日本一瞥

文、图要力石

此次日本行，完全按照女儿的旅游计划进行。几天内完成十多个重要景点的密集参访，还包括吃遍日式著名小吃，并非易事。这样“跑马观花”的结果是，清晨还在箱根汤本温泉宾馆的榻榻米上，黄昏就到了京都衹园的花见小路；上午还在浅草寺的庙会上，下午就到了岚山竹林《源氏物语》传说的发源地；白天还在清水寺清水道的抹茶小店，晚上就入住了新宿柏悦酒店对面的希尔顿……当然，这正是旅游的奇妙之处。

日本从公元7世纪从中国引进佛教，现在已有神社、寺庙多达11000个，知名景点差不多都是佛教圣地。比如我去清水寺的路上，就路过好几个小庙。当然，庙多并不代表日本人认真对待宗教，他们不相信轮回观念，不相信恶有恶报。

原以为浅草寺建在绿树环绕的丛山中，没想到它地处繁华闹市一隅；原以为浅草寺是上香拜佛的场所，没想到它最热闹的地方反而是寺庙前的小吃一条街。日本的旅游纪念品精美绝伦。穿和服的小美人，被称作“箸”的筷子，各式小宫灯，以抹茶为主的各式小吃，都令人叫绝。在如织的游人中，不时会听到熟悉的广东话和北京话。夫人和女儿在一家冰淇淋小店前停下脚步。各种口味和色泽的冰淇淋无比诱人。店家不忘提醒大家：只准在此吃完再走！正说着，有一对操着北京腔的恋人被店家从人群中“押解”回来，小伙子笑着对我们说：“真没想到，刚走不远就给逮回来了！”

我身旁是一家年糕小店，看着各式精美食品，忍不住想尝一尝。我花了450日元买了一份绿豆丸。店家是一位六七十岁的日本老太太，她指着一旁的中文纸板让我看：“本店食品只许在此享用。”我想，浅草寺的“城管”够厉害，店家如此服从卫生规定，想必罚款少不了。

总要从浅草寺带回点什么吧？值钱的没有经过“批准”也不敢买，我转悠半天，看到一种耳勺小巧实用。店家是一位身材发福的中年男人，看到我采购他的商品，极为热情，那样子像是我定下他上万美元的货。他耐心地取出两只小纸袋，把耳勺放进去包好，点头弯腰地示谢。两个大男人之间，一桩世界上最小的生意成交！

在连续踏访明治神宫、浅草寺、岚山天龙寺、伏见稻荷大社等佛教圣地后，我建议领队女儿是否可参观一下其他著名自然景点和人文景点？女儿说除了这些神庙，其他的还真不好找。我说，至少安排一个和日本文化有关的吧。

于是，一行人来到了京都建于17世纪初的德川家康将军府二条城，这是像北京地安门恭王府一样的庭园。二条城内功能设施齐全，前面处理公务，接待来客，后面是后花园，松柏蔽日，假山清泉，樱梅相映，一派幽静气象。御殿内的墙上那3000幅壁画，再现了410年前日本桃山时代的生活场景。特别是能发出黄莺声的黄梨地板和为防止敌人骑兵突袭而铺满碎石的城门外广场，都让游人恍若当年。进入这座恢弘建筑的御殿前，所有游客被要求脱下鞋子，赤脚走在黄梨地板上。踩在上面，即使脚步再轻，也会听到脚下“啾啾”声，宛如树上黄莺的鸣叫。我光着脚走着，感觉身体在飞翔，时空穿越到了400年前，将军府的主人或侍卫因为突发战事而在上面匆匆而行。这个曾统治日本民族两个半世纪的德川家族，当年是何等叱咤风云、不可一世。

走出这座于1994年被联合国列为世界遗产的将军府时，正迎来一批身穿蓝白水兵校服的日本中学生。二条城的对面就是闻名世界的银座。古代和现代遥相呼应，其交集处就是那条设置有红绿灯的十字路口。路口不宽，尽管横向没有车辆，包括成群中学生在内的所有人，都在等待绿灯。这使我想起去清水寺的路上，不断经过只有两三米宽的小路口，如果是红灯，是没有人跨过去的。

黄昏的花见小路上，路两旁的招牌灯笼一盏盏亮起来，幽静、闲适而迷离。小店门口都张贴着各式歌舞演出海报。各方旅客怀着同样神秘的期待莅临于此，希望一睹日本文化隐秘的一隅。我同样好奇地扫视着每一个门店，很想从灯红酒绿中看到人活动的影子。据说所有的小店只接待预约好的本地客人，而不会招待不期而来的游人。日本是高度发达的市场经济，为什么还会有钱不赚呢？看来，花见小路大有文章。

