Snakes vanquished, Tokyo's newest garden chill-out zone rocks the suburbs
Yabology in the western suburb of Kunitachi is a collective-built garden, cafe and live spot in one
Yabology on a quiet summer afternoon -- not exactly what to expect at this Sunday’s party.
Our beloved city of Tokyo all too frequently takes flak for being nothing more than a mess of concrete and steel that’s too hot for comfort in the summer months. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of parks and gardens in which to escape the urban sprawl and the heat.
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To their number we can now add Yabology -- a collective-run newcomer in the west Tokyo suburb of Kunitachi that just happens to be holding a summer garden party this coming weekend.
The small community space centers on a 100-year-old family house that once included a dental surgery -- now remodeled as an architect’s studio -- and a snake-filled garden complete with café, flower and vegetable gardens, pond, well and barbecue pit.
Family friendly
The snakes, we’re told, have long since been put to pasture elsewhere, making the August 7 event slightly less daunting for the non-herpetologists in the crowd. The Yabology crew, by the way, has a history of running fun events for kids, making the garden party a smart family event.
Turn up at 2 p.m. for a traditional dance event in the main house, followed by far too much live music to detail here, a series of talks on how the group behind Yabology turned the ancient home into a modern suburban oasis (we’ve been, and it’s genuinely fascinating) and food and drink aplenty.
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Entrance is free, while the lectures and food are available on a pay-as-you-go basis. Festivities are slated to carry on until 7 p.m. and there are plenty of English speakers on hand for any non-fluent visitors keen to sample the community vibe. We'll see you there.
Yabology, Kunitachi-shi, Yaho 5119, Tokyo 186-0011; nearest station, JR Nambu-sen, Yaho Station.
