THE TRAVELLER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 81

THE TRAVELLER.

A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD.

By Dr Sigel Roush.

(Special to the Otago Witness.)

To obtain a glimpse of the life of Old Japan in. its pristine purity one must travel nowadays to some remote corner of the land of the Mikado where the übiquitous globe-trotter has not disturbed the peaceful repose .of the medieval regime, and where the habits and customs of the age of feudalism have been transmitted to the present generation practically unchanged. Such an excursion into the interior necessitates some trouble and inconvenience, but the experience will abundantly repay the sacrifice. We fortunately met in' Kyoto an American gentleman who, as teacher and missionary, had spent many years in Japan. He spoke the Japanese language as well as it is, possible- for anx- foreigner, to speak it, And had had muq|g»experience in travelling in unfrequentißf localities*. When we expressed a desire to visit some dis-trict-wlere ths influence Western, civi.Baataon had not penetrated, he .volunteered to arrange the' 'details of siieh a trip 7 and said he would be glad' to personally accompany us act l(s 'our conductor. We readily "availed ou-rselves of his kind offer, and in due time w< made the start.

— Into the Interior. —

We travelled by the train into the edge of the little province of' Iga, where, at the station of Weno, we took rickshaws into tbe interior.

No eoouer had we left the little railway station than we began to realise that we were in a. country totally different from the Japan of the open ports and the beaten track of the tourist. The natives regarded us with great interest, for many of them had never before looked upon the face of a foreigner. Ev«ry strange trinket, ornament, and detail of drese seemed to interest them immensely, and though most respectful, they never appeared -to tire of taking s mental inventory of our— doubtless to them — curious and strange make up. We stopped at native uin3, ate native food, slept on native beds, and indulged in native baths, tliis last item being one of the hottest propositions tie foreigner can ibJ im-asinc

pose*- y o The native Japanese house is a most frail structure. Composed as it mainly of light wood, bamboo, and paper, it is no matter of surprise that fires in Japan prove so destructive and unmanageable. There is one advantage in these lightly-con-structed houses, however, and that is in the matter of earthquakes, for Japan has always been the favourite haunt of the "Great Earth Dragon." and scarcely a day pastes that the seismograph does not leave a record of some shock, however elight it may be. Indeed, the Imperial "University, of* Tokyo deems earthquakes ot sufficient importance to maintain a separate ohair devoted to the study of the subject, and dignifies the head of the department -with the title of "Professor "of Earthquakes." The first night we 3penf ashore in Japan we fa!t a decided earthquake, though it was merely referred to in the morning papers as "another little one.' At that time ye wiere on the third floor of a stone fcnil-diug. and -wKen tbe water pitchers began 4o rattle against the bowl and the fire screen to wave crazily it proved to one unaccustomed to these phenomena a trifle disconcerting. So, after all. these frail hous^ in the land of the "quake" are much safer than the heavier buildings, for they may even tumbje down over aae'd head without neoessarily being attendee 1 with the loss - of life.

— Walls of Native Houses. —

The walls of the native houses axe formed of two sets of sliding panels, separated by a space between them about 2ft in width.- The outer qne, made solid and of wood, is only used at night and in 6tormy weather. The inner walls and all partitions are made of sliding wooden frames, which, before they receive the shoji or thin white paper, look like ordinary window sashes made to receive ghee panes about 3in x 6in in size. But instead of glass, thin translucent paper U pasted to the cross bars,, which, as one can readily imagine, gives a very frail appearance to the whole building. Upon arising in the morning the solid wooden panels, w.hioh work in grooves, are pushed Sack, leaving only tlie paper screens between th« interio; and the outride world. Indeed, if the weather be worm, .even these paper panels are slid aside, which exposes the whole of a Japanese home to the curious gaze of the passer-by, and as this is done very frequently before the family begins its morning toilet, the stranger may view at will the mechanism of the household affairs from the"- "honourable" bath to the completion of the morning meal.