天光已暗，我靠近路边小河岸的树旁休息，从枝叶间看到对面那家挂着灯笼的酒馆，外面灯火通明，里面人影绰绰。又据说，在这条街上，每逢夜幕降临会有来此演出的日本艺妓出没。我开始和其他所有游人一样，留意着每一位从身旁走过的浓妆艳抹的和服女子。用本尼迪克特的描写，艺妓们“衣着漂亮，举止得体，曾经受过精当的训练”。正想着，一位身材高挑，身著粉色和服，手持精致小包的女子迎面走来，脸庞的白色妆扮格外醒目。我悄声说：“注意，有人来了！”女儿瞄了一眼，等这位女子一走过，对我说：“这个不太像，更像是游客。”也是，日本各旅游景点都开设和服出租业务，每天3000至5000日元不等。后来，又陆续看到几位匆匆走过的和服年轻女子。哪个是艺妓，哪个是游客，实难分辨。

旧金山也有一条著名的花街，那里阳光明媚，绿树环绕，鲜花竞放。而日本的花见小路，怎么会是另一种氛围呢？“日本的古怪文化”及其国民性，也像入夜的花见小路一样，“乱花渐入游人眼”，让人看不明猜不透。也许，对于需要用“但是”的转折词来描写，“饿着肚子也必须用牙签剔牙”，经常会在一系列逻辑悖论中表现出极端的日本人，只能让世人永远“存疑”了。

花见小路上的酒吧Bars at Hanami

This trip to Japan has been conducted in full accordance with daughter's travel plan.It has not been easy to complete intensive visits to more than a dozen important sights in a few days,including trying famous Japanese snacks.The result of this "cursory visits" was that we were on the tatami mat at Hakone Yumoto Hot Spring Hotel early morning while arriving at the Hanami path of Kyoto Gion Park in the evening,at the temple fair of Sensoji Temple in the morning while reaching the origin of theGenji legendof bamboo forest of Arashiyama,and remaining at the matcha shop at the path of Kiyomizu Temple during the day while sleeping at Hilton at night opposite the Park Hyatt Shinjuku hotel...Of course,this is exactly the wonder of touring.

Japan introduced Buddhism from China in the 7thcentury AD,featuring now as many as 11,000 shrines and temples.Most of the famous attractions are Buddhist shrines.For example,I passed several small temples on the way to the Sensoji Temple.Of course,high number of temples does not mean that the Japanese take religion seriously.They do not believe in reincarnation and evil results of evildoing.

I originally thought that Sensoji Temple should have been built in the mountains surrounded by green trees.However,it was much out of my expectation that it was located in a bustling city.The temple was originally believed as a place for worshipping Buddha,but its most lively place was the street of delicious food in front of the temple.Japan's tourist souvenirs are exquisite.The little beauty wearing the kimono,the chopsticks named as Zhu,various small lanterns and many kinds of snacks mostly represented by matcha.In the crowds of tourists,Cantonese and Beijing dialects,which are most familiar,can be heard from time to time.The wife and daughter stopped in front of a small ice cream shop as various tastes and colors were extremely attractive.However,the store owner has not forgotten to remind everyone: finish eating here before leaving! Meanwhile,a couple speaking Beijing dialect was "escorted" from the crowd by the store owner.And the young man laughed and said to us:"I didn't expect to be caught so quickly!"

Next to me was a rice cake shop,looking at all kinds of exquisite food,I could not help but want to have a taste.I paid 450 yen for a green bean.The store owner was an old Japanese lady in her 60s or 70s.She pointed at the Chinese paperboard on the side to show me: "The food in our restaurant can only be enjoyed here." I thought the "city management" in Sensoji Temple was very powerful and the store was so obedient to the hygiene regulations,surely much fine must have been submitted.

I should have brought back some souvenir from Senso-ji Temple.Those expensive could not be afforded without "approval".I spent a long time there and found an ear spoon that was small and practical.The store owner was a middle-aged man with an overweighed body.He was very enthusiastic to see me purchasing his products as if I had set him up for tens of thousands of dollars of products.He patiently took out two small paper bags,put the ear spoon in it and wrapped it,nodding his head to show his appreciation.The smallest deal in the world has occurred between the two big men!

After consecutive visits to the shrines of Meiji Jingu,Senso-ji,Tenryu-ji Temple of Arashiyama,Fushimi Inari Shrine and other Buddhist holy places,I suggested to the team head my daughter if we could visit other famous natural attractions and cultural attractions.But she said that apart from these temples,it was really hard to find other places.I said that we should visit at least one related to Japanese culture.

