Dekopon

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This is a Japanese hybrid fruit developed from a kiyomi and a ponkan (I haven’t come across either) and is described as a seedless and sweet variety of a mandarin orange. I felt that it had the texture of a grapefruit and maybe a mandarin taste. Would I buy one again? Probably not!

Koenji

Koenji is a short distance from Central Tokyo but has such a different vibe with much lower rise buildings and many shops selling vintage clothing and old records. This is where the punk movement in Tokyo rose … and probably died.

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Kitkats

I thought I had finished writing about Kitkat … but I just had to share my latest purchases with you

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Here, Kitkat meets Love Hearts! Messages (according to Google Translate so not accurate) include ‘Kit’, ‘From Now On’, ‘Forever’, ‘Let’s Play’, ‘Really’, ‘Tired’ … but they are coffee flavoured so maybe they are intended for playful adults not children.

Sakura

We are just entering Sakora, Cherry Blossom season. Cherry Blossom, representing renewal and optimism, is the national flower of Japan … and the country goes crazy. In a nice way of course. There are many websites with details of where to see the best blossom, with daily walks, boat rides and picnics all taking place. I was fortunate to be here two years ago so I know what to expect.

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Emperor’s Birthday

Another public holiday on Tuesday – this one to celebrate the Emperor’s 61st Birthday. He didn’t share his birthday cake with us, but we had a great day out celebrating Geoff’s birthday with tickets from our daughter to an exhibition ‘Borderless World’.

10,000 square meters of moving three-dimensional artwork over many rooms and levels. Tripping out for 90 minutes! I will attempt a few photos but they can’t possibly do justice to the experience.

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