An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale struck the Tokyo region mid-morning. I was in a meeting room on the fourth floor of the NHK building and could feel the whole building swaying. The Japanese asked me if I was scared. I said none them appeared to be, so that suggested there was no reason for me to be concerned.
Had a very large dinner at a teppanyaki restaurant, courtesy of my NHK hosts. It was 20,000 yen a head (US$170) – probably the most expensive meal I have ever had. It was about five times more than I usually eat for dinner and I was absolutely bloated at the end of it. I found out later that it is considered very rude in Japanese culture to ever leave your guests hungry, so the tendency is to just keep feeding guests until you are sure they can’t eat any more.
Whilst at dinner I was shown how to drink Japanese green tea: Hold bowl with right hand, left hand under bowl with picture on side of bowl facing you; lift to eye height, bow head, and turn bowl on left hand two turns clockwise (so as not to be touching picture with lips when drinking); drink; wipe edge of bowl with right thumb, turn back two turns anti-clockwise and replace on table.