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Kaj and I found a hole-in-the-wall “diner” packed with locals enjoying all our favorite Japanese foods just a couple blocks from the New Sanno hotel, our home for a few days. We ordered a bunch of small dishes, getting one more plate of gyozas (pot stickers) before leaving. Food in the hotel was also memorable. Jan Danford introduced us to our first experience with Mongolian Barbecue back at Zama, and The New Sanno was the site of our second. You scoop up various meats, vegetables, sauces, spices, and other items you want in your stir fry, and your particular combination is cooked up just for you. Better than home! A couple waiters assisted Kaj — “Try this!.. Take more of that!”

In Japan, everything is on time. You can’t be late, because no one will wait. We were called from the lobby a few minutes before we were to meet for our Tokyo afternoon tour. Where were we? Each stop worked like clockwork… A tower of a view, a river cruise (endless bridges, each with their own personality), a palace, the Ginza shopping center (we didn’t leave the bus…), a temple. See it all in one afternoon.

And this is where our camera battery died. Great timing though. We may have missed pictures for the rest of our afternoon tour, but the extra battery and charger was delivered to us at the New Sanno the next morning.

A highlight of our Tokyo time was our time with Margaret Soroka. Margaret is living and working in Tokyo now. She was a little kid when I met her. Margaret and her pal Bonnie came into my library every day. Two bright, silly, always-happy kids — later to be stars of my Environmental Club. Margaret took us through parks, subway stations, stores… How appropriate that we’d see other young students during our afternoon with Margaret…

After parting with Margaret, we happened upon a parade of sorts — part demonstration, part to mark the beginning of “Golden Week.” At least, that’s how it looked and sounded to us.

A quick bookstore stop where I found myself directing a young father who was looking for a picture book. I showed him my good friend Bonny Becker’s book A VISITOR FOR BEAR. Kirby Larson’s book HATTIE BIG SKY was in the store, too. So fun to run into friends so far from home. Kirby and I were traveling and blogging across the world from each other.Other books we spotted, or uh, spied…

One last temple before leaving Tokyo — just in time to see a wedding party in their own parade from the temple…

Hints of a new beginning. Not a bad way to end an afternoon in Tokyo. Not a bad way to end a story either.