Ah, the friendly tourist information center -- often the first place travelers visit when trying to acquaint themselves with an unfamiliar city.
By offering free maps, lists of reasonably priced accommodations, help with making reservations, and just a place to take a break and rest tired feet, such centers are a godsend for tourists.
But the recent decision by two separate organizations in Tokyo to close an information center and a hotel reservation counter are a sharp reminder that such conveniences -- which usually do not turn a profit -- often hinge on the generosity of a handful of organizations facing budget constraints of their own.