Shelf. PRINCETON, N. J. Division Section . ...>C31 Number WAVSIDK TKA-HOUSK. The Sunrise Kingdom; OR, LIFE AND SCENES IN JAPAN, AND WOMAN’S WORK FOR WOMAN THERE. BY Mrs. JULIA D. CARROTHERS. PHILADELPHIA: PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, No. 1334 CHESTNUT STREET. Copyright j i8yg, by THE TRUSTEES OF THE Presbyterian Board of Publication. Westcott & Thomson, Stereotypers and Electrotypers, Philada. 'f^PERTy 0^ PBIRGETOH ,ft£C. SEP 18K2 THEOLOGICAL^, TO THE MEMBERS OF yHE '^OMAN'S j^OREIGN ^AiSSIONARY ^OCIETY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, IN REMEMBRANCE OF THEIR EARNEST PRAYERS FOR JAPAN AND THEIR FAITHFUL CO-OPERATION IN “ WOMAN’S WORK FOR WOMAN THERE,” THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY ONE OF THEIR MISSIONARIES. .•* ':’ > • 'VHV tV’ » - . i» U'- 4T -.y • ' -?AV ‘ ■*' .♦ « nVl#» '” -4 t " ■■ - ► \j •‘ -fo h: ■ .V-. rf r.M/.’v V^'(,. . . V. iiAlihf^' *'^^ 0 1Ul V ''■k^ ■ iriUr V* . A;.. rcyoAi' I'r ^ l*»-/ ‘ *. - .. ■ ■ ■ V4i^fei • .UMf> c’V> «S( . . ‘';*ru t; 1 ,1^ B» 1* . »'i ' :^, ijt Vi ;: • i . . i' r:# v>/f4 :V.J 4 ^ ' Kl&i v.i Oi^ijf^wa-a j /Ci» * » . '* ' ^ ’2E j‘m'- PREFACE. If they who walk beside me as seven years of missionary life are retraced, find the Master near as I find him ; if they who stand beside me as the seed is sown over Japan realize the care of the Father, the power of the Spirit, the preciousness of the seed and the blessedness of the sower as I do ; if any, being themselves “heirs of the kingdom,” are led to seek with redoubled zeal to lead others to the same heritage, — then shall I feel that my work has not been in vain. To the members of the society with which I was most nearly connected, and under whose care my work was done and is still carried on, this book is dedicated. But it goes forth with 6 6 Preface. greetings to All Societies, Mission Circles and Boards, and to all Missionaries who in any clime and among people of any tongue are laboring to sow the seed of the kingdom. J. D. C. Chicago, Sept., 1878. INTRODUCTION. The following pages are a picture of seven years of missionary-life in Japan. Looking upon the incidents and events here recorded, the reader may enter in some degree into the experiences of such a life, and under- stand, dimly at least, the richness and beauty which may be found in it. The simplicity and steadfast adherence to the one aim and pur- pose of mission-work, turning aside neither to the right hand nor the left for earthly pleasure or reward, may have seemed to some like a monotonous treading of the mill of duty. This little book will perhaps show to such that there are endless sources of delight and interest ever open to the earnest missionary in the minds and souls of those among whom he is laboring. And as we go in and out with the writer of 7 8 Introduction. this familiar account of her own knowledge of the Japanese people and intercourse with them, we shall see fresh evidence of the ever-new power of the old gospel, and realize the silent yet wonderfully transforming influence which it carries with it wherever it takes possession of the heart of man. The writer’s hope is that the simple story of what she saw and heard during her residence in Japan, when she had unusual opportunities, which she diligently improved, of gaining ac- cess to the homes and hearts of the people, may answer the questionings of some doubters as to the benefit of mission-work, and may show what present reward the Master often gives his servants in the labor to which he calls them. She trusts also that it will lead many who have never before done so to lift up heart and voice to God in prayer for this beautiful “ Sun- rise Kingdom,” which is just beginning to turn its face toward the “Sun of righteousness,” and to feel the blessed “ healing in his wings.” M. H. P. CONTENTS BOOK I. CHAPTER I. PAGB “ O-Hay -0 “ Good-Morning ” 17 First Sight of Land. — Voyage. — General Appearance of Coast. — Junks, Fishing- Vessels, Sailors, Harbor, Sampans. — Yokohama. — O-hay-0.” CHAPTER II. A Look at the People 25 Different Classes of Japanese. — Mikado. — Kugis. — Dai- mios. — Samurai. — Judges. — Priests. — Doctors. — Merchants. — Mechanics. — Barbers. — Coolies. — Beggars. — Religions of the Country. — Work of Missionaries. CHAPTER HI. Summer Days in Yokohama 37 Climate. — Walks through the Rice-Paddies. — Trees. — Flowers. — Fruits. — Birds. — Animals. — Farmers. — A Pedes- trian Tour. 9 lO Contents. CHAPTER IV. A Winter in Tokio Tokio. — Its Situation. — The Castle. — Emperor’s Garden. — 0-hama-go-ten. — Temples. — A-sa-ku-sa. — Shi-ba. — ^Japanese Houses. — Large Fires. — The To-ri. — Canals. — Bridges. — The Foreign Concession. — Mu-ko-ji-ma. — Sku-da-ji-ma. — Winter Climate. — Flowers and Fruit. — Missionary Life in Tokio. CHAPTER V. Home and School Morning in Tokio. — Interior of a Japanese House. — Breakfast. — Going to School. — The Written Language. — What a Japanese Girl Learns. — The Baby 0-ya-su-mi-na- sai. — Japanese Homes. — Position of Women. CHAPTER VI. Going to V See Flowers ” Japanese Holidays. — A Letter. — Dressing the Hair. — The Bath-House. — A Little Girl’s Dress. — Fans, Shoes and Umbrellas. — Meeting Friends. — Worship at the Temple. — Mu-ko-ji-ma. — The Feast. — Going Home. — Social Life. — Spoken Language. — May Days. CHAPTER VII. Ro-ku-ban The New Mission- House. — The Typhoon. — A Class of Boys. — Young Samurai. — The Bible Class. — The Ya-cu- nins. — Our New Year. Contents. 1 1 CHAPTER VIII. PAGE Pictures and Books 98 Ancient Warriors. — Court-Ladies. — Daimios. — Ha-ra-ki-ri. — Jo-ro-rei. — Japanese Books. — Religious. — Historical. — Encyclopaedias. — Allegory. — Moral Teachings. — Poetry. — Novels. CHAPTER IX. Games and Toys no Japanese New Year. — Division of Time. — Mo-chi. — Orna- ments. — O-mi-so-ka. — Money. — Driving away Evil Spirits. — New Year’s Festivities. — The Dolls’ Feast. — Games. — Toy- shops. — Japanese Children. CHAPTER X. What Little Children Read 120 The Names of their Books : — “ The Ape and the Crab.” — “ The Rat’s Wedding.” — “ Mo-mo-taro.” — “ Kin-ta-ro.” — “The Tail-Cut Swallow.” — “Story of Sho-set-su.” — “The Treasure.” CHAPTER XL A Journey from Tokio to 0 -da-wa-ra 128 'a Letter. — Political Divisions. — Postmen. — Setting out on a Journey. — The To-kai-do. — Tea-Houses. — Ka-gos. — No-n- mo-no. — The Road to Fu-ji-sa-wa. — The Hotel. — A Day’s Journey. — Night at O-da-wa-ra. 12 Contents, CHAPTER XII. PAGE On the Ha-ko-nes 139 Sai-o-na-ra. — Mountain Scene. — Ha-ta-ji-ku. — Up to Ha- ko-ne. — The Lake. — The Temple. — Ji-go-ku. — A-shi-no-yu. — Mi-ya*no-shi-ta. — Yu-mo-to. CHAPTER XIII. Pilgrims on Fu-ji 146 Pilgrims come to Ha-ko-ne. — Descent of the Mountain. — Mi-shi-ma. — Yo-shi-wa-ra. — The Base of Fu-ji. — The Cin- der Cone. — The Huts. — Going up to the Crater. — The Storm. BOOK II. CHAPTER I. An Open Door 153 CHAPTER II. Midsummer Holidays 163 CHAPTER III. The Gospel in Japanese 172 Contents. 3 CHAPTER IV. PAGE Loaves and Fishes i8i CHAPTER V. The Holy Spirit Alone 190 CHAPTER VI. Christmas at Ro-ku-ban 197 CHAPTER VII. The “Peep of Day” 204 CHAPTER VIII. The Woman at the Well 210 BOOK III. CHAPTER I. “The Churches of Asia salute You” 219 CHAPTER II. Eno-Shima 227 2 14 Contents. CHAPTER III. PAGE The Strait Gate and the Narrow Way 234 CHAPTER IV. A JiN-Ri-Ki-SHA Journey 246 CHAPTER V. The Two Capitals in 1875 254 CHAPTER VI. “The Poor have the Gospel preached to Them”. . 267 CHAPTER VII. Coming into the Kingdom 278 CHAPTER VIII. “ Our Father which art in Heaven ” 287 CHAPTER IX. Little Children 294 CHAPTER X. The Hem of the Garment. 302 Contents. 1 5 BOOK IV. CHAPTER I. PAGE Women’s Work for Women 307 CHAPTER II. “The Christian’s Shining Light” 341 CHAPTER III. The Regions Beyond 365 CHAPTER IV. “The Lord showed him all the Land” 379 CHAPTER V. Sai-o-na-ra 403 'foc-'i Hb* r'»^ :i,'. '' * i jWH^ .V : -' !t£» -\^ > a ■ ' S“l|;---'^‘-^- -■' *ii* : . ■:' -‘iS . . , ■ 1 '.i ^ t;- . •^' ■^ »■■ -%'‘4‘)i5* ♦i* J-' ' , ^ < r. • ' 4 **’V ki 'jtill ‘- ’ .'T." V ; h r'»t «?fr-»' .• "it,,. #. „r.,* .■'^' -:- . ; ' . . *. " ■*,- • ■•■ » -laii: » 5 i' . 7 .=^* The Sunrise Kingdom. BOOK I. CHAPTER I. “ O-JIA Y-0 r— ^^GOOD-MORNING /” First Sight of Land — Voyage— General Appearance of Coast — Junks, Fishing-Vessels, Sailors, Harbor, Sam- pans — Yokohama — “ 0-hay-o !” HE sun was just rising over the islands of Japan when we saw them for the first time. It was a beautiful hour in which to arrive in Zi-PAN-GU, “The Sunrise Kingdom.” The voyage across the Pacific Ocean had been long and dreary. Day after day sea and sky were of the same dull and leaden hue. Only once or twice did the mists roll away to disclose the blue sky and the still bluer sea. One even- ing the breeze freshened a little, and there were white caps on the waves. The Chinese in the steerage threw out square pieces of paper with strange characters printed on them to appease B 17 i8 The Sunrise Kingdom, [1869 the gods of the storm. But the wind soon died away, the sea became as smooth as ever, and there was not even a gale to vary the monotony of our voyage. The people on shipboard were not favorable to missionary enterprise in Japan. They said that it was contrary to the treaty, and that mis- sionaries had no right to go, as such, to Japan at all. We thought differently, and looked above the treaty to One who has commanded his dis- ciples to go into all the world. The Japanese have a pretty legend concerning the origin of their country. They say: “A god once dipped his spear into the sea, and as he lifted it again the drops which fell from it con- gealed, and Japan’s four thousand isles were formed.” But we, in our Western wisdom, cannot ad- mit any such poetic and peaceful origin to these islands. Our science rather suggests that they were broken off from the great Asiatic conti- nent in some violent convulsion of Nature, and frequent earthquakes still proclaim the existence of restless internal fires. The coast-line of the Japan islands is broken and irregular, with many bays and inlets. There is little of the sublime to mark the scene- ry, but the islands are fair and sunny, and di- versified by mountain and valley and wide-ex- 1 869] “ Good- Morning / ” 19 tended plains. Over the plains broad, shallow rivers flow peacefully in their channels, and down from the mountain-sides, into the pleas- ant valleys, come wild little streams, making up in swiftness and impetuosity what they lack in size. As you travel among the mountains the mur- mur and gurgle of waterfalls hidden from sight fall upon the ear as they tumble over the rocks and down the precipices. Mountains, valleys and plains are clothed in the richest green, and exhibit in pleasing combination the productions of both temperate and semi-tropical climes. Japan bears traces of the curse in the earth- quake and the tempest, the brier and the thorn, but there is little here that is hurtful ; few poisonous plants or reptiles are found. The Japanese are justly proud of their land, whose beauty they celebrate in many a song and poem. All around the islands sweeps the Pacific Ocean, dashing in white foam upon the rocks and murmuring against the low shores. Some- times it grows rough and angry, and appears as if threatening to submerge the whole land. But it is only a threat, for even the tiniest isles are safe. After all, the sea loves the land, and delights in whispering to it pleasant stories and in casting its lovely treasures upon its shores. As we neared our port we passed some Jap- 20 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1869 anese junks. These clumsy, ill-contrived ves- sels do not often venture far from land, but are used in transporting manufactures and products from one part of the country to another through rivers and inland seas. Nearer the shore were smaller fishing-vessels, in whose construction and the shape of the sails you would observe a wide difference from those dotting our own waters. The Japanese are very dependent upon their supply of fish ; as they eat no meat, it forms a principal article of their diet. In the morning, when the wind is fair, the fishing-boats go out to sea, and all day long their white sails glitter far out upon the water. Usually the fish are plentiful and cheap. The smaller ones are eaten by the poorer classes, while the rich choose the delicious tai and bora. Sometimes the fishermen bringf home sharks and enormous cuttle-fish. Japanese sailors are very expert in the man- agement of their boats, seldom meeting with ac- cidents. They are good swimmers and divers, and this renders them all the more fearless in the water. The harbors are very shallow. Ships are obliged to anchor far from the shore, and passengers and freight are landed by means of small open boats, called sampans. These are 1869] ‘ ‘ Good- Morning ! ’ ’ 21 worked by a single oar, as in sculling, and the boat is rapidly propelled with a peculiar hissing on the part of the oarsman. When our steamer dropped anchor in the harbor of Yokohama, we were immediately sur- rounded by these sampans. From the deck we saw the small, frail vessels and the almost naked boatmen, with their skin bronzed by constant ex- posure to the sun and wind. The first view of the Japanese is not prepossessing, nor are the tones of their voices, when first heard, agreeable to the ear. But we could not dwell upon these early impressions, as we were anxious to reach the city of Yokohama, that lay just a mile from us. So bidding adieu to the officers of the Great Republic and to our fellow-pas- sengers, whose destination was still farther on — to China, the Flowery Kingdom — we descend- ed the ladder by the side of the steamer, stepped cautiously into a sampan, and with our baggage were soon landed on the shore. Yokohama was not the first foreign settle- ment on this side of the island. The name of the city signifies “ opposite shore,” as it lies directly opposite Kanagawa, where foreigners were first allowed to live. English and French troops are stationed here, each nation striving to gain the ascendency and to obtain a monop- oly of trade with a people so recently opened 2 2 The Sunrise Kingdom, [1869 to commerce. In speaking of the city, for- eigners use the terms native town, settlement and blujf. In the “ settlement,” houses are mostly built in the European style, and in its stores you can purchase almost anything in the way of clothing and furniture. Here also are the various churches, mission-houses, hotels, consulates and many residences belonging to the foreign population, now numbering about five thousand. The most beautiful part of the city is the bluff. Across the bridge, near the mission- house, the road leads along the bank of a canal for a few steps, and then, making a sudden turn, takes its course up the hill, which rises gradu- ally to about two hundred feet above, the level of the ocean and extends several miles. This road is very pretty, with embankments on one side, and on the other views of the Buddhist cemeteries, and occasional glimpses of the sea. The foreign residences on the bluff are very pleasant, and some are even elegant. Here also are tea-houses, where we