HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE!!!!

Happy Birthday Katie

and

Happy Earth Day too!! We started our day hopping on the train to the Hibiya station in central Tokyo. Nice that the trains warned us to be careful of the crushing power of their doors.

We ambled around the moat surrounding the Imperial Palace - home to the Japanese emperor. Sucky pig makes his Tokyo debut, just inside the Imperial Palace garden.

The garden was gorgeous - azaleas in full bloom everywhere we turned. Alas the iris garden we had come to see was not quite blooming...

Just a smattering of the gorgeous garden and flower pictures from our stroll through the palace gardens. The bamboo shoots we have seen in every local produce market - fun to see them growing.

We enjoyed our serenity in the park most of the afternoon, and then headed back to Tomoko's apt to get ready for the big night out.

We went to one of Tom and Tomoko's favorite restaurants - Rainbow Roll Sushi

Definitely a fun place for the bday celebration! The restaurant was very hip - lots of different levels of dining areas, all with a very open layout.

This was the signature Rainbow Roll. I think there was some of everything inside!

A couple more examples of the amazing sushi rolls we enjoyed at dinner! We also had some yummy fried bamboo shoot, and a funky Italian flavored grain salad.

Keiko, Jo and Katie with happy post-meal faces!

The finale - sparklers in the birthday dessert!