Japan's Golden Week began last Saturday -- but the golden ticket everyone wants is a ride on the country's new luxury Train Suite Shiki-Shima.
日本的黄金周从上周六开始,但人人都想要的“黄金票”,是指最新豪华寝台列车“四季岛号”的乘坐资格。
Fares on the deluxe 10-car train range between $2,200 and $10,000 but, with the service launching by East Japan Railway (JR East) just days ago, it's already sold out through to March 2018.
该豪华列车的票价在2200美元到10000美元之间,但就在几天前,由东日本铁路公司提供的服务已经预售到了2018年3月。
Available for two- to four-day itineraries around eastern Japan, the experience is closer to a boutique hotel on wheels than a routine shlep on a commuter train.
该列车在日本东部有两至四天的行程,其内部更像是精品酒店,而不是常规的市郊火车。
The train is designed by Ken Okuyama, celebrated for his work with Porsche, Ferrari and Maserati.
该列车是由奥山清行设计的,他因参与了保时捷、法拉利和玛莎拉蒂的相关工作而为人所知。
The lounge has its own piano bar and, to aid relaxation even more, walls and windows have been designed to evoke "a quiet forest."
列车的休息室中有钢琴酒吧,以使乘客更加放松,而墙壁和窗户的设计理念是唤起“安静的森林。”
The dining car menu is devised by Michelin-starred chef Katsuhiro Nakamura and changes to reflect the ingredients and culinary style of the regions through which the train is passing.
餐车的菜单则是由米其林星级厨师中村胜宏设计的,并且可以根据火车所经过地区的烹饪风格而改变菜品原料。
And then, of course, there are the 17 private suites. The most luxurious -- split-level, with two beds, a living room and a bath tub -- are more capacious than a lot of Tokyo apartments.
当然,该列车上还有17个私人套房。其中最豪华的房间里有两张床、一个客厅和一个浴缸,这比东京的许多公寓都要更加宽敞。
As befits a price tag that starts at 500,000 yen for a double-occupany suite ($4,451), boarding the train is pretty magical too.
与起售价50万日元(4451美元)的双人套房相匹配,登上列车的过程也相当奇幻。
A new Harry Potter-style Platform 13 1/2 has been built at Tokyo's Ueno Station for Train Suite Shiki-Shima's exclusive use -- although this seems to be the only time JR East has done things by halves with its new luxury service.
一个新的哈利·波特式站台--13.5站台,已在东京上野车站专为四季岛号豪华寝台列车建造--虽然这似乎是唯一一项东日本铁路公司尚未彻底完成的豪华服务。