Yellowknife (Sep 10/03) - I've been told where the Raven Tours office is but I've never been there. Everything is new to me in this town, maybe that's why I love it. I guess veterans Yellowknifers would call me a "newbie."

Raven is kitty corner from the RCMP detachment, just as owner Bill Tait had mentioned earlier. Walking up to the location, I finally spy the discrete sign near the front door.

The office receptionist notifies Bill of my arrival. Moments later, he's greeting me in Japanese style, presenting his business card with two hands. I feel guilty I've left my own back at the office.

The same action happens again, and a third time when I'm introduced to translators, Chitose Kuba and Michiko Furuta.

Bill makes a few more introductions as we sweep back further into Raven confines toward the conference room.

Here, I meet Miwa Satoshi and Miwa Akemi. Out of politeness and not wanting to lend myself to a provincial nature, I don't question the couple's identical first names. The pair say they have been to Yellowknife seven times, each time to see the aurora borealis. "As soon as they land in Yellowknife they know it's a special place," Furuta interprets.

More people in Yellowknife are starting to talk to tourists from Japan and that's a good thing, they say. All in all, Satoshi and Akemi have been to Canada 10 times -- three times to Banff and seven times to Yellowknife.

Sensing they are being overly polite, I ask them to be as critical as possible about Yellowknife.

I tell them business people want to know how our town stands up against the Banffs and Jaspers of this world.

The most the touring couple can muster is that they feel a little inconvenienced with store closures and store hours in Yellowkife. They explain: four years ago, they were in Yellowknife at Christmas time and all the stores were closed.

I ask about the effect of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Mad Cow and SARS. Optimistically, they reply tourists may start coming back. But quickly they add, there is a rumour afoot within Japan that SARS will re-surface once winter comes.

So, they surmise, there may be some lingering SARS effect -- the Japanese being very sensitive to the media.

After still more gentle prodding they mention a desire for a direct flight from Edmonton to Tokyo. "That would encourage more Japanese tourists to come here," they say. As it stands, they must endure a six-hour layover in Vancouver.

Over the years, the couple has stayed at the Chateau Nova, the Yellowknife Inn and on this occasion, they're staying at the Explorer Hotel. On the next occasion they're in town they hope to stay at a B&B.