The rain started at about 6 pm, just on schedule with the predictions. By eight pm Typhoon #9, called Typhoon Fitow elsewhere in Asia, was dumping down and trees were whipping around, but we and the other diners at a Marunouchi restaurant didn’t seem to mind - most hardly noticed. We waited a few minutes for a taxi at nine o’clock, so that we wouldn’t have to walk home from the station.

I went to bed just before the eye of the storm passed over the city and I slept until about 3, when a door in the apartment slammed shut in the wind. Tod had gone outside on the verandah to watch the storm a while. He was soaking wet.

This morning the rain’s falling in gusty bursts, trains are delayed and around town (but not too near us) are the expected post-storm tree falls and flooded areas, but the storm is speeding up north and the sun’s due to shine this afternoon. The sky will be beautifully clear and pollution free.