Navigating

     Keep the Emperor safe, promised the samurai. This promise resulted in zigzag streets from Tokyo Bay to the Imperial Palace designed to confuse gaijin (foreigners). In fact, these city planners did such a thorough job that in the 21st century even nihonjin get lost in this maze of 13 million souls. Every household stocks a Tokyo City Atlas or two. Mine has a post-it note with the scribbled phrase: Ma yo i mashita (I am lost).

      When punctuality is the rule the dress rehearsal counts. The day before the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) in December, for example,  I made the journey to the testing site. Via Shinjuku, one of the busiest train stations on earth, I traveled via Keio Line to Chofu Eki then trotted eight minutes to the University of Electro Communications as sketched on the map provided on the registration form. On exam day, we test takers marched like lemmings to campus in 12 minutes. Thanks to the prior visit, let's believe,  I managed a passing grade on the three hour ordeal.

     My morning challenge today was to find a remote residence in Nakameguro, a fashionable part of town, after a long hiatus. (Three years ago our first guest, Alice, coerced me to venture to this area for a memorable lunch at a sushi place wedged beneath the railroad tracks.) Map in pocket, I followed the Meguro River, turning uphill at a restaurant called "Snobbish Babies" without a false step. Afternoon challenge was a little trickier as I had to find W-san at Nishi-Magome, South Exit, my first visit to this station. Subways run on a schedule, accessible online at Jorudan Route Finder; each platform posts a chart that advises as to the optimal car to board depending upon destination. No excuses!

     As the sun broke through the clouds W-san led me along the busy road to Ikegami Baien where the plum trees are on display. For Y100 we admired the blossoms, preferring the darker purple variety, following the throng of other admirers. Tokyoites like to capture photos of flowers with their cell phones, focusing on the most elegant one.  Above the plum tree grove perched a cemetery, the final resting place of many well-known Tokyoites, according to W-san. Pale green warblers with white eye liner (mejiro) flitted into the plum flowers, and one gnarled tree would have inspired Van Gogh. After a cup of macha (green tea), it was time to return to my part of town.

     My inbox includes an email promotion for Mr. John Wood's talk about Room to Read. Fingers crossed that a week from Wednesday the room will be full.

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