Rob,
I have always heard that Japan is one of the toughest places to communicate for an English-speaking person. Do you find that to be so (even though this is not your first time there)? Almost all announcements have been in Japanese and most food places you have shown us are also either pictograms and/or only in Japanese, so I would think it would be very difficult.
Regardless of that, I want to thank you for this and all of the reports you do. I get to expereince a mini-world tour without leaving my house.
Thanks again!!
J