For Irish punters deprived of their traditional March fare because of the foot-and-mouth crisis, Tokyo was the place to be this weekend.
While the cancellation of Cheltenham races and St Patrick's Day parades around the State, horses and St Patrick were both in abundance in the Japanese capital.
More than 5,000 people lined the streets of Tokyo's Harajuku district for the fifth annual St Patrick's Day parade, which was led by the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, who is heading Ireland's biggest trade mission. And hundreds of Irish attended the Nakayama races in Tokyo on Saturday, where special presentations were made by the Irish Ambassador to Japan, Mr Declan O'Donovan, to Japanese horse trainers who have had success with Irish-bred horses this year.
The Tanaiste, who celebrated her birthday yesterday, arrived in Tokyo from the United States on Saturday night to stand in for the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, who was forced to cancel his trip to Japan due to crisis talks on the North.
Tokyo's busy Omotesando shopping street came to a temporary standstill as 700 people took part in the parade. Japanese and Irish alike were seen wandering through the streets of one of the most populated cities in the world sporting shamrocks and Irish scarves.
"St Patrick" for the day was Mr Tom Quinn from Ennis, who is working in the latest Irish pub to open in Tokyo, The Round stone. The grand marshal was the Asia strategy director in Japan, Mr Declan Collins. Representatives of the 64 Irish companies on the trade mission, organised by Enterprise Ireland, turned out to cheer on the floats.