Mahika Mano: Tokyo's truest 'hangout'

"Let's relax with hammock!" enthuses this odd little café's website, and when you walk through the door it's obvious they aren't fooling around. In place of the normal chairs used to seat customers, Mahika Mano suspends hammocks from the rafters. The resulting expanse of netting filling the room from ceiling to near floor level makes the place feel more like Spiderman's lair than the average coffee shop, but the bright lighting and plain wood fixtures give it a homey, relaxing feel. 

Of course there's a hook -- and we're not talking about the ones used to string up the hammocks. The shop actually doubles as a showroom for the products of Hammock 2000, a sort of try-before-you buy scheme intended to rope in customers (there we go with those hammock metaphors again). Ever wondered about the difference between Mexican and Brazilian hammocks? Now's your chance to find out.

Nestled in an unassuming Kichijoji alley, right behind a Soapland brothel, it's a surprisingly airy and comfy hangout -- literally. The menu is surprisingly diverse for what would otherwise seem to be a gimmicky little place, featuring curries, vegetable broths, and that old Okinawa standby of Taco Rice in addition to the usual drink selection, which happens to include alcohol, so make sure you take it easy while you're getting your swing on. (It's also one of the few places to get Brooklyn Lager in Kichijoji, a personal favorite.)

Hammock Cafe and Gallery, 2-8-1 Kichijoji Minami-Cho, Musashino-shi, +81 0422-42-5930, mahikamano.com, open Sunday - Thursday: 12pm to 10pm