Island of Takoyaki

[Fridaynightcatlady]

Welcome to the island of Takoyaki

Spoiler: DA

Not available yet

Time zone: ECT (European Central Time)
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Takoyaki is a rural village themed island. Not long ago, it used to be a completely deserted island. After the islanders settled in, they all started to work together to make it a lively place to call home. Soon enough, a small convenience store opened, a family of tailors started their own shop and they even managed to open their own little museum with a renowned scholar. Over the course of this journal, I will be showing off some of Takoyaki's most delightful spots, celebrations and their citizens (even a sneak peek of their homes). Takoyaki also holds secrets of its own... An abandoned cemetery? Mysterious disappearances near the campsite?

Spoiler: Island's map

Spoiler: Passport

Spoiler: Villagers

Planning your visit to the Island of Takoyaki

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So you want to visit the Island of Takoyaki! Make sure you have your boarding pass and that your passport is up to date! Takoyaki operates strictly with Dodo Airlines. Here are a few tips and rules to ensure that your time in Takoyaki will be remarkable!

Spoiler: Island's rules

- The biggest rule of Takoyaki is: do not pick up things from the floor (weeds, items, etc)!
- Be kind and respectful to other visitors!
- No discrimination (of any kind) will be tolerated. Takoyaki prides itself for being a very open and LGBTIQ+ friendly place.

Spoiler: Making the most out of Takoyaki

- Feel free to shop and buy anything you like! Our stores appreciate tourists boosting the local economy!
- Wander around freely! Feel free to visit our museum, onsen site, and more!
- Feel free to take home some of our native fruit!
- Fish and catch some of our local fauna! Feel free to catch as many as you'd like!
- We recommend using the NookLink app on your phone, for faster communication within the island!
- Stay away from the big antenna. Local have been disappearing there. We can't find them.

We hope to see you soon!

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[Fridaynightcatlady]

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Hey, this is my home! Welcome to Takoyaki. This island isn't fully developed, but it has everything you need. I live near Kiki's house, who is usually home reading spooky mystery novels. I wonder if she's home.

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Turns out, Kiki was out this morning! I wonder where she is. I guess, I should make my way to the convenience store asap. I need to buy some ingredients to cook some delicious curry!

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On my way to the convini, you can see one of the island's bus stops. There's only one bus for the entire island, but it's pretty convenient (especially for the elder citizens at Takoyaki). Near the bus stop is the bridge crossing. Hey, you can check my house from here!

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The convenience store is pretty useful! It's small, yes, but it has everything you need (and they re-stock pretty often!). I tend to get distracted with the small arcade outside (owned by the store, mind you!).

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Just south of the convini, you'll find the rice paddies, the fish market and Paolo's home! Lucky for us, it looks like he's home! Paolo loves to get morning visits (unlike some other Takoyaki residents I can think of... Like Billy and Wart Jr.) though he's usually watching cartoons when I get there.

Date: 14/11/2021​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

East of Takoyaki you'll find Whitney's house and far east from there is a small (and uncared for) campsite, filled with trash. Just outside Whitney's house you'll find a couple of drink machines (you'll definitely need some refreshments for the hot summers on the island). This is also, a great spot for fishing. Sometimes you'll find some of the older residents of Takoyaki - like Billy and Wart Jr. - hanging out here trying their luck.

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Hey! Turns out Kiki was visiting Whitney all along. Whitney is the island' big gossip - and she also probably has the most expensive home in all the island. She works designing her own brand of clothes and will sometimes sell some of her clothing in Able's (our tailor shop). Legend has it, she used to learn from Gracie herself.

Date: 14/11/2021​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

As I mentioned, up north from Whitney's house you'll find the old cemetery. Some of these tombstones were here before people started settling into Takoyaki. Dobie, a former resident of the island, is actually buried here. Whitney and Dobie were pretty close back then, so she comes here every day to pay her respects and talk to him. She never misses a day! (Even if it rains or snows). There's a few shrines near, so you can pay your respects. Paolo mentioned he thought he saw something the other day that looked like a ghost! He was so afraid he ran home and didn't dare to check it out.

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East of the cemetery, and just south of my house and Kiki's, you'll find a path towards the Able Sisters and Greta's home! Daisy Mae is here today selling turnips (like every Sunday morning!). She's Joan's grand daughter. Joan has been a bit ill lately, so she stays back in their home. I've met Joan a couple of times, near the hospital. Sometimes, when she feels better, she'll come along with Daisy Mae to watch over the rice fields (she's very experienced!) or she'll grab a coffee over at The Roost.

Greta is extremely nice. She'll be doing laundry in her yard most days during the spring and if she catches you around, she'll invite you for some tea and pie.