can sit and enjoy the view of the settlement and the harbor whilst drink- ing the cup of tea which is always offered to the casual visitor by the smiling Japanese girl. The foreign cemetery on the bluff is a sweet, quiet spot, more home-like than anything else in this strange land. 1869] “ Good - Morning / ” 23 In the native city the principal street is called Curio street by the foreigners, and To-ri by the natives. Here the curious China lacquer and native woodenware are temptingly arranged. We have already learned a few words of their language, such as i-ku-ra (“how much ?”), arigato (“ thank you K'), yo-ro-shiu (“ all right ”), and others. But o-hay-o (“ good-morning !”) has the clearest, most winning sound of all, and is the word we oftenest hear. O-hay-o T say the ser- vants early in the morning; ''O-hay-o f' call out the children in the streets ; "O-hay-o de goza-i masud politely say the men and women we meet on the hillside and in the native city. All this means simply “ early,” but to us is something more than a mere salutation. And how strange it all seems to us ! It is indeed o-hay-o — “ good-morning ” — with this people. For many centuries they have lived in seclusion, and in a state of somnolence with regard to the rest of the world. Ever following the same customs, with fashion of dress unchanged, they have pursued the same beaten track of nation- al habit. But now they are just waking from their sleep ; and stepping forth into the light of a new morning, they are pleasantly and happily saying to the world at large, " O-hay-o T And the prayer of God’s children is, “That this land, which catches the first beams of the 24 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1869 morning sun when it comes to light up the eastern hemisphere, may soon rejoice in the light of the Sun of righteousness.” And thus do the people of the West hold out the hand to this newly-awakened land, and with earnest congratulations call out to them in the same cheering tones, ^'0-hay-o K (“ Good-morning !”) CHAPTER II. A LOOK AT THE PEOPLE. Different Classes of Japanese — Mikado — Kugis — Daimios — Samurai — Judges — Priests — Doctors — Merchants — Mechanics — Barbers — Coolies — Beggars — Religions of THE Country — Work of Missionaries. HENEVER we stop to examine any object, a crowd collects around us. We soon learn to distinguish the different classes of people by their dress. Although there has been a great revolution in Japan, and the distinctions of caste, hitherto so marked, are passing away, we still observe great differences in the appearance, manners and dress of the people we meet. It may be well just here to note the various classes that gradually became known to us. At the summit stands the Mikado, or em- peror. His person was formerly considered very sacred. He was kept almost in seclusion. No one was permitted to look upon him except the very highest nobles. It is said that he had to submit to many tiresome forms, such as sitting motionless for hours on his throne, 3 26 26 The Smirise Kmgdom, [1870 with a heavy crown upon his head. He wears richly-embroidered robes of silk, on which is stamped the chrysanthemum, the emblem of royal sovereignty. No one but members of the royal family or those nearest his person is allowed to wear this badge. It is probable that the use of this emblem grew out of this flower’s resemblance to the sun, which was once an ob ject of worship among this people, traces of which worship are to be seen in relics of Sin- tooism still existing. Next to the emperor come the great lords, or Kugis. They wait in the sacred presence of the Mikado and kneel around the throne. In the pictures they are represented as wearing very high hats and robes with long trains. They are but few in number, and their places in the empire or exact prerogatives are not distinctly defined. The Daimios are the feudal chiefs, whose authority was very great until the revolution, when the progressive party, led by the Mikado (legitimate emperor), drove from his castle the Tycoon (usurping emperor) and completely broke up the feudal system, which had for many centuries prevailed throughout the empire. These daimios, although deprived of their special prerogatives, still retain the names of their provinces. There is the prince of To-sa, 27 1870] A Look at the People. of Sat-su-ma, the princes of Aid-zu, Su-ru-ga, and others. Until the revolution the daimios had as their retainers the Samurai, or Two-sworded men. These men were supported by the government, and had no employment except that of war. They spent their idle hours in various pastimes — fishing, hunting, wrestling, reading and play- ing with their children. With their wives and children they occupied low houses around the daimio’s residence, forming a large square enclosure, like barracks. Many of these still exist, and cover large spaces of ground. Where there were so many independent chiefs there was, of course, much fighting, and the Samurai were expected to be always ready to go to war. They were devoted to the interests of their lords, often dying with them or for them. Although the Samurai have been deprived of their support (except a small pension from the government for a limited term of’ years), and the wearing of the swords is no longer au- thorized, many of them retain their peculiar dress, which consists of a tunic and a wide skirt. They also retain their swords, wear- ing the long one on the left side and the short one concealed in their broad belts. They are the class with which we are brought most in 28 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1870 contact. Our teachers and scholars, and even some of the servants, are Samurai. They are the gentry and the literati of the country, and walk the streets with an air of conscious supe- riority. The judges [ya-cu-nin) are greatly feared and reverenced by the common people. They wear, in addition to the garments of the Samurai, a coat of peculiar cut, which comes high up over the shoulders, but without sleeves. The priests {bo-san) form a large portion of the community. Their dress differs little in style from that of the Samurai, but their shaven heads give them an unmistakable ap- pearance. Besides those in regular priestly office, there are monks and nuns, who live in and about the temples, and whose duty is to as- sist in the ministrations there. Also mendicant friars are numerous, who go about the country drawling their prayers in low, monotonous tones and waiting at the doors of the houses until a few copper^ are given. Japanese doctors traverse the streets in long robes, looking very solemn and wise. A boy walks behind them, carrying their boxes of medicines, consisting principally of powders and pills. They use blisters and the moxa to a very great extent. Their fees are very moderate. Merchants are privileged to wear one sword. CO(JLlKS DRAWINT, CHARCOAL. BUDDHIST PRIEST SAMURAI. Pages 27, 28 and 30. '*ifiJ*.VS , • * ■• ..-f. •- _t,.v- ■• ' . •• I .VT*,* > - J.tMfflf’ ■ 3fiMjfj00IS^ \ K’ . '-A »,»■ * V !►* 5 * ,i ^ ?»* 1870] A Look at the People, 29 They form the most solid and reliable part of the community. Silk-merchants occupy the largest stores. The beautiful silks and crapes manufactured in this country are not exposed to view like the more common cotton fabrics, but are kept shut up in the storerooms. At the other dry-goods stores the goods are dis- played on the shelves, the floor, or are hung up by the door-post. There are shops where more trifling articles are kept for sale, such as hair- pins, combs, powders and paints, and articles used in worship. There are large tea and rice establishments, and groceries, where beans, eggs, etc., are sold. Confectioners’ shops may be found, where children buy candy made of rice, beans and paste colored with seaweed. We see large china-stores, and are interested in the toy-shops filled with pretty things for the children, and in the book-stores, where the curious literature of the country is sold to those who wish to read. We find, too, a class in which the merchant and the artisan mingle their callings — those em- ployed in the manufacture and sale of umbrel- las, shoes, fans, lamps, tables, chests of drawers, mats and other things, all exhibiting great skill and exquisite neatness. There are carpenters and smiths, masons, stone-cutters, lapidaries, and carvers in wood and ivory. Many are 30 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1870 employed in making the beautiful lacquered articles, turning bronzes and manufacturing china-ware in every conceivable style. Barbers form a numerous class, and do an extensive work in keeping the faces of the men smooth and a bald place on the top of the head, while the heads of priests, old women and babies are often completely shorn. In the cities are jugglers, who perform won- derful tricks, and acrobats, who amuse the peo- ple by tumbling and wrestling, and geishas, or girl-minstrels, who sing and play upon the samisen, a species of guitar, and a popular in- strument in Japan. At night blind men, called a-mas, blow their shrill whistles in the streets, and are called on to rub sick or tired people. They profess to cure diseases by manipulation, in the same way that magnetic physicians have undertaken to do in our land, and they have a regular school for instruction, Nin-so-kus (coolies^ are the most numerous, and form the lowest, class in the social life of Japan. These are they who bear the heavy burdens, draw the carts and perform the most menial oc- cupations. Even among them, however, distinc- tions may be found, as those who work in hides and leather are looked upon by the coolie race itself with great disdain, and are kept separate from all others. We presume this is owing to 31 - 1870] A Look at the People. the fact of their coming in contact with the dead bodies of animals and being thus defiled, ac- cording to the strict rules of Buddhism. Beggars . — Beggary is a profession in Japan. The beggar is doomed to beg all his life long, and to do nothing else. He besets the trav- eler on the highways, and waits about the tem- ple-gates to receive alms from those who are going up to worship. He sleeps where he can, and when death comes lies down by the roadside, few hearing or pitying his dying groans. Such is a description of the people we meet in Japan. Let us now look at the religions of the people. There are two principal religions in the land, Buddhism and Sintooism. Buddhism is an imported religion, coming through China from India. It was at first very simple in its details. Its founder, the first Buddha — the Sha-ka-sa-ma of the Japanese — taught mercy and tenderness. The first Buddha died, and his followers said that a great many wonderful scenes took place at his death. He and his five hundred disciples were deified, and images of them were made and worshiped. These are beautiful statues with mild, placid countenances, touchingly suggestive of mercy. Some of them are represented with three heads 32 The Sunrise Kingdom, [1869 and six arms, that “ they might better help men,” says a Japanese. Some of these images are called Ho-to-kes, a name applied to such as are not yet deified, but are on the calendar for that high distinction and retain all the elements proper to such a result. The gods Bin-dzu-ru, whose image we see in the temples as the Pain-god, and Gi-zo, who is in shrines by the wayside as the special protector of travelers, and in the cemeteries as the god who cares for the souls of the dead, are Ho- tokes. Mothers believe that the god Gi-zo watches over their dead infants in paradise. The Buddhist priests talk of abstractions, contemplations, absorptions and annihilations. Many sects have arisen, and the whole system has become very complicated. It is hard for the women and children to understand anything about it. And yet Buddhism is a wonderful system, and has a powerful influence over the human mind. Sometimes it appears in a refined and cultivated form and its votaries are schol- arly men. Even Christian missionaries cannot fail to commend the humanizing influences of this system. Sintooism is the native religion of Japan. Its probable origin is in the worship of the sun (( 9 - Ten-to-sama.) The moon (Tsu-ki-sama) is also an object of worship. The emperor (Ten-ski- THE SEVEN HAPPY HODS. Page 33. 9 ^< r7 >g(^-«^TTtd ' -- ’• ' If! ""'' •' 1^* , '=< '’•” ' i mn •’"<■■■ *W«Sl' ■ • '■■ ■■■'■■’■'■% "" • 'Hi -*r 'iir re. •’ -•■< - *' , — - . .- i 4,.* -• ^-.■ «i|^'-'^'.:' — ■ 4 r 'tr-^ p--.-^ -v«^ J ‘r > d' ■f >' «'. r \ ^ ^r^f' u** ^ ' ’ - "• -' Hfti^-*^-'^- l^y • ’ ■ #il- '•'rtR’.ar- ■/•«,. •.. 1870] Ho7ne and School. 61 there were many or few to welcome him as he brightened Fu-ji’s snow-crowned head, sent a long path of red light across the water, and shone upon the great city and on the house where our little neighbor O I-ne san lay asleep on her futon in a corner of a dark room. Her bed was made of blue cloth stuffed with cot- ton. These mattresses the people call futons. Her neck rested on a cushion on top of a wooden pillow. Just outside of the house, in an open court, an old man was drawing water from a deep well. The water of Tokio is carried by pipes into cisterns or wells from a river near the city. It is tolerably good, but sometimes becomes brackish, from the salt water in the bay, which gets into the pipes. The old man drew the water slowly by means of buckets attached to each end of a long rope which ran over a pulley. Two crows kept flying about his head : these birds in Tokio are the great scavengers, carry- ing off all the refuse. They are very bold, and will snatch fish from a man’s hand. They build their nests in the trees even by the palace, and look down unrebuked upon the emperor and his court. They have meetings upon the tops of the houses, and caw and clap their wings and twist their heads from side to side, until we look up to see what all the commotion is about. 62 The Sunrise Kingdo 7 u. [1870 They are not afraid of man, for man never injures them. Near the well, O Cho (“Miss Butterfly”) stood brushing her teeth. Her toothbrush was a straight stick made soft at one end, and she had a box of tooth-powder. She made a noise as if some one were choking her. Inside the house, O Kin (“ Miss Gold ”) was opening the wooden slides, which run in grooves cut in the veranda. She began with the farthest one, and ran along, pushing it before her, until it was stopped by the end of the house. Then she started for the second, and disposed of that in the same manner, until all the slides were at one end of the small veranda. The creaking of the well-rope, the caw-caw- ing of the crows, the toothbrushing process and the opening of the slides made noise enough to arouse any one, and O I-ne san opened her little almond-shaped eyes to see the sunshine pouring into the house. Then she remembered that she was going to school for the first time that day. O I-ne san was six years old, and it was time for her to begin to go to school. She got up from her bed and went into the kitchen, which is in the front of the house and is the most completely furnished part. Beside the ranore are large kettles for rice and hot water. There are immense earthen jars for JAPANESE KnX'HEN. Pa^c 62. a S uK'c-hottIc. C'liina jar, 4. (Xiphoani . Slirine. Fruit howl. 7. Sa-ki-lnntlc. 