Last Day in Japan...Emperor's Garden, Hitachi the dog station and the Busiest Crosswalk in Tokyo

There were a lot of shrines in Tokyo.  This is in the old part of Tokyo where there were many of the open markets nearby like old Tokyo.   I caught a picture of a woman wearing a kimono --there weren't too many of them but we saw a few here and there.  Kim is running interference for me by letting me pretend I am taking a picture of him. 

We then went to the station where Hitachi the dog would wait every day for his master to return.  They made a movie of it recently but it wasn't in Japan. 

This is a fountain by the station and this is also the busiest intersection in Tokyo.   People come from four corners to walk across the square.  It is like New York at Grand Central.  It wasn't too busy when we were there.  There were unusual Christmas arrangements that I couldn't resist taking pictures of.

This was the beginning of the  Emperor's Garden.  They had guards all around closing off some areas but I couldn't figure out why. 

It looks like fall but it is their winter also right now in Japan.  It was much warmer than Sapporo.

I love, love, LOVED the gardens.  It was so quiet and peaceful.  There weren't a lot of people around and I wish we could have had more time.  I would have sat and just soaked it all in. 
Then we were off to the Tokyo train station where we caught our flight home.  I was glad to be going home and especially glad to get off the plane after the long flight!

We took Dallin to the Red Iguana for Mexican food on his way home for his first meal back in the states.  It was getting dark as we drove up to our house but this was the surprise waiting for me when we got there.  McKay had put out flags of each of our missionaries.  You can't see the US flag...that would be for Ty and Nat.  It is past Kim in front of his Hong Kong flag.  Whit is standing with Brooke ( Chile) because we didn't get a flag of Spain...yet.  Kira is standing in front of Ecuador's flag for her time doing Humanitarian work.  McKay is with Taiwan.  South Africa is missing it's representative but we know that Bryce is still connected to that great place.  Someday we will add one more flag when Kim and I go on our mission together ( I sure hope!). Dallin completes the family with Japan.   It was a great trip.  We had Dallin for a whole week to ourselves.  Now he is off to school and I miss that weekly letter but so grateful for all the memories and lessons learned.   Hurray for missionaries!!!!!!