soon as I put my hand on the saddle he swung his hind legs round to
kick me； and it required some agility to avoid being hurt。 Nor was
this all。 The evil beast made dashes with his tethered head at
flies； threatening to twist or demolish my foot at each； flung his
hind legs upwards； attempted to dislodge flies on his nose with his
hind hoof； executed capers which involved a total disappearance of
everything in front of the saddle； squealed； stumbled； kicked his
old shoes off； and resented the feeble attempts which the mago made
to replace them； and finally walked in to Yokote and down its long
and dismal street mainly on his hind legs； shaking the rope out of
his timid leader's hand； and shaking me into a sort of aching
jelly！ I used to think that horses were made vicious either by
being teased or by violence in breaking； but this does not account
for the malignity of the Japanese horses； for the people are so
much afraid of them that they treat them with great respect： they
are not beaten or kicked； are spoken to in soothing tones； and； on
the whole； live better than their masters。 Perhaps this is the
secret of their villainy〃Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked。〃
Yokote； a town of 10；000 people； in which the best yadoyas are all
non…respectable； is an ill…favoured； ill…smelling； forlorn； dirty；
damp； miserable place； with a large trade in cottons。 As I rode
through on my temporary biped the people rushed out from the baths
to see me； men and women alike without a particle of clothing。 The
house…master was very polite； but I had a dark and dirty room； up a
bamboo ladder； and it swarmed with fleas and mosquitoes to an
exasperating extent。 On the way I heard that a bullock was killed
every Thursday in Yokote； and had decided on having a broiled steak
for supper and taking another with me； but when I arrived it was
all sold； there were no eggs； and I made a miserable meal of rice
and bean curd； feeling somewhat starved； as the condensed milk I
bought at Yamagata had to be thrown away。 I was somewhat wretched
from fatigue and inflamed ant bites； but in the early morning； hot
and misty as all the mornings have been； I went to see a Shinto
temple； or miya； and； though I went alone； escaped a throng。
The entrance into the temple court was； as usual； by a torii； which
consisted of two large posts 20 feet high； surmounted with cross
beams； the upper one of which projects beyond the posts and
frequently curves upwards at both ends。 The whole； as is often the
case； was painted a dull red。 This torii； or 〃birds' rest；〃 is
said to be so called because the fowls； which were formerly offered
but not sacrificed； were accustomed to perch upon it。 A straw
rope； with straw tassels and strips of paper hanging from it； the
special emblem of Shinto； hung across the gateway。 In the paved
court there were several handsome granite lanterns on fine granite
pedestals； such as are the nearly universal accompaniments of both
Shinto and Buddhist temples。
After leaving Yakote we passed through very pretty country with
mountain views and occasional glimpses of the snowy dome of
Chokaizan； crossed the Omono （which has burst its banks and
destroyed its bridges） by two troublesome ferries； and arrived at
Rokugo； a town of 5000 people； with fine temples； exceptionally
mean houses； and the most aggressive crowd by which I have yet been
asphyxiated。
There； through the good offices of the police； I was enabled to
attend a Buddhist funeral of a merchant of some wealth。 It
interested me very much from its solemnity and decorum； and Ito's
explanations of what went before were remarkably distinctly given。
I went in a Japanese woman's dress； borrowed at the tea…house； with
a blue hood over my head； and thus escaped all notice； but I found
the restraint of the scanty 〃tied forward〃 kimono very tiresome。
Ito gave me many injunctions as to what I was to do and avoid；
which I carried out faithfully； being nervously anxious to avoid
jarring on the sensibilities of those who had kindly permitted a
foreigner to be present。
The illness was a short one； and there had been no time either for
prayers or pilgrimages on the sick man's behalf。 When death occurs
the body is laid with its head to the north （a position that the
living Japanese scrupulously avoid）； near a folding screen； between
which and it a new zen is placed； on which are a saucer of oil with
a lighted rush； cakes of uncooked rice dough； and a saucer of
incense sticks。 The priests directly after death choose the
kaimiyo； or posthumous name； write it on a tablet of white wood；
and seat themselves by the corpse； his zen； bowls； cups； etc。； are
filled with vegetable food and are placed by his side； the
chopsticks being put on the wrong； i。e。 the left； side of the zen。
At the end of forty…eight hours the corpse is arranged for the
coffin by being washed with warm water； and the priest； while
saying certain prayers； shaves the head。 In all cases； rich or
poor； the dress is of the usual make； but of pure white linen or
cotton。
