文/Wendy周

（閱讀一個有趣的城市，讓你以英文暢遊全世界）

一個在我的travel list上倒數的城市，它的拘謹，讓我一直對於這個城市文化卻步，先入為主認為自己也許不大適合這樣一個嚴謹的文化，但它的精彩卻讓每個踏上那塊土地的人都讚嘆不絕，我決定，給它一次機會，拉著我的行李，炎炎夏日中，踏上了我的東京之旅。

I didn’t want to go. But I heard stories. I heard about its glories. I heard about its greatness. I heard about how unforgettable a city it is. I decided to give this city a chance.

對不起，我錯了。原來，我誤會東京了。原來它是一個充滿衝突的文化，強烈的外表拘謹和內心的熱情澎湃，這衝突的美創造出東京人的獨特。早上整個城市充斥著穿戴整齊的上班族，搭著電車，人人手裡拿著一本書，沉靜心情為接下來的一天工作做好準備。夜晚，開始著居酒文化，卸下白天的面具，輕鬆做回自己，明天，又是新的一天。白天與夜晚，我似乎來到不同的地方。

一個人，走在東京街頭，靠著足夠的肢體語言、一點點的日文、漢字、和偶而夾雜的英文，帶著我看到了新宿的大樓聳立，逛到渉谷109的女人天堂，到青山的表參道，通至原宿。坐著電車到淺草觀音寺，走進旁邊的串燒店，學著日本人喝起水果莎瓦酒，吃起眼前的美食，對我而言，這一幕幕都像五顏六色的顏料，在我腦海裡盡情揮灑著。晚上去六本木見識東京人的炫麗夜生活，在東京，它的精彩就像煙火大會上那一幕幕點燃天空的璀璨。這趟短暫旅途，在我心中留下許多伏筆，東京的白天與黑夜，我著迷了。

In Tokyo, a city that is described as one of the three "command centers" for the world economy, along with New York City and London. I watched people change from day to night. In the day, it’s as though they’re wearing a mask. A mask that is created by its cultural background. At night, it’s as though they shed their mask. They free themselves from the invisible stress coming from their cultural background. I feel for those people. I feel the pressure its culture has put on them. But I know that although they feel the pressure from the society itself, they’re born to live with it. It’s their destiny. It’s what creates their greatness. And they’re proud of it, which they should be.

As I walked along this metropolitan land, I feel like I can be a part of it. The great buildings in Shinjuku, the shopping malls in Shibuya, the delicious traditional dishes in Asakusa, and the trendy bars in Roppongi. Everything just kept on wooing me into liking this place a little more. My mouth’s still watering from the ramen I had in that tiny restaurant in a small alley located in Shinjuku. My head is still spinning from all the shopping in Shibuya 109 mall. My feet are still aching from the all night dancing and bar hopping in Roppongi. I think it’s not hard to guess that I want to go back again and enjoy more of that fascinating yet contradictory culture.

Woo：原本的意思是在形容一個人在討另一個人的歡心，為求得他的喜愛，通常用於男生在追求女生時，而在這邊用woo來比喻東京的一切好像在讓我更加愛上這塊土地。Example: Girls are often wooed by chocolates and flowers.


My Special Tokyo Experience

Tokyu Stay Hotel- “Home away from home”

這個散布於東京不同角落的連鎖飯店，是一間所謂的apartment hotel，不同於一般飯店在於它裡面每間房間均附有洗衣機和微波爐，是一間適合除了短期旅行的遊客外，需要較長期暫留的旅客也可以考慮，我選擇了他們位於西新宿的分館。在走過這麼多城市中，我想這是我的top list之一，因為它的交通便利，旁邊佈滿小餐廳和便利商店，飯店房間裡設備齊全又新，麻雀雖小五臟俱全，泡澡浴缸非常乾淨又舒服，lobby裡有供遊客使用的電腦及印表機，重點是它是一間平價飯店，對於travelling on a budget的人來說，簡直就是物超所值。

I know that going to one of the most expensive cities to live in, the accommodation cost wouldn’t be cheap. And I had my heart set on staying in Shinjuku area, which is not a cheap area to begin with. I found an apartment hotel, which is located in very close by a subway station. I loved it for its location, its friendliness, its cleanness, its convenience, and its comfort. At the end of a tiring day out going around the city, it felt great to know I was going back to a “home away from home.” And I might add that, this “home away from home” is even very affordable for most people.

Had my heart set on:意思為我的心意已定。
Home away from home:意思為好像回到家一般，在這裡提到旅館像是home away from home，意思可解釋為那家旅館舒服的跟回到家一樣。


Hanabi隅田川煙火大會

每年夏天舉行好幾場的煙火大會，在日本是他們的年度大事之一，而隅田川煙火大會又是今年最大的一場，家家戶戶都出動，許多女生穿著日式浴衣，附近店家紛紛賣起飲料、章魚燒、串燒、鯛魚燒、甜點，應有盡有。我在那兩萬發煙火下震撼了，感受到天空燦爛無比，大人小孩都盡情享受著這一個耀眼的夜晚。

The Hanabi, one of the most exciting and most important events for people in Tokyo. The word Hanabi means firework show in Japanese. Most people attending the event dress up in traditional Japanese clothing. I’ve never seen a more crowded subway before. The Hanabi I attended was the biggest one in Tokyo, which explained the crowd. The spectacular fireworks went on for ninety minutes. I was awed.
(本文同步刊於99/9/11工商時報"世界公民weekly"專欄)

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