Christmas in Tokyo

I am having a very good and productive trip to Tokyo. I have done six interviews so far for my research and I will do one more today. I have also been able to meet with some old friends. Our old friend Nagu now has a younger brother--To--and a younger sister--Tana. Here are some photos of their cute family:


Here are a few pictures of me with friends from my previous Japan travels (the second two pictures are taken outside of Kaneki, the sushi place where Kate and I ate once a week when we lived in Tsukuba):





Here is a picture of some guys who are running a full marathon around the Diet (Parliament) building every day to protest the bad treatment of the former members of the Japan Railways Union:


Here is a sign from the 100 yen store in Harajuku (the neighborhood in Tokyo that Gwen Stefani sings songs about):

That is it for now. I will leave you with the sentiment that was broadcast repeatedly, in English and Japanese, in the toy store where I shopped yesterday:

"There are moments in which new things will please you for today, and nurture your dreams for tomorrow"