m ID ' If CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FROM Mr. and .-y.rs.TJ.f .E.Gurley Cornell University Library DS 809.B35 In bamboo lands (Japan) / 3 1924 023 267 861 A QROVE OF BAMBOO. BAH BOO LANDS BY KATHARINE SCHUYLER BAXTER ILLUSTF^ATED New \'oHK THE MERRlAn COA\PANY 67 EirTH Avenue I U K i M I i UKMVI U M '1 V Copyright 1895 KATHARINE SCHUYLER BAXTER 1,1 ;-:l'i ;ii' ■' Zo tbc public, It OcOicatc tbe simple trutb. PRErACE. Thk Empire of japan has long been an object of interest to he Western world. A generous destiny enabled me to visitt those attractive islands and to gain an insight not only into the delightful customs of the great common people, but int<.) the arts and the industries, and into the beautiful and touching worship of ancestors as well. In the following simple and im- partial recital of what I saw and did in the course of a pleasur- able tour, I have endeavored not to increase the bulk of the volume b}' extraneous digression or by mj' own reflections. Those who are interested in Japanese art will find brief de- scriptions of the manufacture of pottery, damascene, cloisonne, and lacquer. The illustratif)ns are reproductions of pictures gathered during my travels. I desire to acknowledge my in- debtedness to Dr. J. J. Rein, to the columns of The Japan Mail, and for invaluable assistance derived from the works of the distinguished author, !Mr. B. H. Chamberlain, of Tokyo. That this unpretentious chronicle may prove as enjoyable to the reader as did the journey through Dai Nippon to the tourist is the earnest wish of the Author. CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER I. The Queen's Highway, ......... 13 CHAPTER H. Around Tokyo Bay, .......... 36 CHAPTER ni. NiKKO AND THE NORTH, ......... 84 CHAPTER IV. Tokyo, . . 139 CHAPTER V. The Tokaid5, 205 CHAPTER VI. Kyoto 238 CHAPTER VII. MUTSUHITO AND HARUKO, - . 345 CHAPTER VIII. The Inland Sea 360 Glossary of Japanese Words 379 7 LIST or ILLUSTRATIONS. A Grove of Bamboo, The Valley of the Bow, Lake Agnes, S.ooo feet above sea-level "Sir Donald" and the Great Glacier of the Selkirk The Loops, IlliciUiwaet River and Hermit Range, Selkirk JIo Fraser River at Yale, Yokohama Bay from "The Bluff, A Kuruma, Blind Shampooer, . The One Hundred Steps, Tea-House, Pilgrims to Fujiyama, A Dashi or Religious Car, Mississippi Bay, Daibutsu, . Enoshima, Shrine of Yoritomo, A Fan, Motomachi, The Grand Avenue, . The Bronze Bell, A Daikon Vender, The Torii and Pagoda, Bronze Lanterns, Holy Water Cistern, Gifts to "Old Japan," Yomeimon Gate, Gate of the Chapel of leyasu, Moss-grown Steps to the Tomb of leyasu Page Frontispiece 17 20 23 24 25 28 37 41 43 44 47 51 53 57 61 65 67 68 69 73 77 79 Si 35 89 93 97 roi Xlst of HUustrattoiis. Tomb of leyasu, Yashamon Gate, lemitsu, Sacred Images of Amida, Lake Chuzenji, A I'^ago, .... A Cascade, Salutation, Yumoto Lake, . Ainos of Yezo, . Japanese Junk, Yumoto Springs, A Japanese House Boat, . The Fire Department, Shiba. Gateway No. i, . Shiba, Koto, .... Koto. .... Gekkin, .... Sam i sen, ... Interior of Japanese House, Dwarf Trees, Japanese Musicians, Dancing Girls, Official Harakiri, Temple of Kameido, Wistaria, .... The Lotus Pond, Ueno Park Daibutsu, Ueno, Residence of Count Ookuma, Street Decorations. Game of Sai, The Sumida River, near Toky Wrestling, Botanic Gardens, A Warrior in Full Uniform, Daibutsu. Asakasa, The Bell Temple at Asakasa, On the Road to Miyanoshita, PAGE log 113 117 119 121 125 127 I2g 131 132 133 137 141 145 147 150 150 152 153 154 155 160 162 165 i63 170 172 175 179 183 184 185 190 191 193 199 202 207 Xlst of Ullustrations. Dogashima, near Miyanoshita Fujiyama, The Fishing Industry, Rice Fields, Sifting Rice, . Golden Dolphin. Gifu in Ruins, Temple of Chion-in, Waking up the Gods, The Great Bell, Ancient Coin, San-jii-san-gen-do, . Nishi Otani, Megane-bashi, Kurodani, A Wedding Ceremony Kiyomizu-dera, Wash - IJay , Buddhist Priests, Shinto Priest, . Tea-House, Tea Harvest, . The Palace of the Mikado Street in Ky5to, Bamboo Ware for Sale. Pine Tree at Karasaki, A Shop, . A Family Dinner-Party, Golden Pavilion, Kinkakuji, A Pine-Tree Trained in the F A Farmer, A Geisha, A Hand-Loom, Inari, A Theatre, The Old Castle and Moat at O Tennoji, Osaka, A Samurai, saka rm of a J unk. Xist of 11 [lustrations. A View of Castle, and Nijiubashi, The Palace, .... The Emperor, A Flower-Vender, The Empress, .... A Shinto Shrine, Kobe, . The Inland Sea, Miyajima, the Great Torii, Nagasaki, .... A Buddhist Temple, On the Road to Moji, AVrestlers, .... 347 349 352 353 355 357 361 365 369 372 373 376 IN BAMBOO LANDS. CHAPTER I. THH QUEEN'S HIGHWAY. To travel widely abroad is an education in itself — it teaches a cosmopolitanism that one can never learn froin books. To see ancient civilizations, other t)'pes of humanity, and other variations of scenery, is a source of such endless delight that when an urgent request came from friends to join them in Yokohama I made hurried preparations and started at once. The train that bore me westward left the station at Montreal one sultry evening in August. I was fortunate at the outset in making the acquaintance of a gcntlenian and his wife who had started on their fourth tour of the world. They proved to be most agreeable fellow-travellers. As they had been careful not to have the stamps removed, their baggage was a curiosity, and nearly every place of importance on the globe was repre- sented. The following day we travelled through a grim, dreary region. At one time in the geological history of Ainer- ica the land was covered with ice, and marks of the glacial period can still be observed on the rock-strewn soil. Pine trees sharply outlined against the sky towered above us, their naked 13 1[n JBamboo Xan5s. trunks scarred by forest tires. The scant nnclergTowth added to the general desolation. The second morning the scenery had entirely changed. As our train approached Lake Supe- rior, the dense forest was broken here and there, affording us glimpses of its rocky headlands and deep-blue waters. We made a short stop at Port William, an old trading-post iif the Hudson's Ba}- Company, now a depot of supplies and a shipping-point of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The aban- doned boats used by Sir Garnet Wolseley, in his expedition against the Riel Rebellion in 1870, could still be seen Avhile crossing Eagle River. The)' were fast falling' to decay, and looked strangely out of place in that wild and rugged countr}'. All through this region the streams abound in fish, and ber- ries grew in abundance beside the Avay. It made our hearts ache with envy to view the rivers with no time to fish them, but at ever)^ little stopping-place the passengers rushed forth I'll iiiassc' to gather the luscious blackberries — merrv scenes in which tourists, emigrants, and backwoodsmen mingled in pic- turesque groups. We came upon the Lake of the Woods, a fine sheet of water of indescribable beauty and loneliness. Pine-covered islands dot the surface and wooded promontories jut far out into the dark water, and, except for a few wild-fowl, I did not see a sign of life. Gradually we left the timber belt behind, as we neared Win- nipeg and the fertile region of the Red River. Here a new countr)^ begins, and we were soon in the great wheat-fields of the Northwest. Winnipeg- is now a thriving city of many 14 Ube (Siueen's Ibigbwag. handsome buildings, and is lighted by eleetrieity. We walked up the main street to the site of old Fort Garry, of which noth- ing- remained to indicate the spot but the ruined gateway. The Hudson's Bay Company have in recent years removed their interests from the fort to a fine large store, where they conduct a flourishing business in every article but pelts. Four hundred miles farther on begin the plains which, not so nian}^ years ago, were the feeding-grounds of vast herds of buffalo, now almost extinct. From the car windows, we ob- served the well-defined trails made in going to and from their watering-places. These prairies, which extend to the Rockies, are covered with an abundance of yellow-brown grass, and are unbroken, except by the lines of trees that mark the water- courses. They are strewn with buffalo horns, which the In- dians collect, and the squaws polish, mount, and sell at all the prairie stations. The »Sioux display great ingenuit)' in making up bright-colored blankets into fantastic costumes, in which the braves with natural vanity pose against a background of station buildings. The Canadian Mounted Police in gay uniforms are notice- able figures all through the Northwest. Attired in red coats with gold buttons, high-topped boots, and absurd little caps held in place by straps, they are favorite subjects for the camera. Chasing Indians and bringing them to justice seem an occupation unworthy of so much elegance. As our train penetrated the Rockies, that rise abruptly from. the plain, the scenery steadily became grander until we reached Banff vStation, in the Canadian National Park — a tract to be IS flu Bamboo XanC)0. kept in its present wild and natnral state for all time. A drive of three miles brought us to Banff village, amid some of the grandest scenery in America. The hotel, perched on an eleva- tion at the junction of two lovely rivers, is surrounded on all sides b}' mountains from 8,000 to 11,000 feet high. From the veranda a inagnificent panorama is disclosed of Tunnel Moun- tain, a frowning precipice with wooded base ; the loft}^ crags that form the Twin Peaks ; the Castle Mountain range, covered with perpetual snow; while below us, in the raA'ine thickly grown with maples and evergreens, the Bow River plunges seventy feet froin the rocks to unite with the Spray. There are fine drives through the vallc)' and around Tunnel Mountain and bridle-paths leading to Warm Sulphur .Springs. Unfinished trails penetrate the wildest forest and to heights from which grand A'icws may be obtained. In pre-railroad clavs the Park was a mysterious, unexplored countrv, in which wild game roamed undisturbed. Its brooks and rivers are supplied with water-fowl and fish. Except at the highest points, it is nearly covered with a dense growth of trees of the evergreen group. Many of the trees are of great size, and stand so eloseh' together that it is difficult for a man to pass between them. Where the trees are not so thick, the undergTowth seems determined to conquer everything. I had read too many old-time adventures with Bruin to think of spending a week in the lonely Rockies without seeing a grizzh' ; so I consulted a guide, who assured me that wild ani- mals did haunt the remoter ranges, but were " never seen in these parts. " My fears were set at rest. For three davs we 16 XCF^e diueen's Ibiobwai?. sealed many a steep hilltop, rambled throttgh the forest, or lol- lowed the eourse of streams literall}^ surrounded by nature. Many of these trails wander for a mile or more and then "run up a tree. " Sometimes there was not a traee of a path. We saw manv \'arieties of plumage and song birds, and occasionally an eagle would swoop down from the tfjp of a pine and sail awav across the vallc)' out of sig'ht. It was the silence of the forest, the untamed luxuriance of the out-of-doors, that I love. . The sunsets were magnificent, and one evening, while we Avere watching the stately ceremony from the piazza, a large black bear was seen trotting along the highway. In the excite- ment that ensued he escaped and with hiin fled all zest for ex- ploration. The rest of the time we devoted to other pursuits. Whole days were spent on the Bow River and its tributaries, paddling' in birch-bark canoes and fishing with rod and fly in the clear water, fanned by the faint breeze of the woods. We could see the fish calmly lying in the shadows of the rocks ; and occasionally a whole school of trout would swim slowly around our flies, as if debating which should have the first bite. It was not exciting sport, as food is abundant, and the wary, well- fed creattires refused to be caught. Our experience was not unlike that of the hunter who, after an unsuccessful day, asked a woodman if there was "any hunting around here," and was answered, " Yes, vou can hunt around here forever and get nothing. " Learning, while at Banff, that the steamer in which we were to sail for Japan would be detained for a period of two days, we decided to visit other points of interest. 19 Iln JSamboo Xan&s. The train took ns to La'^-gan, a station thirty miles to the west. Thence we made an upward climb of three miles by statue to the Lakes of the Clouds, of matchless eolorini;-. They lie one above the other, hi^-h \ip, among- u-igantic peaks and fields of snoAv, reflecting in their cr)'Stal waters the forests, cliffs, and lofty sninmits of their prison walls. Birds had en- tireh' disappeared at these altitudes, but lovely wild-flowers grew in sheltered spots along the trail. The air was cool and bracing, and the views were unsurpassed for beauty and gran- deur. We could see far clown the deep and narrow gorges, and magnificent mountain ranges rearing their lofty summits far above the mist}' realm of cloudland. It was amid such sur- roundings that we spent the night at a log chalet — a sweet, C[uiet place, picturesquel)- situated on the shore of Lake Louise, the lowest of that "trio oi lakelets." The evening was not dull that our tired party spent in the comfortable sitting-room be- fore a fire of unsawed cordwood, detailing our experiences in that cottntrv <>i crag and canyon. Earl)' in the morning, we rode down through the forest to the station and resumed our journej'. Mount Stephen, 12,000 feet high, was seen from different points as wc swept through the canyons walled in b)' Cyclopean peaks and dizzy precipices. Suddenly we left the Rockies and plunged into the Selkirks. We crawled around wooded mountain-sides, we crossed bridges three hundred feet above roaring torrents, and reached the Glacier House, at the foot of Mount Sir Donald, that same afternoon. Sir Donald and the glacier looked verj' beatitiful in the bright sunshine and magnificent in the brilliant sunset. Ube diueen's IblQbwas. Wc walked up the ravine two miles to the g-lacier and mounted its grimy cliffs, that lose much of their whiteness on close ac- quaintance. Grand as it is, it scared)' equals the Alpine and is much less impressive than the Alaskan. The mountains SIR DONALD" AND THE GREAT GLACIER OF THE SELKIRKS. that wall in this valley and its glacier-fed stream lift their clou.d-capped heights to an altitude of ten thousand feet. That evening, under the gtiidance of an old miner, who had remarked, "I'll take ye's all," an excursion was planned for the following day. As the outing promised to be both instruc- tive and amusing, the party numbered twenty-eight, and, pro- vided with staves, we started down the valley to inspect that 23 •ffn Bamboo tlLan&s. THE LOOPS. railway wonder known as " The Loops." The track descends six hundred feet in two miles, crossing two ravines laj- a scries of curves and loops to reach the deep valley below — a marvel- lous example of engineering skill. The day was delightful and 24 Zbc i2iueen's Ibigbwag. the mountain air deliciotis. We climbed the hillsides, crossed mountain streams, crawled over boulders, collected minerals, gathered berries and wild flowers, spread our lunch on a shelv- ing rock, and drank from the sweet, cool brook that flowed be- neath. Our guide was anxious we should see everything, and we did ; and that is the reason wh)' one over-fatigued individual declared we had tramped eighty miles instead of eight. I left Glacier with real regret. On crossing the headwaters of the Columbia, I asked myself if this narrow stream were the same river I had seen hurling itself over the rocks at The Dalles, SAveeping majestically past old Vancouver and dashing itself into the Pacific at Astoria. We passed through the Gold Range, less loft}^ but more beau- tifully wooded, down to the shore of Shuswap Lake, glistening in all the glory of sunset. The scenery Avas as magnificent as on the previous da}'. The ride down the Fraser River canyon was the most excit- ing feature of the trip. Far to the west stretched the gorge, its walls, precipitous for the most part, rising grandly hun- dreds of feet high on either side. The railroad is cut out of the cliff, far above the roaring waters, and the train rushes down the dark ravine through tunnels and around curves for hours, until the mountains recede and the river broadens. Encampments of Indians engaged in catching and curing salmon, which they enclose in boxes and place high up in the branches of tall trees, out of reach of bears and other climbing animals, were located all through the Fraser valley. Bruin, one fancies, might be trusted quite as much as some members 27 IFn Bamboo Xan5s. (jf their own fraternity. The grandeur and variety of scenery we had passed through from the moment we entered the Rockies is indescribable ; and, seated in an observation car, we studied the ever-changing panorama. Stretched before us were can- yons, wooded lieiglits, .mighty rivers, glaciers, and snow-cov- ered spires rising upward until cloud and sky and peak com- FRASER RIVER AT YALE. mingled in one vast and bewildering vision. We had surfeit of the beautiful. " Furs, fins, and feathers" abound in that para- dise of the adventurous sportsman. The scenerj- of the other transcontinental roads is inferior to this, since one can look upon a lofty mountain from summit to base without a foothill to intervene. 28 Ube (Slueen'3 Ibigbwa^?. Our land journej' ended at Vancouver — a yount,'-, ambitious city with a fine harbor, a beautiful park, and real estate a.ti"ents enough to buy and sell every foot of land on the coast. It is less than a decade since the place was laid out on a magnificent scale ; and already it has many fine commercial blocks of stone, and handsonie residences with well-kept lawns brilliant with roses, which grow to perfection in that climate. Vast numbers of unbuilt scpiares, covered with stumps of the Douglas pine, disfigure the town ; if these are ever built upon they will make Vancouver a mighty city. The shops are rather attractive, especially those in which Alaska Indian work and Oriental products are displayed. The city has wonderful advantages of splendid mountain and superb ocean views, far and near ; besides many miles of drives through woods and along the seashore to Sea Island and Lulu Island. The most charming is the nine-mile drive through Stanley Park — a natural forest of giant Douglas pine, with thick undergrowth of smaller trees, shrubs, and ferns entangled with vines and creepers. Among the many beautiful parasites that run riot are the birds-nest ferns that grow in great profusion on the overhanging branches. We drove through the woods to a cliff where, on the rocks below, lay the wreck of the Beaver^ the first steamer that ever ploughed the Pacific. It was sent around Cape Horn in 1836 by the Hudson's Bay Company, and did duty on the coast for half a century, until dashed on the rocks of Burrard Inlet. An electric road through the forest connects Vancouver with New Westminster on the Fraser River; a flourishing place before the Canadian Pacific Railroad made Vancouver 29 Kn Bamboo Xaiibs. its terminus. Its chief industry is the canning' of salmon, and shippinj;- it to all parts of the world. The river swarms with boats, from which the Indians scoop the fish out of the water with big" landing-nets, a piscatory device a degree higher than the wheel used on the Columbia. The harbor filled with shipping', and its shores lined with warehouses, present a liveh' scene, particularly on sailing-day, when the tcjwnspeople throng the wharves to see the steamer ofl:. We embarked on the Empress of India amid all the bustle attending departure on long vo^'ages. Loud cheers came from a hundred throats as the big steamer swung loose and dropped slowly down the Narrows into the Gulf of Georgia, studded with innumerable islands. Snow-capped Mount Baker, tower- ing to a height of 14,000 feet, was in sight for hours, and was the last we were to see of our native land until twelve long months had passed. That evening we touched at Victoria, where, in addition to other passengers and freight, we took on board three hundred Chinamen (who go and come by every ship by the hundreds) and the dead bodies of sixty more. A Chinese loves the land of his birth with a superstitious reverence, and it is his lifelong wish to be buried there. If he is so unfortunate as to die in foreign parts, no matter how great the distance, he insures that his remains shall be taken to " the Flowery Kingdom" for final rest. As land faded from sight we settled down to the enjoyment of the voyage. The ship was not crowded. We had large airv staterooms, every arrangement for delightful baths, luxurious 30 Ube (Jiueen's Ibtgbwap. chairs on the broad promenade decks, and the food was excel- lent ; every comfort was provided for, but we had reckoned without the weather, and that was execrable. The course taken by this line of steamers is a northerly one ; and after the first day fogs, rains, and rousing winds had full sway, and for twenty-four hoiirs ver}' few persons were present at the table. Two days were spent in the seclusion of my cabin, for I know of no better remedy for seasickness than to go to my berth and remain there until it runs its horrid course. When partially recovered, I feebly sought the fresh air ; but an icy wind blew across the wet and slippery decks, and the warmest wraps gave insufficient protection. My last resort was the library, where I sat day after day devouring all the books I could find on China and Japan, and deriving both pleasure and profit while the gale increased and the staunch ship tossed and tumbled in tempestu- ous seas. Sir Harry Parkes was England's most " trusty and able" representative in the " Far East for a period of forty- three years." He held various consular posts in China, and was taken prisoner during the war of iS6o and tortured. " In 1865 he was appointed iVIinister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary to the Court of Yedo, which post he continued to hold until 1883." During the revolution of 186S, which resulted in the overthrow of the Shogun and the restoration of the Mikado to his ancient rights, Sir Harry, with great fore- sight, " threw the whole weight of British influence into the loyal side against the rebels." In 18S3 he was promoted as British Minister to the Court of Peking, where he died in 1885. His career both in China and in Japan showed great strength 31 1Fn iBSamboo XanC>s. of character, and his sunny smile and genial manner attracted to him all with whom he came into contact. My seat at table was next that of his eldest dang-hter, a charming lady and the wife of an English gentleman residing in Hong-Kong. Such was my good fortune, we became warm friends ; but I did not learn of her distinguished parentage until I reached Yokohama. She remained with her children and her 3'ounger sister in Japan until late in autumn; I was her guest on several occa- sions, and she could not have been kinder. The letters of in- troduction I had taken were unnecessary; her influence gave me the entree of all I wished to see and secured ine a gracious reception. The monoton}r of life on board was varied by a distant view of an outlying island of the Aleutian group, a flaring display of aurora borealis with splendors of color impossible to describe, and the reported deaths of three Celestials in the steerage. There were no burials at sea, however; their com- patriots embahned the remains, and I suppose they now rest in ancestral ground. The Chinese stewards, dressed in white cotton garments, were a feature of the ship. Quiet, faithful, and attentive, — too attentive on occasion, — they have a habit of entering one's cabin without ceremony at most unseasonable times. One afternoon while enjoj'ing a nap on my lounge, I was suddenly aroused by my steward, who said : " You wake up now. I see you sleep, dinner he read}^" This incident occurred the day we crossed the iSoth meridian, and the two combined made a lasting impression. 3^ Ubc (Jiueeii'0 ITDiobwap. As we were entirely out of the track of commerce, not a ship was sighted until we neared the Japan coast. Day after daj' we moved steadily on in the wintry air. The storm ceased as we entered the Japan Stream ; the atmosphere was no longer cold, but full of moisture. Furs and heavy clothing were laid aside, and lighter garments were in requi- sition. In traversing the vast expanse of the Pacific half a score of times, I have always found that misnamed ocean in a passion- ate, hateful mood, and it kept up its bad temper to the end. The last day we ran into an outer circle (I have no curiosity to make practical acquaintance with an inner section) of one of those revolving storms or typhoons that are so disastrous to shipping on that coast. According to schedule, we should have reached our destination, Yokohama, on a certain day; but the wind lashed the sea into foam, and the steamer was compelled to lie off the harbor all night. The storm obscured all objects of interest as we steamed up Tokyo Bay, where we dropped anchor about two miles from land. To disembark was well-nigh impossible ; the hurricane had left the sea still agi- tated, and the captain wisely decided to wait until the waves subsided before approaching the shore. As there are no wharves in Yokohama, passengers are obliged to land in small boats. We were at once surrounded by a swarm of sampans — clumsy-looking native boats, heavily and strongly put together with wooden bolts. Flat-bottomed and flat-sided, the bow is high and pointed, the stern nearly square ; they are sciilled by two or more men standing up, and 3 33 •flu JSamboo Xal^^s. managed with great skill. I cannot in truth say that the boat- men were dressed, as they wore only a wide-sleeved scanty garment open at the neck and not reaching to the knees, and a strip of cloth knotted on the forehead. The material of the dress was cotton, cheap and coarse, and blue in color. This was full dress for the advilts. The lads were nude except for the maro, or loin cloth, which the law compels them to adopt. Their limbs, bare and unshapely, were ornately tattooed, I noticed one whose j^ellow skin was well covered with some hideous creature ; the opening in his one garment disclosed the head resting on his chest and the other extremit}- wound about his leg. While the natives waited excitedly' for passen- gers and freight, they kept up a constant chatter, and in their eager haste they bumped and jostled each other with great good-nature, using the cry of " Hai !" " Hai !" as a precaution- arj' signal. The sampans were so tightly packed that you could have walked over the solid, moving, changing floor of boats. The oifieers discouraged all attempts at leaving the ship ; but one passenger, a very stout lady, was determined to go at all hazards. She signalled a steam-launch and was assisted on board, while the small craft rose and sank frightfully in the rough sea. The boat rocked so terribly, it was impossible for her to enter the sheltered cabin, and she lay on the deck, cling- ing frantically to the rail and washed by the spray, as she made the long passage to shore, which she reached at last in safety, seasick and drenched with salt water. I met her soon after the adventure. She bewailed the utter ruin of her tailor-made. 34 Zhe (JJueen's lljigbwav?. gown, but appeared nut to be conseions of the danger she had eourted and of her ludicrous position on the cabin roof. The typlioon blew itself out at last and the sea became comparatively calm; the steam launch of the Grand Hotel landed our baggage and ourselves thankful that the journey was ended. 35 CHAPTER II. AROUND TOKYO BAY. YoKOHAM,\ is the principal open port — there are six — in which foreigners are allowed to reside and pursue their varied callings. The others are Hakodate, Niigata, Osaka, Kobe, and Nagasaki. At the custom-house wharf a polite official in blue European dress and gold buttons opened and examined our baggage carefull)^, and then strapped it up again — but one in- stance of the many civilities shown us in Japan. The inspection over, we were besieged by crowds of jin- rickisha rtmners. These men are short and lean, but splendid specimens of muscular development. They wear short tights of blue cotton cloth, overshirts of the same material open at the neck, with wide, hanging sleeves. A strip of cotton is knotted about the forehead, and when the sun is hot they tie on their heads huge mushroom-shaped hats of straw. Straw sandals (waraji), with a loop for the great toe and tied on by twists of straw, complete the dress. The sandals are cpiickly worn out and easily replaced, as they cost but two sen a pair. As the roads are perfectly hard and smooth, the coolies trot along easily at the rate of five miles an hotir, making on level roads thirty miles a day. In going up hill or on long journevs, a second coolie (atoshi) is required. At night they carrv small 36 HrounO TLoh^o Ba\?. paper lanterns that " wink and darkle" like fire-flies. The "rickshaw" (an abbreviated term tised by foreigners) was in- vented about 1870 b}^ an American missionary, and at once became the popular conveyance. I shall use the inore eu- phonious Japanese name of kuruma for the carriage and kuru- maya for the runner. The kuruma resembles a large-sized baby-carriage, and has two wheels, a pair of shafts, an oiled- paper hood, and a cushioned seat with a receptacle underneath for parcels. The black-lacquered body is usually without orna- ment; biit occasionall)^ one is seen richly decorated and uphol- stered in velvet. In case of rain, the hood is put up and a lap- covering of oiled paper is drawn over the occupant, who is then securely protected. The hood serves also as a shield from the fierce rays of the sun. I stepped into a little carriage, the coolie raised the shafts and started off on a lively trot along the water-front, known as " the Bund. " My first sensation was one of real delight to be on land after days of incessant tossing on rough waters ; and the second, the novel experience of riding behind a peculiar horse with a swift pair of brown legs. The latter amused me so greatly, I had scarcely recovered my com- posure when set down at the Grand Hotel. Isly friends met me at the entrance, and I was soon located in cheerful quarters overlooking the bay. The harbor viewed from the veranda pre- sented a busy appearance, crowded with men-of-war and mer- chant ships bearing flags of foreign powers, Japanese steamers, and picturesque junks and sampans, and stretching far out toward the horizon were countless fishing-boats with white sails made of strips of cotton cloth loosely laced together. 39 Iltx Bamboo XaixC)s. The weather was so warm it was delit;"htfiil to sit on the wide lialeony after dinner with groups of merry tourists, wliile the band played pleasing airs, jugglers performed clever feats on the lawn, knrumas with lanterns tossing a variable light glim- mered up and down the avenue, and thousands of lights in the harbor added brilliancy to the scene. Ever}' morning I went out on the rear porch, from which on a clear day Fujivama, the most perfect moimtain in Japan, is clearl}' visible, rising in sublime grandeur 12,365 feet from the plain. The superiority of this mountain is due to its isolation. Fuji5'ama is held by the Japanese in religious A^eneration; it furnishes an inspira- tion for artists, who never weary of depicting it, and you see its -outline more or less defined on nearly every work of art. Ever}^ evening I heard under mj^ window the low plaintive sounds of the blind shampooers, an appeal for aid and protec- tion as the)' grope about the streets with their long oak sticks. The}' form a guild bj' themselves, the number is ver)' great, and they all carry a whistle. In Japan charity toward the blind is an institution; the government has set aside this profitable industry for the support of these poor sightless creatures, and a blind beggar is unknown. Shampooing, or massag'c, is a luxury all classes indulge in, and this dexterous manipulation of the skin and muscles for those suffering from nervous exhaus- tion is said to induce sleep when all other remedies have failed. First of all we rode through the European town to our con- sulate, through which we applied for passports to travel in the interior, and then to the bank to get our money changed, where we were agreeably surprised to receive a premium of 40 HrounC) XToftipo JSav. thirty-eight per cent, on our g"old. The "yen" of Japan is divided into one hundred "sen," and the "sen" into ten "rin" each ; at par it corresponds to our dollar, but in recent j-ears it has greatly depreciated in value. They have the free-silver system, and under that stand- ard the wealth of the Jap- anese had already depreciated nearly forty per cent. The rin, of which it takes a thou- sand to make a yen, has a hole in the middle for con- venience in stringing. The copper coins are called by foreigners " cash. " The coin- age consists of gold, silver, and copper; but the paper money, or satsu, is the most convenient medium in circu- lation. The Mexican silver dollar is the only foreign money that is current in Japan; it is the monetary unit throughout the far East. With our newly acquired wealth, we hurried to the native toAvn that adjoins the European, riding through streets where everything was strange — the houses, the people, the costumes, even the sounds were all strange. As we alighted before a small shop, the proprietor greeted us cordially with profound bows, accentuated by every member 43 BLIND SHAMPOOER. IFn JBamboo Xan&s. •of the establishment. Japanese shops are never large — are scarcely more than little alcoves open to the street ; the floors are raised tAvo feet above the gronnd and highl)' polished or THE ONE HUNDRED STEPS. covered with fine matting. The goods, arranged on shelves and in cabinets, are invitingly exposed to view, and at night are stored away in fireproof warehouses. Behind the shop there is usually a garden with trees and flowers, a landscape in miniature, for flower culture among the Japanese is a labor of love. Rows of wooden clogs (geta) are seen in front of all 44 doors, as, upon entering-, visitors are expected to remove their shoes. If 3'ou do not, you are requested to do so. It was so very inconvenient, with our buttoned boots, that we usually sat on the ledge and had the goods brought to us. We had been advised not to patronize these quaint little shops, but to wait until we reached the older cities, as those of Yokohaina were poor as compared with those of Tdkj'o and K)'6t5. But it was all too unfainiliar and odd ; like most new arrivals, we fell victims to the curio-venders and returned to our hotel to regret our weakness and inake new resolutions, to be kept until tempted again to break them. The large curio stores appear to be in the hands of men with a keen eye to profit, who, hav- ing retired from piracj^ at sea, pursue a like occupation on shore and are ustially very successful. The most picturesque part of the city is the locality known as "the Bluff," where the well-to-do foreigners have their residences. The ascent is by steep, winding roads ; its avenues are lined with fine gardens in which handsome villas are half- hidden in a luxuriant growth of trees and flowering shrubs. From this height the view embraces the town and the whole port. There are also several florists' gardens, charmingly laid out and stocked with foreign and native plants, one of which is celebrated for peonies of a hundred varieties, and later in the year we saw there a magnificent display of chrysanthe- mums. A short distance farther on are three caves, said to have been the dwelling-place of the aborigines. They re- sembled an ordinary Indian dug-out minus the door. Fujita, the oldest tea-house in Yokohama, and much fre- 45 IFu Bamboo XanC»s. quented by foreigners, is reached by a steep stairway of one hundred steps. It stands on the Bluff and commands a fine view of Fujiyama, from which it derives its name. We cHmbed the steps and, while resting- near a shrine, listened to the fol- lowing tale, which proves that rash acts are not confined to the western world: In 1881, a Japanese circus rider and his daughter ascended these stairs on horseback, and the father rode down again standing on his head and holding an open fan by his feet. He had made a vow to ride up the steps of every shrine in each place that he visited, as a sign of earnestness in asking the gods to insure him success in business. Apparently the gods did not approve, as a fall headlong eventually ter- minated his career. The interior of the tea-house was one large room, which could be divided into smaller ones by drawing the sliding screens. The floor, like those of the shops, was raised two feet above the ground. While we examined an enormous book containing cards of visitors from everj^ country, in various walks of life, dainty little maids served tea in small cups without handles. Among many distinguished names I saw that of Commodore Perry, the first visitor, followed by Admiral Putiatin, an ambassador of Russia, the Prince of Itah", tlie Prince of Wales' two sons, the Grand Duke of Russia, the Dtike of Edinburgh, the Maharajah of Jeypor, and the Em- peror of Brazil. During General Grant's travels in Japan in 1.S79, he twice attempted to ascend the steps, but strong winds and rain interposed on both occasions. M)^ passport caine and proved to be an important document. Among other commands and instructions in the long list of 46 HrounC) Uo\i'so Bay. what to do and what to avoid, the " bearer is expected to be- have in an orderl}- and conciliatory manner toward the Japa- nese authorities and people" ; " to prodtice and exhibit his pass- TEA-HOUSE. port to any Japanese official who may demand to see it;" he "must obey all the local laws;" when " travelling in the in- terior" he is "not allowed to buy from, sell to, exchange, or make contracts with Japanese in any province;" he is "not allowed to permanently dwell in houses of the Japanese in the interior," or "shoot or hunt" bcj'ond the treaty limits; "at 47 Un Bamboo Xan5s. hotels where they seek lodging' travellers will show their pass- ports to the hotel-keepers." The local laws forbid: " Travelling at night in a carriage without a light. "Attending a fire on horseback. " Disregarding notices of 'No thoroughfare.' " Rapid driving on narrow roads. " Neglecting to pay ferry or bridge tolls. " Injuring notice-boards, house-signs, and mile-posts. " Scribbling on teinples, shrines, or walls. " Injuring crops, shrubs, trees, or plants on the road or in gardens. " Trespassing on fields, enclosures, or game preserves. " Lighting fires in woods or on hills or moors." After a careful perusal it would appear that former visitors to Japan had left a bad record, or that the Japanese are a very suspicious race. Later, I discovered that the authorities had just cause for making these rules ; that half-civilized travellers had been guilt)' of bawling out " Ohj'o!" (" How are you?") to every one on the road, had startled tea-house nymphs, had kicked and slapped coolies, and stamped over white mats and polished floors in mudd}- boots, and had acted usually like mis- chievous monsters. The priests of one temple were forced to post this appeal ; " Stranger, whosoever thou art and whatso- ever be th)' creed, when thou enterest this sanctuary, remem- ber thou treadest upon ground hallowed by the worship of ages. This is the temple of Buddha and the gate of the eter- nal, and should therefore be entered with reverence." It was late in the season to make the ascent of Fuji)'ama, 48 Hrounb Uokpo ifiBa^. and our party had been cautioned as to the risk ; btit the in- dications pointed to settled weather, and we decided to attempt it. We made Iiasty preparation — proAndin;,^ ourselves with warm clothini;', heavy shoes, and provisions necessar\- for the journey — and we started for Gotemba at the base of the moun- tains, three hours distant b)' rail. There we remained over night, engaging guides, coc^lics, and horses for the ascent of the morrow. Fujivama with one grand sweep rises sublimely from the plain. Farm lands extend to a height of fifteen hun- dred feet ; above that is a grassy moorland, and then begins the forest