What were the first words that you heard this morning?
My morning started with this sentence from Mr. Doozy:
"Guess what? There's a mayonnaise museum in Japan!!"
My morning started with this sentence from Mr. Doozy:
"Guess what? There's a mayonnaise museum in Japan!!"
Needless to say, my brain had to do a double take on what I had just heard.
A museum. For mayonnaise?
When my brain reached the " in Japan" part" I knew it wasn't a prank because there's something I can be certain of:
Japanese love their mayonnaise so when you think about it, having a museum for it isn't such a crazy thing.
A museum. For mayonnaise?
When my brain reached the " in Japan" part" I knew it wasn't a prank because there's something I can be certain of:
Japanese love their mayonnaise so when you think about it, having a museum for it isn't such a crazy thing.
MAYO TERRACE - TOKYO
Mayo Terrace is the name given to the tangy venue that opened in May 2014 in Tokyo and that celebrates Kewpie Mayonnaise, which happens to be my favorite mayonnaise too (perhaps I was Japanese in a previous life?)
Even if you aren't a fan of standard mayonnaise as it's known in the west, I suggest you try the Japanese type as it's really different and yummy!
Even if you aren't a fan of standard mayonnaise as it's known in the west, I suggest you try the Japanese type as it's really different and yummy!
I hope you can read hiragana ;)
MAYO TERRACE - SALAD HALL
Japanese understand that their language is not the easiest of them all, so you will never be left confused when travelling around Japan. There are always plenty of illustrations to ensure everyone knows where they are supposed to be or do, and in this case, Mayo Terrace offers a great 3D image of the 5 zones that you can visit.
Not only that but as you can see on the map one of the rooms replicates a giant Kewpie mayonnaise bottle, complete with a cover top and star shaped squeezer. Genius!
Not only that but as you can see on the map one of the rooms replicates a giant Kewpie mayonnaise bottle, complete with a cover top and star shaped squeezer. Genius!
Salad Hall - images courtesy of Kewpie Corporation
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When you enter Mayo Terrace you'll meet the Salad Hall, a welcoming hall decorated with pretty little stools in the shape of vegetables.
So cute that I'd want to take them all and put them in my living room! |
This is where you find yourself at the top of the mayonnaise bottle that I just mentioned. The red top with the Kewpie logo and a huge star (the squeezer) invite you to enter the Mayo Dome.
MAYO TERRACE - THE MAYO DOME
Mayo Dome - images courtesy of Kewpie Corporation
The structure is made of wood, and it's 50 times bigger of a 450 gr Kewpie bottle. Around the edges of the dome, they build benches so you can sit and learn all about this scrumptious condiment!
MAYO TERRACE - THE FACTORY WALK
You learned the marketing facts on Kewpie when you were at the Dome; now you can see it all in practice. Children particularly, (and adults who are perennial children like me), will enjoy walking through a typical factory process and see how the magic that is Kewpie Mayo is made! A special mention I have to make is about one of the walls that you pass where they created a Kewpie face with eggs: fantastic!
The factory walk - images courtesy of Kewpie Corporation
MAYO TERRACE - THE KEWPIE GALLERY
Once you have completed the Factory Walk, you return to the Salad Hall and progress on your left into The Gallery. In this space filled with images and cool decor like the lighting, which come in the shape of Kewpie bottles, you can admire the history of mayo and uses, as well as grasp the development of Kewpie Corporation.
MAYO TERRACE - THE KEWPIE KITCHEN
The Kewpie Gallery - images courtesy of Kewpie Corporation
Again a skip from theory to practicality, which I like when exploring a food venue. It's all good to hear and know about something, but if then you can eat it, you get to appreciate it. And this is what the Kewpie Kitchen is all about.
You probably got hungry walking around looking at pictures of amazing food and Kewpie mayonnaise, so in the Kewpie Kitchen area you can taste Kewpie and experiment with it.
Admission to Mayo Terrace is free, but you have to register in one of the four daily tours that they organize. Each tour has up to 25 people. Currently, there are a two months wait, so if you are living in Tokyo or are heading to Tokyo for a holiday, make sure to book in advance. If you can't get in, you can always get a consolation Kewpie bottle at the supermarket!
Have you been to the Mayonnaise museum? If so, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and if you'd like to read more quirky things about this phenomenal country, check out 16 Things In Japan That Will Blow Your Mind.
You probably got hungry walking around looking at pictures of amazing food and Kewpie mayonnaise, so in the Kewpie Kitchen area you can taste Kewpie and experiment with it.
Admission to Mayo Terrace is free, but you have to register in one of the four daily tours that they organize. Each tour has up to 25 people. Currently, there are a two months wait, so if you are living in Tokyo or are heading to Tokyo for a holiday, make sure to book in advance. If you can't get in, you can always get a consolation Kewpie bottle at the supermarket!
Have you been to the Mayonnaise museum? If so, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and if you'd like to read more quirky things about this phenomenal country, check out 16 Things In Japan That Will Blow Your Mind.
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