I could tell you about our trip -- on the bullet train going 188 MPH --  from Tokyo to the city of Hamamatsu, where we'll be for 10 days, things like the Hamamatsu Castle, home of the first shogun (the top warrior in times of the emperors when wars among states were common), and the Ryotan Ji shrine, whose perfect and serene gardens were beautiful even in the heavy rain.  Instead, I'm going to tell you about my hotel room.
     The Japanese think of every need you may have, long before you even know you're going to need it.  The hot water pot was plugged in and ready when I opened the door, just in case I wanted afternoon tea.  The Japanese drink a lot of tea, and this area is famous for its green tea.  They supply you with a yukata - a cotton robe that is styled like a kimono.  This one has music printed on it.  You might figure out why as you continue reading.  When I was ready to unpack, I opened the closet door, and an internal light comes on.  Of course, the toilet has all those buttons I mentioned in an earlier journal entry.  The scale is in kilos -- we ladies like that a lot when we see a much smaller number than usual.  They supply you with all sorts of things you may have forgotten to bring,  In addition to soap and shampoo they provide bubble bath, a brush, a comb, a razor, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a shower cap, and a sewing kit.  Although I do not have a roommate, there are 2 beds.  The beds are a lot lower than ours.  Remember, the Japanese sleep on futons spread on the floor in their own homes.  The table between the beds has the console for all the electronics.  You can press a button to choose one of 8 radio stations.  There is a speaker in the bathroom, too, just to be sure you won't miss your favorite song when it comes on.  You can also control all of the lights from switches on the panel.  What I like best is the "foot light" -- a faint light that emits just enough light from underneath the console to make sure you don't stub your toe if you get up in the dark. 
        You can control the TV from there also;  the only English speaking channel is CNN.  We all tune in each day to find out if you can decide who's President yet.  Please hurry!  This is getting harder and harder to explain to the Japanese!
        I have 2 armchairs and a loveseat around a coffee table by the bay window in this room on the 34th floor of the hotel.  The night lights of the city sprawl a long way.  There's a card on the coffee table with a panoramic photo that shows a view of the city.  All the important buildings and landmarks are indicated.  The problem is that they are written in Japanese.  So, all I can recognize is Mt. Fugi -- not by the Kanji (the Japanese written symbol), but because the line on the card points to this famous mountain.  The city is famous for the Yamaha piano factory.  In fact, there's an international piano competition going on through the weekend.  We plan to go tomorrow evening.  They also produce textiles as well as tatami mats (the tightly woven straw mats made from rice that you do not walk on with shoes).  We were told to bring slippers for these occasions. 
     I have been asked to give a speech when we meet the superintendent tomorrow.  I'm getting ready to practice.  Being correct, proper, and polite is important to our hosts and to me.  Sayonara!