.\\\E;I ^LIBRARY/;/ OF-CALI Kim /A. ^ THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO OR Further Adventures of the Jewett Family And their Friend Oto Nambo AUTHOR OF ''YOUNG AMERICANS IN JAPAN" "THE GOLDEN LOTUS" ETC. AND ONE OF THE TRANSLATORS OF THE JAPANESE ROMANCE "THE LOYAL RONINS " ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-NINE ILLUSTRATIONS COVER DESIGNED AND DRAWN BY THE AUTHOR BOSTON LEE AND SHEPARD PUBLISHERS NEW YORK CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM I88 3 Copyright, 1882, BY LEE AND SHEPARD. All Rights Reserved. BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, No. 4 PEARL STREET. OS PREFACE. The kind manner in which the " Young Americans in Japan " was received by the press and public, has induced me to write a sequel to the story, and to give my friends some further insight into the thoughts, manners, and customs of the people of the Land of the Rising Sun. A year ago I revisited the Wonderful City of Tokio, witnessed the scenes I have described in this book, renewed my acquaintance with some old friends, and made many new ones. Everywhere I found earnest students, anxious to be more thoroughly understood by my coun- trymen, and to adopt the better portion of our civilization. The Japanese have a quaint superstition that on New Year's Eve the Takara-bune (treasure-ship), manned by the Seven Gods of Luck, and laden with all good things, enters every harbor. That this fortu- nate craft may come to each of you, is the earnest wish of EDWARD GREEY. 3** ? 20 EAST I7TH STREET, NEW YORK, 1882. 665844 NOTES. LAST year, when I was in Tokio, I commissioned a Japanese artist to make a number of sketches for this book, which I desired should be entirely illustrated by him. He, like many of his country- men, not knowing the value of time, delayed his work until it was too late, and I was compelled to obtain some of the pictures from other sources, among the latter being a few from a charming book entitled "Our Neighborhood," by T. A. P. of Yokohama, and "Japan," by Sir E. J. Reed. In making this acknowledgment, I wish it to be under- stood that, while using the cuts, I have, in no instance, drawn upon the text of either of the volumes. The design on the cover of this book represents Fitz's dream, as told in Chapter VII. The Japanese characters on the turned-down page, translate thus: "Boston, Lee and Shepard, Publishers, 1882," with my own name as the artist, and my Japanese kaki-han (written seal). The large characters in the corner read Clio (Wonderful) Fn (city) Tokio (Eastern capital). EDWARD GREEY. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. THE JEWETTS' NEW HOME ...... i II. ONE OF THE GLORIES OF TOKIO ..... 20 III. A VISIT TO A LACQUER-MAKER . . .- . -54 IV. How THE JAPANESE MAKE CHINESE INK .... 83 V. AT A FAN-MAKER'S . 104 VI. AMONG THE PORCELAIN-MAKERS . . . . 157 VII. A CONCERT AT THE COLLEGE OF Music . . . 192 VIII. A VISIT TO SOME SACRED PLACES . . . . .213 IX. A JAPANESE DRY-GOODS STORE ... 251 X. HARVESTING THE RICE ..... .261 XI. A RAMBLE IN THE STREETS ...... 274 XII. PREPARING FOR NEW YEAR'S FESTIVITIES . . . 291 ILLUSTRATIONS. Concert by Japanese Ladies, Frontispiece. Tokio Restaurant .... xiv The Front Gate of the Jewetts' Residence I The Morning Meal ... 4 O Cho (Miss Butterfly) ... 5 Choso, the Jin-riki-sha Man . 6 Postman ..... 7 A View of Fuji-yama through a Window painted by Hokusai . 8 Railways of Japan . . . . 10 Tatsii (Dragon), Huo-ivo (Heavenly Bird) and Imperial man (crests) . u Fire in Tokio as seen from the Bund, Yokohama ... 14 Mr. Asada Saving his Household (jods 16 Fleeing from the Fire . . . 17 A Scene on the Sidewalk, Tokio, during a Fire .... 17 Profiting by the Fire 18 Old Sokichi in his Storm-proof Dress . . . . . . 21 Toy-maker ..... 22 Clock-maker 23 Japanese Girl Painting her Lip with Carmine .... 25 Oto's Blind Cousin, Miss Taki . 26 Amateur Performers ... 27 A Frenchman's Idea of Japanese Costume 31 Kuya-shonin, a Famous Priest . 34 Blind Shampooer at Work . . 37 Flute-seller 38 PAGE Pipe-mender .... 39 Public Story-telliT .... 42 Kusunoke Masashige ... 45 Bewitched by Foxt s ... 47 Collector of Waste Paper . . 49 Side Entrance to the Yashiki with Guard-house . . . . 51 Oto Nambo when a Boy (1871) . 53 Boy Flying his Kite . . . 55 Carpenters at Work ... 56 Riu-to (Sea-god) . . . . 