Anyone doubting the Viceroy’s military, political, economic, business, and yes, even religious contacts in the Far East should read the story at MutantFrog about how, through pure chance, Roy Berman ended up living in a dormitory with a landlord who I’ve know for a good twelve years.

Last month, I took a trip to the monk’s mountain hermitage on Mt. Hiei for tea and chats on world affairs. He mentioned in passing that he had purchased, partially for charity and partially for income, a dormitory that housed foreign university students. He said that most of his tenants were Chinese, but recently an American with the surname “Baa”-something had moved in. When I asked if this was Roy Berman he said yes, and explained that we were longstanding acquaintances.

Two weeks later, Roy found the following note at his doorstep:

Mr. Roy Berman

It is my very pleasure and astonishment that you and [Lord Curzon] my acquaintance should be good friends from the same province. As you know, he stays in Tokyo now, and orders me to serve you as possible!

Koutai

A groveling Buddhist oriental monk submitting to orders from a hoity-toity Victorian—you couldn’t get more Victorian in the 21st century if you tried.

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