belt, reaching' to six thousand feet. The last erup- tion occurred in 1708; but it still ranks as a volcano, as steam can be seen issuing from a crater near the summit. It may again prove mischievous. From end to end the country has no less than fifty-one active volcanoes. On the mountain-side, built for the accommodation of pilgrims, are a number of huts, in which tourists find grateful shelter Avhen overtaken by the fierce storms of snow and wind that suddenly sweep down. To avoid staying over-night in one of these wretched places, we started long before daylight, riding up among pretty culti- vated fields in the cool morning air, and were well on the moorland when the sun burst upon us, illuminating the sky and distant peaks with all the wonderful tints of pink and gold. It was a glorious sight, something to think of for the rest of one's life. Our faithful animals carefull}^ picked their way along the rough trail as far as Tarobo, where we bought staves and began the climb. We soon passed bej^ond the groves of hardy trees, above all vegetation, to the aerial ash- 4 49 ITii JSamboo Xan&s. heap, gradually ascending the ancient pathwa}^ through rocky ravines and over volcanic deposits, of which much of the region is composed. It was a long, wear}' climb to the summit, which we reached without accident, but completely exhatisted by the effort of struggling through loose cinders. The difficulties of high mountain climbing can be estimated only by those ac- quainted with it. It was much like the ascent of Vestivius from the Pompeiian side. The first woman to make this ascent was a foreigner. Lad}' Parkes, in 1S67, for vSengen, the goddess of T'u]i}-ama, who "makes the blossoms of the trees to flower," -was known to hate her own sex and to keep devils to fly away with such rash invaders. On the suminit of the volcano, two :and one-fourth miles above the sea, a stone htit has been ■erected for shelter ; and there we rested while the guides pre- pared dinner. It was a glorious day on the peak, and we sat in the bright sunshine and looked down on a sea of clouds and golden mist. vSuddenl}' the wind changed, the white clouds drifted awa}' swiftly over the valle}"; we saw the plain at our feet and the distant ranges that from our aerie looked like foothills. Magnificent as were the cloud effects, we were well pleased to have them disperse to give us an vmobstructed bird's-eye view, and we claj)ped our hands with joy at sight of the world at our feet. There seemed to be no limit to the vision. Stretching away in the distance could be seen the ba3's that outline the coast, mountain ranges rising one behind the other, the lakes which lie to the north, dark groves in the valley below, villages here and there, and rivers twining in and out like twisting cords of silver on their course to the sea. 5° Not far off yawned the summit of the immense crater, from which issued sulphurous vapor. We did not "\'isit it, as the walk woiddhave added greatly to our fatii^'ue, and our curiosity in tliat respect had long since been gratified bv the sublime spectacle of Kilauea. We left that hardship to bands of pil- PILQRIMS TO FUJIYAMA. grims, dressed in white, with long staves and big hats, that we met constantly, plodding along with languid steps. Al- though sliding down the ashes to the forest belt was n:iore exciting than agreeable, it made the descent coinparativel}- easy. There was but little snow on the mountain and that lay mostly in the deep gorges, but we found no flowers. We SI f n ^Bamboo Xaii&s. passed out cf the forest just as the siiii sank Iselow tlie horizon in an oeean of molten gold. Sueh a wealth of eolor I have seldom seen — red, gold, blue, green, and A'iolet mingled in lavish profusion. AVe rode doAvn in the still air of evening to Goteniba, reaehing it long after nightfall. The goddess Sengen must have favored us, for the weather was perfect, and her satellites, a certain gentleman and his retainers, pre- sumed not to disturb us. The next morning we returned to Yokohama exhausted with the hardships that have to be endured in mountain climbing, and delighted with the ad- venttire in spite of prophetic predictions. The trip was made against the wishes of our best friends, who had entreated us not to attempt what few men cared to undertake. What most impressed me in my first ride around the city was the tall Chinaman — a striking figure, with that wonderful gravity that never deserts him; and when walking, or fi3'ing aborit in a kuruma drawn bv a Japanese, he has an air of be- longing to a superior race. With long, black, tighth' braided cjueue reaehing to the knees, rich overdress of brocade, and cap, trousers, and shoes of satin, his whole appearance indi- cates prosperity. He has the skill to acquire wealth and the abilitv to keep it. In the Hong-Kong and Shanghai Bank in Yokohama, with the exception of a few Europeans, all the clerks are Chinese. He is also the trusted clerk in mercantile houses and hotels, the inoney-changer and the conipradorc, or middleman, who arranges all business between the foreign merchant and the Japanese dealer. Shrewd, upright, practical men of btisiness, the Chinese traders have won the respect of 52 A DASHI OR RELIQIOUS CAR. HrounC) Uoli'so Ba^, all who have been brought into contact with them. A great deal has been said at the expense of "John Chinaman," but in Yokohama he is the ruling power in financial circles. We suffered much from heat and humidity. There is some- thing lacking in the atmosphere ; and it is a curious fact that Americans, as a class, cannot reside for years in that climate without having their health seriously impaired. Although the air produces a lassitude which makes all exertion difficult, I enjoyed walking about the streets, as it was a better way to see the sights and exercise was a necessity. But the difficulty was to avoid the kurumayas, who cannot comprehend why foreigners walk just for the sake of walking, and despise them accordingly. They will follow pedestrians calling out " Rick- shaw!" until the victiin is well-nigh distracted; and when they turn back new-comers take up the crj'. For peace' sake I yielded, solving the difficulty by hiring one to follow me in my wanderings, and rose to high rank in his estimation at a cost of eight sen an hour. The one I made a bargain with had been specially recommended for his good qualities and his knowledge of English. I opened negotiations by asking, " Do you speak English?" " Yes," he replied. " Who taught you?" "Yes!" with the greatest assurance. A short distance from the hotel is a native street in which shows of all kinds flourish. Acrobats, athletes, jugglers, liv- ing statues, deformed animals and birds, trained monkeys, shooting-alleys where one can try his skill with bows eight feet long and arrows half the length, are a few of the innumer- able attractions. 55 Ifn :Bamboo Xanbs. Keli^-ious festh'als in iTonr)!" of some i;"od are frequently held there, and one dav we elianced upon a most enrious sii;'l"it. The narrow thoronghfare was gayly decorated with banners and bri_t;-ht-eolored paper lanterns, and was thronged Avith pleasure-seekers of all ages. The centre of the attraction Avas the " Dashi," or religious car, a loftv erection that towered al)ove the low two-story buildings. This structure was of heavy Ijcams resting on solid wooden wheels; a temple-shaped roof supported bv a framework of bamboo completed the car. Seated in it was an efhgv of the god and a band of musi- cians, who scraped and pounded their instruments, which rent the air Avith infernal discords until the ear grew fatigued and sought relief. The decorations consisted of enormous lanterns of i^aper Avith strange dcA-iees, huge bunches of paper flowers, and minor details c(.>nnectcd AA-ith the ceremonies. It was drawn along by people looking as pleased as children AAdth new toA'S. These festiA'als seem doomed to disappear, particularly in cities, AA'here the tall cars serioush' interfere AA'ith the electric AA'ires. Nothing, lioweAx-r, could afford more noA^elty than the orderly croAA-d, composed of happA* old people, invariabl)' re- spected and honored ; the middle-aged and the youth surrounded by troops of children ; and the infants strapped to their mother's backs, peeping about in a knoAAdng AA^ay or sleeping in blissful unconsciousness. Ho\a- any creature could sleep in that racket Avas bcA'ond comprehension. The costumes AA-ere indescrib- able. The long, loose kimona, Avith floAA'ing slecA'cs, is the national garment ; but in many instances it had been so absurdh- altered and abridged that, in the case of A'ery j'oung 56 children, it had dwindled to an amulet suspended about the waist b}' a string. A favorite resort within five miles of Yokohama is Missis- sippi Bay, which derives its name from the flag-ship of Com- modore Perry, who, with his squadron, anchored there in 1853. He arrived in Japan armed with credentials and a letter from President Filmore to the Shogun " demanding the establish- ment of international relations." At that time the Mikado lived in retirement at Kyoto, and the actual administration of affairs was in the hands of about thirty feudal lords, one of whoin exercised an authority under the title of Shogun or Ty- coon. He found the nation opposed to foreigners ; indeed the very sight of one incensed them. Perrj^ a born diplomat, believed that he was treating with the highest power in the land ; but he gained his end, and succeeded, where so many others had failed, in opening two ports to American trade. This treaty, which changed the course of Japanese history, was signed in March, 1854. An American had opened Japan to the world. During the religious controversies of the six- teenth century, " the monks said that Erasmus laid the egg and Luther hatched it." "Yes," said Erasmus, "but the egg I laid was a hen; and Luther hatched a game-cock." In the late afternoon, on fine days, we frequently made this excursion, a lovely ride by kuruma, with two men. The roads all through Japan are the best I have ever seen — hard and smooth. The route lies over the Bluff and through a pretty valley of small farms so highly cultivated they looked like well- kept gardens. Threshing was going on with cheerful clamor, 59 Iln 36ainboo Xait&s. and companies of children lingered about watching" the fnn. The grain had been cut and Uiid on mats in the open spaces outside the barns, and men and women were hard at work separating the l:erncls with flails ; another method is to place the stalks on bamboo frames and beat them. Leaving- the vallev, we crossed a high plateau and by a steep, winding hill reached the fishing hamlet of Tomioka on Mississippi Bay, noted for its good sea-bathing. Our favorite resting-place was the liroad balcony of a small tea-house, on which we en- joyed the sunset and the inevitable cup of tea. Looking north- ward and eastward, across the expanse of the Bav, the view out to sea was charming. The whole neighborhood is wonder- fully picturesque, a fair spot in a favored land. Under the high cliffs, whose steep sides are clothed with luxuriant vege- tation, winds the narrow path by which we returned to town. The air was delightful, and the ride in the soft evening twi- light, ■■ sovereign of one peaceful hour," most satisfying to the senses. The latter half of the route is much travelled, and we met numbers of bullock carts, pack-horses, and persons on foot. There is something exceedingly attractive in the Japanese women. AVe secured one as seamstress — a rather high-sound- ing title for a person who knew less about sewing than a Yan- kee child of five. All clay long she squatted on a loiinge, a la Oriental, and worked incessantly, wearing a thimble on her forefinger for ornament and with the others thrusting the needle laboriously through her work. We managed to keep her employed f(.)r several days, just iox the novelty of having such a bewitching little creature to look at. Her head-dress 60 HrounCt Zo\\^o JSa?. was remarkable. The shiny hair, as black as ebony, was drawn up and back into a stiff design that seemed almost to affect the shape of the eye. The hair, which is loaded with oil and bandolined to keep it in place, is dressed but once a week. This necessitates the use of the wooden pillow when sleeping, a block of curved wood on which the neck rests. It must be decidedly tmcomfortable, and it is certainly frightfuU}- suggestive of the ancient execution blocks seen in the Tower of London. Her expression was one of peaceful content, and her manner so shy and diffident as to be almost embarrassing, at times. She said nothing, accomplished nothing, and appar- entl)' the small brain that lived under that enormous coiffure thought nothing. By invitation we visited the laccjuer factory of Koba}'ashi, where most of the costly Yokohama lacquer-ware is produced. It was a ride of two miles across the cit)^ to the factory, which adjoins the proprietor's house. We walked through the fine garden, in which varioiis cultivated flowers were observed — among which were some beautiful roses and many varieties of geraniums, and great plots of chrysanthemums not yet in blos- som — to the long, low, ill-lighted building with floor of earth, in which a number of men and boys were at work on articles in all stages of completion. jMr. Kobayashi himself very kindly explained the process to u.s. The article to be lac- quered is made either of wood or metal. Then a hempen cloth is drawn tightly over it and held in place by glue ; then the successive coats of lacquer are applied, to the number of twelve, according to the finish required. After each coat is 63 Hn JBainboo XanC>s. put on the article is placed in a clamp, dark room, to be thorout:;-hly dried and then hij^'hly polished before receiving another. The pattern in gold or silver is put on before the last coat of transparent lacquer. It is a delicate and laborious process, and it would rec[uire months of stud}- to become famil- iar with the art. The Oriental workman is usuall}- engaged in the same calling that his ancestors for centuries have followed; so his skill is inherited as well as accpiired. Both the art and the laccpier-tree from which the sap is extracted were intro- duced from China centuries ago. When first taken from the tree, the sap is of the color and consistency of cream and be- comes dark by exposure to the air. It is an undoubted fact that laccjuer dries most cjuickl)' in a damp, dark room. Lac- quering upon wood, in which the Japanese excel all other nations, is considered the finest of all their arts. Lacquer is used for as many purposes as bamboo. It enriches the golden shrines of temples, the beautiful articles sold in the shops, and the small rice-bowl of the humblest coolie. It is largely ex- ported as well. After we had carcfidly inspected the factor)' and its treasures, the owner, with great courtesy, invited us to enter his house. There we met his wife and daughters ; tea and sweetmeats were brought in, ancient specimens of laccpier and bronze were exhibited, and altogether it was a visit long to be remembered with pleasure. The vicinity of Yokohama is of singular beauty, and one very pleasant daj' we devoted to an excursion to Kamakura and Enoshima. We rode twenty miles b)' train to the station and there took kurumas for the sight-seeing. Kamakura was 64 HrounC* Uo\\vo Bav?. the capital of the Rhoguns from 1192 to the middle of the fif- teenth century. During- that period the city, with its popu- lation of one million, occupied the plain now covered with woods and rice-fields. It was captured and partially destroyed SHRINE OF YORITOMO. in 1333 by two Japanese warriors, Yoshisada and Ashikaga, the latter of whom founded a new Shogunate d3'nasty (1338- 1565). The great military generals of Japan called Shoguns virtually ruled the country for a period of seven hundred years, and the Mikados, mere figureheads, lived in seclusion at 67 Hn Bamlioo •Xau&3. K3'6t6. This state of affairs lasted until the reA-ohition of iS6S. The Mikado's army was brilliantly siiceessful, and the fririons strui^^-le resulted in the overthrow of the Shogamate, the restoration of the Mikado to his aneestral rights, and the establishment of a eonstitu- tional form of goA'ernment modelled npon the European. A short distanee from the sta- tion is the temple of Haehi- man, a deified hero worshipped as the god of war. It stands on a high plateau and is reaehed by flights of fifty-eight stone steps. Many of the trees that eluster about it arc cen- turies old ; one in particular, a noble icho, twenty feet in circumference, growing to the left of the ascent, is said to be A FAN. more than a thousand ^-ears old. The temple, simple in architecture, is enclosed bj' a square colonnade, in which are kept the sacred cars used on festival occasions. We were also shown a famous collection of religious and historical relics, among which were a num- ber of ancient and curious fans. Fans have been universally used from prehistoric times; by warriors, priests in religious prficcssions, courtiers, firemen, and e\'ery man, woman, and child in the kingdom. One of our party was engaged in 68 collecting material for a book on fans, lanterns, and kindred subjects. A volume cou.ld be written on fans exclusively; their history, their uses, and the numberless legends and tales connected with them. I leave the long and interesting narra- tive to her facile pen. For the military of Japan this temple will alwa3rs be a sacred place. Its treasury looks like an armory, so many are the weapons that have been placed here as thank-offerings. Some are very ancient and have been on the shelves of the temple for centuries. There is nowhere a finer collection of arms, and an inventory of the valuables that are stored in that shrine is a roll of the bravest soldiers of the realm. Less than two miles farther on, the image of the Great Buddha stands in a grove. The first view from the approach is startling. At one period it was covered by a temple, long since destroj'ed by a tidal wave. This colossal image is com- posed of gold, silver, and copper bronze, fonning a figure nearly fifty feet in height. The mouth is three feet two inches in width, and all the other parts are in corresponding- proportion. The eyes are of pure gold. The figure, formed of bronze plates six feet in height, was cast on the spot. The head-dress, of snail-shells of bronze, is there to protect the holy head from the sun's rays — an offering of gratitude to Buddha for his love and care for animals of all kinds. The greatest Buddhas of the world are said to be in Japan. The one in the park at Nara is the largest, but this immense image is considered the best work of art. Buddha is repre- sented in a sitting posture gazing over the plain — silent, calm, 71 Ifn JBamboo XanC>s. ini]X'nctral")lv niA-stcrioiis. Tlie sacred fig'iire is hollow and contains a small shrine. As the door was opened for tis to enter we ])asscd in, examined the altar, and ascended hv the stairs intu tlie head, which is dark and the home of myriads of spiders; nut a sound Avas to he heard in the dimly lij^'hted in- terior, and we left it dnl)' impressed 1)_\' the unique equipment of the craniunt. As it was customary to be photographed hv the priests while sitting in the lap of Buddha, we were " honor- abh'" pleased to climb up and sit on his " august" thumb during the process. On an eminence commanding' a fine view of the sea and in close proximity to the Daibutsu (Great Buddha) is the temple of Kwannon, the goddess of mercy. The dark interior, lighted by a few candles, gave us but an unsatisfactory idea of tlic wooden image of the g"oddess, thirt}' feet in heig'ht and lacquered and gilded. These temples and the shaded paths through the groves were in perfect order, clean and tidy, showing that the large nitmber of priests who reside there do not neglect their duties. It Avas both novel and pleasant to wander about among the shrines, up and down the moss-grown steps of these temples of wood, as Avcll preserved as if but a hundred )-ears instead of a thousand had passed since theii complcti(.in. AVe slipped into (nir little carriages and were soini (jn our way to Enoshima, five miles distant, riding along the seashore, ascending the headlands, where the maples already tinged with yellow heralded the approach of autumn, and descending again to the water's edge, where in recesses, sheltered within a shelter, hamlets clustered under the cliffs. 72 Hrounb Zo]^^o Ba?. At a tea-house under most trying cireumstanees we ate the lunch provided b}' our hotel We sat on the floor-ledj^-e, stifled by odors of fr_ving- o-rease, and gazed at by a swarm of dirty children ; while the coolies a few feet distant bolted with mar- vellous rapidity ht:ge quantities of boiled rice, dried fish, and pickled daikon, a huge radish and a favorite vegetable with the Japanese. Leaving the kurumas, we with our guides crossed the rudely constriicted bridge that connects the island of Enoshima with the mainland, and walked up a steep, narrow street lined with shops, in which shells, corals, and other marine wonders are sold, the most attractive of which is the lovely glass rope sponge, whose shiny, silken coils are found on reefs at great depth. Our expectations were fully realized : the island is very beautiful. Its steep precipices, thickly grown with shrubs and ferns, rise abruptly from the rocky shore, and the high ground is covered with forests. The moss-grown steps and winding paths that lead up to every temple and little shrine among the groves were most alluring. While walking- through the woods, we noticed many curious land-crabs with bright red bodies that made great haste to escape. Traditions and superstitions without end are connected with this island, which for ages has been sacred to Benten, the Buddhist goddess of luck. In 1 182, her image was placed in a cave on the far side of the island, and there it is still worshipped. It was a wearisome walk of two miles, up and down long flights of steps, through streets lined with shops of harassing curio dealers, down to the shore, where we clambered along a rocky path some distance to the cave. The cavity is thirty feet high at the 7S •flu 3Bamt>oo 'Xaii&s. opcnniL;-, tlnx'e l"iundred and scventy-twi) feet in depth, andean be entered i inly at low tide. Attended b}- a priest with lij^dited eandle, we walked ah my the narrow seaffolding to the extreme end, wliere, on a small altar in total darkness, stands the sacred imau-e. As we emerL;-ed into daylig-ht, the A'iew from the in- terior aeross to the opposite shore was enehantin"". Both go- ing' and returning, we were beset bv divers of both sexes, who for a small eoin vrill bring np shells from the deep sea ; the rogues with high art seerete these about their persons before taking the leap. The day was drawing to a elose when we left the island, and reerossed tlie bridge wet with the rising tide. A ride of two miles brought us to the station of Fujisawa, where we took the train and reached Yokohama just as the sun, like a ball of polished gold, sank below the sea. Yokohama is intersected by a system of canals on which a large part of the carrying-trade is done with sampans. We hired a native craft one day and were sculled for some dis- tance; but the evil smells from open drains suggested fevers, and we left the boat in disgust. In landing', we found our- selves at the entrance of jMotrjmachi, the most interesting street of the city. The small, low houses extended the entire length; the fronts were open, and in each some little patient industry was going on in full view. AVe found much pleasure in wandering among the shops and watching the fawn}', slant- eyed, ])leasant-faced people at work at their odd trades and handicrafts. Coopers, makers of idols, baskets, dolls, wooden pillows and clogs, straw hats, rain-coats and sandals, trifles of 76 THE BRONZE BELL. HrounCt UoFnio Bav. bamboo and paper, and weavers of towels were all industri- ously at work. Besides these artieles, books, paper, smoking and writing- apparatus, cheap jewelry, ornamental hairpins. A DAIKON VENDER. switches of coarse black hair, and other articles of personal adornment were for sale. Confectionery and food had place too; and from the restaurants proceeded the most horrible smell imaginable, that of pickled daikon. This vegetable, which so strongly resembles our radish, is about two feet long and in its natural state is not offensive ; but after it lies in brine 79 Iln Bamboo XanC)s. for three months the odor becomes so awful that no foreigTier can endure it. It is grown and used e^-erj-where by the peas- ants and coolies, and serves to give pic^uancy to their other- wise tasteless food. You cannot mistake it. A charming water excursion Avithin eas}' reach of Yoko- hama is that to Yokusuka, where are located the government arsenal, dryclocks, and shipvards. A ride of fifteen miles by steamer down the bay brought us to the busy spot. We spent a short hour looking about, but the place recalled a sec- tion of the Clyde, and Ave had not traA-elled all the way to Japan to look at old friends. The real attraction at Yokusuka is the graA-e of Will Adams, the first Englishman to A'isit the country. Arriving in 1600 as pilot of a Dutch trading-A'essel, he Avas detained on account of his knowledge of ship-building and mathematics, and became a great faA'orite AA'ith the Shogun; but he was ncA'cr permitted to return to his Avife and children in Kent. To alleA'iate his grief, he, like others of his guild, accumulated a second spouse, a Japanese, Avith Avhom he liA'cd until his death, tAventA' years later. From the hilltop on AA'hich his graA'e stands the A'iews OA-er the land and the land- locked harbor are superb. The AAdiole enA'ironment is most picturescpie. The Aveather Avas Ioa-cIa-. September smiled, a smile that Avarmed the countrA'-siclc with a touch of the clAung summer. We returned by kuruma, riding leisurelv ahjng the network of farms and rice-fields, stopping frequenth* to Ausit shrines hidden among the trees, or at tea-houses to alloAv the coolies to rest. The charm of Japanese scenerA' is irresistible. We reached our hotel in the cool of the CA'ening, and found a 80 note from our consul kindly apprising us that the fete of levasu was at hand, which occurs at Nikko but once a year and .should be seen at any sacrifice. The same evening we visited a Japanese theatre, where the iDlay begins at ten in the morn- ing and lasts till ten at night. It was too Europeanized t<.> be interesting. 83 CHAPTER III. NIKKO AND THE NORTH. AVe travelled by rail to Nikk(5, one Imndred and eii.;-ht miles to the north. Part of this line, the section of eighteen miles between Yokohama and TokA'o, Avas the first bit of railroad con- structed in Japan. It was built by foreign experts, who charged an exorbitant sum. As the track runs over a level country and labor is absurdly cheap, the government was not long in discovering the gigantic fraud, and since then it has biiilt its own roads. Both fVir military and commercial purposes, Japan has constructed fifteen hundred miles of railroad and is constantly extending the lines. These roads are all narrow- gauge, about three feet wide, and organized on the English plan with first, second, and third class compartments. The stations are roomy and neat and provided with separate waiting-rooms for each class. All baggage except that carried by hand is weighed and sealed in Japanese hieroglyphics with the name of its destination. The ofiheials are natives in European dress. The stations are thronged with passengers, who clatter along on wooden sandals and make a most deafening noise. Japa- nese shoes var}' for the use. Wooden clogs are ordinarily worn, biTt straw sandals, costing a sen a pair, are used in walking or mountain climbing. A few men were dressed in ill-fitting 84 1Ril?ko an5 tbe IRortb. coats and trousers, but generally they wore the kimona, topped by the utterh^ abominable derby, the only part of European dress that has become popular. The women without excep- tion wore the native dress and protected their bare heads froiru the glare of the sunshine by holding a fan between them and, the sun. In absence of a derby, the men used fans also. The- natives are now becoming accustomed to glass, but at first the panes in railway-car windows had to be smeared with paint to prevent the passengers from poking their heads through. There is a general system of telegraph lines, and the wires, extend twenty-five thousand miles. The journey to Nikko, the City of Temples, was full of interest, as the railway passes through the finest farming dis- trict in Japan. The country is beautifully broken, highly fer- tile, and cultivated like a garden. Not an inch of ground runs, to waste ; not a weed is to be seen. Stiperb groves of maples, elms, and beeches adorn the uplands, and tiny farms dotted with thatched roofs cover the continuous green plain. The fields are of all sizes, from a plot twenty feet square to an acre or more, and outlined by ditches in which the lotvis is grown for food. It is a land of small things. The people, the country, the farms, the animals, the houses, the gardens, the carriages, and all the articles used in daily life are small. As one goes along one sees rice-fields, tea-plantations, orchards of fine fruit, excellent vineyards, and every kind of vegetable. The grape-vines rest on horizontal bamboo frames, and pear- trees even are trained on trellises. It was harvest time, and great bunches of rice-straw hung 87 ITn Bamboo 3Lant)S. on the trees and lences to clrv, and hayricks crowded the tiny duorvards. The lovely yTcen bamboo frini^'ed the banks of streams i>r waA'cd in great chimps on the hillsides, and flowers u;Tew I in the ridges between the riee-fielcls and in every available spot, even on the thatched roof-crests. The dwellings of the rich farmers Avere not unfrequently surrounded by tall hedges nr high palisades, and onlv the deep-sloping roofs were visible, half-hidden among the trees. The train glided along until we reached Utsonomiya, where we engaged kurumas and two men from the clamoring' crowd and started on the last stage of our iourncv, a long up-hill ride of twentv-fi\'e miles. The road we travelled is an ancient highwav, bordered along its whole length hv rows of mag-nifieent crvptomerias (a variety of pine), which form a pleasant shade. These trees grow to a height (if one hundred feet, reaching sixt}' feet before the)' begin to branch. The"S' were planted b}' a nobleman as an offering to tlie great Shog'ims who rest in bronze tombs on the sacred hills. It is estimated that one hundred thousand pilgrims travel this road each A-ear to the shrines, and a grander approach could not have been dcA ised. AVe encountered a few pack-horses and man-carts, and troops of people on foot on their way to take part in the coming festivities. Few houses were to be seen as we toiled slowlv upward, and little bv little I fell into a state of drowsiness, almost forgetting where I was or whither I was going. We mounted the steep street of Xikko at the foot of the Xikko-zan range of mountains, the site of the most gorgeous temples in the land. Nikko, which lies in a lovely valley at an elevation of two thousand feet above the sea, is a IRihko an& tbe IRortb. favorite summer residence of foreitfners on account of its cool mountain air, and we noticed inany fine villas einbowered in shrubbery. It was here that I had an unpleasant experience with mv kurumavas, who proved to be runners for one hotel, while I had secured rooms at another. The rain was falling-, mv party in advance had turned off the road and disappeared around the corner, and the coolies sped straij^ht ahead as fast as their leg-s cfjuld carry them, in spite of entreaties and cries of "Mate!" ("Stop). They were speedily brou^Lfht to reason by vii^'orous strokes of mv umbrella on their lig-htlv clad shoulders. It was almost as excitini^" as an encounter with donkev-bovs in Cairo. We alij^'hted at the semi-European hotel and were re- ceived by little waitinj^-maids, who met us with a " smile well- bred," bowled an}' number of times to us, escorted us to seats, relieved us of wet wraps and umbrellas ; and vanished. The climate is ver}' rain)', and next day we needed the articles bad- Iv; failinjf to make our wants understorjd, we raided the back reg-ions and found the lost g-arments hun;^- up to dry amonj^ a medley of native bric-a-brac . One meets with more adventures and sees more that is laug'h-worthv in Japan than in anv coun- trv of which I have a knowledge. After the landhjrd had ex- amined the passports and decided it was safe to receive us — we were tcratified to find him so kindly disposed toward us — he ushered us into pleasant rooms opening on a veranda that commanded a fine view over the vallev throug'li which the river rushes. Grand old mountains, densely covered with wood, surrounded us, and the unique little village of Iiimachi lav at our feet. PvVerything' was lovel)' — the birds and g'rass 91 IFn Bamboo Xanbs. and delicious temperature ; and each daj^, returned from sight- seeing, we gathered there to see the mountains illuminated by the last glow of sunset and to enjoy the freshly made tea and a brief siesta. The morning after our arrival we made our first visit to the hillslope where the Shoguns leyasu and his grandson lemitsu sleep in glory. A vShinto shrine of the ancient religion has ex- isted here fr(jni the earliest ages, and a Buddhist since 716 A.I)., at which time a temple was erected by the saint Shodo Shonin. Buddhism, which was introduced into the empire from China, wiselv absorbed the primitive Shinto, but did not supplant it. This spot attained its g'reatest sanctity in 1617, when it became the resting-place of Ie3'asu, who was deified by the Mikado as " Light of the East, great incarnation of Bud- dha." levasu was first buried at Kunozan in the south, and the shrines tliere erected in his honor furnished models for those at Xikko. In 1617, his remains were interred in this beautiful spot. It must have been a magnificent burial. A A'ast number of priests in gorgeous robes, the imperial envo}', the living Shogun, and a long train of noblemen with two- sworded retainers, followed the reinains of the dead warrior up the grand avenue of cryptomerias to tlie mausoleum on the lonely hillside, where they were deposited with all the impress- iveness of the gorgeous Buddhist ritual. There are several ap- proaches to the temples, but the grand avenrie begins at the sacred "Red Bridge," a wooden structure resting on stone piers and lacc[uered a deep red, inaking a strong contrast to the rich gTeen of the pines. It is closed at both ends by gates, 92 IRiftfto an& tbe IRortb. which are opened but once a )^ear to allow the tjTcat annual procession to pass over it. The main avenue is terraced with stone and shaded by groves of er5'ptoiTierias that overhanjj- the moss-grown embankments. Half-way up is a small belfry with an enormous sloping roof richly ornamented with bnmze plates bearing the crest of leyasu, in which hangs a fine bronze bell. The method of ringing it is unique: a huge log of wood is suspended outside the bell at such an angle that when pulled out it will on the rebound strike the bell on a certain spot, making a fine, clear tone that can be heard at a great distance. At the summit, where the avenue divides, is a massive granite torii, a symbol of Shintoism, twenty-seven and one-half feet in height ; and to the left is a graceful five-storied pagoda rising, tier on tier of lessening stories, to a height of one hundred and four feet. The eaves of the lower story arc decorated with painted carvings of the twelve signs of the zodiac: the rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, serpent, horse, goat, ape, cock, dog, and pig. "We walked on between rows of stone lanterns to the entrance of the grounds, where the priests sell tickets of ad- mission. Provided with the cj^uaint scraps of paper, we mounted the handsome stone steps and passed through the " Gate of the Two Kings, " which still retains the name, although the original figures have been replaced b}' hideous images — monsters with huge ugly mouths, supposed to have power to frighten away demons. It might iinprove the landscape if they would perpetrate their special gift on each other. In the large paved courtyard stand three handsome buildings with sloping tiled roofs. Under the eaves of the largest are painted carv- 95 ■ffn JBamboo !lLan&8. ings of elephants, represented with the hind legs turned the wrong way. The work is attributed to the famous left- handed artist Hidari Jingoro, and is considered very artistic. Two of the buildings are treasure houses, in which are stored relics of leyasti and the numberless properties belonging to the temple. Arranged in rows about the court are one hundred and eighteen magnificent bronze lanterns with massive stone bases, placed there by noblemen in honor of leyasu and lighted on festive occasions. The stable, in which the sacred white pony is kept for the use of the god, is decorated with life-like carvings of monkeys, represented as covering their eyes, ears, and mouths with their hands. Stone slabs with the " blind monkey," the "deaf monkey," and the "dumb monkey" are noticed by the roadside in rural districts throughout Japan, the idea being that this uniL[ue trinit)- neither see, hear, nor speak any eAul. They are known by the name of San-goku no saru. Xear b)' is the famotis holv-water cistern fashioned out of solid granite and supplied by the vShiraito, or " White Thread Cascade," on the mountain. The water overflows its sides so evenly, it seems to be almost a part of the stone itself. We passed under a fine bronze torii to the Kyozo, a handsome building containing a complete collection of Buddhist scrip- tures. The combination of art, architecture, and rich coloring in this courtyard is a revelation of beautv. A prett}' feature of the place is the soft tinkle of golden wind-bells that hang along the eaves. Still farther on, up another flight of steps, is a smaller court, partly enclosed by a stone balustrade. In this court, crowded with beautiful objects oi marvellous workman- 96" IRikl^o an& tbe Bortb. ship, we noticed particularly a bronze candelabrum, a gift of the Kinj;- of Loochoo, a bell from the King of Korea, and a huge candlestick from Holland. " Old Japan" considered these three kingdoms her vassals. Dazzled with luxury, we ascended .still another flight of steps to the wondrously beautiful two- storied Yomeimon gate, ornate with lines of beaut)', intricate traceries, graceful arabesques, and marvellous carvings of Chinese sages, groups of children, dragons' heads, and mythi- cal beasts. The cloisters on either side are elaborately orna- mented with showy carvings of flowers and birds painted in natural colors and harmonized with unsurpassed art. Passing through the gate, we entered a courtyard containing several buildings, one of which is reserved for the kagura, or sacred dance, of ancient date. The dancer was a priestess, also of ancient date. She wore wide trousers of silk, overdress of some light material, a wreath of artificial flowers, and alter- nately held in her hands fans or strings of bells. She postured and waved her gauzy mantle, made strange passes with fans and bells, while priests, squatted in a semicircle, beat drums and groaned hymns in unison. The music was melancholy and weird, the performance tedious and absurd. In another building we were shown the sacred cars used in religious pro- cessions and supposed to be occupied by the deities who are expected annually to grace the occasion. In the centre of the court is the sacred enclosure, or holy of holies, containing the chapel, which we entered by the splendid Karamon gate, constructed of precious woods from China, beautifully inlaid with flowers and birds in relief, each 99 IFu Bamboo Xant>s. finished with the same patient, loving- care of deeoration, "We removed our foot-g'ear before treading on the moss-like mats of the antechamber, that have never been desecrated by bar- barian boots. The vails and ceilings are lavishly ornamented with bronzes, carvings, frescoes, and gold and black lacquer. We gazed and wondered at the skill that arranged this har- monious coloring and luxuriance of decoration. Within the oratory there is neither furniture nor ornament, except the universal emblem of Shintoism, the gohei, solidly gilt and at- tached to a long wand (the ordinary one to be seen in every Shinto shrine is composed of twisted strips of gilt paper), and a black-lacquered table, on which stands a lonely Shinto mirror. The cool dimness of the interior and the atmosphere of an- tiquity remain indelibly impressed on nry mind. We had ex- hausted our vocabulary and ourselves in adnriration of these matchless shrines ; yet all this splendor is but a prelude to the tomb itself, on the summit of the sacred hill. It is reached by returning to the courtyard, passing through an old doorway, over which is a famous carving of a sleeping eat, the clicf d' wuvrc of the left-handed artist Hidari Jingoro, and ascend- ing two hundred and twenty moss-grown steps to the mauso- leum, where rest the ashes of the greatest ruler Japan ever produced. The tomb is of massive stone surmounted bv a pagoda- shaped urn of the finest gold, silver and copper bronze. In front, on a 1(.)W stone table, are a bronze incense-burner, a vase of bronze with lotus flowers and leaves in brass, and a bronze tortoise supporting a stork. This last-mentioned ornament is IRihho au6 tbe IRortb. seen frequently in temples, and typifies " length of daj's. " The enclosure is surmounted by a lofty stone wall with balustrade, and shaded by grand old cryptomerias and a luxuriant growth of azaleas and bamboo grass. This tmadorned tomb of the mighty Shogun standing in silence and in shade above and be- hind the splendid red-laccjucrcd temples raised in his honor is a stately finish to this exquisite creation. We retraced our steps by the massive stairwaj-s gray with lichen, each stone fitted with such exactness, and without mortar, as to stand the wear and tear of nearly three centuries without displacement, down through the temple courts to the main avenue. The temples of lemitsu, in close proximity to those of leyasu, are reached by an avenue that branches from the grand approach. On the right are two temples of the Shinto faith, plain but of luuch interest. On the left is a red-lacquered building dedicated to Amida in which are preserved the bones of Yoritomo, the founder of the Shogunate, a shrewd, un- scrupulous, ambitious personage. A flight of steps leads to the entrance guarded on either side by two gigantic wooden figures painted a bright red and standing in niches. In the inner court we noticed a massive stone water-basin. Another flight of steps brought us to the gate called Niten- mon, whose four handsomely finished niches are occupied by mythological figures of gods. Those of wind and thunder, mak- ing a great display of teeth, are the most absurd of the quar- tette. The coloring is intense. Passing through the courtyard, we ascended successive flights of steps to the splendid Yashamon gate, the most beau- 103 Iln Bamboo Xan53. tiftil of tlie scries. The oratory and chapel are as magnifi- cent!