childish sport。
All over the grounds booths with the usual charcoal fire； copper
boiler； iron kettle of curious workmanship； tiny cups； fragrant
aroma of tea； and winsome； graceful girls； invite you to drink and
rest； and more solid but less inviting refreshments are also to be
had。 Rows of pretty paper lanterns decorate all the stalls。 Then
there are photograph galleries； mimic tea…gardens； tableaux in
which a large number of groups of life…size figures with
appropriate scenery are put into motion by a creaking wheel of
great size； matted lounges for rest； stands with saucers of rice；
beans and peas for offerings to the gods； the pigeons； and the two
sacred horses； Albino ponies； with pink eyes and noses； revoltingly
greedy creatures； eating all day long and still craving for more。
There are booths for singing and dancing； and under one a
professional story…teller was reciting to a densely packed crowd
one of the old； popular stories of crime。 There are booths where
for a few rin you may have the pleasure of feeding some very ugly
and greedy apes； or of watching mangy monkeys which have been
taught to prostrate themselves Japanese fashion。
This letter is far too long； but to pass over Asakusa and its
novelties when the impression of them is fresh would be to omit one
of the most interesting sights in Japan。 On the way back we passed
red mail carts like those in London； a squadron of cavalry in
European uniforms and with European saddles； and the carriage of
the Minister of Marine； an English brougham with a pair of horses
in English harness； and an escort of six troopersa painful
precaution adopted since the political assassination of Okubo； the
Home Minister； three weeks ago。 So the old and the new in this
great city contrast with and jostle each other。 The Mikado and his
ministers； naval and military officers and men； the whole of the
civil officials and the police； wear European clothes； as well as a
number of dissipated…looking young men who aspire to represent
〃young Japan。〃 Carriages and houses in English style； with
carpets； chairs； and tables； are becoming increasingly numerous；
and the bad taste which regulates the purchase of foreign
furnishings is as marked as the good taste which everywhere
presides over the adornment of the houses in purely Japanese style。
Happily these expensive and unbecoming innovations have scarcely
affected female dress； and some ladies who adopted our fashions
have given them up because of their discomfort and manifold
difficulties and complications。
The Empress on State occasions appears in scarlet satin hakama； and
flowing robes； and she and the Court ladies invariably wear the
national costume。 I have only seen two ladies in European dress；
and this was at a dinner…party here； and they were the wives of Mr。
Mori； the go…ahead Vice…Minister for Foreign Affairs； and of the
Japanese Consul at Hong Kong； and both by long residence abroad
have learned to wear it with ease。 The wife of Saigo； the Minister
of Education； called one day in an exquisite Japanese dress of
dove…coloured silk crepe； with a pale pink under…dress of the same
material； which showed a little at the neck and sleeves。 Her
girdle was of rich dove…coloured silk； with a ghost of a pale pink
blossom hovering upon it here and there。 She had no frills or
fripperies of any description； or ornaments； except a single pin in
her chignon； and； with a sweet and charming face； she looked as
graceful and dignified in her Japanese costume as she would have
looked exactly the reverse in ours。 Their costume has one striking
advantage over ours。 A woman is perfectly CLOTHED if she has one
garment and a girdle on； and perfectly DRESSED if she has two。
There is a difference in features and expressionmuch exaggerated；
however； by Japanese artistsbetween the faces of high…born women
and those of the middle and lower classes。 I decline to admire
fat…faces； pug noses； thick lips； long eyes； turned up at the outer
corners； and complexions which owe much to powder and paint。 The
habit of painting the lips with a reddish…yellow pigment； and of
heavily powdering the face and throat with pearl powder； is a
repulsive one。 But it is hard to pronounce any unfavourable
criticism on women who have so much kindly grace of manner。 I。 L。
B。
LETTER VI
FearsTravelling EquipmentsPassportsCoolie CostumeA Yedo
DioramaRice…FieldsTea…HousesA Traveller's ReceptionThe Inn
at KasukabeLack of PrivacyA Concourse of NoisesA Nocturnal
AlarmA Vision of PolicemenA Budget from Yedo。
KASUKABE； June 10。
From the date you will see that I have started on my long journey；
though not upon the 〃unbeaten tracks〃 which I hope to take after
leaving Nikko； and my first evening alone in the midst of this
crowded Asian life is strange； almost fearful。 I have suffered
from nervousness all daythe fear of being frightened； of being
rudely mobbed； as threatened by Mr。 Campbell of Islay； of giving
offence by transgressing the rules of Japanese politenessof； I
know not what！ Ito is my sole reliance； and he may prove a 〃broken