58 Agricultural Tool-seller . . 59 Agricultural Implements . . 61 Tokio News-boy .... 63 Tai-ko-bo 65 Daimio Presenting a Samurai with a Suit of Armor .... 67 Street in Asakusa, Suburb of To- kio ...... 69 Tento (Heavenly Lamp) . . 70 Travelling Toy-seller . . . 71 Ascending Dragon ... 73 Paper Butterfly-seller ... 74 Whistle-seller .... 75 Gosuke, Johnnie's Jin-riki-sha Man 77 Mura - saki - shikibu, a Japanese Poetess 78 A Tokio Bank .... 80 Strolling Musicians ... 84 Uzume Dancing the Tokoyami . 87 Clog Cobbler 88 Jiu-ro (God of Learning) . . 90 Singing Girl Visiting her Friends . 92 Stone-cutters ..... 94 Xll ILLUSTRATIONS. Ceremony of Washing the Infant Buddha 97 Sawyer at Work .... 99 Farmers Planting Rice, Suburbs of Tokio ioi Singing Girl and her Servant . 102 Nobori 105 Battledore-seller .... 107 Round-Fan seller .... 108 Flower Peddler . . . .no Kotoro-kotoro. Game of Catching the Child 1 1 1 Image of Fuku-roku-jin, Longevity God, and his Attendant, the Stork 1 1 3 Charming Ants . . . . 115 Korean Tortoise-tamer . . . 119 Coopers . . . . . .120 Sword Juggler . . . .122 Dealer in Gold-fish . . .124 Ancient Japanese Vase . . .126 Seller of Folding Fans . . . 127 Miniature Garden, belonging to Kimura 129 Hot Spring, Tono-sawa, Hakone . 131 The Clam's Breath, Popular Jap- anese Idea of the Cause of a Mirage ..... 133 Wayside Tea-house . . 135 Sake'-shop 137 Cake-seller 139 Wine Merchant's Boy . . . 143 Wrestling at Eko-in, Tokio . . 149 Insect Dealer . . . .150 Shinto Festival . . . -153 Tortoise-Seller's Sign . . .156 Car Used at Festivals . . . 1 58 Bishamon, God of Swordsmen and Scholars 159 Maker of Gluten Figures . . 160 Fish Vendor 163 Japanese Fishes .... 165 Flask Made by Gi-yo-gi . . 168 Raku cha-wan (Tea-bowl of Raku Ware) 169 Cha-ire (Tea-jar) Seto Ware . . 170 Fire-proof Warehouse . . . 171 Entrance to Temple Grounds, Shi- ba, Tokio 173 Street Toy-seller . . . 174 Daruma . . . . . .176 Gaku Dance 180 Modern Satsuma Incense Burner. 182 An Actor and his Candle- Bearer . 183 Women Planting out Rice . . 186 Festival of the God of Water . 189 Plasterers at Work after an Earth- quake . . . . . .193 Yebis, Brother of the Sun, God of Markets 195 Seller of Sea-weed Isinglass . . 197 Florist or Gardener . . .199 Ice-water Seller .... 200 Vendor of Hats . . . .201 Junks Becalmed in the Gulf of Os- aka 204 Fortune-teller .... 205 Fine Carvings in Ivory . . . 207 Tomb of a Great Lord . . . 208 View of Fuji-yama, from the Sea . 216 Figure of Silence . . . .219 Ancient Burial Place of an Em- peror 220 Temple of Dai-Butsu at Nara, con- taining Gigantic Figure of Bud- dha 221 Writing of the Present Emperor . 225 Mikado's Old Palace, Kioto . . 226 Figures of Korean Dogs, placed at the Foot of the Imperial Throne at Kioto 227 Candy-maker 228 Wayside Book-store . . . 229 Country Inn . . . . .231 Hairdresser at Work . . . 233 Street Dancers .... 234 Japanese Flying Bridge . . . 235 Hotei, Patron of Children . . 236 Suspension Bridge . . . 237 Incense Burner, Seto Ware . . 238 Old Awata Brazier .... 239 ILLUSTRATIONS. Xlll PAGE Yatsu-shiro Vase . . . 240 Agricultural Implements . . 241 Tower of Nagoya Castle . . 243 Shinto Shrine .... 245 Sacred Shrines of Ise . . . 246 Boys Fishing ..... 247 Coasting Junks .... 248 Fuji-yama, as Seen from a Railway Car 249 Gold Fish of Nagoya Castle . . 250 Dry-goods Store . . . .254 Fruit Peddler 256 Lucky Cake Man .... 257 Open Air Drug Store . . . 259 Fish Seller 262 Wet Gods 263 Peddler of Sweet Wine . . . 264 Street Juggler .... 265 Kappore 266 Harvesting Rice . . . . 267 Cutting Rice 268 PAGE Rice Cleaner ..... 269 Side View of Dai Butsu . . 271 Grave of Yoritomo, at Kamakura . 272 Bean Seller .....* 275 Bird Catcher 276 Squash Seller .... 277 Maker of Broiled Bean Curd . 279 Vendor of a Hot Infusion of Lo- quat Leaves .... 280 Paper Store 281 Japanese Wolf .... 283 Farmers Winnowing Rice . . 286 Grinding Rice .... 287 Waiter Bringing Buckwheat Ver- micelli to a Restaurant . . 292 Man-zai 293 Boys at Play 295 Tori-no-machi .... 297 Pamphlet-Seller . . . ' . 298 Mr. Nambo at Prayer . . . 