A dreary drizzle of rain falls on the November day I¡¯ve set aside for walking out along the Kokubunji gaisen (cliff line) in western Tokyo. Despite the weather, my hope is to catch some late autumn colors, so I yank on my trusty rubber birdwatching boots and head out west on the Chuo Line.
Kokubunji Station, rebuilt back in April, is now as fresh and fashionable as a mini Ginza. I nip into the new Kokubunji City Information Service, a tidy local tourist office, to find it manned by Satoshi Hamada, 68.
¡°I¡¯m a complete amateur to all this,¡± he tells me and, before I know it, he¡¯s making a call to his superior. While we wait for a response, I peruse some maps and information on local sights, mentally willing the rain to evaporate. Finally, Morihiro Sugimoto, 52, from the city office makes a personal appearance, armed with recommendations.
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