Friday night Tokyo round up - Part 3

Thursday night we all walked to this restaurant... food was fine but not incredible; our waitress's ability to duck-walk, leap to her feet, reach across tables with hot ladles, etc. was indeed incredible: it was like watching an acrobat. Taka you know, John Paul MacDuffie also in the picture, and the older man is Professor Shimokawa, our host at Hosei University, still active at I think 88.... And yes they moved us from one room to another so that is why John Paul seems to be in different seats... he is!

Friday night Tokyo round up - Part 2

I had to take a photo of this... Thursday's lunch. I almost cried when they handed these bento out... talk about the perfect lunch. I love these things, and wonder if we could ever find one like this in America?

Friday night Tokyo round up - Part 1

I ran out of time earlier so now back at the hotel can bring you all up to speed. All day Thursday was at Tokyo University, and meeting photos are not much fun so I will spare you. But the Red Gate is the main entrance of TU, and the main symbol of the school.

Ah the Sakura Forecast!

We all recall how crazy the Japanese are for the cherry-blossom season. Well this morning on the TV I saw the latest update of the sakura forecast, as the opening trees' "front line" moves north across Japan, with the warming weather (snow in Tokyo earlier this week excepted!). Much excitement in the capitol, looking for early sightings!

Thursday morning

Not too much exciting here, as I am in meetings all day here at Tokyo University. Here is a sneak photo of Professor Taka Fujimoto (whom you know) speaking.

One more small thing...

... some shops I walked by: I really like this "jumble" style of Japanese architecture.

Tomorrow Thursday is our first day of meetings and presentations... I have 3 small ones I think and then my big one is on Friday. Should be interesting meetings, on the campuses of Tokyo U and Hosei U. Now it is time to sleep, getting up at 4:30 is no fun, regardless of time zones.

Oh and by the way when we went through Shinjuku Station today Natalie, it was a very... um... pink experience. Let's just say one shopkeeper is still wondering why a foreign guy bought ALL of one kind of item she had...

Koishikawa Korakuen

Before we left today I wandered off to look at this garden, one of the most spectacular in Tokyo. Very peaceful and nice... right next to skyscrapers and the usual hustle and bustle. A series of photos here, all self-explanatory. Very nice.