Well, we have all arrived in Tokyo a bit frazzled from the departure preparations and dazed from the 12-hour plane flight and 90-minute shuttle bus ride from Narita Airport to our hotel in Shinjuku. Tokyo is so big that it is like getting off the plane at LAX and then taking a shuttle to Victorville - but being in city almost the whole way! We normally land in the late afternoon so by the time you can claim your luggage and clear Immigration and make it to the hotel is it well past dinner time. Tokyo is a crossroads of the world and one encounters in the hotel lobby Western and Eastern European orchestra members, Aussie vacationers, Arab businessmen and Asians visiting Tokyo Disneyland. Once installed in my room the first thing I want to do is open my suitcase and hang up and put in drawers as much stuff as possible. In about a half-hour I venture down to the lobby and meet my Japanese hosts and go out for some good Tokyo ramen, gyoza and cha han (fried rice). This says “I’m here!” to me. Another aspect to all this is meeting the new cast. This year we have 8 great actor-singers from New York and I occupy myself with meeting them and trying to get to know everyone a bit. Some have been to Japan before but for most this is a first-time experience. I try to remember what it was like for me over a decade ago when I came over here for the first time. This will be our little family for the next 10 weeks thru thick and thin.
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