299 O-wari (the End) . . . .301 THE FRONT GATE OF THE JEWETTS' RESIDENCE. THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO. CHAPTER I. THE JEWETTS' NEW HOME. " Every thing has its hour of honor. In January we bow respectfully to the kibachi (fire-bowl, used by the Japanese as a stove); in August we ignore its existence." PHE old mom-ban (gate-keeper) in charge of the main J. entrance to the Kaga Yashiki, in Tokio, was leaning over the gate, conversing with a jin-riki-sha man who had sum- moned him as though upon important business. "Great Yebis ! what do you want?" demanded the mom- ban. "Are you aware that it is only six o'clock? Is your honorable mother sick, or are you crazy ? Nobody .pays visits at this hour in the morning." The man bowed and replied "Honorable mom-ban, I know very well that you are speaking the truth, but when a 2 THE WONDERFUL. CITY OF TOKIO. Japanese has to do with foreigners he must rise very early. A few days before the New Year's holiday, I received a letter from the honorable Professor Jewett who lives in your yashi- ki. He informed me that one of his sons requires a strong jin-riki-sha man, and ordered me to call on him as soon as the festival was over. This is the eleventh day of the first month, and I am here." Thus speaking he looked up at the heavy tiled roof of the ancient gateway, and said in a sort of aside: "Ah! there was a time when this yashiki contained some- thing better than a lot of foreigners." The mom-ban twitched his mouth and said "You are a nice sort of fellow to talk thus about your prospective employers. I can tell you one thing, the Americans are good people. They are exceedingly polite, give many presents, and do not cause me any trouble. Professor Jewett is a very learned man, and his wife is a most charitable lady. As to his boys, Johnnie and Fitz, they are amiable enough to be Japanese, and their sister is a perfect angel." The jin-riki-sha man chuckled, and nodding, said, "Now, honorable Mr. Mom-ban, after that, perhaps, you will let me in." The keeper unfastened a bolt, swung open the heavy gate and admitted the man, who, glancing at some horses, feeding under a shed, demanded, "To whom do those beautiful creatures belong?" T To the chief foreign doctor and his assistants," answered the mom-ban. "I suppose you know that the government hospital is in this yashiki ? The great doctor sends his animals here while he makes his first tour of inspec- tion." The visitor smiled and said, "These foreign doctors THE JEWETTS' NEW HOME. 3; are teaching our people wonderful things. Is it true they can cut a man's head off and replace it without injuring him?" The mom-ban scratched his ear, looked puzzled, and re- plied, " Well, I do not believe they can quite do that. I think when a man's head is once off, not even a foreign doctor can put it on again. Now go into the yashiki, take the road to the left, and stop at the first house that is the residence of Professor Jewett." The coolie passed through the little side doorway of the great gate, and found himself in the yashiki (park-like enclos- ure in which formerly stood the residences of the lord of Kaga and his retainers). The ground was frozen hard and the air was cool and bracing. Upon reaching the professor's house, a large, one-storied dwelling surrounded with a neat bamboo fence, he went to the rear entrance, and peeped into the ser- vants' quarters, where he saw five Japanese men and two- women squatting on the floor, partaking of their asa-meshi (first meal) which consisted of rice, tea and fish. He stood for several moments watching them, being too* polite to interrupt the party, Who were busily engaged in emptying their bowls with their hashi (chopsticks). "For my part," said the kashi-ra (steward), taking his chopsticks and picking some salted salmon from a dish, " I think our young masters are just like nobles. I would do anything to serve them." ' 'Hail hail" (yes, yes) said the others. rr The man gazed about him in a bewildered manner, and, falling upon his knees, cried: ONE OF THE GLORIES OF TOKIO. 47 f Give me back my gold ornaments! ' "Upon glancing up again, he found that his visitor had BEWITCHED BY FOXES. changed into a fox, which laughed derisively at him and said : ? Yeh, you ignorant fellow! Another time you will know better than to scoff at Inari.' 48 THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO. "Oh, my gold ornaments!' he howled. 'What have you done with my gold ornaments?' "The god-fox mocked at his terror, and echoed: "Gold ornaments! Gold ornaments!' You are the fellow who did not believe in Inari. He has deprived you of your treasures." The koshaku-shi then bowed, smiled, and said to his lis- teners: "Is that not a funny story?" "Oto," whispered Fitz, "please laugh, for I cannot. Where does the joke come in?" "Don't you see?" returned Oto. "The god-fox avenged the insult cast upon Inari, whose servant he was. I think the story is very quaint." They gave the man some more money, and quitting the place, emerged upon the street. "Did that story really amuse you, Oto?" inquired Johnnie. "Yes," was the response. "I think it was more ridiculous than anything I have read in your comic papers." Fitz nudged his brother and said, in a low tone : "Johnnie, I am afraid we are not educated up to Japanese wit. Perhaps, if we think over it for a week or so, we may see where the laugh comes in." As they were chatting, two ragged outcasts approached arid began to turn over the rubbish in the road, for scraps of waste paper. They wore dilapidated, conical hats, the lower parts of their faces were concealed by blue towels, and they moved warily, like rats. ''Those are kami-kudsu-hiroi? whispered Oto. "They are not very particular how they fill their baskets. Have you any persons like them in the States?" "Lots," said Johnnie. "We call them rag-pickers. The ONE OF THE GLORIES OF TOKIO. 49 way one of our fellows will investigate the contents of an ash- barrel, would astonish your kami-kudsu-kiroi" "Are they honest? " inquired the young doctor. COLLECTOR OF WASTE PAPER. "Well, they seldom attempt to handle anything they can- not carry," replied Fitz. At that moment he felt a tug at his coat pocket, and on ex- amining it found that his handkerchief had been stolen. One of the kami-kudsu-hiroi, who carried a pair of long sticks which he used like tongs, had dexterously twisted them round the handkerchief and conveyed it into his basket. Before 50 THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO. a policeman could be found, the rascals had vanished, so Fitz gave up all hopes of recovering his property. They entered the yashiki by a side gate which was kept in the same manner as it had been when the place was owned by the Lord of Kaga. On the right of the mom-ban's quarters was an upright frame containing three extraordinary-looking instruments that stood out black against the moonlit sky. The porch of the building was shaded by a curtain hung from a pole, and inside the door lounged three men, who were watching the approach of a tall Japanese. "That is a Satsuma man," whispered Oto. "Look at the crest on his haori (short jacket). I wonder what he is doing in the Kaga-yashiki? " " I suppose he is on a visit to the mom-ban" said the Pro- fessor. "No, he must be stirring up mischief," cautiously replied Oto. " No doubt he is a spy sent to ascertain how the people like the new order of things." "For what did they use those pitchforks?" demanded Fitz, pointing to the weapons. " For this," said Oto. " In the old time, if a stranger en- deavored to pass the guard-house without giving his name and stating his business, the soldiers would seize those mitsu-dogu and either entangle them in his clothes or trip him up with them. You will observe that the prongs are covered with lit- tle hooks." " I wonder the mom-ban did not keep them inside the house," remarked Johnnie. 'The mitsu-dogu were put there more to scare people than anything else," said Oto. "Indeed, for some years, they have only been retained as ornaments." "What is that hour-glass shaped structure on the left? "in- quired the Professor. 5 2 THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO. "That, sir, was the guard-house toro (lantern)," replied Oto. " In former times a lamp was kept burning in it all night. Now it is used as a rabbit-hutch by the mom-ban" " Here we are at home," cried Fitz. " Mother and Sallie have gone to bed. Will you come in, Oto?" "Yes, for a few moments," answered their friend. " I for- got to tell you that I had brought you a curiosity, a daguerreotype of my family, taken when I was quite a boy." They entered the house and proceeded to the library, when Oto, producing a small morocco case from his pocket, exhib- ited a picture of four persons, remarking: "This was made in 1871 just before we gave up wearing our swords. In those days my father carried two in his obi (girdle) and I wore one. My mother is standing behind him and my eldest sister is on my right." "Where is she now?" asked Johnnie. "Alas! she is no more," returned the young Japanese. " She died when I was staying with you in America." "What a queer-looking little fellow you were, Oto!" said Fitz. "You did not think much of foreigners then, did you?" " I did not know you as well as I do now," was the gentle reply. "Still I never disliked you, my father having from the first taught me to respect all nations. I have brought this for your mother. I once heard her say she would like to have seen me in the olden times." "I thank you, for my wife," said the Professor, taking the case; "she will value your gift very highly." " Boys," said Oto, as he quitted the house, " I cannot be away from the hospital more than one day in each month. What shall we do the next time I visit you?" "We will take a stroll about the city and see the sights," said Johnnie. "We want to go to the places where they man- ONE OF THE GLORIES OF TOKIO. 53 ufacture lacquer-ware and silk goods, and to witness the process of making Indian ink." OTO NAMBO WHEN A BOY (1871). "All right, I know where to take you," said Oto. "I must be off. My mother will not go to sleep until she knows I am safe in bed. Saionara" In another moment he was out of sight. 54 THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO. CHAPTER III. A VISIT TO A LACQUER-MAKER. " When the blustering March wind scatters the fully opened blossoms of the plum, The man laughs who has not pawned his shi-taki (cold weather under-coat.)" "T)HEW!" cried Fitz, as he entered the breakfast-room. 1 " Is it not blowing this morning?" " This is Futerfs (the wind god's) month," said Sallie. " It is good weather for children. See, the mom-ban's boy is out in the yashiki flying his tako (kite). " I wonder why they always make those things square," remarked Johnnie. :r You do not use your eyesight," said Fitz. " Some of the toys are like birds, and others resemble fishes. I think Japanese kites are a good deal better than ours; you can put hummers on them and make them buzz like bees. Look at O Kame, the boy's sister, she is telling him to pay out more string." While they were watching the lad, some one in a closed jin- riki-sha entered the compound. As the vehicle stopped before the door of the house, the curtains were removed and the Jewetts saw Oto, who was muffled up in a comical fashion. "Hullo!" cried Johnnie, going into the veranda to meet him. "We did not expect you to-day." Oto shook his friend's hand; then, as he accompanied him indoors, said: "My ward is almost free of patients, and I shall not be wanted at the hospital until to-morrow morning, so I thought I would come over and have a good time with you. Is it too cold for Sallie to go out with us?" A VISIT TO A LACQUER-MAKER. 55 "No, indeed," answered the young lady, "I want to see the lacquer-workers before the weather becomes warm." " I know a very nice man who lives in the Asakusa quar- BOV FLYIXG HIS KITE. ter," said Oto. " He has been one of my patients, and will, I am sure, show us the various processes of applying the lacquer." THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO. After obtaining their parents' permission, the young folks wrapped themselves up and set out with Oto. CARPENTERS AT WORK. As they passed through the grounds, they halted to see some dai-ku (carpenters) at work upon a new fence. One of the men was trimming a post with a primitive-looking adze, A VISIT TO A LACQUER-MAKER. 57 and the other was planing a board, placed upon a sloping log, the lower end of which he steadied with his right foot. rf Why do you draw your plane towards you?" demanded Johnnie. " Our carpenters always push theirs from them." The workman picked up some shavings, cast them on a pile of rubbish burning near by, and replied: " Ours is the correct way. Your carpenters cannot teach us anything." :? We can put a plank, like that, in a machine, and plane it in an instant," said the boy, who was desirous of astonishing the man. "Oh! yes, certainly," sarcastically returned the carpenter. " You Chinese can do wonderful things. I suppose you can grow a tree, saw it into boards and build a house with it while one is winking." f ' Not quite," was the laughing rejoinder. " But it would make you wink to see our circular saws at work. We are not Chinese, but Americans. You ought to visit our country and take some lessons." The man put his tongue in his cheek, laid his plane on the wood, and resumed his work without condescending to bestow any more notice upon them. It was quite a walk from the Kaga yashiki to Asakusa, however, the day was fine and the party enjoyed the exercise. As they passed through the street leading to the foot of Uyeno Hill, they stopped before a bronze-maker's, where the workmen were busily employed upon a quaint figure support- ing a lantern. " What a comical-looking creature that is," remarked Fitz. e ' He looks like a colored person." 