stroll somewhere a little different from usual, then we recommend Bondi Café Yoyogi Beach Park. It’s easily accessible from Shibuya and Harajuku, plus they have plenty of welcoming service for pets! The café is also close to Yoyogi Park, so it might be nice to take a walk there too. Yuna was happy with the terrace seats as they were spacious meaning you can use them without worry of other mischievous dogs. That’s all for today – look forward to next time!    

Yuna Yabe is a dog lover whose eyes are set on becoming a seasoned pet owner. This series follows her journey as she takes her pet dog, Mozuku-kun, strolling around the city. For her second entry, Yuna headed to the Makuhari Shintoshin branch of “Pecos,” located inside the AEON Pet Mall in Kaihin Makuhari, Chiba Prefecture. This is part one of two.   The closest stations to Pecos are Kaihin Makuhari Station and Shin-Narashino Station, both accessible via the JR Keiyo Line. There are also buses that go straight to the mall, making it super convenient if you come by train. There’s also a car park right next to the mall if you decide to take the road, so it’s easy to go there with a pet dog. Pecos in Makuhari Shintoshin is the biggest pet store in Japan, with the first floor spanning 820.6㎡ and the second 979.8㎡. They offer just about everything you could imagine from a pet shop in Japan, from food and clothes to an animal hospital and pet hotel.   The food corner accounts for one entire corner of the shop’s second floor. Usually, they stock over 40 different varieties of dog food, and you can always buy something from there catered to your dog’s breed and/or age. You can of course also take your dog around the shop with you, so if you’re lost on what to buy then you can leave it in their hands (or paws).   A particularly popular brand of dog food in the shop is “Wellness” series, pictured above. The food is made up of carefully selected natural ingredients, so one reason for its popularity is how owners can be at ease while letting their dog eat this food.   Besides dog food, the shelves are also lined with plenty of snacks and supplements! Most of the supplements are for mature dogs, but even so, Yuna was absorbed in checking out what they had, thinking: it’s still a bit early for Mozuku, but I’m interested in thinking about the future.   This original premium dog food can only be bought at AEON pet shops, including Pesco. It’s made in Japan, so if you have a dog in Japan and are a dog lover who worries about your pet, you can absolutely trust this brand.   There’s even cakes that you can buy for your pet if you’re looking to gift yours something for their birthday or a commemoration. Mozuku wasn’t about to leave the cake showcase that easily, almost as if he knew everything in there was delicious.   This one is perfect for pet owners who like a drink: alcohol for dogs. But don’t worry, there’s not actually any alcohol in there. So how about it? Having a nice evening drink together with your beloved pup?   This corner is filled with leads, beds and clothes for your dog. They have a wide range of sizes and varieties, making this area popular with fashion-conscious owners.   One popular aspect of the store praised by owners who have gone to buy clothes at Pecos is how you can actually let your dog try the clothes on in-store. You must have had that experience where you tried buying something, but it ended up being too dog, right? Well, if you’re allowed to let your dog try on something before buying it, you can easily pick an outfit that looks great and is comfortable on them. Here’s Mozuku in the middle of trying something on. His ears are hidden by the turtleneck... he looks most displeased!   Pesco also sells convenient products for heading out with your dog, like dog seats for your car and prams. You can actually rent a test pram to check its usability, allowing you to consult with your pup on which best to choose.   In addition to products for your pet, the Makuhari Shintoshin branch of Pecos also has an animal hospital, trimming salon and pet hotel. It’s filled with everything your pet could dream of! In part two of this article, Yuna will show the facilities of Pecos, like the animal hospital and pool, so don’t miss out!   Continued in Part Two.      

