well off。 The sake is sent in accordance with rigid etiquette。
The bridegroom is twenty…two； the bride seventeen； and very comely；
so far as I could see through the paint with which she was
profusely disfigured。 Towards evening she was carried in a
norimon； accompanied by her parents and friends； to the
bridegroom's house； each member of the procession carrying a
Chinese lantern。 When the house…master and I arrived the wedding
party was assembled in a large room； the parents and friends of the
bridegroom being seated on one side； and those of the bride on the
other。 Two young girls； very beautifully dressed； brought in the
bride； a very pleasing…looking creature dressed entirely in white
silk； with a veil of white silk covering her from head to foot。
The bridegroom； who was already seated in the middle of the room
near its upper part； did not rise to receive her； and kept his eyes
fixed on the ground； and she sat opposite to him； but never looked
up。 A low table was placed in front； on which there was a two…
spouted kettle full of sake； some sake bottles； and some cups； and
on another there were some small figures representing a fir…tree； a
plum…tree in blossom； and a stork standing on a tortoise； the last
representing length of days； and the former the beauty of women and
the strength of men。 Shortly a zen； loaded with eatables； was
placed before each person； and the feast began； accompanied by the
noises which signify gastronomic gratification。
After this； which was only a preliminary； the two girls who brought
in the bride handed round a tray with three cups containing sake；
which each person was expected to drain till he came to the god of
luck at the bottom。
The bride and bridegroom then retired； but shortly reappeared in
other dresses of ceremony； but the bride still wore her white silk
veil； which one day will be her shroud。 An old gold lacquer tray
was produced； with three sake cups； which were filled by the two
bridesmaids； and placed before the parents…in…law and the bride。
The father…in…law drank three cups； and handed the cup to the
bride； who； after drinking two cups； received from her father…in…
law a present in a box； drank the third cup； and then returned the
cup to the father…in…law； who again drank three cups。 Rice and
fish were next brought in； after which the bridegroom's mother took
the second cup； and filled and emptied it three times； after which
she passed it to the bride； who drank two cups； received a present
from her mother…in…law in a lacquer box； drank a third cup； and
gave the cup to the elder lady； who again drank three cups。 Soup
was then served； and then the bride drank once from the third cup；
and handed it to her husband's father； who drank three more cups；
the bride took it again； and drank two； and lastly the mother…in…
law drank three more cups。 Now； if you possess the clear…
sightedness which I laboured to preserve； you will perceive that
each of the three had inbibed nine cups of some generous liquor！
｛16｝
After this the two bridesmaids raised the two…spouted kettle and
presented it to the lips of the married pair； who drank from it
alternately； till they had exhausted its contents。 This concluding
ceremony is said to be emblematic of the tasting together of the
joys and sorrows of life。 And so they became man and wife till
death or divorce parted them。
This drinking of sake or wine； according to prescribed usage；
appeared to constitute the 〃marriage service；〃 to which none but
relations were bidden。 Immediately afterwards the wedding guests
arrived； and the evening was spent in feasting and sake drinking；
but the fare is simple； and intoxication is happily out of place at
a marriage feast。 Every detail is a matter of etiquette； and has
been handed down for centuries。 Except for the interest of the
ceremony； in that light it was a very dull and tedious affair；
conducted in melancholy silence； and the young bride； with her
whitened face and painted lips； looked and moved like an automaton。
I。 L。 B。
LETTER XXV
A Holiday SceneA MatsuriAttractions of the RevelMatsuri Cars…
…Gods and DemonsA Possible HarbourA Village ForgeProsperity
of Sake BrewersA 〃Great Sight。〃
TSUGURATA； July 27。
Three miles of good road thronged with half the people of Kubota on
foot and in kurumas； red vans drawn by horses； pairs of policemen
in kurumas； hundreds of children being carried； hundreds more on
foot； little girls； formal and precocious looking； with hair
dressed with scarlet crepe and flowers； hobbling toilsomely along
on high clogs； groups of men and women； never intermixing； stalls
driving a 〃roaring trade〃 in cakes and sweetmeats； women making
mochi as fast as the buyers ate it； broad rice…fields rolling like
a green sea on the right； an ocean of liquid turquoise on the left；
the grey roofs of Kubota looking out from their green surroundings；
Taiheisan in deepest indigo blocking the view to the south； a
glorious day； and a summer sun streaming over all； made up the
cheeriest and most festal scene that I have seen in Japan； men；