'This is Riu-to, the god of the bottom of the sea," said the foreman of the shop. " I would not advise you to be disre- THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO. spectful to him, or you may get shipwrecked some time. It is fortunate for you that his eyes have not been opened." "What?" demanded the undaunted boy. "You must be very ignorant if you do not know that," snapped the man. "When we make the gods they are blind. Our customers take them to the bozu (priest) who blesses them and then they can see everything." "Sure?" said Fitz. "Certainly," was the confi- dent reply, "as soon as this god has had its eyes opened, it will see and hear what you do, and be revenged if you insult him." The boy began to chuckle, noticing which, his sister said in English: " Come away, Fitz." " One moment," remarked the irrepressible 5 then, turning to the idol-maker, he inquired: "Are you sure that the gods can see everything when the bozu have fixed them?" "Just as sure as I live," was the confident rejoinder. "Why do you not take your blind people and have their eyes opened ? " he asked. " If the bozu can make the idols see, surely they can do the same thing for your unfortunate inekura" This made the workmen laugh, they evidently enjoying their foreman's annoyance, while the latter turned his back upon Fitz and said: RIU-TO (SEA-GOD). n ~r < ! i n n 'i n 11 < '/ AGRICULTURAL TOOL-SELLER. 60 THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO. " What is the good of talking to people who are so ignorant? I do not believe they have any gods in their country." At the foot of Uyeno Hill they saw a kara-kasa uri (um- brella seller) kneeling on his mat and offering his wares to a young lady, the tie of whose obi (girdle) stood out like the wings of a butterfly. ''You can warrant this, can you?" she inquired, opening a kara-kasa and examining its color. "Well, I think I will take it." " Here is the ring to keep it together, Miss," he said, hold- ing out the article referred to. " If you do not use this, your umbrella will soon get out of shape." They left him counting over the paper money and brass coins he had received from her in payment. When they neared Asakusa, they saw a hasho-dogu-uri (agricultural tool-seller) kneeling upon a mat placed on the sidewalk. Before him was a book in which he entered his sales, and on his right a tray containing an ink-stone and brushes for writing. Scattered about upon the mats were the heavy hoes, rakes, grass-scythes and clumsy ploughs- (literally mud stirrers) used by the farmers. One of the latter class was paying the man for a hoe and grumbling at the price, saying: rf We have to work half our time for you fellows. When I was a boy, tools like this only cost a third of what you charge, and they lasted twice as long." " In those days my father only paid you half as much for his rice," replied the ready-witted implement seller. T Thank you, sir, I wish you a safe journey home." " Oto," inquired Sallie, " please tell me why some of your people grow their hair in the American fashion, and others shave the top of their head and wear a little queue." " I will," he answered in a low tone. "All those persons A VISIT TO A LACQUER-MAKER. 