Yuna Yabe is a dog lover whose eyes are set on becoming a seasoned pet owner with her beloved pet dog Mozuku. Continuing from where we left off in part one of this two-part article, Yuna will show us more of the Makuhari Shintoshin branch of Pecos, a huge pet store located in AEON Pet Mall!   〈Click here for Part One〉   In this second part, Yuna will introduce us to the 1^st floor facilities of Pecos. The first thing is the 24-hour AEON Pet hospital. This animal hospital offers first aid to pets at any time of the day. They provide CT scans, X-rays, surgery and internal medic treatment, so if you feel something if off with your pup then contact them immediately. They also offer physical examinations for your pet dog. If you take them for an examination you can detect signs of illness early on, so a lot of people take their dogs for a yearly checkup. (Checkups are offered until February 28^th this year)   So Yuna took Mozuku for an examination too! The results showed that he was a good weight and in very good health. He was even complimented on his nice fur. Keep being healthy, okay, Mozuku? ♪ This is the “Doctor Car” for transporting pets. The original purpose of the car is that it’s an ambulance used for pet care during natural disasters. There’s even equipment inside for emergency first-aid treatment. On normal days, it’s used for doctor’s visits and seeing injured pets. The showpiece of Pecos in Makuhari Shintoshin is the pool facility. The aqua fitness service uses the water’s buoyancy and pressure to allow your pet to exercise in a short period of time in an efficient and low load manner. It’s highly recommended for rehabilitation after an operation and for tackling a lack of exercise! During the aqua fitness, a trainer will be there to look after your pet with the utmost care and attention, so you can feel at ease when handing them over. This was Mozuku’s first time in the pool. He had a worried look on his face while floating in the water, so the first thing was for him to get used to it with a shower and a bath. Your pup will wear a life jacket until it’s gotten accustomed to being in the water, so you can let them enjoy swimming without worry of them sinking. There’s also lots of toys for your dog to play with – perfect for helping them relax! Mozuku wouldn’t settle at first in this new environment, but he got used to the water straight away and showed off his dog paddling skills. The water current in the pool is always flowing, so big dogs can enjoy swimming too. This is a treadmill that uses water resistance. It uses the flowing power of water but isn’t a burden on your dog’s body at all. It’s rehabilitation for walking. After a dip in the pool, it’s some for shampooing. The shampoo uses safe ingredients so it’s fine if your pup licks it off. This is the pet hotel, a super convenient facility for if you’re on a trip or going for some shopping. The hotel charges per hour, so you can even leave your dog in the hotel’s hands if you need to do a bit of quick shopping. There’s even a beauty salon where your dog can get a trim or use one of the oxygen capsules! Mozuku refreshed himself in a capsule too after a swim in the pool. Yuna bought Mozuku a roll cake from a shop on the second floor for being such a good boy the entire time! There was quite a lot for Mozuku to eat, so Yuna helped him out.   Pesco in Makuhari Shintoshin has it all when it comes to your dog. They even have a dog run in the facility, so you should go try it out when the weather’s nice for a stroll and some shopping!          

In this featured series, dog lover and model Yuna Yabe heads out with her trusty partner Mozuku to visit hot spots that people and their dogs enjoy, while deepening her bond with him. In this article, the two of them stopped by Café Kitsuné during a morning stroll which is a coffee shop developed by French fashion brand Maison Kitsuné.

 

The time is 9am. Mozuku has a spring in his step as he walks the streets of Omotesando. The two companions cross the pedestrian crossing at Omotesando Crossing and gaze at the show windows of the high fashion brands. After walking a little, they arrive at Café Kitsuné.

 

The entrance to Café Kitsuné has a traditional Japanese vibe to it, fenced in with bamboo. The café is designed as a Japanese teahouse from the perspective of a French person.

 

The ceilings are low. Do you know why? It’s a bit off topic, but if you don’t have a low posture in a Japanese tearoom you can’t enter. There’s a reason for this. It’s because when entering a tearoom, everyone is expected to be equal.

 

When you enter Café Kitsuné, there’s not much distance between people – you are close to them. That sense of relief might be the reason.

　The wallpaper has an arrow feather design known as yagasuri and a water design called seigaiha. Although it has a French pop feel to it, it’s relaxing, perhaps due to the traditional Japanese base décor.

 

You can also purchase souvenirs at the café, including original mugs and stationery. Is that a dog ear on the side of the mug?! … No, it’s a fox ear.

 

The barista was working quietly but nimbly at the sheet copper counter.

 

A vase was placed in the middle of the table. The flowers were arranged by the café staff and breathe seasonal life into the Japanese space.

 

 

The menu includes things like French toast, a ham and cheese sandwich, pound cake and so on, all of which go perfect with coffee.

 

The espresso machine is a Marzocco Linea. It’s a big machine with three portafilters. The taste of coffee changes depending on the day’s temperature and level of humidity. To tackle that, the barista changes the quantity of beans each day to maintain the same taste of the coffee.

 

To convert the coffee into Maison Kitsuné’s “New Classic” fashion theme, the espresso doesn’t have that common acidic flavour to it. Instead, it’s made with a classic taste and fragrance, making it stand out from the rest. The original blend coffee beans also has just a sweet touch of citrus fruits.

 

Yuna-chan ordered the iced latte (¥560). The sweetness of the coffee together with the milk was balanced perfectly. It had a mellow taste.