At Omagori； a town near Rokugo； large earthenware jars are
manufactured； which are much used for interment by the wealthy； but
in this case there were two square boxes； the outer one being of
finely planed wood of the Retinospora obtusa。 The poor use what is
called the 〃quick…tub；〃 a covered tub of pine hooped with bamboo。
Women are dressed for burial in the silk robe worn on the marriage
day； tabi are placed beside them or on their feet； and their hair
usually flows loosely behind them。 The wealthiest people fill the
coffin with vermilion and the poorest use chaff； but in this case I
heard that only the mouth； nose； and ears were filled with
vermilion； and that the coffin was filled up with coarse incense。
The body is placed within the tub or box in the usual squatting
position。 It is impossible to understand how a human body； many
hours after death； can be pressed into the limited space afforded
by even the outermost of the boxes。 It has been said that the
rigidity of a corpse is overcome by the use of a powder called
dosia； which is sold by the priests； but this idea has been
exploded； and the process remains incomprehensible。
Bannerets of small size and ornamental staves were outside the
house door。 Two men in blue dresses； with pale blue over…garments
resembling wings received each person； two more presented a
lacquered bowl of water and a white silk crepe towel； and then we
passed into a large room； round which were arranged a number of
very handsome folding screens； on which lotuses； storks； and
peonies were realistically painted on a dead gold ground。 Near the
end of the room the coffin； under a canopy of white silk； upon
which there was a very beautiful arrangement of artificial white
lotuses； rested upon trestles； the face of the corpse being turned
towards the north。 Six priests； very magnificently dressed； sat on
each side of the coffin； and two more knelt in front of a small
temporary altar。
The widow； an extremely pretty woman； squatted near the deceased；
below the father and mother； and after her came the children；
relatives； and friends； who sat in rows； dressed in winged garments
of blue and white。 The widow was painted white； her lips were
reddened with vermilion； her hair was elaborately dressed and
ornamented with carved shell pins； she wore a beautiful dress of
sky…blue silk； with a haori of fine white crepe and a scarlet crepe
girdle embroidered in gold； and looked like a bride on her marriage
day rather than a widow。
Indeed； owing to the beauty of the dresses and the amount of blue
and white silk； the room had a festal rather than a funereal look。
When all the guests had arrived； tea and sweetmeats were passed
round； incense was burned profusely； litanies were mumbled； and the
bustle of moving to the grave began； during which I secured a place
near the gate of the temple grounds。
The procession did not contain the father or mother of the
deceased； but I understood that the mourners who composed it were
all relatives。 The oblong tablet with the 〃dead name〃 of the
deceased was carried first by a priest； then the lotus blossom by
another priest； then ten priests followed； two and two； chanting
litanies from books； then came the coffin on a platform borne by
four men and covered with white drapery； then the widow； and then
the other relatives。 The coffin was carried into the temple and
laid upon trestles； while incense was burned and prayers were said；
and was then carried to a shallow grave lined with cement； and
prayers were said by the priests until the earth was raised to the
proper level； when all dispersed； and the widow； in her gay attire；
walked home unattended。 There were no hired mourners or any signs
of grief； but nothing could be more solemn； reverent； and decorous
than the whole service。 ＇I have since seen many funerals； chiefly
of the poor； and； though shorn of much of the ceremony； and with
only one officiating priest； the decorum was always most
remarkable。＇ The fees to the priests are from 2 up to 40 or 50
yen。 The graveyard； which surrounds the temple； was extremely
beautiful； and the cryptomeria specially fine。 It was very full of
stone gravestones； and； like all Japanese cemeteries； exquisitely
kept。 As soon as the grave was filled in； a life…size pink lotus
plant was placed upon it； and a lacquer tray； on which were lacquer
bowls containing tea or sake； beans； and sweetmeats。
The temple at Rokugo was very beautiful； and； except that its
ornaments were superior in solidity and good taste； differed little
from a Romish church。 The low altar； on which were lilies and
lighted candles； was draped in blue and silver； and on the high
altar； draped in crimson and cloth of gold； there was nothing but a
closed shrine； an incense…burner； and a vase of lotuses。
LETTER XX（Concluded）
A Casual InvitationA Ludicrous IncidentPoliteness of a
PolicemanA Comfortless SundayAn Outrageous IrruptionA
Privileged Stare。
At a wayside tea…house； soon after leaving Rokugo in kurumas； I met
the same courteous and agreeable young doctor who was stationed at
Innai during the prevalence o