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More Queer Things about
Japan
I. JAPAN FROM A WOMAN'S POINT OF
VIEW, BY NORMA LORIMER.
II. THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS FROM
JAPAN, 1611-1617, REPRINTED BY
SPECIAL PERMISSION FROM THE PAPERS
OF THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY.
III. A LIFE OF NAPOLEON, WRITTEN AND
ILLUSTRATED BY JAPANESE IN THE
FIRST HALF OF THE NINETEENTH
CENTURY, SPECIALLY TRANSLATED FOR
THIS BOOK.
IV. JAPAN FROM A MAN's POINT OF VIEW,
BY DOUGLAS SLADEN, M.J.S.
The famous Letters of Will Adams, for
many years out of print, give the earliest
account of Japan written in English. They
are reprinted by special permission fi-om
the papers of the Hakluyt Society, whose
Secretaiy, Mr Basil H. Soulsby, of the Map
Department of the British Museum, has,
with great kindness, identified the names of
places left unidentified by Mr Rundle and
Sir E. Maunde Thompson in the Hakluyt
editions of Will Adams's Letters and the
Diary of Richard Cock, Cape Merchant in
the English Factory in Japan, 1 615-1 622
More Queer Things
about Japan
By
Douglas Sladen and Norma Lorimer
To which are added
" The Letters of Will Adams," written
from Japan, 1 6 1 1 - 1 6 1 7, reprinted by-
special permission from the papers of
the Hakluyt Society; and "A Life of
Napoleon," written and illustrated by
Japanese in the first half of the Nine-
teenth Century
IVifk Frontispiece and Four Dojible-page Illustrations in Colour ; End
Papers and Ten Double-page Illustrations by the Celebrated HOKUSAl
and Fourteen other Double-page Illustrations by Japanese Artists
London
Anthony Treherne & Co., Ltd.
3 Agar Street, Strand, W.C.
1904
Contents
PART I.
JAPAN FROM A WOMAN'S POINT OF VIEW
By Norma Lorimer
CHAP. PAGE
1. HOW EUROPEANS LIVE IN JAPAN .... 3
2. CHILDHOOD IN JAPAN . . . • • • I I
3. MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE . . . 19
4. THE JAPANESE HUSBAND FROM A WOMAN's POINT OF
VIEW ....•••• 28
5. A JAPANESE woman's LIFE DAY BY DAY . . 3^
6. HOUSEKEEPING IN JAPAN ..... 42
7. JAPANESE DOMESTICS ...••• 49
8. DINNERS IN JAPAN 57
9. CLOTHES IN JAPAN ...... 05
10. SHOPPING IN JAPAN ....•• 74
11. THE JAPANESE LABOURING CLASSES . . . 80
1 2. LIE-EUROPEANS : WHAT THE JAPANESE MEAN BY
HONOUR ........ 89
13. THEATRE-GOING IN JAPAN ..... 97
14. JAPAN FROM A RIKSHA ..... IO5
15. TEMPLE-GOING IN JAPAN . . . . . II3
16. KEEPING THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT IN JAPAN . 121
CONTENTS
PART II.
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON, WITH
LIVES OF PETER THE GREAT, ALEXANDER
THE GREAT, AND ARISTOTLE, AND NOTES
ON FRANCE AND GREECE
Written by a Japanese in the First Half of the
Nineteenth Century, and Translated by
YosHio Markeno
CHAP. PAGE
INTRODUCTION, WITH NOTES BY THE JAPANESE
AUTHOR, BY YOSHIO MARKINO, AND BY DOUGLAS
SLADEN . . . . . . . .135
1. A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON . . . I43
2. CONTINUATION OF THE SAME . . . . 1 52
3. NOTES ON THE STATE OF FRANCE IN THE
NAPOLEONIC EPOCH . . . . . . I76
4. A JAPANESE HISTORY OF PETER THE GREAT . . 18O
5. A JAPANESE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT,
WITH NOTES ON ARISTOTLE . . . . I92
6. NOTES ON GREECE IN THE NAPOLEONIC EPOCH . 200
PART III.
THE ORIGINAL LETTERS OF THE ENGLISH
PILOT, WILLIAM ADAMS
Written from Japan between A.D. 1611 and 1617: Reprinted by
special permission from the papers of the Hakluyt Society
PAGE
INTRODUCTION ........ 2O9
LETTER I. . . . . . . . . .213
LETTER II. ........ 234
LETTER III. ........ 245
vi
CONTENTS
LETIER IV., WITH INTRODUCTION AND THE NARRATIVE
OF CAPTAIN SARIS ...... 254
APPENDIX TO LETTER IV. ..... . 294
LETTER v., AND OBSERVATIONS ..... 298
LETTER VI., AND CONCLUSION ..... 306
PART IV.
JAPAN FROM A MAN'S POINT OF VIEW
By Douglas Sladen
CHAP, PA6B
1. the army and the family IN JAPAN . . 318
2. JAPAN, THE ITALY OF THE EAST .... 34O
3. TRAVELLING IN JAPAN . . . . . .354
4. TOPSY-TURVY TOKYO ...... 368
5. HOW THE JAPANESE SPENDS HIS HOLIDAYS . . 38 1
6. SHOPS A JOB-LINE IN JAPAN. .... 395
7. THE CHEERFUL LOT OF THE JAPANESE WOMEN . 4O8
8. THE JAPANESE GIRL ...... 422
9. JAPANESE DOMESTIC JOYS FOR ENGLAND . . 434
10. A BIRdVeYE VIEW OF JAPAN .... 438
11. THE DARLING OF THE GODS ..... 44/
APPENDIX
THE YOSHIWAKA FROM WITHIN .
457
Vll
List of Illustrations
Coloured Pictures
Frontispiece — a .tapankse palace of the olden tlme (for
THE CONSIDERATION OF THOSE WHO SAW *' THE DARLING
OF THE gods").
THE BOYS FESTIVAL ......
THE CASTLE OF TOKYO, FOUNDED IN THE TIME OF
WILL ADAMS ......
KAMO RIVER .......
THE INTERIOR OF A THEATRE ....
TO BACK OM
PAGES
18-19
208-209
340-341
98-99
Illustratio7is to the Jcqjanese Life of Ncvpoleoji
THE CORONATION OF NAPOLEON AT PARIS
DRILL ON THE RHINE ....
THE MARRIAGE OF NAPOLEON AND JOSEPHINE
NAPOLEON GOING TO BE KILLED BY ASSASSINS
NAPOLEON BURNING THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR
NAPOLEON''s ATl'ACK ON MOSCOW
ENGLISH SOLDIERS GUARDING NAPOLEON AT ST
HELENA ......
8. NAP0LE0N''s funeral at PARIS
16O-161
138-139
148-149
152-153
158-159
166-167
I 70-1 7 I
174-175
Illustration to the Japanese Life of
Peter the Great
CHARLES XII. OF SWEDEN PURSUED BY PETER THE
GREAT .......
I9O-I9I
ix
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Illustration to the Japanese Life of
Alexander the Great
DIOGENES REBUKING ALEXANDER THE GREAT FOR
GErriNG BETWEEN HIM AND THE SUN
Hokusai Illustrations
9-
lO.
JAPAN : VIEW OF FUJISAWA AND YOSHIWARA .
THE MEETING OF TWO SERVANTS : VIEW OF ISHI
GAKUCHI .......
KIKUSHI : A RIKSHA BOYs'' TEAHOUSE
OISO AND HIRATSUKA .....
THE ENTRANCE TO A TEMPLE : VIEW OF YOKA-
ICHI AND KUWANA .....
MISHIMA .......
TRAVELLING IN JAPAN IN WILL ADAMs's DAY :
VIEWS OF TOTSUKA AND HOSOGAYO
SAMURAI IN THE OLDEN TIME : VIEW OF
TOYAMA .......
HOKUSAfs FUJI-SAN .....
YEDO ........
TO BACK ON
PAGES
194-195
xl-i
54-55
58-59
86-87
114-115
256-257
280-281
322-323
364-365
368-369
Other Illustrations
1. A JAPANESE HUSBAND OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS 34-35
2. BEHIND THE SHOJI ..... 4O-4I
3. A LOVER AND HIS LASS IN JAPAN . . . IO4-IO5
4. A LADY OF THE YOSHIWARA .... 458-459
THE END PAPERS, REPRESENTING MOUNT FUJIYAMA SEEN THROUGH
A BAMBOO BRAKE, ARE BY HOKUSAI.
MRS MULLER AND MRS KEEFER
OF THE MILL HOUSE, COOKHAM,
MUTUAL FRIENDS OF THE AUTHORS
AND FELLOW-FARERS IN JAPAN
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED
Prefa
ce
"All the Athenians and strangers which were
there, spent their time in nothing else but either
to hear or to tell some new thing," says St Paul.
The pubUc of to-day (and probably of every other
day) shares their craving for something fresh ; and
if, as the preacher said, there is nothing new under
the sun, it must be given something which has
passed out of memory. Mindful of this, when
I was invited to follow up Queer Things about
Japan with More Queer Things about Japan, I
was afraid of wearying my public if I simply tried
to give them more in the same vein. So I cast
about for the something fresh, which is the chief
element in human interest, and have four new
dishes to offer for piquing jaded appetites.
First I put the sixteen chapters written by Miss
Norma Lorimer, the author of those admirable
books. By the Waters of Sicily, Catherine Sterling,
Josiah\s Wife, and Mirry Ann. She was our com-
panion everywhere in our long sojourn in Japan,
Xlll
PREFACE
and those who are famihar with her novels are
aware how fresh is her standpoint of observation,
how truly she hits the nail upon the head, how wise,
witty, and tender she can be by turns. I naturally
give her writing the pride of place in the book.
My second fi-esh item is of a most unusual
character— a History of the great Napoleon, written
by a Japanese in the first half of the nineteenth
century. It is the more astonishing when we
reflect that at the time it was written Japan had
been closed to all intercourse with Europeans for
about a couple of centuries, and had not the slightest
suspicion that, within another decade or two, it
would be opened to the world by the guns of an
irresistible fleet, and start into rivalry with the
nations of the West, after shaking off" the dust
of Middle Ages which extended past the memory
of man. I came upon the Japanese original upon
one rainy morning in Kyoto, when I was turning
over the stock of a secondhand bookseller in search
of old illustrated books. I recognised Napoleon's
portrait in the picture of his coronation, bought
the book, and got a Japanese friend, who spoke
English, to write down the subjects of the various
pictures, and the names of the personages depicted
in them. There I let the matter rest until a
few months ago, when I had the present transla-
tion made by the well-known Yoshio Markino.
Attached to the life of Napoleon are shorter lives
xiv
PREFACE
of Alexander the Great and Peter the Great, and
the whole are illustrated with pictures drawn for
the original by a Japanese artist. It is easy to trace
some of the likenesses. The book undoubtedly
came from a Dutch source, because in it modern
Holland is compared to ancient Greece. But it has
been thoroughly metamorphosed by the Japanese
who wrote and illustrated it. A glance at the
pictures will show this, and in the very first line
of the writing Napoleon is described as "the
Pretender-Mikado of France in Europe." From
this wonderful farrago we learn that on the first
of the eighth month of the Sheep of Kwansei,
Nelson of England came to Alexandria with many
warships and fought the French fleet at Aboukir,
and all men and boats were entirely destroyed ;
that Napoleon besieged Jaffa in the twelfth year
of the Monkey of Kwansei, and in the thirteenth
year of the Tiger of Kwansei, which seems to be
1799, Napoleon changed all the system of govern-
ment ; that he held a council at Dijon in the fifth
month of the first year of the Chicken of Kyowa,
and in the third year of the Wild Boar of Kyowa
went to Lyons and destroyed the Saint Alpin
party ; that on the fifteenth of the third month
of the Ox of Bunkwa he burnt the British
ambassador, whom the Japanese historian identi-
fied with the Due d'Enghien. Summing up the
great Napoleon, the Japanese historian sententiously
XV
PREFACE
observes, " Perhaps he was the greatest hero ever
known in the Western countries ; but if you com-
pare him to the heroes in our own (Japanese) history,
their deeds and morals are as wide apart as the pig
and the Hon. However, if you have time to idle
by your fireside in winter evenings, it may be
worth your while to read this history of Western
heroes."
My third fresh item is one of undying interest —
a reprint of the famous letters written from Japan
by Will Adams, the Kentish pilot cast away on
the Japanese coast in the reign of Elizabeth.
Allusions to and quotations from these letters
abound in almost every book which has been
written on Japan, since they were transcribed for
publication in the papers of the Hakluyt Society,
from the manuscript in the British Museum, by Mr
Thomas Rundle, more than half a century ago,
before, it should be noted, the reopening of Japan
by Commodore Perry. The authorities of the
Hakluyt Society have very generously given me
permission to reprint verbatim their edition of the
letters, which has been out of print for many years.
This has been the sole version ever published in
English, with the exception of a paper-bound
reprint made in the Japan Gazette office, quarter
of a century ago. Those who are interested in
Japan, and forming libraries of the classical works
upon Japan, will, I am sure, be grateful to know
xvi
PREFACE
that by the Hberality of the Hakhiyt Society these
letters are again purchasable by the public.
They have an added feature of value which they
never possessed before, Mr Basil H. Soulsby,
the Secretary of the Society, having elucidated
the misspelt Japanese names, which had hitherto
defied identification. His notes are signed B. H. S.
Many other names had been identified by Sir
Edward Maunde Thompson, the Head of the
British Museum, in another Hakluyt publication,
The Diary of Captain Richard Cock, who was
sometime Cape merchant in Japan ; and I have
myself identified a few, such as Mcaco, which
JNIaunde Thompson had queried to be Osaka, but
which undoubtedly is the neighbouring city of
Kyoto, formerly called JMiyako, a name familiar
to foreigners in the ^liyako-Odori — the famous
Cherry-Blossom Dance. I am under the greatest
obligation to Mr Soulsby for the help he has
given me in preparing this work.
Similar thanks I have to give to Mr Albert
Edward Brice, the Librarian and Assistant Secretary
of the Japan Society, who has been most kind in
placing his own information and the resources of
the Society's library at my disposal.
My fourth fresh item is of an altogether different
character. Want of personal knowledge had pre-
vented me writing, in my previous books about
Japan, on the Yoshiwara of Tokyo, and similar
PREFACE
institutions in which prostitution is recognised by
the state. But I have recently come into pos-
session of a book translated into English by a
Japanese, which throws a great deal of light upon
the way in which the ordinary Japanese regard
the subject, a point of view entirely differing from
that accepted in England. I have reprinted his
descriptions of " the Yoshiwara from within," and
compared them with the observations of three of
the ablest and most independent-minded of English
writers upon Japan — Mr Basil Hall Chamberlain,
Mr Osman Edwards, and Mr Delmar. This
chapter has been printed in an Appendix on a
separate sheet, so that those who wish can have it
omitted from their copies. As there is nothing
else of this nature in the book, I recognise that
there are some people who would prefer to have
it omitted from their copies.
The end papers and ten of the illustrations are
by the famous Hokusai. I cannot give the names
of the other native artists who executed the
illustrations in the book.
Brandwood Cottage,
Tenby, South WaleSj
Sept. 24, 1904.
XVlll
Introduction
PART I
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
The strangest thing of all is, that they have upset
the course of history.
It used to be said that history repeats itself, and
one of the oftenest repeated lessons of history is the
superiority of Europeans to Asiatics in the arts of
war and peace. Not once or twice in our rough
island story a few valiant Englishmen had routed
ten times the number of Asiatics by military skill
and discipline. Russia was rightly deemed one of
the greatest military powers in Europe, but the
Japanese have proved themselves superior to the
Russians in every point — in courage, discipline,
strategy, and the civilisation of their methods of
warfare. In fact, they have conducted the whole
war so grandly that even if they are beaten they
will fill one of the most splendid pages in history,
as having conducted a great war in the finest
INTRODUCTION
possible way. They have been so brave and mag-
nanimous. They have played the game as finely as
it was ever played in history. They have — as a
Japanese writer observed the other day, when he
was pointing out the true meaning of the Yellow
Peril — white hearts under a yellow skin.
I must confess that when I was in Japan I
formed a completely erroneous estimate of the
Japanese. I regarded them as a nation at play.
I thought the contemptuous Chinese name for them
— Lie-Europeans — appropriate. They struck me as
a nation of imitators — of imitators in a superficial
way. I noticed that while the Japanese dude
went about dressed in feeble imitations of the
European costume, the Japanese tailor could secure
no more than a superficial resemblance to European
models, and that his materials were invariably
shoddy ; whereas the Chinese tailor, who dressed
himself in apple-green and lavender satins, made
something like pyjamas, and wore slippers of
brocade with padded soles, bought his tweeds from
the best Scotch houses, and imitated every garment
that was submitted to him, down to the very
patches.
I saw, of course, that the Japanese had the Italian's
facility for taking up engineering novelties, such as
the electric light and telephones, and that they had
the Italian's manual skill and industry in construct-
ing great engineering works like viaducts and
XX
INTRODUCTION
tunnels and canals, and perhaps I gav^e them due
credit for that ; but when I saw Japanese in what
looked like the uniform of the British Navy, puffing
about in little white men-of-war built by Arm-
strong, I regarded it as mere parade, and I suppose
I attached even less importance to the Japanese
Tommies, five feet high, who were marched and
countermarched in Italian uniforms by German
instructors up and down the dusty squares of
Tokyo. I thought of the contemptuous criticism
passed by a fat German on the Italian army —
" civilians in cloaks ! "
Japan was to me Sir Rutherford Alcock's " para-
dise of children,*' and in no respects more so than
in its army and navy. The British merchants of
Yokohama were never tired of telling you how
the Japanese had been dispersed at Shimonoseki by
a taste of cold steel. This must be absolutely
false : recent events have proved that in their
contempt for death in charging the Japanese have
no superiors in the world. I laugh now when I
think of what a lot of venerable myths we hoarded
up ; but I do not laugh, I almost shed tears of
respect and sympathy, when I remember that ever
since I have known the Japanese up to the begin-
ning of the present war they have possessed their
souls in patience, content to be branded as a toy
nation — almost as a nation of cowards — until, as
Minerva sprang fully armed out of the head of
xxi
INTRODUCTION
Jupiter, they leapt upon the astonished Russians, a
nation armed cap-a-pie, a type of martial wisdom.
I observed just now that the Japanese had forced
history to cease repeating itself. They have in-
verted history. We have the struggle between the
Greeks and Persians reversed. Once more a smaller
nation is holding up the torch of civilisation against
the forces of a huge barbarian empire of the
Asiatic mainland — but this time the barbarians are
of Europe ; civilisation is guarded by the hands of
Asiatic islanders. The Japanese are fighting their
Marathon, their Salamis, their day of Himera — the
Russians are playing the role of Xerxes the Persian
and the elder Hamilcar of Carthage.
More queer things about Japan come to light
every day. Though I am credibly informed that
there are a large number of Christians fighting in
the Mikado's army and navy, and that they make
it a point of honour — of loyalty to their faith — not
to be surpassed by their heathen brethren in energy
and contempt of death, the war is carried on under
the segis of the ancient gods who guided Japan to
victory in the days when Kubla Khan had his
vast invading armies swallowed up like the men of
Pharaoh in the Red Sea. Japan has two religions,
the Buddhist and the Shinto, and most Japanese
belong to both. The state religion is Shinto,
which is hardly a religion so much as a political
and moral system. Japan is the real religion of the
xxii
INTRODUCTION
Japanese. Loyalty to the Emperor, personifying
Japan, is its first rule of life ; and its second is to
preserve the family name from dishonour, which
entails an obedience to one's parents only less
absolute than the obedience to one's Emperor.
Of rites, Shinto has hardly any beyond a daily
offering of fresh food and flowers to one's house-
hold gods ; but the Shinto funeral rites, which have
been revived to do honour to the heroes of the
war, are more impressive. They had well-nigh
been forgotten. In a land where the poor are
never warm beyond the tips of their fingers in
winter, and have to live in houses draughty enough
to carry off the fumes of charcoal ; in a land where
wages are often under sixpence a day, the promise
of a future hfe was almost a grim pleasantry. The
Buddhist Nirvana came as a boon and a blessing to
men : people who had lived good Shintoists died
good Buddhists. Shinto gave the promise of a sort
of immortality which might have been peculiarly
unwelcome. The soul, though separated from its
corruptible body, like John Brown's, went marching
along in its accustomed groove. So convinced is
the good Shintoist of the presence of spirits — kami
— that the Japanese positively rejoiced in the death
of the heroic Captain Hirose. The good Shintoist
believes that a man can go on fighting for his
country after he is dead. The Boers, who were
regarded as the most up-to-date fighters till the
xxiii
INTRODUCTION
present war began, were firm believers in the
adage —
"He who fights and runs away.
Lives to fight another day."
The thought of la gloire never entered into
their heads. The moment that they could no longer
fight at an advantage, they retreated. If one of
their defeated generals had died to make a reputa-
tion, they would have considered his behaviour
unpatriotic — that his duty was to save himself
for his country. And not being of the Shinto
religion, they were right. But take the case of
Captain Hirose of the Japanese Navy to see what
the Japanese think about it. After their great
admirals, Hirose was about the most useful man
in their navy. He spoke Russian so fluently and
knew Russia so well that he had no equal in getting
information and anticipating Russian moves. If a
spy was wanted, he would have been the ideal man.
He was, besides, a most brilliant and heroic sailor.
It was he who headed the forlorn hope which cut
the booms at Wei-ha-wei to enable the Japanese
to get at the Chinese fleet, and it was he who
headed the most successful attempt to bottle up
Port Arthur. When he had accomplished this,
although the Russian fire was terrific, he refused to
retreat because he could not find his blood-brother.
