Annette took these photos last week while she was in Japan on a business trip. After returning from Tokyo, she had to get back on a plane and go to Shanghai.
The weather in Tokyo is beautiful this time of year - it was sunny and about 70 degrees almost everyday during the week. Unfortunately, the one day it was rainy and cold happened to be Saturday, the only day Annette had free time.
Tokyo - View from the hotel room
Shabu Shabu - A Japanese dish, similar to Chinese "hot pot", where you cook raw beef in boiling water. Shabu Shabu roughly translates to swish-swish because you are only supposed to put the meat in for a short amount of time before taking it out to eat with sesame or soy sauce.
Beef "sushi" - served before shabu shabu and actually very tasty. Just the right amount of wasabe.
Annette cooking her Shabu Shabu. The bibs were provided for everyone and not just the messy eaters.
The next night was Teppanyaki, which is the Japanese cooking style that Benihana is based on. We had several courses, including this one with beef, lotus, and garlic chips with 2 dipping sauces. Before this came shrimp and scallops. The shrimp was particularly fresh - they were alive when they arrived on the grill. It was a little hard to watch but tasted great.
Group Photo - Annette and her coworkers/client (from New York, Indianapolis and Shanghai respectively). Again, bibs were provided for everyone.
General Nogi's residence, park and shrine were next door to the office. This is the only sightseeing that was not a bit rainy.
Nogi's Place
Shrine near General Nogi's residence.
Hello Kitty Tree - I asked, but unfortunately the separate Hello Kitty angels were not for sale. They offered to let me buy the whole tree but I decided against.
Kiddy Land - a toy store in the shopping district with 6 floors of fun.
Fresh Wasabi
Tokyo Tower - reflecting Tokyo's bid for the 2016 Olympics.
Only in Japan - Toilet Control Panel. This one is from the hotel lobby, but such controls were also available in the hotel rooms and the office building where I was working.
Toilet - you can't tell from here but the seat is heated.
View from Tokyo Tower - into the rain and clouds. You are supposed to be able to see Mount Fuji from here. No such luck this day.
Shrine at the top of Tokyo Tower
View from Tokyo Tower
View from Tokyo Tower
View up Tokyo Tower. The Tower is actually taller than the Eiffel Tower (if I understood the guide correctly). I am not sure if it looks smaller because it is orange or because it is standing among buildings.
Street Scene
Sake Drums
Gate to enter Japanese shrine. Passing through here supposedly purifies the mind. For a hangover, the tour guide recommended passing through three times before going on to the shrine.
Physical purification before entering the shrine. You were supposed to wash your hand and mouth at the fountain, but I figured just the hands was good enough.
Shrine
Meiji Shrine 
In November, all of the 3 and 7 year old girls and all of the 5 year old boys are supposed to go pray for a long life. The ritual is known as
Shichi-Go-San (7-5-3). It was clearly an important event for families, although it seemed that only the older girls were really happy wearing a kimono for the day.
Boy in a kimono (older brother in a suit).
Entrance to the Imperial Palace Gardens. Visitors are only allowed in the outer gardens, except two days a year. This was not one of those days.
Garden
Garden
Garden
Wall outside of the imperial palace.
Annette samples some Chinese teas
Lots of teas to choose from
Christmas Decor in Chinese Mall
Shenzhen, one of China's largest cities
Wes sitting in one of the few rickshaws left in HK. These are for sale... business opportunity?
Decorations in our apt building
Our little Christmas tree 
