Since the letters passed through the press, the beloved and only sister to whom, in the first instance, they were written, to whose able and careful criticism they owe much, and whose loving interest was the inspiration alike of my travels and of my narratives of them, has passed away.
ISABELLA L. BIRD.
CONTENTS.
LETTER I. | |
First View of Japan—A Vision ofFujisan—Japanese Sampans—“PullmanCars”—Undignified Locomotion—PaperMoney—The Drawbacks of Japanese Travelling | Pages [1]–7 |
LETTER II. | |
Sir Harry Parkes—An “Ambassador’sCarriage”—Cart Coolies | [8]–9 |
LETTER III. | |
Yedo and Tôkiyô—The YokohamaRailroad—The Effect of Misfits—The Plain ofYedo—Personal Peculiarities—First Impressions ofTôkiyô—H. B. M.’s Legation—AnEnglish Home | [10]–14 |
LETTER IV. | |
“John Chinaman”—Engaging aServant—First Impressions of Ito—A SolemnContract—The Food Question | [15]–20 |
LETTER V. | |
Kwan-non Temple—Uniformity of TempleArchitecture—A Kuruma Expedition—A PerpetualFestival—The Ni-ô—The Limbo ofVanity—Heathen Prayers—Binzuru—A Group ofDevils—Archery Galleries—New Japan—AnÉlégante | [21]–31 |
Fears—TravellingEquipments—Passports—Coolie Costume—A YedoDiorama—Rice—Fields—Tea-Houses—ATraveller’s Reception—The Inn atKasukabé—Lack of Privacy—A Concourse ofNoises—A Nocturnal Alarm—A Vision ofPolicemen—A Budget from Yedo | [32]–42 |
LETTERVI.—(Continued.) | |
A Coolie falls ill—Peasant Costume—Varietiesin Threshing—The Tochigi Yadoya—FarmingVillages—A Beautiful Region—An In MemoriamAvenue—A Doll’s Street—Nikkô—TheJourney’s End—Coolie Kindliness | [43]–50 |
LETTER VII. | |
A Japanese Idyll—Musical Stillness—MyRooms—Floral Decorations—Kanaya and hisHousehold—Table Equipments | [51]–53 |
LETTER VIII | |
The Beauties of Nikkô—The Burial ofIyéyasn—The Approach to the Great Shrines—TheYomei Gate—Gorgeous Decorations—Simplicity of theMausoleum—The Shrine of Iyémitsu—Religious Artof Japan and India—An Earthquake—Beauties ofWood-carving | [54]–61 |
LETTER IX. | |
A Japanese Pack-Horse and Pack-Saddle—Yadoyaand Attendant—A Native Watering-Place—The SulphurBaths—A “Squeeze” | [62]–65 |
LETTER X. | |
Peaceful Monotony—A Japanese School—A DismalDitty—Punishment—A Children’s Party—AJuvenile Belle—Female Names—A JuvenileDrama—Needlework—Caligraphy—ArrangingFlowers—Kanaya—Daily Routine—An Evening’sEntertainment—Planning Routes—The God-shelf | [66]–72 |
LETTERX.—(Continued.) | |
Darkness visible—Nikkô Shops—Girls andMatrons—Night and Sleep—Parental Love—ChildishDocility—Hair-dressing—Skin Diseases | [73]–76 |
Shops and Shopping—The Barber’s Shop—APaper Waterproof—Ito’s Vanity—Preparations forthe Journey—Transport and Prices—Money andMeasurements | [77]–79 |
LETTER XI. | |
Comfort disappears—Fine Scenery—AnAlarm—A Farm-house—An unusual Costume—Bridlinga Horse—Female Dress and Ugliness—Babies—MyMago—Beauties of theKinugawa—Fujihara—MyServant—Horse-shoes—An absurd Mistake | [80]–91 |
LETTER XII. | |
A Fantastic Jumble—The “Quiver” ofPoverty—The Water-shed—From Bad to Worse—TheRice Planter’s Holiday—A Diseased Crowd—AmateurDoctoring—Want of Cleanliness—RapidEating—Premature Old Age | [92]–95 |
LETTERXII.—(Concluded.) | |
A Japanese Ferry—A Corrugated Road—The Pass ofSanno—Various Vegetation—An UnattractiveUndergrowth—Preponderance of Men | [96]–98 |
LETTER XIII. | |
The Plain of Wakamatsu—Light Costume—TheTakata Crowd—A Congress of Schoolmasters—Timidity ofa Crowd—Bad Roads—Vicious Horses—MountainScenery—A Picturesque Inn—Swallowing aFish-bone—Poverty and Suicide—AnInn-kitchen—England Unknown!—My BreakfastDisappears | [99]–105 |