8. Ear^e plate. ^ tiiid to, K iite-hoxc'^. ater kettl.,-, 12. Ran;e. lioiliuL^-kettle. 14 (hiiliron 15. Saltiui^-ho.x. 16. Kettle, 17. tkittiiii:; radish. 18 Plao- where fne-wo. ni 19. Water-jar, 20. Wasli-liasin. .m . W.iti r-pail. I >ipper. I ii- V«<» -aei'-biH ^ - t ; - '4'-Sfc*(*.C''r „"tflP^ V^,.. ■ m- Mr :!Ts.' ^ : ..* . ■ '■“' ' ■ir-*.nii«fcn- '- ^ .■; • -tisi# l'- , VfO' '^. ^' lilM ' ^ ''=**®*" C" >.t Vi-. .^.- r - .^ 0 ^ ... . , 5 ^ .- - ■ ■{ ^ Ji. -I •• .1 HI -i -‘ S’^W - '^ -Id .• »..' % r '■' - ^ ■ ■ , ■ 3 1870] Home and School. 63 cold water, and wooden buckets, dippers and ladles. Where the earthen jars are kept the floor slants, so that the water is easily carried off into drains. Here, also, is usually found the shallow copper basin which serves as a wash-bowl for the whole family. On shelves are platters and bottles, and hanging on the wall, sieves and a variety of strainers. When O I-ne san went into the kitchen, O Kin, with her cheeks all puffed out, was kneeling at the range, trying to make the charcoal burn by blowing. O Cho was cutting dai-kon (radishes) on a little table, using a large knife. When she saw O I-ne san she got up to take her some water in a basin, and handed her a toothbrush, with the pink powder. O I-ne san sat down on the veranda and washed her face and hands, wiping them with a little blue towel, and brushed her teeth. Then she slipped off her blue night- dress — Japanese always use blue where we prefer white — and O Cho helped her to dress. There were no buttons to fasten, no hooks and eyes, pins or strings, to render the process of dressing tedious. The loose garments of the Japanese are confined only by the broad belt. When O I-ne san was ready, she went in to say “ 0-hay-o ” (“ Good-morning ”) to her father and mother. She found them sittino^ on the o floor in a large room at the side of the house. 64 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1870 The best apartment in Japanese houses is always at the farthest side or the extreme rear, opening into the pretty garden. We have here, as in many other Japanese customs, the reverse of our own style — kitchen in front and parlor in the back. The clean white mats constitute the only furniture of a Japanese parlor. Byway of ornament there are pictures in crayon, or long scrolls with poems written on them in Chinese or Japanese character. There are also vases for flowers. No chairs, ornamental tables, mir rors, book-cases, or anything of that sort, can be found in a purely native house. The futons and pillows are carefully put away in the daytime. There are a great many little closets in these houses ; the people have a wonderful way of economizing space, and even make drawers in their steep, narrow staircases. Tables which they use for meals, writing, or any other purpose, are small and only about a foot high from the ground. Some families have chests of drawers, and all possess baskets and boxes of all sizes and shapes. The charcoal brazier, or hi-ba-chi, is the only stove used by the people. These are made in various shapes, some of them being highly ornamented. They are invariably made of copper. They give more heat than one would suppose ; but the Japanese are very dependent T 8 I- box. I 3. Pillow. I 5. Rice-boxes. 7. Tea-pot. 2. Paper of tea. , 4. Hibachi. 6. Lantern. 8. Breakfast-table. Page 64. '■ S’;- -•' m ^ .. ,;: ' '"•""*** -^ii^-’' ; :ii“ *.^<111^ : ■ u - ■*■ ■ ■<- .'; r.rti '» 'jt| " W ' »tC> 5i» •ill- ^*V ..Vi ’♦V I j'4"; ’’ ’ •'■■' ■* - ^-ti ^ff ff-- •• _K..i»,';i ■ i'^M»s ;'{(■ ^**^--' ■«l.t^|_ /"„ '(4 '.«^ MM '.• .',.• r • i! V- ;- . .• .N ■ .^ -V. ^ '>—■»•' ■■■* f _ •,' • ■ >- •■ , ■ . •'.-■s. ;;.m ’f? i ••: • f*--#' ‘L!!‘ *• ' ! t;. % i:v. .»*-i;|, v i •■■^i ' -If*:; ♦' •3t- i'i*'.-- ^>, --„ • 'f T i '«?<&! I ■: 1870] Home and School. 67 paper and the ink-box, which contains the camel-hair brushes and the India-ink. The school-house was just around the corner. Long before they reached it they heard the sound of children’s voices as they all read together. The noise in a Japanese school is deafening to us, but they do not seem to mind it. The black so-shi were hanging up before the door, where the children had put them to dry. These are their copy-books, originally of white paper, but writ- ten over so often that they become perfectly black. O Ka san called out at the door, “ 0-go-men- na-sair (“Beg pardon!”) The schoolmaster opened the sliding door to admit his patron, and the noise suddenly ceased. O Ka san and O I-ne san made the usual courtesy, getting down upon their knees and touching the floor with their hands and foreheads. Their limbs are flexible, and from the power of habit they do this with perfect ease and grace. O Cho went down in the same prostrate manner a little way behind them. O Ka san told the teacher that her little daughter was six years old ; that she was very backward and had a very bad memory, but she wanted her to come to school. The teacher said, I shall be very happy.” Then O Ka san took the money, which was nicely folded up in a piece 68 The Sunrise Kmgdom. [1870 of paper, from O Cho, and gave it to the teach- er. This was a private school, and the charge for tuition was only a few cents per month, paid in advance. O Ka san then went back to the house, leav- ing O I-ne san with O Cho at the school. The scholars who were learning to write sat around the teacher with their copy-books on the floor. They held their brushes straight up in their hand and made long broad marks. O Cho untied the bundles she had, and gave O I-ne san some paper and her pen-brush. Then she got some water and poured it on the ink-stone, and rubbed the stick of India-ink in it. The teacher sat by O I-ne san’s side and showed her how to hold the pen. The little girl tried hard to copy the strange character given her. She felt lonely and a little fright- ened when she saw the other children gazing curiously at her. But a little girl whom she knew looked up and smiled at her, then crept to her side and said, “You have well come.” It is a dififlcult task even for Japanese chil- dren to master their own language. There are forty-eight letters in the Japanese alpha- bet, and two distinct sets of characters, the ka- ta-ka-na and the hi-ra-ga-7ia. Besides these, Chinese characters are extensively used. Some books are written almost entirely in Chinese. * 870 ] Home and School. 69 The men among the higher classes all read this language, and even women and many of the lower orders are taught the particular cha- racters most generally in use. All the signs about the shops and the proper names used are written in Chinese character, and we always see the same on lanterns and fans, and, indeed, upon almost everything that is used by the people. The written language is entirely different from the spoken, so that it is almost like learn- ing another language for a child to learn to read, even after it can talk with fluency. The words used in /^/f/^r-writing differ both from the books and the colloquial, thus making another language for the children to learn ; and if they do not, after all this is accomplished, attend the poetry-school, they cannot under- stand at all the poems of the country. The girls are taught how to sew and em- broider and make pretty little fancy articles, such as purses, chopstick-cases, bags and other things. Their needles are clumsy compared with ours, and they have thimbles open at both ends, and silk and cotton thread wound on pieces of wood. They also learn to play on the musical instruments of the country, the samisen, a three-stringed guitar, the bi-wa, a four-stringed guitar, and the ko-to, a thirteen- 70 The Sunrise Kingdom, [1870 stringed harp ; also they are taught to play on the fife and drum. There are also tea-schools y where little girls are taught how to make tea and present it gracefully to guests. We will say more of these hereafter. In the afternoon, when O Tot san had come home from his business and O I-ne san and O Cho had come from the school, O I-ne san was sitting idly on the floor by O Ka san’s side. The mother was sewing in a way that appeared left-handed to us. The little girl heard voices at the door, and some one spoke out: “ 0-ta-no- mo-shi-ma-su (“ I call ”). This practice of call- ing at the door is owing to the fact that no one can knock at these paper doors. It was a neiorhbor who had come in to have a lit- o tie chat, and behind her was a servant with baby Kin-ta-ro on her back. The baby’s hair was all shaved from his head, and his eyelashes and eyebrows plucked out. His eyes were bright and his little brown face clean. He wore a lit- tle red crape cap and a long silk dress with wide sleeves. He would have been a funny-looking little man to us, but O I-ne san thought him very pretty. She looked for his hands and feet, and he lay quietly and laughed at her. But soon the neighbor said it was late, and went away, after they had all drank tea and 1870] Home and School. 71 had ku-wa-shi (“ sweetmeats ”). Then the house was shut up for the night, and O Cho brought in the lamps. These lamps (an-don) are quite high, with a drawer in the bottom, where wicks are kept. Over the drawer is a place for the oil-can, and above that still, and protected by paper slides, is the little saucer in which the oil is put and the wick for burning. They are rather cum- brous, and not handsome. They stand about two feet and a half from the ground, and are about fifteen inches square, all enclosed, with a sliding paper door which may be drawn up or down to increase or to subdue the light at pleasure. Besides these, the Japanese have tall wooden candlesticks with a sharp iron at the top, on which tallow candles are stuck. The lamp in the sitting-room gave but little light, but the charcoal in the hi-ba-chi was red and glowing, O Ka san having just fanned it. O Cho and O Kin brought in supper, which is the principal meal in a Japanese family. O Cho had made some nice soup of fish, with rice and other things stirred in while it was boiling. After supper the futons were brought out, and O I-ne san was undressed and put on her own little bed. O Ka san covered her with another futon, said, “ 0-ya-su-mi-ma-sai'' (“rest”), and O I-ne san was soon fast asleep. 72 The Sunrise Kingdo^n. [1870 Now the night has come, and O Tot san is writing at the little low table, occasionally read- ing aloud, and O Ka san is finishing the little garment she began to-day. What is she think- ing about ? As we sometimes close our eyes and en- deavor to realize the actual condition of the blind, so do I try to shut the eyes of my soul from the light of truth and form some concep- tion of the darkness in which these heathen women are living. It has been said that Japan has “no home.” ‘Like the French, the language has no word corresponding to our “home;” it is simply “ house ” or “ place of habitation.” In a country where the houses are all so open, it is needless to look for such domestic life as we find in our more favored land. The early marriages contracted by the parents, or “ go- betweens,” and entered upon often without love or previous knowledge on the part of those married, must naturally produce more or less unhappiness. Where the system of concubinage exists, and the children in a family scarcely know who is their own mother, and the women quarrel for the possession of the children, the picture of domestic life cannot but be far from pleasing. But there are some things in Japanese families which are very pleasant to us. The children 1 870] Home ajid School. 73 are taught implicit obedience, and are polite and respectful to their parents. They are petted and seldom punished. Fathers carry their little babies very tenderly and soothe them when they cry, and when they come from their work or office often bring home pretty toys for their little ones. Although the position of woman in Japan is superior to that in other heathen lands, it is by no means an enviable one. Woman in the family occupies an entirely subordinate place. A girl is subject to her father’s wishes. There is 1I0 such thing as “ coming of age ” for a girl in Japan. She is all her lifetime a mere sub- ject. When married she must obey her hus- band and father-in-law, and when a widow her son becomes her master. The baby-boy clings close to his mother’s side, and lays his little cheek against hers, and talks a language which she alone can understand. But as he grows up, too often he learns to despise her. There are happy exceptions to these statements, where the family-life seems pure and peaceful, and woman appears to have her rightful place. Yet with all this fathers seem to take great care of their little daughters. The best cloth- ing they can afford is bought for them ; they send them to school and are interested in their education, paying liberally whatever is required. 7 74 The Sunrise Kingdom, [1870 In Japanese history every woman who has dis- tinguished herself in any way is given due credit, and mothers of great men are men- tioned with praise. And I know that the little O I-ne san, who lies sleeping so quietly on her futon, is very tenderly loved and cherished, and that her education, as well as her comfort, occu- pies her mother’s thoughts continually. CHAPTER VI. GOING TO * V~* ■J ■ ’ "■‘• 3 V - V* ■ - ^ a lf|i 4 j*> ^ > f - ^ V'Vr-^ ^ . T. •••f •' ■' . J^.|f ;-.-V lil^; '- « - '■. . •** * - f -J ■“>j^ >•*' ■ '■ is ’ "*'^*j|| ' •‘“*^ rr^r-‘ -*'•'■ *^{t[ . ’> KT^ -.'-v ^ ' 5 -," »«• . vA '-3 ^;vf .