}' decorated as those of leyasii, and brilliant with all the gorg'eous paraphernalia of Buddhist worship. The tcinples of leyasu, dedicated in later years to Shintoism, have been shorn ■of ornaments, but those of lemitsu still remain in Buddhist hands. The bronze toinb, reached by ascending more flights of steps, is enclosed b}' high stone walls and shaded b}' a wealth of cr^'ptomerias. After seeing the tomb, we went by special permission to in- spect the treasures in the Tamayu of lemitsu. The iron store- room contains a second smaller room, on " whose walls are hung about twenty of the finest examples of decorative painting that could be achieved by the Japanese artists of the seven- teenth centurv, working without the smallest concern for time ■or expense. The subjects depicted are all Buddhistic. Gold is profusely used, and used with a firinness, directness, and fine- ness of stroke that are absolutely marvellous. The colors are wonderfulh' rich and mellow; indeed, the best of the pictures seem to radiate a perfect glow of brillianc)', without, however, the slightest approach to garishness or obtriisiveness. The original silk on which the picture is painted is not suffered to appear at all, being completely covered with n:iicroscopic illu- mination or beautifully designed brocades in glorious colors. The borders, which in ordinary pictures consist of rich fabrics, are here replaced by hand-painting inconceivably accurate and minute. The artist, in fact, took a single piece of seamless silk, speciall}- woven for the purpose, perhaps eight feet long 104 MOSS-GROWN STEPS TO THE TOMB. lEYASU. IRikfio an^ tbe IWortb. and four wide, and covered the entire surface with illuminated paintino-, from the elaborate borders of scrolls and diapers to the central deity clothed in raiment of g'old cloth, every line of which is faithfully produced. In the same storeroom are man}- other objects of beaut)' and interest; for exainple, a number of illuminated scrolls enclosed in a lacquer case that is of itself a marvel; some boxes of the most cxcjuisite filigree metal-work; and the norimono, in which the mortuary tablet of lemitsu was carried to the shrine." All this gives but a faint idea of the magnificent care lav- ished by the men of old on the mausolea of their ancestors. This aggregation of gates, bronze lanterns, superb temples and their rich contents, are fully equal to those of leyasu. No pen can adequately describe these glorious shrines in their deep green setting of crj^ptomerias, this expression of a racial genius, and all attempts must begin in utter despair and end in abso- lute failure. Nor can one coinpare them with that world-re- nowned temple-tomb of India, the Taj Mahal, for they have not a single detail in common. We remained a week at Nikko and visited the temples each day, and each day became more enchanted. The festival of leyasu took place as advertised. A slight shower had passed and the day was faultless, jNIidway up the grand avenue the hotel had provided benches and refresh- ments, and there, toward noon, we assembled and waited. vSoon with heaven-piercing shouts, a crowd of men and bovs appeared, dragging a large pine-tree up the avenue and fol- lowed by a multitude of people eager to secure branchlets as 107 Hn Bamboo XanC»s. ■charms against evil spirits. vSo great was their success that, upon reaching tlie summit, the stalk was bare. The echo of the shouts had scarcely died away when the grand entrance- gate was thrown open, and the religious procession was seen to leave the grounds and move down the avenue. If you wish to see something that will divert you, )'ou should witness a festival of this nature. It was one of those pageants peculiar to japan, a sort of religious masquerade, "like a reflection of the magnificence of the past ; serving to remind the people of the traditions, the personages, and the illustrious events of earlv times." I expect never to see the like again. The pro- cession approached with music and waving banners. At the head were priests, mounted on the sacred ponies and clothed in gold-brocaded robes, or in crimson silk chasubles and white cassocks, and followed by a retinue in bright-yellow gowns and black-lacquered caps, holding aloft huge temple fans on long poles that were curious and characteristic. Warriors, dressed and armed in the ancient style, played their part, too, in this fantastic show. Then came men and bo}-s wearing masques and quaint costumes of three hundred years ago, belonging' to the temple and worn only on festival clays. The}- waved ban- ners and curious flag-shaped ornaments used in temples ; others carried live birds and monkeys, or walked in pairs, partly hidden under the skins of ferocious beasts. Scattered at intervals were the sacred cars, huge structures built on wooden wheels, with temple-like roofs, black-lacquered bodies, valances of rich needlework, gorgeous old draperies of red and yellow silk, and drawn along bjr strings of devotees. Bands of io8 TOMB OF lEYASU. mmo anb tbe IRortb. music in the procession made a most horrible din with gongs and others with drums slung on a pole on which others banged; and scores of primitive flutes and fifes squeaked to bring out the noise with livelier intensity. There is no difficulty which may not be overcome by determination ! The train was at least a mile in length, and along the avenue flowed an im- mense crowd, which had come from every part of the country to enjoy this celebrated festival. The procession marched slowly over the sacred " Red Bridge" and through the town, holding high carnival until evening. The fete lasted but one da}', and closed that night with a grand illumination of the temples and grounds. Innumerable huge, gay-colored paper lanterns flashed light from every building and gateway, the pagoda, the trees that line the stairways to the tomb, and the tomb itself. Hundreds of bronze and stone lanterns added their quota of light ; and the vast crowd carried small lighted lanterns of paper. The soft breeze swayed the golden wind- bells, and from the main avenue floated upward the deep tones of the great bronze bell. We walked tip through this materi- alized fairyland to the sunimit of the hill and looked down the long green vista of the pines over the brilliantly lighted grounds. It was a sight rare and impressive — a beautiful spectacle, such as the Champs Elysees all e/i fi-tc, one blaze of light, could not rival. Nikko and its environs have endless attractions. It has lofty mountains, deep valleys, cascades gliding down the hill- sides and foaming over rocks ; frolicsome little rivulets scatter through the beautiful groves, and the paths and dells are endless. IFn Bamboo XaiiC>s. Our favorite walk was along the sacred river, a clear moun- tain stream that rushes noisily between banks of mighty rocks. Arranged in a long row are hundreds of sacred images of Amida, a pcjwerful deity who dwells in a loveh' paradise to the west. These worn and moss-grown iigtires, roughly hewn from stone, ha\-e for ages contemplated the " sunn}^ splendor" of that marvellous vallc}-. It is difficidt to describe the effect produced by them. It is said to be impossible to count these images, never twice alike, but wc had reason to believe that this legend applies onh' to devout Buddhists. We don't know exactly how it was, but one da)-, while examining them close- ly, a head fell oft' and we sprang aside just in time to save our toes. After recovering sufficiently from the excitement, we reverently replaced it, that future visitors might miss none of the diversions. Another pleasant walk was through the village street, where we spent hours in the shops, particularlv those in which photographic views were sold. Everv evening' the hotel corri- dors were thronged with dealers in prett}- curios and in articles made from skins and a black fossil wood from Sendai. We selected a few, which we purchased f()r much less than the price demanded. A Japanese can always buy of his countrymen for half the price which a foreigner is asked to pay, and even then, so cheap is skilled labor, the dealer makes a verj- satis- factory profit. We made a day's excursion to lovely waterfalls in the vicin- it)'. The abundant moisture of this locality covers the hills to their summits with pines, maples, liambtJO, and wild azaleas iu tMhko an& tbe IRortb. ■i);reat profusion. It was a charminy ride by kurtima around the base of Toyama to a tea-house that cominands a fine view of Kirifuri-no-taki, or "The Mist-Falling' Cascade. " As soon as we alig-hted, attendants brought on lacquered trays tea (without sugar or milk), which we had learned t<^ like, and sweetmeats that we thought insipid. We soon became accus- tomed to the bitter flavor of green tea, and it was well we did, .as there are few countries where water is so dangerous to ■drink, without boiling. From the balconv we enjoved watch- ing- the waterfall as it made its trial plunge and piled itself on the rocks below. On taking our departure we placed on the tray the expected small coin. For a nearer A'icw, we walked along a steep, rough patli to the iuot of the cascade, which falls over a cliff carpeted with rare ferns and everv species (^f moss, kept ever green by the spray, that can find foothold in the crevices of the rocks. Birds chirped overhead, and we lingered long in that secluded retreat of marvellous beaut}'. A tramp of two miles through woods and densely shaded ravines, crossing and recrossing an erratic little streain of many bendings and aspects, brought us to Makura-no-taki, or the "Pillow Cascade," sixty feet in height. Picturesque as it is, it is not a paradise. vSerpents lurk among the wild flowers and lie on the rocks, and one of a poisonous species that crawled leisurel}' across the path threw a barefooted coolie into paroxysms of fear. From Nikko it is usual to make an excursioii to Lakes Chii- zenji and Yumoto, higher up in the mountains. Our choice of •conveyance lay between saddle-horses with bad reputations for IIS flu Bamboo Xau5s. biting and Icickiny, and so small I should be averse to mount- ing- one, and kagos, a kind of basket-chair, suspended on a strong bamboo pole and carried on the shoulders of two men. "We chose the kago. The seat is very low and the position tire- some ; bnt it is A'cry much better suited to rough mountain trips than the more cimifortable kurunia. Thus fitted out, we started. All tlie first part of the journe}- was a gradual ascent by a rough road with an abundance of shrubs and wild flowers growing by the wayside. There was plenty of dust and plenty of sun, until we entered a mountain gorge. Walls of basalt, a rock comparatively rare in Japan, loomed up on either side and a mountain torrent rushed down the valley. Leaving the kuru- mayas at a tea-house for rest and refreshment, we walked along' the winding road which skirts the stream for a considerable distance, under cliffs from which water trickled on our heads, and crossed to the opposite shore by a frail bridge of bamboo. A little farther on we came unexpectedly to a streanr that blocked the path, and were obliged to wait until the coolies ar- rived to carry us over. As we proceeded, the flowers that come in the autumn blazed in scarlet glory along the path ; birds sat on the bushes and examined us, in no wise disturbed by our coming ; an indescribable sweetness breathed around us. The zig-zag paths up the mountain were steep and slip- pery, but the views throiigh the trees were sublime. As we crept higher and higher, to the left towered cloud-capped mountains rising height beyond height, broken at intervals b}' valleys densely wooded and tinted with the reds and 3'ellows of early autiTmn. We could look down hundreds of feet and see 116 IRil^ko anJ) tbe IRortb. tall trees that from that elevation resembled small shrubs. With hearts bursting- with g-ladness, we fairly eauglit our breath at the beauty of the seene, and one of the party, a stolid Ger- man scientist, was roused to remark that the seenery equalled that of the Hartz inountains. A grove of pines, fringed with LAKE CHUZENJI. trailing mosses, coA-ered the highland, and there we diverged a little to visit Kegon-no-taki, a magnificent waterfall that leaps three hundred and fifty feet to a rocky pool below. The volume of water was great after the summer rains, and we de- scended the steep precipice of two^ hundred feet bespattered with foam, regardless of the notice that the old, the 3^oung, or those who had had too much "sake" were not to go down. "9 m Hn JBamboo XanDs. The I lAviiLT of the "notice" showed lis some very eiirioiis speci- ens of fossil and ossified w(jods. Chiizenii, so dehLi'htfnlly located on the lake, is verv popular as a summer home among tile Avealthv Japanese, but its prettv tea-houses were nearly deserted at this season. Selecting one witli a fine outlook oyer tile lake, we ate our luncheon on the lialcony and enjoyed the extended yiews. The sacred mountain of Xantaisan rises abriiptly ten thousand feet from the east shore and low hills eoyered with trees enclose the other side, all charmingly re- tlccted on the unruffled Ayater. There are many celebrated mountains in this district, each with its own shrine dedicated to some special g(.id. The wind god is supposed to dwell on Nantaisan, and thousands of pilgrims ascend it in the spring to a shrine on the summit. These pilg'rimages have no flayo of penitence; they are made to conciliate his g(.>dship and keep him in good humor until haryest is passed. After a short rest, while waiting for boats to erc.iss the lake, we A'isited a larg"e reel- lacquered temple, with lilack torii, a yery sacred place. As Ave glided oyer the Avaters, AA'hich teemed with fish, Ave saAV numljcrs of boats Avith fine catches. ( )ur coolies and kagos met us at the landing-place and Ave Avere soon on our AvaA", rid- ing through gTOA'es of pine, elm, oak, beach, chestnut, maple, and a luxuriant groAvth of grapeA'ines, azaleas, SA-ringa, bani- l)oo grass, and floAArering shrubs Avhose names we had not time to learn. We made a steep ascent, and crossed several streams, Ausiting on the Avay the Rviizu-ga taki, or "Dragon's Head Cascade," a series of small falls "dancing high and dan- cing low" that form tAvo streams. We passed (jA'er a famous r IRihfto aiib tbe IRortFx battle-field of early times, and then, rising' s^-radually toward the hills, we entered the Avoods. The f(jot-path grew less and less distinct; the trees were chanyiny in character and appearance; oaks began to straggle along the highway, and pines becanae more abundant. B}- a steep nKjuntain road we reached Ynm(jto Lake, entirely surrounded by heavily tim- bered nrountains that thr( iw their dark shadows over its deep green waters. The village, a favorite watering-place, five thousand feet above sea-level, eling'S to the base of the moun- tain as if fearful of being cr(.iwded into the lake. Here arc numerous warm sulphur springs, that attract A'ietims of rheum- atism and skin diseases. Until recentlv the ]niblic batli- liouse was a feature of Japan, and these bathing" places, open to the street, are freciuented bv both sexes promiscuously. This custom of bathing' has been a1)()lished in cities, but here it is still continued. The climate is hot in summer and ccjld in winter, and snow lies to a depth of ten feet, making the place inaccessible. The town is composed of inns and tea-houses; the owners cover these with coarse matting in the fall, and es- cape the frost by going to the low country to remain until spring. AVe had intended to return to Chiizenji that night, but a t's-phoon rain came on that turned the streams into torrents and the roads into mud-holes, making it unsafe to travel. One who has experienced sub-tropical st(.)rms will understand h(.)W masterful they are. The semi-foreign hotels were crowded, and we were obliged to seek rooms at a native inn. As we alighted, the servant,s fell on their faces at our feet, all the while drawing in their breath in a curious faint whistle, a 123 IFn Bamboo Xan£»s. polite Avav of cxpressiiii;' abs(jlute submission to our Avislies. The liiyhly polished floors were immaculately neat, so neat that a lady dressed for a ball could have wandered about that house without g"etting' an atom of dust on her spotless attire. The dinner, served on small lacquer trays, consisted of soups, raw and dried fish, tasteless vegetables, boiled rice and tea. Hunyry as we were, we could not eat the strange food. After some delay the obliging landlord managed to provide us with fresh eggs, and with the addition of the rice and tea we made an abundant meal. The inn was lighted by the flame of a wick floating in a cup of cocoanut oil, placed in a paper lantern. My bedroom light, although more pretentious, only served to make the evening more dismal. It was a smoking candle of vegetable wax, stuck on an anticpie candlestick of bronze. The roonr had absolutel}' no furniture — nothing' but the three futons (cotton quilts), on the floor, on which I slept with my down pillow fur a head-rest. The wooden execution block used by the natives did not suggest comfort, and ni)' dishevelled condition rendered one unnecessar)'. That night I realized, more than CA'cr, how far away I was from home. I have no idea how long I lay awake, but it must have been near day- light when soine small unknown object ran staggering across my face. I felt suspicious, but did not disturb it, and upon in- quiry learned " it was only a centipede" with its numerous feet and length of four inches. Imagine my feelings ! The bare remembrance of the incident tortures nie, and no amount of travel can accustom me to these venomous creatures. The Japanese mode of sleeping has some serious drawbacks. 124 IRihko an5 tbe IRortb. In the morning, a fat little waitress brought water in lac qiiered bowls and pretty blue cotton towels for our ablutions, and wc completed our toilet under the embarrassing stare of half the household peeping through holes in the paper screens. After an early breakfast, a second edition of our dinner, we made a tour of the town and enjoyed a row on the lake as the beautiful sun rose above the eastern mountain-top. SALUTATION. As we returned to Nikko, stopping for lunch at ChGzenji, the country looked lovely ; the air was cool and sweet, but the heavy fall of rain that had laid the dust had also furrowed the roads, making them in places well-nigh impassable. The waterfalls were lovelier than ever, and we could not resist a second visit. Arrived at our hotel, the same little maids took charge of our mmd-splashed garments ; but we had no difficulty in recovering them, we knew their hiding-place. 127 Iln JBamboo Xan&s. The charms of Nikko were so g-reat we spent one more day among its beantiful shrines, so full of liistorio interest. That sky, those temples, those groves and walks, that charming combination of Nature and Art — it is not, I think, until you have paid them several visits and have gazed at them from within and from without that you become in synrpathv with the A-ery Soul of the place. From Xikko we went to the north. The following morn- ing we rode down the ancient avenue to Utsonomiya, where we took the train and made a hurried trip to Hakodate, on the island of Yezo. ( )ur route lay among rice-fields and tea-plan- tations, where we saw young girls gathering the leaves to be placed on mats to dry. Signs of silk culture began to appear, and soon we reached Fukushima, a very bus}' place, the centre of the trade in raw silk and silkworms' eggs. vSilk culture is an occupation peculiarly suited to woinen, as it requires great care and delicacy of touch. It is carried on wherever the mul- berr5'-tree Avill grow. "We noticed groves of these trees and women in the house-fronts stripping leaves and reeling silk, and white and 3'ellow cocoons lying on mats in the sun to kill the chrvsalides. The hatching of the eggs is a delicate and laborious process, requiring constant attention da}' and night for three weeks. The lacquer-tree, resembling tlic ash, from which the var- nish is made, and producing oil and vegetable wax, grows abundantly throughout this region. The camphor-tree also abounds. It is an evergreen, of the laurel family, having glossy leaves and bearing clusters of }X'l- 138 IRikfto an& tbe IRortb. lowish flowers which are succeeded b}- bunches of small fruit. The camphor is obtained by cutting the wood into chips, which are steeped in water or exposed to steam in a rude wooden still protected from the fire by a coating of claj', imtil the camphor is extracted and the gum is formed. AINOS OF YEZO. From Scndai, where we spent a day in visiting its famovis castle and the temples, we journeyed among some of the finest scenery on the island, not unlike that of vSwitzcrland. Few places in the world, for ruggedness of beauty and picturesque- ness of scenery, can compare with these provinces. It makes an indelible impression on the ardent lover of nature. The 131 Iln Bamboo Xan&s. mountains rise intcj grand pealcs ; tlie ricli, warm vallc3-s are liiglilv cultivated ; and tire beautiful, clear blue sk)^ is suited to the appearance of the country. There were few signs of life in the remote places, with the exception of the lonely charcoal- burners and wood-cutters, whose scattered huts and smoulder- JAPANESE JUNK. ing fires dot the forest. Just before reaching Aomori, the mountains gradually lessened in height, and we caught pic- turescpie views of the coast as we speeded along the hillsides, sparsely wooded with pines and dwarf bamboo. By a small steamer, we made the rough passage of seventy miles across Tsugaru Strait to Hakodate, one of the first two IRikfto aii& tbe IRortb. ports opened to American trade. The chief port of Yezo, it has a niai^nificent harbor protected on the south by a rocky cliff eleven htmdred and fifty-seven feet in height, at the base of which the town clusters. It is a j^reat resort of invalids, on account of the invig-orating- climate. Our two days were de- voted to walks about the place and a visit to the museum, in which are relics of the stone age and a large collection of birds and shells. We saw there also several Ainos, who are prob- ably the aborigines, if any still exist, and some interesting specimens of their work. They inhabit a province around A^olcano Bay, a little farther to the north. The Ainos differ in character from the Japanese, quite as much as in form and in color. As a whole they are broader ; they are darker in com- plexion, have heavy growths of hair and beard, and entirely distinct custoins, religion, and habits. That evening we had a sail around the bay on a junk, in general appearance much like the vSpanish cara^•el that Columbus coinmanded on his adven- turous voyage in 1492. With the exception of the two great gogg'le-evcs on either side of the bow, the wood is never painted, but is kept clean by constant scraping. The large square sail looks awkward and is difficult to control. In the light breeze we wobbled about the harbor, much interested in the antic[ue carvings and fastenings of bronze or of copper that adorned the stern, and in watching the sailors manage the ship. The native craft can be recoininended neither to per- sons inclined to seasickness nor to those in haste to reach their destinati(jn. Myriads of strange looking sea-fowl clouded the sky and flew screaming overhead. Hakodate and the coast in 13s IFu 3Bamboo Xanbs. g-encral abound in a species of fish-hawic tliat utters a wild, shrill cr\- as it swoops clown on its prcv. The next day we started down the eoast b}' steamer, and for once the Pacific behaved well and the trip was delig-htful. We had fine views of the shore and the sacred island of Kink- wazen, near Rendai, and sailing- up the bay to Yokohama, the L;'lorioiis cone of FiijiA-ama suddenly shone forth to greet us, then as suddenl)' vanished. 136 CHAPTER IV. TOKYO. Ix 1590 Tokyo, then called Yeclo, became the military capi- tal ()f Japan, the seat of the Shotjunatc, and the Mikado lived in retirement in his capital at Kyoto. Successive dynasties of Shoguns occupied " The Castle," which is stronyh' fortified by rainparts and moats. The Daimyos, feudal nobles, lived in ■S'ashikis, walled enclosures also surrounded by moats, in which the}' were compelled to reside with their two-sworded retain- ers during' half the year. The remaining' months were spent on their country estates, where they lived in almost regal splendor. After the fall of the Shogunate, in 186X, the Mika- do moved his residence t(.) Tokyu and it became the capital of the realm. These sashed and g'irded peers were deprived of power; their estates were confiscated ; their pampered retain- ers scattered throvighout the land, and their j'ashikis, which occupv the northern and southern quarters of the cit^', are fast falling to decay. Tokyo, well situated on the shores of a fine ba}', has no walls and no apparent boundary. Freight brought to the eitv is distributed by means of the artificial waterways ; the main canals have a width of three hundred feet ; the smallest are not j-nore than thirt)' feet in hreadth. The pleasure barges or 139 Iln Bamboo Xan&s. house-boats of the wealthy Japanese are furnished in a simple, refined manner. As they i^iide along- the eanals in summer's time, a j^-limpse may be had of the sweet, cool interiors, from which issue sounds of the samisen as a woman touches the string's. Arehitccturalh' the town is t3'pical. Earthcpiakes are fre- quent in Japan, and that fact must be taken into account in all building' operations. Allies of one-stor}- houses with gray roofs stretch in every direction, and structures with two full stories are few. During our stav in the city Ave lodged with a kind English lady, who occupied a s:nall house of Japanese architecture close to one of these feudal mansions of old walls and erunrbling towers. Japanese houses have a g'racc peculiar to themselves. Our pretty retreat stood in a garden, separated from the street by a lattice of bamboo and sliaded by graceful trees and vine- covered arbors. The flowers were lovelv. The trim little borders, the roses and other varieties that bloomed in profu- sion, all lircathed forth a welcome. The house, very simple in construction, consisted of a light framework of bamboo cover- ing' about thirtv square feet of ground. There is no founda- tion or cellar tt.) the Japanese building. A -veranda, shaded bv wistaria, extended across the rear, and a g'reat cherry-tree tliat grew near the entrance hung over the house like a shield. In warm weather the front was left open during the day, at night it was closed by semi-transparent screens of rice paper. In cold or inclement weather a second screen of wood is used. The interior was not diA'ided bA' walls, but each floor could be 140 THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. made into one or man}' rooms by drawinj,'' the fusnma (slidint,^ screens') that rnn in i;Tooves at the top and bottom. There is one advantas^-e in these nrovable walls: by drawing the frames yoii can enter or leave a room at an}' point you choose. I never knew ho\v uncomfortable stairs could be made until I went to Japan. They were so steep and so highlv polished, a tobog'ji'an \\'ould have simplified the descent. My own apart- ment was so small, I could scarceh' move about in it without injurinj;- the decorated panels; once I thou^-htlessly leaned against one and made an unceremonious passa^'e into the room next mine, much to my chaLcrin and to the amusement of my neii^'hbor. The furniture of the house and the cuisine were Eni^'lish ; the cook and waitress were nati\'cs with the eupho- nious names of Blossom and Spring. It is no compliment in Japan to name a child after an elder. Girls arc commonly called Star, Cherrv, Sunshine, or some such name, while a bov is Stone, Tiger, pjcar, or the like. More ceremonious names are used among the nobilit}-. There an^id charming surroundings we lived in comfcjrt, without a care or worr}' except for danger from fire; the city has manv times suffered from this terrible enem}', and in 1601 was laid in ashes. No people are more afraid of fire than the Japanese ; for if a house happens to ignite, a whole street of these structures of wood and paper burns down with incred- ible rapidity. There is generally not much loss, however ; for, as soon as a fire starts in a neighborhood, the residents cjuickly remove the screens, niats, and the few articles of furniture to a safe place, and onl}' the roof and wooden frame are left for 143 IFn Bamboo Xaii&s. the fire fiend to destroy. So "Teat is the danger that adjoin- ing" nearly every private house is found a "godown," a small fire-proof building with \valls of mud or ela^', in Avhieh are stored the family treasures. Happening one evening to be in a distant part of the eity, \ye witnessed a small fire and enji.iyed a little sport watehing the anties of the firemen, in fidl eostume, with their antiquated hand-engines. Imagine firemen carrying a fan ! but they do- it, for I saw them, and huge ones, too. Tok3-5 has a population of one million five hinidred thou- sand. Its " Castle" grounds, parks, palaces, temples, and dwellings cover an area of one hundred square miles, and the distances are immense. There are fifteen ku, or wards, thir- teen hundred streets, and three hundred and twenty thousand houses. When a street passes through more than one ward, a see(jnd secjuence of numbers is required; so there maybe several building's nmnbered three, ten, or forty, as the ease may be, miles apart. A stranger in this labyrinth becomes hope- lessly bewildered unless he has a trusty kuruma}-a, who the moment the address is g"i\'en whirls his passenger up and down streets and short-cut lanes, and lands him at his desti- nation without apparent effort. Owing to the A'ast extent of the cit)', we engag'ed kurumas for our stay, and ever}' morn- ing at the stated hour the faithful men were at the gate, with promptness highly commendable. "We rode through the streets, determined on reaching the g'uide-book sights; but the shops proved so attractive we idled away many an Ik lur, deriv- ing much pleasure and some profit. 144 All tourists in Japan contract the shoppini^' fcA'cr, and a few snfTer from it as long" as they remain in the ccjuntr}'. We eon- valeseecl slowly, and sustained a relapse in ever)- new town which we visited. The most intcrestinar of all the relitrious structures in Tukvo rS&>, -~?^Z^:^M-^ SHIBA. GATEWAY NO. 1. arc the vShiba temples, in which lie in state five Shoguns of the Tokugawa (leyasii) dynasty. In a grove of majestic trees, which serves as a public park, stand these temples, Cjuite as rich in decoration as those at Nikko but lacking their Ijeaut}- of natural surroundings. The temples of the seventh and ninth lo I4S 1fn JSamboo Xaii&s. Shoguns arc the most splendid. We passed through the ex- quisitely ornamented entrance gate to a second, distinguished b}' iminense dragons twisted about the pillars, and by the " Im- perial Tablet" that hangs above the portal. In the court-yard stand two hundred and twelve magnificent bronze lanterns dat- ing' from 1716 A.I)., gifts of noblemen to the ShGgun. By a third gateway we entered a gallery whose panels are gor- geously decorated with painted carvings of birds and flowers. We took off our shoes, paid the admission fee, and, in eharg'e of a priest with an intelligent, kindh* face, entered the sane- tvim. It is a place of wondrous splendor. The interior deco- rations are magnificent. The three-leaved crest of the Shogun adorns innumerable places, paintings of lions ornament the walls, blinds of bamboo and silk and hangings of fine needle- work conceal the altar. vSmall lacquered tables of rich design support lacquered boxes containing' scrolls of Buddhist scrip- ture. The three gorgeous shrines of gold-lacqtier are said to enclose images presented by the Mikado and too sacred to be shown. The clergy eke out their insufficient salaries by the sale of a curio now and then. While in the oratory, the monk produced from his ample sleeve a piece of brocade cut from an ancient altar banner. I ventured to touch with profane hand the sacred fragment, and bought it for a silver piece — his soul and his silk for a yen ! Of ni}' part in the transaction I have 3-et to repent. The tombs are of plain stone, resembling pagodas, and, like those at Nikko, present a strong contrast to the grandeur of the temples. The shrine in the temple of the second Shogun 146 is of fine gold-lacquer, two hundred and fifty years old ; the beautiful bronze incense-burner is of the same a_t;-e. A sh(.)rt walk and we reached the (")ctag-onal Hall that contains his tomb, the larg'est and finest specimen of gold-lacquer in the world. Hours were spent in examining these beautiful shrines, and at each subsequent visit we were more and more impressed by their magnificence. Although the day was waning when our surve}' of Shiba had ended, we toiled wearily up one hundred stone steps to the summit of Atago for a fine view of the Bay. The scene was most pleasing; the sunset colors tinted the distant mountains and the white sails of junks that glided over its blue expanse. As we were returning, deep tones of temple bells came floating' out of the narrow streets. We spent a morning in the Kwan-Koba, the finest bazaar in Tok}'6, a large low building in Shiba Park. The interior is divided b)' high partitions, and a continuous aisle runs back and forth across its entire length. All kinds of articles used b)' the Japanese in daily life are attractively arranged on its shelves; it was the best collection of its kind that we saw. The attendants were sweet little women in native dress — the kimona, a scant)-, loose gown reaching to the feet and hollowed out at the neck, the large sleeves hanging to the knee, a broad obi (sash), and hair most elaborately arranged. We noticed in the bazaar a Japanese lady robed in the latest Parisian fashion, showing the eft'ects of foreign influence. In place of wooden clogs, a loose gown, and uncovered head, she wore high-heeled boots, a tight-fitting dress, and a much- 149 IFii JBamboo 3LanCis. bedecked hat. I shall never forg'et her indescribably gfrotesque figure as she posed with a self-conscious air, exactly like a dumnijr in a shop Avindow. The sight Avas ugh' and painful. She mtist have been cruelly tortured b}- the restraint of her new costume, and I pitied her. No wise Jaj^anese will lightly change the old for the new. 15° Uo\\vo. Amonij my purchases was a small box containing four models of native musical instruments. One, the koto, has seven waxed-silk strings stretched over a sounding-board of hard wood and is played with ivory fing'er-tips. It is the most esteemed of modern instruments. Another, a one-stringed koto, is very ancient, dating back fifteen hundred years. The gckkin has four strings and resembles a guitar. The samisen, the national instrument of the women, is not unlike a banjo. The sounds produced by these instruments are agonizing to sensitive ears. An authority on Japan affirms that at certain Shint5 festivals of great sanctity both stringed and wind in- struments are played in silence. I did not attend a concert of that nature, but I could attest to its popularity with Euro- peans. The Koyo-Kwan (Tinted-Maple House) on the heights be- 3'ond Shiba is the most noted restaurant in Tokyo, a resort of princes and nobles when they wish to give banquets. By invi- tation of a Japanese lawyer, we had dinner there — a dinner, a complete example of a native feast. The party, in addition to this gentleman, consisted of his wife and mother and three Americans. The Japanese were descendants of samurai, two- sworded retainers of feudal lords, and wore their mon, or crest, embroidered in silver on their garments. They were the first high-caste Japanese I had the honor of meeting, and I studied them. Our host, a lawyer and Harvard graduate, was well- looking in face, intelligent, and learned. No opinion is sought 151 Iln Bamboo Xan&s. more eagerl)- than his, or more highl)- paid for. He wore a dark gray silk kimona, and attached to his belt was his pipe and tobacco-ponch. The ladies also wore silk kimonas of sober tone; their sashes were rich and elegant, and in their head-dress of puffs and bow-knots were stuck costly ornaments of coral and o-old. The wife, so tiny she looked like a child, was very young, pretty, well educated, unassuming, unaspiring, with the most beautiful hands imaginable. Her face and neck were covered with powder and her glossy black clicvchirc was smoothed with great care. A Japanese lady never uses curling-tongs or crimping-i^ins, as it is considered a great misfortune to possess 152 TLokvo. wavy hair; but if nature lavishes a large nose upon her she is always a reigning beauty. Until the present Empress introduced a reform, married women were required to shave their e}-ebrows and blacken their teeth, as a wife is supposed to have attractions for her husband onl)'. This hideous practice amounts to positive in- humanit}-. The custoin is dying out among the upper classes, and our friends were not thus disfigured. It is to be hoped that this, the first move in the right direction, will result event- ually in the Asiatic wife attaining her rightful position in the household, as companion and counsellor of her husband. Both ladies had that indescribable charni of person and 153 IFn Bamboo Xanbs. grace of manner that seem to be the birthright of everj^ Japa- nese woman. The family' all wore quaint little cotton socks with an ar- rangement like a glove-finger for the great toe ; placed in a row at the entrance, to be pnt on when the part}' went out, were INTERIOR OF JAPANESE HOUSE. three sets of patrician lacc[uered clogs and three pairs of plebeian leather boots. The architecture of the house was pure Japanese ; the floors were highly polished and covered with soft white matting, which one would have been cpiite unwilling- to walk on with coarse shoes, even if allowed to do so. The entire absence of furniture was not in accordance with our ideas of comfort. 