LETTER XIV. | |
An Infamous Road—Monotonous Greenery—AbysmalDirt—Low Lives—The TsugawaYadoya—Politeness—A Shipping Port—A“Barbarian Devil” | [106]–108 |
A Hurry—The Tsugawa Packet-boat—Running theRapids—Fantastic Scenery—TheRiver-life—Vineyards—Drying Barley—SummerSilence—The Outskirts of Niigata—The Church MissionHouse | [109]–112 |
LETTER XVI. | |
Abominable Weather—Insect Pests—Absence ofForeign Trade—A Refractory River—Progress—TheJapanese City—Water Highways—NiigataGardens—Ruth Fyson—The Winter Climate—APopulation in Wadding | [114]–119 |
LETTER XVII. | |
The Canal-side at Niigata—AwfulLoneliness—Courtesy—Dr. Palm’s Tandem—ANoisy Matsuri—A Jolting Journey—The MountainVillages—Winter Dismalness—An Out-of-the-worldHamlet—Crowded Dwellings—Riding aCow—“Drunk and Disorderly”—An EnforcedRest—Local Discouragements—Heavy Loads—Absenceof Beggary—Slow Travelling | [120]–127 |
LETTER XVIII. | |
Comely Kine—Japanese Criticism on a ForeignUsage—A Pleasant Halt—Renewed Courtesies—ThePlain of Yonezawa—A Curious Mistake—TheMother’s Memorial—Arrival at Komatsu—StatelyAccommodation—A Vicious Horse—An AsiaticArcadia—A Fashionable Watering-place—ABelle—“Godowns” | [128]–136 |
LETTER XIX. | |
Prosperity—Convict Labour—A NewBridge—Yamagata—Intoxicating Forgeries—TheGovernment Buildings—Bad Manners—SnowMountains—A Wretched Town | [137]–142 |
LETTER XX. | |
The Effect of a Chicken—Poor Fare—SlowTravelling—Objects ofInterest—Kak’ké—The FatalClose—A Great Fire—Security of the Kuras | [143]–145 |
Lunch in Public—A Grotesque Accident—PoliceInquiries—Man or Woman?—A Melancholy Stare—AVicious Horse—An Ill-favoured Town—ADisappointment—A Torii | [146]–151 |
LETTERXX.—(Concluded.) | |
A Casual Invitation—A LudicrousIncident—Politeness of a Policeman—A ComfortlessSunday—An Outrageous Irruption—A Privileged Stare | [152]–154 |
LETTER XXI. | |
The Necessity of Firmness—PerplexingMisrepresentations—Gliding with the Stream—SuburbanResidences—The Kubota Hospital—A FormalReception—The Normal School | [155]–158 |
LETTER XXII. | |
A Silk Factory—Employment for Women—A PoliceEscort—The Japanese Police Force | [159]–160 |
LETTER XXIII. | |
“A Plague of Immoderate Rain”—AConfidential Servant—Ito’s Diary—Ito’sExcellences—Ito’s Faults—A Prophecy of theFuture of Japan—Curious Queries—SuperfineEnglish—Economical Travelling—The Japanese Pack-horseagain | [161]–164 |
LETTER XXIV. | |
The Symbolism of Seaweed—Afternoon Visitors—AnInfant Prodigy—A Feat in Caligraphy—ChildWorship—A Borrowed Dress—ATrousseau—House Furniture—The MarriageCeremony | [165]–169 |
LETTER XXV. | |
A Holiday Scene—A Matsuri—Attractionsof the Revel—Matsuri Cars—Gods andDemons—A Possible Harbour—A VillageForge—Prosperity of Saké Brewers—A“Great Sight” | [170]–174 |
The Fatigues of Travelling—Torrents andMud—Ito’s Surliness—The BlindShampooers—A Supposed Monkey Theatre—A SuspendedFerry—A Difficult Transit—Perils on theYonetsurugawa—A Boatman Drowned—NocturnalDisturbances—A Noisy Yadoya—Storm-boundTravellers—Hai! Hai!—More NocturnalDisturbances | [175]–182 |
LETTER XXVII. | |
Good-tempered Intoxication—The Effect ofSunshine—A tedious Altercation—EveningOccupations—Noisy Talk—Social Gatherings—UnfairComparisons | [183]–186 |
LETTER XXVIII. | |
Torrents of Rain—An unpleasantDetention—Devastations produced by Floods—The YadatePass—The Force of Water—Difficulties thicken—APrimitive Yadoya—The Water rises | [187]–192 |