reed。〃 I often wished to give up my project； but was ashamed of my
cowardice when； on the best authority； I received assurances of its
safety。 ｛6｝
The preparations were finished yesterday； and my outfit weighed 110
lbs。； which； with Ito's weight of 90 lbs。； is as much as can be
carried by an average Japanese horse。 My two painted wicker boxes
lined with paper and with waterproof covers are convenient for the
two sides of a pack…horse。 I have a folding…chairfor in a
Japanese house there is nothing but the floor to sit upon； and not
even a solid wall to lean againstan air…pillow for kuruma
travelling； an india…rubber bath； sheets； a blanket； and last； and
more important than all else； a canvas stretcher on light poles；
which can be put together in two minutes； and being 2。5 feet high
is supposed to be secure from fleas。 The 〃Food Question〃 has been
solved by a modified rejection of all advice！ I have only brought
a small supply of Liebig's extract of meat； 4 lbs。 of raisins； some
chocolate； both for eating and drinking； and some brandy in case of
need。 I have my own Mexican saddle and bridle； a reasonable
quantity of clothes； including a loose wrapper for wearing in the
evenings； some candles； Mr。 Brunton's large map of Japan； volumes
of the Transactions of the English Asiatic Society； and Mr。 Satow's
Anglo…Japanese Dictionary。 My travelling dress is a short costume
of dust…coloured striped tweed； with strong laced boots of
unblacked leather； and a Japanese hat； shaped like a large inverted
bowl； of light bamboo plait； with a white cotton cover； and a very
light frame inside； which fits round the brow and leaves a space of
1。5 inches between the hat and the head for the free circulation of
air。 It only weighs 2。5 ounces； and is infinitely to be preferred
to a heavy pith helmet； and； light as it is； it protects the head
so thoroughly； that； though the sun has been unclouded all day and
the mercury at 86 degrees； no other protection has been necessary。
My money is in bundles of 50 yen； and 50； 20； and 10 sen notes；
besides which I have some rouleaux of copper coins。 I have a bag
for my passport； which hangs to my waist。 All my luggage； with the
exception of my saddle； which I use for a footstool； goes into one
kuruma； and Ito； who is limited to 12 lbs。； takes his along with
him。
I have three kurumas； which are to go to Nikko； ninety miles； in
three days； without change of runners； for about eleven shillings
each。
Passports usually define the route over which the foreigner is to
travel； but in this case Sir H。 Parkes has obtained one which is
practically unrestricted； for it permits me to travel through all
Japan north of Tokiyo and in Yezo without specifying any route。
This precious document； without which I should be liable to be
arrested and forwarded to my consul； is of course in Japanese； but
the cover gives in English the regulations under which it is
issued。 A passport must be applied for； for reasons of 〃health；
botanical research； or scientific investigation。〃 Its bearer must
not light fires in woods； attend fires on horseback； trespass on
fields； enclosures； or game…preserves； scribble on temples；
shrines； or walls； drive fast on a narrow road； or disregard
notices of 〃No thoroughfare。〃 He must 〃conduct himself in an
orderly and conciliating manner towards the Japanese authorities
and people；〃 he 〃must produce his passport to any officials who may
demand it；〃 under pain of arrest； and while in the interior 〃is
forbidden to shoot； trade； to conclude mercantile contracts with
Japanese； or to rent houses or rooms for a longer period than his
journey requires。〃
NIKKO； June 13。This is one of the paradises of Japan！ It is a
proverbial saying； 〃He who has not seen Nikko must not use the word
kek'ko〃 （splendid； delicious； beautiful）； but of this more
hereafter。 My attempt to write to you from Kasukabe failed； owing
to the onslaught of an army of fleas； which compelled me to retreat
to my stretcher； and the last two nights； for this and other
reasons； writing has been out of the question。
I left the Legation at 11 am。 on Monday and reached Kasukabe at 5
p。m。； the runners keeping up an easy trot the whole journey of
twenty…three miles； but the halts for smoking and eating were
frequent。
These kuruma…runners wore short blue cotton drawers； girdles with
tobacco pouch and pipe attached； short blue cotton shirts with wide
sleeves； and open in front； reaching to their waists； and blue
cotton handkerchiefs knotted round their heads； except when the sun
was very hot； when they took the flat flag discs； two feet in
diameter； which always hang behind kurumas； and are used either in
sun or rain； and tied them on their heads。 They wore straw
sandals； which had to be replaced twice on the way。 Blue and white
towels hung from the shafts to wipe away the sweat； which ran
profusely down the lean； brown bodies。 The upper garment always
flew behind them； displaying chests and backs elaborately tattooed
with dragons and fishes。 Tattooing has recently been prohibited；
but it was