several months later, I told my friend Akio about
this experience. Akio was an AI researcher at
Fujitsu, where I worked. I was visiting his home
at the time, and he was showing me all sorts of
very traditional Japanese cultural treasures.
when I told him my story about Rikugien, he gave
me a very strange look.

"Chris," he said, "there have been no white cranes
on Honshu for over 400 years."