women； and children； vans and kurumas； policemen and horsemen； all
on their way to a mean…looking town； Minato； the junk port of
Kubota； which was keeping matsuri； or festival； in honour of the
birthday of the god Shimmai。 Towering above the low grey houses
there were objects which at first looked like five enormous black
fingers； then like trees with their branches wrapped in black； and
thencomparisons ceased； they were a mystery。
Dismissing the kurumas； which could go no farther； we dived into
the crowd； which was wedged along a mean street； nearly a mile
longa miserable street of poor tea…houses and poor shop…fronts；
but； in fact； you could hardly see the street for the people。
Paper lanterns were hung close together along its whole length。
There were rude scaffoldings supporting matted and covered
platforms； on which people were drinking tea and sake and enjoying
the crowd below； monkey theatres and dog theatres； two mangy sheep
and a lean pig attracting wondering crowds； for neither of these
animals is known in this region of Japan； a booth in which a woman
was having her head cut off every half…hour for 2 sen a spectator；
cars with roofs like temples； on which； with forty men at the
ropes； dancing children of the highest class were being borne in
procession； a theatre with an open front； on the boards of which
two men in antique dresses； with sleeves touching the ground； were
performing with tedious slowness a classic dance of tedious
posturings； which consisted mainly in dexterous movements of the
aforesaid sleeves； and occasional emphatic stampings； and
utterances of the word No in a hoarse howl。 It is needless to say
that a foreign lady was not the least of the attractions of the
fair。 The cultus of children was in full force； all sorts of
masks； dolls； sugar figures； toys； and sweetmeats were exposed for
sale on mats on the ground； and found their way into the hands and
sleeves of the children； for no Japanese parent would ever attend a
matsuri without making an offering to his child。
The police told me that there were 22；000 strangers in Minato； yet
for 32；000 holiday…makers a force of twenty…five policemen was
sufficient。 I did not see one person under the influence of sake
up to 3 p。m。； when I left； nor a solitary instance of rude or
improper behaviour； nor was I in any way rudely crowded upon； for；
even where the crowd was densest； the people of their own accord
formed a ring and left me breathing space。
We went to the place where the throng was greatest； round the two
great matsuri cars； whose colossal erections we had seen far off。
These were structures of heavy beams； thirty feet long； with eight
huge； solid wheels。 Upon them there were several scaffoldings with
projections； like flat surfaces of cedar branches； and two special
peaks of unequal height at the top； the whole being nearly fifty
feet from the ground。 All these projections were covered with
black cotton cloth； from which branches of pines protruded。 In the
middle three small wheels； one above another； over which striped
white cotton was rolling perpetually； represented a waterfall； at
the bottom another arrangement of white cotton represented a river；
and an arrangement of blue cotton； fitfully agitated by a pair of
bellows below； represented the sea。 The whole is intended to
represent a mountain on which the Shinto gods slew some devils； but
anything more rude and barbarous could scarcely be seen。 On the
fronts of each car； under a canopy； were thirty performers on
thirty diabolical instruments； which rent the air with a truly
infernal discord； and suggested devils rather than their
conquerors。 High up on the flat projections there were groups of
monstrous figures。 On one a giant in brass armour； much like the
Nio of temple gates； was killing a revolting…looking demon。 On
another a daimiyo's daughter； in robes of cloth of gold with satin
sleeves richly flowered； was playing on the samisen。 On another a
hunter； thrice the size of life； was killing a wild horse equally
magnified； whose hide was represented by the hairy wrappings of the
leaves of the Chamaerops excelsa。 On others highly…coloured gods；
and devils equally hideous； were grouped miscellaneously。 These
two cars were being drawn up and down the street at the rate of a
mile in three hours by 200 men each； numbers of men with levers
assisting the heavy wheels out of the mud…holes。 This matsuri；
which； like an English fair； feast； or revel； has lost its original
religious significance； goes on for three days and nights； and this
was its third and greatest day。
We left on mild…tempered horses； quite unlike the fierce fellows of
Yamagata ken。 Between Minato and Kado there is a very curious
lagoon on the left； about 17 miles long by 16 broad； connected with
the sea by a narrow channel； guarded by two high hills called
Shinzan and Honzan。 Two Dutch engineers are now engaged in
reporting on its capacities； and if its outlet could be deepened
without enormous cost it would give north…western Japan the harbour
it so greatly needs。 Extensive ric