The Falconer's Cafe

 It seems I'm on a roll this month, when it comes to themed restaurants at least. But hey, I'm a sucker for gimmicks, and I have to eat at least twice a day anyhow, so why not try as many as I can, I figured.
 The theme this time? Birds of prey. Hawks and falcons, to be specific. And so, with only an address in mind and no idea quite what to expect, I made my way to the Falconer's Cafe in Mitaka - and entered to a falcon screaming at me from a meter or so away.

 The falconer's cafe is, for lack of a better word, much more humble than the majestic birds it showcases. The venue itself is quite small, with a few tables on one side and a small aviary on the other, effectively keeping the birds separated from customers without keeping them too far apart or out of sight. Now, having had no idea how the place operated before walking in, I was actually kind of expecting something similar to the amazing owl cafe I had been to a little more than a year ago. Which is to say, grab a bird, put him on your head, whatever floats your boat. Unfortunately for me (though it's probably better for the raptors,) customers are not allowed to touch them inside the Falconer's Cafe. Well, that's probably safer anyhow.
 But somehow, the novelty of sitting in a cafe in the presence of six hawks/falcons does kind of wear off after a short while. The raptors themselves are beautiful. I don't recall having ever been so close to one in the past, but they're truly awesome to behold, and it's hard not to admire them. But without any other incentive to stick around other than just looking at the birds from a safe distance, the Falconer's Cafe is effectively a zoo with one exhibit only.
Plus, it's a little hard to just sit down and have a conversation, because, you know, the birds tend to scream. Very loud.

This guy is straight out of a movie set.

 Of course, maybe that's not the point of Falconer's Cafe. From what I gather, real falconers are also allowed to bring their own birds to the venue, so maybe this place is more of a meeting place between raptor owners, and the whole cafe business is just what keeps the place running. The owner is a quiet, stern man who looks very much like a bird of prey himself, and his passion as a falconer was apparent, if for nothing other than the various pictures of him and his birds adorning the whole cafe. I can't imagine it's easy to make much money as an expert on birds of prey, so if this is how he pays the bills, then hey, I'm glad it's what's working out for him.
 I wonder how he carries the birds around, though, because it might be a little difficult to bring them on a train? I'll never really know, and that almost saddens me as much as not walking out of this place with a picture of me majestically posing with a falcon on my arm. Can't win them all!