Rainfall

in John Rain’s deadly toolbox.

    To Benjamin Fulford,
Forbes
Tokyo Bureau Chief, for his courageous and unrelenting reporting of the corruption that plagues Japan — corruption that acts as an underpinning for this story and that should be more widely heeded by the people it most directly affects.

    To Koichiro Fukasawa, a diplomat with the soul of an artist and the most bicultural person I have ever known, for sharing his insights about all things Japanese, and for introducing me to so many of the marvels of Tokyo.

    To Dave Lowry, for his sublime
Autumn Lightning: The Education of an American Samurai
, which influenced my own understanding of
shibumi
and the warrior arts, and which provided, therefore, part of the education of John Rain.

    To the omnidirectional Carl, veteran of the secret wars, for teaching me to hit first, soon, early, and often, whose very presence got me thinking in the right direction.

    Most of all to my wife, Laura, for putting up with my writing and other obsessions and for doing so many other things to support and encourage the creation of this book. Through countless discussions on walks, long drives, and sometimes late at night over a single malt, Laura helped me as no one else ever could to find the story, the characters, the words, the will.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

    WITH TWO EXCEPTIONS, I have depicted the Tokyo in this book as accurately as I could. Tokyoites familiar with Shibuya will know that there is no Higashimura fruit store midway up Dogenzaka. The real fruit store is at the bottom of the street, closer to the station. And seekers after Bar Satoh in Omotesando, although they will come across a number of fine whiskey bars in the area, will find Satoh-san’s establishment only in Miyakojima-ku, Osaka. It is the best whiskey bar in Japan and worth the trip.