IKEA

Today we did what all good Swedes must do at least once a year - we went to IKEA! Which is EXACTLY the same as every other IKEA in the world (except that this one had the option of chopsticks in the cafeteria). The Tokyo shop only opened this spring and a new one opened in Yokohama today, but we decided that would be a zoo on its first day, so we went to the Tokyo one.

We had meatballs with lingonberry sauce for lunch!

We bought a desk and desk chair (as all Japanese desks I've seen are far too dinky). We also bought a double bed for the spare room, so I can now confirm that we are open for business for people wanting to come and visit!

On the way home, we bought a Miele vacumm cleaner, which is better than the one I have at home. I've not been very impressed with Japanese vacuum cleaners. The one we rented has plastic tubes which slot into each other and you pull them out to the correct length. But the locking mechanism isn't strong enough so they slide together when you press down on them and after a while, I'm bending double. Also the nozzle is dinky so it takes about a year to hoover a normal size room. And the flex is so short I have to move the plug three times to do the living room. Best go for German engineering instead, I think.