154 'f^'^ DWARF TREES. Uohvo. The Japanese believe thorduyhly in the "sublimity of spaee." The rooms were larye ; some were foitrteen-mat rooms and one was a twenty-eig'ht-mat room. These beatitifiil floor-covering's are made of rushes closely woven tog'cther, and are always of one size — three feet b}' six feet and two and one-half inches thick. It is usual to ecmipute the area of a room by the num- ber of its mats. We first walked throug'h the house, admiring its neatly fin- ished interior. In the tokonomas, alcoves with highly jjolished floors slightly elevated, old distorted pine-trees were growing in ornamental pots; and kakemonos, painted or written scrolls of birds or landscapes, were hung on the toko walls. A Japa- nese interior is very effective because it alwa^-s gives a work of art the advantage of ample room. The beautiful screens, the open-work friezes, the tobacco boxes, the sake bottles and cups, the soup and rice bowls were all decorated with maple-leaves either painted, carved, (jr (jf pierced woodwork. A veranda extended across the rear ; fronr this we enjoyed a wide vista, embracing the curiously fanciful g'arden, the gra}' roofs, and stretching far out to sea. The garden was a miniature land- scape ; a pretty combination of mou.ntain, lake, waterfall, dwarf shrribs, and carefully trained pines two hundred 3'ears old and only a foot high. A hedge was trimmed to simu- late a huge rock ver}' irregular in shape, and the effect was peculiar. When dinner was anounced, we were ushered into a room whose only ornament was a large blue vase filled with chrys- anthemums. On the floor were arranged six flat velvet cush- 157 IFn Bamboo Xanbs. ions, and we took onr places on them with more regard for comfort than for elegance of position. The attendants were six A'oting women in native dress. The first course was served on travs; a small teapot, a tiny handlelcss cnp, and a bowl of water were furnished to each memlier C)f the company, and the tea ceremony began. We drank to our host, then rinsed and refilled the cups, exchang- ing compliments in this way until all the guests had been thus honored. There are no large dishes ; the plates are about the size of small tea saucers, the bowls of the smallest teacups ; the teacups hold about as much as a wine-glass. For the second course, before each person was placed a small w(joden tra)' covered with paper; and, Iving on it dain- tily, Avcrc a large round cake made of a red SAveet bean covered with a kind of rice-flour paste and four sugar maple-leaA'es colored red and green to represent the natural leaves with botanical accuracy. The cake was nauseously sweet and the leaves were too pretty to destroy, but our Japanese friends ate theirs t(.i the last crumb. Sake, the onlv intoxicating liquor used bv the Japanese, formed the third course. It is prepared from rice, contains eleven to seventeen per cent, of alcoh(.>l, has a faint taste of both beer and sherry, and is always taken before the real re- past begins. The sake brewers, comuKjn to their class in other lands, are said to be ver}' prosperous. It was served hot in long-nosed sake bottles and was drunk from china cups, which we rinsed in bowls called robiton, refilled, and exchanged with the other guests while drinking to our hosts and each other. 158 If the visitors had imbibed the seductive beveraj^e instead of merely sipping- it, I fear one of the party would have suc- cumbed to circumstances long before the ceremony was o^'cr. Japanese hospitality required too much of us. The fourth course was a soup called shiru, made of salted beans, and served in small lacc[uer-bo\vls resting- on tiny lacquered tables six inches high, called zen. The fifth course was brought in on a plate covered with a second plate made of sticks of glass wired together. It con- sisted of oblong pieces of raw tai (the best fish of Japan), ma- guro (another species of fish), akajai (a red shell-fish), small slices of kyuri (cucumber), and our old enemv, the strong- smelling daikon. Instead (if knife, fork, and spoon, two pretty chop-sticks of lacquered bamboo, scarcely thicker than a good- sized knitting-needle, from eight to ten inches long, were fur- nished. The natives use them with great skill, but practice is absolutelv necessarv. I could make but little progress with mine, and it was embarrassing, at a fashionable dinner, to struggle long- with a dainty mcjrsel and have the sticks slip apart at the critical moment. While thus engaged, the wall in front of us suddenly van- ished, disclosing another room, and the first dance began, called koyos-odori, dance of the maple-leaves, a specialty of this restaurant. These geishas or professional dancers were of the highest class. They entered froi-n an inner room, hold- ing before their faces fans decorated with tinted maple leaA'es. They postured, twirled their fans, whirled on their toes, with many gestures, much pantomime, and an expression like that 159 Hii Bamboo Xanbs. of the exquisite little Spangied Coquette that hovers over the flowers ; keeping time to the music of the koto, samisen, and kokyii, an instrument played like a A'iolin with a bow, Avhile the musicians sang a low accompaniment. The music, which was considered A'cry fine by the Japanese, was distressing to us. JAPANESE MUSICIANS. Their kimonas and obis were of silk crepe beautiful!)^ embroi- dered, and one of the girls was extremely prettv. As they danced and postvired, they looked as if they had just stepped off a fan or piece of pottery. Then came the sixth course, of chestnuts, boiled and very sweet, fried anago (eel), snipe, a cake made of egg and sea- i6o weed, stewed plnms, and boiled fish with raw carp slireddcd very fine on t(jp. A sauce called shot^ii, made of fermented wheat, beans, salt, vinegar and a dash of sake, was very good. It did not tend to make the raw fish more palatable to know that while one-half was being served to us, the dismembered carp was undoubtedly swimming about in a tub of water, as the Japanese alwavs cut them up alive, and the}' will survive for hours if head and backbone are left intact. The seventh course consisted of cooked fish, a kind of pota- to, preserved grapes, and a snrall piece of ginger. The second dance was performed by one girl, alone. The dance was called dojooji, and represented cf)ngratulations and rejoicings after a military victory. She wore first a handsome red silk crepe kimona richly embroidered in gold, with a train that she managed beautifull)-. She represented children play- ing games, and at one time bent backward until her head reached half-way to the floor. The music was made by three samisens, the players singing an accompaniment in high fal- setto tones. After posturing for a time in the red kimona, the dancer retired to the back part of the room, and with the as- sistance of another girl removed the gown and appeared in a lovely light-green robe exquisitely embroidered, with a girdle of rich silver brocade. During the dance this kimona was slipped off and a still handsomer one was seen, a gown that would make the Queen of Sheba envious. Her movements ap- peared graceful in these flowing garments, and she made good use of her long sleeves, which hung nearly to the floor ; but without this drapery her dancing would have been stiff and II i6i ITn Bamboo Xaix5s. nnnattiral. She moved not a muscle of her face, which might have been a mask, so perfect was the training. For the eiglith and last course we were served with gozen (rice), aemono (a kind of salad), brinjal (egg-plant), soup and tea. The last dance came on during this course and was called DANCING GIRLS. gonim ba3'ashi, and like the first was performed b}' three girls. It represented a daimyos' (noble) procession. Two of the girls bore lacquered to)' norimons (palanquins) on their shoulders. In one corner of the room was a small tent made of red and white cloth (the national colors), which constituted the daimyos' resting-place, and was decorated with cherry- blossoms. One girl carried a pole, from the ends of which 162 hung little house-like objects representiiiL;' Isaskets, in whieh tlie provisions for the noblemen were earried ; a short sword was worn in her belt, but she did ni)t draw it. The other two held battledores and shuttlec(.)eks, and played an imaginar)' game whieli was very pretty and graceful. The names of the dancing girls were Moto (origin), Tome (prosperity), See (clear), Ai (love), and Masu (increase). The sliding screens that separated the rooms were readjusted at the conclusion of each dance — dances that our entertainei-s watched witli ever}' evidence of unqualified approval. Tobacco smoking, so uni- versally indulged in by both sexes, was an important feature of the feast; from which, thanks to tlie courtesy of our host, we were excused. A tabako-bon, a wooden tray with fire-pot and ash-pot, stood at the side of each person. Their pipes, works of art, engraved and inhrid with silver and ivory, and enclosed in silken pouches, were carried in the breast pocket or belt. These straight silver tubes with a small bowl hold but a pinch of tobacC(.), which three whiffs exhaust. The tobacco is said to be almost tasteless. The feast was over and we all arose, three of the party with pain and difficulty. This formal and prolonged dinner had lasted for three hours, and as conversation with the ladies was impossible, and we could not appreciate tlie strange food, the feast would have been wearisome in the extreme had there not been so large a share of eomicalit)- to enliven it. The moment of departure came, congratidations were ex- changed, we Avent down-stairs, and were rolled away in our little carriages which dashed swifth' homeward. 163 Hn Bamboo 2Lan&s. Harakiri, thrusting- a knife into one's abdomen, is an ancient and honorable mode of suicide, and sporadic cases occiir to this da)'. For this they employ the time-honored instrument, the short sword. At Shinai.;"awa, a suburb of Tok3'6, is a cele- brated ceinetery that contains the graves of "the Forty- Seven Ronin," who dispatched themselves in this heroic man- ner. We visited the historic spot and paid our respects by purchasing incense from the priests and burning it on the tombs, where hundreds of former sticks had smouldered. The following account of their exploits and death was writ- ten by the brilliant scholar, Mr. B. H. Chamberlain; it is better worth reading than any description of mine : " Asano, Lord of Ako, while at Yedo in attendance on the Shogun, was entrusted with the carrying out of one of the greatest state ceremonies of those times, nothing less than the reception and entertaininent of an envo)' from the Mikado. Now Asano was not so well versed in such matters as in the duties of a warrior. Accordingl)' he took counsel with another nobleman, named Kira, whose vast knowledge of ceremonies and court etiquette was equalled only by the meanness of his disposition. Resenting honest Asano's neglect to fee him for the information which he had grudgingl}^ iinparted, he twitted and jeered at hiin for a country lout unworthy tjie name of daimyo. At last, he actually went so far as to order Asano to bend down and fasten up his foot-gear for him. Asano, long- suffering though he was, could not brook such an insult. Drawing his sword, he slashed the insolent wretch in the face and would have made an end of him, had he not sought safety 164 in flight. The palace — for this scene took place within tlie precincts of the palace — was of course soon in an uproar. Thus to cleo-rade its majesty by a private brawl was a crime punishable with death and confiscation. Asano was condemned OFFICIAL HARAKIRI. to perform harakiri that verj' evening, his castle was forfeited, his famih' declared extinct, and all the members of his clan disbanded. In Japanese parlance the)' became ronins, literall}' "wave-men," that is, wanderers, fellows without a lord and without a home. This was in the month of April, 1701. " So far the first act. Act two is the vengeance. Oishi Ku- 165 ■ffn Bamboo Xan&s. ranosukc, the senior retainer of the dead daimyo, determines to revenge him, and eonsiilts Avith fortv-six otliers of his most trust)' fellow-liei^'es as to the Avavs and means. All are williniJ" to la)' down their lives in the attempt. The diffienlty is to elnde the Adj^ilanee of the L;-overnment. For mark one curious point : the vendetta, thon_L;'h imperativel)' prescribed b)' cus- tom, was forbidden b)- law, somewhat as duelling is in certain western countries. Xot to take A'cngeance on an enemy involved social ostracism. ( )n the other hand, to take it involved capital punishment. But not to take it was an idea which never entered the head of an)' chivalrous Japanese. " After man)' secret consultations, it was determined among the renins that the)' should separate and dissemble. Several of them took to pl)'ing trades. Thc)' became carpenters, smiths, and merchants in various cities, bv which means some of their number gained access to Kira's mansion and learned manv of the intricacies of its corridors and g'ardens. Oishi himself, the head of the faithful band, went to Kyoto, where he plunged into a course of drunkenness and debaucher)'. He even discarded his wife and children. Thus was their enemy, to Avhom full reports of all these doings were brought b)' spies, lulled at last into complete securit)'. Then suddenl)', on the night of January ^o, 1703, during a violent snow-storm, the attack was made. The forty-seven ronins forced the gate of Kira's mansion, slew his retainers, and dragged forth the high- born but chicken-hearted wretch from an outhouse in which he had sought to hide himself behind a lot of firewood and char- 166 Uo[\vo, coal. Respectfully, as befits a mere gentleman when address- ing- a great noble, the leader of the band requested Kira to perform harakiri, thus giving him the chance (jf d}dng by his own hand and so saving his honor. But Kira was afraid, and there was nothing for it but to kill him like the scoundrel that he was. " That done, the little band formed in order and marched (day having now dawned) to the temple of Sengakuji, at the other end of the cit}'. ( )n their way thither, the people all flocked out to praise their doughtj' deed, a great daimyo whose palace they passed sent out refreshments to them with mes- sages of sympathy, and at the temple they were received by the abbot in person. There they laid on their lord's grave, which st(j(.)d in the temple grounds, the head of the cneni}- by whom he had been so grievoush' wronged. Then came the official sentence, condemning them all to commit harakiri. This they did separately, in the mansions of the various daimyos to whose care they had been entrusted for the last few days of their lives, and then they also were buried in the same temple grounds, where their tombs can be seen to this day. The enthusiastic admiration of a whole people during two centuries has been the reward of their obedience to the ethical code of their time and countr)-. " The Japanese love nature; they find in all her favors per- fect pleasure and complete recreation. The)' show an appre- ciation, a love of flowers that no other nation displavs ; they cultivate the most beautiful, and bouquet making is a fine art. It is difficult to understand just how the Japanese see nature; 167 IFu Bamboo Xanbs. for fond as thev are of many varieties, the}' care little for the wild fl(jwers that grow in profusion ever3'where. To sec the floral beauties most esteemed and their festivals, one should remain in the countrv durin"- an entire vear. TEMPLE OF KAMEIDO. The plum begins blossoming in January and lasts until March, and is followed hy the peach, cherry, primrose, pear, pennv, wistaria, azalea, iris, convolvulus, lotus, chrysanthe- mum, and the tinted maple-leaves of autumn. The natives arc ill-prepared for winter. Their houses, thinl)- built and insufficiently heated by charcoal braziers, are most uncomfortable durintr the short severe frost. When more warmth is required, they put on extra garments until the)' look like animated bundles. They retire early, as the evening's are drear)'; a wick, floating in a cup of oil, furnishes but a faint light. The people hail the return of spring, and the whole population turns out man}' times in the 3'ear for no other purpose than to visit places which are noted for certain kinds of blossoms. We saw in the g'ardens of Kameido groves of plum-trees gnarled and drooping with the weight of three hundred winters. Crowds of people gather there in the spring to drink sake under the fragrant boughs, and to compose verses, which, written on paper, are hung on the branches as mementos of the visit. The cherry-blossom has been called " the King of Flowers," and the " cherr}-- viewing, " which takes place in April after the much-dreaded winter is passed, is one of the great flower festi- vals of the year. Then Ueno Park and its avenues, lined with cherry-trees in full blossom, is thronged with admiring crowds. Tea-houses, shops, and booths spring into being, to disappear when the holiday' ends. They never weary of walking under the clouds of pink blossoms or of sipping cherry-flower water. The festivities last for two weeks. The tree-peony grows to immense size and its flowers reach perfection in April. In the garden of Yeiju-in is a peony one hundred years old and eight feet high that is considered a wonder, as much of the stalk withers in winter, leaving onl}^ an inch of new stem. 169 M 3Bamboo Xanbs. The wistaria is seen best at Kameiclo, in June, where the aneient trellised vines bear elusters three feet in length and a single plant affords shade to a hundred people. The azaleas in the florists' gardens at Okabo are glorious in earl)* ]May. The " Iris-viewing" is a time of general rejoicing, and thou- sands resort to Hirikiri to gaze at the great ponds filled with iris of the loveliest colors. The river-boats, gay with flags and brilliant with lanterns at night, are covered with rush 170 mats, and pleasure-loving Tokyo, bound to the iris gardens, pienics on the broad stream. The scenery is of surpassing beauty, and as the boat glides over the clear, unruffled water, the experience is one of cpiiet, elegant pleasure. This festival lasts but one week. At Shinobazu is a small lake noted for its lotus flowers, which in August scent the air. The castle moat is filled with them, and in Ueno Park there are acres of blooming plants. In October, the chrysanthemum, the national flower, blooms; and then begins the greatest festival of the year. It is the finest display of its kind in the world, and is seen at its best in Tokyo. The chr3-santhemum receives undivided atten- tion throiTghout the kingdom ; the rich employ special gar- deners to cultivate the plants in their parks, and the poor de- light in purchasing them in pots for a few sen. The most beautiful displa}^ is at Aoyama, the residence of the Empress-Dowager, and it was there by special favor we saw them in perfection. The flowers of every shade and color were enoriuous — triumphs of horticultural art. Some were grafted Avith half a dozen varieties, and others reduced to a single stem on which only one immense blossom was allowed to develop. The plants arc cultivated Yery much as they are with us. In the florists' gardens at Dangozaka, which we visited in IsTovember, the flowers are arranged to represent huinan beings, mythological figures, trees, shops, castles, bridges, and peacocks with outspread tails. Flags of various colors adorned the enclosure, and as we entered an attendant came forward to explain the scenes on exhibition. The frames 171 •ffn Bamboo Xanbs. are made of bamboo, the chrysanthemums in pots are concealed behind them, and the floAvers drawn through the opening's and trained in shape, A few represented celebrated actors ; the costumes were formed of chrysanthemums, and the faces and hands carved in wood and plastered. Japan, always lovel}-, is very beautiful in the autumn. The natives love to vicAV not onl}' the flowers, but they delight in autumnal tints and flock to certain places to gaze at the ma- ple and other leaves red- dened b}' early frost. " Y a m a s h i m e , the nymph of the moun- tains, is said to weave a variegated brocade" to cover her abode. Au- tumn leaves are named bv poets "the brocades of Nature." The most interesting month of winter is Januar)'". The New Year festival is officially observed, and every house has the pine and bamboo for exterior decorations, while flowering plum-trees, single or double blossomed, white or pink, trained into all sorts of odd shapes in blue porcelain pots or wooden boxes, make prett)' the interior of each little home. The pine, being an evergreen, is a symbol of longevit}'. The bamboo is also an evergreen and represents length of life ; the stalk has many joints, and the spaces between them are called yo, 172 THE LOTUS FOND. UENO PARK, signifying- age. It therefore " joins many ages in itself. " The pluni is a symbol of courage, strength, and virtue. Before tlie entrance gate of temples, on the last day of the year, the priests light great fires at sunset that are kept burning through- out the night, and children, each with a few feet of rope, push through the crowd to ignite one end at the sacred fire. If they can reach home with the li.ght and keep it alive until morning, good fortune is assured for the coming j^ear. This is not play, but a religious observance sanctioned by ag'es. Ueno Park, lying on the northern boundary of Tokyo, has other attractions besides its lovely flowers. We rode four miles across the town in a kuruma with two men — one to pull, the other to push — passing on the way a rickety tramroad with diinini^tive cars crowded with nati\'es, and wretched-look- ing stages drawn by still more wretched-looking ponies. We ascended the cherry-lined avenue — unfortunately the trees were not in flower — to a point that overlooks the great city. To the west, we saw the cone of Fujiyama sharply outlined against the skj^. Conspicuous anrong the miles of low houses were the castle, Shiba, and the long sloping roofs of teinples standing in groves of pine, cedar, and bamboo, which alone saves the city from one monotonous variation of gloomy color. The government buildings, of western architecture, dis- please the eye, and had absolutely no interest for us. We continued the walk up the cherry-tree avenue, realizing how lovely it must be when the air is full of " pink clouds, " hastily examined the minor attractions, and pushed on between rows of stone lanterns to the splendid gold gate presented by 173 1[n Bamboo Xan&s. various nobles in 1651, as a memorial to leyasu. The earvings of drayons, birds, foliage, and the Tokugawa crest of three asarnni leaves are fine specimens of the art. An ancient pagoda and a ruined temple are attractive features of the grounds. In 1.S67, Ueno was the scene of a battle between the Imperialists and the Shogunalists, and many of its fine temples and libraries were destro3'ed by fire. A little farther on is the jMuseum, a handsome building containing industrial, historical, and archeologieal depart- ments and a valuable collection of national antiquities. One can there follow the life of a Japanese famih' through the whole course of a da)'. In one of the rooms are preserved specimens of the crosses used in the seventeenth century for the purpose of stamping out Christianity, introduced by St. Francis Xavier. In order to discover the converts, they re- sorted "to the infamoi^s . 3, workers in clay were sent for to Izumo ; wlio made imat^es of men, liorses, and various other thing-s, whicli were set up round the g-rave instead of liv- ing beings." On leaving that rooni and its uncanny contents I seemed to be awakening from some hideous dream. Six Shijguns of the Tokugawa dynast)' are buried here, and the temples and tombs, ver}^ like those at Shiba, are monu- ments of old Japanese art. Two hundred and sixty daimyos dedicated to each tomb a pair of stone lanterns, and the eourt- 3-ards are crowded with them. When General and Mrs. Grant visited Japan, in 1S79, they planted in Ueno Park two American cypresses as a lasting re- membrance of their kindly reception and the friendship estab- lished between the two countries. They have grown large, and under their pendulous branches stands a handsome monu- :nent erected by the Japanese as a token of special regard for this distinguished American. General Grant was welcomed royally. Tokvo spent $50,- 000 in entertaining him, and the fete given in his honor in the grounds of the Engineering College was one of the most suc- cessful ever held in the capital — a veritable " Feast of Lan- terns. " General Grant expressed great admiration for the Japanese, and dwelt particularly upon the politeness and atten- tion shown to old people. "The treaty" made with the United States in 1854, fol- lowed by a revised one with all the foreign powers in 1869, has been a thorn in the side of Japan for twenty-five )-ears. It 12 177 IFu Bamboo Xan&s. opened " six ports to foreig'n trade, " exempted " foreigners from the jurisdiction of Japanese law conrts," provided for a "scale of import duties not to exceed five per cent," "the free exer- cise ld Japan." The comedies haA'c a tendency to ininiorality and to corrupt the youth of the country. The plays usually last from morn- ing until midnight, and the audience make preparations to attend the theatre as if the}' were going on a picnic, b}- taking- baskets of food; there they ]3artake of their meals with the same regularity as at home. The women are always seated by themselves. The most noted actor in Japan is Ichikawa Dan- jiiro, celebrated for his rare histrionic powers and his agilit}- as a dancer. His ancestors for nine generations have pursued the same calling. AVe went to the Shintomi-za theatre one evening to see him in his best character. AVe employed an interpreter, secured a box overlooking the stage, and prepared to eniov the performance. Alas! our guide was a failure as an expositor ; but he scored amazing success in disposing of the lunch provided at his suggestion. Danjfiro appeared and, I suppose, played his part well, according to the Japanese stan- dard ; but the people furnished most of the entertainment for us. The pit was crowded by a more or less tearfid avidience, every member of which smoked a pipe. Between the acts servants from tea-houses appeared, bearing- lacquered tra)-s with tea, rice, hard-boiled eggs, sweetmeats, and fruit, that dis- appeared like magic. We remained several hours, notwith- standing the stifling fumes and the persecution of the music. Some 3'ears ago an Italian opera troupe visited the country. and the manager of a Japanese theatre hired the company to sing before a native audience, who listened attentively and behaved with propriety, until " they had recovered from the first shock of surprise;" then they were seized with paroxysms of laugh- ter at the high tones of the soprano. They " laughed at the absurdities of European singing- until the tears rolled down their cheeks, and then they stuffed their sleeves into their mouths" in a vain effort to control themselves. The experi- ment was not repeated. Public exhibitions of wrestling are given in structures of bamboo decorated with inany-colored flags. "We liked to watch the fat little fellows in their contests. We could have seats be- low on the ground, or covild climb the steep ladder to benches reserved in the gallery ; we took the latter, and looked down upon the performance. The wrestlers are called into the arena by a herald and enter froin opposite sides. They wear nothing but an apron of satin or A^elvet, richly embroidered in gold with all manner of objects and bordered with a fringe reaching to the feet. Their hair, plaited in a knot, forms a tuft on their heads. The umpire, who bears in his hands a fan, stands ar one end, and at the foot of each pillar sits a veteran wrestler as a judge of appeals. When a round is finished, the umpire lifts his fan on the winner's side, and if a discussion arises, the 189 IFn aSamboo Xan&s. judycs settle it. There arc forty-eight prescribed devices in the art, each of whicli lias eight minor divisions. These are not in accordance with Western scientific rules. The Kiniura family nifjnopolizc the business, and a man who desires to become a wrestler nii;st be a pupil of a Kiniura and adopt the name. =lJ b ^iw ^v^'^'' I J ^ '''"- '" --^^^ --'^k ^^^ WRESTLING. The Buddhist temple of Ekoin is a noted place for wrestling matches in the spring and fall, when the combatants do their best to obtain promotion, and derives its only means of sup- port from the crowds that flock there to witness these feats of skill. igo One morning- was agreeably spent in the Arsenal and its ex- tensive garden, larger and more heantiful even than that of Count Ookuma, and another in the Yushu-kwan, a mnsetmi of arms eontaining an interesting collection of old Japanese armor, swords and scabbards, and a few Korean relics. The ^"^^^ ^ !r!fiitiJli •* ^ . .^-oarSx^^aSOklES apjy', ' .^£S8lwei^Mgm^ &JK M^^H^«t^' SS^^^^^a BBBIBmE^B^S^^SpTB-: fKsp- 'm ^ss^^^^^^ BI^^^^^I*^aSrV^'" mmm^m '■ t^SMu^^^.^^ H^^^^PT^^R -a^ ■ /.' ■>'- " *i('ji ^3ff ^ ■■■SHBB' ■ ■•■•■ wBs^MkM r-^ r?* '^.M."j ^^ ^^^^^F^. -J® •^t '■:■ ,'<^. aT ;a^»««^--^ ^H^S^^fi^:^ •'^^ •*liH^F ^ IK » ■Bi£?^?i^ ■ ^^HhhSI^SS^^^^m^ -■- -^■■^-■^iS; BOTANIC GARDENS. following account of a street fight which occurred in 1864 was written by a native : " The Choshiu troops were defended b)' armor, their leader clad in a suit of armor tied with grass-green silken strings, and covered with a garment of Yamato brocade. Over this he wore a surcoat of white gauze with figures drawn on it in IQI IFn Bantboo Xan£>s. black. He bestrode a charg'er, a baton of gold paper in his hand. Before him went flags and banners and two field-pieces, with a conipan)' of thirty spearmen. The spears, crossing each other, looked like a hedge of bamboo grass; bullets flew over his head like axle-trees. Helmets and cuirasses that had been cast awa}- b}' their owners, spears, pikes, bows, and mus- kets, were h'ing about in quantities. A second leader was mounted on horseback, and held a baton of white paper in his hand. He wore a mantle of scarlet embroidered with his crest, ihe trefoil, and rmder it a suit of armor adorned with purple fastenings. His head-covering was a warrior's cap of bronze leather. " The hotirs flew in visits to markets for the sale of fruits, vegetables, and fish. A large portion of the population of Japan are engaged in the fishing industry' ; the waters are alive with schools of fish of all kinds, besides many other forms of marine life. The whole fishery represents a value of $20,000,- 000; the fresh-water catch alone amounts to $1,000,000. We liked to examine the pj^ramids of curious vegetables and the great A'aricty of grotescpie-looking monsters of the deep, and watch the traffic ; and one day we made an interesting discov- ery in connection with it. After a selection is made the bu^^er resorts to a neighboring tea-house for refreshment, and there his purchases are brought for his inspection, and, if satisfac- tory, the goods are paid for and the bargain is concluded. With the exception of the mandarin orange, the fruits are al- most tasteless. Not a few American varieties are being culti- vated in the Land of the Rising Sun — especially apples, which 192 A WARRIOR IN FULL UNIFORM. are gTown in lar^^-e quantities in tlie island of Yeztj for expor- tation. There are no happier ehildren in the world than the Japa- nese. Parents love their offspring;- tenderly, as one would eon- elude from the poetry they write (.)n the appearance of each new to(.)th, and two days are set apart in the sprinpj as festivals for them. The fete for t^-irls occurs on the 3d of March, and every doll-shop in Tok^-o and other cities is .t^ayl}' decorated and stocked with tiny models. Dolls are purchased and dis- played in every little home; those stored away froin previous anniversaries are brought out, and the morning is occupied in decorating the doll-stand, placed in the best room in the house. The miniature einperors and empresses are first put in places of highest honor on the top row, and court ladies in fidl dress, the bands of musicians, the prime ministers on the right and left; dolls representing mythical or historical personages, such as "the old couple of Takasago" or some great poetess, Avith a sprinkling of ordinary dolls. Musical instruments, flowers ar- ranged in vases, paper lanterns, and other pretty articles are tastefully laid out at respectful distances from the august occu- pants of the throne above. This done, the girls are left to en- joy themselves, which they often do by having mock dinner- parties and other ceremonials. If there is a new-born daiigh- ter in the familv, mfjdels of the Japanese court in ancient cos- tumes — now never seen — are given to her on her first festival ; if the family are in prosperous circumstances, tiny dinner ser- vices in porcelain and lacquer, work-boxes, and household utensils are brought, to be kept until her marriage, when they 19s Hit Bamboo Xanbs, are sent to the house of the bridegroom. As there are no spinsters in Japan, tlie liusband invariabl}' gets the entire col- lection. The festival for bo^'s is celebrated on the 5th of May, and models of miniature warriors in full armor are purchased for the new-born son. A long bamboo pole, with a huge fish float- ing' from the top, is set up before each little house, and is a most effective sign. It represents the carp swimming up a stream against the current, and is a symbol of the success a boy is expected to achieve in his struggles with the world. Feasts are given on both occasions, much rejoicing is heard, and friends send presents and congTatulations. In riding through the streets one day I dropped my fan — a cheap little thing I had purchased at Vancouver — and not worth stopping to recover. A week later I entered a small shop, and there sat the proprietor, fanning' himself with the lost article. i\Iy initials were on it, and purely t\)r mischief I pointed to it and said, " Ikura?" ("How much?") As he shook his head and clutched his treasure, a faint, inscrutable sn:iile passed over his countenance. It was the ugliest and least de- sirable fan in his shop, and I left him in iindisturbed possession of his souvenir. Later, I learned that the Japanese have a superstition that if a man find a fan lying in the road, he is likel)' in the future to become a member of some noble family. I rejoice to have so materially assisted in another's advance- ment. One evidence of the piety and energ}^ of old times is seen in the number and beauty of the temples built and kept in repair 196 all over the king-dom, but we were greatly impressed by the ap- parent decay of religion. Their chiireh festivals are holiday gatherings, their pilgrimages soeial outings. The Shinto is the true religion of Japan, and the rites prescribed by it are ancestor worship and filial piety. The worship is as ancient as the race. Their private devotions are limited to a " God-shelf" in every house, on which is a Shinto shrine, enclosing the memorial tablets of deceased relatives, and a Shinto mirror of steel, in which they are supposed to see their sins, as thev do their distorted features. The great Buddhist temple of Asa- kusa is the most poprilar in Tokyo, and there religion and pleasure mingle in delightful disorder. Several hundred j-ears ago, a small figure of Kwannon, the goddess of mercy, was found in the river near by. It was declared to have dropped from the skies ; it has since been preserved as a sacred relic, and can be seen to this daj' in the temple. No goddess has so many worshippers as she, or was ever adored with more ardent devotion. The temple and grounds are the great holi- day resort of the middle and lower classes ; the neighborhood is well supplied with theatres and tea-houses ; and the broad paved avenue that leads to the entrance is lined with booths, where photographic views, all manner of ingenious toys, gew- g'aws, sweetmeats, and food are sold. I was urged to trj^ a small brown rice-cake, an innocent-looking afliair, and shall never forget how horrible it was; I had tasted some awful inixtures in the past month, but nothing that coxtM compare wdth that morsel fried in fish-oil. As we walked along, throngs of children with queer e3'es 197 1in Bamboo Xan^s. and untidy noses clustered around us and pulled our skirts. This we endured with a good grace for a while, until, weary, we brought it to an end. A Japanese friend had kindly pro- vided us with a phrase to use when annoj^ed in this way, and we tried it with telling effect. Thej' shrank awa}' with horror depicted on their faces, but, as I know neither the meaning of it nor how to spell it, I will not attempt to write it. We had a second experience at Kj^otS with the same satisfactory result. The natives of the Orient are well known for their super- stition, and the shops in which charm-bags are sold are num- berless. A charnr usually has the name of some god upon it, or a quotation from Buddhist scripture. The custom of wear- ing an amulet is universal; young children wear them tied about the waist, adults conceal them in the g'irdle, and the aged, anxious to stand well with the gods, wear anv number of them. There is a superstitious impression that they haA^e oc- cult power to ward off evil, and to drop one is accounted un- lucky and foretells speedy death. While in the towns sriper- stition is to some extent dving out, it still holds undivided sway in isolated proA'inces, where the natives have not been brought into contact with Europeans. Farther on are booths filled Avith idols of brass and wood, incense-burners, and other devo- tional articles. We came upon a small shrine of Jizo and a praver wheel — the SA'mbol of faith. The prayers are not written as in India; the siippliant merelv turns the wheel, with the simple recpiest that Jizo will let his sins pass by unnoticed, that he may not be punished for them in a future state. The idea is essentially 198 this: that our misfortunes are the result of sins committed in a pas: existence; that acts and thoughts outlive a man's life and are projected be3'ond to sliape other lives j-et unborn; that which we are is the consequence of that which we have been. The entrance gate is a high wooden structure painted red, with DAIBUTSU, ASAKASA. hideous figures of the Ni-o (Two Kings) on either side, pro- tected by wire netting. The network was spotted with bits of chewed paper, thrown bj' persons who believe that if they stick the ])rayers written on them will be granted. The gate was hung with exaggerated straw sandals, placed there by ITn JBamboo !]Lan5s. coolies anxious to excel in walking-. The main temple, of wood painted a dark red, is covered by an enormous sweeping- roof, inseparable from structures of this class. Between the huge circtilar columns of the portico, paper lanterns, ten feet long, dangled from the eaves. The ci-istom of not wearing shoes in the temple is not observed here ; and as the floor was exceedingly dirty, we were correspondingly thankful. The decorations of the interior are unique. Among a confused mass of lanterns covered with A'ellow dragons and banners with strange devices, that hung from the cross-beams, we saw gaudily framed prints of steamship companies and flocks of pigeons that find unmolested homes among the handsome wood-carvings of the ceiling. Clotids of incense rise continu- ally from a massive bronze burner near the entrance. A seated image of Bin-zuru, a Buddhist saint who has a special reputation as a healer, is worn smooth and glossj^ by constant friction. Believers rub the affected part against a like portion of the god, seemingly with more danger of contracting than of curing- disease. Priests with heads completely shaved, and wearing very loose garments with wide sleeves, sit on the floor in