MARVELLOUS JAPAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 3, 28 June 1911, Page 7

MARVELLOUS JAPAN.

A VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS. Writing to a Wellington citizen, a New Zenkmder now touring the Land of the Rising Sun says: —"It is a marvellous place, this Japan. In its general geographical features it is very like New Zealand, lint is very closely cultivated and chock ifnll of people. It is not at all surprising that they should want an opening for their surplus population. The whole country is int.cn.selv cultivated bv hand, and there is not a fence about, except immediately around the dwellings (they occupy too much land, so are. done awav with). The land is held in very small holdings—-it is sold by t.Mibo (Oft bv Oft.), and m ciirefully irrigated. The agricultural lands are. sold at the rate of about one to two yen per tsubo (about £3OO to .CGOfl per acre), so you can well imagine why the holdings are [ small. Thev are a. very industrious and j good natnred crowd, and there is no difli-, culty in travelling amongst them, even in out-of-the-way places. . . . Japan is full oi visitors. In this hotel there are about SO visitors, representing about 10 or 12 nationalities. There is vorv tine scenery, but you have to travel for it, just as you do in oilier countries. I may be parochial, but I do not think that it is better than the New Zealand scenery. Tint, of course, there are manv more facilities for travelling here, and vou can see everything in comfort, which really does not. add to its attractions. There are many amusing situations in the domestic 'relations of Japanese houses, and their ideas of privacy and propriety are of the. luo-t simple character. Their politeness is carried to an extra ordinary degree, and it is not unusual to be asked "if vour honorable luggage is to be brought to vour august room."