4-5 minutes walk from Hongo Sanchome Station. Do you know "Kingyozaka" that stands in a residential area? It is a coffee shop with a slightly retro and mysterious charm run by a goldfish wholesaler that has been in business for 350 years.
When I was holding the camera to take a picture of the exterior, I could hear a faint noise of water. Many aquariums were lined up near the entrance, and fish of various sizes were swimming freely in the large cage. It seems that a good amount is bred. I'm curious, but first go inside the store.
You can see the aquarium and the cage
When I headed to around 15:00 on weekdays, the inside of the store was unexpectedly empty. There is a popping voice in time with the classical music that flows at a modest volume.
If you answer that you are quitting smoking, you will be guided to the second floor. However, this shop has a strange structure, and I had to go downstairs and then go up the stairs in the back to go upstairs again. Apparently the smoke is separated between the basement and the second floor.
Goldfish motif on the wall of the stairs
The interior of the second floor, which is furnished with retro furniture, is reminiscent of a pension. I wasn't very hungry, so I ordered the Chinese tea "Dongfang meiren (850 yen including tax)".
The tea that was brought in immediately was accompanied by dried fruits. It is a little difficult to drink at first because the tea leaves are in the cup as it is, but as time goes by, the leaves spread softly and sink to the bottom. It is a refreshing tea with a good aftertaste without much habit.
The container is also fashionable
When it was brought in, the staff told me, "The taste gradually exudes, so if you run out of hot water, add it from a nearby water server." "You can drink about 3 glasses," he said. The feeling of leaving this moderately is very good. Relax at your own pace.
There was a glass aquarium near the table where I was sitting, and a goldfish was swimming around leisurely. When I looked into it, I thought that it would be a food, and I moved my mouth on the surface of the water.
Perhaps it's the unique atmosphere of this shop, it's a mysterious space where you can feel the passage of time in a relaxed manner. I even remember a strange nostalgia. When I was sitting on a slightly squeaking chair and vaguely, I even felt like a goldfish girl with a coquettish charm would sit in front of me, saying, "Uncle! Could you give me a drink?"
■ Fishing moat with a cage
After soaking in a calm time until you are satisfied, go to the cage you were interested in. In the back, aquatic plants and marimo are sold, and various kinds of goldfish are swimming in the aquariums lined up in a row. If you look at it alone, it's a little horror when it comes to a group of cute goldfish.
Goldfish and aquatic plants are on sale
I remember Mika Ninagawa's work
It is said that a fishing pond will be created, so I decided to take on the challenge. Adults 700 yen (tax included, same below), children 500 yen including bait and fishing rod every 30 minutes. It seems that you can get a free ticket when you catch the designated fish.
If you pay the fee, you will get a paper with the end time written on it.
The bait is a paste that smells like cat food. Hook it on the tip of the needle and go into the cage.
At first, I had a sweet idea that "I'm swimming this much and I think I can catch it easily", but the fish are not stupid either. It seems that he is learning from the anglers so far, and he dexterously steals only the bait.
You can't adjust the direction of the needle, or devise the size of the bait and how to attach it. Even small fish don't hang. This is dangerous…. If you don't catch it, you won't be able to get a punch line in the article ... If you keep pulling the rod desperately, you will feel like you are drawn in vigorously!
20 minutes after the start, I managed to catch it at the last minute. Isn't it quite a big game? After all, this one is the only result this time. It seems that the writer's arm is still immature because it seems that people who can catch it can catch it. However, I'm really glad that even one fish was caught ...
Finally, return the caught fish to the cage
"Goldfish slope" is a coffee shop run by a goldfish wholesaler with a unique atmosphere. When I come next time, I would like to enjoy tea with one hand even at Saisei Murou's "Mitsu no Awa".
■ Overview of Kingyozaka Address: 5-3-15 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo