It's cloudy in Kyoto, one of Japan's nicest cities because tradition rules here. Unlike Tokyo and most other big towns, Kyoto was sparred bombing during World War II because US Secretary of War Henry Stimson saw no military reason to destroy the cultural center.  We chronicle all of that in"Killing the Rising Sun."

Tokyo is the largest city in the world, more than 14 million residents.  By comparison, New York has about 8 million, maybe less today as the exits to Florida continue unabated.  Tokyo is perhaps the cleanest metropolis in the world and we didn't see one homeless person.

That's because drug use is not tolerated nor is social disorder. With about 130 million Japanese packed into a land mass the size of Montana, there is enormous pressure to conform to societal norms. Drug involved people are harshly punished.  Few buy the disease excuse.

Therefore, Tokyo is a safe place which puts American urban situations to shame. That's the truth.  Somebody tell San Francisco.  Interesting pictures on the way.