6l who wear their hair as I do, are not following the American fashion. It is. more a sign that they belong to the new party, and believe in the government religion, Shinto. Those who shave their heads and wear a queue, belong to the Buddhist party, and think a. great deal of their old lords; however, the fashion of wearing all the hair will soon become general among our people," add- ing slily, " because it saves the barber's fee." Just then a shin-bun- shi-haidatsu (newspaper carrier) passed them, shouting something that was unintelligible to the Jewetts. He bore a box of papers over his right shoulder, and had a num- ber of copies in his left hand. " Please, sir," said a girl to him, " have you the last I-ro-ha Shim-bun?" "Oh, no! Oh, no!" he said. "I never sell such rubbish." Away he went, repeating his cry. :? What is written upon that woman's parasol?" asked Sallie. "That is J-iu (everlasting)," said Oto. "Our manufac- turers often mark their goods thus. I do not imagine it will last much longer than an ordinary higasa" After exploring a number of streets, they arrived in one occupied by makers of bowls, trays and cabinet wares; when the young doctor remarked : " Here we are at the lacquer- man's." AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. 62 THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO. As he spoke a middle-aged Japanese advanced to the front of one of the stores, and bowing, murmured: "I trust your honorable excellency is in the possession of good health. Since I left your honorable care, I have been perfectly free from sickness. I have thanked the gods every day, and made an offering to Bindzuru (the helper of the sick)." "I like that," whispered Fitz. :t You, Oto, have cured the fellow, and he pays your fee to the old wooden god, Bindzuru. I think he ought to have given you the money." " Hush," breathed Sallie. "The man will hear you." Oto introduced the lacquer-maker as Nishi Gori Yoheye. The man bowed repeatedly, sucked in his breath, and said, as he led the way into his store: " I understand from the honorable doctor that you wish to see the process of lacquering goods. I must tell you one thing, the urushi (lacquer) is very poisonous, and cannot be worked by any one but a Japanese." " We are not desirous of going into the business," said Johnnie. " Our countrymen would like to know how you use the lacquer, and we wish to be able to inform them." '* Yes, yes, I understand," was the smiling response. " There are man} 7 ways of preparing the liquid. I use principally black and red lacquer please come with me." He drew aside a sliding-door, and conducted them into a little apartment, filled with covered tubs containing an acrid- smelling substance, that looked like molasses. "This is urushi (lacquer)," he said. "It is the sap of a tree that is found all through Central Japan, and is obtained by making incisions in the stems and branches. When we desire to make the lacquer black, we add to it a small quantity of water that has stood for several days in a vessel containing A VISIT TO A LACQUER-MAKER. 63 iron-filings and crushed gall-nuts. After this has been well stirred into the lacquer, the latter becomes a glossy black color. When we wish to make red lacquer, we mix the TOKIO NEWSBOY. urushi with vermilion and stir it well, then strain it and the article is ready for use. Now come with me." He took them into a shed-like building, upon the floor of which were a number of workmen lacquering wooden bowls and trays for the American market. 64 THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO. They first of all covered the joints and knots with linen gauze, after which they took their brushes and laid on the lac- quer, just as our workmen do shellac. The articles were next placed in boxes lined with wet paper; the urtishi not drying evenly in the light or in a warm atmosphere. As soon as the pieces were hard enough, which, their guide told them, often took several days, they were rubbed down with water and powdered charcoal, then relacquered, the process being many times repeated. Before the final polish is given, the article is decorated with gold paint or in- laid with mother of pearl, then once more relacquered; the last coating being polished with powdered deer's horn. The common ware, such as this," said the manufacturer, " only has a few coats of tirtishi, while the finer sorts often have from fifty to a hundred. Please come into the next de- partment, and I will show you a beautiful cabinet that I am making for one of our nobles." They followed him and found the polishers putting the finishing touches to an exquisite work of art. The front panel represented a daimio (great Lord of old Japan) presenting one of his clan with a suit of armor. The figures, which were made of hard lacquer and were in bas-relief, were beautifully carved and colored, and the entire panel was a charming specimen of modern Japanese work. " How do you solidify the lacquer? " asked Sallie. :