First earthquake!!!

The people are very polite with plenty of head bowing - so much better than a handshake I think. Tokyo is also very clean - I don't think I saw one piece of litter.

We arrived on Sunday morning and after lunch we were escorted by one of our guests to a typical shopping market and temple. At the temple we were invited to "test our luck". With the IO imminent, how could I refuse?

For 100 Yen (less than 1 Euro) you got to shake a metal box then extract from a small hole a cylindrical wooden stick. The stick had a number on it (written in Japanese of course). You then open a drawer corresponding to your number and take a sheet of paper explaining how your "fortune" is running from the drawer. There looked to be at least 100 drawers.

Anyway I pick out number 27. Muttering "probably double suited" under my breath, I proceed to open my drawer and pick out my sheet which reveals "Regular Fortune". This apparently translates as I will get my fair share of luck so I can't really complain at that I suppose.

I will have my "Regular Fortune" sheet with me until my next bit of bad luck. My colleague then proceeds to draw 89 and "Best Fortune" which apparently is quite rare and should mean a jackpot lottery win very soon. I am now tempted to over-play 89...

As lack of any sleep for 36 hours began to hit, I retired to my hotel room on the 15th floor overlooked by Tokyo Tower. While lying on the bed trying to work out the TV, my bed and then the whole room literally started to shake.

On the TV screen flashed the words "Earthquake Notice" followed by lots of Japanese writing. I panicked - was the Japanese writing saying "Run for your lives", "Get out of tall buildings" or "There is now a vacancy in the Irish Open"?

I looked out of the window onto the streets below and all seemed normal. I quickly went downstairs in the lift to check "everything was all right" and nobody had batted an eyelid!!

Our charming hosts took us for three meals during our stay and each one involved removing our shoes before entering the private dining area. Slippers are then provided should you wish to go to the toilet and the sight of my size 10 feet trying unsuccessfully to keep in size 5 slippers while "shuffling" through a packed restaurant to the toilet seemed to cause a mixture of amusement and bemusement to the locals enjoying their meals.

All in all though, a great city and wonderful, polite and respectful people. We can learn a lot from the way the Japanese go about their day.