front of the shrines and relics. The chancel is separated from the nave b}- a coarse wire frame ; but an offering to the priest admitted us. The high altar, draped with fine old em- broidery, supported the beautiful gilded shrine that contains the historic image of Kwannon. Around it are smaller fig- ures, gilded and painted, candlesticks, bells, idols, incense vases of bronze, and other trappings of Buddhist worship. The greatest noise and confusion prevailed, and we hastened out after casting- a few sen into the big- wooden treasur}- box and purchasing- little packets of sweet-smelling sticks to btirn in honor of the goddess. An image of Jizo, the especial patron of children and all who are in trouble, occupies a building- in the rear. Ranged in line about him were countless small stone fignres of dead little ones placed there b}' afflicted parents. It was really a very pathetic sight. An innumerable number of stone images of this popular deity are to be met on the highways throughout the land. The building- that contains the " Revolving Library" also deserves notice. On the eaves are rich carvings of lions, and the interior is still more beautifully decorated. The shrine of gorgeous red lacquer contains a complete collection of Bud- dhist scriptures. As an ordinary lifetime is too short to enable an individual to read all these books, it is arranged that the same degree of merit may be obtained, and the reward will be long life and prosperity, if he " will cause the library to revolve three times on its axis." It was an opportunity not to be neg- lected — we paid the fee, and, assisted by willing hands, accom- plished the feat. The temple grounds are now a public park, where amuse- ments of all kinds flourish. One sees on ever}' side shooting- alleys, acrobats, wrestlers, jugglers, theatres, and sellers of toys and sweets — all doing a thriving business. In the midst of this medley was a troop of monkeys that snatched raven- ously at the food tendered them, and then expressed their gratitude by bowing to the ground in true Japanese fashion. fin Bamboo XatiDs. We saw a collection of strange plants and ctirious birds on exhibition in a native house ; also a crude panorama of our Civil War. The most extraordinary sight of all was the or- derly, good-natured crowd hobbling along with great clatter of wooden sandals, bent on having a good time. They still eye foreigners with some curiosity, but not unpleasantly ; and THE BELL TEMPLE AT ASAKASA. courtesy and good order reigned where individuals brushed against each other at every turn. The Japanese are the most interesting people it has been my good fortune to be among. This gathering-place has frequently been compared to an Erii^lish county fair ; but it seems to me its counterpart cannot be found on this planet. Our remaining weeks in Japan were getting few, and we had still much to see. Our stay in T6k3'6 had been entirely satisfactory, our relations with our landlady had been emi- nently pleasant, but we felt impelled to leave for KjCAo, whither an irresistible curiosity was drawing us. Wc sorrow- fully packed our traps and said, not good-by, but d/t rvvoir, and departed, after a droll and exciting adventure. I cannot resist the temptation of putting it down. The Japanese offi- cials reserve to themselves the right of regulating the affairs of tourists, and sometimes avail themselves of it. Our party of three arrived at the station on our way to Yokohama, one lad}' remaining without while we two went in to purchase the tickets. My companion laid down the money for two and I the price of one. The clerk handed us two tickets, took pa}' for two, and refused to sell a third. He had his own S)'stcm of logic ; he saw but two persons and declined to be a party to such extravagance. Entreaty did not melt his heart ; he was inexorable. We used all the Japanese words we knew and some that were not Japanese, but all in vain — he merely shook his head with an Oriental composure that nearly drove us frantic. As the train was about to start I prevailed upon my friend to take the tickets and go on board, while I persisted in my task. As he coidd neither understand nor I explain, the case was serious. Fortunatch', at the vcr}' last moment an official less capricious appeared, who was willing to do me the favor of allowing ine to scpiander my own if I wished to. 203 Ifn JSamboo Xan5s. I expressed my boundless gratitude in one word, " Arigato," ("Thank you"), grasped my ticket, rushed through the turn- stile, dashed down the platform as the whistle for departtire sounded, leaped into a carriage, and the guard banged the door. 204 CHAPTER V. THE TOKAIDO. The most celebrated highway in Japan is the old TokaidS, bordered on either side with ancient cryptomerias, and along whicli the dainiyus with princely magnificence used to travel on their way t(j the Shogun's court at Tokyo. In its palm)' days what scenes it must have presented? Norimons (palanquins of the nobles), kagos (basket convey- ances for the middle class), packhorses carrying merchandise, and crowds of men, women, and children on foot travelling slowly and stopping frecjuently at tea-houses for rest and re- freshment. AVhen the trains of two princes — either on horse- back or carried in chairs — met, it was etiquette for the one of lower degree to alight and Avithdraw with his train to the side of the road until the other had passed, and woe betide him if he failed to submit to his superior. Even down to the j^resent time foreigners ignorant of the practice of the country occa- sionally have unpleasant encounters Avith conservative mem- bers of this haughty class, who cling rigidly to the customs of "Old Japan," and are compelled by them to dismount and give the road. One da}', in riding along the highway near Numazu, we espied one of the old regime approaching; and, rather than subject American citizens to a humiliating or- 205 IFn Bamboo Xanf)s. deal, we fled np the steps to a shrine and waited for his ex- cellency to pass bv. Niinicrous trains of two-sworded men in feudal war-eostunie were a striking' feature of this road in the good old times. They erowded the towns, too — for a nobleman never appeared in public without armed defenders; and two-sworded men were legion. Thev passed out of existence with feudalism in 1 868, and their beautiful swords have degenerated into curios. The Japanese swords, Avhich rival the famous products of Damascus and Toledo, that could "be bent into a circle," are wrought by armorers c[uite as famous. They are " made of Soft, elastic, magnetic iron, combined with hard steel," and so well tempered as to cut through a copper coin without turning the edge. The ancient sword for dispatching one's enemies is three feet long, has two edges, and is wielded with both hands. The short sword, for dispatching' one's self, is less than ten inches in length. The sword-sellers are numerous, and in their shops one may see many an ancient blade, ex- Cjuisitely finished, that has been tried and tested in the Avars of feudal times. The scabbards, too, richlv inlaid with silver on the bronze, bear testimony to the cunning' of the workmen who wrought the weapon. The Tokaido skirts the coast along a strip of flat country lying between the hills and the sea. From Yokohama we travelled to K)-oto in the west by the Tokaido railwa)-, break- ing the journev at several points of interest. At the small station of Kozu, we left the train, devoting a half-hour to the beach and its fine sea-views before taking the tram-car to 206 Zhc tTofiai&o. Yiimoto, where we hired kiirtimas and two men each to carry us to ]\Iiyanoshita, a resort in the mountains well known by reputation for its scenery of peculiar richness and A-ariet)-, its natural warm baths, and the charmin"- excursions in the vi- DOGASHIMA, NEAR MIYANOSHITA. cinity. We passed through picturesque hamlets embedded in foliage, and wound up among the gently swelling hills with their tiny waterfalls and crystal rivulets trickling down the sides. Nature has been very lavish in these wilds, and it was the loveliest short ride I enjoyed in Japan. 14 2og IFu Bamboo Xan^s. We took tip our quarters at the Fujita Hotel — an excellent one in foreij,ni st}ie. The walks were exhilarating, and though we had kagos with us — as the paths in many places are rough and jDrecipitous — we seldom rode, and the coolies had a sine- cure. Day after day of glorious sunshine we spent in that dreamy, delicious air, wandering through A'alleys watered by mountain streams, forcing our way throug"h tangled thickets and beds of matted fern, visiting temples and shrines without number, stopping in quaint little villages to rest and to sip tea, and climbing heights f(_)r views of Fujiyama and otlier lofty peaks. The sweet air Avas fragrant with the spicy odors of the pine-trees; azaleas, scrub-bamboo, dense clumps of ferns and flowers in profusion surrounded ns, and Annes tangled the branches overhead. The evenings on the veranda were not less delightful. We left there reluctantl)-, sending our bag- gage on by packliorse, while we rambled over the hills to Hakone, five :niles distant. The weather was lovelv; the varied vegetation was glorious in autumn gold and copper ; and although we lingered to gather fronds of fern, scarlet lilies, and relics of departing summer, our destination was reached in less than tliree hours. Hakone, at tlie head of a lake of the same name, is one thousand feet higher than Miyanoshita, its rival, as a summer resort. The hotel overlooks this pretty sheet of water five miles long, and so attractive that we handed the landlord our passports to be inspected at leisure, hastened to the shore, en- gaged a boat, and soon were floating along its rippling surface. The lake is encircled by mountains that slope to the water's edg-e, and small farms and hamlets fringe the shore ; but everything is totally eclipsed by the sublime view of Fujiyama peering down from the clouds — a picture that would make the reputation of any artist that could transfer it to canvas. Re- cent snows had covered the mountain with a pure white mantle dazzling to the eyes in the autumn sunshine, and no descrip- tion which I could give would approach the reality. Ftijiyama is singularly impressive, and like Mauna Loa, Kinchinjanga, and Shasta, commands a half unwilling reverence. The minor attractions of Hakone are the temple of Gongen shaded by old pines, the Emperor's summer palace, two iron rice boilers — lelics of the twelfth century — and excursions in ever}' direction, the most beautiful of which is that across the Ten Province Pass to Atami on Odawara Bay. The autumn was fine, and the day spent there brought instinctively to mind the remembrance of lovely Alp-sheltered Nice, its orange groves, and the blue Mediterranean flare. Shimoda, a little to the south, was first visited b}' Commo- dore Perry in 1854, and there four United vStates marines are buried. Our first envoy, Townsend Harris, was formally in- stalled in the little town in 1856 and resided there for years until Yokohama was substituted as an open port. We rode fifteen miles by kuruma along the Tokaido to the station of Numazu. It was on that day we happened upon the nobleman and gave him the road, and met two-wheeled carts made of rough timber and drawn b}' bullocks that gave us the road. These wagons, when loaded with newly cut bamboo, were picturesque in the extreme. They have no 213 1[n JBatnboo !!Lan5s. spring-s; I tried one for a short distance, and it nearly jolted the life out of nic. A feature of Japanese journe3-s tav rail is the ever-present teapot. At ever}' important station, pots of freshl)' made tea are brought into the car, Avhose contents vfin are expected to buy and consume, to be read}' for the next instalment. We had no desire to emulate the Japanese in tea-drinking'; but on that intolerabl}' hot and dust)' ride it was strangely refreshing. The views from the carriage windows were magnificent ; the mountains rose in majesty to the right — the sea spread out for miles to the left. At i\Iio-no-Matsubara is laid the scene of the " Robe of Feathers," a chan"ning talc from Japanese folklore. Man)' years ago a fisherman, landing on the beach, found hanging to a tree a robe of feathers. He was about to cart)' it away, when a beautiful fairy with golden tresses and e)'es like the sk)r appeared and claii-ned it as her own. The fisherman at first declined to giA'e up his costl)' treasure ; but without it she could not return to the moon, where she was an attendant of the "thirty monarchs" who rule that orb. After tears and entreaty on her part, he finally consented — on condi- tion that she should dance for him one of the dances of the im- mortals. Decked in her light, air)' garment, she danced on the stinlit beach, while ethereal notes and elysian sweets per- fumed the air. Then the breezes caught her wings and she mounted upward, like a spirit "who from heaven hath flown," and was lost to sight. Wc passed through Shizuoka, where the ex-Shogun Keiki, the last representative of that " peculiar system" of govern- ^14 ment founded by Yoritonio in 1192, lives in retirement as a private gentleman. It would have been a satisfaction to have inet him, but his seclusion is inviolable. The great bridge that spans the Kanaya River is an iron structure fully a mile in length. As our train passed over we saw nothing but sky and a waste of sand and boulders, and wondered what all the fuss was about. When half-way acrf)ss we discovered a narrow, ncglected-looking stream flowing quietly between desert banks. But this river has a habit of getting out of its little bed. The greater portion of the island is covered by mountains ; and, owing to the narrowness of the land, most Japanese streams are torrents rather than rivers. When the snow melts in the mountains or after thunder- storms, by which the country is often A'isited, these streams bring down enormous volumes of water, and becoine raging floods that crowd their way to the sea, sweeping away bridges and dikes and overflowing the plains. I once knew a fisherman on the River St. Lawrence who wotild lie idly in his boat, with a bell attached to his rod, and wait for the fish to notify him when caught. He told me that the device was original — and undoubtedly it was ; but on the lagoon at Hamamatsu the fishermen have for ages fastened bells on their nets to indicate the presence of fish, showing that in widely distant lands similar conditions lead to similar inventions and habits. We became so interested in watching our favorite pastime that we missed our train and were forced to spend the night at a native hotel. No one who has ever stayed at a Japanese 217 IFii Bamboo Xan&s. inn is likelj' to fortjet tlie experience — the}' are all alike and all equally iinconifortable ; but a lovel}' sail on the lagoon that evening was eompensation for all hardship. A riee-producing province extends for a hundred miles along the coast. The fields cover the lowlands and run up the terraced hillsides among clumps of bamboo and dark masses of forest. The whole country was yellow with ripening grain about to be harvested, and myriads of birds or " white waders" flew from field to field or stalked about in the inire. The infinite network of rice-field paths — low grass-tufted ridges — diA'ides the spaces into all sizes and shapes, a quarter of an acre being the ordinar}' size. The water for irrigating the "paddy fields," as they are called, is raised into ditches by means of a roughly constructed portable paddle-wheel turned by treacling, and is then skilfully led on from field to field. The plough, a long-toothed instrument that turns up a three- foot furrow, is drawn by a horse that is guided b)' a rod of bamboo attached to his nose. The seed is soaked until nearly read}' to sprout, and then sown thickly in small fields or nur- series that are flooded each night and drawn off during the day. When the plants are three inches high they are taken up in tufts of four, and transplanted at distances of a foot apart, where the}^ grow in water until ready to harvest, when the fields are drained off. Rice culture must be a ver}' disagreeable occupation, as the weeding is done b}' people wading knee-deep in mud and water. Women perform much of the outdoor work, and we noticed them toiling in the rice-swamps with infants strapped 218 Ube Uoftaibo. to their backs, Avho were beiny; shaken aliout unmercifully and who slept throviyh it all. It is a niistaken idea that rice is the staple article of food in Japan, It is cultivated very generally by the peasants and sold to the townspeople ; for, with the former, rice is a luxury to be used only i">n holidays or in case of sickness. ]\Iillet, a little barley or wheat, dried fish, and seaweed constitute the principal articles of diet, svipplemented by the pestilential daikon. How they can eat the latter is a mystery still un- solved. An acre of land yields about forty bushels of rice, and a nobleman's wealth is estiinated b}' the number of kokus (five bushels) his estates produce. Prosperity is reckoned by the rice crop, and there are frequently serious failures. We reached Nagoya that evening and found a public hoiise recommended as " foreign" — a building of Japanese architec- ture enclosed by a wooden fence that reached to the second story. The exterior was unattractive ; but, admitted past the gate, we rode into a neat courtyard with a garden in the rear. The hotel was not barbarian enough to tolerate boots; and, at the top of the steep staircase, we stood in stocking feet while the landlord examined the passports — the natives show so little regard for the hosiery and health of tourists. As the dividing walls did not reach the ceiling, the whole house inter- commimicated; the slightest noise coiild be heard to the re- motest corner, and attendants must be summoned not by ring- ing a bell — there were none — but by clapping the hands. The dining-room overlooked the garden, and was supplied with a row of tables, each of which could be enclosed in a separate ITn Bamboo Xan&s. room by drawing the sliding- screens. This was done with a great rattle the instant a second party entered. No table d'hote or bill (.)f fare greeted us — guests were expected to order their (.>wn meals, after untold trials in finding out the contents of the larder. The limited A'ariety of food, howeA-er, was Avell cooked, and we rang the changes on chickens, ham, eggs, toast, and the indispensable tea. Before retiring we strolled throiigh the principal thorough- fare thronged with people cnjoA-ing the mo(.>nlight. It was a warm CA-ening; the moon was ftdl, and not a cloud obscured iTcr light or that of the countless stars which bore her com- pany. The shops Avere opened wide for business and the sidewalks lined with bootlis for refreshments, Avhere the cook- ing was going on in full sight and greasy odors filled the air. The paper lantern shops were conspicuous. The usual shape of the article is oblong'; thev are of" all sizes, frequentlv twelve feet in length, and ornamented with every color and design that fancy can suggest. Xo festiA-al is complete without them. We visited a bazaar where evervthing engaged the attention, but the lieat and the crowd drove us out, and we returned to the hotel to make plans for the morrow and to dispatch our passports and " letters" to the prefectural office for a permit to visit the "Castle." European beds and bedclothes Avere a luxury after a nigiit among the coverlets and centipedes ; but mosquitoes were too numerous for our entire comfort. Those little pests here haA-e the same accomplishments as musicians and leeches that they possess in other climes. ThcA- sang sprighth' Avar-songs during their nimble repast, and the next SIFTING RICE. morning I discovered that the tastefully arranged drapery of my couch was a netting. There was some delaj' in getting our permit, as the prem- ises were closed for repairs, made necessary by the terrible earthquake of 1891. The historic castle of Nagoya was an important stronghold during the time Japan was a feudal empire. Erected in iCio as a residence for the son of leyasti, it has in later years been turned over to the inilitary department, and the great space between the inner and outer moat is used for barracks and parade-grounds. We rode across the enclosure, where ten thousand troops were encamped. Could anything be more in- consistent than a regiment in European uniform executing European mancjeuvres before a shrine? The talisman was the Car of Hachiman, worshipped as the god of war. This was a platform covered by a canopy that held numbers of colossal swords and a great mirror — an emblem of Shintoism. (It is an important fact that modern German tactics and an educa- tion in the exact sciences do not remove the belief in omens, charms, and signs from the minds of these people. The proof can be found in this great castle of Nagoya, where the upper story is filled with small wooden slabs that are furnished b}' the priests to protect it against fire and other perils. ) The place pre- sented a most warlike appearance, and we asked in vain what meant all this preparation — what cainpaign they were meditat- ing — with whom they were going to war — cjuestions which have since been answered. The little country which has sud- denly become so formidable felt that it must tell its greatness. IS 225 IFii JBamboo Xau&s. It is not snrprisini;' the Japanese make efficient soldiers when it is remembered that the}' are a raee of warriors bred to arms; their religion teaehes them to plaee no value on life, and their emperor commands them to die b}' their own swords rather than fall into the enemy's hands. The soldier's dut)' is to fight, and to fight to the death, giving and taking no quar- ter. It is the old vSamurai spirit which still lives on. Japan has a standing army of three hundred thousand men. The pfjlic}- of the g-overnment is to learn of Europeans and then dispense Avith their services, and there is now not a single foreigner connected with the arm}' or navy in any capacity whatever. The Japanese liaA'e a special talent for learning "Western methods and incredible courage in using their knowl- edge, and the wisest cannot foresee to what degree it will develop. "We left the great Hachiman and his still greater retinue at their exercises and crossed the bridge over the inner moat, dry and the home of tame deer, to the "apartments," which, with the castle, are preserved as show-places. The rooms are denuded of mats, but the alcoves and panels are richly deco- rated with paintings of flowers and birds b}' artists of the fa- mous Kano school. In one of the first rooms are some sketches of cherry-blossoms and pheasants ; in another scenes from claih' life are depicted ; and the finest of all — that reserved for the Shogun — has gorgeous paintings of ideal Chinese scenery. The castle, or "keep," is a stone pagoda of fiA-e stories; from the upper platform, reached by wooden stairs, the vicAv is far-reaching. The roof is surmounted by two golden dol- 226 ^/'' , '^/p. i^. ■}} t^ GOLDEN DOLPHIN. Ube XTokai^o. phins, eig-ht feet high and valued at one hundred and eig-hty thousand dollars. They can be seen as glittering points from every part of the city. The one sent to the Vienna expo- sition of iiS73 was shipwrecked, but finalh^ recovered and placed in its former position. The exterior of the castle was marred bv scaffolding and the interior blocked by workmen engaged in its restoration, but, notwithstanding, our visit was most satisfactory'. By a magnificent two-storied gatewa)' we entered the great court3'ard, in the centre of which rises the temple of Higashi Hongwanji, A fine colonnade surrounds the exterior. The spacious interior is divided into compartinents — the outer for observers, the centre for the congregation, and the inner for the altar, on which stands the handsome gilt shrine, containing an image of Amida, a powerful deity who dwells in the West. The walls and ceiling are verv rich in ornamentation and each detail is a work of art. A stone with the imprint of Buddha's huge feet was noticed; but, as his height is said to have been sixteen feet, they are n(.)t out of proportion, as is not that tooth of his in the temple in Kand)'. In a certain gallery we saw the Go Hyaku Rakan, five hun- dred images of Buddha's chief followers. They are two feet in height, painted in bright colors, and no two are alike. On their faces are depicted every emotion, from grave to gay; and their shapes and attitudes express every gradation, froin the sublime to the ridiculous. The place gives you the im- pression of a wilderness of diminutive howling dervishes. Tradition states that by careful search you can find among 229 IFn Bamboo XanC>s. them the image of 3-our own father ; but even with the new philosopliy of evokition in mind, it would shock one to recog- nize an ancestor in that liidcous group. On entering one finds himself under a singular illusion: the apostles' faces are turned toward the observer and the eyes seem to say: "Do you recognize mc?" We tarried not to discoA^er, but hastened away from the rare good things so lavishly provided for our entertainment. The potteries and the shops in which rare cloisonne enam- els are made are numerous and attractive, and in them we saw specimens that were as fine as Japan produced in the seven- teenth and eighteenth centuries — its golden age of art. At noon the next day we were in Gifu, which suffered so terribl)' b}- the memorable earthquake of 1891, as did the en- tire coast as far as Nagoya. It was estimated that in Gifu alone ten thotisancl people lost their lives and that twenty thousand more were rendered homeless and destitute. Our English-speaking guide gave us a Advid description of the scenes of horror during the eataeh-sni : the earth burst open in great fissures, and the frail hoiises of bamboo were crushed by the heavy tiled roofs before the inhabitants had time to es- cape. AVhen we reached the scene the ruined homes still lay in hopeless confusion, sad witnesses of its violence ; and the unfortunate citizens AA'erc as actively engaged in rebuilding as if they never expected a recurrence of the disaster. The earth- c[uakc is no stranger to the dwellers in that part of the world. Unfortunately Japan is specially subject to convulsions of na- ture, and it is the one thing that mars the enjoyment of a stay there. The suffocatinj^- stilhiess uf the atmosphere — the dull, rambling roar — the very ground undulating beneath one's feet — are enough to disturb the mental equilibrium of a stole. One can endure the slight shocks with tolerable coinposure, but I have passed through several in different parts of the world that have made me think the end of all things had come. iV traveller in Japan who has any curiosity to feel an earth- C[uakc can be sure of having' it gratified at any moment, and mav be thankful if he escapes without an accident. The na- tives have a superstition that the}- are caused by the throes of a great subterranean fish; but, whatever be the cause, thev are not companionable. Geologists believe that much of Japan has been elevated above the ocean b}' seismic disturbances, and the countrj- has paid dearh' for additional territory bv the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of lives. We went to Gifu to A'icw the ruins and remained to see the strange method of fishing with cormorants on the River Nagara. We secured boats and followed the procession. " First catch your cormorant. . . . This the people do by placinj^ wooden images of the birds in spots frequented by them, and covering the surrounding branches and twigs with birdlime, on settling upon which they stick fast. After having in this manner caught one cormorant, they place it among the bushes instead of the image, and thus catch more. . . . The fishermen take such care of the birds that they provide them with mosquito nets during the summer in order to minister to their comfort. Cormorant-fishing always takes place at night and by torchlight." A letter written by Major-General Pal- 233 Iln 3Bainboo Xanbs. mer and published in the London Tiiitcs thus describes tlie metliod ptirsued : " Tliere are, to begin with, four men in each of the seven boats, one of wliom, at tlie stern, lias no duty but that of managing- his craft. In the bow stands the master, distin- guished by the j^eculiar hat of his rank, and handling no fewer than twelve trained birds Avith the surpassing skill and coolness that have earned for the sportsmen of Gifu their un- rivalled pre-eminence. Amidships is another fisher, of the sec- otid grade, who handles four birds onl)^ Between them is the fourth inan, called kako, froin the bamboo striking-instru- ment of that name, with which he makes the clatter necessary for keeping the birds up to their work ; he also encourages them by shouts and cries, looks after spare apparatus, etc. , and is read}- to give aid if recptired. Each cormorant wears at the base of its neck a metal ring, drawn tight enough to pre- vent marketable fish from passing below it, but at the same time loose enough — for it is never removed — to admit the smaller prey, which serves as food. Round the body is a cord, having attached to it at the middle of the back a short strip of stiffish whalebone, by Avhieh the great awkward bird may be conA'cnienth' lowered into the water or lifted out when at work ; and to this whalebone is looped a thin rein of spruce fibre twelve feet long, and so far wanting in pliancy as to min- imize the chance of entanglement. When the fishing-ground is reached, the master lowers the twelve birds one by one into the stream and gathers their reins into his left hand, manipu- lating the latter thereafter with his right as occasion requires. 234 Ube TToMalDo. No. 2 does the same with his four birds ; the kako starts in witli his volle)'s of noise ; and forthwitli the cormorants set t(j at tlieir work in the heartiest and jolliest way, diviny and ducking" with wonderful swiftness as the astonislicd fish come flocking toward the blaze of light. The master is now the busiest of men. He must handle his twelve strings so deftly that, let the birds dash hither and thither as they will, there shall be no impediment or fouling. He must have his eyes everywhere and his hands following his eyes. Specially inust he watch for the moment when any of his flock is gorged, a fact generally made known by the bird itself, which then swims about in a foolish, helpless way, with its head and swollen neck erect. Thereupon the master, shortening in on that bird, lifts it aboard, forces its bill open with his left hand, which still holds the rest of the lines, squeezes out the fish with his right and starts the creature off on a fresh foray — all this with such admirable dexterity and quickness that the eleven birds still bustling about have scarce time to get things into a tangle, and in another moment the whole team is again perfectly in hand. " As for the cormorants, they are trained when quite young, being caught in winter with birdlime on the coasts of the neighboring Owari Gulf at their first emigration southward from the summer haunts of the species on the northern sea- board of Japan. Once trained, they work Avell up to fifteen, often up to nineteen or twenty years of age ; and, though their keep in winter bears hardl}^ on the masters, they are ver)' precious and profitable hunters during the five months' season 235 ITn Bamboo Xan&s. and well deserve the great care that is lavished upon them. From four to eight good-sized fish, for example, is the fair re- sult of a single excursion for one bird, which corresponds to an average of about one hundred and fifty fish per cormorant per hour, or about four hundred and fifty for the three hours occupied in drifting down the whole course. Ever)- bird in a flock has and knows its number; and one of the funniest things about them is the c|uick-wittcd jealousy with which they in- variabl}' insist, by all that cormorant language and panto- mimic protest can do, on due observance of the recognized rights belonging to their individual numbers. No. i, or "Iclii,"is the doyen of the corps, the senior in years as well as rank. His colleagues, according to their ages, come after him in nuinerical order. Ichi is the last to be put into the water and the first to be taken out, the first to be fed, and the last to enter the baskets in which, when work is over, the birds are carried from the boats to their domicile. Ichi, when aboard, has the post of honor at the ej-es of the boat. He is a solemn, grizzled old fellow, with a pompous, iio/i-iiic-taiigcrc air, that is almost worthy of a lord maj-or. The rest have place after him, in succession of rank, alternately on cither side of the gunwale. If, haply, the lawful order of prece- dence be at an}' time violated — if, for instance. No. 5 be put into the water before No. 6, or No. 4 be placed above No. 2, the rumpus that forthwith arises in that family is a sight to see and a sound to hear. " But all this while we have been drifting down with the boats about us, to the lower end of the course, and are again 236 tTbe XTokai&o. abreast of Gifti, where the whole squadron is beached. As each cormorant is taken out of the water the master can tell by its weight whether it has secured enough supper while en- gaged in the hunt; failing which, he makes the deficiency good by feeding it with the inferior fish of the catch. At length all are ranged in their due order, facing outward, on the gunwale of each boat. And the sight of that array of great ungainly seabirds — shaking themselves, flapping their wings, gawing, making their toilets, clearing their throats, looking about them with a stare of stupid solemnit}', and now and then indulging in old-maidish tiffs with their neighbors — is cp-iite the strangest of its little class I have ever seen, except perhaps the wonder- ful penguinry of the Falkland Islands, whereat a certain French philosopher is said to have even wept. Finally, the cormorants are sent off to bed" — we followed suit. 237 CHAPTER VI. KYOTO. Ky5t5 is one of the most ancient cities in the kingdom and lias been the capital of the Mikado for a period of one thou- sand years, ending in i86S. Saikyo, its new name, little known to foreigners, has a vast collection of groA^es, gardens, temples, palaces, pagodas, shrines, and works of art, such as cannot be seen elsewhere in Japan. The city, which has greatly shrunken in modern times, lies on a plain encircled by broken ranges of mountains, densely wooded, and the whole country is clothed in luxuriant vegetation. In order to fully appreciate and enjoy the show places of K5'6t6 and all that in it is spread out for one's pleasure, one must be familiar with the histor}% the religion, and the art of japan. The city is famed for its brocades and embroidery, its lacquered ware, cloisonne, porcelain, and weapons; it contains twenty-five hundred Shinto shrines and thirtj'-five hundred Buddhist temples ; and every man who was great in the annals of his country has left his mark there. Our train reached the railway station at night. The pro- cession of twenty kurumas with passengers and baggage made a great clatter as we rode through the dark streets, two miles, 238 fkvoto, to the hotel. No hght appeared through chinks of sliding screens; not a voice, not a footstep was heard; not a living soul was to be seen, and up above — far above — shone the si- lent, eternal stars. We wondered what the awakened sleepers thought about lis and how they expressed their displeasure under the circumstances. The Yaami hotel — in foreign style but managed by Japa- nese — is situated on the hillside of Maruyama and overlooks the city and its environs. The house is peculiarly constructed, in three distinct parts, joined by open galleries, and the effect is pleasing. It has broad piazzas and comfortable steamer-chairs, and the views are Avell worth travelling to Japan for. The garden is charming; a brook tumbles over rockeries in tiny cascades, the pools are filled with goldfish, hedges outline the paths, and a soft carpet f)f grass co^'ers the lawn. In the midst of all stand cherry and plum trees, dwarf pines, a gray and mossy stone shrine, and a temple lantern. Snails make their homes on the smooth rocks wet with constant spra)', and we disposed of many a leisure moment in searching for left- handed specimens. In this delightful abode we established ourselves for a sta}^ of some weeks. Our large, well-furnished rooms opened on a veranda — all our own — that commanded a magnificent Auew toward the west ; and there, in the late afternoon, we reclined in comfort to observe the sunset and watch the evening shad- ows wrap the mountains in their soft embrace. The displavs were magnificent. Violet, green, orange, and gold streaked the sk)' into a perfect kaleidoscope of ever-changing colors 239 IFn Bamboo Xan&s. fading- slowly into the quiet grays of twilight ; and far off, toward the horizon, distant ranges showed faintly in the glow- ing blue. We would indulge in fanciful reveries or talk on in the sweet auttimn darkness until the stars twinkled out over- head and the soft tinkle of the samisen floated upward from the tea-houses on the avenue — hours that dwell in my mind as a blissful niemor}-, and I look wistfully toward Maruyania, with a thousand tender associations. There were so many good things to see in Kyoto, we felt we shotild be up and about our sight-seeing. The guide-book su.ggested the Mikado's palace; but we must show proper re- spect to our hillside neighbor, and selected the temple of Chion-in for our first day's pleasure. This temple of the Jodo sect of Buddhists is approached b)^ a broad avenue lined with enormous old cherry-trees, whose blossoms have drawn wor- shipping crowds for three centuries. At the summit stands the great gateway, a large, two-storied structure eighty feet in height, Avhich we entered Again we removed our shoes. Leaving them in charge of women who pick up a little " cash" b}^ this means, we climbed a ladder to the upper room occu- pied by images of the gods. Buddha in meditation, with half- closed eyelids, is seated between two other deities and attended by sixteen life-sized figitres of his disciples in fanciful cos- tumes. The glorious views from the outer gallery were worth the climb, but the descent was both perilous and ludicrous. Dangling between earth and heaven we laughed immoderatel}', while the Buddhas who sat in state above, and the women who 240 Ikpoto. held our boots below, looked on in evident disapproval of for- eign levity. By two long flights of steps we reached the paved courtyard, in the centre of which stands the great temple, sur- mounted by an enormous roof. Legend states that ages ago an u.nibrella flew from the hands of a small boy and lodged under the eaves, and that Inari, the patron deity of this mon- asterv, promptly declared both the bo}- and the article sacred. The former has disappeared, but the latter, tattered and faded, we discovered after per- sistent search. The shrine of Enko Daishi, to whom the temple is dedicated, rests on a platform sur- mounted b)- four gilt pil- lars, before which stand great bunches of lotus- flowers and leaves of brass in bronze vases. A fea- ture of the temple is the oval-shaped, scarlet-lacquered mokug)'o (bells) disposed on the matting before the altar. The priests with shaven heads chant without ceasing, " Naniu iiiyo lio rcngc kyo," squatted before these bells, on which they pound to wake up the gods. The interior was very effective, and entirely unlike any other we had seen. We were shown through the palace of the Shogun lemitsu in the same grounds ; the doors, sliding screens, and panels are exquisite. In this building are the famous whistling boards, which, as we stepped upon them, emitted low, un- 243 WAKING UP THE GODS. Un Bamboo Xan5s. cartlih' sounds. In the high woods near the palace is tlie bel- fry that contains the great bronze bell cast in 1633; it weighs seventy-four tons and is rung . like the one at Nikko. The grand old temple had laid its charm upon us, and we returned again and again to wander in and out among its shrines and groves and derive new pleasure from each visit. By a lovely path through the woods we returned to our hotel and entered by a rear door. We found ourselves in the cooking-department, a large low room with floor of earth, and furnished with rows of small fireplaces and charcoal braziers, utensils of primitive make in fine bronze and iron, and an array of lacquered plates and trap's. The room was neatness itself. As it was the hour for afternoon tea, a score of " bo3's" were busy in its preparatioji, and we hastened to our charming piazza and restful chairs to enjo)' it. The suburb in which the hotel is situated is occupied b)^ tea-houses, where seekers of pleasure resort for dining, drinking, inusic, and dancing. Primitive customs still prevail, but slightl)^ altered by Euro- pean innovations. At night lights twinkle from every little inn, and we could watch the g'uests and the geishas who are let out in groups to entertain natives at their feasts, and arc considered such an important item that a dinner woidd be a complete failure without their services. It was a rare oppor- tunity to see the people unseen by them. The first night I scarcel)' closed my eyes, the beating of Buddhist drums at Chion-in outrivalling the noise and discords of the tea-houses; it was too much, but we soon became accustomed to both and rather enjoyed the absurd combination. 