 

Dogs are allowed from the entrance all the way to the terrace. Here, Yuna popped Mozuku on her lap and enjoyed a short coffee break.

 

Mozuku climbed onto a terrace seat and stared at Yuna-chan sipping her iced latte. She had an expression on her face like she was immersed in the stylish, grown-up café.

This is the proper way to use an elegant café when taking a walk in the city. Enjoying stopping by a café with early summer budding before your eyes in the early morning with your dog is a wonderful thing. Yuna-chan, with her coffee in hand and Mozuku by her side walking the streets of Omotesando, looked like a polished, sophisticated Tokyo girl.

‘Let’s go out again, Mozuku!’

 

 

In our previous article, we considered the appeal of FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL in the run up to this year's event and looked over our past coverage of it. In this article we interviewed Yuna Yabe, a model and DJ who made her real festival debut last year and who is a festival fanatic. We asked her what attracts young girls to festivals, her personal experiences attending them, and her advice to those who have never been to a festival but are thinking about going. ■Yuna Yabe - Profile Born: October 30, 1997 Origin: Shizuoka Prefecture Hobby: Shopping Speciality: Dancing   Yuna Yabe has appeared in magazines, events and even music videos as a model, making full use of her unique fashion sense. Her love for music has taken her on the path of being a DJ. The moment she began her DJ career, she performed at EDJ JAPAN 2018.   ＝＝ —You love music and are often perceived as someone who has been attending festivals for a long time, but I heard you actually started going only last year.   Yes, last year's ITADAKI Festival was my first proper experience at a festival. Up to then I never had much interest in them and had never thought about going, but ITADAKI is in my hometown of Shizuoka and there were a lot of artists playing that I like. I thought wow, Shizuoka is going for it, so I decided to attend. EBIS BEATS and Tavito Nanao were the best!     —So, how was it actually going and experiencing one?   I was able to see so many of my favourite artists in one day, it was amazing! There was one on every hour, so I felt it was one of the fullest days of my life! I was guaranteed a front row spot for my favourite artists. I went all out, had the best time ever and came to be completely crazy about festivals.   One of the reasons I had never gone to one before was because I perceived them as being like a continuous riotous party, but I was glad to find out it was chill and open.   —Are there any memories or incidents from the festival that have stuck with you?   It wasn't an incident per se, but I met a lot of acquaintances by chance. That's one of the most fun things about a festival! Although it was a local festival I bumped into people I know from Tokyo. That moment when you see them and say "Huh!? Why are you here!?" is so much fun.   —If you were to choose the best act or performance you've seen so far which would it be?   I can't pick just one! But Tavito Nanao of GREEN ROOM this year and Sakanaction at ROCK IN JAPAN FES last year are unforgettable.   —You've already been to several festivals this year, correct? And you also performed at EDC. What festivals do you plan to go to or want to go to next, and which artists do you want to see?   I've been to JAPAN JAM BEACH, GREEN ROOM and KAMIKANE3000 this year.   The ones I'm planning to go to are FUJI ROCK and Summer Sonic. I want to go to RINGO FES at the start of summer too. I definitely want to see Kendrick Lamar at FUJI ROCK and Jorja Smith at Summer Sonic!   —You performed at EDC JAPAN very early in your DJ career. That's an incredible achievement, congratulations! How was it performing there?   I thought to myself all I can do is practice. There's a studio in front of EDC so I practiced there! The set was going to be a continuous hour with no changeovers, so I wondered to myself whether the real performance would turn out alright. My hands were sweating and I was very anxious, but the moment it started everybody put their hands up and danced. It was so much fun! In my set I moved from track to track while DJing, and I saw a lot of foreigners on board the entire time, so that made me extremely happy. Before I knew it I was having a lot of fun too, and the hour went by in an instant. It was my first time as a DJ experiencing the thrill of so many people listening to your favourite songs. I felt that if I get even better and play more boldly it'll be the best thing ever!   —How's your enthusiasm for this year's festivals?   I'm having fun knocking them down one by one!    —I'd now like to ask if you have any advice for people your age who are interested in attending a festival but have never gone before, or who want to try it out. What kind of preparation do you need in terms of fashion or things to take?   For fashion, I see a lot of people coordinating flashy colours, like reds and yellows. A lot of people wear baggy clothing too because it's easier to move around.   I take a cap and sunglasses to protect myself from the sun. Sunglasses make you look pretty in photos too (laughs). Most people wear their hair up. Also, a towel is a must!   I'm short, so I recommend sandals with thick soles if you're short too, since you want to be able to see the stage properly! You'll also be walking around a lot and spend long hours there, so it's important to wear something that your feet are used to and won't  get tired in!   Only wear small bags on your back that aren't going to be a nuisance to other people, and only take the absolute essentials. But I never fail to take my phone charger! (laughs)   —Are there any mistakes you've made at festivals?   I came down with heatstroke by only drinking alcohol despite it being so hot! It's very important to drink water so you don't get heatstroke.     —Is there any other advice you have for festival beginners or tips on how they can have fun?   Be weary of going to the toilet when travelling! Make an effort to know where the toilets are. You'll be in very long lines, so don't go the second you need it. Go well in advance and find windows of opportunity to go. Going in advance is very important!   Also, it's good not to meet up with a lot of friends or move around in big groups. I recommend moving around on your own or with just a few people. Seeing artists I didn't know or unexpected artists is great. Encounters like that are fun.   —Finally, what's the appeal of festivals for you?   There are many, but if I was to sum it up in a word, it would be the sense of openness! It's like taking off your shell. Everybody there is a lover of music and you can feel their excitement, so there's a sense of unity too which can be enjoyed!     ＝＝ Be sure to reference Yuna Yabe's advice and go and enjoy Japanese pop culture at a festival!   ＝＝ ＝＝ FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL '18 Running: July 27, 2018 – July 29, 2018 Venue: Naeba Ski Resort, Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture Time: Doors 9:00am / Start 11:00am / Finish 11:00pm Official Website: http://www.fujirockfestival.com/

