One-way Street

Muenzaka is one of the streets in which The Wild Geese by Ogai Mori was set. The street has somewhat of a dark and somber feel to it. It takes me from the University of Tokyo to Ueno Station, and whenever I walk along this street, I feel a strong sense of loneliness.
Streets are made to connect people. Every brain neuron has an input and output zone. When cells are cultured they are able to live for nearly two years. When they are provided with good nutrition, they are able to live in isolation, but when they are malnourished, they extend neural strands and begin to form circuits with other cells. It means they are seeking communication. Those cells that do not engage in communication are excluded from the neural circuit and eventually perish. All houses have a path that takes you to its entrance. Without the path, one cannot go about their daily life. A path is like a harness to live. A path creates connections between people.
However, this street is called Muenzaka, which in Japanese literally means a slope with no connection. Ogai Mori deliberately chose to use Muenzaka in his book for the protagonist Mr. Okada’s route to the University of Tokyo. Living just off Muenzaka is the slightly unfortunate Otama. She fancies Mr. Okada and goes down to Muenzaka to see him, but their paths never cross. The following day, Mr. Okada leaves Japan for his studies and the story ends without Otama ever letting him know of her feelings. She never had the chance to connect with him. This may be the reason why this street has a dark feel to it. I find it intriguing that Muenzaka is still a one-way street even today. Brain neurons also only work one way. Even with the passage of time, they remain one-way. This street tells such a deep story and this is why I love the street.