We went to the library in the morning, and it was so close to Momma’s house. It’s like a minute away. It wasn’t open, but Michi dropped books off for donation anyway. We then went to a tiny coffee shop in the neighborhood called 8068 cafe, but it was full.

We then went to U ra ra, or Ooh La La, a little secondhand shop just down the road from her. Michi found some cute Maneki Neko statues. After that, we went to Ebisu to look for ink refills for the Sakura craft_lab 003, but nothing. Then we went to Loft in Shibuya, also nothing, and then to Hands. We got em! Michi bought all of them.

We got food from Masaka again. We got the lunch set of gyoza and rice, Michi got yuzu pepper karaage, and I got tartar sauce. Both were phenomenal.

We went to the Sky Tower and found Ocha Room, an Ito-en cafe. I had shave ice and Michi had mochi and tea; it was amazing. Michi said it was great to get her stress out that way.

We took the train back, and Momma had made dinner for us: tofu, spinach, konnyaku sashimi, and corn rice. We talked, and then Michi met Shiho, the hanko maker, at the library. Michi wanted to learn from her, but they couldn’t figure out a time. She returned in the middle of the night with supplies left on the door for Michi to get started. We ate truffle sora-ame and had N/A Asahi before getting ready for bed for our last night in Japan.

It was my fourth time going to Tokyo and it was the best by far. Even though I was sick half the time, it was meaningful on another level. I learn so much each time I come to Japan and the plan is to move upon my retirement. Seeing it with that perspective, made it very different this time. I am grateful to Michi’s family for making this possible.