This is a special edition of Kaori’s featured character recipe series. For this recipe, you’ll learn how to make kawaii animal rice balls with rice and different ingredients.   Putting herself to the challenge for this special edition is Yuna Yabe! Making cute-looking food isn’t something she normally does. Will she be able to pull it off...? Ingredients & Tools: Rice Olives Cheese Ham Corn Pasta Salmon flakes Heart-shaped pick Clingfilm Kitchen scissors 1: Cook the rice Today we’ll be cooking authentic rice in the microwave using a microwavable rice pot by HOME COORDY. Soak the rice in water and place it into the microwave for 10-minutes for freshly cooked rice! Yuna: “I’m amazed you can make rice so easily with a pot and a microwave.” 2: Prepare the rice Yuna will be making three different animal onigiri (rice balls), so prepare three separate plates for each. 3: Mix one portion of rice prepare from step 2 with salmon flakes There’s no correct way to portion the bonito flakes, but in this recipe Yuna mixed in about one tablespoon. 4: Place the rice from steps 2 and 3 into clingfilm and roll into a ball5: First we’ll make a smiling bird. Here’s what you’ll need. Face: Rice Mouth: Corn Eyes: Black olives Cheeks: Ham Crest: Pick 6: Cut the olives for the eyes and ham for the cheeks7: Now to arrange the face. Use two pieces of corn for the beak and place on the eyes and cheeks from step 6.   8: Place in the heart-shaped pick for the crest and you’re done!Be careful! If you put the beak on too low the face will look too long! Be sure to place it close to the eyes and cheeks.   9: Next up is making a bear. Here’s what you’ll need. Face: Rice Ears & Mouth: Cheese Eyes & Nose: Black olives Cheeks: Ham And pasta to fix the ears in place. 10: Cut olives for the eyes and nose, cheese for the mouth and ears, and ham for the cheeks.   11: Arrange the face with the cut ingredients just as you did with the bird. Push pasta into the places you want to put the ears.   12: Push ear-shaped cheese onto the pasta to make the ears. Our bear is done!   13: The last animal is a pig. Here’s what you’ll need. Face: Rice (mixed with salmon flakes for that pink colour) Nose & Ears: Ham Eyes: Black olives   14: Cut olives for the eyes and nose and ham for the ears and cheeks15: Arrange the face with your ingredients.   Done!   Here’s our three finished rice balls. The cutting was all done with scissors (instead of a knife!) so even people who aren’t good at chopping can challenge themselves to this recipe   We are attending Japan Expo in France and Hyper Japan in the UK this year. In the MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON area there will be the AEON booth where you can join a free workshop to make your own rice balls! It’s your chance to master the creation of kawaii onigiri with the help of your cooking sensei. Places are limited, so be sure to stop by!   This recipe was made with products by Topvalu, a private brand of AEON. For more details on their products, please visit their website below. https://www.topvalu.net/ (Japanese only)