His own and other valuable lives were sacrificed.
To us the loss of such a man would seem as great
xxiv
INTRODUCTION
as the loss of a battleship. He was simply
irreplaceable. To us, the one thing useful about
such a death was the glorious example of heroism
he set to the Japanese Navy. To the Shintoist
there was no loss about it. To him the kami or
spirit of Captain Hirose is still fighting for Japan,
able to divert a torpedo from a Japanese ship, or
into a Russian ship. Yet though the Japanese
were glad when he died, because they thought that
his spirit could do more for them if it was freed
from his body, they paid their homage to his
heroism with the most splendid Shinto funeral
ever celebrated in Japan. It was a strange
spectacle — only a tiny bit of his body had been
saved when a Russian shell blew him to pieces.
The whole pageant, five miles long, was organised
for the urn which contained this. The hero of one
of the most brilliant episodes in modern warfare,
as accomplished a naval officer as could have been
found in the world, was burned with the rites of a
heathen creed — rites which had been ordained
before the Parthenon was built at Athens, and
practised ever since. And one of the chief
mourners at this heathen burial was the great
Enghsh soldier who won two of the most important
battles in the Boer War, who shook the Boers off
Ladysmith in the final battle of Waggon Hill, and
conquered Pretoria on the Diamond Hills.
Just as the Pope canonises saints, the Mikado
XXV
INTRODUCTION
deifies the kami of those who have deserved well
of their country. There are not less than eight
millions of these " gods " by royal warrant in the
Shinto Pantheon, ranging from the inventor of an
alphabet to a conquering general. The Shintoist
believes that all the spirits of one's ancestors are
still on the earth, that one is surrounded by them
like the atmosphere, and that they take notice of
everything one does, and can help or impede one.
To the good kami he makes offerings of gratitude
and respect, and the crooked gods he tries not
to offend, in the modes universal with primi-
tive man.
The Japanese have broken all records for valour.
We have history of a kind, some of it, it is true,
written upon bricks, going back for thousands of
years ; and in a good deal of it the fighting men
were very careless about other people's lives ; but
for carelessness about theu* own lives the soldiers
of Japan have never had a parallel. The Japanese
have a saying that you do not defeat an enemy
by killing his soldiers, but by frightening them.
So long as they go on being killed they are win-
ning ; it is when they refuse to be killed any
longer that they lose. And this never happens
to the Japanese soldier, who regards dying for
his country as a crown of martyrdom.
XXVI
INTRODUCTION
PART II
ON THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
In previous books on Japan I have perforce alluded
much to Will Adams, one of those Elizabethan navi-
gators who have stamped their name imperishably
on the geographies of the world.
The Age of Great Elizabeth was strangely like
our own. Then, as now, there was a cautious
Cecil at the wheel, Lord Burghley — a Lord Salisbury
anticipated by three centuries. Then, as now,
England was rich in gallant gentlemen to whom
fighting, exploring, and sport were as the breath
of their nostrils ; men who in their private life
would sooner die than submit to an insult ; men
whose word was their fist and their fist their word
at school — the choice breed of the English school-
boy code of honour which is famous the world over.
These men waited for their Cecil to speak to Spain
as we have waited in vain for our Cecils to speak
to Russia. He did not speak, and Spain in the
fulness of time launched her soi-disant Invincible
Armada. England, which has only had five states-
men since the Middle Ages — Cromwell, Chatham,
Palmerston, Beaconsfield, and one happily still with
us — survived the pusillanimity of Burghley, who
wished for peace while he did not prepare for war.
But there was no need for her to pass through
xxvii
INTRODUCTION
any peril. This was thanks to the mighty men
who, on the high seas and far seas, did all their
Government dared to let them do — a Drake, a
Raleigh, a Grenville, a Gilbert, a Frobisher, a
Hudson, a Cavendish, and a Hawkins.
Will Adams, the man of Kent, cast away on the
coasts of Japan at the end of the Elizabethan
century, had no chance of playing the great game
like these, but for long years, Hke many a castaway
Englishman after him, wrought and comported
himself in such a way that in him all Englishmen
were honoured by antipodean men.
When Will fell on Japan, the country was ruled
by one of the world's masters, the mighty lyeyasu,
who founded the Tokugawa dynasty, which gave
Japan a pax Romana after two thousand years of
internecine war. It is lovely to read about the
equity and generosity of the conqueror. He
played the game as the rulers of Japan have
played it in our own day.
Mr Thomas Rundle, who enriched literature
with the letters of Will Adams in a long out-of-
print volume, which he transcribed from the British
Museum for the Hakluyt Society, says in his
admirable preface, written several years before
Japan was reopened to the world: —
" In the early intercourse which existed between
the empire and the states of the West, the Govern-
ment of Japan is exhibited in a most favourable
xxviii
INTRODUCTION
*' light. It was distinguished at that period by
high-bred courtesy, combined with refined hberality
in principle and generous hospitality in practice.
Without any reservation in regard to circumstances,
rank or calling, or nation, the hand of good-
fellowship was then cordially extended to the
stranger. In the instance of a governor of the
Philippines, although shipwrecked and destitute,
the claims of rank were admitted. He was received
with the honours due to a prince ; while he sojourned
in the land similar honours were paid him, and to
facilitate his departure he was furnished with all
the means generosity could dictate. The lowly-
born William Adams, when cast in wretchedness
on the shores of Japan, was not, indeed, received
as a prince ; yet this man, commencing life in the
capacity of 'apprentice to Master Diggines, of
Limehouse,' eventually attained rank and acquired
possessions in the empire equal to those of a prince.
With no claims to consideration but talent and
good conduct, he became the esteemed councillor
of the sagacious and powerful monarch by whom
the land that had afforded him shelter was ruled. In
the course of his career, this man of humble origin
appears as the negotiator between the sovereign
of his native country and the foreign sovereign by
whom he was patronised, and in that capacity
securing for his countrymen important advantages
and privileges. Merchants, for a century, found
xxix
INTRODUCTION
" a free and open market for their wares. They
reaUsed enormous profits, if cent, per cent, may
be so deemed ; and if rehance may be placed on
the imperfect materials that exist for forming an
estimate, they were enabled to enrich their native
lands with stores of the precious metals to an
incalculable amount of value. Missionaries, from
their advent, were allowed to commence a career
of proselytism, and they pursued it with zeal and
success. Assuming their statements to be correct,
they made nearly two millions of converts in little
more than a quarter of a century. With the un-
qualified concurrence of the authorities, they erected
in several of the principal cities of the empire edifices
for the celebration of divine worship, according to
the ritual of the Romish Church ; while, with the
sanction of the authorities also, numerous institu-
tions for the instruction of their neophytes were
established. But this spirit of toleration has not
been confined to the Romish faith. Some centuries
since, the doctrines of Boodh were introduced into
Japan. From the date of their introduction to the
present time they have been freely disseminated,
so that now the votaries of the sect far out-number ,
the followers of the Sirito or national creed. Be-
sides the Boodhists there are thirty-four sects, who,
as regards the state, indulge their respective opinions
without restraint, and who, in respect to each other,
live in peace and love. William Adams, although
XXX
INTRODUCTION
" a Christian, retained to the day of his death his
influence with the Emperor. Saris, too, was well
received. Neither of the members of the English
or of the Dutch factory, nor the lay members of
the Romish ecclesiastics and the native converts,
were under the ban of the state. In regard to
the people of difi^erent nations in Europe, the
Government of Japan at that period exhibited
more liberality than the nations of Europe ex-
hibited towards each other. How the Spaniards
and Portuguese conducted themselves in respect
to William Adams and his unfortunate comrades
is fully set forth in his correspondence, together
with the remarkable contrast afforded by the pro-
ceedings of the Emperor Ogosho Sama. In the
first instance, they also vigorously opposed the
settlement of the Dutch in Japan. When that
could not be prevented, no means were left untried
by them to effect the expulsion of the newcomers
from the empire. The plea urged was, that the
Dutch were refractory subjects of Spain, and that
it ill-became the Emperor to treat with favour rebels
to the authority of his Catholic majesty, with whom
he professed to maintain relations of amity. These
efforts invariably failed. The answer Ogosho Sama
constantly gave was, that he denied the right of
any power to dictate the policy he should pursue
in regard to strangers visiting his dominions ; that
he did not consider it was necessary to mix himself
xxxi
INTRODUCTION
" up in any degree with feuds existing among the
states of Europe ; that all he cared for was the
tranquillity of the country and the welfare of his
people ; and that so long as strangers paid obedience
to the laws, and by their fair and honourable dealings
promoted the convenience and enjoyment of his
subjects, it mattered not to him to what nation
they belonged, or to what power in the West they
were nominally subject. On the last occasion,
when a joint memorial was presented on the
subject by the Spaniards and Portuguese, the
monarch seems to have lost all patience, and he
drove the remonstrants ignominiously from his
presence ; vehemently declaring, that if ' devils
from hell ' were to visit his realm, they should
be treated like ' angels from heaven ' so long as
they conducted themselves conformably with the
principles he had laid down. This sovereign carried
his sentiments, or rather his practice of justice, even
further. The Spaniards, at one time requiring men
for an expedition that was being fitted out in Nova
Spania against the Dutch, preferred a request that
the subjects of his Catholic majesty might be sent
out of the empire forthwith, as they had not the per-
mission of their liege to reside there. ' Nay,' said
the Emperor, peremptorily, ' Japan is an asylum
for people of all nations. No man who hath taken
refuge in my dominions, and conducts himself
peaceably, shall be compelled against his will
xxxii
INTRODUCTION
"to abandon the empire; but if his will be to
quit, he is welcome to depart.' "
These often-mentioned but seldom-read letters,
in their quaint old Elizabethan Enghsh, present the
life led by the founder of the Japanese Navy which
has done deeds at the beginning of the twentieth
century which are to be compared with those done
by the English Navy under Nelson at the beginning
of the nineteenth century. Togo's grim watching
off Port Arthur is like Nelson's watching off
Toulon. The relations of the shipwrecked pilot
who turned shipbuilder, and one of the mightiest
conquerors of the East, form one of the most
interesting bypaths of history.
At any rate, here they are in this volume, for
the first time easily accessible in England.
These letters have only to be known to be loved,
they are so pathetic as well as sincere. Take, for
example : —
" So, to passe my time to get my lining, it hath
cost mee great labour and trouble at the first, but
God hath blessed my labour. In the ende of fine
yeeres I made supplication to the king to goe out
of this land, desiring to see my poore wife and
children, according to conscience and nature."
This was the one great thing which the ' myghty '
lyeyasu would refuse him, so we find him writing
to " my vnknowen friends and countrimen " : —
" I think, no certain news is knowen, whether I
XXXI 11
INTRODUCTION
be liuing or dead. Therefore I do pray and intreate
you in the name of Jesus Christe to doe so much as
to make my being here in lapon knowen to my
poor wife ; in a manner a widdow, and my two
children fatherlesse ; which thing only is my greatest
griefe of heart and conscience. I am a man not
vnknowen in RatclifFe and Limehouse by name to
my good Master Nicholas Diggines, and M. Thomas
Best, and M. Nicholas Isaac and William Isaac,
brothers, with many others ; also to JM. ^^'^illiam
lones and M. Beclet. Therefore may this letter
come to any of their hands, or the copy : I doe
know that compassion and mercy is so, that my
friends and kindred shall haue newes, that I doe as
yet hue in this vale of my sorrowfull pilgrimage :
the which thing agein and agein I do desire for
lesus Christ his sake."
lyeyasu was generous to him.
" Now for my seruice which I haue doen and daily
doe, being employed in the Emperours seruice, he
hath given me a liuing like vnto a lordship in
England, with eightie or ninetie husbandmen, that
be as my salues or seruents : which, or the like
president, was neuer here before geven to any
stranger."
He gives a picture of the Japanese of his day.
" The people of this Hand of lapon are good of
nature, courteous aboue measure, and valiant in
warre : their justice is seuerely executed without
any partialitie vpon transgressors of the law. They
are gouerned in great ciuilitie. I meane, not a land
better gouerned in the world by ciuill policie. The
people be verie superstitious in their religion, and
are of diuers opinions."
xxxiv
INTRODUCTION
Which might have been written to-day. He sent a
dupKcate of this letter endorsed " WilHam Adams
to his Wife," beginning with the words —
" Louing wife, you shall vnderstand how all
things haue passed with mee from the time of
mine absence from you."
They were almost starving in the Straits of
Magellan till they —
" landed on Penguin Island, where we ladded our
boate ful of penguins, which are fowles greater
than a ducke, wherewith we were greatly refreshed."
He knew his Bible well, for we have him quoting
in his own words Revelations xiv. 18.
"Now my good frind : I thank you for your
good writting and frindly token of a byble and 3
other boukes. By your letter 1 vnderstand of ye
death of many of my good frinds in the barbarous
country of Barbary : for which death and los of
goods I am heartilie sorry. Nevertheles it is ye
lot of all flesh : in this lyf manny trobelles and
afflixcions, and in the end death. Thearfor it is a
blessed thing to dy in the Lord, with a faithfull
trust in God : for theay rest from their labores," etc.
Even at that day the Japanese were highly
civilised.
"In justis very seuer, hauing no respecte of
persons. Theer cittis gouerned with greatt ciuility
and in lou : for ye most part nonn going to lawe
on with another; but yf questiones be bettween
naybour and naybour, it is by justiss coummanded
to be pressently taken vp, and frindship to be mad
XXXV
INTRODUCTION
with out dellay. No theef for ye most part put in
prisson, but pressently executed. No murther for
ye most part can escap : for yf so bee yt yt
murtherer cannot be found, ye Emperour coumands
a proclimacion with a wryting, and by ye writting
so mvch gold as is of vallew 300/. starUnge ; and
yf anny do know whear ye murtherer is, he cooms
and receueth the gold, and goeth his way with out
anny further troubell. Thus for the lukar of so
moch monny it coumes to light. And their citties
you may go all ower in ye night with out any
trobell or perrill, being a peepell (? well affected) to
strangers: ye lawe much lyk the Jud. (. . . .) truth.
Thus by the way, in hast I hau imboldned (? myself)
to writ somewhat of ye coustome and manners," etc.
We get more humour, more travel-gossip, from
Captain John Saris, whose account of meeting Will
Adams is quoted in Letter IV.
Their method of salutation was almost the same
as it is now.
" Their manner and curtesie in saluting was after
their manner, which is this. First in presence of
him whom they are to salute, they put off their
shooes (stockings they weare none) and tlien clap-
ping their right hand within their left, they put
them downe towards their knees, and so wagging
or mouing of their hands a little to and fro, they
stooping, steppe with small steps sideling from the
partie saluted, and crie Augh, Augh."
Here and there a gleam of humour strays into
Captain Saris's account.
" I eraue leue to diuers women of the better sort to
XXX VI
INTRODUCTION
come into my cabbin, where the picture of Venus,
with her sonne cupid, did hang somewhat wantonly
set out in a large frame, 'i'hey thinking it to bee
our ladie and her sonne, felle downe and worshipped
it, with shewes of great deuotion, telling me in a
whispering manner (that some of their own com-
panions which were not so might not heare) that
they were Christianos : whereby we perceiued
them to be Christians, conuerted by the Portugall
lesuits."
The Japanese woman was much the same Eve
then as she is now.
" The king came aboord againe, and brought foure
chiefe women with him. They were attired in
gownes of silke, clapt the one skirt ouer the other,
and so girt to them, barelegged, only a paire of halfe
buskins bound with silke reband about their instep ;
their hair very blacke, and very long, tyed vp in a
knot vpon the crowne in a comely manner : their
heads no where shauen as the mens were. They
were well faced, handed, and footed : cleare skind
and white, but wanting colour, which they amende
by arte. Of stature low, but very fat ; very cur-
teous in behauiour, not ignorant of the respect to
be giuen vnto persons according to their fashion."
"... The kings women seemed to be somewhat
bashfull, but he willed them to bee frolicke. They
sung diners songs, and played vpon certain instru-
ments, whereof one did much resemble our lute,
being bellyed like it, but longer in the necke, and
fretted like ours, but had only foure gut strings.
Their fingring with the left hand like ours, very
nimbly, but the right hand striketh with an iuory
xxxvii
INTRODUCTION
bone, as we vse to playe upon a citterne with a
quill."
The king, whose name has been corrupted into
Foyne Sama, feasted Captain Saris and his whole
company with —
" diuers sorts of powdered wild fowles and fruits :
and calling for a standing cup (which was one of
the presents then deliuered him) he caused it to be
filled with his country wine, which is distilled out
of rice, and is as strong as our Aquauitae : and
albeit the cuppe helf vpward of a pint and half,
notwithstanding taking the cup in his hand, he
told me hee would drinke it all off, for health to
the king of England, and so did myself, and all his
nobles doing the like."
" The king and his nobles did sit at meat crosse-
legged vpon mats after the Turkie fashion, the
mats richly edged, some with cloath of gold, some
with veluet, satten, and damask."
— which is about our first mention of the Japanese
banquet, and immediately below we get our first
glimpses of the Japanese theatre, the actors
apparently being all women : —
" The one and twentieth, the old king came aboord
againe, and brought with him diuers women to be
frolicke. These women were actors of comedies,
which passe there from iland to iland to play, as
our players doe here from towne to towne, hauing
seuerall shifts of apparrell for the better grace of
the matter acted ; which for the most part are of
Warre, Loue, and such like."
xxxviii
INTRODUCTION
The fame of the great EUzabethan captain who
routed the Spanish Armada did not take long in
filtering through to Japan.
"Our English nation hath been long known by
report among them, but much scandal led by the
Portugals lesuites, as pyrats and rovers upon the
seas ; so that the naturals haue a song which they
call the English Crofonia, shewing how the English
doe take the Spanish ships, which they (singing)
doe act likewise in gesture with their cattans by
their sides, with which song and acting they
terrific and skare their children, as the French
sometimes did theirs with the name of the Lord
Talbot."
On their journey to the court of lyeyasu, in the
places where foreigners were less known, —
" Boyes, children, and worser sort of idle people
would gather about and follow along after vs,
crying Core Core, Cocojx, Wcwe, that is to say,
you Coreans with false hearts : wondering, hooping,
hollowing, and making such a noise about vs, that
we could scarcely heare one another speake, some-
times throwing stones at vs (but that not in many
townes), yet the clamour and crying after vs was
euerywhere alike, none reprouing them for it. The
best aduice that I can giue those who hereafter
shall irrue there is, that they passe on without
regarding those idle rablements, and in so doing
they shall find their eares only troubled with the
noise."
A greater marvel even than the diving-women
who caught fish with their hands was the ironclad
xxxix
1
INTRODUCTION
which the Japanese possessed at the beginning of
the seventeenth century : —
"About eight or tenne leagues on this side the
straights of Xemina-seque we found a great
towne, where there lay in a docke a iuncke of
eight hundred or a thousand tunnes of burthen,
sheathed all with yron, a guard appointed to keep
her from firing and treachery. She was built in a
very homely fashion, much like that which de-
scribeth Noah's arke vnto vs. The naturals told
vs that she serued to transport souldiers into any
of the Hands if rebllion or warre should happen."
The last we see of Will Adams is in a letter
from Captain Richard Cock to the Governor and
Committees of the East India Company, dated
the 13th of December 1620. It is to the following
effect : —
" Our good frend Captain AVm. Addames, whoe
was soe long long before vs in Japon, departed
out of this world the vj of May last, and made
JNIr Wm. Eaton and my selfe his overseers :
geuing the one halfe of his estate to his wife
and childe in England, and the other halfe to a
Sonne and doughter he hath in Japon." J
It only remains to be observed, that the will
of \A^illiam Adams in Japanese is preserved among
the records of the Honourable the East India
Company, and that a translation has not been
traced.
xl
To back on p. xl.
Fujisawa.
2'o hack on p. 1.
/7^
Ry ^ Xr^'-~ "" ill- ' 'J! *^/ ■'■" <- ^- ■ ^--^ '*
Yoshiwara.
PART I
JAPAN FROM A WOMAN'S
POINT OF VIEW
By norma LORIMER
AUTHOR'S NOTE
The reader will find all the subjects on which
I have hghtly touched in the following articles
worked out in an adequate and scholarly manner
in those mines of information upon Japanese sub-
jects, Professor Basil Hall Chamberlain's Things
Japanese ; Miss AHce Bacon's Japanese Girls and
Women, and Japanese Interiors; Mr W. E.
Griffis's Mikado's Empire; and the various works
of the late Mr Lafcadio Hearn, to all of which
I have frequently had recourse in refreshing the
memories of my year in Japan.
CHAPTER I
HOW EUROPEANS LIVE IN JAPAN
In Japan, Europeans do not live, as many people
suppose, in paper houses, nor do they eat Japanese
food, or make a dinner-table of their floor, or
substitute a wooden neck-rest for a feather pillow.
European residents in Japan live in solemn
splendour in the foreign settlements of the large
towns. In Yokohama they live on the Bluff, a
flat-topped volcanic hill on the outskirts of the
native town. It was against the etiquette of the
European residents, when I was there, to take the
slightest interest in Japan. If an enthusiastic
or intelligent traveller brought introductions with
him, he was looked upon as an objectionable globe-
trotter and interloper. This little bit of prejudiced
England perched up on the Bluff* liked to regulate
its houses and habits on as strictly English principles
as it was possible to maintain in houses where the
housemaids and parlourmaids and cooks were all
Japanese "boys." Anything duller and narrower
5J
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
than these EngUsh communities in the East it is
difficult to imagine. You never by any chance
met any of these Pharisees indulging in any form
of entertainment except a dinner or a tea-party
at each other's houses.
