Two days after returning from their seaside holiday, Alice-Miranda, Millie and Jacinta were on their way to Tokyo, along with Ambrosia Headlington-Bear, Alice-Miranda’s parents and Mrs Oliver.

Ambrosia had been thrilled to learn of her special assignment and had her bags packed in no time flat. She was glad that she’d come clean with Cecelia and Hugh about her alter ego, Rosie Hunter, but she was still planning to stick with the name for work. She was enjoying having a slightly mysterious side to her life.

The group would be staying in Tokyo for the first week, before venturing out of the city the week after to explore some of the charming villages and towns further afield. Charlotte and Lawrence and Lawrence’s son, Lucas, would be joining them in a couple of days.

‘So, what do you girls want to see in Tokyo?’ Hugh asked. He’d joined the children for their inflight meal. The Highton’s private jet was configured so that four passengers could sit facing one another with a table between them. There were another four seats across the aisle where Alice-Miranda’s mother, Mrs Oliver and Ambrosia were sitting. Further along, a lounge area faced inwards.

‘It would be fun to go on the bullet train,’ Jacinta said.

Millie nodded. ‘They call it the Shinkansen and it goes over three hundred kilometres an hour.’

Hugh nodded. ‘That’s how we’re getting to the mountains.’

‘Cool,’ Millie said. ‘What would you like to do, Alice-Miranda?’

‘I read something about the Imperial Palace. I’m not sure if it’s open to the public but that would be amazing to see.’

‘We can visit the gardens, sweetheart, but the palace is off limits, I’m afraid,’ Hugh said.

‘What are we doing tomorrow, Daddy?’ the child asked.

‘Well, your mother and Ambrosia have meetings and Mrs Oliver will be at her conference, so I thought we could explore the local area around the inn. There’s a stunning temple close by.’

The girls nodded in agreement as the young flight attendant cleared their plates.

An hour later, as the jet began its descent towards the runway at Narita airport, Millie and Jacinta jostled to see out of the window. Hugh had gone to sit with Cecelia in the lounge and Mrs Oliver was strapped in opposite Ambrosia on the other side of the aisle. Thousands of lights twinkled below them.

‘Wow! Tokyo is huge,’ Jacinta gasped. ‘It looks like fairyland.’

‘It says here that there are thirteen-point-two million people living in the city,’ said Millie, tapping her finger on the page. ‘That’s about ten million more than Paris and we thought that was big.’

As soon as Millie’s grandfather had learned that she was off on another adventure, he’d gone straight out and bought her a new guidebook. The Paris version had been a great success. He also wanted an excuse to see Mrs Oliver before she headed off, and delivering the book to Millie at Highton Hall was just the thing.

Jacinta shot Millie a dubious look. ‘Are you going to bore us to death with lots of irritating facts again?’

‘I think it’s wonderful that Millie likes to find out about things. Her knowledge of Paris on our school trip was fantastic,’ said Alice-Miranda, defending her friend. ‘She knew loads more than the rest of us.’

‘Yes, I agree, Alice-Miranda,’ said Ambrosia. She scowled at her daughter from the other side of the aisle. ‘I think it will come in very handy. The only time I’ve been here before was with your father on a business trip, and I don’t remember seeing anything other than the inside of the hotel. I was so scared of getting lost, I didn’t venture out at all. But I’m looking forward to experiencing Japan properly this time.’

‘It’s a pity that none of us speaks the language,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘It would make life much easier.’

Dolly Oliver was jotting notes for her conference presentation. She glanced up on hearing the conversation. She wished she’d had more time to work on her latest invention before the trip, but at least she could trial it while they were here – provided she had privacy. It wasn’t ready for general consumption. Nevertheless, she was excited about the prospect of perfecting her discovery. After more years fiddling and faddling than she cared to remember, she’d hit on something quite extraordinary. Possibly even more extraordinary than her Just Add Water food. She opened the bulging handbag on the seat beside her and peered at the pill case inside. For now, it would remain her secret.

Soon enough, the eager travellers were off the plane and in a limousine, weaving their way through the city.

‘Daddy, where are we staying?’ Alice-Miranda asked. She was staring out the window at the tall buildings with their enormous electronic billboards, and the waves of people moving along the footpaths.

‘Your mother and I decided that we’d like you all to have an authentic Japanese experience, so we’ve opted for a small ryokan.’

‘What’s that?’ Jacinta asked.

‘It’s a traditional inn,’ Cecelia explained.

‘It says here,’ Millie read from her guidebook, ‘that ryokans will provide travellers with a taste of the real Japan. It also says that you have to sleep on futons on the tatami mats.’

Jacinta’s lip curled. ‘On the floor?’

‘Don’t worry. I’m sure it won’t be any different to being at the caravan and sleeping on the camp beds in the annexe,’ Millie said.