Date: 14/11/2021​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

Kiki and I decided to head to an Onsen this afternoon, near the mountains. We actually ran into some other folks there! Bunnie was there! She was in Takoyaki recently to visit Renée. Fun fact: Bunnie used to live in Takoyaki for a long time. She and Renée were really close and Renée was pretty crushed when Bunnie decided to leave. Greta was there, too! She was enjoying her Sunday afternoon and brought Billy along. Billy only seems to get along with Greta and Wart Jr.

Date: 14/11/2021​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

Yesterday in the afternoon, I decided to go to the beach, just up from the fish market and Paolo's house. It's incredibly peaceful there. Just up ahead, you'll find an onsen by the rocks. There's a well that has been cut off by the island's administration (Mr. Nook and Isabelle!), and I think it has something to do with the disappearances that have been going on.

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Near the well, you'll find Takoyaki's pier! Most of the time you'll find Kapp'n sleeping on his boat. If you pay his fee, he'll take you exploring some beautiful islands. Rumor has it, one of the previous villagers who lived in Takoyaki, took a ride with Kapp'n and never came back.

I decided to end my day strolling near the Museum. It's always so peaceful around there! Plus, I get excited with the gachapon machines near. I'm still missing a few, but I know Renée is collecting them, too! I might talk to her later and see if she'd like to trade .

 

[Raz]

Your island looks great! It really captures the vibe of those small rural towns in Japan. There's some items I haven't seen yet, like those flag-like banners in front of the konbini and the gachapon machines. I love that wooden bus stop, I'm searching for it since the update went live haha. My island is more rural than yours, as it was basically a park/natural reserve, but yours have a true parallel in real life, unlike mine.

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

Your island looks great! It really captures the vibe of those small rural towns in Japan. There's some items I haven't seen yet, like those flag-like banners in front of the konbini and the gachapon machines. I love that wooden bus stop, I'm searching for it since the update went live haha. My island is more rural than yours, as it was basically a park/natural reserve, but yours have a true parallel in real life, unlike mine.

Hey! Thanks That’s the exact vibe I was going for. Most of these items I got from the HHP store with Pokis!

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

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Just a quick update to let you all know that it's currently Fall in Takoyaki and it's definitely getting colder (as you can see, I'm wearing my autumn/winter uniform). On my way to school, I decided to drop by Wendy's. Of course, there's this gorgeous house near her home and it's owned by and old man who owns a small tea shop.

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Just above Wendy's home, you'll find a small alley to put your bike (I forgot to bring mine, this time around). You'll see Graham's house (to the right, with his pink bike just outside) and Wart Jr.'s house to the left of that small shrine (which I'll occasionally go to to pay my respects)⛩.
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Wendy was definitely excited to see me. I'm always happy to drop off, since I love her plants and decor. We've arranged a night of video games (including Super Falafel Pro!) for this week end! I'm sure Kiki and Renée will be excited to join as well. ​

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Wendy also let me know that Billy is feeling a bit ill! Oh no! Well, that's the start of Fall for ya! He's an old man now, so he should definitely try to look after himself a bit more. I guess I'll have to drop off some medicine to his home. I'll try to get some from the market for sure. ​

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You can see Billy's house from here (it's the one right behind me!). The beach I'm at is actually the one you'll find Billy the most, probably fishing or just sitting by the tires listening to some old tunes. Sometimes Wart Jr. will join him! Welp, I guess I'll go and get some medicine for the old timer!​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

It's a rainy day in Takoyaki and it's just as cold today as it was yesterday. I decided to go out with my grape umbrella today! I love to just walk around town, skipping over the water and looking over at the rain from the bridge. It's cold but not terrible!​

Since it's raining, you won't see anyone by the park today . Paolo loves to get on the elephant slide while Roswell watches over from a safe distance, ha.
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One of my favorite things to do when it's raining is to head to the museum and get a nice cup of coffee! On my way there, I just love watching the raindrops fall from the window near The Roost

. It gets me really sleepy, though . Zz...zzz... OH! Brewster definitely knows how I like my coffee. Sometimes I'll get some delicious matcha latte or even one of his famous pigeon cookies .
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On my way out of the Museum, I headed towards Billy's place, to get him some of the medicine I got from him from the convini. He was super greatful! I noticed he was cooking some hot ramen to keep warm! I do hope he feels better after he's taken the medicine. It really sucks to be sick.
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Oh, aren't we all, Roswell? Anyway, I might head back home to get some well-deserved and comfortable omurice.​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

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Last night, Renée invited me over to watch a show we both really like. As you can probably tell, we were both really shocked at what just happened. We might need some more tea to discuss it all night long! I really love Renée's place and it makes me really happy to see she still keeps Bunnie's photo around!
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On my way back home, I decided to drop by the museum. Brewster works pretty much all day and night, so I just wanted to make sure he was doing okay (plus, I thought about getting some fresh beans for my morning coffee!). Turn out, Graham was there. Oh man, drinking coffee this late at night is not a great idea. Careful there, buddy!