They did not know anything about Japan except
the pony-racing, nor did they wish to, a fact they
very soon let you know. If you wanted real
information about the country, you had to go to
a fellow-traveller who had gone through the land
with his heart and his eyes open, or to consult
the books written by people who cut themselves
off from this anti-Japanese colony while they Hved
in the country. These Europeans live in Japan
as they would live in a suburb of an EngUsh
town if we employed Japanese boys for domestic
servants. Among the European residents the
English and American professors in Japanese
colleges and universities were honourable excep-
tions. They adored the country, and showed the
greatest delight in taking travellers behind the veil
and showing them the real Japan.
European travellers can live very comfortably
in Japan, because there are excellent European
hotels in almost every town which tourists frequent.
These hotels are sometimes run by Japanese, as, for
example, the famous Yaami's at Kyoto, and the
Fujiya at Miyanoshita.
Miyanoshita is the popular holiday resort of
4
HOW EUROPEANS LIVE IN JAPAN
European residents in Japan. I never quite
decided whether it was selected as such because
of the famous sulphur baths, or because there is
so little to do in the way of sight-seeing.
Miyanoshita is the Taormina of Japan without
the famous Greco-Roman theatre. Like Taormina,
it is a dear little mountain village, with charming
people for the visitors to spoil, and pretty cottages
for them to kodak.
In European hotels run by natives you seldom
find women house-servants ; experience has taught
the landlord that if he does not wish to shock
Mrs Grundy, it is wiser to exclude the scuffing
" Ne-san " or elder sister — this is the term used in
addressing a maid-servant in an inn — from his
establishment.
From a woman's point of view, a Jap boy is a
much better chamber-maid than an " elder sister " ;
he is quicker, more thorough, and more intelligent ;
but no doubt Ne-san has qualities to recommend
her, which I did not discover.
There is a delightful semi-Europeanness about
these hotels, which affords the traveller much
amusement. The boys are dressed in the kimono or
coolies' native dress while they are doing woman's
work about the house, and blue serge suits made
in Germany when they are converted into waiters
at table d'hote. It was quite a common occurrence
to have these " boys," whose ages varied from
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
twenty to fifty, making lightning changes behind
the paper screens in the dining-room from their
kimonos into their blue serge suits. But, like their
beloved Emperor, their European clothes never
fitted them very well ; their clothes have no more
chance than their beloved Emperor's. No tailor
is permitted to fit or take measurements of the
Son of Heaven, and the Jap waiter has to adapt
his measurements to the size and stature of his
predecessor.
You very soon learn enough pidgin-English to
converse with your bedroom boy, who has gone
through a course of English at a missionary's school.
The most tiresome feature about a Japanese
servant is his thirst for European knowledge.
Every other minute he produces a scrap of paper
and writes down the sound which the new English
word he has just learnt conveys to him, and he
will leave you at the most awkward moment while
he looks up in the dictionary some word which he
wishes to use correctly. Etiquette forbids him to
say " no " to his superior, so you must guess when he
means yes and when he means no by the inflection
of his voice when he says " yes." He always runs
to your presence, for etiquette demands that he
should hurry towards his employer, even if he is
carrying two pails of boiling water slung across
his shoulder on a bamboo pole. But he may stop
to finish a game of go-bang in the corridor before
6
HOW EUROPEANS LIVE IN JAPAN
he brings the towel for which you have clapped
your hands in your bath.
The time you meet with the greatest fun and
novelty while you are staying in Japan is when you
go off the beaten track and have to put up in little
native inns. You tell the landlord of the hotel you
have been staying in where you wish to go to, and
how long you wish to stay. All that you have to
do is to pack your hold-all and be ready to start
when the likshas come to the door. The riksha
with your hold-all and the basket of provisions and
other necessaries goes ahead.
When you pull up at the native inn at the end of
a long day's riksha ride with a very tired back, you
are only too glad to accept the offer of a hot bath
which the landlady will at once make. You step
into the funny little house and look curiously round.
There is absolutely nothing to be seen but the floor
and thin paper walls, for the front of a native house
is almost always open to the street. I remember
the first one I ever tried. After the preliminaries
of a stage dialogue with the landlady, the whole
staffs prostrating itself on the floor, and the distri-
bution of a few halfpence as clia-dai (tea-money),
Ne-san conducted me to the guest-chamber, which
was on the ground floor. Japanese houses never
have more than one storey above the ground floor.
It was as empty as the inn-parlour. I thought
with regret of the comfy arm-chair in the European
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
hotel I had left in the morning, but Ne-san scuffed
off and returned with two flat cushions, which she
placed on the floor for me to kneel on. This is a
native woman's idea of comfort and luxury. I
tried, but failed ignominiously to kneel as I ought,
resting the weight of my body on my heels, so I
ended by sitting with my back resting against the
paper wall and my legs stretched straight out in
front of me. I had submitted, of course, to having
my boots drawn off* and taken away from me
outside the front door.
When Take came to ask what hour I should
like my dinner, I admired the self-control which
prevented him from smiling at my woe-begone
appearance. He pushed the tahako-mono (the
little pipe-stove) towards me as a hint that a pipe
might relieve the situation. I shook my head
sadly. He bowed very low, and apologised for
having forgotten the habits of the honourable
benefactor. In a few minutes he returned, carry-
ing in triumph a bamboo folding-table and a camp-
stool, which he had just unpacked from the ample
provision riksha. He placed them in the centre
of the room and rubbed his knees with delight.
Their feet had shoes on — something like the shoes
which are used by horses when they are mowing
lawns. It was getting dark, so Ne-san brought in
a tall paper lamp, which she placed on the floor
beside me, but the chair and the table caused her
8
HOW EUROPEANS LIVE IN JAPAN
so much astonishment that she hurried off to fetch
the landlady to come and see them.
Take was a genius. In less than an hour he had
cooked an excellent beef-steak on the landlady's
foolish little stove, which looked like a work-box
full of hot ash, and some queer, rather tasteless
fish, and excellent small birds — quail, I think.
The provision riksha must have been a sort of
Noah's ark, for it had also contained plates and
knives and forks, and some wine, for sake, the
native drink made from rice, and tasting like weak
tepid Marsala and water, is not a refreshing
beverage after a thirty miles' drive. In native
inns tea is never charged for ; it is offered as a form
of hospitality to all comers ; but I never met the
globe-trotter yet who could drink the tea served to
you in ordinary native inns or tea-houses.
While I ate my dinner. Take stood behind my
camp-stool in solemn silence. He had drawn me
all day long, with his steaming body only
hampered with a loin-cloth ; he had had his bath
and unpacked my provisions and cooked my
dinner, and now he was waiting upon me
in a spotlessly clean native suit of dark-blue
cotton.
After dinner he, with the help of Ne-san, con-
verted my sitting-room into a bedroom by laying
down on the floor heavy blue padded quilts and
the feather pillow, which had also been packed in
9
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
the provision-basket riksha. In Japan it would
not be difficult to take up your bed and walk.
Living in a native inn is very much like camping
out. You take your provisions with you if you do
not care to starve, and lie between paper walls in-
stead of canvas. In the quiet hours of the night
you will hear the gentle pan-pan, pan-pan of the
landlady's or her honourable housemaid's tiny pipe
against the brasier. I have often wondered if the
Japanese smoke in their sleep, or if they never sleep
at all, for the pan-pan of the midnight pipe is as
constant as the tap-tap of the kakemono against
the wall during the day when the wind plays
through the four posts of the platform with a cover
over it, which is the Japanese idea of a " home."
That comfy word has so little meaning to him that
he has no equivalent for it in his language. He
expresses his aspirations with omu, an unasperated
reproduction of the English home.
10
CHAPTER II
CHILDHOOD IN JAPAN
No child in Japan can ever have wished to be
grown up, and no Uttle discontented girl ever heard
from her mother's lips the catch-phrase, " Your good
time's coming, my child." For no grown-up
woman in Japan ever does have a good time until
she is too old to enjoy it. It was Sir Rutherford
Alcock, I think, who first made the remark that
Japan was the paradise of babies ; and from the
first day you set foot on the original of the famous
willow-pattern plate to the day you sigh your
Sayonara to the sacred Fuji as you leave Yokohama
Bay you realise the truth of his remark.
In Japan all the world's a nursery, and all the
streets and temples merely children's playgrounds.
And until quite recently Japan was a nation at
play, a nation where you could see grown-ups as
well as children taking part in what we choose to
call childish games. During this great Eastern
war I wonder if Japanese men and women have put
11
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
away their long-tailed kites and seven-tailed gold-
fishes, and historical dolls, and have ceased to hunt
lost souls in fii'eflies. I doubt it, for it has been
the lifelong prayer and counselling of every Japanese
parent for endless generations that their children,
when they have reached the estate of men and
women, should retain a child's heart.
When you meet a grown-up person in England
who has kept his or her child's heart, you cannot
help loving them. That is why you cannot help
loving Japan, for the whole nation has kept its
child's heart.
Childhood certainly is the Golden Age in Japan
more than in any other country in the world, for
that gentle land seems to have been created on
purpose to amuse and spoil children. Not that
any child ever is spoilt in that land of gentle
mothers, for a child's moral training and almost
supernatural power of self-control began hundreds
of years before it was born.
When I first drove through a native city in
Japan, I thought that every other shop was a toy-
shop, and I never could have believed that the
world contained so many children, for nothing is
too young to play on the ^likado's highway. Doll-
like girls of a few years old, dressed exactly like
their little mothers, except for their gayer clothes
and fantastically-shaven heads, carry yellow-faced
babies of a few months old tied on to their backs
12
CHILDHOOD IN JAPAN
while they play ingenious games with gorgeous
balls made of scarlet and gold silk, or dart about
on their high wooden clogs after falling shuttle-
cocks, which they will send bounding up again over
the tops of their paper homes with a wooden
battledore decorated on one side with the gaudily-
painted head of some famous woman of ill-fame.
But I soon learned that the streets were full of
babies because the houses were all empty. No one
in the real Japan ever saw a baby sleeping in a cot
or being driven in a go-cart. While the mothers
are working, the babies sleep, with their little heads
wobbling about, on their mothers' or older sisters'
backs, or learn to sit on their feet with their knees
bent under them before they can stand. I soon
began to distinguish the real toy-shops, which
are more numerous than in any other country in
the world, from the shops which sell the toy-like
furniture and miniature household utensils for the
grown-up dolls' houses.
The shops of the household Gods, for instance,
with their quaint white plaster foxes and images
of goblin-like gods, seemed to me delightful toy-
shops ; but when I grew more intimate with the
domestic life of the country, I recognised the
familiar faces of the God of Rice and the Seven
fat Gods of Wealth. I also learnt that the tiny
teapots and diminutive trays and dishes which I
saw in the pottery shops were used in the real
13
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
human dolls' houses, and were not toys for
children.
I have never seen a little girl nursing or playing
with her doll in Japan, as one sees dolls played
with in England. Dolls are kept as household
treasures in iron safes, and are taken out for special
festivals. They represent historical and mjrtho-
logical characters, and are certainly not things to
be hugged and loved. The reason for this may be
that a tiny girl can seldom spare her back for
her doll, as she has to carry about a baby
brother or sister. Babies are carried on the back
in Japan, and not in the arms, except by the
very wealthy classes, so the little girls have no
chance of imitating their mothers in their treat-
ment of their dolls, for they never see her kiss her
baby or hug it in her arms as English mothers
do. The babies are fastened on their backs with
shawls, in much the same way as they are shawl-
bound to the women's sides in the streets of South
Wales.
There are hundreds of street professionals who
make a good living in Japan by amusing children.
There are street theatricals acted by children for
children, realistic and wonderful story-tellers,
acrobats and gaily-dressed tumblers, clever workers
in black magic, such as fire-eaters and snake-
charmers, and, perhaps best of all, toymakers who
will, while you wait, blow out the Japanese cupid
14
CHILDHOOD IN JAPAN
without a nose from a piece of wheat paste on the
end of a pipe, and the ever popular peddHng cook,
who allows children to cook for themselves, for the
tenth part of a penny, some strange concoction in
a dish of boiling sesame oil. There are endless
others which I cannot remember.
But to see child-life in its perfection in Japan
you must go to the temples. In the courts of the
house of Buddha holiday-attired children swarm like
hiving bees, as gorgeous as cardinal butterflies in
their rich brocade and scarlet obis. It is there that
you see the best toy-shops both for girls and boys,
and it is there, under the shade of the sacred temple
trees, that their little parents can leave their small
cares and responsibilities of life behind them in
their paper homes and be children again, not only
in heart but in deeds. But these endless temple-
fairs and festivals, where the Western world has for
many years learned strange lessons in the simple
pleasures of life and in the peace which flows from
gentle hearts, are, alas ! gradually growing fewer
and fewer, for the Japanese thirst for a Western
education will not permit of almost as many
holidays in the year as there are saints' days in the
Roman Catholic calendar. In the real Japan,
children never went to school. They were taught
at home. But it would be wrong to give the
impression that though they lived in their streets,
where they were protected from all dangers by
15
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
dozens of strange little charms, that they received
no proper home training.
No other children in the world ever received
such a strict home training or were educated so
carefully as the children of vanishing Japan. For
although the majority of girls knew only a few of
the Chinese characters of their alphabet, every boy
and girl knew the ancient as well as the modern
history of their nation, and all its rich folk-lore.
Children often accompanied their parents to the
theatre, and there they had very vividly imprinted
on their minds all the classical dramas and historical
tragedies of their literature. History, before the
days of schools, was also taught by card-playing, and
the famous One Hundred Poems of the classics,
known as the Hyaku-nin-isshu, which is the family
bible of Japan, was learnt by games of proverbs.
The courage of children, especially boys, was tested
by the telling of thrilling ghost stories in eerie places,
or in the half-lights round the hibachi on winter
nights. Little girls had filial piety and obedience
impressed on them by the story of some virtuous
daughter who sold herself to a house of ill-fame to
save her parents from starvation. But the most
important part of a child's education was its instruc-
tion in etiquette. Etiquette was so far-reaching
that a little child had to begin its education in
manners before it could walk. Very early had girls
to learn the special teachings for women called
16
CHILDHOOD IN JAPAN
JVashoka-Mebal-Bunho, which by their nature
were qualified to rob a mother of her child's heart.
Teachers of the various etiquettes visited the houses
of the middle classes. The etiquette of the Solemn
Tea-Ceremony, of flower-arranging, of domestic and
social life, were among the most important. Only
girls of the humbler classes learned music, singing,
and dancing. The koto was the one instrument
permitted in the houses of the upper classes.
In Japan there is a very hard and fast line
drawn between the moral training and education of
boys and girls. You seldom see boys and girls
playing in the streets together. If you do, you
will notice that when a boy loses in a game his face
receives a dab of paint. When a little girl loses,
she sticks a straw in her hair.
At the different festivals for boys and girls the
mark of sex is easily distinguishable. On the days
of the Boys' Festival the whole city lies under a
heaven of floating carp made of gaily-painted
paper. Every street is lined with bamboo poles,
from which carp belly out on the breeze like flags
to testify the fact that the Japanese man-child is
capable of fighting its way up-stream against all
the adverse currents of life. On the day of the
Girls' Festival every stall and shop groans under
its burden of solemn-faced dolls.
If you were to ask a little boy in Japan what his
highest ambition in life was, he would tell you to
2 17
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
die for his Emperor. A little girl would say, to
observe the teachings of the Seven Sages, so that
she might be a submissive daughter to her father,
a submissive wife to her husband, a submissive
daughter-in-law to her husband's parents, and last
of all, a submissive mother to her eldest son if she
is left a widow.
18
CO
CHAPTER III
MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE
To the Western mind, love-making without kissing
is hke the proverbial egg without salt. But then
a Japanese courtship is rather like an egg without
salt, for the Japanese lover does not make love,
nor does he pretend to be in love with the girl
whom he wishes to marry, though he sometimes
ends by loving, in a mild fashion, the dainty,
patient, self-sacrificing wife, who combines all the
accomplishments of cook, housemaid, valet, pretty
plaything, and wife in one. A Japanese woman
never expects to love anyone but her own baby ;
she must serve and obey everyone else. Much as
she adores her baby, she never even makes love to
it as an English mother does. She shows her love
by her constant care and attention to its training.
It is considered indelicate and wanting in self-
control for a woman to show any signs of feeling,
either of love or hate. As a moosme she has no
girlish dreams of romance, no sentimental views
19
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
upon marrying for love, for the simple reason that
she has never heard of such a thing. She would
in all probability prefer marrying an orphan, and so
being released from the terrors of a mother-in-law,
to marrying an Adonis who really loved her. Her
future husband was probably chosen for her by her
parents when she was too young even to toddle,
but was tied on, not too securely, to her little sister's
back, and allowed to develop a monkey-like instinct
for self-preservation, by using her toes for fingers
and her legs for arms. When she has reached
marriageable years (fifteen), her future husband,
whom she probably has never seen, sends an
ambassador or "go-between" to discuss the sub-
ject of marriage with her parents. Etiquette
demands that this part of the courtship should
be done by a third party. If the business arrange-
ments suit both the high contracting parties, and
the astronomer, who is always consulted, augurs
well for the young couple, a " first-seeing " is
arranged by the parents. A picnic to \4ew the
famous cherry blossoms in Ueno Park, a visit to
a chrysanthemum show, or perhaps a theatre party,
is chosen for the occasion. At the "first-seeing"
there is not one thought of sentiment in the pretty
moosmes head ; she does not expect to form either
a violent like or dislike to the appearance or per-
sonality of her future "honourable master." The
keenest emotion and hope she is conscious of is,
20
MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE
that she will find favour in his mother's eyes, and
that her future mother-in-law will be a considerate
mistress.
I have seen these family picnics take place under
a canopy of pink and white cherry-blossom, or in a
tea-house, shaded and cool, with festoons of wistaria
blossoms trailing their long tassels on the surface
of some deep lake, as picturesque and mysterious
as the people themselves. There is an intense
aesthetic pleasure on the faces of the young people,
and there is a general light-hearted merriness per-
vading the whole affair, which springs from the
natural gentleness and sweet content of the people
themselves — for in Japan the world is what your
own heart makes it. But if there is nothing deeper
or more emotional for these young people than
aesthetic pleasure in the " viewing " of the famous
sakura (cherry-blossoms), at least there is no
humbug ; this viariage de convenance is not spoken
of as a pure love-match. If the moosme does not
find complete favour in her master's eyes, and if
the suitor himself does not care for her, the affair
goes no further. But if she is weighed and not
found wanting, especially by his relatives, her fate
is sealed, for her tastes are not likely to be con-
sulted.
Poor little moosme, with her gentle heart and
brave self - submission, this " first - seeing " is a
momentous occasion for her. For in her father's
21
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
house, although she has always had to remember
that she was only a woman, undesired from birth,
and although she has had to address her brothers as
her superiors, she has been, in her gay babyhood at
least, a pet and a plaything. But from the day of
the " first-seeing," when she is given a little piece
of obi-silk in place of an engagement ring by her
future " honourable master," she must put aside
all light - hearted irresponsible 7fioosme-hood and
assume the grave and arduous responsibilities of
womanhood. Wifehood in Japan is mere slavery
and childbearing. Happy is the girl who marries
an orphan ; but such things, alas ! are rare in Japan,
where every woman is so desirous of possessing a
son that she will adopt one, however poor she is,
rather than have none, for without a son she can-
not have a daughter-in-law, and it is only when a
woman becomes a mother-in-law that she ceases to
be a servant to her husband and his people, and
becomes an individual. It is when she is a mother-
in-law that she can go to theatres and temples and
flower festivals, for she can leave her daughter-in-
law to look after the house. When she is a
mother-in-law she can lie in bed in the morning
until after the servants are wakened, and have her
hot water brought her by her daughter-in-law, for
the young wife must wake first and open up the
house, not the servants ; and she must think it an
honour to be the first to attend to the wants of
2J2
J
MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE
her husband's people at the commencement of
each day.
After the "first-seeing" has taken place, the
young man visits the parents of his future wife at
her home, and numerous presents are exchanged
between the relatives. When the bride's trousseau is
ready, the principal item of which is a bed, though
it also includes a handsome supply of obis (sashes),
a low writing-table, a work-box, and two of the
low table-trays upon which meals are served, with
the proper rice-bowls, ,ya/iY^-cups, and chopsticks,
the wedding-day is fixed. The wedding ceremony
is not made a public social function, as it is in
England ; it is a grave private ceremony, which
is usually performed at the beginning and at the
close of a family banquet given in the bridegroom's
home.
The ceremony itself is curiously simple. It
consists of the bride and the bridegroom drinking
three times alternately from the same three sake
cups, which have two spouts. It is called san-
san-do (three - three - times), because each of the
three cups was sipped three times by both parties,
which makes nine times altogether. Drinking
from the same cup is emblematical of the bearing
each other's joys and sorrows throughout life.
This solemn ^a^Y'-drinking between the bride and
bridegroom is witnessed by no one but the bride's
little serving-maid who fills the cups and the go-
23
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
between. The changing of garments also forms
an important item in the ceremony. The bride,
who left her father's house in a white kimono,
dressed as a corpse, to show that she was dead to
her own family, changed it immediately on her
arrival at her new home for a coloured one bought
her by her husband, but after the first ceremonial
^aA'^'-drinking she changes it again for one which
she brought with her in her trousseau. At the
end of the banquet the young couple are again
led into another private room, and again the
ceremonial drinking is gone through in exactly the
same manner, except that this time the bridegroom
drinks first, which is typical of the relative position
of husband and wife throughout life.