• — Homes are N Minus Furniture. —

Uo furnitore, as we understand the term, is used in native Japanese homes — no" pictures,, save a solitary- Kakamono, or painted scroll, adorn the paper walls. Upon entering a Japanese house one slides the wooden latticed door aside and steps into a little, lobby or hail-way. This space is about 18in* lower than the floor, ■fend 'here the geta, or wooden clogs, are left, or, in case oi a griffin or foreigner, his shoes are taken off and he enters ia his stocking feet. We pext step upon mats, the floor-covering of all native ■houses. These mats all conform to 'a standard: size of sft by 6ft, are about 3in ifchdck, ond bound at the edges with an indi-widie tape of some dark material. Tiny are made of rice ox barley straw, with the upper surface covered with a fine, light caattmg, and fit closely together when leld on the floor, like the bricks of a well made pavement. The size of a room is spoken of as a "12mat room,'' "20-mat room," and so on,

aocording to the number of mats required ' to exactly cover the floor. These mats are seldom figured or coloured, , but are left the original light shade of tne straw ' used in their construction. They are kept immaculately clean, for on them , the Japanese «at, sit, sleep, and pass all their indoor existence. — The Bedless "Bedrooms. — At night one is conducted to his bedroom with itc walls of sliding paper [ screens, but no bed greets his weary • gaze.- The only visible objects are usually a night lamp, siade of a bamboo frame and covered • with toughened translucent I paper, concealing within a bowl of vege- { < table oil, in which floats a disc of cork ' bearing a tiny "wick ; a vase containing a I spray of some seasonable bloom, a teaI tray, and the hibachi, or native stove, j But the one important article of furniture is lacking. But wait, even tbe . < bed in Japan will come to him who wadte. j J lsiß little maid who has conducted you 'to the sleeping chamber now shuffles I across the matting, slides a little door ' aside," and take« a £a>tanu from the fukuro dana, or wall cupboard. ' The fatami, or , . thin straw mattress, is laid on the floor, 1 i when another trip to the cupboard re- s | suits in the acquisition of the futon, a. -thick padded quilt, which, with, the ' wodden pillow or bag of bran, completes . . -pone's downy couch. .With a very low.J 'bow tbe chambermaid now retires and 1 ! leaves one to lie down to pleasant dreams, j j Of course the "honourable" tea, is irver i I jpre,sdnt, amd el-pervadini? in all things Japanese. No sooner has the visitor re- ! moved his shoes and reached- his room than the beverage is placed before him. \ A Japanese tea set consists of five cups, ' a teapot, and a bowl for hot water. : These, with a kettle for heating the ', water, a little caddy containing the tea, add a little bamboo measure, were always in our- room. The preparatior of tea ; I consists first of pouring the boiling water , in/to ibhe bowl, for the Japanese do not i pour the water boiling hot on the .tea, ' but allow it first to sli^htily cool. Then . with the section of bamboo a suitable ' quantity of tea is measured out and j placed in tbe teappt. The water^now is r poured from the bowl on the tea, but | j only allowed to remain a moment, when it is served in the sauoeriess, handl-eless i cups without supjar or cream. . This pro- \ , cess is Repeated over and over again. . I and forms the principal pastime of all Japanese social or domestic events. — Native Meals.— Japanese native^ tea is a waran, taste- . less, pale liquid, and bears but little re- i semblance to the beverage as ove know t j it. Howeverj we usually passed the tims away at these native iiros playing ; at tea-drinking till (the .evening meal 1 appeared, which is provided' at «uny time ' the exigencies of the larder and the mood of the proprietor uiay deem proper. Some- ' enthusiast has said, not to have seen sun''ris© on Fuji is not to have seen Japan, but we are ratner inclined to think that ; a native meal served in a provincial Japanese inn is the/ most <chiaracteri6tioally i Japanese thing in aJI .Japan. , I recall 1 a most vivid picture of these native j meals. The floor of the room is covered with immaculate mats, on which are placed a few flat square pads or cushions. Or these zaanbutons we "kneel in a little circle around the hibachi with its kettle of water and. the near-by teaset. The

translucent paper walls diffuse a

light throughout the room. The alcove, the raised dais ox platform, in - front of which the patriarch of the family must always sit, tbe solitary' bakamona on the wall, a glimpse of a little garden outside with, its lakelet, its rocks, its blossoms, and usually its croakincr frogs and shining gold fish, all mingle together to form the pyoper setting as the soft-footed mi»sume slid.es a panel door aside and eintsrs with s * tray of cups, dishes, and lacquered bo^ls. She kneels in our midst, and first places the tray and its contents in front of one of the male members of the party. *or it lie ladies in Japan always come in as secondary conisideration. The pendant sleeves "of her silk kimono swish against the clean straw mats as "she arises and leaves the room, soon to return again with another laden tray. The next member in the order of sex, rank, age, or dignity is now serv«d, till aM is ready to begin the repast. The little waitress now kneels beside the supply of boiled Tice, usually contained in a small wooden tub, ready to serve this mainstay of all Japanese meals as soon as one's rice-bowl id emptied.

