3/18 Sunday: Shichigahama > Sendai > Tokyo > Narita

One of those days full of happy events, but long and tiring.  We started by serving a pancake breakfast for Gilberts, the Longs, and Ann & her sister and mom who had just arrived from the States.  We wanted to make it time of blessing and celebration and encouragement.  Brought some special tablecloths and balloons, along with some syrups that are unavailable in Japan.  We all talked about our next steps and shared a time of praying for each other.  

Pancake breakfast with Gilberts, Longs, and Ann & family

Saying "sayonara" to the Gilberts

Afterwards, we said farewell, and Lorna took us to Tagajo station where we hopped the train to downtown Sendai.  Squeezed in a brief meeting with Jordan and Marina Nogaki and their infant son Towa - what a cutie! - at the local Starbucks.  

With the Nogaki family at the Starbucks in Sendai

Enjoyed a fast bullet train ride to Tokyo, where we stored our luggage at Tokyo station, and took the Yamanote line around to Shibuya where Ralph, Sylvia, and I had a celebration & debrief supper: tempura, sashimi, and udon.  Yum-yum de gozaimashita!  

At 7 PM we met Tomo and Jessica Abe at the Hachiko statue in Shibuya.  They are a terrific young couple who planting a church in the suburbs of Tokyo, and have been involved with the Alpha course both in Japan and at our home church in Seattle.  Took the train with them back to Tokyo station and had some gelato together as we chatted.  

Ralph loving the local trains in Tokyo

With Tomo and Jessica at Tokyo station

It was getting late, so we said farewell to them, and found an express train out to Narita city, where we had arranged an inexpensive hotel for the night.  It was an experiment to see if this place might be suitable for future team visits; turned out to be ideal in location and budget and quality for us, and I'd plan to stay there again.

Just as we were getting ready for bed, another earthquake hit.  It was about 4 or 5 on the scale, and rather noticeable.  We've had a handful of significant earthquakes this week, one up around 7 on the scale.  Fortunately no major damage reported, but a good reminder that Japan is very prone to earthquakes.