On Friday, I spent part of the day at the University of Tokyo visiting an giving a talk but when I returned we went to the Tsukiji fish market which was closed but these signs were left for us to admire ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150474 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150475 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150476 along with this set of rules ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150477 and we then walked across the bridge over the inlet pausing for Suzanne to pose ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150478 and into the Hama-rikyu gardens which were quite impressive ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150479 as we made our way past foliage ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150480 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150481 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150482 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150483 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150484 birds ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150485 and buds ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150486 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150487 with trees ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150488 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150489 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150490 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150491 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150492 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150493 and pagoda ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150494 and this supported tree ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150495 before the statue of Mars ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150496 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150497 and then this cluster of trees against the very urban backdrop ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150498 and another reflecting pond ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150499 as well as unique downspouts ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150500 with individual cups ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150501 some beautiful reflections ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150502 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150503 and small flowers ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150504 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150505 with the city across the way ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150506 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150507 which seemed irrelevant to this crow ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150508 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150509 but as Suzanne posed ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150510 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150511 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150512 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150513 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150514 looking at this scene, a message came over the loud speaker telling us that the gardens were closed. ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150515 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150516

We had a fairly unique dinner with Shel Garon at this robata yaki restaurant where the cook was on his knees next to us ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150517 with food in front of him ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150518 which he got as needed ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150519 and this was the menu for us ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150520 including some very nice asparagus ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150521 meats ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150522 and fishes ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150523 including the snapper Suzanne and Shel were to have ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150524 after our welcoming course ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150525 washed down with Asahi beer ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150526 as the meal began against a back drop of much enthusiasm from the wait staff and the cooks any time something happened (someone entered, something was ordered, ... ) ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150527 and these were my mushrooms ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150528 and peppers ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150529 of two kinds ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150530 and tomatoes ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150531 with tiny cherry tomatoes ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150532 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150533 and then chicken for Suzanne and Shel ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150534 some edamame ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150535 and eggplant ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150536 chicken ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150537 and mushrooms ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150538 as snapper was appearing ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150539 and uniquely cooked on the grill ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150540 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150541 as more mushrooms arrived ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150542 together with the cooked snapper ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150543 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150544 as skewers were created ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150545 and we got to see the red snapper on hand ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150546 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150547 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150548 along with the menu ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150549 as progress was made on our snapper. ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150550 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150551 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150552 By this time, others had arrived which added to the excitement of the dinner. Here you see how food was served by extending a plank from the cook across the restaurant for you to take your dish. ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150553 Our food kept on coming ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150554 even as the snapper blurred ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150555 potatoes came ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150556 and it became time to mash the rice for dessert ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150557 and Suzanne was given a chance to do so to the cheers of the crowd ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150558 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150559 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150560 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150561 as was I ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150562 before I returned to our potatoes ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150563 and the rice which we had mashed. ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150564 Oddly the bathroom had a bowls of apples in addition to mouthwash. ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150565 We made our way from there to Roppongi Hills where we saw the spider sculpture ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150566 and the interesting architecture ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150567 before returning to the spider and calling it a night. ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150568