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Just as I was about to get home, I decided to head up to the campsite, near the abandoned antenna. Isabelle has warned us about heading there late at night and by ourselves, but I just had to find out more about this place. You can see there are still old missing posters hanging around. Legend has it, a bunch of old residents who used to live in Takoyaki went missing around the forest. There's also this tent but I've yet to find out who actually lives there. When I went up there, I noticed the lights were on and some sort of shadow was moving around inside, so there's definitely someone in there! Creepy! ​

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[Fridaynightcatlady]

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Today is a wonderful sunny day! It's barely cold outside. On my way to the bus station, I walked past Wart Jr. so I decided to say hello. He also er... kindly... reminded me of the fishing tourney happening tomorrow. He's definitely a competitive old man. I hope he and Billy don't get too aggressive about this tourney .​

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I even saw Roswell fishing near the town hall. Looks like everyone is getting really serious about this tourney tomorrow. Well, it's certainly a great way to welcome fall .​

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Finally got on the bus which rapidly got me to the other side of the island, right outside Paolo's house and near the Able Sisters store. I definitely need some new, warm and comfy clothes, so that is the perfect place to get those.​

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Oh, I just love their clothes! I wish I could just buy everything they have in store. Plus, both Able and Mable are just the kindest . They have a third sister, Label, but I've yet to meet here. Apparently, she's a hot world-wide designer, just traveling around selling her brand. Whitney told me all about it. She definitely want to pitch Label a few of her ideas when she decides to drop by our island.​

It's been such a long day! I'm exhausted. I might drop by the convini store to get some food for dinner tonight or I might just get some ramen around, heh. I really love afternoons like this: its colors, the silence... It's so calm. I wish I could stay still like this forever. ​

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[Fridaynightcatlady]

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Hey! Today is Takoyaki's fishing tourney. I'm definitely excited but before I get started I want to get some snacks at the convini store (rumor has it that there are some delicious and fresh chocolate donuts!). I had my snack over at our island's main park. It's a little... well, it still needs a little maintenance, but I like it .
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Oh man, I hope I can beat Wart Jr. this time around. He's even using his all time winning fishing rod. It's hard to beat that
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After I changed, I headed straight to the plaza and right outside Town Hall CJ was there. He organizes all of the fishing tourneys. He'll even give you a number of prizes if you catch enough fish! Of course, the winner of the tourney gets a nice, shining trophy to display in their homes. Wart Jr. has won 2 years in a row and I hear Dobbie (a former villager) was the ultimate fisherman before he passed
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It's definitely hard to cath these fish! I don't know if I'll beat Wart Jr. this time around but hey, at least I'll get my hands on some nice prizes (I hope...) ​

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[Fridaynightcatlady]

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I really enjoy ending my day by watching my favorite shows, with a nice cup of matcha tea and some delicious and comfy omurice . My mom taught me how to make it this way! I'll never be able to match hers, but it's still very delicious! While my mom doesn't live in Takoyaki, we still keep very much in touch. We send each other letters, almost every week! She'll sometimes send me a gift as well (like chocolates or a lovely sweater!) which is so nice. While we do write to each other a lot, I do miss her and can't wait for her to visit soon . I hope you are all in touch with your mothers out there and enjoying a nice cup of tea or a warm meal. If you're going through a rough moment, know that it's temporary. Try to think of all the things that make you feel good, warm and fuzzy. Maybe it's playing a video game, talking to your favorite person or watching your favorite film or show. Don't push yourself too hard! We don't know how long we truly have on this world, so we might as well enjoy it while we still can .​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

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It was raining again this morning, so I decided to head to The Roost and get some to-go coffee. I got a nice matcha latte (it's my favorite! ). Before I left, Brewster had a surprise for me! He got me a nice cup with saucer. He said it's because I'm a loyal costumer of his (and to expect more nice gifts!)

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Once the rain stopped I decided to read a few chapters of the new book that Kiki lent me. It's a japanese story about a girl who jumps through time and falls in love with one of her closest friends. It really makes my mind drift into this fantastic world . I still haven't finished it, but I'll be sure to talk about it with Kiki once I am. She and I have a very similar taste for books and she's such a bookworm that her house is just covered in novels I've never even heard about!
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Oh no! On my way back home I noticed an umbrella laying on the floor. Someone must have lost it this morning due to the rain and wind. Oh boy, I hope that person didn't get completely soaked with the rain .​