As soon as she has left her father's house fires of
purification will have been lighted, as they would
after a dead body has left the house. But the
principal and most important feature about a
marriage is the transference at the local police-
office of the name of the wife from her father's
family to that of her husband. The registration
of the change of ownership is what constitutes a
marriage in Japan, as if it was not patent enough
already that the wife was only a chattel.^
^ Upon this subject Mr Ernest W. Clement, in his Handbook of
Japan, one of the most recent and valuable works of reference
about the country, says : —
" But let us look a little more particularly into the provisions
relating to marriage, divorce, etc. The marriageable age is
24
MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE
The right of marriage is not free, except to the
head of the family.^ All other persons, whatever
their ages, can marry only with the consent of the
head of his or her family. Men under thirty and
women under twenty-five cannot marry without the
consent of the parents ; and minors in some cases
must obtain the consent of the guardian, or even
of a family council.
No young couple ever take up housekeeping
together by themselves; the bride, from the day
of her marriage, becomes little better than an
unpaid servant to her husband's family, and a slave
to her mother-in-law, who seems to vent the
spleen of her pent-up years on her young daughter-
in-law. AAHien a itioosme prays before the great
statue of the Goddess of Mercy with the thousand
hands, which stands in the centre of the shaded
temple grounds in the centre of the great capital
seventeen full years for men, and fifteen full years for women.
Marriage takes effect when notice of the fact is given to a
registrar by both parties with two witnesses. From this it will
appear that the ceremony is a ' purely social function, having no
connection whatsoever with law beyond the somewhat remote
contingency of its being adducible as evidence of a marriage
having taken place.' And here is where some Japanese
Christians make an unfortunate and sometimes serious mistake,
in thinking that the ceremony by a minister of the gospel is
sufficient, and registration is a matter of convenience. Without
registration a marriage is not legal."
1 The word 'family' is here and hereinafter used in a
technical sense, peculiar to Japan, of a group of the same sur-
name. In old Japan the family was the social unit.
25
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
which is the centre of Japan, she must plead with
all the fervour of her self-controlled little being
that the great bestower of mercy will grant her a
mother-in-law with a merciful heart, and that she
herself may be granted that sweet submissiveness
and patient cheerfulness which will make her a
good wife. Yet, supposing the Mother of Mercy
should hold in one of her innumerable hands one
crumb of mercy for the poor little bride-elect, her
life will not be a bed of roses. For the husband
can divorce her for almost any whim, and it is
entirely her fault if the whole household does not
live in peace and unity together. A Japanese
poet has called a Japanese wife " social glue," for
she has to cement the happiness of every member
of the household together. If she has no children,
she must welcome and take to her heart the child
of any of her husband's concubines whom he may
choose to adopt, nor must she object to the
presence of the child's mother in her household.
Three days after the marriage ceremony has
taken place, it is etiquette for the bride, bridegroom,
and his parents to visit the bride's relatives. A
banquet is given, with hired geisha to amuse the
guests, who are mindful to bring a present to
every member of the household, including the
servants. The young bride helps her mother to
entertain the guests, but she must be careful not
to display any affection towards her own people,
26
MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE
for she now belongs entirely, heart and body, to
her husband's family. Another dinner-party is
given at the bridegroom's home, and again presents
are distributed. On this occasion the newly-
married couple do not count; it is the relatives
who benefit by the presents.
One of the queerest things about this queer
land is the fact that the humbler the wife is
socially, the more is she on a footing of equality
with her husband. It is the well-born woman who
is content to be treated as her husband's inferior
in almost everything. She is not allowed to work
outside her own garden, as her humbler sister may ;
she may not mix with her husband's friends and
enter into conversation with them when he invites
them to his house, but must merely attend to their
wants, and retire to some quiet corner, unless her
husband chooses to call for her.
In the marrying and giving in marriage Japan
has not altered one iota. The man who wears a
frock-coat and rides a bicycle to give his vote on
polling-day is still married by drinking three tiny
cups of sake; and he may still divorce his wife if
his mother does not like her, or if she contracts a
habit of visiting her neighbours too frequently.
Will the women of Japan be content to remain
their husbands' slaves, now that their nation has
become one of the greatest powers on the earth ?
— I wonder.
27
CHAPTER IV
IHE JAPANESE HUSBAND FROM A WOMAN's
POINT OF VIEW
From the European woman's point of view, a
Japanese husband is an Asiatic who lays aside his
thin veneer of Western civihsation with his black
coat, which he only wears in business hours. He
returns to his wife and family in his Idmono. A
Japanese husband is an Asiatic, and from an
Asiatic point of view he is no doubt a very
admirable one, for Japanese women are allowed
more freedom and are treated with much more
respect and intimacy generally than almost any
other Asiatic woman except the Burmese.
At the same time, it is perhaps significant of
Japanese married life that a Japanese bride goes
to be married in a pure white mourning robe,
which is intended to signify that henceforth she is
dead to her old home and her parents, and that
she must henceforth look upon her husband's
people as her own. But to the bride I think it
28
THE JAPANESE HUSBAND
must have a deeper significance. It must mean
that she has said goodbye to all freedom and all
ftimily devotion, and to most of the pleasures of
hfe ; and that she has been disposed of to a man
of whom she probably knows nothing, for him to
use and abuse as the good or evil in him dictates.
If ever the Japanese as a nation take to reading
our Bible, the Japanese girl will make a god (not a
goddess) of Jephthah's daughter. A Japanese is
called upon to perform the sacrifice of Jephthah
when his daughter is married.
Incidentally, one may remark that the missionaries
should not be too eager to press the acceptance of
the Old Testament upon the Japanese, who would
find its teachings so entirely after their own hearts
that the Bible might become more dreaded than
the Inquisition. The Japanese can be very literal
when he pleases, as well as very allegorical.
A Japanese husband is a despot, who has
absolute power over his wife and children. He
may, if he chooses, divorce her for the most trifling
reasons, such as talking too much, or jealousy, or
if she is not absolutely obedient to the wishes of
his parents, and, as might be expected of an Eastern
nation, if she has no children. The very humble
classes do not even wait for one of the seven causes
for divorce set down by the sages of old ; the man
simply gets rid of a wife and takes another if she
is not a good helpmeet to him in his daily work.
29
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
A Japanese husband no longer requires his young
wife to black her teeth if she is comely, although,
when I was in Japan, it was quite a common sight
to see a young woman's beauty completely marred
by a mouthful of black teeth. It was the present
Empress who set at defiance this most barbarous
custom. But Asiatic women hold fast to their
cords of bondage, as has been proved by all who do
mission work in India for the raising of the position
of native women, and the blacking of the teeth as
a token of their absolute submission to their
husbands, who considered it a safeguard from all
other admiring eyes, is a custom which dates
back to 920 a.d., and therefore not easily broken.
And it is, I believe, the Japanese women, not the
men, who are most shocked and astonished by the
fact that the Crown Prince permits his wife to eat
with him at meals, and to enter his carriage before
him.
I think it must be owing to their peculiarly
national characteristics and to the tactfulness of
the Japanese women that Japanese husbands are
as good as they are, for absolute power has a
brutalising effect on the best and strongest natures,
and the Japanese husband is seldom brutal ; indeed,
he is often a very good fellow, and when his
mother allows him, a good husband, even from our
point of view.
The gentlest, most submissive little wife, who
30
THE JAPANESE HUSBAND
would never dream of questioning the will or
wishes of her august husband, becomes in time
a tyrant mother-in-law, who may force her son
to divorce his wife if she does not care for her ;
and the husband, knowing that there are moosmes
in the sea, no doubt of it, as good as ever came out
of it, parts with the gentle, obedient, slavish little
wife, whom he did not marry for love, but because
his matrimonial agent had chosen her for him,
without much heartache, and the poor little woman
returns disgraced to her mother's home. As
children belong absolutely to their fathers in
Japan, ^ there is no question as to the custody of
the child when the husband returns his wife to
her people.
Yet, even in Japan, where wifehood is little
better than slavery, for a wife always lives with her
parents-in-law, and acts as their unpaid servant, it
is considered a disgrace to a woman to be un-
married ; indeed, a bachelor or an old maid is
seldom met with in that land of easily dissolved
partnerships.
Though a Japanese husband seldom marries his
wife because he has fallen in love vdth her, he has
a good deal more voice in the matter of choosing
his bride than his wife has in choosing her husband.
When the appointed day comes for their "first-
1 There are exceptions to this rule under the most recent
legislation.
31
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
seeing," after the go-between has notified to the
girl's parents that their daughter has been selected,
the bridegroom-elect may withdraw his suit if he
takes a dislike to the appearance or personality of
the girl, or if his mother, who is generally much in
evidence on those important occasions, disapproves
of the go-between's choice. The girl, who goes
like a lamb to the slaughter, never dreams of
objecting to the honourable husband chosen for
her. She has been too well versed in the special
teaching for women, which demands absolute sub-
mission from women to their fathers, brothers, and
husbands, and husband's relatives, ever to think of
herself as an individual with human emotions and
desires. One of the most pathetic human docu-
ments ever written is the simple little diary of a
Japanese wife.^ She was twenty-seven years old
before she was married ; her touching gratitude to
the man who saved her from disgrace, her fear that
he would regret his marriage and hate her because
all her children died soon after they were born, is
woefully pathetic.
A Japanese husband eats alone or with his
grown-up sons, and lets his wife wait upon him.
If he gives a banquet to his friends his wife does
not appear, except to pay some particular hospitality
to his guests. In the families of the humbler
classes the wife eats at the same time as her
1 Translated by Mr Lafcadio Hearn in Kotto.
THE JAPANESE HUSBAND
husband, but takes care to kneel at a respectful
distance behind his august person on the floor. It
is not expected of the male guest or caller to pay
any attention to his host's wife ; she is merely a
person to administer to his wants.
A Japanese husband does not take his wife to
the theatre, or to wrestling-matches, or to popular
tea-houses to see the famous geisha dancers when
she is young and pretty : he takes his mother and
children and sisters ; his wife is left at home to do
her duties ; that is why, at picnics or fairs, and at
all sorts of public fetes in Japan, one sees so
many elderly women and quite young 7noosmes.
Young wives and mothers stay at home in un-
complaining submission.
In their marriage ceremony, which consisted of
no spoken vows, but in the drinking three times
three from the same sake bowls as their husbands,
they took upon themselves the unspoken vows of
wifehood, which mean in Japan a smiling, gentle
acceptance of a state of self-extinction, and of
slavery and childbearing. To be the mother of a
man-child is, after all, a Japanese woman's raison
'.d'etr^e, for it is only through the male line that
; heredity and ancestor- worship descend. No ofFer-
!ings were ever laid on the shelf of the house-
ihold gods in front of a woman ancestor. A
Japanese husband, when he has on his business
black coat and hat, two sizes too large for him,
3 33
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
treats his wife to all outward appearances as his
equal. In his heart, of course, he is the true
Asiatic, and ever will be in his feeling of superiority
over women ; but it is wise, from a business point
of view, while he is mixing with the merchants of
the Great Powers, to treat his wife as women of
the Western world are treated. If he lets her sit
by him in his carriage (when he has one), walk
beside him in her hideous German-made clothes,
and even condescends to open the door for her
and let her pass in first when they enter a large
European building, it is merely bewildering and
unseemly to the obedient little wife, who knows
that in the quiet of her home she will once more
take her place, as a good wife should, behind her
honourable lord, whose very fault-finding she must
consider an honour, and answer with smiles.
It cannot be expected that the modern Japanese
girl who goes to a board school will remain in this
state of matrimonial slavery, or that she will be
contented to spend the best years of her life as an
unpaid servant to her husband's family ; but, so far,
Japan is Asiatic, and Western civilisation has not
touched the foundations of home life ; it has only
touched the business world, and the things which
do not affect the ancient morals and institutions of
this bizarre people. The smart naval officer who
directs the most modern torpedo-boat in the whole
flotilla of the Japanese Na\y was in all probability
34
To hack on p. 34,
A Japanese husband ot
I
To hack on p. 35.
the good old days.
THE JAPANESE HUSBAND
married to his wife by drinking three times three
sake bowls with her, and if he has any rehgion at
all, insists that she should be careful to offer up to
his august ancestors on his family god-shelf ample
offerings and prayers while he is fighting against
the Russians for his beloved Emperor and country.
35
CHAPTER V
A JAPANESE woman's LIFE DAY BY DAY
In Japan the trivial round, the common task,
furnishes all a woman ever asks. And although
that round is to Western minds appallingly trivial,
she is never bored. Indeed, from the moral stand-
point of her own country, a Japanese woman is
surely too good to be true. More than half her
day is spent in a gentle idleness, an idleness which
has no connection with laziness. Yet she does not
know the meaning of ennui ; indeed, ennui seems
to be the wages a Western woman pays for her
mental independence. In the East and extreme
South, where women's minds are still behind the
shutters of the world, ennui is quite unknown ; and
it is only when the Oriental or Southern races come
into contact with the brooding Celt and bustling
Anglo-Saxon that the meaning of the word is
brought home to them. Idleness may be the
mother of mischief, but it does not produce ennui
unless the idler's brain is sufficiently enlightened to
36
A JAPANESE WOMAN'S LIFE
feel its starved condition. The ordinary Japanese
woman comes midway between the veiled and
latticed woman of the East and the independent
woman of the West ; for, with the exception of the
Burmese, 1 suppose that there is no other Asiatic
race which allows its women so much freedom, or
treats them with so much respect. At the same
time, if the Japanese women are to receive what we
choose to call " the higher education of women "
in exchange for the teachings of the sages {Onna
Dai GaJai), the condition of their daily lives after
they have left school must be altered to meet their
new mental condition.
The unspoiled native Japanese woman is
cultured to her finger-tips, but totally uneducated.
In this respect I think she would meet her exact
antithesis in the assertive, uncultured, expensively-
educated American woman.
But even now there are signs of rebellion against
the old regime amongst the daughters of the upper
classes, girls who have been educated at public
schools. The modern Japanese moosjiie dares to
scorn the " Onna Dai Gaku " as a complete edu-
cation for women, and she actually complains of
the irksomeness of the ceremonial and etiquette
which make up her daily home-life. She seems
to forget that without etiquette her ancestors
would never have achieved their position on the
family god-shelf In entering into the competitive
37
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
system of education, the modern moosme has
learnt to hurry, and to think that time is of some
importance ; while her gentle, contented mother,
who sits at home in her paper house, knows that
all eternity is before her, and that hurry and desire
are the two evils which the teaching of " perfect
submission " corrects in a woman's nature. To the
true Japanese woman there is nothing in the world
so important as etiquette and repose. Etiquette is
practically her education, as it is also the root of
her religion ; for, as Mr George Lynch has just
remarked in one of his admirable letters from the
seat of war, the Japanese religion consists of
" being polite to future possibilities."
A woman's daily life in Japan is made up of
politenesses. Everything she touches belonging
to anyone else is " O " — that is to say, " honour-
able." She takes her honourable lord his honour-
able tea while he is still in his honourable bed, and
hopes that he will excuse her unworthy presence ;
and while she is giving him the best she has, con-
ventionality demands that she should call it vile.
If she meets a next-door neighbour when she is
going out to purchase the " honourable daiko?i "
(immense radish) for her august mother-in-laws
dinner, she will spend at least ten minutes in
apologising for her rudeness at their last meeting,
which, of course, was as polite as the present one.
If there was not a lengthy etiquette attached to
38
A JAPANESE WOMAN'S LIFE
the doing and the saying of the merest trifles, a
woman's life would be absolutely empty ; for when
you consider that her sphere in the world never
extends beyond her own home, and that her own
home has about as much in it as a paper lantern,
what can she have to do ?
Rice-boiling and serving are of course matters
of great importance. Every girl receives as a part
of her education a thorough training in the art of
boiling rice in all its various forms — the red rice
for visitors and for festal days, and the different
varieties of rices required for special dishes. Her
sewing is never elaborate, for her clothes are so
simple that plain neat sewing is all that she need
know. The splendidly-embroidered robes which
were once worn by ladies at the various Dciimio
courts were never, as it might be imagined, worked
at home ; they were given to professionals, who
were trained to the art from generation to genera-
tion. The only sort of fancy-work Japanese ladies
ever did, Miss Bacon says in her Japanese Girls
and Women— and she had unusual advantages for
knowing — was a curious sort of patchwork made of
silk. Flower-arranging and flower-painting seemed
to be the correct accomplishment of the educated
classes, who, of course, were never allowed to learn
singing or dancing ; the koto, a sort of flat instru-
ment, which lies on the floor, is the only one ever
recognised by the upper classes.
39
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Of course, it must be borne in mind that a
Japanese woman never expects her Hfe to be inter-
esting, for she does not consider herself as an
individual, but as a domestic complement to man.
To admit that she was dull would be to sin against
the teachings of " perfect submission." After her
box of rice is boiled in the morning, and the little
toy-like house has been aired and the god-shelf
" honoured," her day's work is practically over.
A great deal of ceremonious calling takes place,
which helps to fill up her time. This visiting is,
of course, only exchanged between the women, or
between the men. Mixed parties are seldom per-
mitted. Men-calls involve no end of trouble, and
are conducted with great ceremony, e\'en amongst
friends and gossips, for at whatever hour a call is
paid a meal must always be placed in front of a
guest, and a little gift has to be presented at part-
ing, with as much ceremony and flattery as a hero
receives when the freedom of a city is bestowed
upon him on his return from victory.
Naturally, a woman's daily life greatly depends
on the nature of her mother-in-law ; or if she is
fortunate enough to have none, upon her husband.
If he is really fond of her, it may be made to
include many simple ccsthetic pleasures, for her
domestic duties are very light ; if he is broad-minded,
he will allow her to accompany his relations to
temple fairs, theatres, flower-picnics, and moon-
40
To back on p. 40.
Behind
To hack on p. 41.
X
the Shoji.
A JAPANESE WOMAN'S LIFE
light excursions to famous points of beauty. But
if he is a narrow-minded, grudging Asiatic in his
feelings towards woman, her amusements consist
of sitting on her knees in front of a hibach'h and
smoking as lightly and sparingly from a pen-like
pipe as a bee sips honey from a flower. You can
see, as you pass along some quiet street where
the slioji of the houses are drawn to protect the
dainty interiors from dust and publicity, the dark
eyes of some submissive wife peering through the
holes scratched in the white cartridge paper. In
Japan every shoji has its eyes, especially if the hairy
foreigner happens to be on the other side of the
paper. I shall never forget the interest my clothes
inspired in a party of merry servant-girls in a primi-
tive native inn. So anxious were they to examine
e\ ery article I wore thoroughly, that after I was in
bed, or rather laid on the floor under a heavy quilt,
they asked, with charming politeness, if they might
show my honourable corsets to their neighbours.
With few household duties to perform, no
novels to read, and no hats to re-trim, a Japanese
woman has plenty of idle time on her hands ; yet
Satan never seems to find the proverbial mischief
for her to do. Perhaps the ceremony and etiquette
which would attend his reception keep him at bay,
for he is believed to get through almost as much
work in the day as the Emperor of Germany.
41
CHAPTER VI
HOUSEKEEPING IN JAPAN
Housekeeping in Japan consists of paying im-
portant attention to unimportant things. The
etiquette of trifles is the keynote of Japan. It is,
for example, much more important for a Japanese
woman to study the correct etiquette for pouring
out tea for her friends, than to consider the flavour
of the tea itself. O-cha (the honourable tea) is an
item of so much importance in a Japanese house-
hold that a special etiquette for " the Solemn Tea-
Ceremony" is taught by a professor of the art.
Household etiquette is the most indispensable item
in the woman's education. As I have said else-
where, etiquette is the Kaiser of Japan ; and there
is this to be said in favour of it, that however much
it may weary the Western mind, it gives a Japanese
woman something to do.
Although a Japanese housekeeper has no real
housekeeping to do, she begins her day very early.
Before the sun rises she lifts her slim neck from
42
HOUSEKEEPING IN JAPAN
her little wooden pillow, slips out from between
her two padded quilts, and rises fi'om her bed on
the floor, taking care not to disturb the " honourable
sleep " of her lord and master.
She puts out the andon or standing paper lamp,
which is always kept burning all night in a Japanese
house, and pushing back the paper wall of her room,
glides quietly out. After unlocking the amado
(outer wooden shutters), and opening up the house
to let in the new day, she wakes the servants. Her
next household duty is to place the little lacquer
table-trays, with their rice-bowls and chopsticks, in
their correct place, according to the precedence of
the household; after which she must wake her
husband, and carry some hot water to her mother-
in-law, both with the correct expressions of smiling
respect.
The etiquette of smiles is perhaps one of the
severest of all etiquettes in Japan. When you
have lived in that land of smiles you will learn in
time that when you can understand a Japanese
smile you may hope to understand the people. A
daughter-in-law must always present a smiling face
to her mother-in-law ; a servant must smile when
his mistress dismisses him. But the news of a death
must be told with laughter. Laughter is reserved
for very special occasions, and has no relation to
joy; smiles are used on every occasion to conceal real
feehngs ; they are not always significant of pleasure.
43
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
When her husband has finished his breakfast of
rice and tea, his wife hurries to the godown to see
that his wooden clogs and greased paper umbrella
are ready for him, and that the smiling human
horse is standing in the shafts of his carriage to
take his master to business. With many sayonaras
and respectful rubbings of her knees she speeds her
parting husband, and then returns to her household
duties.
