Tohachi

This week we have had visitors (Jan & Ola) from Lund at the office. Basically the days have been full of meetings. I have spoken to the people over phone prior to them coming here but this was the first time I met them live.

When we finished the last meeting of the day we decided to go out for dinner together. For one of them (Ola) it was the first time in Tokyo so after consulting Chie we decided to go to Tohachi in Naka-Meguro.

Tohachi is a small Japanese style restaurant that is frequented by “salary-men” – basically people working in an office and dressed in business suit.

tohachi

When we arrived the owner recognized me from one of my previous visits. So after she confirmed where we came from – “aaaah, Suweeeden desu ka” (so you are from Sweden) – we order sashimi, sura mame (beans) and drinks to start with.

After about 10 minutes Chie joined us. We talked about Japan, differences between Sweden and Japan, had good food and enjoyed the time together. For Jan and Ola this was a new experience since this kind of restaurant is difficult to go to for a foreigner that do not speak Japanese – all menus are in Japanese.

Oh, almost forgot… The owner, once she confirmed we were from Sweden she gave us a fried potato dish with bacon for free. I think Chie had something to do with the choice by mentioning that Swedes love potato.

Yasaka

After working a lot, going to the gym, and cooking too much at home we were tired today. So we relaxed and went to Yasaka for dinner. As usual, Yasaka’s friendly atmosphere and good food refreshed us 🙂

Bowling

In Shinagawa there is a Prince Hotel. In the Prince Hotel there is a bowling hall. Today, in that bowling hall Chie and I and 2 work colleagues (Ueno-san and Kyo-san) had a bowling bout. The winner… … … Will be… Announced in the next paragraph.


Chie bowling Johan bowling

OK, I lied. Who won is not important. The important thing is that we had a fun time. Chie scored a strike in her first ball. Which was her first ball in many years. Everyone was cheering.


Chie

Bowling makes you hungry. So when we had finished at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel we walked to the Devi Corner. An Indian restaurant. The food was good. And we talked about Kyo-san and his girlfriend in Hong Kong (both are Chinese), and about Ueno-san and his wife meeting at a martial art club, and we looked at some pictures from Chie and me in Morocco on my iPod Touch. And I had mango lassi 🙂

Happy Birthday Mina-sensei

We went to Red Pepper today. To celebrate Mina-sensei on her 15th birthday (though her birthday is tomorrow and maybe she is just a bit older than 15 ;-)). Tomo-san joined as well. We had a good time eating and talking. And then we had a delicious desert.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MINA-SENSEI! お誕生日おめでとうございます!


Mina-sensei Tomo-san & Chie

Tahiti

Sure as a Swiss clockwork this week had a Friday too. At 6:15 pm I left the office. Rushed to Shinagawa station, zig-zagging between all the thousands of people. And got on the Yamate-sen bound for Shibuya. In Shibuya I changed to Ginza-sen and got off at Omotoesando station.

At Exit 4 I met Chie and we walked to Tahiti. Our destination of the evening. A beautiful restaurant with a nice atmosphere.


Tahiti's menu Chie at Tahiti

After a while Mina-sensei joined us for dinner. We had great food and talked. I had different virgin cocktails (Mojito and Mango daiquiri) that was delicious. And then, suddenly, it was 11 pm. Time flies…


Mina at Tahiti

We usually do not spend much time in this area so it was like being in another world. No “sallarymen” (men in dark business suits). So the atmosphere was much more relaxed. And on the train back to Shibuya it was packed with people.


Ginza-sen at 11:30 pm

From Shibuya Chie and I got a taxi back home. While we were waiting in line to get a taxi two Brittish girls in front of us asked about good place to go out partying in Roppongi. I must have looked something like ? (a question mark) because I have no clue where to go in Roppongi. But Chie said “Gaspanic” without hesitation.

The two girls said “Thank you”, took out a crumbled pamphlet and found the club there. Something to show the taxi driver I guess. Then they froze. Totally fascinated by how the passenger door of taxis in Tokyo open by them self… Like magic. Next subject to discuss was how they would look so stupid once back in London, waiting in vane for the taxi doors to open 😀