Saying goodbye is bitter sweet. After a month of life in Tokyo there are things I have come to love. Unexpectedly, what I think I will miss most is the Japanese toilet. The heated seat, the heated water bidet, the sound machines make even public restrooms a comfort.

I will also miss the cleanliness. People here value order and sanitation. They are polite. There is no unnecessary noise. It is quiet, even on crowded trains. These are my people. The loud noises in American public spaces will be jarring after a month of quiet living.

I will miss the quirky shops and animal cafes. Perhaps I will have a crepe ice cream extravaganza for the road. Or maybe we should stop by a Family Mart for old times sake. One last pot of tea seems reasonable.

As we walk through Takeshita street one last time, I take the opportunity to buy one last shirt from Uniqlo. We have only visited them about seven times, but I think a nice round number is best. I may have missed the one thing I need to round out the outfits.

The cherry blossoms are fading and our plane is scheduled for take off. It has been a great month. But we are ready to return to the USA. Where water is plentiful at every meal and where we don’t expect to order rice any time soon. Where we don’t have to stoop to enter doorways and public trash cans are plentiful. My sleep number bed is calling. It is nice to travel and always nice to head home. Goodbye Japan. We are very pleased to have made your acquaintance.