— Chop Sticks Passed. —

Having been surrounded by lacquered bov-ls, pans, trays, and tiny dishes containing qu-e«r-lookiiig, imfamliai smelling food of varying colours and consistencies, the gpest is handed a pair of chop sticks and invited to partake of the feast. Now, a pair of chop sticks, as you know, resemble somewhat two small lead pencils, and take the place in Japan and China of spoons, knives, and fork*.

The natives themselves are very expert in their use, ajid can pick up the smallest morsel of food with them and convey it to the mouth with n<>t Mie slightest difficulty or inconvenience. To th« uniniated, however, the feat of handling chop-sticks with one hand — as is, indeed, the only proper way — becomes at once most puzzling and troublesome. But we bravely undertook the ordeal, much to the amusement of the musume, whose face reddened continuously in her efforts to suppress her merriment at our foreign awkwardness.

— Articles of JFood.-r

Next ia importance to rice, which is always served boiled dry and without seasoning of any kind, comes fish, sometimes cooked, but usually raw It requires considerable courage for the foreigner to essay these red, raw slices of fish, though the native deems them one of the indispensable items of every wellordered meal. Two bowls of coup of different kinds are always furnished with not

only dinner, but breakfast and supper as well. Here, as in all other native dishes, no s-xlt or pepper is used. Pickles, sweet bean paste, eggs (raw and cooked), soy (a native eauce), cakes, stewed bamboo root, and half a dozen other dishes, the contents of which my cuisine knowledge was not able to fathom, made *ip the usual native menu. There is no particular rule as to the order in which these viands shall be consumed, though rice, which forms the principal motif of the repast, the other dishes .nerely being accessories and taken is side issues, is eaten more or less constantly from the beginning to the end of the meal. Tea is never taken with meals, the liquid being supplied in the generous supply of soup or cake.

Everything considered, the foreigner finds lift a Ja Japanese fair from an ideal existence. What with the strange tasting food, the .hard, lowly couch, the beheading block of a pillow, the absence of ohaxrs and other furniture, the little pill-box of a charcoal stove scarcely affording.' sufficient heat to warm one's shoeless feet — in short-,, with all the comforts oi home entirely/lacking, one's wavering en* thusiasm of mative fife is sure to finally end in a positive declaration for the less picturesque, but more satisfactory, manner of Western civilisation. — Nikko, the Magnificent. — ~ "■The last plaoe- we visited in Japan was Nikko, the magnificent. Here Japanese art and architecture finds its highest expression, which, when combined with the glory of Nature in her most , amiable mood, renders Nikko the beloved, of not only tbe whole Japanese nation, but ot every tourist who visits it as well. Here, in the midst of lakes, mountain rivulets 'and rille, stand two of the most famous examples of Japanese iomb — temples — .the ornate mausolea of the illustrious Shogun leyasu, founder of the Tokugawa dynasty, and of his scafrcely less-renowned grandeon, lemitsu.

Nikko lies .about 2000 ft above sea level, and is one of the most delightful summer refxxrts in all Japan. Here are located many of the villas of both the native and foreign residents of the larger^ cities, and during tfee hot season Nikko is the soane of much gaiety and fashion. The walks round about this famous resort are most delightful, the trip to the near-by Lake Chuzenji mos picturesque. Especially are those giant aryptennerias, for which Nikko is famed, most interesting and impressive. These great monarchi of the forest stand only second in size and age, I believe, to - the big trees of California, and as one walks among them as they tower above and along the approach to- tho tombs of Nikko's famous dead, one seldom fails to catch the spirit ot veneration and majesty which they breathe forth. I

Though Nature has been -wonderfully lavish, in. th© distribution, of her charms in' the Miyanoshita district, and - though th« snow-capped amid f.acred Puj- may be viewed bene in a - Viarietv of moods and settings, still Nikko will always remain to me omie"of the most solemnly grand and glorious *pots in all the- kingdom ot Japan. i — The Religion of Japan. —

The religious, mental and moral philosophy and thought of Japan may be embraced under the titles of Buddhism, Confucianism., and Shintoidm. Both Buddhism and Confucianism found their way into the /jountiry from China, and while somewhat " modified by local influences, they nevertheless still remain substantially the earne as originally promulgated.

