April 21 - My wife Ann and I both work at the Embassy and we maintain quite busy schedules. So we've made a habit of setting up a time every week to go on a date and enjoy some of the exciting offerings in Tokyo. Sometimes it's tough to decide where to go because there are so many good choices. Recently, Ann had the idea of going out to a neighborhood Robata style restaurant.

As soon as we entered I was impressed by the friendly atmosphere. We were greeted with a loud shout of "irashaimase!" and brought to our seats along the counter. After getting our drinks, the staff joined us in shouting "kampai!" Everyone wanted to help us read the menus in Japanese, and after realizing we could read the menus on our own, they began practicing their English with us, asking us if we lived nearby, and if we had been in Japan for long.

We had just barely met, but already we felt like we were making new friends. It showed me just how hospitable Japan is to foreigners. The people in the restaurant were proud of Japan and were happy to share a part of their culture with us. To me, that's the best sort of Ambassador a country could have.

Have you had similar experiences? I would love to hear your comments.

Until next time,

Jim