Day three began with the visit to the METI office. The metro is connected to the METI office, and lo and behold, through a maze of subways, we found ourselves at the entrance of an imposing building. (Can you imagine such a thing in India!) At METI, the vice-minister for international affairs, Kazumasa Kusaka, gave us an overview of his department's workings and Japan's policies on myriad issues - energy, trade, Industry, FDI and domestic consumption. Kusaka was no doubt sharp, but I found it rather strange that he had not honed up on his English skills during his post-graduate days at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School.

At the repast with senior ministry officials in a continental restaurant, there was an unexpected bonus. METI employees Nishiyama and Takagi appeared very well informed about India and there was much that we could talk about.

Sightseeing followed the sumptuous lunch. Although our guide, Ms Okada, reminded me of the headmistress at school with her stentorian approach, she was absolutely brilliant in managing the logistics of the tour. But even she could not have foreseen the typhoon that hit us at the Imperial Palace, our first halt for the day. A pitched battle with umbrellas proved futile and all of us got soaked. Incidentally, the Imperial Palace is one of Tokyo's most important landmarks. Protected by walls and moats, it has been the official residence of the Japanese Emperor and Empress since Tokyo became the country's political nerve centre in 1868.

From the bus, we also got to look at Ginza - the most expensive piece of real estate in all of Japan where a square meter of land costs upwards of US $150,000!

Our next stop was at the Sensoji Temple located in Asakusa, a central part of Shitamachi, the old town of Tokyo. Its red-lanterned gate was amazing. It is remarkable how Japan has been able to blend tradition with modernity so effortlessly, seamlessly and without any visible conflict.

Naomi Okiyama, one of IIST's youngest members accompanied us on the tour. Naomi is a postgraduate in community development and this sensitive young lady did her best to make our sojourn as comfortable as possible.

In the evening, we went for dinner at a Japanese restaurant at Shinjuku, which turned out to be something of a neon-lit fairyland. Shinjuku is a crazy world! If you have ever been caught in the middle of a sea of young people, you will know what I am talking about. The place is a hotbed of neo-Japan and is swarming with those who want to live life on the edge. Having failed to locate a sushi bar that would also serve chicken, we had to make-do with what was available. While I stubbornly stuck to the poultry (done Japanese style), the more adventurous in our group sampled a variety of sushi. Food in our belly, we were all set to explore the kaleidoscopic collage of screaming neon, buzzing sounds, wall-sized electronic hoardings and of humanity in perpetual motion. Can you imagine over two million people successfully pass through Shinjuku Station each day!

Shinjuku West is the plush business district, replete with clouds-kissing skyscrapers that include the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Inspired by Notre Dame in Paris, it is the fourth tallest building in Japan and supposed to be fully earthquake-proof, thanks to special shock absorbing pillars and posts. The towers also serve as an observatory for viewing Tokyo's skyline. From our vantage position on the 45th floor, the sprawling city of 12 million people appeared simply breathtaking.

Shinjuku Eastmouth is the high street shopping area interspersed with strip clubs, hostess bars and pachinko parlours.