-4S>r • ■-' ... -•’ic::^ ... r "■^i 83 iSyo] Going to ''See Flowers S occasional glimpses of the blue sky. She saw the river flowing peacefully along, and the sail- boats gliding swiftly by. She watched the crowds of men, women and little children like herself. Some of the women carried large dolls in their arms, dressed like real babies. Perhaps they had no children of their own, and so played with dolls to occupy the time. Many of the people carried branches of the trees. They laughed and talked and sang, and ap- peared to be very happy. It would all have been beautiful if they had sung and spoken sweet, pure words, but their language was often very low and obscene. So we see that flowers and beautiful things in nature do not lead people to holiness. Our party now went into a large hotel upon the river-bank. The landlord came out to meet them with many bows, and told the ser- vants to take them all up stairs. The servants asked what they would have for dinner, and they ordered tai, a kind of fish much prized, an omelette and eels. Some tea was brought, and candy made of rice and sugar, to eat while they were waiting for dinner. They opened the slides and sat where they could see the river and the boats. In less than an hour the servant brought the little tables and the rice-box and some more 84 The Smtrise Kmgdom. [1870 tea. On an immense platter they had the fish and omelette, with side-dishes consisting of potatoes and red and yellow beans. The eels were served in lacquered boxes, with sharp skewers run through them, and dai-kon (rad- ish) and horse-radish were brought on small plates. They all ate, drank and talked, and had a hap- py time, after which O Tot san paid the bill — about a boo (twenty-five cents) for each member of the party — and then they all returned to the uncle’s house. It was now growing dark, but the uncle said they must come in to hear O Tsu- ru san sing and play on the ko-to. They ac- cepted the invitation, went in and listened to the song. It was called E-no-shi-nia, the name of a beautiful island on the coast, and was about the trees and mountains and little children. And now it was time for O Tot san and O Ka san and their happy but tired little girl to go home. O Cho took O I-ne san on her back. She held flowers tightly in one hand, and the new fan she had carefully put away in her sleeve. The sun had gone down ; O I-ne san saw the people carrying lanterns. No one is allowed to go out at night without a lantern. She heard the whistle of the blind a-mas, and looked at the lights in the houses as she passed. She was warm and comfortable, and tenderly 1870] Going to ''See Flowers S 85 carried because she was tired. She saw the stars in the sky, but did not know very well what they were. Long before they reached home she was fast asleep with her head on O Cho’s shoulder and the pink blossoms still held in her hand. It does not seem that the Japanese have any- thing corresponding to our large social in-door gatherings. The bath-houses are places of meeting and gossiping, and we see the people going in pleasure-boats on the Sumida or to the temples and public-gardens. The religious festivals give them frequent opportunities of meeting in a social way. It is easy to tell when a festival is in progress, for the usually neglected children in the streets have their faces washed and powdered and hair smooth, and are neatly dressed. The babies have clean faces and look very smiling. The streets are ornamented with lanterns, and from the tops of high poles gayly-colored papers are flying, and the gates of the temples are throng- ed by crowds of worshipers dressed in their best. The people appear to be very happy, but it is not pleasant to find that under the politeness and courtesy so lavishly displayed are hidden depths of corruption. They drink and quarrel, and the women have sore troubles, and bitter 86 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1870 tears to shed, and often take their own lives to end the misery for which they know no remedy. There is no such thing in Japan as plain, honest dealing between man and man. Every- thing must be done by means of a “go- between ” (na-ka), through whom all bargains and sales on business, marriage, and everything else, are conducted. The language itself discovers many peculiari- ties in the character of the people. It is syl- labic, each syllable being distinctly pronounced. The distinctions of caste, and the relation of the speaker as a superior, inferior or equal of the person he addresses, are expressed by the use or omission of honorific prefixes and affixes. The humility, real or affected, professed by them is evinced by such expressions as “ I reach it up to you ” and “You reach it down to me,” as expressive of “your superiority” compared with “ my inferiority and then they add to this the free use of the honorific O. Another peculiarity of the Japanese charac- ter is clearly brought out in the polite phrases and circumlocutions by which a disagreeable conclusion is reached. Those who have lived in the country know well the meaning of “ I have had a bad cold,” “ My father is sick,” as an excuse for absence or neglect of duty. 1870] Going to ''See Flowers!' 87 Such expressions, and many other expletives or redundant phrases commonly used, they do not consider as falsehoods, because they are in such common use, and not intended to be taken literally. Thus, “ It is poison to my soul that I could not do more for you,” and “ I have made a great noise,” said on leaving the house one has been visiting, are expressions that no one would accept as other than simple courtesy. There are no abstract nouns and no words to express delicate shades of meaning. As an instance of the latter, the* word na-ku (“to cry ”) is used for all the sounds made by dumb animals, as well as to express the crying of a human being. The word ne-ru means “ to sleep,” or merely “ to lie down,” and is used to convey the idea of grass being laid prostrate by the wind. Words are merely arbitrary forms used to express our ideas. Where the idea is insignif- icant, there can be no depth of meaning in the word ; and when we consider the comparative littleness of the things which Japanese words signify, we can gain some idea of their value. What are their ideas of truth, virtue and love ? and what, consequently, do these words convey to them ? In natural objects take, for instance, our word “ star.” Does their corresponding word ho-shi mean to them a great central sun 88 [1870 The Sum'ise Kingdom, with planets revolving around it, or merely a little taper in the sky ? And apply their word for “god” (ka-mi) to the Sintoo deities, and consider the meaning it conveys to them. We have already seen how low and degraded that idea is, and “ god ” only represents that thought of their minds. Although there is no special depth to the spoken language, it is like music in its sweet- ness and rhythm. There are no harsh com- binations of syllables, and the words flow easily from the lips even of little children. And their manners correspond with their language ; for when they meet, they bow low, and with pro- fuse external ceremonies combine the most polite forms of speech. They never offend one another in word, and politeness never fails them in any circumstance. Family names are derived from various sources. Ta-ka-ha-shi, Ko-ba-ya-shi, Ha-ya- shi, A-ka-ba-ya-shi, meaning respectively “high bridge,” “ little forest,” “ forest ” and “ red for- est,” are instances. It is well, in reading Jap- anese proper names, to remember that ya-ma means “ mountain ;” ka-wa, “ river ;” ha-shi, “bridge;” ha-ya-shi, “forest;” and sa-ki^ “cape.” The great mountain of Japan previously men- tioned we call Fu-ji-ya-ma, but by the people is generally called Fu-ji only. The Sumida 1870] Going to ''See Flowers S 89 is spoken of to us as the Sumida-ga-wa (“river”). Boys’ names always end in ta-ro, ji-ro and ki-chi, as Mi-chi-ta-ro, Ta-ke-ji-ro and Sen-ki- chi. And if we leave off the termination and prefix the honorific we have the girls’ names — viz. : O Mi-chi, O Ta-ke, O Sen, San is a common termination to all names, meaning indiscriminately “ Mr.,” “ Mrs.,” “ Miss ” and “ Master.” And now May has come to us in Tokio. It is a lovely month in Japan as well as at home. -A few days ago we drove in a trap around the castle-walls. A perfect forest of trees sur- rounds the residence of the Mikado, and the ^ beautiful green bank slopes from the outer wall down to the moat. On one side of the road are hedges, beautiful now in their spring fresh- ness. It is hard to realize, as we look upon the fair landscape and apparently firm struc- tures before us, that this is a land of earth- quakes, and yet, on the night before, our house had been rocked like a ship at sea, and after the first severe shock we had a series of slight- er ones which kept us uneasy for some time. We have a little Sunday-school now, and some priests from Shi-ba come almost every day for Bible instruction. This is a new feature in our work. Their attention was di- 90 The Sunrise Kingdom, [1870 rected to Christianity by reading Goodrich’s General History of the World with a Japanese teacher. We hope that they are sincere, and will yet be brought to believe in the Lord Jesus. CHAPTER VII. RO-KU-BAN. The New Mission-House — The Typhoon — A Class of Boys — Young Samurai — The Bible Class— The Ya-cu-nins — Our New Year. HE new mission-house, on lot No. 6 — Ro-ku-ban — of the Foreign Concession, is opposite the island Sku-da-ji-ma^ just below the place where the river Sumida empties into the bay. It is made of wood, with tiled roof and walls, and boasts of veritable doors, windows and a chimney. The house was built by Japanese workmen, under the superintendence of one of the mis- sionaries. The location is pleasant and health- ful. Directly in front is the bay. From the upper veranda we can almost look down into the junks and sail-boats as they pass. The north windows command a view of the river, and to the south-west we can see Shi-ba’s magnificent trees. The distant mountains, on pleasant days, are beautiful, standing out clear and distinct against 91 92 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 the sky. Far above the others rises old Fu-ji, in summer of a soft, deep purple hue, and in winter all glittering and resplendent as his snow-crowned head catches the sunbeams. One Sunday, soon after coming over here to live, we had a fearful storm of wind and rain. In the fall the north and south winds have terri- ble battles, which last until the north wind pre- vails and brings cold, clear weather, occasionally with snow. In the spring the conflict again begins, and the south wind gains the victory : then we have heat, dampness and frequent rains. In August and September we expect these typhoons (Chinese tai-fu, “great wind”), but they are not so severe here as in China. Typhoon of September . — This was a wild storm, and lasted nearly all day. The bay was a grand sight; the waves dashed over the breakwater as though they would like to sweep us all away. Rain and wind, with the sound of the angry waves and the noise of the falling tiles and timbers of the yet-unfinished house, made that Sabbath-day one of terror. Some Japanese were killed not far from us by a falling house. But the storm ceased suddenly, and there was a “ great calm.” The bay was as quiet as if nothing had ever occurred to disturb it. The 1871 ] Ro-ku-ban. 93 sunset was magnificent. Bands of crimson and gold stretched across the western horizon, and eastern sea and sky were brightened by a golden light slightly tinged with pink. Directly overhead, in an ocean of deep blue, floated clouds of a rich salmon-color. It is not often that we have a sunset scene like this. A large boy whom we call Ma-ki has been reading for some months with us. He is a plain and delicate-looking person, but exceed- ingly kind. A week seldom passes without some little token of gratitude from him. The gifts are sometimes rather peculiar. Once he brought a live cricket in an exquisitely-made bamboo cage. The Japanese are very fond of hearing these insects sing, so they cage them and feed them on cucumbers. Mine was care- fully fed, but it did not sing very long. I have had two classes of boys this winter, one rather plebeian in its nature, consisting of Ru-so, the barber’s boy, Chiu-taro, a merchant’s son, the son of the hotel-clerk, and others. All of these boys were diligent. The other class was quite aristocratic, consisting of nine or ten little Samurai from Sat-su-ma’s country. They all wore two swords, even those who were so small that their eyes just came above the table when they stood around it to read. They were nice little fellows, and the afternoon was pleas- 94 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 antly spent in teaching them. It is a grief to me to think of them all as scattered now, I know not where. On the first Sabbath of December one of the missionaries beo^an a Bible class — the first ever attempted in the Tokio mission. It was held in the parlor of the new house. A fire was kindled in the large stove, benches were brought, and the dark-skinned, black-haired natives gathered in to hear the teaching of the word. Outside, the sun was shining brightly, the bay sparkling in the glorious light, and sail- boats were gliding noiselessly by. Some of the young men had English, and some Chinese, Bibles. The verses were carefully explained in Japanese, and at the close the pupils heard a prayer to the true God for the first time. Friends at home would have been much grati- fied could they have seen the earnest attention paid by the pupils. These meetings were kept up, with increasing interest, for several weeks, and we hoped and prayed that great good might result from them. Christmas came on Sunday. On the day before, we went to U-ye-no. This is a charming place. From some of the tea-houses there are fine views of the great city and the river. It is said that the government intends to establish a hospital there. In former days there were 1871 ] Ro-ku-ban. 95 temples and mi-yas here as beautiful as those at Shi-ba, we are told, but during the revolution of 1868 a battle was fought at U-ye-no, and, with the exception of a few small temples, we saw nothing but ruins. In one temple we found some women with heads shaven like those of the priests. They were beating drums, ringing bells and reciting prayers in a loud tone, making more noise than we could endure. They diversified their wor- ship by drinking tea and smoking. While wandering about the really beautiful grounds we discovered an immense idol. We sat down to look at him, and felt ourselves very small in comparison, for he was thirty feet high. He wore a very complacent look. The winter day was warm and bright, after the sun had dis- sipated the morning mist. The rich sunlight poured through the trees, and the quiet retire- ment and beautiful scenery made the day a pleasant one. On Christmas-day the class assembled as usual ; but a few days after, we heard that some one had informed the ya-cu-nins at the custom- house of their meeting, and that these officers were going to report to the government, so that the pupils were in danger of losing their liberty, if not their lives. The missionaries felt it to be their duty to warn the pupils of 96 The Sunrise Kingdoin, [187] the threatened danger, and it has resulted in breaking up the class. Even the interesting school of little ones has dwindled down to four scholars. A few young men are coming to read the Bible privately. They creep cautiously, by night, over the fields, or singly in the daytime, to elude the vigilance of the ya-cu-nins. Our new year (1871) has thus dawned rather sadly upon us. “ Oh,” said one of the missionaries as we discussed these things, “if O-ga-wa should be cast into prison, I would stop all work here, and do nothing for a while but write home, begging God’s people to pray for us. Only prayer can be of any use now.” We are forcibly reminded that the death-pen- alty still exists, and .that the cross of Christ is a shame and a dishonor here. “ I fear not im- prisonment or beheading,” said a young Japan- ese. “I want to study the Bible.” We stood by one of the front windows of the mission- house. The day was dark, the waves dashed sullenly against the breakwater, and the way seemed dark to us. ■ Thus it often is in the morning. The sun comes up clear and bright, and we imagine that all the day will be fair. Then clouds arise, hide the blue sky from view, and it grows 1871] Ro-ku-ban. 97 dark, but when they roll away we find not only that the sun has still been shining behind them, but that he has really been mounting higher and higher, and growing each moment brighter and stronger. 