She must watch and direct the servants while
they remove the sliding paper panels which make
up the various rooms, roll up the beds and put
them in wall-cupboards, and polish the beautiful
woodwork. She has no furniture to mo\'e, or
fires to light, or carpets to brush, and perhaps
but one precious ornament in the whole house to
dust, but there is an etiquette and superstition to
be observ^ed in even the simplest operation. The
beds, for instance, will have been so arranged the
night before that no member of the household slept
with his head to the north, for that is the position
in which the dead are laid out. And if a fresh
vase of flowers is required for the guest-chamber,
the etiquette of arranging it takes no little skill in
the philosophy of flowers. The proper and im-
proper combinations of flowers have a significance
far deeper than mere harmony of colour or gi-aceful
effect of lines.
When it is time to go to the market she will
44
HOUSEKEEPING IN JAPAN
visit the fish stall, where no weed or ofFal of the
sea is beneath her attention, and the vegetable
shop, which is always conspicuous for its enormous
white radishes {daiJxon), which are to the poor Japs
what fennel is to the poor Sicilian — both the be-
ginning and the end of a midday meal. She will
next visit the rice merchant, where she can purchase
all sorts and conditions of rices, and millet, and
macaroni, which now forms an important item in
Japanese food-fare. What copper cash she has
left she takes to the pickle vendor, and in infini-
tesimally small quantities samples out his strange
compounds.
With practically no cooking to do but the boil-
ing of the daily supply of rice — for a rice-box and
a pickle-jar are a woman's larder in Japan — and
none of the ordinary household duties to perform,
such as the darning of stockings and the mending
of household linen ; with nothing, in fact, but a
raised platform, with a canopy over her head, to
call a home, what can a Japanese housekeeper
have to do ? Absolutely nothing, from our point of
view ; for who ever heard of a washing-day without
soap and hot water ? But from her own she has
very many important duties to perform, for she
lives in a land where it is not the working of the
elements of human nature which make up the
vital things of life, but the observing of minute
trifles. And, after all, the difference between the
45
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
things that matter and the things that do not
matter in life is largely a matter of hemispheres.
In this land of Great Peace, the things that matter
are the things of beauty, and of courtesy, and of
repose.
There are many important date^ to be observed
in a housewife's calendar. She must be careful
not to wash her hair on the day of the Horse, or
it will turn red — and anything but crow-black is
an abomination in Japan. She must see that the
well of drinking-water is carefully covered when
an ecHpse of the moon is foretold, or some poison
will fall from the sky and defile it. And she must
never forget that on the 1st and 28th of each
month a light must be lit and kept burning on
the god-shelf {kamidana), and many offerings
made to the gods. On New Year's Day the
gods demand a special double rice-cake. Their
kamidana is the Shinto god-shelf; but as most
Japanese are both Shinto and Buddhist in their
god-worship, this shelf is common in all house-
holds. But there is, besides, the " spirit-chamber,"
with its shelf of family gods, which also must be
appeased with daily offerings, and devoutly wor-
shipped by the women of the family, because they
are all the spirits of male ancestors. On the
seventh day of the seventh month there is a
general present-giving between families and friends
(the etiquette of present-giving is an education in
46
HOUSEKEEPING IN JAPAN
itself), and it is a housewife's duty to see that there
is a sufficient number of presents in the house to
distribute amongst all her husband's friends and
relations. I remember being very disappointed
when I discovered that I was expected to return
the best part of the first present I ever received in
Japan — the beautiful lacquer box, which contained
some mess of flour and fat beaten together, which
the sender called a sweetmeat.
A well-appointed house must also contain a
plentiful supply of dolls in the storehouse or godoivn
to present to every little child who is brought to
the house ; in fact, almost every visitor, of whatever
age, is presented with some gift, which is chosen
with great care according to the rank of the
recipients. No tradesman or even message-boy
is ever allowed to go away from a house in Japan
without being offered some sort of hospitality.
This alone demands forethought on the house-
keeper's part.
On the fifth day of the fifth month there is the
Boys' Festival, or the Feast of the Flags, when e\'ery
house in which there is a boy displays a wonderful
show of toys suitable for boys. This is again an
occasion for great present-giving, and exchanging
of ^^sits and hospitality. No present is e^'er
received without one being sent in exchange.
When a boy is born in a house, as many as a
hundred presents are often received in a day, so
47
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
the poor mother has her time cut out in acknow-
ledging them, and sending one in exchange for
each, and feeding the messengers who bring them.
On the third day of the third month there is
the Girls' Festival (liina Matsuri), when dolls are
presented and each household exhibits its wonder-
ful collections of historical dolls.
But of household festivals alone there is no end.
Everyone has heard of the famous Feast of the
Dead on the 13th and 14th of July, when all
housekeepers visit the markets for the Festival of
the Dead, where the proper food is sold for the
souls of the departed. A good housewife must
be prepared to meet all the demands of the social
festivities connected with these endless festivals,
and her memory must never fail her over the
minutest detail, for even the tying up of a parcel
has its significance in Japan, where presents are
done up with a special knot, and have a little gilt
kite slipped under their paper string.
If you ask a Japanese woman what her most
arduous duty is, she will tell you that it lies in
the acknowledging and returning in the prescribed
fashion the various presents which arrive for her
husband's family and for her own children through-
out the year.
48
CHAPTER VII
JAPANESE DOMESTICS
A TOURIST in Japan naturally does not come
much in contact with the upper-class Japanese
servant, whose social position in his own country
is considerably higher than that of a small trades-
man. A Japanese housemaid, for instance, would
not consider that she was bettering herself by
marrying the son of a tradesman, or going into
" business," as she would in England, for domestic
service in Japan has always been ranked higher
than trade, which until lately was considered by
all Japanese a means of living with which no
self-respecting man should soil his hands. But
the tourist in Japan, unless he has introductions
to English residents in the country, can only
judge Japanese servants by the rather rough and
ready class of men who have learned sufficient
pidgin-English to understand the wishes and orders
of their constantly changing masters in hotels.
The traveller soon picks up enough pidgin-Japanese
4 49
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
to make himself understood by his bedroom boy,
whose pidgin-Enghsh is only skin-deep. Pidgin,
Professor Chamberlain says, is merely a corrupt
form of the word business. Hotel servants and
boarding-house servants, be they Asiatics or
Europeans, are pretty much the same all the
world over. They are what their " tips " make
them, whereas private servants in Japan are what
their hearts and breeding make them. For even
house-servants in this land of Great Peace have to
go through a severe course of training in etiquette
in their youth, a training quite apart from that of
their profession. There is no hard or fast rule
drawn between the duties of mistress and maid
in a native household, or in the occupations of
their daily life. But the maid's exquisite taste —
a sixth sense — prevents her ever presuming to
overstep the limits of familiarity prescribed. I
remember once being very much at sea when 1
was taken to pay a call on a Japanese lady of the
well-to-do class. Not being able to speak a word
of the language, I was unable to follow the
conversation which took place between the
charming little woman who greeted us at the
inner shutters and my friend. She was dressed
in the soft grey kimono and ohi of a middle-aged
woman, and her exquisite manner and gentleness
made me feel as heavy as my boots, which I had
not been allowed to take off, sounded on the delicate
50
JAPANESE DOMESTICS
floor-matting compared to her soft white foot-gloves.
My friend addressed her as Sa?i, and seemed to
speak to her just as a guest would to her hostess.
We had tea on the floor, and my friend chatted
pleasantly for some time with the little grey
figure, when suddenly the sound of riks/ia-whee\s
on the gravel outside caught my ears, and the
next instant there was the scuffing of many tabi'd
feet along the polished wooden passage which led
to the front door, and the eager cry of " O kaeii !
O kaeri ! " (honourable return). Our hostess
pro tern, rose from her knees, smiled, and begged
us to excuse her honourable rudeness. When she
had hurried off* to join in the welcome cry, my
friend said, " Oh, 1 am glad she has come ! "
" Who has come ? " I asked. " The lady we came
to see," she said. " Then who was the charming
little lady who poured out tea for us ? " I asked.
My friend smiled. " Oh, that was only the house-
maid." It is etiquette in Japan for the upper
servants to entertain any visitor in their mistress's
absence ; and although her mistress and master
will address her by her Christian name, and speak
to her in the correct inflection of voice for
addressing an inferior, etiquette demands that
visitors should call her San, and speak to her in
tones of equality. The custom which compels
a good Japanese wife of even the upper class to
perform certain menial duties toward her husband
51
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
and children herself, and always to act as personal
maid and valet to her honourable parents-in-law,
naturally has the effect of raising the profession
of domestic service, and of making servants feel as
though they were members of one family with
their employers. Indeed, it always seemed to me
in Japan that servants had a very much better
time than their mistresses. They have plenty of
freedom ; they can never be hard - worked, for
there is never any hard work to do in a paper
house which has no furniture, no coal-cellars, and
no stairs. Besides, to the Western mind, a
Japanese house always contains four times as
many servants as are necessary to do the small
amount of work. They spend their time in being
polite to each other. Of course, they receive very
small wages. The younger kitchen servants, for
instance, often get nothing but their rice and
clothes and the certainty of a happy, peaceful home,
where they are well cared for and courteously
treated. They have endless holidays, and often
accompany their master and mistress to the theatre
or to the temple fairs. It is a very familiar
domestic sight in Japan to see a bevy of clean,
gentle-voiced, well-behaved servants playing chess
in some cool courtyard or servants' hall at the
back of a house. In the front garden the family
will doubtless be playing Go. There is, however,
one very hard and fast line drawn, and that is
52
JAPANESE DOMESTICS
between men and women quarters in the house,
both of the servants and of the family. Men and
women never eat together or sit together, or have
their clothes kept in the same room, even if they
are husband and wife. Each tiny child has an
attendant of its own. This, of course, must give
a certain amount of work.
O-Ku is the name given to the part of the
house where the lady of the house always resides
during the early part of the day, that her
servants^ may know where she is to be found ; but
though etiquette demands that every morning she
must give her orders and direct the household
work, her servants will only carry out her wishes
according to their own idea of what is best for
her. No Japanese servant will ever condescend
to be turned into a human machine. Even in the
most perfectly appointed house he retains his
individuality, although he will fall upon his hands
and knees when he enters your presence. But
he evidently believes in the Horatian maxim of
his country, " Give genius a chance," for he
persists in using his own brains instead of those
of his master or mistress.
If you cease worrying how a thing is done so
long as it is well done, you will find a Japanese
servant a treasure. But if you are jealous of your
authority, and prejudiced in favour of your own
methods of doing household things, you will tear
53
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
your hair and gnash your teeth, and call him a lazy
scoundrel.
Very much the same spirit exists between
mistress and maid in Japan as in Italy, and surely,
from a human point of view, this is desirable. It
is not offensive to the gentle heart of a Japanese
mistress to let her servants enjoy or benefit by all
the little pleasing incidents which make up every-
day home-life in Japan. When the fairy stories or
historical romances are being related at night by
the head of the family round the bronze hibachi^
the servants may sit and listen at a discreet
distance, laughing and commenting on the story
as freely as their superiors.
In the morning, when the master of the house
goes off to business, it is etiquette for the servants
as well as his Avife to hurry to the door to speed his
departure. In the morning the servants gi-eet their
master or mistress with the expression " O-Hayo ! "
("It is honourably early"), in the afternoon with
'' Kon?uchi-wa / " ("To-day"), and in the evening
with '' Komba?i-wa f " ("This evening").
The meeting of two servants belonging to
neighbours is to European eyes almost as formal
a function as a presentation at Court. They will
smile correctly at a correct distance from each
other ; on drawing nearer they smile again ac-
cording to the etiquette prescribed ; and then,
after bows of the finest and most minute signifi-
54
To hack on p. 54.
Ishi Gakuchi : The meeting of two servants.
To back on p. 55.
Ishi Gakuchi.
JAPANESE DOMESTICS
cance, the gardener of one house will address the
betto (groom) of another with some such phrase
as "It is long since I have hung upon your
honourable eyelids ! " And the other will answer,
"Please excuse my rudeness at last time we met."
Europeans who reside in Japan usually pay their
servants board-wages and allow them to feed them-
selves, but this is not the custom in a native house
of a well-to-do class, where a house-steward is
always kept to do the shopping, look after the
servants, guard his mistress's interests and his own,
and generally run the establishment. He is a
person of great importance, and of course of a
much higher class than the kuramaya or the
hetto, if one is kept ; for these two, like their
Western brothers of the stables, generally drink
and gamble away the greater part of their wages,
and are regarded as not servants at all, but mere
tradesmen.
Personal cleanliness is a virtue which all Japan-
ese servants possess. It is no unusual thing for a
Japanese servant to apologise to a mistress for not
having had time to bath more than three times
that day.
No Japanese servant is so wanting in good breed-
ing as to give direct notice to her mistress. Noth-
ing is direct in Japan, for their language does not
contain the word ' no.' Nor does a mistress who
is hiring a new servant tell a rejected applicant
55
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
to her face that she will not suit her. A polite
excuse has to be sent to her through a third party.
When a servant wishes to leave, she asks to visit
a sick relative. When the date for her returning
arrives, a magnificently worded apology is sent
saying that the relative is dead, and that she cannot
be spared from her home, or something of the kind.
When a servant is rebuked or scolded he must
smile like a Chinese cat. This etiquette in smiles
is very misleading at first. I often used to think
that Take, my jiksha-hoy, meant to be impertinent
when he insisted on smiling while I was angry with
him ; but when he told me of the death of his little
child with a burst of laughter, I knew that this was
only one of the titbits of etiquette in this topsy-
turvy land.
Those who wish to go deeper into this fascinating
subject should have recourse, as I do myself when-
ever I am in doubt, to the illuminating pages of Miss
A. M. Bacon's Japanese Interiors, and Japanese
Girls and TVomen.
56
CHAPTER VIII
DINNERS IN JAPAN
The Japanese do not dine, but three times a day
they eat sufficient rice and pickles, washed down
with sake or tea, to fill the human vacuum and keep
life and body together. In the ordinary Buddhist
native households, where no meat is eaten, a
woman's rice-box is her larder. It is only amongst
the upper classes that the rice diet is varied with
sauces, eggs, elaborate soups made of seaweeds
and pounded beans and fungi.
In the country rice is considered a luxury, and
is replaced by millet, beans, and a sort of macaroni.
A good housewife boils sufficient rice for her daily
manna every morning, and packs it away in a
lacquer box until it is required. At each meal a
portion of it is moistened with tea or washed down
with sake, according to taste.
Even in well-off households, quiet dinners to
which guests are asked seldom consist of more than
two dishes, but they are served with so much
57
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
ceremony and etiquette that the eating of rice, be it
red or white, and the seaweed soup, will take as
much time as a six-course dinner at the Carlton
Hotel. Of these two dishes a Japanese guest eats
a good deal. He shovels relay after relay of rice
do^vn his throat by the aid of chopsticks and a
small black bowl raised to his mouth, much in the
same manner as a Neapolitan winds a plateful of
macaroni round his fork and sucks it down his
throat. When a guest has dined well he gratifies
his host's ears (it is always a host, and not a hostess,
in Japan) with prolonged belching, the art of which
is quite a feature of after-dinner etiquette in Japan.
A man who is fond of his cups drinks heavily before
dinner, and not afterwards, as he does in England ;
and when he is invited to dine with his friend, he
takes his private chopsticks with him. And that
reminds me that the first time I dined with
European residents in Japan, I was amazed at the
number of men-servants in the room, all in different
uniforms. I was informed that it is customary for
a man, when he is asked out to dinner, to take his
" boy " with him. The plan is a good one, I think,
for your own servant must know your tastes better
than the servants of your friend.
But to return to chopsticks. When you go to
a native inn or tea-house and have not taken your
ivory or silver chopsticks with you, be careful to
notice that the ones laid in front of you are joined
58
To hack on p. 58.
Kikushi —
To hack vn p. 59.
^'V'te;,,, .«f Mj
A li
A riksba boys' teahouse.
DINNERS IN JAPAN
together at one end, for if they are undivided they
can never have been used or washed.
AA^hen a Japanese gentleman gives a dinner to his
friends at his own home, the food is not of so much
importance as the entertainment which goes with it.
If he is wealthy he does not take a box at the
theatre, but he hires geisha to come and dance
before his guests and brighten up the conversation.
A man who has the reputation of dining his friends
well knows what geisha to secure to ensure the
success of the party by their wit, grace, and aesthetic
beauty of costume.
It is difficult for the Western mind to disassociate
glass, flowers, silver and plates from dinner-parties.
A .Japanese banquet is the hardest possible thing
to imagine if you have never been to one. To me
banquet-going in Japan was very like theatre-going
— an interesting experience that I did not care to
repeat very often. During my banquet at the
Maple Club, which is the resort of the rich aesthetic
set in Tokyo, I felt like Alice in Wonderland at
her famous dinner-party with the mad hatter, only
it was the solemnest madness imaginable. I was
afraid to move or breathe in case I committed some
breach of etiquette, for even breathing has its sig-
nificance in Japan, and what seems to be the most
unstudied movement may be an elaborate produc-
tion of etiquette.
But the whole thing, with its elaborate ceremony
59
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
and subtle aestheticism, was in a manner wasted
upon me, for of course I failed to distinguish a
hundredth part of the etiquette, and its real poetic
meaning. AVe were introduced to the Club by a
very important member, and therefore treated with
special courtesy. As he failed to make one of our
party, he sent, along with his elaborate apology, two
beautiful presents of Japanese books. Japan is
certainly the land of presents. We were ushered
upstairs by bowing, smiling, scuffing, hurrying girl
attendants, who, on pushing back the beautiful card-
board shqji, ushered us into a large room, carpeted
with exquisitely fine straw mats. At the first
glimpse of them I felt rewarded for having taken off
my barbarous boots at the front door, and that is
saying a good deal for a woman who is particular
how her boots are laced. There was no approach
to anything like furniture in the room except the
large princess mats {futon), covered with grey silk,
stamped with maple leaves in a darker shade, and
numerous tobacco-boxes. My English friend, who
had gone through the ceremony before, told us to
kneel down on the cushions with our back to the
parchment wall at one end of the room. After we
had been kneeling a few moments, and had exa-
mined the beautiful woodwork of the shoji, and
the clever introduction of maple leaves in ever so
many details of a room which seemed perfectly
empty, a bevy of bowing moosmes hurried in, one
60
DINNERS IN JAPAN
at a time (there was one for each of us), carrying
Httle red lacquer table-trays, which they placed on
the floor before each guest, with respectful indrawn
breaths and low-bent heads. On these trays there
was a blue and white china sake bottle and tiny
drinking-bowl, and two or three little black lacquer
bowls full of what I suppose were our equivalent
to hors (Toeuvres, for I have a vivid recollection of
trying to taste, just to please the anxious little face
in front of me, such strange compounds as minced
raw fish, boiled lotus roots, sea-slugs floating in
vinegar, and pounded sesamum seeds. But each
bite was worse than the last, and the lukewarm
sake with which I tried to wash away the taste
seemed to me the meanest sort of alcoholic drink
any nation was ever blessed with. I tried to picture
to myself a British Tommy satisfying his thirst
after a big field-day by drinking from a tiny dish
this tepid water diluted with beer. The man who
can get blind drunk on sake must possess the soul of
patience and the capacity of the German beer-king.
The table-tray and everything that was on it
was of course decorated in some aesthetic way with
maple leaves, and towards the end of the banquet
the curious sweetmeats were made to represent the
fringed foliage of maple-trees.
I am afraid our little kneeling attendants had a
very disappointing time of it, for we all disliked
everything there was to eat, and scarcely any of us
61
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
knew how to eat it. Yet the food was, of course,
the very best procurable, from the native point of
view. Everything was served in tiny lacquer bowls
(even willow-pattern plates are never seen in Japan),
and inverted bowls served as lids to keep the various
sauces and soups warm. When the watchful
attendants thought we had been long enough over
a course, they one by one rose from their knees in
front of us and carried away the little tray-tables,
only to return in a moment or two with others of
exactly the same size, again covered with black
lacquer bowls, and of course a sake bottle and a
cup. To my untutored eyes the food in the bowls
appeared much the same as what had been taken
away, but I believe this new course had seaweed
soup instead of sea-slugs, and the honourable daikon,
the coarse, evil-smelling radish, so dear to the palate
of the Japanese, was represented in various forms.
There was also a dangerous-looking black sauce,
into which I was supposed to dip a portion of my
live fish.
AVhen we had feasted our eyes on this course for
the prescribed length of time, the tables were again
removed and others brought in. The next course
also began with soup, which was really quite good,
for it was made of fish and flavoured with mush-
rooms, and this time the solid fish was boiled, but,
alas ! flavoured to suit the Asiatic palate, and I was
told that there were potatoes — but I failed to recog-
62
DINNERS IN JAPAN
iiise them ! At the end of that course we were told
that the famous geisha had arrived, and would it
honourably please us to have them dance in our
august presence. As I knew there were still four
courses of seaweed and mixed pickles to be laid
before us, I hailed the dancers with joy. The
musicians entered first, two elderly, dull, plain
little figures, who knelt facing us at the far end
of the room. The biwa and koto, the two largest
musical instruments of Japan, were laid before
them on the floor, just as our food was placed in
front of us. After much horrible twanging, the
shoji were pushed wide open, and the strange stiff
white figures of the dancers slid into the room, with
a wriggling movement not wholly inelegant. I
am sure I ought to have felt like Herod when
Herodias's daughter danced before him, but I did
not. In half-an-hour's time I felt as bored as
Piggy Hoggenheimer in The Gi?^/ from Kays.
Half-hours and hours seemed to pass, and I was still
kneeling, and the gentle, anxious moosmes were
scuffing in and out of the room with small trays
holding lacquer bowls and blue china sake cups.
