When a friend visiting Tokyo texted me the other day to ask if we could meet up, a wave of panic washed over me. Instead of joy at the prospect of reconnecting with an old pal, I was engulfed in a cloud of dread.
She wanted to go out for upscale sushi on a Friday night -- peak dining time in the Japanese capital. The problem was that it was already Tuesday. After calling five places that I knew -- and three more that I didn't -- I had to admit defeat.