9 Gt CHAPTER VIII. PICTURES AND BOONS. Ancient Warriors — Court- Ladies — Daimios — H a-ra-Ki- Ri — Jo-RO-REi — J apanese Books — Religious — Historical — Encyclopaedias — Allegory — Moral Teachings — Poet- ry — Novels. W HEN we go to call on our Japanese friends in the city, they usually enter- tain us with pictures. These look to us like strange caricatures, but no doubt appear to them perfectly natural, and even to our eyes, as we become more familiar with the land, they lose much of their grotesqueness. True, the Japanese have no proper idea of perspective, and they put into the picture what- ever they consider would look well there, with- out regard to true size or relative position ; but these objects, viewed singly, are all delineated with a great degree of perfection. Thus, trees, birds, flowers, fish and human beings are accu- rately described as looked at individually, but when grouped together there is a most gro- tesque disregard of all proportion and proper position. There are but few animals in Japan, ‘>8 871 ] Pictures and Books, 99 and this accounts for the invariably absurd, and sometimes hideous, delineations found on their vases and in the carvings of the temples. It would seem as if they had heard of such things, and their vivid imaginations had attempted to depict them, but in this respect there is an utter failure. These pictures are, however, interesting as giving us an insight into national life and society which could not be otherwise obtain- ed. We see ancient warriors ready for battle or fighting with brave, composed faces. The dress is very peculiar, and looks to us exceed- ingly cumbersome. There are pieces of armor for the protection of head, breast and limbs, and we see them bearing all the ancient weapons of war — swords, spears, bows and arrows, and battle-axes — and over all are gorgeous robes with wide, full skirts, and pennons streaming from head and shoulders — a marked contrast to the simple dress and accoutrements of the modern soldier. We also look at pictures of court-ladies In white robes and with hair streaming down their backs. Their eyelashes and eyebrows are plucked out, but a tinge of dark paint higher up on the forehead supplies the loss. They are represented as playing on the samisen, the ko-to or the bl-wa, acd embroidering rich robes, lOO The Sunrise Kingdom, [1871 and painting beautiful flowers or butterflies on silk. Then we have views of the interior of ya- shi-kis, and see the daimios at their great feasts, where the saki is drunk and songs sung, and where geishas and dancing-girls entertain the guests. Or we see these great lords walking in the fields, complacently viewing their broad possessions ; and some of the pictures show us farmers kneeling at their feet, begging relief from their oppressive taxation. We then look into the private reception-room, where sometimes the daimio, in the presence of his retainers, performs the solemn act of Ha-ra- Ki-ri (disembowelment). This is done under the sense of a real or imaginary insult ; and when a high officer is subjected to the death- penalty he has the privilege of inflicting it upon himself, and thus escaping all disgrace. Many of these pictures represent the jo-ro- reis, which are large establishments where the women live who sell themselves or are sold, when children, by their parents. This is esteemed no particular disgrace in Japan ; for a girl to sell herself to relieve the poverty of her parents is considered the highest proof of filial virtue. The names of the most celebrated of jo-ros are on every child’s tongue, and their pictures are painted in most brilliant colors. 1871] Pictures and Books. loi Books . — In printing books, blocks of wood, with the letters cut on them, are used. These are thickly blacked with India-ink and sheets of paper put on, and the impressions are then :aken by a simple and rapid process. In course )f time the letters on the block are worn down, md this accounts for the faintness of some of the words in their books. They have no binderies, but all their books have paper covers, stitched in their own peculiar style. As is usual with all Oriental books, they begin at the last page (as it appears to us), in the back of the book, and read down in columns from right to left — precisely the reverse from what it is with us. The best literature of the Japanese is bor- rowed from their neighbors, the Chinese. Their religious books are written in this lan- guage, but sometimes their own characters are intermixed. These are stories of the gods and Buddhas. Some of their illustrations repre- sent mild, placid Buddhas sitting calmly on lotus-leaves, and others fierce, ugly little devils and frightful scenes of the Buddhist places of torment. In their historical books, in which Chinese characters are also largely used, there is so much of the fabulous history of the gods, set forth in fantastic allegory, combined with the 102 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 stories of their heroes, that there is little satis- faction in reading them. .The encyclopaedias, which are embellished with pictures, are more interesting to us. There is one queer old book of this sort in which the impressions of the people in regard to different countries are described. In one picture the men of a certain country are repre- sented as having long ears which serve as a covering in the night. These encyclopaedias are very copious, embracing all varieties of subjects and giving the Japanese ideas upon things foreign as well as home-born. They sometimes run up to nearly one hundred large volumes, are profusely illustrated, and are the most handsomely printed of all books published in Japan. The illustrations given are very in- teresting as portraying the ideas held by that people in regard to many things in Nature. Thus, in one we have their conception of thun- der — a terrific-looking god in a dense cloud striking with a drumstick the dark surface. Their island is also set forth as resting upon a turtle, the uneasy movements of which cause the earthquakes so frequent there. The Japanese are very fond of allegorical literature, and many books of that kind may be found in their libraries. The most famous of them is the Mu-so-bi. This is the name of 1871] Pictures and Books. 103 a man who traveled through the air, visiting many different kingdoms — as they are called — such as Childhood, Avarice, Lying, and others. He tells what he saw in them all. In the king- dom of Childhood he found funny little people who could neither walk nor talk, and had no teeth and no hair. In the kingdom of Lying he came across a notice upon a schoolroom-door stating that the teacher would begin a class there on a certain day. He went at the ap- pointed time, but no teacher was there. This was repeated several times, until he went after the teacher and asked him the reason of such strange conduct. He replied that to teach lying was his special object, and this he did by action rather than by word. In his descent into the kingdom of Avarice he became entangled in the branches of a tree. The people of the country were so afraid that they would not receive a proper equivalent for their services that he could hardly persuade them to bring ropes and ladders to rescue him from his perilous position. None of these books are very intelligible to Japanese women, except to those who reso- lutely break over the barriers of restraint and are ambitious to acquire more learning than is usually allowed them. They are kept back from learning the Chinese characters, and of 104 • The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 course find it impossible to get the full sense of what they read. For them, however, books of a special kind on topics of morality are pre- pared. The most celebrated of these is the On-na-Dai Ga-ku(^^ Womans Great Learning'") . Every girl is expected to read this book and be well acquainted with its contents. It is written in large, straggling Chinese characters, with the Japanese ka-na (alphabet) in the margin of each column. It consists mainly in the enumer- ation of many petty duties, with frequent in- junctions to women to be quiet and not talk too much. It says: “Until children are six years of age boys and girls may sit on the same mats at school, but after that they must be separated. . . . Girls must learn to read well, and afterward to sew. . . . When they are seventeen or eighteen they must remember that in a short time they will leave father and mother and go to a new home. . . . They must remember, also, that the father-in-law and the mother-in-law are the husband’s parents, and try to love them.” Of the seven reasons for divorce, the first is disobedience to the mother- in-law. A woman may also be divorced if she has no child. This book also says : “ Children must be obedient to their parents, attend diligently to their business, get up in the morning in a good- Pictures and Books, 1871J 105 humor, and eat what is set before them with- out looking around, complaining or asking questions.” There is also a particular book on obedience to parents. They have some stories of Confu- cius and Mencius, the great Chinese sages ; among these will be found many good and useful maxims, worthy of a place in the litera- ture of any land, but the greater part is a com- pilation of ethics exceedingly dry and of little profit. '‘Japanese poetry,” says one of their own people, “ is like a tree with its roots, trunk and branches.” It is very difficult for us to under- stand the precise meaning of this, but their poetical history seems to be the root, the short poems the trunk, and the various renderings and meanings the branches. Even to the na- tives the poems are so difficult, and the words used differ so materially from both the ordinary book-laneuaee and the vernacular, that unless they attend a regular poetry-school they are never able to comprehend their meaning. The great book of Japanese poetry is the H' -ya-ku-nin-shi (“ The One Hundred Poems''^. These were written by one hundred persons, amone whom were a number of women. The o first poem in the book was written by Ten-ji Ten- no, a great man of ancient times, and is io6 The Sunrise Kmgdom. [1871 about the “ full, round harvest-moon.” The fifteenth day of the eighth month is the moon’s festival, and this poem is written in honor of that. To us its brevity is worthy of notice, for it consists of only twenty-six characters, occu- pying the space of not more than a single stanza of a hymn. And yet so hidden is its meaning, demanding in its interpretation the unfolding of symbols, the bringing forth of his- toric and ethical lore — in fact, so deeply myste- rious is it — as to require the efforts of the most learned men (ga-ku-shas) to expound it before a wondering audience. It is said that it would take a long lifetime to learn the meaning of these hundred poems, and yet they are con- tained in a book in length three inches and a half, in width two inches and a half, and just half an inch in thickness, and then fully two- thirds of each page are taken up with an en- graved illustration and deep margin. It seems to be the essence of all the learning, history and poetry of all the ages reduced to an al- most infinitesimal point. It may be interesting to consider several of the poems said to have been written by women. Ji-to-ten-o sings about “white” things. “Al- though spring is past ” (the cherry-blossoms faded), “there are still white things — white cloths spread out to bleach, and snow on Fu- iSyij Pictures and Books. 107 ji.” The idea here is expressive of purity. Ko-ma-chi was a beautiful woman. In reply to the praises of her admirers she spoke of fading flowers : “ My body will likewise fade.” I-se and U-kon tell us of love: “No matter how short the time may be, we think it long when separated from our loved one.” I-dzu-mi-shi- ki’s strain is familiar : “ In this world we love : shall we love again ? I am far away from the one I love : shall I meet him ao^ain in this world ? But if not, shall we love in the next? Even then I would see him again here.” In Sei-so- nan-gon’s poem we have something of the root. The daimios were obliged to spend six months of each year in Tokio. During the time of the To-ku-ga-wa dynasty there were apprehen- sions of trouble at the capital from the prov- inces, and the daimios were compelled to leave their wives in Tokio as hostages when they returned to their separate homes. Most of these princes w^ere obliged to cross the Ha-ko- ne Mountains. There was a gate at the one pass over these mountains. Ya-cu-nins were stationed to search carefully every woman who approached the gate, lest she might prove to be the wife of a daimio returning with her husband to their home. The women of the ya-shi-kis had their hair dressed in a peculiar way, and so were easily recognized. Sei-so-nan-non said. io8 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 “ I lie awake at night to listen for the voice of the bird. But there are many obstacles in our path in getting to those we love.” (The word translated “ obstacle ” is applied to the gate above mentioned.) The swan, in his capacity as letter-carrier (for which in China he is sometimes used), is the bird for whose voice she listens. We can perceive in these few instances something of the meaning of the one who rep- resents the poem as a tree. Its roots are set in symbols and hidden facts ; its trunk is the poem as it appears to sight ; and its branches are the renderings and explanations which a skillful expounder can give to such terse effu- sions. In no other way do we see how this expression can be interpreted. There are also a great number of novels in the language, written in the easy colloquial. They are to us insipid stories, all about lovers and tyrants. They commonly exhibit a marvel- ous facility of extension, the same novel being- carried through hundreds of volumes. One of them has been translated into English, and is the usual tale of a girl who sold herself in order to save the family from poverty and ruin, but is rescued by her lover, Sa-ki-shi. It ends in a familiar, and even home-like, style : “ Of course all their sorrow was now turned into joy ; nor had they suffered in vain, since the 1871] Pictures and Books. 109 trials they had undergone had thoroughly tested the strength and constancy of their affection. . . . Being distinguished for filial duty and affection, they were blessed with a numerous offspring, and led henceforward peaceful and happy lives.” The women have no books to read except dry books of ethics and these novels. Some books on the distant provinces, on the produc- tions of their own country or its history, might be made quite interesting for the women if written in characters and language intelligible to them. We must take another chapter to consider a very important class of books — those de- signed for the use of the children of Japan. 