I've just had the best breakfast yet at the Asakusa View Hotel; no queues, plenty of room, and it was on the 26th floor, and I got a window seat. Yesterday, after check-in, I was personally escorted to my room by a pretty assistant (that's not happened before) who explained how everything worked and engaged me in conversation. This morning, a handwritten welcome note had been pushed under my door referencing our conversation. And would I like to meet in the bar later? No, just kidding, that last bit wasn't true! This classy hotel has just shot to the number one spot. It was a bit more expensive though.

The gold-coloured building on the right of the above photo is part of the Asahi Beer complex, with the gold surface representing the colour of beer. The cloud-shaped structure on top of an adjacent smaller building is officially called the Asahi Flame and is meant to symbolise the burning heart and passion of Asahi Beer but is widely nicknamed by locals the "unko" (💩).

I wanted to go to the top of the Skytree, but the queues were unreal, and when I got a glimpse of how tightly they pack people in the lifts that go up to the observation deck, I thought: I'm not going to enjoy this. So, despite this probably being my one and only chance, I declined.

I spent the rest of the day at Haneda airport. I wrote my last postcards, especially to Aunt Lily, who doesn't do the internet (though her late husband, Joe, was a technophile). I wandered around the market places in terminal 3 (from where I'll be flying out tomorrow morning) and terminal 2 (where my hotel is) looking for presents for people back home. For myself, I bought a new portable Bluetooth keyboard to add to my collection. This one has both Japanese and Latin characters on the keys, and I'll have great fun working out how to use it. It's 30cm when fully open but folds in two when not in use. It's made in China!

And that, dear friends and family, is where this blog ends. I hope you enjoyed it!