‘Let me see that.’ Jacinta reached for Millie’s guidebook. It was open to a photograph of a futon. ‘Seriously, it’s on the floor!’

Millie let out an exasperated sigh.

‘Which is exactly why I’ll be leaving you to your fun,’ Dolly said, raising her eyebrows.

‘What do you mean?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

‘Dolly’s staying at the hotel where her conference is on,’ Hugh explained. ‘At least until we can coax her to come back to us at the end of the week.’

‘You make me sound like a spoilsport, sir, but I’m just a little worried about my back seizing up. I’m not as young as I once was,’ Dolly said.

Alice-Miranda smiled at the woman. ‘Staying at the hotel makes perfect sense.’

‘So now you’re agreeing that I’m old, are you, miss?’ Dolly teased.

‘No, of course not, but I imagine you’ll want to have time to meet lots of other inventors and scientists.’

Dolly nodded. ‘You’re right about that, dear. It’s not often you receive an invitation like this. Come to think of it, it’s the only time I’ve had an invitation like this, so I really should make the most of it. There are some very accomplished men and women attending.’

‘And you’re one of them, of course,’ Alice-Miranda said.

‘Oh no, I’m just a dabbler, dear,’ Dolly protested.

Hugh winked at her. ‘A dabbler whose invention is changing the course of history.’

Dolly’s cheeks lit up. ‘Mr Hugh, I think you’re exaggerating again.’

The limousine turned into the entrance of a towering hotel. Dolly said her goodbyes and Cecelia saw her inside, returning after a few minutes. They set off again and soon Alice-Miranda noticed that their surroundings were changing. Although they were still in the centre of the crowded city, this neighbourhood consisted of narrow lanes and low-rise timber houses.

The limousine pulled up outside a dark timber building. A squat stone lantern sat on the edge of the road, illuminating the entrance. A rickshaw leaned against the wall at the end of the slim veranda and pretty paper lanterns danced above.

Hugh helped the driver with the bags. The girls each took care of their own suitcases and followed Cecelia and Ambrosia into a small entrance hall. A shoe cupboard took up the length of one wall. Jacinta looked at the array of footwear in the pigeonholes and the slippers lined up on the floor. ‘Do we really have to take our shoes off?’

‘Yes, of course,’ Millie said, as she stuffed her feet into a pair of satin slippers and put her own shoes away. ‘And you have to take the slippers off on the tatami and there are special slippers just for the bathroom too.’

‘How am I supposed to remember all that?’ Jacinta whined. ‘And what if you’ve got smelly feet like Sloane?’

‘I suppose they might have a supply of pegs,’ said Hugh as he joined the girls.

‘What for?’ Jacinta asked.

He grinned. ‘The noses of the other guests.’

‘Oh Daddy, your jokes are getting worse.’ Alice-Miranda shook her head but Jacinta laughed.

‘Well, Jacinta thinks I’m funny,’ Hugh said and winked at the girl.

The group walked into the foyer. It was like nothing the girls had seen before. The walls looked as if they were made of paper and there were dark timber beams lining the ceiling. A glass case opposite the reception desk housed a collection of wooden kokeshi dolls, lined up in rows, and several stunning floral arrangements decorated the room.

Cecelia pointed at a striking display of orchids. ‘Aren’t they lovely? That type of flower arranging is called ikebana.’

‘They’re gorgeous, Mummy.’ Alice-Miranda inspected the vase closely. ‘Mr Charles loves his orchids and I know he’s got some rare beauties growing in the greenhouse at school. I’ll have to take some photographs for him.’

A young woman with sparkling brown eyes walked through a door behind the reception desk. She was dressed in the most beautiful pale green kimono. ‘Konbanwa. My name is Aki.’ She bowed.

‘Konbanwa, Aki-san,’ Hugh replied and bowed in return.

Cecelia and Ambrosia smiled at the girl too.

‘How was your journey, Mr Kennington-Jones?’ the girl asked in perfect English.

‘Very good, thank you,’ Hugh replied. ‘But we’re glad to be here.’

‘I hope that you are happy with the rooms we have set aside for you.’ She smiled and walked out from behind the counter. ‘I have one for the three young ladies.’ She handed Hugh an engraved key ring. He passed it to Alice-Miranda.

‘Look, Daddy, it has our names on it,’ she said, beaming.

Aki nodded at her. ‘You must be Miss Alice-Miranda.’

‘Hai,’ the child replied. ‘It’s lovely to meet you, Aki-san.’

‘I see you have been practising your Japanese,’ the girl replied. ‘I am pleased to improve my English too. Perhaps you can help me and I will help you with some lessons in Japanese.’

Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘That would be wonderful.’