244 IF^potO. A large amount of the porcelain produced in Japan is made in the suburb of A\vata, which skives its name to this well- known ware. We visited a number of these p(jtteries. Alight- ing before a dingy wooden building, the door was quickly opened by a servitcjr who ushered us into a showroom whose cabinets were filled with beautiful porcelain, cloisonne, dama- scene, and lacquer. Each piece was a work of art in fineness of finish, subdued coloring, and delicate ornamentation. The Japanese arc born with a love of beauty and instinctive good taste, as is evinced by all wares manufactured for their own use ; but, as they have cpiickly discovered what sells best in Europe and America, they now produce great quantities of cheap articles loaded with coarse decoration fijr foreign trade. We were taken into the packing-room, which was crowded with specimens of the gaudy red and gold vases that one sees in every china store from London to vSan Francisco. The pro- prietor took occasion to remark, as he pointed to his wares, "Japanese no like." It was cruel. We walked through the garden to the factory. The article is first moulded and dried by fire, then glazed and fired, then decorated and fired again. The whole process is to be seen, from the kneading of the cla}- to the painting and firing, all done by hand-labor and with the crudest of tools. The finest pieces, not intended for "savages," are often fired miany times according to the perfection of finish desired. The best deco- rators inherit much of their skill from generations of artists. Ceramic art in Japan dates from the 3'ear 1600 a.d,, and the celebrated artist Ninsei originated Awata faience in 1650. 24s ITti Bamboo Xaiit>s. The first half of the present century "was the g-olden age of Satsuma, and that which ranlcs as " old Satsuma" is not so very ancient after all. Kyoto is well named the " City of Temples," and it was well for ns that it was also a city of shops, or but a confused mem- ory of them would have remained ; and after a morning' spent in the former we usually finished the day in the latter. Our old infirmity had returned in full force and never abated while we were in the fascinating' old town. On our wa}' to the Yasaka pagoda we walked up a stair-like street lined with shops stuffed to their utmost capacity with trifles in bronze, porcelain, and bamboo, both pretty and inex- pensive, for whatever the Japanese fashion it is always ar- tistic. In one of the houses that cluster about the pagoda there was a lot of little monkeys, that for a few sen we were allowed to feed. When gratified they salaamed w^ith great cercmon}', but if neglected they w^ould scold until the offender 'was out of sight. The five-storied pagoda was raised about the year 1600 on the site of a former one. Except for a few paintings of Bud- dhist deities that adorn its panels, the interior is plain and disappointing, but from the top one gets a bird's-eve view of the whole city of Kyoto, with its mass of one-storv houses shabby with time, and all around a plain of vivid green en- circled by niountains. The steep temple roofs scattered abo'Ut the town serve as landi'narks. The temple of the great Buddha has had an eventful his- tory, having been repeatedly destroyed bv fire and earthcpiake. 246 Ikv^oto. In 1662 a violent shock levelled iDoth the buildinfi- and its bronze image to the i^Tound. The Sho;4'un lemitsu, being- in need of funds, caused the bronze to be fused into coins, some of which are in circulation at this day. They arc distinguished by the character ^t:;_, and bv good chance I secured two. The present image of wood consists of head and shoulders only, but is so huge it reaches from floor to ceiling of the lofty temple. The great gilded head is hollow and supported by a network of beams; the temple walls are hung with cheap paintings, and the whole effect is tawdry. The interest of the place centres in the enormous bronze bell, weighing sixty- three tons, that hangs in the courtvard — second in size only to that of Chion-in, the two being the largest bells in Japan. Our guide was eager to exhibit the t/r:'iTtissr- iiiciit of the grounds — a venerable mound, beneath which are buried the noses and ears of Koreans slain in the wars of the sixteenth centurj' and brought h(jmc by the soldiers as trophies, they being more easily transported than heads. He fairly danced with glee as he made an elaborate explanation. The heights of Maru3'ama, covered with thick green tinted with orange shades, were so alluring' wc determined to make the ascent. It was a beautiful day, Avarni and bright ; and our landlord offered for use as guide and interpreter a lad who proved to be a care rather than a comfort. We sauntered up among the tea-houses by shady paths that serve as public walks, scrambled up the dry bed of a torrent, and entered the 249 ancieimt coin. Hn Bamboo Xanbs. forest. Suddenh' we were confronted by a sign-board covered with Japanese characters and sketches of a terrifying nature, evidently a warning not to proceed. Amazed and perplexed, we appealed to our small guide. He was speechless. Here was a pretty business. In dense shade, with rocks and decay- ing logs about us, we searched carefully, and, finding nothing of a harmful nature, we decided it must be a caution against snakes. The motive was not sufficient, however. We had seen too many reptiles of that genus in Japan to be driven back, and, arming ourselves with staves, we proceeded on orir wa}^ stuinbling bravely along and reaching the summit in a rather shak)' condition. On the hilltop, shaded by clumps of oak, we sat on a grassy knoll to rest and enjoy the magnificent prospect, with eyes and ears on the alert for impending danger. The autumn day was drowsy, the wind was soft and balmy, the sun shone through the masses of foliage above, and our nook and how we had wandered there became almost lost to remembrance. Encountering nothing alarming and utterly mystified as to the meaning of that sign, we reached the hotel to exhaust ourselves in query as to what the terrors of the hill might be, and all to no avail. You may imagine the curi- osity which tormented us. At the end of a week our peace of mind was restored by the timel)' call of an English gentleman connected with the college. We told him of our experience, at which he laughed heartil)', and rcA'ealed to us the astonish- ing fact that it was a warning to the public " not to gather inushrooms" and the penalty. We had looked for a mountain and discovered a mouse ! What living being would expect to 250 find plants of that species at that elevation and imder snch conditions? Bnt the spirit of topsy-tnrv^^doni, directly opposed to onr ideas, has affected even this lowly fungus. Here are a few Japanese contrarieties. They practically begin building their houses at the top. The roof is iirst con- structed and set on four poles ; the carpenter cuts and planes toward, instead of from, himself; the best rooms are at the back of the house, and rooins are made to fit the mats instead of mats to fit the rooms. The)^ have no chimnc5-'s to their houses, the smoke finding its way out at the doors and win- dows. They wear Avhite instead of black for mourning. They carry their babes on their backs, not in their arms. Boats are drawn on the shore stern first, and horses are tied in the stall with their heads where we place their tails. A Japanese book ends where ours begins. Wine is used before dinner, not after, and sweets are served as a first course. They politely remove their shoes as we do our hats, and when a man is in- sulted, instead of killing his enemy, he kills himself. We took kurumas to San-jti-san-gen-do, a temple that ranks next after Nikko and vSliiba in interest. Founded in 1132, it was rebuilt in 1266 by the Emperor Kame^-ama, who placed m it one thousand images of the thoasand-handed Kwannon, the goddess of nierc}^. The exterior is unattractive, but upon en- tering there are few sights more imposing as the eye glances over the confused mass of glittering deities. In the centre of the great hall, three hundred and eighty-nine feet in length, the huge figure of Kwannon is seen, seated on an enormous lotus-flower of bronze, and ranged about her are twenty-eight 253 IFii Bamboo Xan&s. of her followers. The altar is draped with damask and littered with manA' idols and shining' objects that suggest Buddhism. On either side of the throne are rows of images of Kwannon, five feet in height, cut from solid blocks of wood and heavily gilded, rising tier behind tier ; and on the halo, hands, and forehead of each figure are thirtA'-three smaller ones. Al- though these images represent the same deity, and the simi- larity is great, no two are exactly alike. We noticed a few natives prostrating themselves before these objects of worship, apparentl)' engaged in praj'er, with one eye directed toward the gods and the other toward us. The gallery in the rear was formerly used by archers, and it was a test of skill to shoot the arrows from one end and to fix them firmlv in the opposite wall. We saw mja-iads of these little weapons sticking in the woodwork. The following description we obtained from a priest. I cop3' it verbatim: The Ai:kii)GEMi-;n't of vSaxjtu-S.ingendo in Kyoto, Japan. This famous temple was built 730 years ago, in 1160 a.d. (1S20 in the Japanese era, i.e. first }'ears of Yeireki epoch). In that time our 77th emperor, (_T0shirakawa had been often afflicted by heavy headache. After every medical ait was tried in vain. His majest)' being pious in Buddha ordered to build this temple, with thousand statues of Senju-Kwannon (the Buddha of Charit)' having thousandhands) in it, to prav for the restoration of sickness. The height of these idols is just equal to that of the Emperor himself, and other twenty- 254 eight idols which are placed upon the steps of both sides in the front of temple are the guards for Kwannon with the sanies, Kongo-Mishana-btiddha, Kendatsu-ba-buddha, etc. The length of this temple is sixt)'-seven ken (one ken being about six feet) and the depth is nine ken. The name of Sanjivi-Sangendo, which implies 'the temple of thirty-three ken,' comes from that Kwannon A'owed himself to solve us from the human misery by manifesting' himself as thirt}'- three different bodies. It was about 300 years ago, in the time of our great Shogun Toyotomi, that the famous matter of archery, which is to shoot bow through the verandah in the back of temple, took place. Hinceforce many warriors visited here to pray for their military fortunes, and especially these were flourishing about iSo years ago, during Ky5ho epoch. Sanjiu-S.\ngend5 in Kyoto, Japan." A characteristic cemetery is that of Nishi Otani, the burial place of members of the Shinran Shonin sect. The small teinple is a handsome structure, and in the rear is an office containing the ashes of members from all parts of the country. The Kyoto members are buried in the grounds, which are extensive, neatly kept, and crowded with square upright stones with inscriptions. Some of the monuinents are very expensive and hung with chimes of bells that tinkle in the wind. The overcrowded effect is due to the custom of inter- ring in a sitting posture in coffins but four feet high. Vines, rose-bushes, and bamboo grow wherever there is a spot of ground to cling to, and tall cryptomerias give character to the 25s 1[n Bamboo aLanC»s. whole. A stone brid,L,rt;, Alei^-ane-bashi (so named from its resemblance to a pair of speetacles) spans the lotus pond, whieh in summer is full of blossoms. Cremation was introdueed from China by the Buddhists, NISHI OTANI. and is extensively practised in Japan. The process of reduc- ing to ashes is similar to ours. On one occasion we saw a na- tive funeral procession on its way to the temple headed b}' a number of priests with shaven heads and cassocks of bright- colored damask, one of whom bore an oblong tablet inscribed with the " dead name" of the deceased, for good Bitddhists re- .56 1k\?oto. ceive a new name after death, to be known by in the next world ; then came attendants carrying twenty-four huge bou- quets, six feet high, of chrysanthemums, and after them the hearse (a basket chair similar to those used at seaside resorts) MEGANE-BASHI. containing the covered remains, and borne by four men There were no hired mourners, but a long train of relatives and friends followed. It was an honorable and dignified fu- neral, quite unlike the unpleasing melanchol)^ institution en- dured in America. In the temple, the burning of incense, the ringing of bells, and prayers intoned by the priests in a solenm, 17 257 Hu asamboo ILan&s. reverential manner formed llic simple service. The death of a parent is the g-reatest misfortune that can befall a son, and the burial is a most important eeremon}^ For this duty he resig-ns all emploj-ment, attends to the man}- funeral rites ordained b^- custom, and niourns for thirteen months, wearing" white garments during that period, and abstaining from ani- mal food and sake for fifty days. When the prescribed details are respected the ceremonies before and after burial are very elaborate. Filial honor and obedience are leading virtues among the Japanese. Marriage is a contract legalized b)' registration in the office of the head man of the town, termed kocho. The usual age for a man is twent}- j'ears ; for a woman sixteen. A lover fixes a sprig of lespedeza to the house of the lady's parents, and if that be neglected so is he ; but if the maiden blackens her teeth he is accepted, subject to the approval of her parents. Marriages, howcA'er, are usuallv arranged by the families of the bride and bridegroom without reference to their feelings. And then begins a general interehangre of presents, often so lavishly given as to cripple for a time the resources of the donors. This corresponds to betrothal. An engag'ement ring" is unknown. A piece of rich silk for a sash takes its place. The furniture and trousseau of the bride are dispatched to the house of her husband's parents; and, after her arrival, the characteristic marriage feast is celebrated — there is no relig- ious element in it — and is of the nature of a dinner part}-. The essential features are the changing of garments and the elab- orate ceremony of sake-drinking. The registration is then 258 made and the bride is formally adopted into her husband's famil5^ A newly married pair invariably reside with the parents of the groom. The life of a young girl, or mousme as she is called, is as careless and happy as the life of a European, but marriage is a stern reality. vShe then becomes subject to the tyrannj' of her mother-in-law and the caprice of her husband, and accepts her fate as a matter of course. The charge that " a man shall leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife" is reversed in Japan. Another case of topsy-turvydom. They insist that the wife shall leave father and mother and cleave to her hus- band and to all his relatives. There are seven reasons for di- vorce, which is easy and not rare, but the pith of the matter is that a man Taay send away his wife whenever he gets tired of her. "But her rights as against him are less extensive." This digression disposes of two important ceremonies. The moral character of the Japanese — beg pardon, Dai Nippon ; I was about to say something unpleasant of )'ou. A bridle-path runs from Nishi Otani through a grove of bamboo to the grounds of Ki}-omizu-dera. A feeling of sur- prise and wonder attends the first view of this lovel)' foliage. Except in the Northern Island, it grows everywhere in Japan, softening and beautifying its fair landscape. Of its many species one variety in particular, whose lovely tips resemble magnificent ostrich-plumes, I grew to love and look for. Bamboo is the favorite hedge and wind-break along the high- ways. At one season the young and tender shoots are sought after as a great delicacy, and the wood, which is strong and 261 Hii JBamboo Xanbs. l^liable, enters into the constrnction of temples, houses, brid,L;-es, carriaj^-es, fiirnitnre, musical instruments, cooking- utensils, fans, hats, umbrellas, shoes, and alinost every orna- mental and useful article imaginable. The people are indebted to bamboo for a formidable list of gifts, so formidable it would be simpler to enuinerate tlic exceptions. The plants, fifty feet in height, then had attained their growth. The graceful feathery tips of light green drooped high overhead, and a wild tang'le of ferns, mosses, bamboo- grass, and little stunted shrubs covered the embankments. It was a spot of rare beauty. The day was perfect. We could have lingered there the entire afternoon, and we made a point of including it thereafter in man)- of our dail}' walks. Kiyomizu-dera, a temple so ancient its origin is lost in fable, was reached only too soon. The great two-stor)- gate- wa3' was infested with fakirs and menders of old clothes, and we turned aside to a smaller gate that opened into the great courtyard, containing a pagoda and a number of shrines. An effective stone colonnade leads to the main temple, dedicated to the eleven-faced, thousand-handed Kwannon, who holds in her hands a number of Buddhist emblems, " such as the lotus- flower, the wheel of the law, the sun. and moon, a skull, a pagoda, and an axe, this last serving to tj'pify the cutting off (jf all worldly cares." Her image is contained in a shrine to be opened but once in thirty-three years. We were a decade or two behind time, but the powerful yen, like " the mighty dollar," opened it just the same. The building is large and erected on piles over a deep gorge. The gallery in front has 262 a flooring' of rough timber and is used as a dancing-stage. It was formerly a favorite resort of suicides, who tlirew them- selves over to certain destruction on the rocks below. Re- cently a high railing has been built that has put a stop to the practice. These victims, inextricably entangled in love's net, usuall)' die in pairs after solemnly pledging themselves to each other before a shrine. The superstitions connected with love are endless, and oc- casionall}' a disappointment will drive a hopeless maiden to revenge. Having made a figure (jf straw which represents the disloyal lover, she repairs "at the hour of the ox," two in the morning, to a shrine in the wood and fastens the effigy to the sacred tree, asking the gods as she does so to impute the desecration to her lover and to avenge his perfidy. Several visits of this kind are supposed to have the desired efl'ect. The lover gradually droops and dies — a sacrifice to love and grief, unique result of the exploits of that eccentric divinit}' whose antics are "as cruel as the grave." We left the grounds by the grand entrance and descended the long flights of steps, at the foot of which our kurumas awaited us. This localit}' has been dubbed "teapot hill," from the nu- merous shops for the sale of these articles in every shape and pattern. The true Japanese teapot has a hollow handle placed at right angles, with a short, straight spout. An endless vari- ety of sake bottles and cups, with the seven gods of luck with- in, were not less interesting. The steep, winding street lead- ing to town is bordered its entire length with houses where little earthenware dolls are made and sold — a collection so cu- 265 ■ffn JBamboo XanOs. rioiis in a land of curiosities that, enticed from shop to shop, we forgot the lapse of time, until reminded by a coolie, who remarked "me eatee" — a vacuity of phrase which we did not wait to investigate. Just below the entrance to the hotel grounds are the cjuar- ters of the kurumayas, and the faithful men were always on dut)' at whatever hour rec[uired. They have a look of comfort and g'ood-humor which is a Japanese trait. I had hired one for my sojourn and soon grew to like his pleasant, homely face, and felt so secure in his kindly care that I frequently rode for miles at night behind his fleet feet. A cab-horse might run awa)- or go lame, but with a sure-footed man it is different. Just before I left Kyoto he introduced me to his pretty young wife and children, who lived cosily and happily on his father's farm near Otsu. C)ne ought to see something of this old civilization to understand what peace of mind means. "The wisest, happiest, of our Isind are they That ever walk content with nature's way." Tea-houses and photograph galleries edge the lane that con- nects with the main Kyoto thoroughfare, and at the foot are numerous show-tents and an irrepressible troop of monkeys, that, in spite of our liberal efforts supplemented by those of the general public, continued ever in a state of imminent star- vation. A famous cherry-tree, planted three hundred }-ears ago, stands in the open space, that swarmed with children at play. Kite-flying (bamboo frames covered with tough paper), 266 Iftpoto. top-spinning, battledore and shuttlecock, and other familiar games were the favorites. Little girls of seven or eight years, dressed like their elders and powdered and rouged, played at games with babies on their backs ; and smaller ones staggered under their loads, or carried a big doll strapped on in a similar fashion. When a baby is seven days old its name is officially regis- tered, and on that day the family eats festival rice cooked with red beans, to bring good luck. The boj's' heads are all shaved, except funny little tufts on the top or back of the ears. No matter where one goes, the extraordinary number of chil- dren one sees is remarkable ; and I rather liked them, as they are usually fat and well-nourished, Cjuiet and well-behaved, and a never-failing source of amusement. The nation has a fondness for birds and insects as well as for flowers. Buddha forbade their destruction, and no Japanese child would kill or torment the smallest created thing. An open space, still farther clown the avenue, was the stand of a noisy crowd of kurumayas, who were determined we should not walk. They were even more importunate in their demands than their kindred in Yokohama. We tolerated them for some days, and each da}^ the clamor grew louder, until at last they surrounded us and interrupted our exercise. Things had gone too far — we hesitated, summoned an official, and left them to snarl. At the foot of the hill the Kamo-gawa River, crossed by nu- merous bridges, intersects the city. It has the same habit of shrinking common to all on the island, and at that season was 269 •ffn JSainboo XanDs. but a narrow stream Avitli much of its pebblj' bed free from water. On these long^ stretches of sand tons of edible sea- weed were hung- on lines to dry, and quantities of cotton cloth were spread out to bleach. These two are important Indus- tries. SeaAveed is a favorite article of diet, and after being dried is carried into the interior, where it forms part of ever)' meal among" the peasantry. The kimona of the poorer class is made entirely of cotton tacked or basted together, and when washed is taken to pieces, and eacli piece, after being slighti)' stiffened, is stretched on a board to dry. In close proximity' to the modern English railway station is the ancient twin temple of Nishi Hongwanji. Our guide 270 pointed to a lartje ich(3 tree in the courtyard, and told ns with a solemn air of belief that in case of fire in the neig-hborhood the temple would not recj^uire the services of the " department" — the tree would protect it by the discharge of volumes of wa- ter. We were allowed to enter after the coolies had tied over our shoes blue cotton socks — ill-fitting things that would not stay on ; and we had constantly to retrace our steps to recover a missing gaiter. A priest appeared to show us around, and at his request we placed our names upon the temple register. The central hall is ver}' plain, but the walls and C(.>lumns of the large rooms at either end are heavj' with gilt and orna- mented with lotus-flowers and leaves. The kakemonos there displayed are its chief glory. On the dark-blue ground of these mural hangings — nearly two centuries old — prayers to Amida are inscribed. These, with the portraits of successive high priests, are magnificent specimens from the brush of that celebrated school of painters which originated early in 1400. Gold plays an important role in Japanese art, and is lavishly used in the nave ; the folding doors, the sliding screens, the panels, and frieze are richl}'' gilded and decorated with winter scenes and pierced woodwork. The chancel glistened faintly in the half-light, and the priest held tapers that we might see to better effect the elaborately carved black-lacquered altar, the handsome gold shrine, and wonderful carvings of the ceil- ing. The ornaments of the high altar are two candlesticks, two vases filled with natural flowers, and an ancient bronze incense burner. The smaller temple is connected with the larger by a cov- 271 flu Bamboo Xait&s, ered passage, and its decorations, much faded and discolored, are also the work of famous artists. The painting" on one panel is very cleA-erly executed ; there is also a fine sliding screen, on whose gold ground a Kano had painted a peach-tree in full blossom, and perched among its sprays are a peacock and peahen of jewelled plumage. The golden shrine contains an image of Ami da surrounded by a halo. Our permit gave admission to the State apartments of a hundred rooms, whose walls are overspread with gold-leaf. The effect was beautiful and bewildering. "We were taken into room after room, where the talent of the Japanese artist is shown in rich designs of bamboo on gold ground, fans, pea- cocks, tlie lovely blossoms of cherry and plum trees, the roj'al flower of Japan, the snow-white camellia, the graceful wista- ria, and Chinese landscapes treated with infinite grace and skill. We gazed at these superb decorations until weary, and were relieved when shown into the garden, excjuisitely laid luit with small lakes that seemed made to float paper boats, little ponds of gold and silver fish, tiny stone bridges, and moss-grown lanterns, paths that end in dense shrubberv, trees grown to great height as nature intended, and pines dwarfed by art. The garden, enclosed by high walls, is solitar)- and silent in the midst of a crowded city. The summer palace of Hideyoshi, a small pavilion in a remote corner of the grounds, is its chief charm. We ascended to the upper gallerj' and looked down upon that retreat of perfect sweetness far from the noise of busy streets. In the temple enclosure stands the theological seminary 272 for the education of Buddhist priests, some of whom are to be sent as missionaries to Cliristian countries; for, as the monk remarked in perfect Engdish: " If you send men to convert us, wh}' should we not pay you tlie same attention, as we know BUDDHIST PRIESTS. our religion to be more ancient and more logical than yours?" Not wishing to be entangled in erudite discussions, we did not attempt to deny the statement, and began to muse upon the new order of things when our religious training should be in the hands of a teacher of Buddhism. Japan is now without a State religion, although a recent i8 273 ■ffn JBamboo 3LatiC>s. attempt was made in parliament to make the Christian the re- hgion of the State, and failed because it was declared illoj^ical. There are as many Buddhist sects as Christian, and missiona- ries have gained a certain advantage from that fact, in explain- ing the differences in forius and ceremonies of denominations represented there, as all foreign churches are erected side b)' side on land conceded bv the government. Resident Euro- peans, bv their irrelig'ion, and the nimiber of Eurasians or half-castes — unfortunate children of Christian fathers — at the open ports do much to retard the spread of Christianity, and travellers, in the rush of sight-seeing, neglect their own places (jf worship to visit heathen shrines. It is a trying condition of affairs. Buddhist temples are alwa3's open, night and day, through- out the year ; and some of the most wonderful temples in the world are those in which Buddha is worshipped. In Japan alone there are about sevent}' thousand; the old faith has been sleeping but is by no means dead, and it is not surprising that a new can gain but little headway. To study Buddhism is to be entangled in a network of metaphysics ; to solve its tangled "mysteries" is to find that its highest end is to enter finally and forever into the " state of Nirvana, the essence of Buddha" — cessation of sorrow, utter annihilation, complete extinction, perpetual rest. Shinto (a Chinese word meaning the " Way of the (rods"), the ancient religion of the empire, prescribes the reverence of the Mikado as supreme sovereign, and of his maternal ancestress, the sun goddess, as the chief of its deities. It is merely ancestor worship, and its outgrowth 274 Ikvoto. is the veneration of parents. Tlie priests arc allowed to niar- rv. Religion in Japan is a studv b^' itself, a subject to which the natives seem to be rather indifferent; and one relii^-ion more or less is (jf little account with a nati(m so intenselv ma- terialistic. We re-entered the temple in time to be present at a Bud- dhist service — a j^'ori^'eous and impressive ceremonial. It was difficult to realize we were not in a Christian church. The mag-nificent higii altar with its candlesticks and lighted candles, the draped figures of Buddha with halos on their heads, vases with freshl}' gathered flowers, the burning incense that per- vaded the sanctuar}-, the ringing of sweet-toned bells, the em- broidered vestments, and the richness and splendor of the ritual formed a combination curiously similar. Did the Euro- pean borrow from the Asiatic? " Too much has been made of rituals and vestments," " empty forms and ceremonies," and religion is confounded with creed. Erasmus says ; " The world is choked with opinions which are but human after all. . . . Money must be spent to bu}' organs, and teach boys to 275 SHINTO PRIEST. IFu 3Bamboo Xanbs, squeal. ... If they want m^isic, let them sing psalms like ra- tional beings, and not too inan}- of those. . . . Theologians are never tired of discussing the modes of sin, whether it be a privation in the soul or a spot on the soul . . . We dispute how the Father differs from the Son, and both from the Holy Ghost, whether it be a difference of fact or a difference of re- lation, and how three can be one when neither of the three is the other. " It was an hour past noon when we left the temple and made our way to Higashi Hongwanji, through streets of shops where ecclesiastical goods are made and sold. The fronts were crowded with shrines, idols, household gods, religious knickknacks, and all the gorgeous paraphernalia of Buddhist worship. The devoiTt Japanese have plent)' of things to adore. It was interesting to watch the manufacture of deities, gro- tcscpiely represented in wood or bronze, and the shrines m brass and gold-leaf for use in private houses. It seemed strange to us that these deluded souls could address prayers to an idol made to order under their own CA^es. Incense, too, is used in large quantities, and shops for the sale of it are sepa- rate and numerous, Higashi Hongwanji, founded on the site of a former tem- ple, was destro}'ed by fire in 1S67, and is now being rebuilt. Begun in 1868, this remarkable structure has taken all these years to construct, and thus far eight millions of dollars have been expended upon it. Buddhism has had a wonderful re- vi^'al, as is evidenced by the popular enterprise that liuilt the huge edifice. Subscriptions were sent from all parts of the 276 IRvotO. country, timber and other materials were furnished by the neii;'hboring provinces, and the poor have g-iven their labor. Women of all ages cut off their hair and sent it to be woven into ropes of every size, from a small cord to a big cable. They were used to hoist stone and timber, and now lie in great coils on the portico, to be preserved as relics. The structure was greatly encumbered by an enormous scaffolding, formed of poles tied together b}' ropes that appeared insecure enough t(j alarm us as we stood under it to watch the carpen- ters and the wood-carvers at work. This noble edifice has been built entirely b}' hand-labor, without machiner)' of any kind ; and scores of men and women stood ready to assist in placing huge logs in position. Who can dare to assert, in presence of this work, that Buddhism is dying out? The building is of wood and the interior is finished with keaki, the Japanese elm, much prized and used generally for the naA'c of temples. It is one of the finest of the native trees, and grows to an enormous size. The only ornaments we saw were the four magnificent bronze lanterns that stand in the courtyard. The fatiguing da_v was at an end, and our veranda was never more restful than when we reclined in luxury at cup-of-tea time to watch the sunset on the mountains, and, enveloped in rugs, to enjoy a half-hour nap before dinner. The weather continued fine, to our great delight, and mv comrade suggested that we spend the following da)- in the country. She chose the excursion to Uji, the most famous of the Japanese tea districts, a ride of eleven miles by kuruma 277 Hn Bamboo XanC»s. over yood roads. It was a beautiful day ; the air was warm with not a breath of wind stirriny, the sun shone brightl)', overhead was tlie blue sky, and we were soon beyond the lim- its of the old town and riding- among fields that stretch over the plain without a fence to mar the landscape. We stopped twice at tea-houses to give the coolies a short rest, and g-ath- ered great armfuls of scarlet lilies and bought shoots of bam- boo to decorate the carriages, not foreseeing in what a plight we should find ourselves. In possession of the long-coveted foliage, oiir happiness was complete as we rode into Uji with the feathery tips waving about us. Then, as a bolt out of the blue, and without knowing the cause, we were stopped by an official, who demanded our passports, opened them, and pointed angrily to a certain line. We glanced at the transla- tion and learned that we were accused of "injviring plants," and were answerable for a breach of the law. I can imagine what a forlorn appearance we must have presented at that mo- ment, as, surrounded by an excited crowd, we waited for our stupid guide to explain to the not less stupid official that the bamboo had been paid for with good, honest silver. Another five minutes was consumed in appeasing the villagers, who could not comprehend wh)- foreigners should be allowed to de- stroy shrubs to adorn kurumas. Peace was restored at last, and wc were allowed to proceed after the offending branches had been torn away and hidden under the seats. A great stir had been raised and all for nothing. We pushed forward with lighter hearts. The village of Uji lies on the banks of the broad Yodagwaa 278 1k\ioto. River, environed b}' plantations famous for producinf^ the finest tea in Japan. Tea-raising in this distriet dates from 1291, and mnst be added to the list of good things brought from China b\- Buddhist priests in a.d. S05. There were no facto- ^ ■ •- -»^ 1 ^ .•Jj^^jEj'r * '''-~> 1 m g? ijfn^^^ic?^^^ ■ ^<^L,^CS^9ps| m 1 MMb- k wl/' ' ^ *BiS|T~^]ftyjf|fni''^ym^BIBRi 1 E % pw fcr*- • .-, :^ ^^^HH^^i^^^ ; ■^/ &^.^ - M-^-^^J^ TEA HOUSE ries for drying and selling the tea; each family worked by it- self in a small way. We went to several tiny homes, and saw the leaves spread out on mats, drying in the sun. Some grades of tea bring high prices — notably the Gyokuro, which sells for six dollars a pound. Our inefficient guide, anxious to redeem his reputation, induced us to visit an old Buddhist 279 Iln Bamboo Xanbs. temple fotindecl in 1052, and noted for its kakeinonos, scrolls, and relics of Yorimasa — a warrior of the twelfth centur)-, who, after " prodit^ies of valor, " hard pressed by his enemies, coin- niitted harakiri at the ai^^e of seventy-five. Phcenix Hall, in the same gronnds, is an ancient building, reproduced at the World's Fair in 1S93, The da)^ was too lovely to waste in dingy interiors, and we hastened on to spend the noontide hour at one of the many tea-houses that overlook the river. The tea-houses of Uji are ideal and are ceaselessh' represented b}' Japanese art. The architecture is unique, the finish artistic, the broad balconies afford fine views up and down the river, and their gardens are as pretty as native taste can make them. Clumps of bamboo and maples with sprays of scarlet and gold brightened the hill- slopes, and up the deep gorge ferns and mosses overgrew the cliffs. We chose one of these inviting inns and removed our shoes before ascending to an upper room, whose polished floor was so exquisite we feared to mar its shining surface, being quite as unwilling to walk over it as to step on a silken train in boots besmeared with mud. We had provided ourselves with a lunch, as the traveller soon learns, through experi- ence, not to trust to ordinary Japanese food. The little wait- resses — I cannot state how many, as they all looked alike — arranged the repast on a table that looked coarse and out of place in that gem-like room. The tea was delicious and brewed to perfection, as the Japanese are tea epicures. The water for making the beverage is heated but never allowed to boil, and after remaining on the leaves for a moment, until it be- 280 Ikvoto. C(3mes a greenish straw color, the infusion is poured off, or the result would be bitter. The balcony afforded fine views up the gorge where the river breaks through the hills, and over the acres of tea-plants just coming into bloom. The myriads of white blossoms twinkled over the fields like snowflakes thereon sprinkled. The plant is a camellia, and lovely when covered with flowers, but provokingly devoid of fragrance, especially in that small empire; for, as a wittj- writer on Japan has said: "There is a mistake somewhere, and the result is that in one of the most beatitiful and fertile countries in the world the flowers have no scent, the birds no song, and the fruit and vegetables no flavor." Our curiosity had been aroused to see a Japanese lerry, and a short walk up the stream gave us the desired opportu- nity. It was operated in a primitive way. On each bank of the riA'er a pole was securely fixed in the ground, and stretched between them was a stout rope. A man at the stern steered the boat, while a second ferried it along by hand-over-hand motions on the cord. As business was dull that afternoon, we were ferried over and back for several trips ; and if the men in charge enjo_yed their earnings half as much as we did the rides, we parted mutually satisfied. Then we started back to Kyoto. We took boat down the river to Fushima, celebrated as the residence of »St. Francis Xavier, who landed at Kago- shima, on the island of Kyushu, on the 1 5th of August, 1 549, and began his missionary activity among the Japanese. Here our kurumas awaited us, and we were soon dashing over the road 283 IFn Bamboo Xanbs. on our return. After the unpleasant incident of the morning, the feathery beauties caused no further disturbance, and they festooned the balcony outside for manjr a day. The palace of the Mikado and the castle of the »Shogun are considered the most attractive sights in Kycjto. We had re- served the A'isit for a rain)' day which came not ; so, armed cap- a-pie with permit, passports, giiide-bciok, and siuall change, we were set down before one of the six gates in the wall of mud and plaster that encloses the palace grounds. The sentry ex- amined the papers before allowing us to cross the spacious courtyard to an irregular group of dark buildings that cover twenty-six acres. Externalh^ the palace is unattractive and without pretensions to architectural beauty, entirely opposed to foreign ideas of a royal residence; but its internal decora- tions enjoy great repute. Visitors, on arrival, enter by the gate of the "August Kitchen," and are shown into a room furnished with bright-colored European carpets of startling- pattern and chairs upholstered with n:iagenta, that most detest- able of all colors. Names were registered, cotton socks ad- justed, and, escorted by two court officials, we began the in- spection of a series of cold rooms without furniture or any means of heating them. The first suite of apartments — used only on state occasions or for festivals of the ancient relig'ion — were covered with exquisite matting. In one room a portion (jf the floor is made of cement ; each morning this was sprinkled with sand, that the jMikado, according to prescribed form, might worship his ancestors without descending to the ground. The throne was draped with rich white, black, and red silks. 