Man in the middle

There was probably nothing sinister about the three people sitting opposite me in the train. The man was clearly unwell, which would explain why the women were propping him up. Their facemasks were a bit severe but there’s no law against covering the face in Japan. And there’s no law to prevent people dressing alike. For all I knew, the ladies were sisters caring for a sick relative. All the same, I couldn’t help remembering the story about the man in the middle.

Car hire and touring in Japan

There was a time when you had to speak Japanese to travel in the backwoods of Japan and you needed a fat wallet. Those days have gone but the myth remains.