四月的某個時候，無聊亂轉電視轉到「テレビ埼玉」正在播報地震與交通的情報，畫面就是中間不斷地放送某地的風景，畫面的左邊以及下面也重複地放跑馬燈資訊。吸引艾迪的不是那些情報，而是中間那看起來一點都不日本的風景：怎麼看起來好像在美國，典型的美國平房、英文看板，還有美國國旗，但出現的人物似乎都是日本人……畫面的右下角寫著小小的字「ジョンソンタウン」。

One day in April Eddie was bored and unintentionally chaning TV channels, and then turned to Television Saitama that was broadcasting information about earthquake and public transportation. The screen was composed of a central part repeating same slights of a certain place and a left-bottom corner of information. Eddie was attracted by not the information but the sights that were unlikely to be in Japan. It did look lile to be in US: typical American bungalows, English signboards, and American national flags, but the people seemed to be Japanese… A small line of words shown on the right-bottom corner of screen said: Johnson Town.

這可激起了艾迪的興趣，日本怎麼會有這麼酷的地方……1945年聯合國駐日盟軍佔領日本後，埼玉縣入間市的入間基地便被美軍空軍進駐使用並被改名為Johnson基地，在基地的附近興建起了給美軍居住的住宅。在聯合國駐日盟軍撤退後，這些住宅也跟著荒廢直到1996年，土地的所有人對這些住宅進行有限度的裝修並開放租借作為餐廳、店鋪與一般住宅。

This has stimulated Eddie’s interests: what a cool place in Japan! Since 1945 the Allied Powers occupied Japan, the Iruma Air Base was used by the United States Army Air Forces and renamed Johnson Base. Houses near the base were built up for Americans. After the Allied occupation ended those houses became unused till 1996, the land owner proceeded to partially reform them and landed for uses of restaurants, shops, and residences.

選在五月初的周末我們出發囉～路程有點複雜：先從梅島開始、北千住、日暮里、池袋、入間市。

We headed there in the weekend of early May. The route are a bit complicated, starting from Umejima, Kitasenju, Nippori, Ikebukuro, finally ended at Irumashi.

「北千住」站向站務員詢問的民眾，背後是醜醜爛爛的東武電車：

Passengers enquirying the station staff and ugly, ragged Tobu trains behind:

這位上班族的手機光芒四射：

The business man’s mobile phone was shining:

從「北千住」搭JR常磐線：

Taking JR Joban line from Kitasenju station:

到「日暮里」轉搭山手線：

Changing to JR Yamanote line at Nipponri station:

JR「池袋」站內的走道上居然擺了UNIQLO的店舖，有收銀機真的可以買的喔！

Amazinly inside the JR Ikebukuro station a UNIQLO store was established on the concourse, and it was really in business with the cash registers!

西武的典型車輛以可愛的黃色為底：

A typical Seibu train has a base color in yellow:

花了一個半小時終於抵達入間市囉：

Spending one a half hours to arrive Irumashi:

月台上使用埼玉縣產「西川材」所製作的乘客座椅：

Passenger chairs on the platform were made using Nishikawa forest in Saitama Prefecture:

 

車站外面很不起眼：

Not a very outstanding station:

通往Johnson Town的街道兩旁種了很多樹：

Many trees were planted aside the road towards Johnson Town:

路旁的花花草草綠意盎然：

Very thriving greens along with the road:

慢慢沿著上坡走了約20分鐘終於抵達Johnson Town囉：

After 20 minutes walking on a slope we got to Johnson Town:

第一台映入眼簾的車應該是Ford Corbeil Bus：

The first car into our eyes seemed to be a Fore Corbeil Bus:

路標也大多以英文標示：

Most of the signboards are written in English:

當天有人來看這間空屋：

Someone came to see this house that was for rent:

雜貨店：

Household goods store:

大概是這屋頂傾斜的角度與木板牆壁的顏色決定了美國的感覺吧！

Probably it’s the angle of inclined roof and color of the wood wall that determine the American feeling!

咖啡店：

Cafe:

美式環境依舊保持得很好：

The American-style environment is well maintained:

另一台很有風味的VW T1：

Another characteristic VW T1:

將黃色的汽車座椅擺在自家的入口：

Putting a yellow-colored car bench on the entrance of one’s house:

髮型沙龍：

Hair studio:

另一家手工木雕雜貨店：

Another handcrafted woody goods store:

誰家小孩的腳踏車：

Kids bicycle:

另一輛年齡超過20歲的Nissan Pao：

Here was a over-20-year-old Nissan Pao:

旁邊就有這麼大的公園讓當地居民活動：

Next is a big park for residents’ leisure activities:

玩具總動員：

Toy Story:

佈置自家周圍的小庭園：

Decorating little garden around self’s house:

NO!

巧妙地利用電纜盤當桌子：

Use cable-coiling drum as table:

VW的T1看來人氣很旺盛：

VW T1 seemed to be very popular:

一般的住宅區：

Residential area:

Johnson Town的事務所：

Administrative office of Johnson Town:

連美國國旗都掛上了：

They even hanged up a American national flag:

兩家連在一起的店舖：

Two different stores sharing a house:

下回繼續～

To be continued next time~