10 CHAPTER IX. GAMES AND TOYS. Japanese New Year — Division of Time — Mo-chi— Orna- ments — 0-Mi-so-KA — M oney — Driving away Evil Spir- its— New Year’s Festivities — The Dolls’ Feast — Games — Toy-Shops — Japanese Children. HE year just closed has been a long one with the Japanese. It was leap-year, and the tenth month was doubled, making the year to consist of thirteen months. And now New Year’s day has come late in February. It is very difficult to understand the Japanese divis- ion of time. They reckon by cycles and dynas- ties in numbering their years. They divide the year into twelve months, naming them respectively first, second, third, etc. These months consist of thirty days each, and thus, after certain intervals, to make the solar and lunar year agree, they put on the additional month. The people are busy for many days in pre- paring for their New Year’s festival. We saw them making mo-chi in the streets all through the city. This is rice beaten in a mortar with no 1871] Games and Toys. 1 1 1 a little water until it becomes a thick, hard paste, bearing little resemblance to the original ko-me. It is dried in cakes, and baked over the hi-ba-chi. This is very much liked by the people, but rather distasteful to our palates. The houses are all ornamented with branches of the pine, dai-dai (a kind of orange), bamboo and plum-blossoms. These are placed over or near the entrance. The pine tree is an emblem of perpetual joy ; dai-dai means “ from genera- tion to generation,” and expresses perpetuity of family. The bamboo never changes its color, and is a symbol of constancy. It is straight, and thus teaches man to be upright. The plum tree blossoms in cold weather, and shows us that man should rejoice in time of trouble. The houses are also ornamented with deep fringes of straw, which look very handsome as they wave in the wind. Cooked rice in a pyra- mid represents the island of eternal happiness, which they imagine to be somewhere. A crab shows their desire for longevity, and fish-skin is a sign of politeness and a desire to have their gifts graciously received. The day before New Year’s is the 0-mi-so-ka, the great day of casting accounts^- Then the merchants close up their business transactions and collect their debts. ' Every one is busy 1 1 2 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 settling up affairs, to be ready to begin afresh the new year. The little girls of Tokio have a song about the O-mi-so-ka, which they sing when bounding their balls. Japanese money is very curious to us. They have in circulation gold, silver, copper and scrip- iron cash — coins of very small value — were formerly used. The largest gold coins are the o-ban and the ko-ban, the great and small ban. These are of an elliptical shape, and are not often seen at the present day. There are also small gold coins of various values ; but having been extensively counterfeited, they are not in general use. Our principal coins in use now are the silver boos^ ni-shius and i-skius, of the respective values of twenty-five, twelve and a half, and six and a quarter cents. These are oblong in shape, with Chinese characters stamped upon them. There is also a variety of copper coins ; the largest is the elliptical tempo (one cent). The smaller coins are worth one-fifth, one-sixth and one-tenth of a tempo. Then there are the paper satz (or scrip), the rio (one dollar) and the ni-bu, ichi-bu, 7 ii-shiu and i-shiu, or two boos, one boo, half boo and quarter boo. This scrip is the principal money in circulation, but is easily counterfeited. O Tot san is away at Ha-ko-da-di, and O Ka CASTING OUT EVIL SPIRITS. WRITING LHE NEW YEAR’S COPY 1871] Games and Toys. 1 1 3 san and O I-ne san are at O-ji, spending the holidays with the grandmother. On the O-mi- so-ka the house was carefully swept, the few vases and other ornaments arranged neatly, the former filled with camellias and other flowers. Pine branches, bamboo, oranges and plum-blossoms were put over the doorway. The children watched all the preparations with great interest. At night they did something which would seem very curious to American children. The servants brought parched beans, and O I-ne san and Sen-ki-chi put them in boxes, and then sprinkled them all over the floors. This was to drive out the evil spirits. It is a strange custom, but at the same time suggestive. It is a good thing to commence the new year with banishing evil spirits, though what connection beans had with it we could not see. O I-ne san was up long before the sun rose this morning. She slipped quietly out of the house, got some water from the well, poured it on her ink-stone, rubbed it with ink and wrote a copy. She did this very quickly, before Sen-ki-chi joined her. Why was this ? When there are two or more children in a Japanese family, they see which one can get up the earliest on the first morning of -the year, wet their ink-stone, and write the first Chinese 10 * H # 1 14 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 character. The fortunate one will be the best writer of the family. Often the pine ornaments are burned before a temple, and with them the children put their “ copies.” The higher the wind blows the paper, the more famous will the child be as a writer — so say the children. j When Japanese meet on New Year’s morn- ing, they say, “ 0 -me-di-to ” (“ Great happiness ” or “ Many congratulations ”) . The women smile and say, “ The spring has come,” although the weather may still be. quite cold. As in our country, the gentlemen go out to call, and the ladies, dressed in silks and crapes, and with hair ornamented with amber hairpins, remain at home to receive their guests. It has been remarked that either this custom was intro- duced by the Hollanders into Japan, or that the Hollanders derived it from the Japanese ; it is uncertain where it originated. The sweetmeats are arranged on little tables in pyramids, and beautifully ornamented with sprigs of pine and flowers. These sweetmeats, with tea, are offered to the guests, who usually bring a present. A picture represents a gentleman starting out on these calls as attended by a boy with a boxful of presents, which consist generally of pieces of silk, crape, hairpins and dried fruits. All little girls in Tokio have battledores and 871 ] Games and Toys. 115 shuttlecocks, and look very happy as they toss up the pretty feathers, counting all the time. O I-ne san’s new battledore is very large and handsome, and the under side is covered with beautiful crape. All the little boys in Tokio are playing with kites to-day ; these are made in various shapes and painted in bright colors. Some of them represent men with arms ex- tended, and some birds, and others, which they seem particularly to like, represent dragons, devils and evil spirits. There are singing kites, which in the air emit sounds like those produced by the passing of wind over wires. And whilst flying them the boys chant, “ Blow, wind, blow ! The god of the wind is weak ; The god of the sun is strong ; Blow, wind, blow !” Fathers and mothers are playing with their children, and the whole city is filled with pleas- ant sights and sounds. The New Year s feast continues for seven days. The schools are all closed, and there is nothing but play and rejoicing. On the third day of the third month, O I-ne san will have a happy time. It is the little girls’ holiday, the feast of dolls. The dolls are arranged on shelves sloping one above and a 4 ii6 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 little back of another, the emperor and his wife occupying the topmost shelf. Then a feast is prepared of white sweet saki and two cakes of mo-chi, placed one above another on a dish. The under cake is green, and the other white. Whether there is any special significance in this I cannot say. This feast is first offered to the dolls, who, not being troubled with sensa- tions of hunger and thirst, do not partake heartily ; so the children have the benefit of it all, and drink the saki and eat the mo-chi with great satisfaction. Japanese dolls (nin-gi-yo, “ resembling men ”) are very worthy of consideration. They are as much like real babies as anything can pos- sibly be, and we are frequently deceived by them as we see the women carrying large dolls in their arms. The best dolls are made in Ki-o-to. They are of wood, with real hair. The others are made of a kind of composition and are very frail, being in constant danger of losing heads and limbs. A-sa-ku-sa is the prin- cipal mart for dolls in Tokio. Some of the dolls there are beautifully dressed like grown ladies, with several changes of headgear. The women in the ya-shi-kis play with these large dolls, dressing them in fine clothes, and taking them out with them when they go to call. The little girls have tiny futons and pillows for their 1871] Games a 7 id Toys. 117 dolls, and little dishes, but they are just as fond as American children of playing with broken plates and cups and all sorts of make-believe things. Playing ball is the favorite amusement of girls. Some of their balls are very pretty, being covered with bright silk threads. They bound them on the ground with their hands, counting the beats in a sing-song style, and often keep them going an almost incredible number of times. Boys seldom play ball, but are contented with stilts, tops and kites. The little girls also play, with small bean-bags, a game similar to our childish one of jack-stones. These bags they call te-da-na, and they are very dextrous in managing them. They have also games with little cards, matching them and playing “ grab.” Checkers, which they play in various ways, among which “ go-bang ” is promi- nent, are used by the men. The word go-bang means “ five checkers.” One of the most singular amusements for children is called h'ya-ku mo-no ga-ta-ri (“ the one hundred things”). xA. hundred tapers are put into a large saucer of oil and lighted. The children sit quietly down in a dark corner of the room, at some distance from the lights, and begin to tell ghost-stories, with which Japanese literature abounds. Then one child is sent to ii8 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 extinguish a light. When this is done, the story-telling again begins, when another child is sent to put out another light. The stories become more and more frightful in their charac- ter ; the room becomes darker and darker as light after light is extinguished ; the imagination of the children becomes more excited, until the room seems to them filled with hobgoblins and demons ; and at last the screaming little ones rush from the house, and the game is over. Japanese children have a great deal done for their amusement. We often pass large toy- shops filled with pretty things for them, such as windmills, kites, tops, balls, dolls, toy cats, dogs and other animals, all highly colored. The children who play about the streets are merry little people ; they have sparkling eyes and bright, intelligent faces, and seem to enjoy their sport as much as little ones at home. Many of the girls have babies strapped on their backs. These babies’ heads roll from side to side, and the poor little unprotected eyes blink in the sunshine. Some of these children are covered with loathsome sores. Skin-diseases are very common here. It is said that Japanese children do not cry or quarrel as do those in our land. Several causes have been assigned for this. Though parents are very strict in exacting obedience, they do / \A.-v •: - * i"*' • ! * 0* <’. »•>- -«l . >V K 1871 ] Games and Toys, 119 not subject their little ones to so many orders or restraints. Then their clothing is much lighter than in this country, giving more free- dom to their limbs, and they are more the children of nature than of artificial life. And another cause may be found in the fact that they have less vitality and nervous energy than European or American children have, and hence are more indifferent to both pleasure and pain. These little Asiatics are quiet and patient generally, content to go on in the same routine day after day. They do not give us so much to write and talk about as the children of our land, with their pretty sayings and doings. They do cry sometimes, and their screams are long and loud. The mission of the little street-children has been very sweet to us. When we first came here, the people seemed like inhabitants of another planet. The only way we could gain any feeling of kinship was by shutting our eyes to their strange customs and letting the sound of the children’s voices in their happy laughter or grieved crying enter our ears. It was then that we heard familiar sounds, and realized that these strangers are indeed our flesh and blood. And so we pray God to bless the little children of Japan. CHAPTER X. WHAT LITTLE CHILDREN READ. The Names of their Books: “The Ape and the Crab” — “ The Rat’s Wedding” — “ Mo-mo-taro” — “ Kin-ta-ro” — “The Tail-Cut Swallow” — “ Story of Sho-set-su “ The Treasure.” HAT has our little O I-ne san to read ? Hundreds of small books with brio-ht o pictures, the chief peculiarity of which is that the story is written, not under the pictures, but on their face. We have some before us — gay little specimens of infant literature, and filled with intensely glaring illustrations of men and animals in every grotesque form and dress. In each picture are scattered columns of curious characters, to us incomprehensible, but contain- ing to them the story designed to be illustrated. Let us now glance, by the aid of an interpreter, at what a few of these stories will tell us. Tke Ape and the Crab . — A hungry Ape met a Crab with a piece of mo-chi in its claws, and to his begging for it the Crab promised he would give it if he would go home with him and gather some persimmons from the tree. 120 1871] What Little Children Read. 121 The Ape agreed, ate the mo-chi, and went home with the Crab, who sat on the veranda with his pipe, while the Ape climbed the tree. But instead of handing them down to the Crab, he pelted the Crab with them, until he succeeded in killing him. But the Egg, a friend of the Crab, suddenly- appeared, and the Ape ran away. Then the Egg went and consulted with his friends, the Rice-Mortar and the Bee. The three friends invited the Ape to a feast, and gave him a seat upon what appeared a box, but in reality it was an “infernal machine,” which they had secret- ly prepared. This blew up ; and while lying prostrate on the ground, he was thrust through with spears and quickly despatched. In this ludicrous way the moral is given that those who treat others unjustly shall be themselves served in like manner. The Rat's Wedding . — A young-lady Rat was out walking one morning, followed by her ser- vant. She met a young Mr. Rat, who was much pleased with her. He went to a friend to ask him to act as a go-between and con- sult with the young lady’s father. The friend sat on the floor with his pipe, and the hi- ba-chi was beside him ; and his wife listened with interest to all that was said. The go- between then went to the father, who received 11 1 22 The Sunrise Kinodom. o [1S71 him graciously, and preparations were made for the wedding. The happy day came, the guests assembled at the house of the bride’s father in two large parlors, the