Amanohashidate Bird Cafe

All Aboard the Floating Bird Feeder

Bonson Lam Jul 30, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>This floating cafe, otherwise known as the ferry, has an open upper deck to take in the scenery</p>

<p>As you leave Amanohashidate you see a few seagulls but will not think anything of it</p>

<p>On the return trip you will see a few more seagulls on the boat, and again may not think anything of it</p>

<p>The seagulls tries to catch the ferry on the way back</p>

<p>It is almost unnatural for these seagulls to be that close to the boat</p>

<p>As you go on the upper deck, you see what the fuss is about</p>

<p>Passengers are feeding the seagulls with Calbee Shrimp or Prawn Cracker Sticks</p>

<p>You almost feel sorry for the birds as they try to land on the boat but can't due to the speed and gusts caused by the boat speeding away from them. It is like a cat and mouse race.</p>

<p>The birds give up and all is calm</p>

This is the bird cafe at Amanohashidate. Actually, you won’t find any signs saying “bird cafe” and your fellow passengers won’t give anything away as you take the ferry from Amanohashidate to Ichinomiya on the other side. On the way back, everything is revealed. You see packets and packets of Calbee fried prawn crackers for sale, but nobody is eating them. Then, as the ferry takes off, dozens of seagulls follow the boat. You go to the upper deck, and see them all trying to catch the prawn crackers as the passengers throw them up in the air. Like seals eating fish at the zoo there is a feeding frenzy. I never knew seagulls liked the taste of prawn crackers. It is a race between nature and man as these birds fly bravely to catch up with the speeding boat, a race that they can’t win.

Bonson Lam @bonson.lam

I knew my future was destined to be with Japan the moment I flew from Sydney to experience the atmospheric laneways of Kyoto last century. I am humbled to have met many distinguished people during this time, especially the national living treasures of Japan, such as the doll maker to the Imperia...