And in front of me, like a dream, were the stiff,
sumptuously - brocaded, ostentatiously - trousered
figures gliding about the room, or making dull thud-
thuds with their white tabid feet on the precious
matting. There was an interminable stately waving
of arms, and shutting and unshutting of fans, and
63
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
the expressive gleaming of oblique eyes from long-
nosed, white-washed faces. But at last the end did
come, and with it the terrible etiquette of paying
the bill. I felt that whatever way I selected to do
it was sure to be wrong, so I begged my friend,
who knew about these things, to perform the
delicate office for me. He did it with as much
tact as a London hostess displays in paying her
lady or gentleman entertainer at an evening party.
All the food we had left uneaten was packed away
in flat white wooden boxes and presented to us as
we left the club. This is quite the correct thing
at a banquet in Japan. On our arrival home, our
hotel bedroom boy regaled himself with the fine
crumbs which had fallen from his master's table.
How he must have chortled over the pearls that
had been cast before foreign swine !
64
CHAPTER IX
CI>OTHES IN JAPAN
In Japan nothing is as simple as it looks, for every-
thing has a double meaning, too subtle for the
ordinary tourist to discover.
Not knowing the language of clothes, they at
first sight seemed to me delightfully simple, though
from a feminine standpoint rather lacking in excite-
ment. In a country where millinery is an un-
known quantity, and the fashions and cut of your
gowns never change, what can the ordinary woman
have to think about? Imagine a land without
fashion-papers, or advertisements of straight-fronted
corsets.
A woman's wardrobe appears to consist of outer
and inner kimonos, a gorgeous obi or sash, some
exquisite hair-combs and a fan, and instead of a
watch she carries a valuable tobacco-pouch and
pipe-case.
There are, of course, a few more articles of seem-
ingly less importance, such as the tabi or thick
5 65
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
white foot-gloves which serve for both stockings and
sHppers, and the high wooden clogs or geta, worn
in place of boots, and always put on at the front
door on going out, and knocked off there on enter-
ing the house ; and last, but not least, the dress -
improver, or obi-age, which supports the butterfly
sash and gives it the correct hump.
But if women in Japan do not tight-lace their
straight-fronted corsets, they make up for this
Western idiosyncrasy in dress by binding up their
loins so closely that they cannot walk, and are
compelled to shuffle along with that peculiar
rhythm of movement quite their own.
Although a Japanese woman seems to be much
more simply dressed than her Western sister (and
certainly she has reduced the number of her
garments down to a very fine point), she is none
the less a daughter of Eve in her love of personal
adornment. For instance, every time her hair is
taken down, two hours are spent in re-dressing it,
and nothing would induce her to go a picnic or
to the theatre without popping into the sleeve of
her kimono her little dressing-case, made of scarlet
brocade, which contains her steel mirror and dim-
inutive boxes of lip-salve, face-powder, and eye-
brow renovator, nor would she go to her temple to
pray if her ohi did not sit just as an obi ought to
sit, and has sat ever since it was adopted by the
contemporaries of the Sun- Goddess.
66
CLOTHES IN JAPAN
Undoubtedly, for a Japanese woman the richness
of her hair ornaments and the splendour of her obi
constitute the chief vanities and extravagances in
dress ; and it is, after all, only in her short years of
vioosme-\\ood that she has much opportunity for
annoying other women or pleasing the opposite
sex by the beauty and variety of these pomps of
the flesh. The husband demands that the wearing
of the young wife's fine trousseau shall be reserved
for his own and his parents' eyes only.
As a child, a woman is as resplendent as a butter-
fly, but the older she grows the sadder and duller
her clothes become, and the less ostentatious the
fine chignon of glossy black hair which she piles
on the top of her head to proclaim her wifehood in
the eyes of the world ; and if she is left a widow,
her whole head of hair is shaved off to show her
desolation.
In Japan it is not the wedding-ring which is the
sign-manual of a married woman, but the dressing
of her hair and the length of her kimono sleeves.
A jnoosme must not have such long sleeves as a
, matron, and her hair is less elaborately dressed.
The tying of an obi in front of the waist instead of
behind is a sign that a woman belongs to the
"■ oldest profession in the world," but such a sight
is seldom seen outside the limits of the Yoshiwara,
or on the stage, where the heroines of the popular
drama, as I have already mentioned, are mostly
67
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
low women. Gay hairpins, of enormous length
and variety, standing out from a woman's head like
the pegs of a fiddle, are also the signs by which ye
shall know the women who are compelled to live
in the " city of no night." Women of the higher
classes only adorn their heads with veritable works
of art in dull-gold lacquer, carved tortoise-shell, and
coral ; they are careful never to wear the skewer-
like ornaments, with which all the world is familiar-
ised in the paintings on battledores and fans, of
their less fortunate sisters.
The magnificence and richness of a girl's wedding
trousseau does not so much denote the wealth of
the parents as their devotion to her as a child, for
her mother begins to save up and purchase bit by
bit her daughter's wedding outfit from her very
infancy, and her bridal dress, which is always white,
does not signify her virginity, as it does with us,
but her burial shroud (for white is the mourning
colour in Japan, and therefore never worn by
children). As I have said above, a bride goes to be
married dressed like a corpse, to show that from
henceforth she is dead to her own parents; and
although her trousseau should be large enough to
supply her with clothes for the rest of her life, she
must pay her first visit to her own people after her
marriage in a kimono bought by her husband, and
stamped with his crest.
A Japanese woman flirts (as far as she knows the
68
CLOTHES IN JAPAN
meaning of the word) \Wth her sleeves and fan, and
not with her eyes and smiles. By the different
movements of the ends of her kimono sleeves she
manages to convey to her admirers all sorts of
unspoken messages, and by the opening and
shutting of her fan to the right or to the left she
can reject or accept the most weighty offers. Her
code-signalling with her sleeves and fan is quite
an item of her social education. When she
becomes engaged, her future husband presents her
with a scrap of ohi silk instead of a diamond ring.
The Japanese woman has one weakness ; she is
developing a penchant for actors — an act of
poetical justice for the devotion of the Japanese
male to the geisha.
Between the sexes in Japan there is very little
difference in the main features of dress, and little
children are only beautiful little miniatures of their
parents, more gaily and richly attired. A tiny girl
may wear the richest embroideries and brocades
of flaming scarlets and gold, made in exactly the
same way as the soft grey or brown kimono of her
mother. In tiny children the distinction of sex
is shown by the colour of the clothes, not the style
in which they are made. Boys wear yellow, girls
red.
Under his kimono a man of the upper class
wears a sort of kilted divided skirt, something
approaching the nature of trousers. This is called
69
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
the hakama, and is always made of stiff silk. A
woman wears instead an undex: -kimono. Both
sexes wear two little aprons round the loins, called
koshi-maki, and a sort of shirt, called the suso-yoke.
Neither a man's obi nor his hair are, of course, his
glory and pride, as they are with a woman. The
male sash is not an item of great importance, for
although it is always made of rich silk, it is worn
not so much for show as for use, to keep his
kimono in place, and to serve as a waist-belt,
through which he can draw the rich chain and
netsuke (button) of his tobacco and pipe case, and
if he is a merchant, his long-handled ink-pot and
penholder.
In the severe weather both the sexes wear
padded kimonos, and the men have a short haori
or over-jacket, which only reaches to about their
knees. A woman's complete outfit costs much
more than a man's, although the actual number
of the garments she wears at one time are fewer.
Professor Chamberlain, in his Things Japanese,
says :^" A Japanese lady's dress will often
represent a value of two hundred dollars, without
counting the ornaments for her hair. A woman
of the smaller shopkeeping class may have on her,
when she goes out holiday-making, some forty or
fifty dollars' worth. A gentleman will rarely spend
on his clothes as much as he lets his wife spend on
hers. Perhaps he may not have on more than
70
CLOTHES IN JAPAN
sixty dollars' worth. Thence, through a gradual
decline in price, we come to the coolie's poor
trappings, which may represent as little as five
dollars, or even two dollars, as he stands."
The coolie class in Japan are mostly distinguished
by their want of clothes, or by the enormous crest
of their employers, which is stamped on the back
of their butcher-blue cotton coat [shirushi-banten).
Under this coat they wear a pair of short white
drawers, as close-fitting almost as tights. Jinriksha
men do not wear the crested coat ; and indeed it is
only by the strict eye of the progressive police laws
that he can be induced to wear any clothes at
all. In the old days his muslin loin-cloth was all-
sufficient. Well do I remember how, on approach-
ing a country police sentry-box or a village, the
shafts of the hand -carriage very suddenly dropped,
and the steaming steed would politely request me
to rise from my seat and let him take from his
trunk below the cushion his running-drawers.
When the village was left behind, and the eye of
the keeper of public decency nowhere in sight, the
drawers were hurriedly pulled off, and once more
returned to their place in the box-seat.
Simple as it looks, with its straight lines and few
seams, a Japanese woman finds it necessary to pick
her kimono to pieces every time it is washed ; but
I have no space here to elaborate on the subject of
household washing in Japan, for I wish to quote
71
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
from Miss Bacon's admirable Japanese Women
and Gii^h her description of one of the most
charming sights in all Japan, a sight I never fully
understood until I read her book, though nothing
remains more vividly in my memory than the sight
of hundreds of gaily-dressed babies, as we should call
them, being brought to the temples by their proud
parents. " The day set for these ceremonies is the
fifteenth of November, and there is no prettier
sight in all Japan than a popular temple on that
day. All the streets that converge on the shrine
are crowded with gaily-dressed children hurrying
along to make their offerings, accompanied by
parents brimming with pride and pleasure.
" Small feet are pattering, wooden shoes clattering,
Little hands clapping, and little tongues chattering ;
three-year-old tots of both sexes trudging sturdily
along on their clogs ; square little red-cheeked boys,
their black eyes shining with pride in their rustling
new silk hakama, feeling that they are big boys, and
no longer to be confused with the babies that they
were yesterday ; here, too, are the graceful seven-
year-old maidens, their many-coloured garments
and their gorgeous new obi setting off to advantage
their shining black hair and sparkling eyes. The
children are so many, so happy, and so impressed
with the fun that it is to be older than they were,
that the grown folks who accompany them seem
like shadows ; the only real thing is the children."
72
CLOTHES IN JAPAN
These little maidens being presented to the
temples in all their feminine splendour suggest very
forcibly the pictures by the great Venetian
masters, Titian and Tintoretto, of the Child INIary
being presented to the high-priest.
Of one of the children's ceremonies which relates
in a curious and typically Japanese manner to
clothes Miss Bacon says, *' Twice .... does our
little maid repair to the temple to seek the blessing
of her patron god upon a step forward in her short
life : — once, when at the age of three the hair on
her small head, which until then has been shaved
in fancy patterns, is allowed to begin its growth
towards the coiffure of womanhood: and once,
when she has attained her seventh year, and ex-
changes the soft narrow sash of infancy for the
stiff wide obi which is the pride of every well-
dressed Japanese woman. Her little brother, too,
though now no longer destined to wear the
hammer-shaped queue of the old-time Japanese
warrior, and whose fuzzy black head is now usually
left unshaven in his babyhood, still goes to the
temple at the age of three to give thanks ; and
when he comes to be five years old, again goes
up to the temple, this time wearing for the first
time the manly hakama, or kilt-pleated trousers,
and makes offerings to the god who has protected
him thus far."
CHAPTER X
SHOPPING IN JAPAN
If Eve had only had some shopping to do in the
garden of Eden, would the fruit of the Tree of
Knowledge ever have been eaten? Qiiien sahe?
But she had nothing to do but to talk to Adam,
whom I have always imagined a very silent and
morose person, so Satan quickly found some
mischief for her idle mind to do.
To the women of all lands, shopping is the
feminine equivalent of gambling and horse-racing,
for it is the only legitimate form of excitement
in the life of the middle-class woman. The httle
women of Dai Nippon (Great Japan) are every iota
as feminine in their love of shopping as their big
sisters in Great Britain, although etiquette, w^hich
is a fetish in Japan, forbids them uttering any
expression of pleasure or excitement. To the
Asiatic, to understand a man is to know that he is
a fool, too weak to have learnt self-control ; but
after you have lived in the land of Great Peace,
74
SHOPPING IN JAPAN
where smiles express anything rather than pleasure,
and where laughter is reserved for rare occasions,
you will come to know that shopping is one of the
few real pleasures a Japanese woman is permitted
to enjoy.
Though fashion in dress never changes in Japan,
and a woman's needs are very few, there are
always obis (sashes) to tempt the weak, and coral
and lacquer hair-combs and ornaments in her
neighbour's hair to rival.
You can count all the articles of a woman's
apparel on the fingers of one hand. First comes
the httle loin apron, next to that the shirt, and
over that the inner and outer kimono, and last of
all the obi, which is both her glory and her shame,
for the law of the land demands that a Japanese
woman who loses her virtue must tie her obi in
front, to distinguish her from respectable sisters.
If you follow a party of women along some
good shopping street in Japan, their wooden
clogs clattering louder than their gentle tongues,
the soft greys and browns of their kimonos sway-
ing with that rhythmic movement peculiar to Japan,
you will presently see them stop in front of a low
shop, its open front screened from the street by a
blue cotton curtain hung from a bamboo pole.
The curtain is lifted, and in another moment the
symphony of greys and browns has disappeared.
On the other side of the blue curtain the high
75
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
wooden clogs are kicked off, and with graceful
bows and many rubbings of the knees the little
women return the respectful greetings of the flock
of boys who spring to their feet and rush to the
front of the shop to welcome their customers.
On the floor of the shop — nothing more or less
than a raised platform, with a canopy over it — there
are numerous flat cushions for the customers to
kneel on. The master of the shop invites the
ladies to smoke, by pushing towards them a hibachi
of hot charcoal. He then despatches clerk after
clerk to fetch armfuls of tempting crepes and
o6i-silks from the iron safe at the back of the plat-
form. When the clerk comes hurrying back — it
is etiquette for an inferior to hurry towards his
master or patron — he deposits the precious bundles
on the floor in front of the kneeling women. Tea
in diminutive cups on a diminutive table-tray has
been daintily served in the interval.
The buying of a new obi or a crepe kimono —
which will last not only the purchaser's lifetime
but her daughter's as well — is an affair of much
moment. The shopkeeper does not expect his
visitor to spend in a few moments the money that
has probably taken years to save, nor does he
expect her to know in the space of two hours the
design of an obi which will satisfy her aesthetic
sense for the next decade at least. Hurry and
impatience are unknown quantities in Japan.
76
SHOPPING IN JAPAN
A woman is wanting in one of her souls who is
wanting in patience, and the woman who hurries
is wanting in self-control ; so the contented little
party will spend their whole day kneeling on their
knees before a mass of silks and crepes, choosing
and bargaining, and exchanging polite compliments
with each other. Fresh relays of tea are brought
in, and plenty of local goings-on and news are
exchanged between the customers and the shop-
keeper.
You may see just such another group of women
accompanied by some pretty, less sombrely-clad
moosme. Perhaps she is a bride-elect, going to
choose some article of her trousseau. This time
they are on their way to the vendor of lacquer
or coral hair-combs and hair ornaments. The
moosme' s hair is elegantly, and to our minds
elaborately, dressed, but it has no valuable combs
or pins in it. But wait till you see her as a young
wife ! Her hair will then take two hours to dress,
and in it she will wear one of the lovely combs she
is now on her way to purchase. Hair-combs and
hair ornaments generally are a Japanese woman's
equivalents to jewellery ; and so beautiful are the
designs and so exquisite the lacquer that they
often cost fabulous prices. The best artists are
engaged to execute the designs, and the most
skilled workmen carry them out, so that they
are really works of art. Hair ornaments, pocket
77
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
dressing-cases, tobacco-cases, and fans are the ob-
jects of feminine vanity which a Japanese lover
or husband may bestow upon the woman he adores.
Dancing-girls and yoro-women often ruin their
lovers by their lavish expenditure on these costly
but exquisite ornaments. These little combs, which
are nearly all back, the teeth being very tiny, are
sometimes made of scarlet lacquer, but they are
oftenest of dark brown, with the exquisite httle
landscape or conventional design of flowers or birds
raised in heavy gold on them. They are incom-
parably lovely, and prizes of all Japanese art-
collectors.
These are the principal articles of a woman's
personal shopping, but of course there are the tabi
or foot-gloves, and the get a or high clogs (a clog-
shop is one of the most typical sights in Japan),
and an occasional paper umbrella to purchase, and
in the very cold weather she will require a padded
ArmoTzo-jacket ; but as one will last her her life-
time, the purchasing of them is as seldom seen as
a dead donkey.
But there is another class of shopping which she
has to do besides her frugal housekeeping — which
principally consists of rice and tea and pickles — and
that is the present-buying. Japan is a land of
present-giving. The money spent by a housekeeper
in Japan on presents must be as much as the money
spent on food. At the boys' festival, or the Feast
78
SHOPPING IN JAPAN
of Flags, as it is called, the women flock in hundreds
to the temple fairs to buy flags for the decoration
of their houses, and toys of every description suit-
able for boys. Every boy in every household is
the recipient of at least half-a-dozen presents from
his friends and relatives on that day. Even the
poorest can afford to buy flags and toys for their
boys, for in Japan the tenth part of a halfpenny
v^dll purchase some ingenious paper toy.
At the feast of the girls there are presents of
dolls to be bought for every little girl. The O-Hina
Matsuri, or Feast of Dolls, as it is called, is one
of the prettiest sights in Japan. In the temple
grounds where the fair takes place there are hundreds
of stalls decked out with every sort and condition
of Japanese doll, and there are thousands of little
human dolls, decked in the gayest of brocades and
the most elaborate ohis, toddling about with their
gentle grey-clad doll-mammas, whose sleeves are
heavy with the parcels of dolls that are stowed
away in them. The O-Hhia Matsuri is a world
of dolls — smiling, bowing, black-eyed dolls, who are
never too grave and never too gay.
A woman's shopping in Japan knows no such
fierce excitements as after-season sales.
79
CHAPTER XI
THE JAPANESE LABOURING CLASSES
In Japan, fiksha-men are as plentiful as pigeons in
St Mark's Piazza at Venice, and they remind you
very much of those ever-eager pigeons in the way
they flutter in clouds towards a stranger, dragging
their rikshas like fantails behind them, the moment
he sets foot on their land. Japan would not be
half as much fun without its smiling riksha-men ;
Japan would not be quite Japan without the
riksha : yet rikshas are by no means indigenous to
the country. They were imported from Ceylon
not more than a generation ago. In the city of
Tokyo alone, when I lived there, there were thirty-
seven thousand i^iksha-mtn — not a bad contribution
of army reserves for a nation to fall back upon
in time of need. One wonders how many of the
foot-cavalry who have paralysed the Cossacks in
Manchuria got their stamina while they were
dragging rikshas after them.
Riksha-men are drawn from the coolie class,
80
THE JAPANESE LABOURING CLASSES
which is the labouring class in Japan. The
ordinary coolie is distinguished in the streets by
his short Cambridge- blue cotton coat, of a typical
pattern, stamped with a huge white crest on the
back, and a bright blue cotton handkerchief tied
round his head and knotted in front. It is the
coolies who are one's daily and hourly companions
in Japan, for they are really the only class, except
the small curio dealers, with whom one comes very
much in contact, and they are delightful people,
so hard-working, so patient, so unfaiUngly polite,
and so smiling, that one forgives them their little
backslidings in points of honour. I^ike the poor
Italian, the poor Japanese will always be found
working where there is any work to be done, and
for a pitifully small wage. He works early and
late, ungrudgingly and intelligently.
A coolie does both a horse's and a man's work in
Japan, and if he is a gardener he is his own wheel-
barrow also. He seems to unite the strength of an
animal with the intelligence of a human being,
and, unlike a horse, he is never sick or lame. I
only once had a riksha-ina.n who was ill for two
days and not fit for work. At the end of the
second day he came rushing into my presence — it
is etiquette for a servant always to hurry in Japan ;
they remind you of the District Messenger boys
in London (the kind you see on the hoardings) —
and falling in front of me on his knees he said
6 81
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
breathlessly : " Gracious lady, please to forgive ;
I am unwholesome ! " I did forgive him ; and he
rose, not a knight, but smihng.
A riksha-man will smile to you, and interpret for
you, and bargain for you, and run in his shafts for
twenty miles a day, with nothing stronger to
sustain him than tea and cold rice, with a dash
of pickled radishes.
The food of the labouring classes in Japan
principally consists of rice, when they can get it,
and millet, and all sorts of pickled radishes and
vegetables, from land and sea. Seaweeds are quite
as much an item of food to the Japanese as fish ;
there are coolies so poor that they cannot afford
fish, unless they are fishermen by profession.
Except the pulling of tram-cars and the driving
of the fine carriages of the most progressive of the
aristocracy and European residents, almost all
the labour we do by horse and steam was done by
coohes when I was in Japan. They use what are
called push-carts, something like a lorry, to carry
their heaviest burdens ; two men pull in front and
two push behind, with their heads bent low, and
the enormous white crests, which cover almost the
whole of their bent and sinuous backs, showing up
with marked effect. They sing a curious chanty
as they transport a cartload of enormous sake
barrels, sewn up in straw matting, from a sake-
distilling house to a native inn. On their way
82
THE JAPANESE LABOURING CLASSES
perhaps they will pass some fellow-coolies dragging
a similar load of cut bamboos, also chanting the
same tune.
The coolie is such an intelligent fellow that he is
also a skilled artisan, and any day you can see him
doing fine carpentry work with his feet and hands
(a Jap has not ten fingers but twenty ; his foot
fingers are almost as useful and highly trained as
his hand fingers). Their stockings point out this
fact, for they are foot-gloves, with different com-
partments for the big foot-fingers and the others.
