Following my Fish Market antics, which merited a whole entry in itself, I`m going to do my usual attempt of `long stories short` (which always end up longer than shorter) as I whiz through a quick update of my general activities.The day took a decidedly chilled turn, as I played it Japanese, heading out with Yumi and Mai, first to Yumi`s friend`s store, and then to a \100 place for some shopping, followed by ramen/gyoza for lunch.I have quickly learnt that my happiest times when I`m in a new/foreign country are generally spent doing `normal` things with the people from the country, rather than racing round the obligatory tourist destinations.But I`ve happily managed to combine a hefty whack of both since being here.Yumi is so great to hang out with, I`ve been very lucky and learned a lot of things about Tokyo that I otherwise wouldn:t have.

I then waltzed off on my own for a shopping trip, in an attempt to update my camera - as usual, I am the workman blaming my tools, as I am convinced that having a better camera would improve on the appalling photos I seem to be taking…no joy though, so I think Hong Kong may be my shopping holy grail.I did, however, make the grievous error of entering into (yet another) Muji store, which are beyond even my wildest imagination.I love Muji at the best of times, but in their home country, they are vast shrines of deliciously cool stationery/clothes/household goods/bitsnbobs…I admit, I am definitiely a Muji otaku (geek).Mind you, I emerged from my shopping reverie with only a(nother) drawing organizer to my name.So I decided to spend the afternoon drawing Manga, as `Alexia`s Adventures in Mangaland` (which, for those of you who miss the reference here, is a play on Alice in Wonderland falling into a surreal world of little people dressed in pinnies, with illogical adventures occurring/combined with the Japanese obsession with Manga cartoons).There is definitely potential for a weekly cartoon strip of adventures of a foreigner in Japan, given every day provides a new and unforeseen curiosity!

Cartoon completed, I then met for dinner with some Japanese friends from my family`s time in Australia, where they treated me to Shabu Shabu.The restaurant was an old style, tatami matting set up.It was beautiful, though extremely expensive.Drinking umeshu, a fearfully potent but utterly scrumptious plum wine which they drink here, I realized I needed to take it easy as the effects hit me halfway through the glass.Dining with fluent English-speaking Japanese (a rarity), provoked a lively discussion about all of the peculiarities, differences, similarities, positives and negatives of Japan versus the rest of the world.There really is enough material for a lifetime`s worth of fascination!

Friday: Okonomiyaki day!Depositing Mai at her bobo (grandmother)`s, Yumi and I went to a department store where we were to meet her friend.Whilst we waited, Yumi took me for a quick whip round a typical Jaapnese supermarket, where I marveled at the vast fresh fish section, tottered longingly round the tea section (I have fallen in love with many a tea here - though there are also some fairly filthy ones) and tried out some of the freebies on offer.Having been virtually ignored by all Japanese people, men and women, in the streets, it was a great surprise to then be chatted up by my first Japanese man!Yumi and I tried some `chicken and tofu` burger things, which were surprisingly yummy, and when I said as much, the young chef quickly forced another taster into my mitts, proclaiming `Hiroshi, 22` (i.e. name and age!).I have a fan at last!!

Now for the exciting part - once Yumi`s friend had arrived, we walked onto the restaurant where Yumi used to work as a high school student.We sat on the floor surrounding a table with a flat cooker in the middle.The fact that Yumi knew the owners (a pair of quite hilarious brothers, one of whom kept assuring me that he was `Japanese comedian`), coupled with me being the gaijin in the place, meant that we received an undue amount of attention from them, as they helped cook and explain our meals.What a feast!

With the slight whiff of fried food in our hair, Yumi and I then went off to the Onsen (hot spring spa) - see separate entry.

An evening of D&Ms out in Roppongi with Fiona, getting merry on plum wine and missing my last train.

Food Fiend*

lPork and soy sauce ramen noodles, with steamed pork gyoza (dumplings)

lShabu Shabu - a big bowl bubbles away over a stove in the middle of the table as you pile a plateful of spring greens, onions, funghi, cauliflower, carrots and noodles into the stock.Each individual then cooks their wafer thin slices of beef in the stock, and dips the meat into a soy and/or sesame sauce.Deeee-licious!

lOkonomyikai - a bowlful of meat (pork and chicken), potatoe flour, an egg, onions, ginger and noodles is mixed up and poured onto a flat griddle where it is fried up into a pancake and various sauces and bits and bobs are poured/shaken on top.Very tasty!

lMonja - tried 2 types of this, both scrummy - but it is almost impossible to describe what is in them…it is essentially a bit like an omelette with loads of bits and bobs thrown in and mixed up, you whack it on the griddle and then sort of scrape it off when it is cooked…sounds weird?It is!But it is also might tasty.

lKatsu bar - an unintentionally extortionate impromptu dinner, but interesting nonetheless, a stream of various katsu (things fried in breadcrumbs) were delivered to our plates, as we sat on a bar around the cooking area - chilli pepper, asaparagus, mushroom, crab, prawn and whitebait were in the mix.Highly recommended.