As a result,a group of people arrived in Nijo-jo Castle of the General Tokugawa Ieyasu's House built in Kyoto in the early 17thcentury.This is a garden looks like the Prince Kung's Mansion near Beijing's Di'an Gate Palace.The Nijo-jo Castle has complete functional facilities,the public affairs and guests' reception were handled at front.Behind them are the rear gardens,full of pine and cypress trees,rockery springs and cherry blossoms with atmosphere of tranquility.The 3,000 murals on the wall of the Gotemba have recreated the scenes of the life of the Japanese Momoyama era 410 years ago.In particular,the yellow pear floor that could send out voices of the yellow birds and the square outside the city gate that was covered with gravel to prevent enemy cavalry raids all made visitors across the world.Before entering this imposing palace,all tourists were asked to take off their shoes and walk barefoot on the yellow pear floor.Stepping on it,even if the pace is much lighter,you will always hear the"click" sound of the feet,like the oriole' tweet.It felt as if my body was flying when I walked bearfoot,traveling through time and space to 400 years ago,the mansion's owner or guards were hurrying over it because of a sudden battle.The Tokugawa family,who had ruled the Japanese nation for two and a half centuries,was such an all-powerful and insufferably arrogant.

When stepping out of this palace,which was listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1994,we were greeted by a group of Japanese junior high school students wearing blue and white sailor uniforms.Opposite Nijo-jo Castle w Ginza,enjoying a worldwide reputation.Ancient and modern echoes to each other.And the intersection was the crossroads with traffic lights,which were not wide,though no vehicle in the landscape horizontally,everyone including the middle school students are waiting for the green light.This reminded me of the way to the Kiyomizu Temple,we constantly passed through small intersection that is only two or three meters wide.If it is a red light,nobody crosses it.

浅草寺穿和服的年轻人，许多是外国游客Youth in kimono by Senso-ji Temple,most are foreign tourists

浅草寺一景Scenery of Senso-ji Temple

JR惠比寿站JR Ebisu Station

The sign lanterns on both sides of the road were lit up along the Hanami path,quiet,leisurely and blurred.There were various posters of song and dance performance posted at the entrance of the shop.Tourists from all countries came here with the alike mysterious expectations,hoping to see a glimpse of hidden Japanese culture.I also glimpsed every store with the same curiosity,with the hope of witnessing the shadow of people's activities from the debauchery.It was said that all the small shops only accepted well-arranged local guests,and would not entertain visitors unexpected.Japan is a highly developed market economy.Why did these stores refuse us? It seemed that there was a lot of mysteries on the path.

It was dark.I was resting against the tree on the bank of the roadside.Between the branches and leaves,I saw the opposite tavern with lanterns.The outside was bright,but inside was full of people.It is also said that there would be Japanese geishas coming to perform shows every night on this street.Just like everyone else,I started to pay attention to every woman in the kimono who had walked by.Using Benedict's description,the geishas were "pretty and well-behaved and they had been welltrained." Upon thinking,a tall woman dressed in a pink kimono holding a fine pouch came to us.I whispered: "Look,someone is coming!" My daughter glanced over and said to me after waiting for the woman to walk through: "this is probably not,it's more like a tourist." Alas,kimono rental services were offered in various tourist attractions in Japan,ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 yen per day.After that,we saw several young kimono girls one after another who had passed in a hurry.Which is a geisha,which is a tourist,it is indeed most difficult to distinguish.

San Francisco also has a famous flower street,surrounded by trees and promising flowers with much sunlight.Whereas how could Japan's Hanami path be in another atmosphere? "Japan's quirky culture" (Words of Benedict) and its nationality are just like the Hanami path into the night,puzzling people’s eyes and minds.Perhaps for the description of "but" transitions,"toothpicks must be used even one is still hungry",the nation of Japanese often revealing extreme in a series of logical paradoxes makes people worldwide remain "questionable" all the time.

由布达佩斯美术馆、北京画院主办的“经典·劳特累克作品展”于9月30日至11月4日在北京画院美术馆举办。图为劳特累克创作的彩色石版画《梅·贝尔福特》The "Classic Lautrec Works Exhibition" hosted by the Budapest Art Museum and the Beijing Fine Art Academy was held at the art gallery of Beijing Fine Art Academy from September 30th to November 4th.Photo: May Belfort,a colored lithograph by Lautrec.

2018年，在“维也纳现代主义”百周年祭的时刻，维也纳的8家美术馆、博物馆以“美丽与深渊”（Beauty and the Abyss）为主题，推出贯穿全年的12个展览，回顾维也纳的“黄金时代”。图为维也纳艺术史博物馆中庭克里姆特创作的全景壁画In 2018,some 8 art galleries and museums featuring the theme "Beauty and the Abyss",during the centenary of "Vienna Modernism",have launched 12 exhibitions throughout the year to review the "Golden Age" of Vienna.