LETTERXXVIII.—(Continued.) | |
Scanty Resources—JapaneseChildren—Children’s Games—A SagaciousExample—A Kite Competition—Personal Privations | [193]–196 |
LETTER XXIX. | |
Hope deferred—Effects of the Flood—Activity ofthe Police—A Ramble in Disguise—The TanabataFestival—Mr. Satow’s Reputation | [197]–199 |
LETTER XXX. | |
A Lady’s Toilet—Hair-dressing—Paint andCosmetics—Afternoon Visitors—Christian Converts | [200]–202 |
LETTER XXXI. | |
A Travel Curiosity—Rude Dwellings—PrimitiveSimplicity—The Public Bath-house | [203]–205 |
A Hard Day’s Journey—An Overturn—Nearingthe Ocean—Joyful Excitement—UniversalGreyness—Inopportune Policemen—A StormyVoyage—A Wild Welcome—A Windy Landing—TheJourney’s End | [206]–209 |
LETTER XXXIII. | |
Form and Colour—A Windy Capital—Eccentricitiesin House Roof | [212]–213 |
LETTER XXXIV. | |
Ito’s Delinquency—“MissionaryManners”—A Predicted Failure | [214]–215 |
LETTER XXXV. | |
A Lovely Sunset—An Official Letter—A“Front Horse”—Japanese Courtesy—The SteamFerry—Coolies Abscond—A Team of Savages—A Droveof Horses—Floral Beauties—An Unbeaten Track—AGhostly Dwelling—Solitude and Eeriness | [216]–230 |
LETTERXXXV.—(Continued.) | |
The Harmonies of Nature—A Good Horse—A SingleDiscord—A Forest—Aino Ferrymen—“LesPuces! Les Puces!”—BaffledExplorers—Ito’s Contempt for Ainos—An AinoIntroduction | [231]–233 |
LETTER XXXVI. | |
Savage Life—A Forest Track—CleanlyVillages—A Hospitable Reception—The Chief’sMother—The Evening Meal—A SavageSéance—Libations to the Gods—NocturnalSilence—Aino Courtesy—The Chief’s Wife | [234]–243 |
LETTERXXXVI.—(Continued.) | |
A Supposed Act of Worship—ParentalTenderness—Morning Visits.—WretchedCultivation—Honesty and Generosity—A“Dug-out”—Female Occupations—The AncientFate—A New Arrival—A Perilous Prescription—TheShrine of Yoshitsuné—The Chief’s Return | [244]–253 |
Barrenness of Savage Life—IrreclaimableSavages—The Aino Physique—FemaleComeliness—Torture and Ornament—ChildLife—Docility and Obedience | [254]–261 |
LETTERXXXVII.—(Continued.) | |
Aino Clothing—Holiday Dress—DomesticArchitecture—Household Gods—Japanese Curios—TheNecessaries of Life—Clay Soup—ArrowPoison—Arrow Traps—Female Occupations—BarkCloth—The Art of Weaving | [262]–272 |
LETTERXXXVII.—(Continued.) | |
A Simple Nature-Worship—Aino Gods—A FestivalSong—Religious Intoxication—Bear-Worship—TheAnnual Saturnalia—The Future State—Marriage andDivorce—Musical Instruments—Etiquette—TheChieftainship—Death and Burial—Old Age—MoralQualities | [273]–284 |
LETTER XXXVIII. | |
A Parting Gift—A Delicacy—Generosity—ASeaside Village—Pipichari’s Advice—A DrunkenRevel—Ito’s Prophecies—TheKôckô’s Illness—PatentMedicines | [285]–288 |
LETTER XXXIX. | |
A Welcome Gift—Recent Changes—VolcanicPhenomena—Interesting TufaCones—Semi-strangulation—A Fall into aBear-trap—The Shiraôi Ainos—Horsebreaking andCruelty | [289]–295 |
LETTERXXXIX.—(Continued.) | |
The Universal Language—The YezoCorrals—A “Typhoon Rain”—DifficultTracks—An Unenviable Ride—Drying Clothes—AWoman’s Remorse | [296]–298 |
LETTER XL. | |
“More than Peace”—GeographicalDifficulties—Usu-taki—Swimming the Osharu—ADream of Beauty—A Sunset Effect—A NocturnalAlarm—The Coast Ainos | [299]–305 |
The Sea-shore—A “Hairy Aino”—AHorse Fight—The Horses of Yezo—“BadMountains”—A Slight Accident—MagnificentScenery—A Bleached Halting-Place—A MustyRoom—Aino “Good-breeding” | [306]–311 |
LETTER XLI. | |
