Present for Aoki-san

It was another full house night again. The restaurant was packed with people!

As usual, we sat at the sushi bar and watched Aoki-san bustling about the bar area all night.
We have long thought about buying a present for Aoki-san I am so glad we finally did today!
Just at that instant when we handed the present to Aoki-san I could see just how happy he was.
For all the great food and extra effort he puts in we value him really highly as a chef as well as a friend.

We knew from the start that Aoki-san spends a great deal of his time at the sushi bar. 

It is only a small little area but he keeps the area fun with indoor plants and origami on the counter.

We realised during one of our visits that his avocado shoot was being removed from the bar because the indoor room temperature was too cold to support its growth. So we thought we should get him a new plant to keep him company. But we got him a cactus instead!

Aoki-san immediately wanted us to put our names down at the back of the card, so he can remember us forever. In return of favour, he made us yet another great sushi special which we promptly devoured later. 

Check out this spiky beauty up close.  

I have always enjoyed taking pictures using the micro mode function.

This cactus may produce pink blossoms again next year! We shall see =)

We learnt a new word today. Cactus is called Saboten in Japanese =)