Aki handed another key to Ambrosia and there was a third one for Hugh and Cecelia. ‘I will show you to your rooms,’ she said, holding out her hand. ‘Please come this way.’ Aki walked along a dimly lit hallway then stopped in a doorway. ‘This is the breakfast room and is also our restaurant in the evenings. On the other side we have a sitting room. There are some board games that the children might like in the cupboard.’

She continued further down the passage before heading up a dark timber staircase to the first floor. A central hallway divided the rooms left and right. ‘This is for Mrs Headlington-Bear.’ She slid open the door to reveal a spacious room almost devoid of furniture.

Jacinta poked her head inside. ‘Where’s the bed?’

‘Come and I will show you.’ Aki turned and opened the door opposite. ‘This is your room. Slippers off, please.’

‘The floor feels nice,’ Millie said. ‘It’s tatami, isn’t it?’

‘Yes,’ said Aki. ‘It’s made of thick straw, and we measure the size of a room by how many tatami mats fit on the floor.’

‘But there are no beds in here either,’ Jacinta scoffed. ‘How can this be a hotel without any beds?’

‘You will see,’ Aki said. She opened a small wardrobe and pulled out a thick roll of material, which she unravelled on the floor.

Jacinta thought it looked like a sleeping bag. She plonked herself down, expecting it to be hard. ‘Oh, that’s really soft! And that duvet is heavenly.’ She fluffed it with her hand.

‘I am glad it is to your liking,’ Aki said.

‘Girls, are you happy to get settled while your father and I have a look at our room?’ Cecelia asked. Ambrosia had already disappeared into her room across the hallway.

‘Of course, Mummy,’ Alice-Miranda said, as she pulled another futon from the cupboard.

‘This way, please.’ Aki motioned at Hugh and Cecelia. She slid the door closed and left the girls alone.

‘This room is weird,’ Jacinta said, as she walked around. It was a bare space with only a couple of pieces of furniture against the wall. There was a large wardrobe, a low lacquered table holding an arrangement of orchids and nothing else.

‘It is plain,’ Millie agreed.

‘I think there’s something lovely about how simple it all is,’ Alice-Miranda said.

‘How will we lay out the beds?’ Millie asked. Even with two futons unrolled there was still plenty of space.

‘I don’t know, but come and have a look at this.’ Jacinta had discovered the ensuite through an almost invisible sliding screen.

Alice-Miranda and Millie rushed over to join her.

‘That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,’ said Alice-Miranda as she looked at the tiny bath in the corner. It was no more than sixty centimetres square.

‘I wouldn’t even fit into that and I’m a midget,’ Millie said.

‘I think you must stand up and use this.’ Alice-Miranda picked up a shower head attached to a long pipe.

‘Check out the toilet.’ Jacinta was examining the control panel on the side of the unit. She went to lift the lid and dropped it straight back down. ‘Oh yuck, it’s warm! Like someone’s just been sitting on it.’

‘What do you mean, it’s warm?’ Millie went to touch it too. ‘Oh. It must be heated.’ Millie lifted the lid and looked inside. ‘It’s just a normal toilet.’

‘Then what does this do?’ Jacinta pressed a button and a spurt of warm water shot out of the bowl and hit Millie in the eye.

‘Disgusting.’ Millie wiped her face. ‘What’s that for?’

Alice-Miranda giggled. ‘I think it’s like a bidet.’

‘A bid-what? Oh, gross,’ Jacinta said as she realised. ‘I won’t be pushing that button again. What’s this one do?’

A blast of warm air escaped from the bowl.

‘It’s like a hand dryer,’ Millie said. ‘Except it’s for your bottom.’

‘I might use that. It feels nice.’ Jacinta rubbed her hands together over the top of the toilet bowl. They all laughed.

Cecelia Highton-Smith slid open the girls’ door and walked into the room. She could see the three of them gathered in the bathroom. Ambrosia joined her.

‘How are you getting on, then?’ Cecelia asked.

‘Mummy, this toilet is high-tech,’ Alice-Miranda said excitedly.

‘Yes, you have to expect that in Japan. I remember the first time I came to Tokyo; I was staying in a hotel that had a toilet with more controls than a spaceship. I remember pressing one button and getting the shock of my life,’ Cecelia said. ‘Anyway, I think you should be brushing your teeth and getting into your pyjamas. It’s been a long day and we need to get to bed. Tomorrow you can go exploring.’

The girls bade goodnight to Ambrosia and Cecelia. Hugh popped his head in the door when they were all settled.

Alice-Miranda jumped up out of bed and kissed her father. ‘Goodnight, Daddy.’

‘Goodnight, darling. Goodnight, Millie and Jacinta.’ He flicked off the overhead light.

Within a very short time all three girls were fast asleep.