Celebrating My Birthday in Japan

This October, I travelled to Japan for the second time this year.

I am truly blessed to have a generous friend who treats me like a sister, knows that I love to travel and treated me to a fun trip to Japan for my birthday.

I did not mind waking up early on my birthday since I was so excited to travel and see new places in Japan. I heard so many good things from people who travel there during fall that I really wanted to see it and explore the historical sites too.

On the day that I arrived at Narita airport via a JAL flight with two other girls, my friend and her family picked us up from the airport. 

My friend and her family hosted a nice Japanese dinner as a welcome dinner and birthday celebration for me at a restaurant frequented by locals for special occasions called Ichiko.

The food was a Japanese tasting menu since they served us several dishes.

Appetizers included tofu, chowan mushi and pickled vegetables

The noodle dish was something different since we cooked it on our table using a wooden steamer.

Noodles, vegetables and sukiyaki cut meat in a wooden
steamer

As we were cooking our noodle dish, we ate tempura dipped in green tea and sea salt mix and other dishes.

Prawn and vegetable tempura

A vegetable gratin dish  was a surprise for us since we did
not expect to have this in a Japanese restaurant

Fish dish with special sauce

Japanese style omelet with fish roe and cheese inside

Assorted sushi 

 Since it was my birthday, the restaurant gave me a creme brulee
in a pot and some flowers.

Strawberry shortcake that my friend ordered from
one of her favourite bakers

We enjoyed our dinner. Our group composed of 11 people had so much fun talking to each other as we cooked our noodle dish and tried the different dishes. 

It was a happy dinner and a good start for our Japan adventure. Cheers!