A new café craze in Japan has gone viral. Dubbed as the ‘anti-loneliness’ campaign, lone diners don’t have to be really alone – they get to dine with large stuffed animals – Moomins! – for company.
In today’s fast-paced world, people don’t always find a companion for various activities, with many choosing to go about alone even if they sometimes feel awkward doing stuff by themselves.
Clever entrepreneurs at Moomin House Café in Japan realized that there is a market for lone diners who wish to have a companion while they dig into their scrumptious meals. A family of white hippo-like characters called Moomins, created by Finnish illustrator and writer Tove Jansson, are seated with lone guests to keep them company.
Sharing a table with a stranger can be quite awkward unless that “stranger” is a cute stuffed animal who wouldn’t really keep glancing at you or try to make polite conversation while you eat.
Cute Moomins for Lone Diners
Launched in a campaign to combat loneliness, the Moomins have gotten so popular that they don’t just get seated with lone diners, plenty of groups are clamoring for their turn to have the cute hippos at their table while they dine. The Moomins are also popular as props or companions in selfies/groupies that diners share on social networking sites.
Lone diners are seated with stuffed Moomins.
Photo credit: CNN
There are 3 Moomin House Cafés operating in Japan. You can find Moomin Bakery & Cafe at Canal City Hakata in Fukuoka, Moomin House Cafe at Solamachi, and another in Tokyo Dome City which is the most popular of all the three.
Although operating for quite some time now (the one in Tokyo Dome City opened in 2003), the café has only quite recently gained popularity because of the viral campaign.
The ‘anti-loneliness’ café gained so much popularity that sales have significantly gotten up with the surge of curious diners who either want to try dining with a Moomin to ease their loneliness or simply want to check out what the buzz about these dining with these stuffed creatures is about.
Some of the delicious and cute food offered at the cafe.
Photo credit: CNN
When is the best time to visit the cafe? The surge in the restaurant’s popularity is evidenced by the great number of diners waiting in long lines in any of the 3 cafés. Weekends are especially busy, with most of the cafés jam-packed with diners all throughout the day. Still, weekday mornings are quieter and would be a great time to dine to avoid the crush of people waiting for their turn to be seated with the Moomins.
Moomins in Japan’s Anime Culture
Japan is home to beloved anime characters of all sorts, so it is not a surprise that the country would embrace Moomins. The Moomins originate from Finland and are celebrated there, but these are also a favorite in Japan. In fact, Japan is planning to open a Moomin theme park similar to the one in Finland.
The menu served at the restaurant honors the Moomin theme as well, so diners can expect to find Moomin-shaped pastries and various types of food. Finnish rye is also served to diners in keeping with the theme.