Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2012

Every Wednesday from 3-11pm, monsters take over Bar Luna Base and turn it into a toy-and-snack-filled wonderland for playful adults. Daikaijyu Salon (B101, 1-14-16 Arai, Nakano-ku; http://picopicoshimbun.web.fc2.com/salon.html) is produced by Takao Nakano, a pink-film director, screenwriter, actor and costume maker, and is surely the only café-bar in Japan where you can mingle with monster otaku. Meet your host, a giant fuchsia octopus-like creature named Mucho, and learn monster-building lessons from Picopico, Mucho’s creator. One food or drink order per hour is the minimum, and the beast-themed offerings (from ¥500) come with candies.