From his earliest infancy a Japanese is taught to
use his toes as fingers and his legs as arms. A
little baby is tied not too securely on his little
sister's back, and allowed to take his chance. The
little girl plays at bouncing balls, or battledore
and shuttlecock, but she is never warned to hold
on the tiny scrap of humanity on her back — that
would be to kill its powers of self-preservation.
The result is that, like a monkey, it learns to cling
on with toes and legs and arms and fingers in the
most astonishing way. Coolies realise that life
under any circumstances is a hard fight for exist-
ence ; indeed, so hard is their lot that there is a
Japanese proverb, " If you hate a man, let him
live " ; and therefore, if you do not teach your child
to use its feet as well as its hands, he will be but
half a man in the battle of life. It is no wonder
that, with their wonderful powers of endurance and
83
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
their magnificent strength, sustained on almost
nothing, this enormous coolie class of Japan has
made such a splendid transport service for the
army.
In England we hear so much of the geisha
and of the tea-houses in Japan, that the average
person thinks of Japan as a land of pleasure, and
of toy-women and pigmy men. But if I shut
my eyes and let my thoughts go back to my
life in Japan, what I see is not a land of tea-
houses and gaily-dressed geisha girls, but a quiet,
gentle land, with grave hard-working people,
a land where very little laughter is heard, but
where there is always a smile from a servant for
his master. I can see a green, watery land, dotted
here and there with the bowed backs of women
and men standing up to their knees in the mud
of the paddy fields, separating the rice ; they have
been working since sunrise, and they will work till
sundown, for a string of copper cash ; and they
will go home to their queer little homes, half hidden
under steep roofs of thatch, and eat their frugal
fare. In their poor little home there will perhaps
be a flat blue dish with some odd-shaped pieces
of stone and rock to support lily bulbs, which
are putting up eagerly-looked -for green shafts to
delight the tired coolie's eyes. Or perhaps they
have expended their savings on a tiny plum-tree
in a tiny blue-and-white pot — a delicacy whose
84.
THE JAPANESE LABOURING CLASSES
points of crossed rearing are as carefully noted by
the coolie as the points in a prize terrier by a dog-
breeder. When I shut my eyes again, I can see
the coolie carpenter clinging on to a big sake
barrel like a monkey, while he hammers into shape
a wide copper hoop with the strength of a giant.
The work is so arduous that even his short cotton
coat is discarded, and he has nothing on between the
wind and nature but a loin cloth. And again, I can
see a flat boat being rowed across some river, whose
banks are fired with flaming azaleas and camellias,
as gay in colour as the blood-rayed Warflag of the
Rising Sun. The coolie is moving the flat-bottomed
boat, which is full of men and women and rikshas,
with one dexterous movement of a bamboo pole.
And again, I can see the storm which overtook us
on our way to the Temple of the JNIoon, which is
built at the top of a great flight of rock steps at
the top of a fine mountain, near one of the most
interesting towns in Japan — Kobe. In that storm
I can see the coolies moving down the narrow foot-
paths like small haycocks suddenly come to life.
They have on their rain-cloaks, made of straw
thatch, and queer wide mushroom-shaped hats, as
large as umbrellas. Coolies occasionally wear these
large hats as a protection from fierce sun as well
as rain. These strange haycocks moving down
the mountain-side remind one of an impromptu
sketch of Hokusai. The women, poor little
85
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
souls, have no such protection, but to save their
hair from getting wet they put up their big
umbrellas, made of greased paper, and tuck up
their cotton kimonos through their obi. For the
cold and rain the coolies have adopted the red
blanket which is so popular with the American
Indian. In the winter-time they sit wrapped up
in these red rugs on the shafts of their carriages,
chattering away like angry magpies. If a foreigner
comes within a hundred yards, every man is up on
his legs, his rug dropped on the seat, and there is
a whirl of wheels and a scurrying of feet. When
they reach the foreigner all the shafts are dropped
and each human horse offers himself for hire. Of
course, the one who speaks a little English has the
best chance. When you jump into the riksha, the
red rug which has been wrapped round the kuru-
mayas shivering limbs a moment before he tucks
round your feet, and glad you are of it to protect
you from the wind if you are going to drive across
the common of Tokyo, where there are always
soldiers drilling in a biting north wind in winter.
The Japanese coolie is everywhere. He is in
your bedroom as a chambermaid, in the parlour as
housemaid, and at your window imploring you to
buy lovely flowering plants which he has been
hawking about the streets when he spied you
in your rikslia. He has followed you home and
set down his two bamboo whatnots, which he
86
To Icu^k on p.
X
It ^
■xS^
Oiso.
To hack on j). 87.
Hiratsuka.
THE JAPANESE LABOURING CLASSES
carried laden with exquisite flowers slung on a
bamboo pole across his shoulders; at the four
corners of each there is fastened a cut bamboo
pole, with holes in it for holding the cut flowers in
water. You ask how much the whole thing costs
— flowers, whatnots, and all. He looks at the
arrangement ; it is his whole stock-in-trade, but he
is willing to sell. When the transaction is finished
he goes off smiling with about two dollars in his
pocket, and you are the richer by the proud pos-
session of two bamboo tables with three shelves
each, packed with flower vases, and blue pots
of the strangest shapes, containing plants like
strange insects. Although the Japanese coolie
is the common beast of burden, it is as a bed-
room boy, or a kurumaya, that the foreigner knows
him best. It is, of course, the desire and ambition
of every better-class coolie to become a waiter or
servant in a European hotel, for there he gets the
lordly tip of the globe-trotter and learns to speak
English. Your bedroom boy in Japan is a most
valuable and amusing person ; he is so anxious to
learn English that if he can read and write he will
stop to put down the words he has just learnt from
you before he carries out your order, but he will
mind you and tidy you up, and brush you down like
a valet or maid, and will accept with many smiles any
sort of cast-off* you like to bestow upon him, from
a billycock hat, with the crown smashed in, to an
87
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
empty beer-bottle. The former he will ingeniously
block back into shape and wear over his ears with
his Sunday-best kimono, the latter he will sell to
some simple curio-hawker, who will exhibit it on
his stall of rubbish at the next fair. A Japanese
coolie is like a Sicilian goat — it is all grist that
comes to his mill. In many respects the Japanese
house-servant is very like the Italian. He serves his
master in the same cheerful, respectful, and at the
same time intimate manner, and, like the Italian
servant, he in time gets, or conspires to get, the
greater portion of his family and a number of his
relatives into his master's employ. Like the
Italian, when he recommends a new groom {betto)
or housemaid to his master, he speaks of the
apphcant for the vacant post as a perfect stranger
from a distant part, who bears a good character,
but in time it always leaks out that the new
member of the household is one of his family.
88
CHAPTER XII
LIE-EUROPEANS. WHAT THE JAPANESE MEAN
BY HONOUR.
I THINK it was a Frenchman who first made the
remark that to understand a nation you must
understand its humour. If the observation had
been made by an Enghshman, he would more Ukely
have said that to understand a nation you must
understand its honour. This being the case, one
is compelled to admit that England does not
understand her brave ally in the East. Japanese
honour is a thing which no Englishman has ever
yet fully understood. It is, if anything, more
incomprehensible than their humour, which seems
in their drama to be a mere play on words, as it
so often is in Italy. Japan is a grave country ;
the .Japanese are a grave people. The China-
man, whose sense of honour, curiously enough,
is much more like our own, calls the Japanese
"Lie-Europeans," a term which only mildly
expresses his contempt for his neighbours, who
89
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
love to imitate the Western mode of civilisation.
He despises them for their total want of honour in
trade, a fact which cannot be overlooked in the
East, where a Chinaman has always to act as a
middleman between a Japanese merchant and a
European, to see that the Japanese keeps to his
bargain. He despises the Japanese dude for adopt-
ing cheap English clothes made in Germany, in
place of his own graceful kwiono. He despises
the Japanese merchant for never keeping his
word, unless it is to benefit himself Truth, for
truth's sake, is unknown in Japanese commerce.
If you transact business with a Japanese and trust
implicitly to his honour, he will think you such a
fool that you deserve to be robbed, and rob you he
will. If you pay him a bill he will receipt it with
a false seal, which he will carry in a seal-case of
such exquisite workmanship and perfect design as
to be an envy to the collector. If you by any
chance detect the fraud, he will return the next day
with at least half-a-dozen more false seals where-
with to bamboozle and confound his customer. In
the end, you will have to set a thief to catch a
thief, and call in another Japanese to your rescue.
In horse-racing it is just the same thing. The
Japanese jockey who rides the China ponies in the
Yokohama races is a byword for cheating and
"jockeying." No Englishman has a chance of
keeping him straight.
90
LIE-EUROPEANS
If you order a silk dress from a Chinese dress-
maker and he fixes his price, you are perfectly
certain of his keeping his word, and that the silk
will be exactly what you choose, or one which
weighs even more, for silk is bought by the
weight in native shops, both in China and Japan.
But if you give the same order to a Japanese, he
will exceed his price by as many dollars as he dares,
the excuse being that he has provided you with
better silk than you chose, whereas in reality it is
much inferior in quality.
There is, however, one very great excuse to be
offered for the want of moral character in a
Japanese merchant — that, like the ancient Greeks
and Romans, who left trade to slaves, the Japanese
have always considered that it is a thing with which
no honourable man should soil his hands. Shop-
keepers, up to a very few years ago, were drawn
from the lowest class. By this it must not be
imagined that the exquisite lacquers and paintings
and objects of art of old Japan were made and sold
by rogues and thieves. Far from it. In the days
when the best work was done in Japan in every
branch of art the objects were executed by artists
who were the proteges of daimios, and who lived
in the daimios' castles, and worked exclusively for
their patrons. It was no uncommon thing for some
particularly valuable object of art to have taken
three generations to accomplish. The grandfather
91
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
commenced it, the son carried it on, and the grand-
son finished it. Tradesmen did not sell these rare
and wonderful pieces of handicraft. It was only
after the downfall of the great and small daimios'
castles that they came into the open market. In
the old days it was considered better to beg your
bread than to work for money, or make anything
for the sake of money alone. In China, where
there is no hereditary aristocracy, an honourable
merchant has always been a respected member of
the community. Trade in China has never been
despised. Therefore a Chinaman is proud of his
honour in business, and proud of an EngUshman's
perfect trust in his word, for it is a well-known say-
ing in the East that a Chinaman's word is as good
as his bond. I knew very intimately the head of
a large tea firm in Canton, who told me that he
only saw the samples of tea which were brought
down to him from the interior to taste and select
for exportation. He gave his enormous orders to
a Chinaman who shipped the tea straight from the
North ; and yet not once, in all the years he was
in business, had he found the tea exported unequal
to the sample.
To give the same order to a Japanese would be
madness, for his sense of honour is morally deficient
about that sort of thing. It is the same with the
large banks in the East. The manager of the
Hong-Kong and Shang-Hai Banking Company
92
LIE-EUROPEANS
told me that he wished he could trust all English-
men with whom he had to do business as he could
trust the Chinese.
But it would be unjust if I were to infer that
the Japanese have no sense of honour. I merely
wish to point out that it is not the sort of honour
an Englishman understands. The Japanese does
not keep his word in business. Like the American
horsedealer, his motto is, " Do unto others as they
would like to do unto you, but be sure to do it
fust." Besides, a polite lie is always easier to tell
than an unpleasant truth, and he looks upon cheat-
ing in trade as nothing more than diamond cutting
diamond.
But it is only in commerce that the term Lie-
European can be applied to the Japanese. In their
pubhc life there is but one respect in which they
could be called Lie-Europeans, and that is in their
Asiatic contempt for death.
When the Japanese made up their minds to be a
first-class Power, they not only hired the best naval
and military instructors, and supplied themselves
with the best material of war ; they not only
established a Government and a Judicature of the
European pattern, and Universities for the dissemi-
nation of Western knowledge ; they studied inter-
national law, international morality and international
honour ; and they made up their minds that in
their treatment of their neighbours and their
93
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
enemies they would be magnanimous to the verge
of quixotism, to show that Asiatics could be as
civilised as the best of Europeans. In their own
war with China, in their operations with the other
allies in China, and in the present struggle with
Russia, they have played the game in the finest
possible way ; as preux chevalie?^s, they have
rivalled King Arthur and his knights.
There is also another way in which they have
falsified the taunt of the Chinaman — Lie-Europeans.
The jealous Chinaman no doubt wished to imply
that their imitation of things European was feeble
and spurious. The Japanese army has given the
absolute lie to this. It is beyond doubt the most
perfectly trained and equipped army which has ever
taken the field ; the vaunted German army is nothing
beside it. Nor are they Lie-Europeans in engin-
eering and science. We have known for a long
time that they could build superb roads, carried on
viaducts and tunnelled through hills like railroads ;
that electric trams and lighting and telephones
presented no difficulty to them. But in the present
war they have shown the highest scientific and
engineering ability. They have carried wireless
telegraphy in the sending and tapping of messages
beyond anything we have achieved in Europe,
and invented an explosive unequalled in destruc-
tiveness. Their artillery is the envy of the
nations.
94
LIE-EUROPEANS
But they are Lie-Europeans in the matter of
courage. For the first time in history, a civiHsed
army has shown the dervishes' fanatical contempt
for death. For disciphned courage the conduct of
the Japanese through the present war has never
been paralleled. In this or the other battle we have
happily many instances of unsurpassable courage
to quote from our own military history, and our
privates might be capable of going to their death
with the sangfroid of the Japanese Tommy, though
life is so much more precious to them. But no
British commanding officer could dare to take upon
himself the responsibility of ordering such terrible
sacrifices of his troops' lives in battle after battle ;
and it must be remembered that if a Japanese does
not value life like a European, neither is he bribed
with promises of paradise like the JNIahommedan
who is fighting against infidels. Nor would he,
if he did value life, be any slower to yield it
for his country, since to die for his country is to
him like a martyr's death for his faith — a crown
of life.
As Mr Diosy said, his country is the religion of
a Japanese. His honour is the old national honour
of the samurai, the spirit of knight-errantry which
has never died out. The Japanese will die for his
country by battle, or murder, or sudden death, by
plague, pestilence and famine ; he is willing to slave
for her honour individually or nationally ; and his
95
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
country is his mistress as well as his god. In fiction
he does not care to read a romantic love-story ; he
prefers to have his blood fired with stirring deeds
of old-time patriots. The keynote of the Japanese
drama is self-sacrifice.
96
CHAPTER XIII
THEATliE-GOIXG IX JAPAN
To the uninitiated traveller, theatre-going in Japan
is the dullest thing in the world. But I was a
good sight-seer, and did my duty by taking an
eight-shilling box to see the famous Danjuro,
whose real name was Mr Horikoshi Shu, in one of
his most characteristic dramas ; and by paying
very heavily to witness the sacred " A^b " dance
at the Maple Club in Tokyo. This dance, which,
as the American said, is in the visitors' eyes no
dance at all, is the most ancient and classical of all
Japanese plays, and until lately the only theatrical
performance ever acted at the Emperor's court, or
performed in the pal?ces of the nobility and great
houses. I also enjoyed many of the most popular
flower ballets, such as the Miyako-Odori (the
famous cherry-feast at Tokyo), and other geisha
dances, which, however, belong to quite another
story, and must not be confounded with the serious
national drama. If I had had the good fortune^to
7 97
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Tiave read Mr Osman Edwards's marvellously lucid
and interesting account of the Japanese drama in
his book called Japanese Plays and Playfellows
before I visited the theatre, I might probably have
found the acting of the world-famous Danjuro
most entertaining ; but as I knew nothing at all
about the subject, the Henry Irving of Japan was
to me distinctly heavy.
The theatre in Japan is like a serial by Mr
Henry James, or as Sundays were in Scotland in
the days of my youth, when we took our lunch
with us to church and ate it in the kirkyard, so as
to be ready for the ser\dce in the afternoon.
In present-day Japan the law forbids theatrical
performances to begin before 10 a.m. People used
to be in their seats by dawn, although the first
chapter of the serial never finished until 10 or
11 at night.
I went to see Danjuro at about 8.30, and
imagined that the performance had just com-
menced. At the door I was permitted to pass
into my box without taking off my boots. The
eager natives were excitedly kicking off their high
clogs, for which they received a little wooden ticket.
A smiling attendant scuttled on in front of my
party and bowed us into our impromptu-looking
box, where four chairs had been arranged for the
august strangers, instead of the customary flat
cushions on the floor. But the tobacco-box and
98
^
THEATRE-GOING IN JAPAN
the cups of O-cha (honourable tea) were not want-
ing, and the programme which we could not read
was as charming as a hundredth-night souvenir at
His JNIajesty's Theatre.
Our unsubstantial little box was raised up on
bamboo supports, which made a sort of gallery,
divided into boxes by matting, all round the
auditorium. I must confess that watching the
funny little famihes down below, who had mostly
either brought their day's provisions, along with
their house-servants and babies, or were being
served to tea and sake and strange-looking foods
by waiters from the tea-houses near the theatre (a
Japanese theatre, like a temple, is always sur-
rounded by tea-houses and fairs), gave me more
pleasure than following the acting and marvellous
facial expressions of the greatest of Japanese
tragedians.
The house was full of gaily-dressed inoosmes
and scarlet-o^iW babies, for the play was one of
the historical dramas from which youthful Japan
imbibes the ancient heroic spirit of the samurai age.
But although there was plenty of bloodshed and
realistic horrors in the piece, 1 did not notice many
of the moosmes retiring to the " tear-room " which is
provided for the use of emotional ladies. It was, of
course, a typical middle-class audience, for theatre-
going in Japan has always been the favourite
amusement of the people : the great nobles and
99
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
families of the upper classes had classical dramas
performed in their own palaces or houses. Indeed,
until lately actors were looked upon as social out-
casts, and were compelled to wear a distinctive
costume in public places. It is entirely owing to
the present Emperor, who has done so much to
raise their position, that to-day the best actors
are invited to the houses of the broader-minded
people.
Why the drama in Japan ever became so popular
with the people it is not difficult to understand, for
duty and passionate loyalty are the keynotes of
the Japanese plays in Japan. Their popularity
cannot be denied, for Mr Osman Edwards says
that an actor like Danjuro can earn an income of
£5000 a year. There are two sorts of dramas —
the historical play, jidai-mono, and the comedy
of manners, sewa-mono.
in the "gods" or " driven-in-places," as the
gallery is called, the poor people who cannot afford
to pay for the whole performance are allowed to
see one act for one penny ; a very good plan, I
think, in a country where most of the plays are
known so well that often a critical playgoer is only
anxious to see how a new actor will interpret some
special part of the play.
But the thing which amused me most was the
way that the stage upon which one set of
actors were standing, at the end of some scene
100
THEATRE-GOING IN JAPAN
suddenly revolved and a new set of actors came
before the audience, with a fresh background of
scenery, which looked as if it had been cut out of
cardboard with scissors.
Another amusing thing was the prompter, whom
etiquette demands that you should not notice, in
Japan. He followed the chief actor about, enveloped
in black like a photographer when he puts his head
under the black cloth of his camera. The falsetto
voice of the actor, which also belongs to the
prescribed etiquette of the drama when he has
any large part to recite, is always accompanied by
the hideous twanging of the samisen, and, as was
customary with the ancient Greeks, a chorus is
chanted in monotone, to interpret to the audience
the portions of the plot omitted from the play, or
merely suggested by the actors.
All this was terribly confusing to a mere out-
sider, so I was delighted when the monotony of
the proceedings was broken by Danjuro suddenly
walking off the stage and crossing the body of the
theatre on two planks raised over the heads of the
squatting audience. I had no idea that at this
point an act was finished, or that the " flower-
walk," as it is called, was the actor's only means
of exit. I imagined it was an idea of his own to
allow the people to see him more closely, and to
give them a better chance of pelting him with their
offerings of tobacco-pouches, pipes, poems, and even
101
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
flowers and hairpins from the dainty heads of
enraptured moosmes.
During the short interval between the acts, the
little children in the audience got up on the
" flower- walk " and toddled on to the stage, where
they were greeted with welcome by any of the
actors who were hanging about.
As most people know, INIadame Sada Yacco was
the first woman actress who ever acted with men
in Japan. In taking this brave step she had to
face the scorn and disapproval of the women of her
own country, who had been taught to look upon
acting as a profession for men only, religious
dances and flower-ballets being reserved for women.
Yet, strangely enough, two women were the
founders of the new Japanese drama — compara-
tively new, that is to say ; for the ancient drama
was entirely devoted to mythological and religious
plays, which must, with their masked actors, and
choruses, and falsetto voices, have borne a marked
resemblance to the plays of the ancient Greeks.
Mr Edwards says that the new national drama
began its career in Japan about the same time as
the national drama did in England, in the year
1575. And there has long been at Kyoto a theatre
where the whole cast are women instead of men.
Actors who intend to take women's parts frequently
dress like women in ordinary life, to give them
greater ease and naturalness.
102
THEATRE-GOING IN JAPAN
To the average man a theatre without actresses,
does not sound very exciting, but I must confess
that had I not known that women never acted
in Japan, I should not have dreamt that JMr
Danjuro, in his magnificent traihng kimonos of the
richest brocades and colours, was not an extremely
elegant and feminine woman. His facial expression
was certainly wonderful ; and as there is very little
difference in the everyday dress worn by men and
women in Japan, there was none of the awkward-
ness of movement which one so often sees when a
man is acting a woman's part in England. Since
the Revolution it is only on the stage in Japan that
one has any chance of seeing the rich brocades and
embroideries which used to be the envy and pride
of the women at the old daiviio courts ; and it is
only on the stage that one can learn anything of
the customs of feudal Japan, the Japan of the
heroes of the Two Swords, whose children were
taught to make their obeisance before the family
sword-rack every night and morning. In Japan
there is no such thing as the modern problem-play ;
and so incomprehensible is our drama to them,
that on the first occasion when a French company
played Hamlet in Tokyo, the audience, mistak-
ing it for a farce, went into uncontrollable fits of
laughter. The author plays no important part
on the first night, which comes but rarely in Japan,
for the old dramas are much more popular than the
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
new ones. His name is never called at the end of
a performance, and he makes but a small income.
