Shinjuku, 6:30pm. Hiroko and I are waiting at the light to cross Yasukuni-dori into Kabukicho when a taxi pulls up aside us. I catch a glimpse of a familiar mustache and pair of hair-tufts in the back seat... It can't be. But when the door swings open and the occupant steps out, there's no doubt.
"Jesus Christ! That's Nobuyoshi Araki!" I mutter.
"Who?" asks Hiroko.
"The photographer! Ah, damn, I wish we had a camera..."
But it's already too late; Araki, wearing sunglasses even at this dim hour and clutching a suspiciously innocuous-looking package, is already rushing off into the crowd.
"So what's the big deal?" asks Hiroko, as we miss the light to cross.
"You know how Umezz lives in Kichijoji? Araki's habitat is Kabukicho," I explain. "This is like... Like spotting a panda in the Qinling Mountains. Or, or... catching a rare Pokémon. I don't know."
"What's he famous for, again?"
"Uh... Tying up sex workers and taking photographs of them."
"Oh, that guy. Now I'm kind of glad I didn't bring the camera."
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