Shintoism is indigenous to tihe Mikado's empire, and whether considered merely as a Qode of ethics or a deeper religious system, may be regarded, previous to. the influence of outside nations, as the only purely original moral cr spiritual expression of the Japanese people.

Of the countless temples and shrines one observes in Japan one finds their number to be about equally divided between those devoted to the worship -ol Buddha and those dedicated to the more subtle 'teachings of Shintoism. These temples all present the general neculiarities of Japanese ecclesiastical architecture, whether belonging to the ore «ect or to tils other. . They vary in size from the tiny little shrines one sees alon^'the roadside, in the rice fields, or bordering some mountain path tc 'those considerable structures noted in the wooded suburbs, of the cities and larger towns. • As we are accustomed to estimatie temples, these Japanese structure.' fail to 'measure up in massiveneßS and embellishment to the church or cathedral architecture of tbe Western world. They a»e simply open sheds with their peculiar sloning roofs and projecting eaves protecting some centrally-located altar or shrine. The beauty of th-e Japan-see holy places is not in the •buildings themselves as much as it is ir> the immediate environs, for tlie choicest spots of Nature are invariably set apftrt and dedicated as a site for foroe Shinto oi Buddhist temple. Indeed, both system* go hand in hand in Japan, amd not infrequently t!ie two sects mar have their t^mp'es looated side by pids. an arrangement r.ot without it? conveniences, for m.mv Japanese are both Buddhd.«t nnd Shintiist-s at the same time. Nor Ls this n.t all incmsipt?.rit. .for while Buddhism Ls essentially spiritual in 'tis iMchmirs Shin-towm appeals more part.icukrlv Id t.'ve patriotic, aesthetic, and to the veneration and Jove of ancestor:;. Sony? writer has wudi :^ "Thuddhists they are by virtue of belief ; Shizrtoists 'by virtue of b«ing. "

— The Shinto Temples.—

A Shinto temple may always be recognised by the presence of one or more torii. These torii are forms of arch-2S of standard construction, arc l are always placed over the path or flight of ?teps leading to the temple. They are seen together with curiously caived stone lanterns throughout the length and breadth of the whole of Japan. They vary in size from the little arch of bamboo erected in front of a tiny rural shrine located in the dooryards or rice fields

