Saturday, February 10, 2007

A man without a map is like a ship without a rudder


I arrived at Ikebukuro Station this morning. I hadn’t been there for a year and the station has north, south, west and east exits and I had forgotten which one. I try north first. Outside it is grey buildings and a clamor of colored signs. I look for the bus stop. No luck. OK, backtrack. Try the east exit. Looks the same so I ask a passerby, “You know the Number 23 bus stop?” Blank stare. Backtrack again, try the west exit. It looks the same as the other two, except there is a PARCO department store towering above all although I could have sworn there was a PARCO at each of the north and east exits also. This time there is a group of policeman trying to separate two groups of angry teenagers intent on having a fight. I draw one police aside. “Where is Bus Stop 23?” He looks at me surprised. “Here! See!” I am standing right at it. I flush with shame. Me, Mapmaker, LOST!?

It reminded me how similar areas outside Japanese stations look. I wasted 10 minutes blundering around Ikebukuro getting annoyed with myself for not having prepared properly.

Resolve:

If going to a new location, carry a subway map and an area location map.

Check the station exit gate AND gate number.

Station transfer and exit maps on pillars (showing what carriages are nearest the exit you want on arrival at a station) can help prepare for arrival.

Also a small compass can help in orientation.

This is SUCH SIMPLE STUFF. But I need to remind myself of it periodically.

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