Me: accidentally missed last train in Kyoto.
Phone battery: 1%.
hotel: on the opposite side of civilization.
old taxi driver pulls over, I get in.
Driver: Where to?
I show address, his smile disappears immediately.
Driver: ...ah.
never good when elderly Japanese man says “ah” like he just saw prophecy.
we drive in silence for ten minutes.
then he asks: You know story of this area?
Me: No.
Driver: Good.
refuses to elaborate, rain getting heavier, GPS suddenly loses signal.
Driver taps screen aggressively.
Driver: Hm.
Me: What.
Driver: This road appears sometimes.
Me: ...sometimes?
Driver: Japan has many mysteries.
I start calculating if walking in thunderstorm is safer.
finally we reach tiny apartment building in middle of nowhere, i pay him.
before leaving he leans closer and says: If woman in white asks for directions tonight.
Me: ...yes?
Driver: Give wrong directions.
then drives away into rain like retired anime character.