Rat-men in one room and the Rat-women in the other. The go-between, the bride and groom, with two maids, retired into a separate apartment. In Japanese houses the place of honor is a dais, or raised platform, at one end of the room. The bride, arrayed in white, sat before this platform ; opposite her sat the bridegroom, and the go-between sat between, a little way off ; the maids sat opposite the go-between, the parties occupying the four angles of a square. A little table with three lacquered cups was placed in the centre of the square. The cups were of different sizes, the smallest one being on top. The maid nearest the bride had the pot of saki, which she took, poured a portion into the little cup, and gave it to the bride, who drank and then handed it to the bridegroom, who also drank. The cup was then handed back and put away under the table, when the second cup was likewise filled, and bride, bride- groom and go-between partook, and the same process was gone through with the third and largest cup, and the ceremony was ended. The design of this book is evidently to i87ij What Little Children Read. 123 illustrate to children the simple form of mar- riage adopted and in use. Mo-mo-ta-ro . — An old woman found on the bank of a river a large beautiful peach. She took it home to her husband ; and while they were admiring it, it burst open, disclosing a baby. Greatly surprised, to the childless old couple its appearance was yet one of great joy. They put the child in water, and he up- set the tub. Mo-mo is the Japanese word for peach, and they named the child Mo-mo-ta-ro, or “ Peach-boy.” As he grew older he became very strong. One day he begged a cake from his adopted parents, and they hastened to give it to him. Then he started off to fight the devils in a distant island and take their treasures. On the way an ape, a dog and a beautiful white bird met him, and begged the cake. He gave it to them, and they became his followers. They went with him to the island, where they fought the devils, and Mo-mo gained the treasures and then returned home. The moral is obvious : Generosity meets with its reward. Kintaro . — A great many tales are told of Kintaro, a child born in the mountains, whose friends were rabbits, apes and birds, who sub- dued terrible dragons and monsters, and at last became a daimio. He is represented in the 124 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 pictures as being very red. In the autumn, at the great display of chrysanthemums, among other human figures we easily recognize the ruddy Kintaro. The Tail-cut Swallow . — Once upon a time an old woman made some paste. A pet swallow got out of the cage and ate the paste. The old woman was very angry, cut the bird’s tail, and sent it away. The old man, her husband, O Ji san, was sorry when he heard of this, and went out to make inquiries about the tailless bird. On the way he met Mrs. and Miss Swal- low, and after making his kind inquiries was invited to their house. He went, and Mrs. S. made a feast, at which there were music and dancing. She then showed him two boxes, and asked if he would take home with him the light or the heavy one. He said, as he was old, he would take the lighter one. So he went off with the box on his back, and was accompanied a part of the way by Mrs. Swallow, as is the usual courtesy shown to an honored guest. When O Ji san reached home he opened the box, and treasures fell out, at the sight of which he started back astonished, while the old woman looked on amazed. She, hearing of the other box, hastened to call upon Mrs. Swallow, and begged her to give it to her. She readily 1871 ] What Little Children Read, 125 gave it, but when it was opened out flew ba-ke- mo-no (ghosts), which frightened her dreadfully. The pictures of this little book would tell the story to one of us without the interpreter’s aid. You can read it readily and learn the moral — that cruelty and avarice will surely be overtaken with dreadful vengeance, while a tender heart and modest unselfishness are to be approved. Story of Sho-set-su . — In the province of Shin- shiu lived a man named Sho-set-su. He was once walking upon the seashore, when an old man, riding upon a large fish, appeared, from whom he learned many of the things of the spirit-world such as are not usual for men to know. In a mountain he learned the art of fencing ; and coming across a man one day, he made such dextrous use of his sword as soon to kill him. While sitting alone after this, a frightful ba-ke-mo-no appeared : it was the - spirit of the murdered man. But he was not frightened, and ever after he was distinguished for his great courage, fearing nothing in this or the other world. The Treasure , — O Ji san petted his dog, and the dog was very grateful, and told the old master to go and dig under a certain tree, where he would find treasure. He did so, and found ko-ban (gold coins). But while both he [1871 126 The Sunrise Kingdom. and the dog looked on this new-found treasure with happy look, an old woman living in the neighborhood stealthily came up, and saw it with covetous desires. She told her husband about it, and they borrowed the dog, to have him point out to them where another treasure was hid. He did so; but instead of digging up ko-ban, most offensive things came out of the earth. The old man was so angry that he killed the dog and buried the body under a tree. That night the good O Ji san was visited in a dream by the spirit of the dog, which told him to make a mortar for mo-chi out of the wood of the tree under which the dog was buried. He did so, and every time he pounded the rice ko-ban came out in profusion. The wicked old man, hearing this, went and bor- rowed the mortar ; but when he pounded rice, the same horrible offensive things came out, .which vexed him so much that he burned the mortar. The good O Ji san gathered the ashes of the mortar in a vessel, with which he climbed a tree under which daimios were sitting, and scattering some of the ashes over the branches, they all burst into the most beautiful bloom, at which the daimios were astonished. But the wicked old man, trying to do the same, only succeeded in throwing the ashes into a daimio's 1871] What Little Children Read. 127 eyes, who was so irritated that he ordered a servant to give him a terrible beating. The moral : With the good all things are good and beautiful ; while with the bad all things are offensive, and in the end turn out badly. Such are some of the best of the stories which O I-ne san and Sen-ki-chi read. Most of the children’s story-books are filled with tales of ghosts and hobgoblins and embellished with most frightful pictures, so that their imagina- tions are constantly tortured with the horrible visions thus called up. Dear little Christian children, with your sweet, pure stories, told in such beautiful language, and with enough to meet every need of your souls, remember these little ones in Japan, and be thankful for your own happier lot. Their minds are starved and stunted in their growth, while yours are fed with nourishing, strengthen-, ing food. CHAPTER XI. A JOURNEY FROM TOKIO TO 0-UA- IVA-RA. A Letter — Political Divisions— Postmen — Setting Out ON A Journey — The To-kai-do — Tea-Houses — Ka-gos — No-ri-mo-no — The Road to Fu-ji-sa-wa — The Hotel — A Day’s Journey — Night at 0-da-wa-ra. HE postman called, “ O' ta-no-mo-shi~ma- su /” O Cho ran and got a letter, which she carried on a waiter to O Tot san. It was written on much coarser paper than the one which O Ka san sent to O-ji. The address was in large characters, and the outside bore the writer’s name, his town and the date. There were no postmarks except the govern- ment’s stamps. The words too differed from those of O Ka san’s letter, for men and women use different forms of expression in their let- ters. The divisions of Japan correspond to our States and counties, so that letters are directed to such a town in such a ken of such a province. The ken answers to our county. The large cities are called mi-a-ko or o-ma-chi ; towns are ma-chi, and the mu-ra is a village or hamlet. 128 1871 ] A youi'’iiey to 0-da-wa-ra. 1 29 Postmen travel continually between the cit- ies, carrying- letters in a bag, which is tied on the end of a pole. With this on his shoulder, the postman goes at running speed. He is clad in tight clothing, as the robes generally used would be in the way of a runner. There being constant relays, letters are carried rapidly through the empire. This letter was from a friend in the province of Su-ru-ga, which is on the other side of the Ha-ko-ne Mountains. The friend wished O Tot san to meet him at Ha-ko-ne in the sixth month (July). There is always a great deal of talking to be done before anything can be decided in Japan. So a family council was called, and even O Cho and O Kin were invited to give their opinion. At last the decision was made : the whole family would go. An answer was sent to the friend in Su-ru- ga, telling him what time to expect them. Then preparations were made for the journey. Gon- ji-ro, the old man whom we saw drawing water from the well, was delighted to have the privi- lege of carrying the baggage. This was not heavy, for the clothing was all packed in two paper boxes, each one about three feet long, one and a half wide and two in depth. These were carried suspended at the ends of a pole on his shoulders. I 130 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 The whole party started from the house on foot. O Ka san and O I-ne san had each a blue-and-white cotton kerchief tied over her head. Their dresses were partly fastened up in their belts. They had each a blue towel in one sleeve, and their purses hung down from their belts. Each of the travelers carried a staff, an umbrella and a fan ; and Gon-ji-ro followed them with the baggage. O Cho and O Kin accompanied them a short distance, then said their good-byes with many a bow and went back to the house. So our little O I-ne san became a traveler, and trudged on by O Ka san’s side under the shade of an umbrella. She did so with gay anticipations. They went down the To-ri to Shi-na-ga-wa, one of the suburban towns of Tokio. They were walking, but could often stop to rest at the tea-houses on each side of the To- kai-do (the prolongation of the To-ri), as their journey lay altogether along this road. As traveling is done almost entirely on foot, these tea-houses are indispensable for rest and re- freshment. They are little open houses where a cup of tea, sweetmeats and a melon may be had, and also the pipe can be lighted at the hi-ba-chi. We find them often built over the water, on the mountain -sides, by the waterfalls 1871 ] A Joumtey to 0-da-wa-ra. 131 — wherever the view is pretty or wild or grand; showing that the Japanese appreciate the beau- tiful in nature. Once during the day our travelers came to a long avenue of beautiful trees, where they saw one sad thing. This was a man confined in a box on wheels, in which he was carried around from place to place to be exhibited as a criminal : this was his punishment. Some- times travelers in Japan see the heads of crim- inals stuck on poles by the highways. On they walked all day, stopping to rest at the tea-houses, and at noon having dinner at a large hotel, until late in the afternoon, when they reached Ka-na-ga-wa. Looking across the water from here, they could see the foreign buildings along the Bund at Yokohama, on the other side of the bay. O Tot san now got a ka-go (sedan-chair), and O Ka san and her little girl jumped in and were carried the rest of the day. There are two kinds of these chairs — the ka-go and the no-ri-mo-no. The first is open, with a little roof on top, while the latter can be entirely closed. Both are borne by means of a pole fastened along the length of the roof, and carried on the shoulders of two men. These men wear pads to prevent their shoulders being rubbed ; but notwithstanding this, they often be- 32 The Stmrise Kingdom. [1871 come sore and bleeding. The large no-ri-mo- nos of the gods and nobles require two poles, carried by four men. The motion is easy, al- though the cramped position in sitting would be uncomfortable to us. As the little company — O Ka san and O I-ne san in the ka-go, O Tot san walking by their side, and Gon-ji-ro trudging along with his boxes — went along the great highway between Ka-na-ga-wa and Fu-ji-sa-wa, the women in the tea-houses called out, “ Come and rest !” “ Come and rest !” The people at work in the rice- fields looked up to see who was going by. Occasionally trains of packhorses passed along, or a solitary pedestrian, or laborers, in groups of twos and threes, returning from their work. They had many little hills to climb, but the ka-go-men trotted easily over them, stopping every few minutes to change the pole from one shoulder to the other. The daylight was almost gone when they reached the large town of Fu- ji-sa-wa, having traveled about twenty-five miles. In the gathering darkness they went down the main street and found a hotel. The landlord came out to meet them, and O Tot san and the landlord bowed low. “ Have you room?” said O Tot san. — “Yes” (using the most polite form of expression), answered the landlord. “How far have you come to-day?” 1871] A yourney to 0 -da-wa-ra. 133 was the next question. — “ Thanks ! From To- kio.” Then O Ka san and O I-ne san got out of the ka-go, and all were escorted to the best room, in the back of the building. The hotel is simply a large dwelling-house, the entrance often appearing very uninviting, as the kitchen is in front and numbers of coolies gather there ; but we pass on, at first in disgust, to find large, airy apartments, and often beautiful gardens, in the rear. It is a noisy place, from the coming and going of guests at all hours of the night, the loud talking of coolies, the clapping of hands to call the servants, who all respond with a loud Hai P' the frequent opening and shutting of the slides, and the constant splash- ing of the water in the bath-room, which occu- pies the most conspicuous position in the centre of the house. After the guests have gone through with their ablutions, the servants are all accustomed to do the same. O Tne san was tired, and felt a little home- sick as she thought of O Cho and O Kin, but she ate her supper, and was soon asleep on the hotel futon. At Fu-ji-sa-wa is a famous temple, to which they all went up to worship before starting on their journey the next morning. After the devotions were concluded, while a priest talked pleasantly with O Tot san and O Ka san about 12 134 The Sunrise Kingdom, [1871 the journey, O I-ne san watched a group of pilgrims from Fu-ji, who came into the temple- enclosure. She thought they must be very good, because they had made this pilgrimage, and had worshiped on Fu-ji’s top. She liked to see them in their white dresses, and listened with pleasure to their jingling bells. They washed their hands in the stone basin, and then went up to the temple. In the summer, for two months, Fu-ji is “ open,” and pilgrims from all parts of the country flock thither, to worship at the top. Fu-ji is covered with snow