284 1ftv?oto. We were next shown into a t^-reat hall used for coronation cere- monies, the New Year's audience, and on other state occasions. The panels were orin'inally decorated with paintings of Chinese sao'cs, the work of a noted artist of the ninth centurA-; unfor- THE PALACE OF THE MIKADO. tiinately many of the originals destroyed by fire had been re- placed by copies. In the centre of the room is the raised dais, with canopy of beautiful white silk decorated with a pattern representing " the bark of an aged pine-tree. " The stools at either side are rests for the imperial insignia, the Mirror, the Sword, and the Crj-stal, that have been handed down by genera- tions of successive Emperors. The mirror is the emblem of 28s IFii Bamboo Xan&s. justice, the sword of power, and the cr)'stal of virtue. In ancient times the mirror was kept in the imperial palace, but later was removed to the temples of Ise, where a shrine was erected for it. When the Emperor sees in this mirror his im- perial person, descended in an unbroken line from his ancestress Ama-terasu, the Sun goddess, he is supposed to be reminded of the ancestral commandment to love the people as his own famih'. The descent to the court is by eighteen steps, each of which corresponds to a grade of rank into which the nobility were divided, ranging from those who must remain on the ground to the highest, who could ascend and enter the royal presence. Passing through a corridor, we were shown the Emperor's stud}' with shelves and recesses of lacc^uer-work for books and writing-materials. Near by is a theatre to which the iinperial household resorted to witness the No performances — a kind of lyric drama recited by two persons in a dramatic manner and attended only by the aristocracy. We were next shown into a charming stiite of eleven rooms where the Alikados for six centuries had hved and died secluded from their families and the world, seeing nothing but minute representations of the empire over which the}^ ruled. The royal bed-chamber was so surrounded by apartments that it was impossible for one to approach His Majesty without the knowledge of his guards. All these rooms are ornamented with paintings by competent Japanese artists. Lacquer and choice woods are lavish]}' used; on dead-gold ground, scenes from nature are depicted ; a wall-design represents lakes and 286 1ft\?oto. rivers overj^rown with rushes, amont;- whicl: sonj;'-birds flut- ter; another, forest seenes witli j^Toups of animals; and the panels of a third display flowers, fruits, birds, and insects worthy the brush <_>f a Landscer. We had passed through all tliese courts, corridors, and halls without seeing a human being and without hearing a sound — all was dreary and deserted. The present Emperor lived but for a short pericjd in the old palace, as he was but sixteen 3'ears of age when his rights were re- stored and his residence changed to Tokyo. We next visited the Castle or Nijo Palace, externally much like that at Nagoya, protected b}^ broad moats and massive walls with turrets at the angles. This mighty fortress was built bv the Shogun levasu in 1601 as a residence when he visited Kyoto. It was here the Mikado, in 1S6S, "met the Council of vState, and in their presence swore to grant a delib- erate assembly and to decide all measures b)- public opinion." In later 3'ears, while occupied by the prefecture of K}'6t6, many of its antique works of art were defaced or destroyed. Since it has been reserved for a royal palace, to which the Emperor occasionally comes for a change of air, much has been effected in restoring it to its former splendor, and the imperial crest — the sixteen-petallcd chr3-santhemum — has in many instances replaced the three asaruni leaves of the Shogun. We entered the enclosure that surrounds it by the great gate, heavy with carvings and clamped with bronze-work that deserves close attention. Ancient pmcs, interesting relics of a past age, flourish in the courtyard. The inner gate is still more gorgeous in its wealth of gold and colors, and curious 287" tin Bamboo Xaiibs. carvini^'s bA' a renowned engraver of Japan, the son of a peasant, who became a wood-carver by chance and raised the trade from simple carpenter-work to a place among the fine arts. The castle is a rambling one-story building with immense rooms without either furniture f)r mats — furniture the}' never had, and A-andalism destroyed the mats. The walls are in- crusted with gold and silver leaf. Enormous paintings on gold ground by artists of skill represent baskets of flowers, fans, trees of various kinds, animals feeding, and birds in flight. The wide friezes of pierced woodwork for A-entilation are ex- quisitely fine. In one set, the effect is striking and beautiful: minutely carved peacocks are displayed on one side and per- fectl}^ outlined peonies on the other. The Hall of Audience is pro^•ided with two levels. On the higher one the ShSgun sat in gorgeous state surrounded by his court to receive the claimycjs with their glittering trains, who prostrated themselves on the floor below. This apartment is decorated with enormous plum-trees and a wealth of gold- leaf and the many fine-metal crests of the Shogun that have been suffered to remain. The panels of the reception-room are charmingly ornamented with paintings of cherry-trees in full blossom, and many other details were noticed, among which was a bit of anticjue cloisonne. AVe were shown through endless suites of rooms, rich in decorative screens that we ex- amined and admired until exhausted with so much of historv and of art. Not once in our tour of the Castle did either officer or guide mention the Emperor. Ever5'thing of interest is connected with the vShoguns, those great Tycoons Avho spared 2S8 no expense in rearing palaces and tombs the finest in the empire, as monuments for all time of their superior abilities. The longer one remains in Kyoto the more satisfying it be- comes : one finds how tminterruptedly the old life of the people STREET IN KYOTO. is going on, notwithstanding the influx of Etiropean ideas. Besides the many fine establishments of costly goods, there are streets with(jut number of curio-shops crowded with relics of ancient times. It requires hours of patient search to select from a mass of articles without name or price those that are really valuable as acquisitions. In our endless wanderings ig 289 1In Bamboo XanOs. through narrow streets, escorted 1)V a crowd (jf all ages, we saw at everv step curious scenes and interesting little customs we should never have heard of had we been in charge of a g'uide. Guides are an indispensable luxury at times, but they chill one's enthusiasm. TItc houses are narro^\', the shops occupy the whole front, and tliev are generally so close together thev touch each other. The salesman, who sits in his sh(.>p warming' his hands ijver a hiljachi (charcoal-brazier) and smoking his everlasting pipe, shows his good-will by making' the usual salutation; and it matters not whether the customer be a large investor or a tire- some creature Avho incpiircs the price of ever)^ article and buys nothing — he is equall)' courteous to all. The moment we were seated the crowd gazed curiously, intent on finding out all about us and (.>ur business. Our conA'ersation could not have been edif^'ing■, as it was confined mostlv to " Ikura?" (" How much?") — a word impossible to dispense with in the country', or to dispel when one leaves it. Time is of no importance in Japan and bargaining at a curio-shop is no light matter, since the shop- keepers ask foreigners a price much larger than the sum the}' mean to take or than }'ou mean to pay — if you understand their methods — for life has taught them " to truckle and trick like the rest of us." They appear to belieA^e that travellers are easily imposed u]5on; but if the customer be wise and feign in- difference, in nine cases out of ten he will get the article, re- gardless of the original price demanded. He makes great nse of the soraban, an instriiment enclosing rows of beads sliding on thick wires — a trap t(.) catch the unwary; at the same time 290 while preparing to exploit you, he draws in his breath in that curious faint wliistle, to indicate that he is a slave to your wishes. M}' English friend had given mc a list of real an- ti([ues — a medicine box, an incense burner, a folding candle- stick, an embr(jidered scroll, several small ornaments, and a BAMBOO WARE FOR SALE. Japanese clock of the kind in use before they came into contact with time-keepers of European make. There are manv varieties, but all record the moments without a pointer, rotat- ing on an axis ; the scale and figures are arranged in a fashion reseinbling a Fahrenheit thermometer more than anything else, the pointer or hand being attached to a rod which eontinu- 291 ■ffn JBamboo Xan5s. allv slides d(5wn the " time-tube," thus marking the hour and tile minutes as it slowly but imperceptibly falls toward the "weight-house." Wc found a bronze candlestick so curiously constructed it took months to discover Avhat it was made for. I was disappointed in not securing an ancient map of Japan, like one I had seen representing that little empire as occupy- ing the centre and greater part of the universe, with other countries ranged about it as vassals. Japan is almost denuded of real curios, and, though our collection is still incomplete, the search afforded an endless, agreeable, and profitable occu- pation. Tlie cars took us to Otsu at the foot of Lake Biwa, a fine sheet of water forty-five miles long — the largest and prettiest of the Japanese lakes. (_)n the north and west sides it is walled in by mountains covered with forests ; small farms and villages line the opposite shores. The lake, which is verv deep at some points and abounds in fish, was made still more pictu- rescpie by small trading-steamers and fishing-boats that plv its waters. There is a tradition that the sacred niountain of Fujiyama was formed in a singde night by an earthquake; the depressi(jn of Lake Biwa was produced simultaneously, and the nati\'es believe there is still a connection between the two. Otsu is a flourishing town, with an unenviable reputation as the spot where the attempt was made to assassinate the Czare- vitch — now Czar Nicholas II. — during his journey around the world. He reached Kyoto on i\Ia}- 9th, and two days later his party made an excursion to the classic Lake Biwa. They had seen the lake and paid a short visit to the prefectural office, 292 Ik^oto. and were prepared to see the outskirts of the town in ktirunias. The streets of Otsu were well lined with police, and as tlie part}' rode ahjng a Japanese j^'uard, Tsuda Sanzo, dre\v his sword and direeted a powerful blow at the Czarevitch — infliet- ini;- two euts on his forehead. His sun Iielmet broke the force of the blow, and Prince Georg'e of (ireece, his travelling com- panion, with admirable presence of mind felled the Avould-be assassin with a stout walking-stick, and threw himself on the man before he had time to inflict another wound. With the aid of the police, the assailant was finally secured and after- ward sentenced to imprisonment for life. The most mysteri- ous rumors gained currency : it was said that Sanzo was a half- erazy fanatic of the vSamurai class, noted for their hatred of Europeans; also, that he was a Nihilist belonging to Russia in the Japanese police ser\'ice. In any ease, the Grand Duke very luckily escaped with only two slight cuts. His ^Majesty and the court went into mourning ; the Emperor travelled over two hundred miles to visit the W( lunded Prince ; the Empress kept her bed for weeks and spent the time in weeping; and placards announced that the reception and ban- quet to be given for the Czarevitch were indefinitely postponed. " Some grim old Samurai showed their feelings about the occur- rence in a less gentle manner. The high official intrusted with the safety of the Czarevitch at Otsu received, b}- express, a fine sword and a stern letter bidding him prove his manhood and his regret like a Samurai, by performing harakiri immedi- ately. " The Prince shortened his stay in Japan and returned to St. Petersburg by way of Siberia, and this portion of his 293 Hn JSamboo Xan&s. travels is believed to have had no small influence on the con- struction of the Trans-Siberian Raihva)'. The zeal for West- cm civilization grew colder after that catastrophe. A short ride from the station throug-h queer little streets brought us to the foot of the hill dedicated to the goddess Kwannon. The view from the summit is so fine one feels amplv repaid for the ascent. We hailed the sight with pleas- ure ; the broad expanse of Lake Biwa spread out at our feet ; and Hiei-zan, the priests' mountain, towering high above the sea and the little ships, threw long shadows over its surface. The Buddhist temple of Miidera has few ornaments ; but its storehouses are rich in priceless antique art of lacquer, em- broidery, and brocade. Among the groves are numerous shrines well storied with man)^ a thrilling legend. One, in connection with an enor- mous iron bowl we saw by the roadside, relates that the vessel was once filled with soup that an individual consumed and thereb}' gained strength to carry it to the top of the sacred mountain. There seemed to be little foundation for the legend, except the realit}- of the bowl; but what his object was in taking it up there, and how it got back again, did not ap- pear, and this story, like others we listened to, was a tissue of nonsense. After coming down we took kurumas to the village of Karasaki, famrjus for its pine-tree, whose branches, supported b}- a trellis, number four hundred and average two hundred and fifty feet in length. The trunk is carefulh' sheltered from rain by a roof over the top, and the decaj'ed spots are filled 294 IRvotO. with plaster. It has the reputation of beint;- tlie oldest tree in the country, and has been worshipped for aj^es. It stands on a sandy point protected by stone-faced embankments, and, like the immense banyan tree in the gardens at Calcutta, is re- markable for the great area covered by one plant. This is the place for picnics ; there were benches under the tree, and a part)' of natives were having their noonday repast under this canopy of drooping boughs. It was too suggestive, however, of b}-gone festivities to suit us, and we returned to Otsu, the kurumayas having trotted there and back without the smallest sense of fatigiie. We lunched at the tea-house of ^linaraitei on the lake. The dining-room, which occupied the whole upper floor, was open front and back, affording lovely views over the water and the town, and was made still more attractive by hanging scrolls, pines, and potted shrubs. "We enjoyed greatly the freshly caught fish, that on this occasion were cooked and not eaten with chop-sticks. After a pleasant hour there, we rode around the south shore to the long bridge of Seta. The scenery was extremely pretty — the lake glistened to the left, and to the right the hills, green with coniferas, sloped to the shore. A bridge has existed there from prehistoric times, and the legend connected with an earlier structure is very characteristic of Japanese fairy talcs. The hero was " iMy Lord Bag o' Rice," who had a very remarkable experience with a sea-serpent twenty feet long and an exciting battle beneath the waters of the lake with a centipede over a mile in length, and enjoyed -'97 IFn Bamboo Xaii&s. happiness and i^reat wealth ever after, as a reward of his prowess. A short distance farther on is the village of Ishiyama-dera and its temple, located on the monntain-side. The beautifv- ing- of the grounds — a fine example of a temple garden — has been the chief object of the inonks, and they are lovelv. Limpid streams glide between grass}' banks, rustic bridges span diminutive lakes, shrubs grow on rocks of fantastic shape, and pines grace the lawn. From sunn}' nooks and spaces with clusters of shrubs high up among the maples, a fair prospect expands before the eye over garden and lake. AVe returned to K}'(5to b}' kurunia, along the much-travelled Tokaido, that runs through a pass among the hills. Before our advent, the wild-flowers grew b}' the wa}'side uninolested; we piled our little eabs high with blue, white, and yellow beauties, assisted b}' the coolies who vied with each other in scaling steep places to gather specimens above our reach. The Japanese loA'e of nature does not extend to these unassuming plants, and we were delighted that our passports had also neglected them. The road was thronged with ktirumas, people on foot, and man-carts loaded with inerchandise. These carts are usualh' drawn b}' two men, aided by two others who push from behind, all four keeping up a hoarse guttural cr}- to en- courage each other. We also noticed several family affairs ; the man in the shafts, the wife prishing in the rear with an in- fant lashed to her back, other children trudging along at the side, all seeming to be enjoying themselves. One sees much of industrious povert}- in Japan, where the poor form the vast 298 Ikvoto. majority of the population. On again, gradual!}' descending, we neared Kyoto at sunset, riding through temple grounds just as the bells of Nanzenji and Chion-in rang out their sur- passingly sweet tones on the evening air. There is nothing about the exterior of the great silk-shops to distinguish them f ro:n the dwellings of the poor ; all are alike of wood, and unpainted. We stopped before one of these unpretentious buildings, entered by a small door, and were eondueted through passages and anterooms to an apartment in the rear, containing great cabinets of antique laccpier filled with art-work and tables loaded with rich silks, brocades, vel- vets, and silk crepes ; satin screens superbly embroidered in gold, with designs of wild ducks, winter scenes, sprays of cherry and plum blossoms, iris-flowers, the queenly rose, the sacred lotus, storks in flight, deer feeding under forest shadows, and symbols of good fortune, were an imp(jrtant part of the stock. The show-room opened upon a garden where, when surfeited with art, we could enjo}' nature. This small yard of tidy flower-beds and neatly kept paths was beautified by quaintl}^ trimmed pines three or four feet high, blossoming trees, a vine-covered trellis, the usual stone lantern and pool of fish, and a retreat used for tea-drinking, capable of holding two persons only. We dawdled awa}' whole afternoons in this elegant interior, this home of art. The proprietor, in addition to other courtesies, invariably served tea and little pleasantries of sweets and fruit. A gentleman of our party was an en- thusiastic brn^er, and in one recklesslv cxtraA-agant session we were regaled with hot sake, poured from a fine bronze pot. 299 Iln Bamboo XaiiC>5. Hot sake — a magical intoxicant, an evil to be avoided ! It was well for him he was temperate, else he mig'ht have fallen into the bog and purchased the entire stock. Embroidery, with other arts, was imported from China by the priests; but with the Japanese art is an inspiration, and they have invested their work with their own exquisite taste. Curiously enough, the first noted artist in embroidery was a Buddhist nun, but now all the finest speciinens are the work of men and boys. We were taken into the work-rooms and shown pieces, still far from completed, upon which the em- broiderers had been at work for months. They receive ridiculoush' small pay, and it is not surprising the}' lose their sight carl}' in life, for the intricate patterns and delicate shading would try the strongest eyes. The following morning was one of anticipation and of dis- appointment. One of my fellow-travellers took us far out of our way to visit the monastery of Kenninji, situated in a park that entends to the left of the town. When we arrived, we alighted and were taken b}' a priest through room after room containing nothing whatever. After exhausting that form of entertainment, he volunteered the information that a fair for the sale of old clothes would be held there the following day. These monks have a reputation for profound Biiddhistic lore, but there was no religious sentiment in that remark. We thought him something of a practical joker, and, as we were rather sensitive about our own travel-stained garments, we took kurumas and went on our way. The temple of Kodaiji is dedicated to Hideyoshi, who be- 300 IRpotO. gan life as a peasant, rose by his talents to a position of influ- ence, and became practically ruler of Japan under the title oi Regent. His ambition was to become Emperor of the whole East. He sent armies to Korea in 1542 and ruined that country ; he also planned the concjuest of China, but death overtook him in 1598, and his enterprise came to naught. He is known as the Napoleon of Japan. His infant son Hideyori succeeded him, but was overpowered by leyasu, who founded the Toku- gawa dynasty of Shoguns, that remained in power tmtil 1S6S. The greater number of the buildings have been destroyed by fire, but the grounds that extend up tlie terraced hillside are shaded by ancient oaks and elms and ver}' beautiful. The place is full of absorbing interest in connection with Hidevoshi. The apartments contain some famous gold screens and other antiques; Founder's Hall has panels painted by illustrious artists of the Kano school ; in the mortuary chapel is a figure of Hide^'oshi seated in a shrine of rich black laccpier, and they still point out the spot where he used to sit and gaze at the moon. There are many beautiful carved and lacquered relics and old bronzes worthy of careful examination, but we had been taken by storm. An acolyte of the mature age of scA-en met us at the gate, and engrossed our whole attention. He at once began shouting, in high, shrill tones, Japanese words that we did not understand, but which we supposed to be an explana- tion of the place and its contents. Our sense of the comic was too great, and at first we felt inclined to laugh at the serious expression on the boy's face; but while we rambled about and looked at everything, he clung to us persistently. We cried 301 Hn Bamboo XauDs. "Leave us in peace!" beat the floor with sticks, studied the j:,''uide-booK, and essayed b}' every means in our power to rid ourselves of the chattering magpie, but made no more impres- sion on that aspiring spirit tlian on the bronze images of tlie altar. At last, there came into my head one of those bright ideas that occasional!}' assail the dullest mind, and I handed him a fee. A fatal error — it but encouraged him to greater efforts ! He had the precocious air of an embryo actor recit- ing one of those long-drawn-out dramas that begin in the morning and last until midnight. We had stirred up a hornet's nest — to silence him was impossible, and to escape being talked to death we abandoned the spot. From the noisy experience at Kodaiji, we found refuge in the Cjuiet elegance of Ikedas' shop, where the finest specimens of cloisonne, satsuma, damascene, bronze, and lacquer are dis- played. A cabinet valued at ten thousand dollars, decorated with gold and richly laccpiered, was but one of the many gems of art in the collection. The articles were arranged on tables and shelves, with ample space for examination. We wondered, admired, and enjo3-ed. Japan, even in her art, offers us that which we most desire in travel — novelty ; and there is nothing- to offend the eye. The race has too much good sense and in- nate refinement to daub their art-work and fill public prints with representations of the nude feinale form. To still further gratify our curiosit)', the owner kindly in- vited us to visit the factory in an adjoining building. For making damascene, the iron is first cast in the required shape ; the sin-face is then roughened with hammer and chisel; then 302 Ik^oto. bits of gold and silver are haniniered in in patterns ; and, lastly, the piece is laequered and fired. The process of making cloisonne is eqttallj' interesting. The article is first ham- mered into symmetry out of copper; the design is drawn on it with ink ; then a network of brass is soldered on to the metal foundation and the interstices filled with enamel paste in vari- ous colors, to be finally subjected to baking, rubbing, and polishing until the surface is perfectly hard and smooth. The process is so extremely delicate that often many specimens are destroyed before a flawless one is produced. Each separate part of the work is done by one artist, who knows nothing of other parts. Their skill excels in the minuteness of detail, and it is surprising what artistic effects they produce with the simplest of instruments. Except for the ascent of Fuji3-ama, our next exciirsion to the rapids of the Katsuragawa was the most adventurous we made in Japan. The weather still favored us, and the ride of fifteen miles by kurumas with two men each across the moun- tain range to Hozti, where we took boats, was delightful. The scener)^ in these mountains is exceedingly lovely, and there can be few places where nattire has so lavishly scattered her choicest treasures. The beeches and maples were magnificent ; a stream wound tortuously through a rock)' ravine ; the breezes were spicy with delicate perfume ; the faint blue of the autumn sky shone through the trees. The graceful drooping cherrj'-colored berries of the nightshade and the delicate maidenhair fern grew in profusion ; wild asters with lavender- purple rays and j-ellow centres, the criinson-magenta clusters 20 305 IIii iffiamboo Xan&s. (if the iron- weed, the small blue flowers of the modest self- heal, and wild chrysanthemums and other late varieties lilossomed there in sunnj' spots. We stopped at a small villai;'e to allow the coolies a short rest and breathini^-spell on their long- uphill journey. Every house was a shop, and the mystery was where the buyers came from, for, with the exception of our kurumayas, I saw no purchasers. In some, all kinds of food were displa5'ed — fish, rice, beans, and seaweed predominating; in others hats, rain- coats, and sandals of straw, and many small articles of bamboo and laecjuer were for sale. We could see the domestic arrange- ments and everything else that was going on inside ; and the small garden in the rear made a pleasing background to the quaint picture. The shopkeejDer was smoking at ease among- his wares, a 5'oung woman was seated with her hair-dresser busy at work, others were sewing or cooking — thej- understand cooking rice ti > perfection — and in one little home the family were at dinner, each with his separate table a foot square and a foot high. The table and the little bowls for riee, soup, fish, and other food were all lacquered. The natives seemed to have plenty of leisure and always suspended work the moment we appeared at the door, eyeing us with Cjuite as much curiosity as we did them. The packhorses we met on the wa)- were the most hopelessly depressed looking creatures imaginable, burdened with curiously shaped cargoes, so huge that little of the unfortunate animals was visible except the head and legs. Charms are tied about their necks, they are shod with straw sandals to protect the feet on stony roads, and are charged with 306 Ik^oto. having' some spirit — but how can they display it, when loaded until they look like hay mounds on four legs? After a life of toil cc>mes the reward: they arc buried like human beings in cemeteries devoted to them. The leader had the same stolid A FAMILY DINNER-PARTY. resignation reflected in his face as he trudged along, leading his cjuadruped by a rope. Arrived at Hozu we embarked in flat-bottomed boats twent)^ feet long, kurumas, coolies, and all, for the ride down-stream of fifteen miles. There are twenty-two rapids, and the descent usually takes about two hours. The walls of the canvon through which the clear rushing stream has cut its way are sd- 3°7 Iln Bamboo Xan&s. most vertical and wooded to their summits. The river imme- diately enters this magnificent mountain gorge, the excitement begins, and the tourist has an opportunity for testing his nerve. In the savage grandeur of the scenery, the water rushing in whitening foam over the rocky bed of the torrent, and the fleet and liriisterous frolic there was infinite exhilaration. So closely do the mountains hem in the stream that, on looking up, it seemed as if there were no outlet to the place, and at several abrupt turns around jutting crags as if nothing could prevent one's being dashed to pieces on huge boulders. The echoes, as if the angry spirits of the mountains were let loose, were sublime. It recjuires consummate skill, practice, and cool- ness to manage a craft in that raging torrent, which whirled the boat swiftly downward until we emerged from the gorge, gliding peacefull)^ into still water, and our landing-place came into A'iew. On the way down we met boatmen towing their skiffs laboriously up-stream. In the charming village of Arashiyaina we picnicked on a balcon)' that overlooks the river, and returned to Kyoto, but not until the long shadows of the trees warned us that it was time to leave. I should have liked to detain each hour as it passed. The next morning came sad news of the death of two Eng- lish friends, who went down in an ill-fated steamer of the Pe- ninsular and Oriental line, in a typhoon off the Chinese coast. Outside the present city limits, toward the northwest, is a collection of temples and gardens of more or less interest. The temple of Kitano Tenjin is a good specimen of the result of mixing the two religions ; the devout may there worship .io8 Ik^oto. their Shinto deities in company witli the pompons ritiiul pre- scribed by Btiddhism. The temple is finely located on high grovmd, the approach is by a massive stone torii, bnt tlic dec- orations are coarse and cheap, the altar is littered with idols, the avenue is lined with restaurants and show-places, and the whole elTect is irrelij,aous and nninterestini^-. It was pitiful, absohitely pitiful. We hastened on to Kinkakuji, so called froin the Li'olden pavilion in the grounds. A palace was erected there by the ex-Shogun Yoshimitsu as long ago as 1397, but ntjthing now remains of it. He laid out the ornamental garden after Japa- nese style and built the paviHon of three stories (jn the lake. In its prime there were fine paintings bi,' a Kano on tlie ceiling; the upper story was entirely encrusted with gold-leaf and the roof crowned by a golden ])h(]enix three feet high. The effect must have been gorgeous in the extreme, and even now, tar- nished and time-beaten, it is a pretty and peaceful retreat. Here the ex-Shogun with shaved head and priestly robes used to sit and meditate, while enjo}'ing the pretty sheet of water covered with lotus-plants and swarming with carp. As we stood on the balcony, these silent inmates of the pool with bril- liant scales and quick sense heard our voices and darted up to be fed. The intricate art of gardening is there seen to perfec- tion — forest trees and flowering shrubs, streains, rockeries, bridges, woodland paths, summer-houses perched on knolls, and a " moon-gazing arbor" — favorite haunts of Yoshimitsu, the very " serenit)' of solitude." We visited the apart- ments, where everything about us was ancient. The screens, 311 Hn JBamboo Xau&s. panels, and kakemonos three hundred years old were in a fine state of preservation and exquisite specimens of the art-work of Old Japan. In the court5'ard was a curiosit)-: a large pine- tree has been trained in the form of a junk and gives an ex cellent representation. We failed to learn its age, but a priest informed us that it had been growing there for centuries. I bought a tempo, a large oblong bronze coin with a hole in the centre, intended to be strung on a string for convenience in handling. They were coined during the period a.d. 1S30-1844, are worth eight rin, and are not now produced. The priests offered tea, which Ave accepted without waiting for the elaborate ceremony, as time was limited, and we had yet, while in the vicinity, to visit another historic spot. Wc sped until we came to Daitokuji, once a magnificent temple of the Zen sect of Buddhists. It is a stately old build- ing standing in solitary grandeur, with a distinct inclividualit)' in the religious atmosphere which surrounds it. It was quite enough to sit in the ancient temple, to breathe the air of the A-enerablc place, full of repose to those who can receive its in- fluences. The carvings on the gatewa3's and the interior are wonderful, and its treasures of damask, embroidery, and laccpier are renowned for richness and beaut)', and unsurpassed by an)- other productions of human skill. In the apartments, painters of the best school spent years in decorating the walls, panels, and screens according to antique custom. In one instance, the artist has chosen beautiful Chinese scenery and delineated it with accurac)'. A A^ery spirited picture occupies an entire wall; the subject is simple but broad, clear, and toned har- 312 1F?\?OtO. monionsly. It represents a man teachinj^' a monkey to dance. On leaving- the temple we climbed to the hilltop, where stands a shrine dedicated to Nobtinaga, a deified warrior oi the six- teenth century, and had views far and wide of miles of sur- roimding country. We stood on the heights that encircled the rich and fertile plain, a beautifid spot some miles outside the present city limits. The scene was one of incomparable love- liness, an ideal sunset picture of wooded hills and browning meadows. Not content with the long day of sight-seeing, we turned aside to watch some peasants thatching the deep slanting roof of a farmhouse. The straw was laid on three feet thick, and secured in place by bamboo poles placed lengthwise across the beams. One often sees heavy stones placed on the roofs to keep thein secure in high winds. Thatched roofs have in re- cent years given place to tiled ones in cities, and fires are now much less destructive. Our permit to visit the palaces included the Imperial garden of Shugaku-in, lying at the base of Hiei-zan. We flew through miles of streets and out among the fields where the paths were onl)' as wide as a kuruma, alighted at the gate, and were escorted by a lay brother thrcjugh the spacious grounds finely situated on the mountain slope, and planted with grand old eherr}' and maple trees. One section, exquisitely laid out, is a faithful reflection of a landscape and a charming example of horticultural art. We saw in a small building many vahuible relics of the founder, a ^Mikado who lived in the seventeenth century. It was one of those perfect days that we were so 315 IFtt 36amboo Xan&s. marvcUonsly favored with, -warm and brit^dit, much like our Indian summer, and the walk of two miles around the grounds would liave been one of imalloyed enjoyment, had not the place been infested with cauI things. Snakes are protected with superstitious reverence, and to kill one is very wrong. I never saw so many outside a museum ; the)' wriggled through the grass, sprawled on the roadway, and basked in the sunshine on the finely gxavelled walks. vSerpents four feet long, even though the}' be harmless, are not agreeable companions for an afternoon stroll. Our purely Oriental escort ignored alike the revolting reptiles and our abhorrence of them. ( )n our way to Ginkakuji we had a fine opportunity to see more (jf farm life as we rode among the grain-fields. The houses of the peasants are small and include under one broad overhanging roof both dwelling and barn. Much of the charm of rural life in our country is absent in Japan. As the people use neither milk nor meat, cattle, sheep, and swine are not seen, and the farmyards look singularly silent and deserted. Tlic only representations of animal life are fowls, dogs, and cats with short stumpy tails, a freak of nature ; the bones are all there, but not normally developed. A strong prejirdice ex- ists against the long-tailed species, as the)' are supposed to have power to bewitch beings, and if one chances to be born the appendage is chopped off without ceremony. The methods of agriculture are primitive. The soil is spaded b)' men and women with simple instruments ; hoes and mattocks are used for gardening, and short, straight knives for reaping. The fields are cultivated to the highest point, and --.16 1k\?oto. with constant enrichin.SJ-, will produce as many as three .crops annually. The town scaveni.jers collect the sewatfe and refuse of every house daily and sell it to the farmers, who preserve it in large tiibs sunk into the ground until needed, when it is taken in wooden pails and distributed about the fields. The peasants wear the usual shirt and short breeches of blue cotton, a bowl-shaped hat as large as an umbrella, and a fan stuck in the girdle. In wet weather they don a straw rain- coat in two parts, — the upper cape tied abotit the neck, and the lower one fastened around the waist, — and wooden clogs four inches high held in position by a looped thong which passes between the first and second toes, to keep them out of the mire. As the average Japanese man is onh' five feet two inches in height, and the women are but five feet or less, these stilts are rather becoming. But fane}" Europeans stalking about on them ; they would look like a race of giants ! Along the road, as we progressed, the path became narrow and rough ; there were many places over which a wheeled vehicle could hot pass, and we had to pick our way over the uneven ground and wet places, while the coolies carried the little gigs. Arrived at the hamlet of Jodoji-mura, we walked up the single street to Ginkakuji, one of the most noted places in the history of Kyoto. Here the Shogun Yoshimasa, after his abdication in 1497, laid out a fine garden with a charming back- ground of wooded hills and built for himself a palace and silver pavilion. The apartments are dingy with age, but some good specimens of high art remain, among which is a painted figure of Yoshimasa, clad in the garb of a Buddhist priest. The Z^9 Hn Bamboo Xan£)s. clean, well-tended garden, full of interesting- spots connected with his life, is a place of melancholy sweetness and repose. Trees, lakes, bridges and rocks — all are distinguished by names that incited cj^uite a frolic among our party, as we stepped on the " Stone of Ecstatic Contemplation," or stood on the " Bridge of the Pillar of the Immortals" and gazed into the " Moon- AVashing Fountain." Here the ex-Shogun with his favorites spent the last years of his life in great luxury, lavishing vast sums on the refined pleasures connected with the cha-no-yu (tea ceremonies). These ceremonies, peculiar to Japan, which date from the thirteenth century, had first a religious, then a luxurious, and lastly an esthetic stage. The main feature of the religious stage was the Buddhist service, in addition to a simple dinner at which tea was served in place of wine. During the next century the luxurious stage was reached, although it still re- tained some of its religious character, from the Buddhist pic- tures of saints and scrolls that adorned the spacious rooms where the