Japan Day 50: Cookies and Summer Festival

Today was the first day after the end of the program going back to office work. Daytime was pretty uneventful, but I went to visit my friend tonight at her workplace! She works part-time at a shop near Harajuku Station called Cookie Time, which has its origins in New Zealand. We were able to eat delicious cookies, and the store was full of memorable cookie-themed paraphernalia! (I got the lemon white chocolate flavor!) There was also a cookie car in the store, where you could take photos! 

After my friend got off of work, we went to a summer festival– matsuri (祭)! The lanterns that lined the festival stalls were really pretty, and many people were dressed up in yukata (浴衣/summer kimono). I really felt the feeling of summer there! We only stayed for a short while because we arrived at the festival's end, but I was able to eat some takoyaki (蛸焼/octopus pancake balls)–the quintessential summer festival food. It was my first time having it in Japan, and it was very delicious though a bit hot! I had so much fun today!