In the morning we went to Misukoshi in Ginza to buy a Mon-Chou-Chou roll cake for Mina-semsei. Chie and Mina-sensei have had a discussion about which roll cake is the best so they decided that the next time they meet they will bring one each and have a competition. That was the reason for going to Ginza this morning.

When we arrived there about an hour after opening it was already a long line for the Mon-Chou-Chou. We got in line and waited… And waited… And waited… And… For an hour. By the end of our waiting they started to hand out numbered cards. These was the number of roll cakes that was still remaining. We could get 3 roll cakes, just as many as we wanted. One for the manager at YASAKA and his kids. One for Mina-sensei and the roll cake competition. And one for Chie, me, and Yoshiki-san.

In the evening Chie and I walked to KAN in Naka-Meguro (they have a branch in Ginza too). We were the first to arrive, except the staff of course, but after 5 minutes Mina-sensei arrived as well. Then we had a delicious Japanese style dinner with a great “home made” ginger ale. Well I had the ginger ale and Chie and Mina-sensei had beer and chouchu (Japanese alcohol made of potato).

After our dinner at KAN we walked back to Chie’s apartment were we had a roll cake competition. Chie and Mina-sensei also drank some Swedish glögg (Swedish glüwein) that I had brought. Both roll cakes were really delicious but maybe the roll cake we had to wait one hour in line for was just a little bit better.

Last day of work before the new year for Chie. That is why she finished working at just past noon and went directly to Ebisu where she met me. From Ebisu we took the JR Yamanote line to Shibuya where we bought two tickets for the Blades of Glory movie.

Before the movie started we had time to have lunch at DOUTOR, a cafe in Japan. We had tuna and chicken grilled sanwiches with coffee and hot chocolate. We also had time to watch part of a street show arranged by YouTube outside 109.

First up was some girls doing a lot of screaming. Second up was a school girl doing some kind of robot dancing. But third up was our favorite… Gamarjobat. The silent comedy duo that we watched on Christmas eve in Yokohama.

We could only see part of the show before we had to run to the movie. Still it was so funny. And Chie had a chance to talk with them before the show. Just to tell them that we saw them on Christmas eve and that we really enjoyed the show and ganbatte (keep fighting/do your best).

Luckily we were in time for the movie. We also had time to visit the bathroom and buy a big popcorn. Then we laughed for one and a half hour. Most of the time for the crazy movie and sometimes for a silly laugh that a girl in the audience had. But we still enjoyed the movie.

On or way home we stopped to buy breakfast for tomorrow. Then we took a bus and stopped at YASAKA to have a dinner. Again the staff is so friendly at YASAKA. And next to us was an old Japanese guy that started to talk with us about Sweden, Japan, aurora, and many other things. We had a fun time enjoying good food and good new friends.

Tonight Chie and I went to Il Lupone in Naka-Meguro to meet with the Leo Club. At first we had salad and some antipasti. Then some dish with octopus. Pasta with tomato sauce and basil. Pizza. And dessert. Lemon sherbet, chocolate pudding, creme brule and Grappa, and panna cotta. Yummy.

And while we were waiting for the dessert we had an exchange of Christmas/New years gifts.

Again we went to IKEA. This time to buy the missing door. We ended up with a few more things as well. As you always do when you go to IKEA. Just try go there without buying a thing… Mission impossible.

Then it was back home to do some more assembling. The new door. A drawer for Yoshiki-san. An hour o two later, with soar hands, I was finished. But Chie continued with her organization of the bookshelf.

Meanwhile I took a bath. And read a book. And relaxed. Until it was time for us to leave for dinner.

We met Mina at the Naka-Meguro station and walked from there. A long way towards Shibuya. Our destination, Kan. Not the same Kan as in Ginza. This Kan is spelled Kan with romaji whereas the Kan in Ginza is spelled with hiragana (かん). It makes all the difference in the world.

We had a great dinner at Kan and were totally full. Still we decided to go to Huit for dessert. So we did. At Huit I had a tarte aux fruits (or however it is spelled in French). Yummy. And a cup of jasmine tea, which turned out to be Earl Grey but OK anyway. Chie had Rum and olives and Mina had Rum and a cake too. But I think she got a little disappointed when she saw mine. Because she really wanted the whipped cream I had.

Went with Chie to her office in the morning. I was helping her out with some research about Swedish IT-policy. Some of the information was only in Swedish which is quite a difficult language.

After lunch I went on my own to Ginza. It was fun to be back and to visit all the usual places like Bic Camera, Mitsukoshi department store, and of course the Apple store.

By 5:30 pm I was back at the subway station at Chie’s office to meet her for dinner with Club Leo. We stopped at Roppongi (六本木) Hills and went window shopping. Then we met Non and Ryo and walked together to Lilla Dalarna. A Swedish restaruant owned by a Japanese that spent some time in Dalarna.

We had two starters including a plate of raw spiced salmon (gravlax) and assorted pickled herring. For main course we had reindeer with Kantarell-sauce and grilled beef. To that we had Jansansson’s temptation. And for dessert we had Ris a’la Malta (round corned rice boiled in milk and mixed with whipped cream) and fruit sauce. Yummy.