entertainments were given. The walls were hung with rich brocades and embroidered silks, gold and silver vessels were used, costly perfumes were burned, and the rarest and most expensive food was consumed. The daimj'os re- clined on divans, covered by tiger and leopard skins, while singing and dancing girls entertained the compan5^ Brands of tea were brought in to be tested, and the point of the feast consisted in guessing what plantation produced the materials of each cup of tea. The guest who conjectured rightly was rewarded by a gift of one of the many beautiful ornaments of 320 Ikpoto. the room. Tea-drinking became a high art, vast sums were squandered, and it gained such popularity among tlie higher classes and was carried to such an extent that renowned war- riors neglected their swords for the teapot or died cup in hand while their castles were being surrendered to the enemy. Schools of tea-drinking were formed, and rules made that pre- scribed the size of the room and its decorations, the tea service, and all the minor details. Time and change have reduced it to a simple esthetic service, and in this stage we took part in the ceremon}' in a small room of four and one-half mats in the old palace. The ornaments of the tea-room were a kakemona, an incense biirner, and a vase of flowers in the alcove. The beverage is made of powdered leaves, is greenish in color, thick like pea-soup, fragrant, and not very palatable. We much pre- ferred the ordinary inftision. It was served on gold lacquer trays in ancient kaga cups without handles. The etiquette of tea-clrinking is peculiar. Seated on our heels in a circle, with a priest to conduct the ceremony, we watched his actions and followed his example, holding the ciip with both hands as we consuined the contents. I should like a representation of that scene. The tea ceremony is refined in every detail, but complicated in its forms, and repeated trials grow to be a bore and a nuisance. The general use of tea is a great blessing to the country, as it largely supplants the intoxicating sake, al- though I strongly suspect they refrain from the latter not from principle but from povert}'. There is a school in the city where the geishas are taught playing, singing, dancing, writing, and embroidery. They are 21 321 Ku JBainboo Xan5s. a class b}' themselves and are apprenticed to their employer at an early aye, frecpiently as yonng as seven years. They arc supposed to have greater personal attractions than girls less favored bj- nature, but I saw very few handsome ones — for in Japan as elsewhere beauty is not universal — and they were dis- figured with powder and rouge, exceeding even their country- women themselves. The school occupies a build- ing that encloses a courtj'ard planted with shrubs and chrj's- anthemums. We were first shown into a room where a dancing-lesson was in progress. The teacher, a retired geisha, was seated on the floor playing a samisen with a strip of ivory; and in front, on a raised plat- form, her pupil, with a trace of A GEISHA. coquetry, postured, grimaced, rolled her eyes, and twirled her fan in exact imitation of the elder ; neither of them appeared in the least disturbed by the presence of half a score of foreigners. We were taken into room after room, where we saw young girls receiving instruc- tion in different branches of education. The choicest bit was reserved until the last; we were ushered into a hall where a number of pupils, each with a samisen, were singing and play- 322 ■ff^voto. ing", and the iinearthh' discords produced by their enthusiastic efforts were excruciating". It was a competition between time and tune of twelve kinds, not much to the credit of Japanese musical taste. The race is not physically incapacitated for singing — it merely lacks knowledge of music as an art. Hav- ing no sweet song-birds, they imitate the shrill screech of the hawk or kite and the melancholy cries of sea-fowl with admi- rable success. The offer of a performance by finished pupils was gratefully declined ; the nervous system could endure no more, and we sotight the street to relieve our distracted senses. A long avenue of grain-fields on one side and pleasure re- sorts on the other leads to the temple of Nanzenji. While walking up this thoroughfare one afternoon, intent on our guide-book, we were overtaken and accosted by a party of Japanese students in European attire. One of the lads pointed to the open page, and we handed him the book. He read a few words with difficulty, but when questioned talked lamely and was unable to understand us. ( )bviousl)- they considered it all a huge j'lke, and lingered near us, laughing and gesticu- lating, until we reached the temple, where the}- left us — to our immense relief. They belonged to the new generation, and we were shocked at their brusqueness of manner. They had dis- carded their national politeness with their national dress. The Japanese have had one undeviating standard set before thein for generations, fronr the Mikado down to the lowest coolie, until the}- excel all nations in the art of politeness. Until this importation of explosive civilization of the West stirred them up, one century was made the pattern for the next. For ages 323 II n JBamboo Xan^s. Japan has worn a clrcss borrowed from China, and now she casts that aside for the stiff European. During- the last ten years, tire taste of the people for foreign furniture, furbelows, and food has greatl)' increased the cost of living". Native do- mestic economy is reduced to a minimum, and a 3-oung' couple can begin housekeeping with a few cotton quilts, two kneeling- cushions or mats, a wooden rice-bucket and ladle, a wash-bowl, a few towels, an iron kettle, a charcoal-burner, a trav or two, a teapot, two laccjuered rice-bowls, a few china cups, and a bamboo switch for sweeping — all costing about seven dollars. Happihr rid of these hilarious young fellows, we entered the temple, at cme time the residence of an ex-Mikado and since converted into a monastery. The main temple, built by Ie}'asu, has a floor of dark blue tiles and a rich altar of red and black lacc[uer adorned witth handsome gold images. The walls and pillars are of plain wood, in striking contrast to the richness of decoration. The larg^e two-storied gatewaj' is highl}' ornate, and the upper room contains two black-lacquered shrines, in which are preserved images of le^'asu and Takatora its builder. An aqueduct, that serves to convey the waters of Lake Biwa to Kyoto, crosses the gTounds. Its red-brick arches make a pleasing contrast with the greens of trees and shrubs, and add greath' to the picturesqueness of the place. Paper is one of the chief products of japan; the mulberry tree not only affords food for the silkworm, but produces a fibre from which the article is made that is remarkable for toughness and elasticity. Over iiity kinds of paper are manu- factured ; the consumption is enormous, and the uses to which 3-4 Ikvoto. it is put are infinite. It is used for windows instead of cflass, for fans, handl^ercliiefs, lanterns, cordag-e, and man)' ornamen- tal articles, while oiled paper replaces India rubber and oilcloth for carriag-e-covering, rain-coats, umbrellas, and tobacco- pouches. One street in Kyoto is entirely devoted to shops in which paper alone is sold. Writing-paper is put up in rolls ; we purchased a packet of envelopes for one sen and writing- paper in ten feet rolls for five sen ; but it proved unsatisfactory for correspondence, as the fibre is ver}' porous and the ink spread all over the page. Its being absorbent does not signif)^ with the Japanese, who write with a paint-brush and India ink, and tear off the written portion when the yard or more of letter is finished. In velvet and silk weaving the Japanese still cling to the old-fashioned hand-looms operated by two persons. Upon en- tering a factory the visitor is greeted with the incessant crash, crash as the wooden parts come together. We went into one where twenty-five looms operated by foot-power were working at high speed. We also saw the process of boiling and dye- ing in a great variety of colors. The cleansed silk was dipped into hot dye, and wrung out by placing a bamboo stick through the skein and twisting it tighth'. The dooryard was rendered conspicuous with long pieces of silk of every shade stretched between bainboo poles to dr}' in the sun. More than one Ansit was made to these factories of hand-loom weavers, particularly those in which the beautiful velvets are manufactured. Fine brass wires are woven under the nap, and the pattern is painted on before the wires are drawn out for uncut velvet, or 325 IFn Bamboo Xan&s. cut out for cut velvet. The process rec[uires infinite labor and patience. In every case the liead man received us with great poHteness, and after leading us through the building he in- A HAND-LOOM. vited us into the faultless little garden at the rear, where tea and sweets were served. To relieve the pressure of obligation, we invariably purchased some of his beautiful productions. Tea, silk, and rice are the three great products of Japan. 326 Ik'poto. There are frequently serious failures in the latter crop, and the Government is forced to purchase largely from other countries, selling it to the people at cost. The success of the rice-crop being so important, Inari, — the goddess of rice, in the form of a fox — is a very popular deity, as is Daikoku, the smiling god of wealth, who is represented seated on bales of rice. After the rice-planting is over, two da)-s and the intervening night are devoted to merry-making in the temples dedicated to Inari throughotit the kingdom. On the outskirts of Kyoto stands one of the most famous temples of the rice-god. Various superstitions are connected with it, and one legend forms the motive of a No drama. We had arranged to visit Inari on a eertain day in tlie month when pilgrims make the " Circuit of the iVIountain Hol- lows, " and, arrived there, we found the temple and grounds thronged with worshippers, A great red Shinto torii stands before the entrance, and at the summit of the steps, on either side, is a stone fox on a pedestal, before which pious mortals had placed offerings of rice to propitiate the gods. Flights of steps lead up to the great court3'ard with its rows of lanterns, moss-grown with age, Shinto mirrors, eighteen inches in diameter, hang from the eaves of the main chapel. Not a sign of Buddhism was to be seen, and it was a relief to find, ocea- sionally, a shrine of the old religion unmixed with the imported creed. A priest opened the storehouse to show us the sacred cars, of great age and rich in decorations of gold, silver, and bronze. In these ears the deities of Inari make an annual pilgrimage to Ise, the Japanese Mecca, to which as far as 327 Hn Bamboo Xan&s. tradition reaches back an extraordinary sanctity is attached. A visit to these shrines is a duty as important to every Shinto- ist as is the sacred journey to the Mohammedan. I have one of the httle charms carried by pilgrims. It is neatly put up in a paper packet ; on a vari-colored background arc two grains of rice, on eacli of wliich is carved in micro- scopic proportions a perfect figure of Daikoku, the god of wealth. Rows of inniimeraljlc small red torii mark the beginning of the "Circuit;" numbers of pilgrims were intent on making it, and, not to be outdone b)' the faithful, we joined the procession. The shrines and inscriptions en route lacked interest without explanation, but scenery is not thus handicapped, and admirers of nature can enjoy it in all lands, though each have a different language. On the summit we had magnificent views in every direction of mountains, rivers, villages, and nearer hills fringed with firs, and bamboo fine as feathers. One never wearies of such scenes. The moiintain produces the finest mushrooms in Japan, and we saw numbers of ou.r old acquaint- ances, the trespass notices — but they had lost their power to startle us. Although the circuit occupied three hours, we found our famished kurumayas patiently waiting for us, and to compensate stopped at an inn and supplied them with a full meal well flavored with daikon. We went to a very good theatre in Kyoto. A famous play was to be performed, in which the great Buddha hiinself was represented by the principal character. We rode down the lantern-lighted streets to the entrance, adorned with blood- unvote. ciirdling' pictures in all the colors of the rainbow and rows of gandy paper lanterns, in front of which was a crowd of theatre- goers and of curious people. Our box in the balcony was fur- nished with small wooden stools, but otherwise it was abso- A THEATRE. liitely bare. When we arrived, the play was in full progress and on the stage were a number of men bound hand and foot, and oi:r guide told us that Buddha would come to release them. He appeared in the form of a white paper horse, drawn along on a cord stretched under the roof from the rear to the front of the building. As he alighted near the prisoners, an actor rushed from the wings and cut the bonds. Then began such 33^ fln iSSamboo Xan&s. an uproar among the players, accompanied by the wildest dis- cords from the musicians, as I have seen but once before — and that was in vSitka, when a party of Indians in war-paint and feathers, with whoops and 3'ells and derisive laughter, each holding a huge rattle in each hand, performed an old-time war- dance for our edification. This revelation of Buddha's power was received b)' the audience quieth', but with every symptom of approval ; for the Japanese never shout, nor applaud with their hands. Another essential accompaniment of our play- houses is lacking — the theatre hat, but it is offset by the custom of allowing an individual to stand up by the pa3'ment of a small fee. A practice that obtains on the stage is even more ludi- crous : attendants with candles fastened on long poles illumi- nate the faces of the actors while speaking. After the excitement had subsided, the feasting, that had been interrupted for a time b}' the grand climax, was resumed with redoubled resolution. The fact that impresses one most is the continual munching of favorite dainties, such as eggs, rice-cakes, and fruit. It is not eticpictte to go to a theatre without previously ordering at a tea-house a lunch to be served during the play. Our cicerone was busy in disposing of the refreshments he never failed to order at our expense, and his appetite was quite equal to the demands made upon it. The building was poorly ventilated ; smoking was allowed, as it is in temples and ever^'whcre else. The pla)' had lasted all day, and when we departed at ten o'clock was still unfinished. The Sabbath has no meaning in Japan — all davs are alike; 33^ IFtpotO. business goes on with unresting energy, and unless one is especiall}^ careful the day is liable to be overlooked. By invitation of a clergyman we attended an Anglican ser- vice, held in the house of a native convert. The partitions had all been removed, making the house one large room, and the family sat on the stairway during the sermon and looked down upon us. There were about twenty natives present, half . 1603-1867) lirought with it a change. The educated classes became Confueianists. Ac- cordingiv, the C< )nfueian classics, the ' Four B( loks ' and the 'Five Canons,' \vere installed in the place of honor, learnt bv heart, expounded as carefully as in China itself. Besides the Chinese classics, instruction was given in the native history and literature. Some few art stiadents picked their way tlirough Dutch books that had been begged, borrowed, or stolen from the Hollanders at Nagasaki, or liought for their weight in gold for the "sake of the jjrieeless treasures of medical and other scientific knowledge known t(.) be concealed in them. But such devotees of European learning were forced to main- tain the greatest secrecy, and were hampered by almost in- credible difficulties. For the government of the day frowned 340 Ikgoto. on all things foreign, and more than one zealous student ex- piated by his death the erinie of striving- to increase knowl- edge. With the revolution of i86S, the old system of education crumbled away." Japan, as " heir of all the ages in the foremost files of time," has selected and adopted the best products of the Occidental brain, and shaped "her acquisitions to meet her own ends." Her military s)'stcm is modelled on the French and Ger- man ; her naval system on the French and English ; English and American experts ccnistructed her telegraph and telephone systems ; and her public school system is modelled upon the best results (jbtained in Europe and America. In 1872, it was announced officially that " it is intended that henceforth edu- cation shall be so diffused that there shall ncjt be a village with an ig^norant family, nor a family with an ignorant nicnrbcr. " The Japanese are very fond of reading, bookstores are com- mon, and circulating-libraries, carried on the slioulders of men from house to house, are noticed everywhere. We visited the Imperial University and Peeresses' School in TokyS; an ele- mentar}' school for both sexes in Kyoto, where each boy and girl had his or her own seat and desk ; and the universit);' called the " Doshisha, " founded under the aiispices of the Con- gregational Board of Missions, which occupies with its build- ings and grounds a large tract of land in the vicinity of the Emperor's palace. Its success is mainly due to the efforts of the Rev. Joseph Neeshima, an eminent convert and one of the most famous Japanese of modern times. Including the School for Girls, there are more than five hundred students. A lady 341 Un 3Bamboo Xan&s. connected with the female department took us through the buildings, which contain, besides the usual lecture, study, and recitation rooms, a well-stocked library, a fine laborator)-, a geological museum, a school of engineering, an astronomical observator}-, other minor departments, and the latest scientific apparatus. One of the corps of instructors remarked : " We hope to do better work when we become better organized." The boarding-school for girls occupies a building in the same grounds, and is presided over b}- a principal and several assist- ants. The girls receive a very good general education, some instruction in music, and are taught to sew — all of which qualifies them to become wives of well-to-do foreigners ; but grand failures if the}^ marrj' nati\'cs of their own class, as few Japanese can afford to give their families the luxuries Euro- peans consider necessities. We were shown about the build- ing and saw the girls at stud)- in their private rooms, after which we dined with the ladies. The ornaments of the dining- room were embroidered scrolls, lacquer-ware, and bronzes ; the table appointinents were exquisitel}- refined and the food delicious. The society was the most agreeable of all, and while we conversed there floated toward us the indescribably sweet tones of bells from a neighboring temple. After months of travel and its attendant discomforts it was an hour of enjo)-- ment ; we were charmed with everybody and everything. One of the ladies had a fine collection of curios, especiall}" of antique candlesticks, that she had gathered during a residence of some years in the country. The veranda and windows were 342 Ik^oto. thickly grown with vines and in the garden — although so late in the year — there were still plenty' of flowers. I noticed par- ticularly the roses, geraniums, and chrysanthemums. The same evening we went with our friends to a prayer-meeting, held in the house of a missionary. The large parlor was well filled with ladies and gentlemen engaged in ecclesiastical work, and the service of prayer and song was conducted with zeal. The American missionaries are conscientious "teetotallers," and devote their time to their work with praiseworthy energy. The transition from a solemn Christian gathering to gay street scenes is in Kyoto absurdty simple. We walked across the park to a native house, where we found the family gathered around the hibachi, as the evening was cool ; stepped into our kurtimas, and were soon dashing along the street at a speed that rivalled that of a trotting-horse. The route chosen took us through a noted thoroughfare, best seen at night when crowded with people, and lighted its entire length with paper lanterns of every color. Dismissing the kurtimayas, who could go no farther, we left them with instructions to await us at a cer- tain point. The theatres, peep-shows, and shops were well patronized. All along the way there were scores of shops filled with the products of patient toil, from articles of dress and ornament to sweetmeats and toys. I bought a box of con- fectionery containing a dozen varieties invitingly arranged, only one of which I could pronounce good. We saw other places, in which all the articles that could be strung together were hung across the front or in the room, forming great fes- toons that fluttered with every puff of wind. These ornamen- 343 Hn Bamboo XanC)S. tal business-signs were especially noticeable in shops where toys and lanterns were for sale. The refreshment booths were crowded, tea and sake, receiving more than their share of attention. AVe were prepared to see strange scenes and did; and were very careful not to taste anything. Among the thousand quaint sights the people themseh^es, with childlike satisfaction depicted on their countenances, were always most amusing. All ages were represented, from the patriarch down to the mite napping comfortably or wondering over its mother's shoulder; children are ncA'cr put to bed until the parents retire. AVe sauntered up and down, stopping at every little shop, sometimes liemmed in so closely escape was diffi- cult. The whole town appeared to be having a frolic of the first order. The hour was late when, thinking that perhaps we should never meet again, in sad and affectionate words we thanked our charming friends, who had shown ns more than kindness, and rode thr(jugli the waning moonlight to our hotel. Kyoto had been an inexhaustible source of pleasure ; we had come to see and had not neglected our opportunities. The weeks flew so cpiickly each dny brought new wonders and new pleasures; the Emperor's birthday was at hand, and I had planned to reach T5kyo on that day, and thither it was neces- sary to go. Sayonara. 344 CHAPTER VII. MUTSUHITO AND HARUKO. A NIGHT ride in a Japanese slecpini4--car, witlioiit accom- modations for sleepinj^- other tlian the leather-cushioned seats, is a novel experience and affords a rare upportiinity t(j study the people. Rather than be the onlv occupant of a carria.L;'e rese^^'ed fi )r ladies, I took a seat in one \vell filled with natives, I beinj^- the onh' forei,L;'ner. The passengers all belong-ed to the Samurai class, their narrow, pale faces, arched noses, thin lips, large eyes, white teeth, and a certain hauteur of manner indicating the indelible caste distinction. I bundled ni3'self up in a corner and napped between stations, although disturbed somewhat by the ceaseless chatter they kept up during the entire night, and the tap, tap of smokers remoA'ing the ashes from their pipes. The Japanese are the sonl of refinement, as evidenced by much I saw during my tour; and never was it more apparent 345 A SAMURAI. 1In JBamboo Xan5s. than during that night's ride. An elderly gentleman and his son had seats near me, and while having our respective break- fasts ve exchanged courtesies, I offering fruit and eggs — of which all classes are ver}- fond, he giving, in return, rice- cakes that nearh" choked me while attempting to swallow them. I shall never forget an incident that occurred at daj-- break. vSudclenh' I noticed every passenger with head un- covered, gazing in a reverential manner out of the windows ; I too Itioked — and saw Fuji5-ama as I had never before seen it. What a glorious sig'ht it was ! Reddening' in the sunrise, with not a cloud to obscure it, the great dome of snow stood forth in all its majesty, bathed to its summit in rosy tints. We were running' through the lowlands at the base of the moun- tain, and the view was peerless. On ni}' first visit to the Pacific Coast I waited man)' days for the clouds to pass that obscured !Mount Hood, and when at last the great snow moun- tain appeared in the extreme excitement of the view its beauty and grandeur quite unnerved me. A similar emotion in- fluenced me on that lovely autumn morning when Fujiyama revealed itself covered with snow and glistening in the slow splendor of the increasing' sun. A grand climax to all I had seen in Japan and a rich compensation for a restless night in a stuffy car. It is not surprising that the Japanese worship with profound reverence this noble nrountain, for these snow- crowned peaks cannot fail to rouse the noblest emotions in mankind. After this grand sight — which I have longed ever since for a painter's power to place on canvas — we reached Yokohama. 346 /IDutsubito mxt> Ibaruko. A dc'jciincr a la foiirchcttc concluded, I started with friends for a garden on the FSluff to see a fine exhibit of chrysanthe- mums (kiku), then in their prime. Magnificent plants of every cc)nceivable color bordered the paths, and in temporar)' arbors, put up to protect them from the sun, were masses of them. A VIEW OF CASTLE, AND NIJIUBASHI. Some plants were allowed to bear but one blossom, and single specimens of enormous size, fastened on twigs, were stuck in the ground in patterns, making a pleasing variety. This flower-display can be duplicated in no other country but Japan. The day was so charming we continued our ride to Mississippi Bay and lunched at our favorite tea-house. The same evening found us nicely housed at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. 347 ■ffn Bamboo Xan5s. At last came the much-desired November 3d, the Em- peror's birthday — happily it was fine — and we prepared to attend the festivities in his honor. The vast enclosure of the imperial palace, once the castle of the Shogains, stands in the centre of the cit)', protected by eleven miles of moats and hiyii stone walls, the blocks o: Avhich are fitted together with- out mortar or cement. Three broad moats filled with aquatic plants in autumn and wild fowl in Avinter, and ramparts one hundred feet high in some places, surround the grounds. Turret-shaped towers surmount the angles, and there are twenty-seven entrance gates, some of them approached by bridges, the finest of which is the Nijiubashi, a beautiful structure of white marble. The gardens which surround the palace are extensiA^e, and every detail is carried out in accord- ance with the best schools of Japanese landscape-gardening, ^fountains, lakes, streams, fountains, bridges more or less im- posing in size, rocks, dwarfed pines, and shrubs are ingeniously arranged to form a natural scene. The grounds are beauti- fully cared for and thickly planted with forest trees that ante- date the memory of the oldest inhabitant by a eentur}' or more. Magnificent chrysanthemums — the royal flower of Japan — in bloom, transformed the spot into a garden worthy of Am3utis. Few Japanese and no foreigners are allowed to enter the grounds, unless their presence is there desired. The ancient palace was destroyed by fire in 1872 and the work of rebuilding begun in 1SS4. Architecturally the modern one is in pure Japanese st}de. The cluster of low white build- 348 /IDutsubito aiiC) IbaruJ^o. ing-s, with black-tiled rijofs, covers an area of lifty-six hundred square yards. Walking- up the broad avenue and " entering through long corridors isolated by massive iron doors, we find ourselves in the smaller of two reception-rooms, and at the commencement of what seems an endless vista of crystal THE PALACE. chambers. This effect is due to the fact that the shoji, or slid- ing doors, arc of plate glass. The workmanship and decora- tion of these chambers are truly cxcjuisite. It need scarcely be said that the woods employed are of the choicest descrip- tion, and that the carpenters and joiners have done their part with such skill as only Japanese artisans seem to possess. 349 Hn Bamboo Xaii&s. Evcrv ceiling is a work of art, being divided b)' lacquer ribs of a deep brown color into numerous panels, each of which contains a beautifully executed decorative design, painted, em- broidered, or embossed. The walls are covered in most cases with rich but chaste brocades, except in the corridors, where a thick embossed paper of charming tint and pattern shows what skill has been dcA-eloped in this class of manufacture at the Im- perial Printing Bureau. Amid this luxury of well-assorted but warm tints remain the massive square posts, beautiful enough in themselves, but scarcely harmonizing with their environment, and introducing' an incongruous element into the building. The true type of what may be called imperial esthetic decoration was essentially marked by refined simplicity — white wooden joiner}', Avith pale neutral tints and mellow gilding. The splendor of the richlv painted ceilings, lac- cjuered lattice-work, and brocaded walls was reserved for Bud- dhist temples and mausolea. Thus Ave have the vShinto or true imperial style presenting itself in the severely colorless pillars, while the resources of religious architecture have been drawn upon for the rest of the decoratif)n. In one part of the building the severest canons have been strictly followed ; the six imperial studios, three below-stairs and three above, are precisely such chaste and pure apartments as a scholar would choose for the abode of learning. B}' wa}^ of an example in the other direction, we may take the banqueting hall, a room, of magnificent size (five hundred and forty square yards) and noble proportions, its immense expanse of ceiling glowing with gold and colors and its broad walls hung with the eost- 35° /iDutsublto an& IbaruFw. licst silks. The throne chamber is scarcely less striking, th(nigii of smaller dimensions and more subdued decoration. Everv detail of the work shows infinite painstakini;' and is redolent of artistic instinct. The furniture of the palace was imported froni GermanA'. " Twenty-five years a^'d the person of the Emperor was so sacred he was seen by no one save hn^'h court officials, and even to them his face must be veiled. AVhen he first appeared in public he was clad in the national costume. He now N'isits the charity hospitals and drives about the streets as the rulers in Western lands. The Emper(.ir and Empress received their .i;-uests surrounded by princes of the imperial blood and officers in full dress, with the Ion;;- coat confined l)y a silver belt, such as (ierman soldiers wear, and stiff' little caps with a yTeat white aigTCtte, like the French. The Emperor Mutsuhito is slightly above the average Japanese height, and though n(.)t handsome has an air of distinction. His eyes are dark, his short hair as black as ebonv, and his beard is trimmed ii la I-'ranaiisc. He wore the fiill-dress nnifijrm of a general in the army. He is a man of great force of character, of much energy and endur- ance, and devoted to outdo(jr sports — riding, shooting, tennis, fishing, and football. This wise and unselfish ruler was born in 1852. The Empress Haruko was cii grandc toilcltc of Parisian make. She is petite, has jet-black hair, a finely formed head, much personal beauty, and is a veiy clever woman. She is two 3'ears older than her liusband. She has organized many charities, beneA'olent societies, and a school for the daughters of noblemen, where they receive instruction in E^nglish 351 •ffn JBamboo XanCis. branches, music, drawing, and painting. The lace-schools are under her patronage, and she interests herself also in silk- culture and embroider}'. The Empress is both a poetess and a musician : her favorite instrument is the koto of seventeen strings, on which she is an accomplished performer. The Crown Prince Haru, born in 1879, is being carefully edu- cated, and already speaks English, French, and Ger- man i^uently. Two little princesses complete the group. All are deeply im- bued with Western ideas. The sentiment of the Japanese toward the royal family is not onl}' one of religious A'eneration for the representatives of an un- broken dynasty which dates back twenty-five centuries, but also one of affection for each individual member of it. The government is a limited monarch}-. A tidal wave of foreign ideas reached Japan in 1886, and since that time the Japanese court has abolished the national costume, although it is said that the Empress still wears the native dress in private. The}' en- deavor to be everything that is AVestern and nothing that is Eastern. 352 . ■ /: J' THE EMPEROR. 23 ^utsubito an& Ibarufio. ^ We thourns the courtyard and the extended Anew over the town and harbor from the yarden. An atoshi was hired for each little carriag"e, and we hastened on to Moji, five miles distant bv an excellent road, celebrated for its tine scenery; the hills on both sides, terraced to the summit, are planted with tea and rice. Moji is a wretched little villa;.^e, charmint^'lv situated on the seashore. From a point beyond we had a t;-rand view of vShinabara (ndf, and lunched at a tea-house whose balconv overlooked the water. 371 IFii Bamboo Xaubs. Had wc not been running- a race with time, a walk "tjacl: to town wonld have- been more to onr taste than the prosaie knruma. We tirst made short visits to a Bnddhist temple and a res- A BUDDHIST TEMPLE. tanrant of note ; then we climbed the hills where oaks, cam- phor-trees, and bainboo shaded the paths, and wild flowers t;Tew in profusion. The summits are covered with moss-grown ji'ravestones. During- the annual "Feast of the Dead" or "Festival of Lanterns," fires arc lighted at night on the hill-slopes and the 372 ^be 1[nlan& Sea. cemeteries are brilliantly illuminated with lanterns and throno'ed with relatives of the departed. Special devotions are performed, and offerings of food are placed before the family i^raves for the benefit of deceased friends who are sup- posed to return to earth for a short period. Nag^asaki is noted for its religious festivals, which are still (observed with all the gorgeous display and enthusiasm of ancient times. The Suwa Festival, the most magnificent of all, is held in October. As I did not see it, I Avill cjuote from Fischer, who did: " First goes an immense shapeless mass of linen carried on a bamboo by a stalwart man, of whom nothing can be seen but his feet. Mighty is the load he bears, for the cloth is full twelve ells in length and embroidered throughout, forming one huge canopy. Then come banners and embroidered orna- ments, covered with skilful needlework, representing some renowned inan (jr celebrated woman, a hill co\'ered with snow, the instruments of various trades, or scenes from ancient Japanese history. Next follow musicians, pla)'ing upon drums, C3'mbols, and flutes, strangely attired and accompanied by a number of servants. These are led or headed by the ottona, the chief municipal officer. Then appears a long tram of children, representing some expedition of one of their nii- kados or demigods. This part of the show is m(jst admirable ; clad and armed like the warriors of former times, the leaders march gravely along, followed b}' the representatives of an iinperial court, male and female, displaying the greatest p(Mnp and luxury and surpassing every conception of dainty beaut)-. Each of these trains is attended b}' a number of palanquins, 375 tin Bamboo Xan&0. which are intended for any of the ehildren who ma)- become fatig-ued. After these come companies of actors; ever}' now and then hig-h Ijenches of equal size are ranged along the road, and on these the actors perform with great spirit and emphatic gesticulations. Their actions are accompanied by the music of flutes and syamsen (shamisen). When this is over, a crowd of miscellaneous mu- sicians, palanquins, servants, and the relatives of the chil- dren follow, and this closes one train." Madame Chrysantheme and the cottage where she resided with her French husband were not I'/i evidence ; l3ut Pierre Loti's charming slictch inade the whole environment seem strangely familiar. It was just twilight when we arrived on board with tlie crushed tortoise-shell — however, we did not mind that much! At last the iTioment of departure arrived, and we bade fare- well to Japan — that land of many charms, fair}' world of inexhaustible interest, Eden of the nineteenth centur}'. On leaving the country, I realized that a few months spent there had enabled me but to strimble over the thresh- old ; to understand her institutions, to see things from their point of view, and to know the unique workings of the 376 WRESTLERS. Ube ITnlanft Sea. Asiatic brain would require a lun:^' rL'Sidencc and continuous stud}- for years. One will licst see the Orient bv looking through the eyes of the Oriental. We sailed away, and two days later were in China. 377 GLOSSARY OF JAPANESE WORDS. Amado, outside shutters used at night. Arigato, "Thank you." Asarum, a plant whose leaf is the crest of the Tokugawa family. Atoshi, a man who pushes the kuruma from behind. Buddhism, a religion introduced from China via Korea in the sixth century. Cha-no-yu, tlie tea ceremonies. Compradore, an agent or middleman. Daibutsu, Great Buddha. Daikon, a radish. Daimyo, a feudal lord. Dai Nippon, Great Japan. Dashi, a car used in religious festivals. Fusuma, sliding screens covered Avith wall-paper. Futon, a bed-quilt. Geisha, a professional player, singer, and dancer. Geta, wooden clogs. Godown, a fire-proof storehouse. Gohei, an emblem of Shintoism used in temples. Harakiri, suicide performed by thrusting a sword into the abdomen. Hata, a flag. Heimin, the common people, of whom there are 38,000,000. Hibachi, a charcoal brazier. Icho, the name of a tree whose leaves turn gold in autumn. Ihai, funeral tablet bearing the "dead name" that a Buddhist receives to be known by in the next world, Ikura, "How much?" 379 (BlossarxT of Japanese Mor&s. Kago, a small palanquin used in travelling and borne on the shoulders of two men. Kagura, a Shinto dance. Kakemono, a hanging scroll. Kami-dama, a Shinto shrine-shelf. Kamiyo, the "dead name" of a Buddhist. Kimona, a loose, long-sleeved robe worn by both sexes. Keyaki, Japanese elm, used in the nave of temples. Kiku, the chrysanthemum. Kocho, the head man of the town. Koku, about five bushels, a standard measure of capacity. Ku, a city ward. Kuruma, a jinrickisha or man-power carriage. Kurumaya, the kuruma runner. Kwazoku, the nobles, about four thousand in number. Marc, a loin-cloth six inches in breadth. Mate, "Stop !" Matsuri, a religious festival. Mon, the crest, or coat-of-arms. Mousme, a young girl. No, a lyric drama patronized by the nobility. Norimono, a palanquin used by the nobility. Obi, a sash worn by women. Ohyo, "Good morning." Rin, a copper coin of which a thousand make a yen. Robiton, a bowl. Sake, rice beer, containing from eleven to seventeen per cent, of alcohol. Sampan, a shore boat. Samurai, a two-sworded man, a retainer of a feudal lord. Satsu, paper money. Sayonara, "Good-by." Sen, a cent, a hundredth part of a yen. Shinto, the indigenous religion. Shinto mirror, an emblem of the Shinto faith. Shizoku, Samurai, two-sworded men, of whom there are about two million. Shogun, a great military general, or Tycoon. 380 (Blossarg of Japanese Mor&s. Shoji, a sliding screen covered with translucent paper, that serves as a window. Soraban, an instrument enclosing rows of Ijeads sliding on thick wires used for figuring. Tabako-bon, a tray with tire-jjot and ash-pot used by smokers. Tatami, a house-mat made of rushes, 3 feet by 6 feet and 2^ inches thick Tempo, a copper coin worth about eight rin, coined a.d. 1830-1844. Tokonomo, an alcove. Tokugawa dynasty, beginning with leyasu in 1603 and ending in 1867. Torii, literally, birds' rest, a portal before the entrance to a Shinto shrine. Waraji, a straw sandal. Yadoya, an inn. Yashiki, a mansion. Yen, a Japanese dollar. Zen, a lacquered stand six inches in height, a dining-table for one person. 381 w f^^^^^^^W-W- taafajy: ^p: 'Syp^ g |j|te»^^.^"p- ^ ^^^^ ^^fc'1^" s P>!itli|^IH^i.^i,'i.'iAilit4j^ ^^£ JUBBIJIPjyiit ^l^ffl^^^jij^iHjftfefeS^^^ ^^^ illH5?fir/*i\^i j'?'p '^■'Vffff lit tSft? 1 .'g M -j^^ ^' ' 'l-'ff ■'.' • ? t ? lib^fejtjij '•r^T^ toa^§^j^^;ippp|"oii^ih;iarr;»ji;ii'i;i,'f^ s I^^^^S "**'***^'^lMl''(i'lll'l III 1 ' Iff 'ti