to those massive granite torii seen in great numbers over the .approaches to the more pretentious temples of the country. A pure Shintc toiii is formed of two plain stone or wooden posts pla.ntet? in the ground and inclining slightly 'toward the centre. They may be square or , round, and may vary in height according ] to the size and importance of the temple to which they belong from sft, to 40ft or 50ft. Across the top of these pillars c beam extends made of the same material as the posts. The ends of this hori7xjn'tal beam project several feet beyond the upright posts. A second cross beam is now morticed into the - pillars several feet below tbt topmost beam, and is held in position toy wed|g«3 placed in the mortises and resting upon the npper part of the beam. This second horizontal beam often also extends beyond the uprights, though not- according to the pure -Shanto pattern. The torii are invariably placed over the approach to the temple, and are often repeated at intervals during, the .whole- length of the jwth, flight of ..steps, or- road, as the case maybe, tfhat finally leads to the central shrane. Sometimes the torii are located half or even a- mile a-way ifrom the temple, which may not even be in eight, * but if one follows a path overarched Jby thes© .Shinto emblems, and, most likely," striking off ta\car<MKHnei shady nook or pic£ures<£ue spot, he may rest assured it will finally j bring him to some. Shinto shrine, how- ! over small arid simple it may be. Inj deed, a pure Shinto temple" is usually an exceedingly plain structure. — Form of Shintc Worship. — Without idols or trappings of my" kind, say a few strips of paper folded iv a oertaiin way to represent the Shinto spirit, and poasiibly a "'mirror hanging near the shrine, it possesses nothing to especially indicate- its uses. The form of worship consists of washing the hands or face with holy water, then ring a small bell or gong to attract the unseen deities' attenj tian, or it may .be mer^y clap'pinig the I hands ; of easting a coin in a n«ar-by box j as an offering, 1 of standing with clasped I hands during a short prayer, amd tfier ( finally making a faTewell bow The whole process -of» th-eee • Shdnto devotions does not as a rule occupy more than two or three minutes of the worshipper* time. Shdnto forms and ceremonies are the simplest of all the religions of /Hog East. Few priests are -seen ' around ' a "Shinto temiple. Indeed, ir n*an> cassis few *novr exist, the laymen officiating at those special festivals, and functions where such , services are required-. " I The word Shinto means "the way of ktihe Gods," but its pveiSbrAs 'and teachings are not considered by many coclesi- , astdcal ©fcudenis to come under the head >of religions' at all,, merely, forming a basis i tor a cult, or sysiem of ancestor andI Nature warship. . According to these j students it does not *vem cpjxstitut© phfl- , osophy or a code of ethics. In it heroes, J emperors, family .aroestons, and. all the I phases and forces )f Kiature play an imj portant part. It possesses no dogmas, no tenets, and praioticaUy imposes no obligations — "obey the emperor and fol-,, Icew your natural "impulses" bein^r its most j binding injunction. Of its adherent it exacts but few requirements^- worship at certain temples on stated days is expected, but ev«n that may, be .largely a matter of personal convenience. — Horn's Summary ctf Shantoasm.--Lafcadio Heain, with bis somewhat lofty conception of all things Japanese, thus Bumanari9es SninAoism":' "Shinto signifies choracte. in the highest sense — courage, honour, and, above al' things, loyalty. nhe spirit of Shinto., is the spirit of filial piety, the zest of duty, tie readiness to surrender life for t> principle. ' It is the docility of the child ; it is the sweetness of the Japanese woman. It is religion, but religion transmuted into hereditary moral Impulse — religion transmuted into ethical instinct. » It is the whole emotional life of the race — -the -oul of Japan." With tihe great ignorant masses of Japan Shintoismf is" still regarded in the light of Divine origin, but before the 5 forces of education and enlightenment this flimsy "of/ ethics, or religion — call it wiha£ f .v<j'a wtll— is fast losing ground. This Is a!eo true of .Buddhism and Confucianimx. The' edi<cated Japanese people of to-day fail io, manifest much interest in the eftabl&hed naligion of Japan. - If they occasionally still visit the -temples and go- tlrrough the perfunctory service at ill it is usually misrely done to retain the support ojF the ignorant masses in the i shape" of politicail preferment or business ' prestige. — The Christian Missionaries. — Finilly tht unremittime: toil of the perj F.everinjr and devoted missionary band n i their labours to teach the Japanese people | to substitute for . th.3 "way of the gods" the way of the on 1 - true god, has done I much tnwards this disestablishment of not only Shintoism. but Buddhism and Confucianism as well. "Rliat th« miasicji c J?pan shall be — its hopes, its aims,* its fears, its position ! in the comity of nations, and the part it is too pay in the future history of the world — time alone can tell. That Japan lias made wonderful progress along the lines of education and civilisation dm-ing the last thres decades cannot be gainsaid, but that she has still much to learn along I throse ' linf ? is equally true. That pood J r/en°e and judgment may steer her clear of tlje .ivickss and Ehoals on her way to complete modern civilisation is sincerely to be hoped, and that her. own 'confidence, . I in ncr own prowess and power 'may not [ lead her to act© -of rashness and ruin is • i a consummation devoutly io be- wished. J j Dai Nip oo n Banzai. | Once again the ship's bells and the involution of the propeller grow to be familiar rounds as we tpeed across the | Pacific on our final voyaue around .the world. On -the tenth day from Yokohamr we

' sight the shores of the Sandwich Islands. Trhere,. after a short .stay amid the beauties of this, Paradise of ihe Pacific, w« again take up the -outina programme oi life abcaid the ship. At the end of sis days from Honolulu we catch, with hearts tumiiltuously a-throb, t ,-rlimpse of th« J Golden Gkite —an appellation befitting ; alike to the portale of heaven, and t< the

entrance of God's country