Momo Barcelona, Japanese Ruthlessness in Barcelona

One of the biggest area of pseudo-connoisseurs in Barcelona is that of Japanese-related culture. One fact: there are more Japanese restaurants in Barcelona than actual Japanese people. Why? 99% of them are just Chinese re-furnished into a Japanese wannabe style. Just another sign that phoniness is the main tendency in post-industrial Barcelona.

The funny thing is that, by chance, sometimes one can find a touch of authenticity in the city which, in the case of Japanese shops, come to be known as Momo. This is a shop located in an outskirts corner of the Call (ancient Jewish quarter) pretty close to St James Sq., the center of the Roman Barcino, on the top of mount Taber.

Momo sells J-stuff for those who wanna decorate their homes with a touch of Japanism. Basically, dishes and yukatas (summer Japanese clothes). As authentic as these Pakistani shops that sell Mexican hats and Gypsy dolls in Les Rambles.

This shop can be seen at the last scene of one of the worst movies ever, Map of the Sounds of Tokyo, a new standard in papanatism made in Barcelona, a Catalan version of Lost in Translation with views of Rinko Kikuchi's pussy and an awfully meaningless script. The only point of the shop is being able to pee on the same WC Rinko used.

But above all the trifles sold in this shop, one can find the real essence of Japanese character, personified in the owner, the most intransigent, stubborn and despotic master ever seen in the town. A typical of example of Kobe's stiffness, she is able to fire without blinking a salesperson for just having asked her an inopportune question.

Go to Momo and you will find the best of Japanese severity, that which is unable to come to terms or reasons with subordinates. The pure essence of Japanese mindlessness in business, which thinks of the owner like a God and the worker as an insect. Go to Momo and drink from the distillery of medieval Japan, as sour as umeboshi under the innocent soft skin of a peach: An iron fist covered by a peachy velvet.