一个印度人眼中的上海和东京

茄子煲

夏天给自己放假，去了一趟东京。

在一般印度人的印象里，日本是一个很先进、很繁华、略带神秘感的国家。刚抵东京成田机场，却有些惊讶地发现，与上海浦东机场相比，成田竟然略显老旧，但仍然是一尘不染，各种硬件都已有些年纪，不像上海那么新鲜入时。

, G( e) \: T: ^办理入境手续时，我们整整排了一个小时的队。不知道为什么需要这么长的时间，或许是因为所有外国人都要被留取双手食指指纹，或许是因为日本人精准的性格。在那个并不宽敞的等候区内，我们一点一点慢慢悠悠地向前挪动，想着外面接机的朋友，心急如焚。
- O" h2 f! ~4 ?# i+ b! f
我在想，如果是在上海，遇到这种情况，一定会马上加开几个柜台，马上就会有职员出来引导人流。在中国，“速度”和“效率”永远是第一位的———这是上海式的“先进”。
; K: ~( }- e0 u' p3 g- I
进入东京市区，走在最繁华的银座和最高档的表参道，竟然有一种习以为常的熟稔感，并没有太过“惊艳”的感觉。仔细一想，这应该是在上海生活时间长了的原因吧！

* @0 ^; W9 ^- A, ^2 f如果仅仅从表面上看，东京霓虹灯的艳丽程度、摩天大楼的高度可能已经比不上北京和上海。东京，已经不像十年二十年前那样，是亚洲式“繁华”和“先进”的代表；在这些方面，中国的大城市已经赶了上来。
2 H6 w6 q+ L' C/ |4 h! e, ?( P
不过，在东京生活了几日之后，我才悟出，这座城市仍然是亚洲最“先进”的城市之一———东京的“先进”，在于它的细节。

! u  b6 C4 g" \! v+ z8 N. r比如，丸之内和赤坂的高档写字楼，一尘不染———是真的一尘不染，从大厅的台面到厕所的角落。在上海，即便是陆家嘴和南京路最昂贵的写字楼，可能也达不到这样的一种清洁程度。

) q# m% Q$ X, R( P) F  X+ X再比如，东京的地铁和电车真的是很挤。一位在东京生活了20年的朋友跟我说，“上班高峰的时候，不用自己走进地铁，直接是被后面的人推上去的”，“但挤成这样，一点声音也没有”，她补充说。

7 `% T. S6 y% U( v+ W而东京的最“先进”之处，在于它已经过了“炫耀财富”的浅薄的发展阶段，不再为“排场”浪费社会财富。与此同时，在中国和印度，“炫富性”的消费欲却很膨胀。
- Q9 C* C( U" P+ A# o  q2 }+ _
日本家庭几乎都有车，但上班族95%以上都是坐地铁，上班路上花1个多小时是非常正常的事。
8 |# y/ {! H3 C- H, p2 M) K
% p( l8 f! P5 `$ r在伊势丹、三越、高岛屋这样的百货公司，无论是burberry，pra?鄄da，还是chanel，都只是一个普通的安静的柜台，没有太炫目的灯光，没有冷冷打量你的售货小姐。只是一个柜台而已。如果只是问个价格就走，售货员一样的礼貌，满脸笑容，不买完全没有关系。
+ Y- ^# W; Y$ w+ `, j
3 u8 i2 {/ [6 p( @# l8 O跟朋友交流过这个问题，她的看法是，日本人有一种根深蒂固的“不浪费”的观念———够用就可以，不买不需要的东西。
3 N7 Z, R4 `# y  Z: Z3 u& l3 a2 g" h
% }9 Y3 F" {: ]# ]- z7 K' F1 L( {% V+ P  d这，应该才是最值得我们学习的“先进”吧！
, ]2 X6 X3 U& E# Y6 x
7 d& h( {& a5 B( E. y8 X（摘自《瞭望东方周刊》，2010年10月12日  图/大卫卡森）

YourSavings

% l/ j; \( [" F) F2 X

【一语网评】

序评：好帖：”一个印度人眼中的上海和东京“
"Tokyo, & Shanghai, in an Indian Traveler's eye"

【周末读网】

2 d& F2 {1 I9 j* u
Above post is what in Canada people likes "think globally". I liked it a lot, and enjoyed reading it locally. As discussed with one of the leaders of this website, both of us agree,  

"we welcome the serious posts like this a lot". "Cause' it lead us  to see beyond!" He said, in 2009

Guess, this article, is written by an Indian traveler taking his summer holidays in Tokyo, once a very "rich‘ city. What he saw made him to think something that both Indian, and Chinese people could absorb.

: \% ]6 l/ y* }2 i. f, Z) }Globally speaking, how the world goes largely depend on how Indian and China do in the future decades to come, having said that, Indian and China, two huge countries with numerous problems themselves still have long way to go.
* i" m/ |5 y+ P) ^, y4 v
* z+ j, _; g+ oHowever, positively, there were great wisdom grew from these two nations. As Mr Ling Yu-tang said humbly many years ago, "Indians are our Teacher" people remember his word, it's well kept in this marvelous Indian Temple in Mississauga, Ontario.

This Temple was given to Canada as a gift, built without any modern materials, not even a single nail and piece of iron. One summer, one of my old friends came long way to Canada, he insisted to see this Temple during his short stay. This really surprised me. But he is A believer of Buddhism, me, none.
7 C& D* F7 l! W( @+ N
# ^5 M! N/ S8 p+ {It reminds me a saying too, "Always, One may find among three walking in the street to learn from!" having that said, some may be over 1,000  years ago, since?, whose statue was just settled, very recently, landmarks the famous square in the Capital of China. on the Square.
3 ?7 X% w3 j7 H/ h
2 Q* y, v; _& IAsk are there how many people nowadays can bravely say so? at least humbly as he did？ Mr. Ling still remembered as one of great learners in earlier years while China is searching his way to the world.


"Thrifty", people could see a lot of outlets in Towns of Canada, as an example, once said, damages the consumerism, and market. But now, some countries and may be more in the future will pay a great deal for consuming too much.
6 U) L0 a3 J& ~
Bicycles, once laughed by the earlier visitors to China. But not long ago, people are starting start to recall and remember those old days times, and revalue it as a tool of moving around, in the city, Shanghai or Tokyo, with huge numbers of residents.

. ?5 u# M+ E' Y4 h0 T" E: ]& iSimilarly, "Nano" an Indian creation of $1,000 dollars national branded model, has nothing to laugh about, in term of population.

Another story to learn is the famous whole lot purchase made by Wen-zhou, from a Taxi Com, its small sized vehicles to suit the service for a tiny nice city with narrow lanes

5 D1 V7 v1 m% o- JBut, question remains as the post above asks, could counties and people in this world really learn from each other, and think within and out of box of its own culture?

Thanks to above post, and the author unknown from Indian, Let's see.

4 O5 R) z* j3 ]2 \
一语
记于  02 05 2011