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Just when I was about to get home I noticed something under a tree. What's this?! . Oh, it's a chocolate egg! Oh, right! Bunny Day is just about the corner, so someone must have hidden this egg a bit sooner than expected, ha! Speaking of which, just outside my house I found Zipper! He's usually in Takoyaki when Bunny Day is near . Bunny Day is one of our many celebrations here in the island. Zipper, along with Isabelle and Mr. Nook, will hide eggs for all of us to find during that day. If you collect as many chocolate eggs as you can, you can actually exchange them for some neat gifts! or you can just eat them! They're delicious, too. Can't wait for next week!!!​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

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It's a lazy Sunday here in Takoyaki, so I'm trying to catch up on my cleaning. I live in a pretty old house in the island, so you can expect a lot of dust (and sometimes cockroaches running around ). I like listening to the radio while I dust, it keeps me really calm and it helps me work on my chores a lot quicker, in fact. What do you like to do when doing your chores? Remember to rest and not push yourself too hard! After all, it's supposed to be Sunday! We should relax. ​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

Hey, it's super early in the morning but I decided to wake up earlier today to join the morning aerobics at the plaza. Most of the villagers in Takoyaki are asleep (including Paolo, just behind me!) but you'll always find a couple of early birds who enjoy their morning stretch!

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There was actually a pretty big turnout today! Including Isabelle, Graham, Kapp'n and even Kiki! We did our stretches and it was a lot of fun! I'm pretty exhausted now, though. I also had to change quick so I wouldn't catch a cold!​

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I walked past old man Shoji's house and noticed his lights were on. I wonder if he was already awake. Shoji own the biggest and oldest home in all of the island. He has a small tea shop and tea room as well! I'd love to show you all some day, I hope you'll like it as much as I do.
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I noticed just bellow the shrine a small flower shop was set up. I wonder if this is Leif's. I definitely want to buy a new bonsai for my home .​

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Even the convini store was closed. I really like how they've set up the fall decor. I'm really hoping they start selling those delicious chocolate bunnies (considering Bunny Day is this week!). I might drop by later today.
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I decided to take a walk on the northern beach, just bellow where you'll find our island's onsen. And hey! I found a bottle lying on the sand. And there was a message inside! I wonder who's it from.​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

Takoyaki early in the morning is something else . You can listen to some of the birds chipping from the trees, the waves crushing against the rocks in the beach. Make sure to enjoy moments like this. Do you enjoy waking up early? Or are you more of a night owl? I really struggle staying up so late and I actually enjoy waking up early (maybe not that early). I might take another stroll through the beach after all or maybe go back to bed and watch some morning cartoons until I drift into another lovely dream. Remember to take it easy out there!​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

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Hey everyone! It was Bunny Day just a few days ago. Takoyaki celebrates Bunny Day in such a fun an exciting way. Our whole town is decorated (courtesy of Mr. Nook and Isabelle), everyone is dressed up to find chocolate eggs hidden around the island and even Zipper is around to gift you some chocolate and rewards!
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Everything looks just so pretty with these egg decorations! I brought my own bag to fetch chocolate eggs around town.
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Everyone around town gets super serious about the egg hunt! Look at Roswell and Wendy, all dressed up! They even go as far as to decorate outside their own homes (I should've done that as well...). I know Paolo managed to get many eggs, I will probably have to go get some from him at some point, ha!
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I sure hope you all had a wonderful Bunny Day and had lots of chocolate goodies. I'm still going through the pile of chocolate bunnies and eggs I got from Zipper (I think I might get sick...!). I hope you all had fun searching for those eggs! ​

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

Takoyaki bump and update (after a looong time). It's finally the beginning of spring on the island and everyone can tell by how lovely the weather is.

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With this lovely weather, I take the time to sit outdoors and enjoy the sun and the lovely breeze. This time around, I went by Renée's place to see if she wanted to go for a stroll, so I waited by her backyard (she doesn't mind). Unfortunately, it seems like she was out by the time I got there!

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While the weather is lovely today, it really has been a while since I've been over to the museum (I was hoping to bring Renée along, but that's fine!). I checked out the arts exhibit first and my! Takoyaki certainly has a wide range of incredible art pieces. I was really mesmerized by all these pieces of art (I snapped a few pics as well on my phone, as well! Not sure if that's allowed, though ).
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When I was on my way to the fossil exhibition of the museum, I bumped into Roswell! He sure is right about that, I'd probably be poking all over myself with tusks as big as those in that exhibit.
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Before leaving, I decided to have some The Roost 2 Go (I can't help it, I'm very much addicted to Brewster's coffee!). I bumped into Paolo and then decided to have some of my coffee by Takoyaki's train station. The island's trains are not super modern, but it's helpful if you want to make it to other places farther away (the onsen near the mountains, for example!).

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After having all of my lovely coffee, I decided to go home to do some house work and - lo and behold! It's Renée dropping by! She heard from Kiki that I had dropped by in the morning when she wasn't home (she was away visiting Bunnie!). We had some lovely tea together, gossiped some and then we called it a day.​