more or less through- out the whole year, and its summit is only ac- cessible during the months of July and August. Hence the natives then say that it is “open,” the bars of the gateway being taken down. Pilgrims also visit the mountains of O-i and Nik-ko and the island E-no-shi-ma, and other sacred shrines, quite numerous in Japan, so that when we travel in the summer we are meeting them on every road. Most of them are men from the lowest classes of society. Their songs and jests are of the coarsest cha- racter ; but among them may be found men and women of rather superior intelligence, who are sincere in their pious purposes, and go to seek relief from a burdened conscience. O Tot san said that they must reach 0 -da^ 1871] A Journey to 0 -da-wa-ra. 135 wa-ra by night — a distance of thirty miles. So the coolies lifted the ka-go, Gon-ji-ro shouldered his burden, and on they went again. The way for a time led through a beautiful country, and the travelers had glimpses of lovely valleys, with hills stretching far into the distance. The fields were green and fair ; the flowers bloomed along the roadside. They saw groves of the bamboo, with its bright foliage, and the dark rich green of the pines, and the still diflerent tints of the maples. The variety of shades of green in a Japanese landscape is very notice- able. Our little girl also saw the ferns and ivy that grew on the hillside, and the beautiful rice-paddies, and the picturesque thatched farm- houses. Not so pleasant to look upon were the beggars, who crouched by the roadside asking alms, and to whom O I-ne san threw cash as they passed. The sun grew warm and the road was sandy and hilly — a weary, toilsome way for our pedes- trians. At noon they came to the Ban-yu-ga- wa, one of the broad, quiet rivers of Japan. Toiling through the sand to the river’s brink was hard work for that warm summer day, but by the water the breeze was pleasant and re- freshing. O I-ne san dipped her bare little feet in the stream to cool them while waiting for the ferry-boat. She watched two boats coming 136 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 from the other side ; the boatmen were poling them across, as the water was quite shallow. In one was a packhorse with a load upon his back; in the other was a woman with her head tied up to protect it from the sun ; also a man with a pipe in his mouth and wearing a large scoop hat of straw that answered the purposes of an umbrella in sunshine or in rain. Close by this man, in the same boat, were two men with bur- dens on their backs and wearing comical straw hats like bushel-baskets inverted, and wholly hiding the face. The Japanese are remark- able in the care they take to protect themselves from the rays of the sun or the effects of heavy showers. Their headgear and high wooden shoes are far from being neat or hand- some, but are exceedingly useful in times of rain and mud, or when the sun pours down his heating rays. Besides these objects, O I-ne san saw the fields and houses on the other side of the river, and looked up at the mountains of O-i, lying like a bank of clouds, soft and dark, against the western sky. Their own ferry-boat now came, and they were quickly poled across. They climbed up a steep bank and reached a little town, where they took dinner. The after- noon journey was warm, but occasionally a breeze from the sea relieved the sultriness. 1871 j A Journey to 0 -da-wa-ra. 137 Sometimes high hills were in sight, and fre- quently little paths leading into pleasant mead- ows tempted them to leave the dusty highway. Through the open slides of the houses they could see the inmates, most of them stretched on the floor asleep. Occasionally they saw a woman spinning or a man sitting up and amusing a baby. There seem to be many idle people in Japan, and apparently much of this idleness is fostered by their mode of sitting on the floor and on the ta-ta-mis, or soft straw mats. Late in the afternoon the travelers had grand views of the ocean. Once they saw a surf- beach, where some boys were fishing, and in the distance a great promontory stretching far out into the sea. They heard the thunder of the waves as they broke against the shore. Just before reaching O-da-wa-ra they crossed another river by a long bridge built on trestle- work. Formerly the current of this river was so rapid that no bridge could be constructed of sufficient strength to withstand the rush of water. From what cause we cannot say, but the rivers of Japan are losing their volume, and now wastes of sand and rock are seen where once broad, deep waters flowed. We have a picture showing how passengers were taken across when the river was so rapid. They are 12 K 138 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 seated each on a platform nailed across two poles, the ends of which rest upon the shoul- ders of four stout coolies, who wade or swim as necessity may demand. O-da-wa-ra, where the night was spent, is a large town at the foot of the Ha-ko-ne Moun- tains. It is a great place of rendezvous for all the ka-go-men, packhorse-drivers, pilgrims and traders. The high mountains shut off the western breeze from the city, and the sea-breeze from the east died away, making the night ex- cessively warm, while the coolies in the street kept up an incessant talking, and the drivers ceased not their cries, giving our weary trav- elers but little opportunity to gain the refresh- ment of much-needed sleep. They were glad, when the morning came, to renew their journey and set their faces toward the mountains. CHAPTER XII. ON THE HA-KO-NES, Sai-o-na-ra — Mountain-scene— Ha-ta-ji-ku — Up to Ha-ko- NE — The Lake — The Temple — Ji-go-ku — A-shi-no-yu — Mi-ya-no-shi-ta — Yu-mo-to. HE ka-gos were brought to the hotel-en- trance. O Ka san and O I-ne san crept into theirs, and O Tot san also had one for this day’s journey. The landlord and his wife, with all the servants, assembled to say “ Good-bye ” to the travelers and wish them a pleasant journey. “ O Ki-no-do-ku sa-ma^' said the landlord. (“Your stay has been poison to your soul”) — “ O Ya-ki-ma-shi-ku'd said O Tot san. (“We have been very noisy.”) — “ O ki ni ar-i-ga-to'd said O Ka san to the landlady. (“A great thank you.”) — “ Do-i-ta-shi mas-taka^' answered the landlady and the servants. (“What have we done ?”) Then the low bows were made, the Sai-o-na-ras (“ Good-byes ”) said, the ka- gos lifted on the strong shoulders of the men, and the journey up to Ha-ko-ne was begun. 139 140 The Sunrise Kingdom. [1871 From O-da-wa-ra the ascent begins. In some places the road was densely shaded, but through many openings they had grand views of the surrounding mountains and looked down into deep valleys. They passed many little shops, where tiny cups and boxes, very neat- ly and beautifully made of the mountain-wood, were temptingly arranged. The shop-people begged the travelers to buy as they passed. That day’s journey was not very long. About noon our travelers reached Ha-ta-ji-ku, a little village on the mountain, and concluded to re- main there all night. Ha-ta no mi-yo-ji sama is the name of the old hotel at which they stopped. The traveler in Japan is constantly surprised at finding in the smallest hamlet large, pleas- ant hotels. These were built originally for the accommodation of the daimios as they traveled through the country with their retainers. The emperor once took dinner at this very hotel on his way to his summer-resort in the mountains. O Ka san examined the dark carved wood of the building, while O I-ne san was delighted with the pretty garden made on the hillside, with the three waterfalls. The water came down from the mountain, which towered above them, gushed out of some rocks, and fell to the second terrace, then made its way quiet- On the Ha-ko-nes, iSyiJ I41 ly through the grass, had another tumble, then was again almost lost to sight, until it made~a third leap, into a fish-pond over which was a tiny arched bridge. The gold and silver fish in the pond were very large. Some were from twelve to fifteen inches in length. A woman threw in some food — a wafer-like substance prepared expressly for gold fish ; and while the fish came out from under a rock to get it she talked to O I-ne san about them, and told her they had been there for a hundred years. In one corner of the garden was a shrine for I-na-ri sa-ma (rice-god), and azaleas grew on the hillside. The evening at Ha-ta was lovely. O Tot san and O Ka san walked through the village at night by the light of the new moon and a single lantern. It was all quiet — nothing to be heard except the sound of the wind among the cedar trees and the hum of in- sects, until bedtime, when the women clapped their hands over the fish-pond — “to send the fish to rest,” they said. O I-ne san was sorry to leave the waterfalls and the fish and the kind people of the hotel when the ka-gos were brought the next morn- ing, but it was time to continue the ascent of the mountain. The road was very steep and rocky. No horse can travel over it without great difficulty. The ka-go men said that even The Sunrise Kingdom, [1871 142 they could not walk were the boulders with which the road was paved taken away. Tall cedar trees shaded the travelers, and the sound of falling water, which they never saw, constantly excited their curiosity. The ka-go men went up, up, up, carrying the party into the mists of the mountain and into the pleasant October-like weather, singing as they went. Their song was weird and strange, but not at all unmusical. There were six men to the three ka-gos. They had a ka-go for the baggage this morning, so that old Gon-ji-ro was relieved of his burden ; and when they stopped to change the poles, one would begin a song and the others take up the chorus. Then another solo was begun, and at the second chorus all would march off again. The minor strains sounded very sweetly in the mountain. When will it re-echo to the music of Christian hymns ? On they went, almost into the cloud-land, meeting pilgrims and country-people, and occa- sionally a packhorse led carefully down. Just before reaching Ha-ko-ne they had a charming view of the lake. Two little promontories jut- ted out into it, and between them was Fu-ji, looking even grander and higher than he does in Tokio. Then they went down an avenue of cedar trees into the village, and there, waiting 1871] On the Ha-ko-nes. 143 for them at one of the hotels, were the friends from Su-ru-ga, and the bows were many and low and the rejoicings great. Ha-ko-ne is a town of hotels — the Saratoga of Japan. Its chief attraction is a lovely lake, which lies between two and three thousand feet above the level of the sea, and is supposed by some to be the crater of an extinct volcano. It is surrounded by mountain-peaks, and its clear water reflects each peak and cloud. At one end is a tunnel, two and a half miles long, made for purposes of irrigation. This is a great work, but who did it and when it was done no one knows. The little company of friends much enjoyed their excursions on the lake and trips from Ha-ko-ne to the neighboring villages. One day they went in a sail-boat to the other end of the lake, and visited an old temple. They had to climb one hundred and five steps to get to it. The entrance was very grand, with rows of tall cedars and lanterns, on each side, but the tem- ple was old and dilapidated. A Buddhist tem- ple is much like the religion itself at the pres- ent day. The entrance is so imposing that you wonder what the temple itself may be, and enter the gateway to find nothing but an old building tumbling into decay. The most wonderful place about Ha-ko-ne 144 The Su7irise Kmgdom. [1871 is what the people call Ji-go-ku, their name for the infernal region. To reach this our travel- ers took a sail-boat and went to the extreme end of the lake, where they moored the boat, and all got out and climbed the mountain. The ascent was very steep and difficult, but O I-ne san toiled along bravely by her mother’s side. The guide led the way along a deeply-shaded road to the springs. Clear water, boiling hot, bubbled up out of the ground, and crowds of miserable people were bathing in the water, some covered with sores and almost naked. Men, women and children throng to these springs in the summer to obtain, if possible, relief from their diseases. Our friends did not stop here long, but went still higher up. From some points on the road they had grand views of Fu-ji (the “matchless mountain”), rising high above the clouds. As they toiled upward the way became barren and desolate, and the fumes of the sulphur almost in- tolerable. At one place they dared not step to the right or left of a narrow foot-path, as the ground on either side was full of deep holes. The water which issued from the ground was boiling hot. At two little huts by the way men were pre- paring the sulphur for use, and at a little distance from these places of shelter arose dense vol- On the Ha-ko-nes. H5 1871] umes of smoke. Onward still the guides led to where boiling sulphur hissed, and where clouds of steam prevented them from seeing anything distinctly. “ Keep away from the edge of the chasm,” called the guide to one of the party who ventured too near. “ The earth will give way.” Ji-go-ku was a fearful place, and O I-ne san was glad to get away. Near Ha-ko-ne is Ashi-no-yu. The “Twin Mountains,” two peaks just alike, are distinctly seen from here. Down the mountain from Ashi-no-yu is Mi-ya-no-shi-ta, the emperor’s summer resting-place. From Mi-ya-no-shi-ta to Yu-mo-to the scenery is most romantic and interesting. High mountains shut in the nar- row path, and a river rushes and foams over great rocks. These mountains are noted for their springs. Water, hot and cold, gushes out of the rocks in every direction. The ho- tels are crowded with invalids in the summer. Oh how we long for the time to come when the missionary can go and preach to these suf- fering souls, to tell them of the “ living water ” which can quench their thirst and give them everlasting life ! 13 K « CHAPTER XIII. PILGRIMS ON FU-yi. Pilgrims come to Ha-ko-ne — Descent of the Mountain — Mi-shi-ma — Yo-shi-wa-ra — The Base of Fu-ji — The Cinder Cone— The Huts — Going up to the Crater — The Storm. MOTLEY crowd had assembled at the entrance of the hotel when our travelers left Ha-ko-ne to return to Tokio. Ka-gomen, pilgrims, travelers, drivers with their packhorses, — all were congregated there. Those bound for Tokio went down the mountain on its eastern slope, while the pilgrims turned their faces west- ward toward Fu-ji. Let us follow them. They went up the one steep street of Ha- ko-ne, out of the gate through which the old daimios passed, and just outside of which some old idols stood, as if keeping guard in the place of sentinels. Under grand old trees, between mossy banks from which hung tangled masses of vines and ivy, and where ferns grew in rank profusion and fair white lilies bloomed, went the pilgrims, stepping from rock to rock and stopping to PILGRIMS. Pagci47. :^- i-^wt ,i» f.^ ■ t ■ j. m,- ' JV 7 a r-3!' iiirti ■ I ♦^1 "^•1^ ^ .. 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