A Group of Fathers—The LebungéAinos—The Salisburia adiantifolia—A FamilyGroup—The MissingLink—Oshamambé—Disorderly Horses—TheRiver Yurapu—The Seaside—Aino Canoes—The LastMorning—Dodging Europeans | [312]–319 |
LETTER XLII. | |
Pleasant Last Impressions—The JapaneseJunk—Ito Disappears—My Letter of Thanks | [320]–321 |
LETTER XLIII. | |
Pleasant Prospects—A MiserableDisappointment—Caught in a Typhoon—A DenseFog—Alarmist Rumours—A Welcome atTôkiyô—The Last of the Mutineers | [322]–324 |
LETTER XLIV. | |
Fine Weather—Cremation in Japan—The Governorof Tôkiyô—An Awkward Question—AnInsignificant Building—Economy in FuneralExpenses—Simplicity of the Cremation Process—The Lastof Japan | [325]–328 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
| PAGE | |
| The Yomei Gate, Shrines of Nikkô | Frontispiece |
| Fujisan | [2] |
| Travelling Restaurant | [5] |
| Japanese Man-Cart | [9] |
| A Lake Biwa Tea-House | [20] |
| Stone Lanterns | [28] |
| A Kuruma | [35] |
| Road-Side Tea-House | [38] |
| Sir Harry’s Messenger | [42] |
| Kanaya’s House | [52] |
| Japanese Pack-Horse | [63] |
| Attendant at Tea-House | [64] |
| Summer and Winter Costume | [82] |
| Buddhist Priests | [112] |
| Street and Canal | [117] |
| The Flowing Invocation | [130] |
| The Belle of Kaminoyama | [135] |
| Torii | [149] |
| Daikoku, the God of Wealth | [154] |
| Myself in a Straw Rain-Cloak | [176] |
| A Lady’s Mirror | [201] |
| Akita Farm-House | [204] |
| Aino Store-House at Horobets | [223] |
| Aino Lodges. (From a Japanese Sketch) | [224] |
| Aino Houses | [234] |
| Ainos at Home. (From a Japanese Sketch) | [235] |
| Aino Millet-Mill and Pestle | [238] |
| Aino Store-House | [247] |
| Ainos of Yezo | [256] |
| An Aino Patriarch | [258] |
| Tattooed Female Hand | [260] |
| Aino Gods | [266] |
| Plan of an Aino House | [267] |
| Weaver’s Shuttle | [270] |
| A Hiogo Buddha | [272] |
| The Rokkukado | [288] |
| My Kuruma-Runner | [305] |
| Temple Gateway at Isshinden | [311] |
| Entrance to Shrine of Seventh Shôgun, Shiba, Tôkiyô | [323] |
| Fujisan, from a Village on the Tokaido | [326] |
LETTER I.
First View of Japan—A Vision of Fujisan—Japanese Sampans—“Pullman Cars”—Undignified Locomotion—Paper Money—The Drawbacks of Japanese Travelling.
Oriental Hotel, Yokohama,
May 21.
Eighteen days of unintermitted rolling over “desolate rainy seas” brought the “City of Tokio” early yesterday morning to Cape King, and by noon we were steaming up the Gulf of Yedo, quite near the shore. The day was soft and grey with a little faint blue sky, and, though the coast of Japan is much more prepossessing than most coasts, there were no startling surprises either of colour or form. Broken wooded ridges, deeply cleft, rise from the water’s edge, gray, deep-roofed villages cluster about the mouths of the ravines, and terraces of rice cultivation, bright with the greenness of English lawns, run up to a great height among dark masses of upland forest. The populousness of the coast is very impressive, and the gulf everywhere was equally peopled with fishing-boats, of which we passed not only hundreds, but thousands, in five hours. The coast and sea were pale, and the boats were pale too, their hulls being unpainted wood, and their sails pure white duck. Now and then a high-sterned junk drifted by like a phantom galley, then we slackened speed to avoid exterminating a fleet of triangular-looking fishing-boats with white square sails, and so on through the grayness and dumbness hour after hour.