Went to K.I.F.A : Kodaira international friendship organisation. Kodaira is the region where we live. They provide conversation classes for foreigners. I'm being taught by Mr. Miyagi from "The Karate Kid". He keeps shouting at us, "O A KU TI" and I have to write the character up on the board. Sometimes I draw silly pictures instead and we all have a laugh.

Cheeky Monkeys!

Stumbled across a festival in Ginza, centre of Tokyo near the imperial palace. they carry around these big shrines with samurai on top. Sometimes they "face off". At one notroious festival they smash into each other causing injuries.



If this were in the brochure from the Japanese tourist board it would read "Japan is a land of contrasts where every day the old rubs shoulders with the new"

Very impressed with:

Electronic toilet
Detailed city maps
Spare reading glasses in the post office
Friendly policemen with cuddly toys in the police station
Highly differentiated recycling with detailed instructions
Food
Service
Homeless people with TVs and drinks cabinets

Unimpressed with:

Everything plays an annoying tune
Not many public spaces except for some rubbish parks

Met H's family. Very very welcoming. They took us to a traditional looking "inn" which sevred us all sorts of stuff. Managed not to embarass myself. Showed H's dad the chicken joke.

Arrive Tokyo Narita and there was H with a big balloon !
Great to see her.

Had to cross Tokyo to get to the flat. As expected, it's really big and crowded.

Flat is great. 3 rooms, kitchen diner, electonic toilet, futons on the floor.