东京咖啡屋 玩偶化解单身尴尬
Talk about creative coping mechanisms for being alone -- from the blogger who photographs selfies with his imaginary girlfriend to the company that takes your stuffed animals on vacation without you, Japan appears to be cornering the market on accommodating solo travelers.
说到化解单身尴尬的好创意——无论是单身汉博主与虚拟女友自拍，还是旅行社带顾客的毛绒玩具去旅行，日本似乎十分重视照顾单身顾客的市场需求。
You can now add the "anti-loneliness" Moomin House Cafe to the menagerie of "wait, what?" strokes of Japanese brilliance.
Blog posts on the cafe's concept went viral a few weeks ago. Ever since, the shop has been packed with visitors. The best time to go is a weekday morning when it's relatively quiet.
The cafe features a family of Finnish hippo-like characters called Moomins who live in Moomin Valley and embark on various adventures with their friends.
No need to scroll self-consciously on your phone while dining alone here. Moomins come around to every table, whether you're alone or in a group.
We first wrote about the Moomin House Cafe in 2012, but the cafe went viral a few weeks ago and has since been besieged with customers wanting a taste of its "anti-loneliness" magic.
To save its lone customers from the awkward perils of solo dining, the cafe kindly seats diners with stuffed animal companions called Moomins, a family of white hippo-like characters created by Finnish illustrator and writer Tove Jansson.
Moomins are brought to each table so that patrons -- solo or in groups -- can have a turn sitting with them.
Weekday mornings are the quietest time, while weekends are packed all day long.