Nor are any of the strange hats of antediluvian
German make, which are flung on the stage in
token of admiration, ever intended to do him
honour.
As this chapter is devoted to theatre-going, I
have not touched upon the fascinating subject of
geisha-girh, or of temple-dancers, for geishas have
nothing whatever to do with the theatre, although
the pretty geisha-girl is the equivalent in the hearts
of the people to our ballet-girl.
104
To lack on p. 104.
A lover and
To hack on p. 105.
his lass in Japan.
CHAPTER XIV
JAPAN FROM A RIKSHA
In one day the things you can observe from a riksha
would fill a volume, because there is much more
than meets the eye in everything you see in Japan.
You may, for instance, have caught a glimpse of
an old woman standing in her open-fronted paper
house, holding her little grandchild by a strap
passed over its chest and under its arms, while it
bends its little body back and forwards. She is
not doing this for the child's amusement or physical
exercise. She is giving it its daily lesson in the
etiquette of bowing. This tiny tot has already
had a long and difficult lesson on the etiquette of
smiles. The different degrees of smiles and bows
which a child has to learn are legion. While the
grandmother— who looks about a hundred, but
who is in all probability not much over forty,
for women are old at thirty-six in Japan — is
teaching her grandchild, the mother is busy doing
the family washing without soap. Against almost
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
every house in the street in Japan you can see
the family washing-boards, with the different pieces
of cotton kimonos stuck on them to dry. A
Japanese does not make her home smell of soap-
suds on a washing-day, or spend her husband's
wages on coal to heat the irons ; she first unpicks
the cotton kimonos, and then washes them in cold
water. While they are still wet she spreads them
on wooden boards, which irons and dries them at
the same time. In the next house you may see
the hairdresser's assistant washing some moosiiies
hair in a little flat brass dish, not much larger than
a salad-bowl. If you are observant, you will notice
that when the hair is clean it is sometimes almost
auburn in colour, much to the poor little moosvies
distress, for nothing but raven-black hair will find
favour in her lover's eyes. Further up the street
you will see the all-important person, the hair-
dresser himself, arranging the wonderful coiffure
of a young wife, who cannot have her hair too
elaborately dressed. She has been sitting for two
hours before her steel hand-mirror, stuck up like
a picture on an easel, watching the professor fix
her hair with little steel springs and fine pieces of
silk crepe, and other mysterious contrivances
belonging to his trade. When the shining hair
is at last finished, he will go on his round to the
little moosme, whose hair by this time will be
jet black.
106
JAPAN FROM A RIKSHA
As your riksha bowls along, your human horse
suddenly almost falls over a group of gaily-dressed
children, with oddly shaven heads, with smaller
and still odder-looking babies tied on their backs,
playing hopscotch or ball. The heads of the
pick-a-back babies wobble about so much that
you feel certain that they will drop off, but they
never do. Nor do they utter a sound ; for a
Japanese baby would never do anything so rude
or ill-bred as to cry. Its lessons in self-control
began twenty years before it was born. As the
kuTumaya pulls himself suddenly up to save the
young mothers and babies, and almost throws
you out backwards by doing so, an empty riksha
passes, and your man greets his fellow with a
polite apology for being so rude as to have a fare
when he has none. Etiquette in Japan aiFords
a world of amusement to a traveller. For who
can refrain from smiHng at the meeting of two
tattered beggars, with their prescribed etiquette of
bows and smiles, and deferential indrawings of
breath ? Although they have no clothes and no
home, and no food and no money, there is no
reason why they should be without the graces
which come from within. Even a beggar can
afford the etiquette of a gentle heart and the
language of honorifics.
When the beggars have passed and the street
is silent again, your ear will suddenly catch the
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
sound of the begging priests' bells. You will
know them as they pass by their clean-shaven
heads and mushroom-shaped hats. They wear
praying priests' clothes, and carry a pilgrim's staff.
These holy men travel all over the land, begging
for money to offer to the gods for the souls of
the departed. The clear ringing of their bells
heralds their coming from a long way off".
In sharp contrast to their humility of dress and
mien is the gorgeous attire of the geisha-givl as
her rilisha whirls past. Her rich brocade and
gaily-dressed head proclaims her profession, for
no other woman is so gaily dressed except her still
gayer sister, the poor yoro, who never leaves the
precincts of that " city of no night." Behind the
dancing-girl you will meet her sombrely-clad
duenna, who has to chaperon her when she goes
to dance before her lord.
In any of these streets you will meet men and
women carrying beasts' burdens ; for horses in a
purely native city are almost as rare as in Venice,
and these self-respecting Japanese coolies look
upon themselves as equal to a horse and man in
one, for they will draw a strong horse's burden and
exercise an intelligent man's brains at the same
time. Yet these same strenuous-limbed intelligent
men and women will find their next hohday's
pleasure in flying kites from their low windows if
the wind is not too strong, or in hunting fireflies
108
JAPAN FROM A RIKSHA
if the night is favourable. Or you may see one,
when his work of dragging carts piled high with
huge sake barrels full of new wine is over, sitting
on the floor of his little house, arranging a
miniature garden. His whole family is there,
helping and advising in the arrangement of this
little world in a flat dish. For this tiny garden
must contain an ideal landscape. Their beloved
Fuji must be there, and of course a piece cVeau,
which is as dear to the heart of a Japanese land-
scape gardener as it is to a Frenchman or Italian.
It must be symbolical of a deeply mysterious lake,
and there must be tiny bridges and pagodas, and
strange-shaped rocks, and dwarf pine-trees. Stop
your ?'iksha, and let your smiling steed eat some
rice with tea poured over it, which he is certain to
have stowed away below the seat you are sitting
upon, and watch this gentle family party — it is so
typical of true Japan : the poverty and simplicity
of the home, with no visible furniture but a dark
wood box, which holds the hot charcoal and has
the family pipes in a drawer beneath, and a small
table-tray with diminutive cups and a taepot.
But the happy family sitting on their platform
home, which only has the semblance of a house at
night when the wooden shutters are put up, are
more than contented, for their clean little home
will soon be graced with a perfect landscape garden.
But you must not linger too long, for your
109
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
attention is demanded by a party of strolling
players and acrobats, who really look the craziest
thing in this crazy land. The children, in their
bright baggy trousers, tumble about and tie them-
selves up into knots, until you cannot distinguish
the one from the other ; and the drummer, who is
dressed to look like a strange animal, with a
gigantic mask on its head, makes a tattoo like the
Punch and Judy man when he is beating up an
audience for his performance. The other members
of the company personate popular Japanese
characters in history or fiction, and if you wait
long enough they will act a blood-curdling drama
for your benefit. But they must not make too
much disturbance, or a policeman of five feet
nothing will come along ; and so great is their fear
of the law, that this httle man has only to address
them with the prescribed formula for them
instantly to disperse.
Twang, twang ! Your ear catches the sound of a
samisen, and you see, creeping close to the houses,
so as not to come in the way of the rikshas, the
blind musician. In Japan there are certain pro-
fessions reserved for the blind. Music is one, and
shampooing, or what we call massage, is another.
You cannot mistake the note of the bhnd
masseuse's flute ; it is like the call of some bird.
After working-hours are over you can see her
wandering about the street, offering her bhnd
110
JAPAN FROM A RIKSHA
services to the weary and tired of limb. Even
the poorest in Japan have long appreciated the
curative powers of massage.
If you keep your eyes open as you hurry past
one of the enormous public baths, where every man
or woman can enjoy a hot plunge and a cold
douche for the tenth part of a penny, you may
catch a glimpse, through the oft-opened door, of a
mass of naked humanity, swimming and plunging
and leaping and splashing like the salmon in the
Eraser river in Canada when they have come up
from the sea to spawn. You need not be afraid
that your English sense of modesty will be out-
raged ; these happy tadpoles are a piece of Nature,
and Nature is never shocking in Japan.
The next street you pass through may be the
street of lanterns, and there you will see shops full
01 Japanese lanterns of every size and shape and
colour. It gave me quite a thrill of pleasure to
find out that they really do use Japanese lanterns
in Japan. There were hundreds which I wanted
to buy and pack away in my liksha. They do not
cost much, for little children paint them and boy-
apprentices make them. These tiny artists lie flat
on their " little ^larys " on the side path, painting
wonderful designs with wonderful dexterity. Near
by, in the street of the umbrellas, you will see
women and girls of all ages gumming paper on to
the fine ribs of the familiar Japanese sunshade.
Ill
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
But I have not yet mentioned the broom and
basket maker, staggering under his wares, which
he carries ingeniously piled up on a long bamboo
slung across his back ; or the very old woman with
the cooking-stall, who is sure to be surrounded by
dear little children, who may cook for themselves
on her hot stove the tenth part of a penny 's-worth
of some strange article of food ; or the clog-shop,
which is the most typical shop of all in Japan.
Here you will see two grey Mvionod clerks, sitting
on the floor in front of a mountain of wooden
clogs. They are playing a game of dominoes
while they wait for a customer. By their side is
a little scarlet lacquer table with tall spindle legs,
and on the table there is a beautiful blue-and-
white pot hodling a dwarf plum-tree. The wooden
clogs are behind these young aesthetes, their plum-
tree and dominoes are in front.
But the strangest sight of all, perhaps, is the
man and woman who are carrying their home and
all their worldly goods on their backs. They are
changing their place of residence to be nearer their
day's work, and so, like the snail, the man carries
his house on his back, and his wife takes the fur-
niture and the kitchen utensils under her protection.
If they had a garden, they would take that too.
But these are only a few of the many bizarre
bits of true Japan which you see from the deck
of a riksha.
112
CHAPTER XV
TEMPLE-GOING IN JAPAN
In Japan you go to the temple to play as well
as to pray, so that temple-going to the pagan mind
does not mean as much as church-going does to
the earnest Christian.
In The Greater Learning for Women, written
by the sages, it is ordered that '' a woman should
go but sparingly to temples and other high places
where there is a great concourse of people until
she has reached the age of forty."
After you have visited the famous Temple of
Kwannon in Asukusa, Tokyo, you will agree with
the sages if you are a father or a husband, for
temple-going in Japan means perpetual holiday-
making, much spending of money, gossiping, and
wasting of time.
The Temple of Kwannon Sama, the Goddess of
Mercy at Tokyo, is by far the most popular in
Japan. It is within the sacred grounds of her
temple, which extend for many acres, that the
8 113
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
matsuri or religious festivals are held ; and it is
within her temple grounds that the stranger can
see the Real Japan — Japan robbed of her lacquer
of European civilisation ; for it is there, chiefly
in Tokyo, that you can feel the heart-beat of
the people. There the man who wears a black
coat in his business house in the Ginza goes to
play or to pray in his native kimono. It is at
playing and at praying that one nation least
understands another ; therefore, if you wish to
study Japan, go to her temples.
You can see some of the most typical sights of
Japan back to back. Here is a group of holiday-
attired women, each choosing trashy hairpins to
adorn her finely-coifFured head at some stall in the
temple fair, and right behind it may be a sorrow-
ing mother, hanging up toys and sweets at a
quaint shrine for the soul of her dead child.
Under the shadow of the great goddess's house
of prayer you can always see a motley, merry
crowd, wholly typical of Japan at play ; and in
the midst of it all, before the images of Kwannon
and other popular idols, you can see pagan Japan
at prayer. There is no hard and fast line drawn
between religion and recreation. Side by side with
beloved gods and shrines you will find questionable
peep-shows, booths where contortionists make your
hair stand on end by the length of their tongues
or the telescoping of their necks ; fine archery
114
To back on p. 114.
1 9 j
Ji Jit ^^
Yokaiclii : The eiitran<^e to a temple.
'To ba<:k on p. 115,
lliil
Kuwaiia.
TEMPLE-GOING IN JAPAN
galleries, where you can fire off twenty arrows for
a penny ; and tea-houses with pretty dancing-girls,
or snake-charmers with hypnotised snakes.
There is alway a matsuri of some sort going on
in the Asakusa temple, whatever day or hour you
go. I have sat long hours on its wide steps
watching strange pagan prayers and the picturesque
merrymaking of the holiday crowd. The " scuff-
scuffing " of the wooden clogs on the stone-paved
courts never ceases, nor the whirling and clicking
and swooping in the air overhead of the temple
pigeons as they fly from the great wooden roof
(which is the most majestic thing about a temple)
to surround the slim figure of a Jtioosnie, clad in
soft grey, who has brought some pious beans for
their consumption.
When you enter the temple grounds you can
see the sacred white pony with the mad blue eyes,
which is looked after by two young girls, and feed
it with sacred beans, which you can buy from
an old witch who has a stall of holy beans,
pious peas, and sanctified rice. Buddhism teaches
great kindness to animals ; the fear that the soul
of one of your ancestors may be temporarily
inhabiting your horse or cow is an excellent pre-
ventive of cruelty to animals. Ancestor- worship
is the essence of the Shinto religion, and all
Japanese are Shintoists or Buddhists, and the
majority of them are both.
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
While you are sitting on the temple steps you
can hear the muttered prayers of the licensed
beggars, who pray for those who give them cash.
Just inside the temple there is always a washing-
place, where the people purify before praying.
After this ablution the worshipper strikes a big
bell with a bamboo pole to call the attention of the
particular god he requires, throws a cash in a wooden
trunk covered with a gi-ating, claps his hands, and
then prays on devoutly-bended knees, rubbing his
head and drawing in his breath with a hissing sound.
When the prayer is finished, he rings the gong again
to announce the fact, casts another cash in the trunk,
and goes on his way rejoicing. Sometimes you see
worshippers pulhng a string of beads through their
fingers, just as the Roman Catholic uses his rosary.
There are many things in this pagan temple which
remind one strongly of a popular church in Italy.
Round the walls are the various altars, with
strange gods and images, with lights burning and
clouds of incense ascending ; and in front of a
miracle-working image you can see long plaits of
black hair, or plaster casts of limbs, or glass eyes,
offerings from the devout who have been cured of
some illness. The beautiful statue of the Goddess
of Mercy, who is as nearly as possible to the poor
of Japan what " Our Lady of Pity " is to the poor
Italian, is carried in procession through the city
to stay epidemics or plagues.
116
TEMPLE-GOING IN JAPAN
But the spectacle which causes the stranger the
most amazement is to see men and women and
children chewing up the little paper prayers which
they have just bought from some shaven-headed
priest, and spitting them out of their mouths at
the ugly gods known as the Honourable Two —
Nl-O — behind their grating. If the little pill of
paper sticks to the idol the prayer has been heard,
and the worshipper departs with hope in his heart.
At another shrine there are little paper prayers tied
on to the bars of the idol's cage. I have seen as
many as ten thousand prayers attached to one cage.
There are endless ways of exacting money from
; the people in a pagan temple. Besides the prices
paid for the prayers, and the cash offered before
and after praying, there is always something to be
given to the old woman who keeps the sacred fuel
burning ; and if you wish to enter the sanctuary
and make any special petition, or read some pages
from a holy book, you must pay the old priest who
dwells inside the enclosure. Here, for instance,
come a young husband and wife carrying their
baby, who have just paid the priest a sum for
I giving their child its " soul name." But in spite
j of the " chaos of votive tablets, huge lanterns,
I shrines, idols, spit-balls, dust, dirt, nastiness, and
hohness " — for this is how Griffiths, in his famous
J book. The Mikado's Empire, describes the interior
\ of a Buddhist temple — I love the exquisite quiet
117
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
and the sense of peace you always find there — a
pagan peace which passes all Christian under-
standing.
In the great space, with its black lacquered floors
and low reading-stools, which are just like the book-
rests for the Koran in mosques, the white-robed
priests, with their shaven heads, glide about like
mysterious beings from another world. In this
pagan place of prayer you seem far removed from
the noise and merrymaking in the courts. In spite
of the strange idols, foxes, and hideous demons, the
hollow beating of Oriental temple drums, and the
unceasing clapping of pious hands, you feel the
mystery of holiness and the spirit of devotion.
I have never seen anything in the nature of a
service or of a united congregation praying in a
Japanese temple, nor do I know if Buddhist priests
ever preach sermons ; but I have never been in a
Shinto or Buddhist temple where there was not a
perpetual coming and going of devout worshippers.
And devout they are, though as soon as their pagan
prayers are said they will hurry from the temple,
slip their tabid feet into their wooden clogs at the
wide-open front, and scurry down the great flight
of steps, sideways like crabs, to join in the fun of
the fair.
But perhaps you are on your way to v^isit the
famous temple gardens, where the dwarf trees are
only a few inches high and many centuries old, and
118
TEMPLE-GOING IN JAPAN
where the big shrubs and firs are trained and cut
to represent junks in full sail, or missionaries with
Bibles in their hands and high silk hats on their
heads. If it is February, plum blossoms will be
out in the temple orchard ; for in February there
is the feast of the plum blossom, in April the cherry
blossom, and in July the iris petals are as purple as
the sky overhead is blue. Before July the azaleas are
a riot of colour. In October the chrysanthemums
bring the whole world to see them, and in March
the camellias begin to patter to the ground from
the tall dark trees. At each of these popular feasts
you can see delightful family parties eating their
scant meals below the trees in quiet aesthetic
content. The Japanese goes to a picnic to feast
his eyes on the beauty of nature, not to gorge his
stomach on some special delicacy of the place.
After you have enjoyed this quiet pleasure there
are the sacred waxworks of the temple to be seen,
and they are really wonderful and very ancient,
and in some cases painfully realistic. They repre-
sent the miracles and cures wrought by the goddess
and her disciples. I do not wonder that they are
popular with the people, for they are even more
thrilling than our waxworks at Madame Tussaud's.
I once saw an image of Buddha being made out of
metal mirrors melted down in little saucepans on
a charcoal fire. The image was so large that two
workmen were sitting on its nose. One was pouring
119
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
some of the melted metal mirrors out of a spoon
on to the Buddha's ear, while the other man was
sculpturing it into form. There must have been
thousands of mirrors lying round the unfinished
image, which was half-buried in clay. While I
looked on I saw at least fifty women come
and deposit a mirror as an offering to the un-
finished god.
120
CHAPTER XVI
KEEPING THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT IN JAPAN
Strange as it may sound to Western ears, it is
absolute obedience to parents and unquestioning
filial piety which have produced the most dis-
tressing and depraved circumstances in the social
ethics of Japan.
Filial piety in Japan is the most important of all
virtues. No child has a right to question or even
doubt for one moment the right or wrong of the
most humihating sacrifices demanded by its parents.
And filial piety is very far-reaching ; it embraces
a loyalty which is a religion in itself to Emperor
and Country, as the Mikado is both the "father
and mother of his country." For to Shintoism,
which is the ancient and state reUgion in Japan,
a religion which is really ancestor- worship, is added
the unquestioning submission to rulers and parents,
which is the principal doctrine of Confucianism,
introduced into Japan from China in about the
seventeenth century.
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Although fihal piety is demanded of both sexes
in Japan, it is difficult to discover in what a man's
precise duties towards his parents really consist ;
on the other hand, endless books could be written
without exhausting the subject of a woman's duties
to both her own and her husband's parents. Of
course, a man must reverence his parents, and treat
every old man in spirit as if he was his own father ;
but, on the other hand, a mother, if she is a widow,
must reverence and obey the will of her elder son,
as though he were her father or her husband. A
man must not disgrace the name of his ancestors,
whose honour is daily commemorated on his
" household god-shelf," but of the nature of his
obediences and duties to his parents in practice I
can find but little recorded, even in the most
exhaustive books on the subject. In the old tales
of the Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Virtue
(which are to a Japanese household what Foxe's
BooJx' of Martyrs was twenty years ago in a
Scotch home), we read of absurd examples of filial
piety enacted by quite old men.
" One of the paragons," says Mr Chamberlain,
" had a cruel stepmother who was very fond of fish.
Never repining at her harsh treatment of him, he
lay down naked on the frozen surface of the lake.
The warmth of his body melted a hole in the ice,
at which two carp came up to breathe. These
he caught and set before his stepmother. Another
122
KEEPING THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
paragon, though of tender years and having a
dehcate skin, insisted on sleeping uncovered at
night, in order that the mosquitoes should fasten
on him alone, and allow his parents to slumber
undisturbed. A third, who was very poor, deter-
mined to bury his own child alive in order to have
more food wherewith to support his aged mother,
but was rewarded by heaven with the discovery of
a vessel filled with gold, off which the whole family
Hved happily ever after. . . . But the drollest of
all is the story of Roraishi. This paragon, though
seventy years old, used to dress in baby's clothes
and sprawl about upon the tioor. His object was
piously to delude his parents, who were really
over ninety years of age, into the idea that they
could not be so very old after all, seeing that they
had still such a puerile son."
The Japanese have established a set of " Four-
and-twenty Paragons" (Honcho Ni-ju-shi Ko) of
their own, but these are less popular.
Although Professor Chamberlain in his Things
Japanese gives various male instances from the
Tvoenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety, he tells us
absolutely nothing of the particular duties of the
modern man towards his parents, but only the
general and seldom-abused duty of obedience. A
man has only one set of parents to obey and rever-
ence, while a woman has two — her own while she
is a girl, and her husband's after she is a wife.
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
There is no text in the Christian teachings so
difficult for a Japanese man to accept and under-
stand as the one which says a man shall leave his
family and cleave to his wife. But the Japanese
woman is in this matter an a priori Christian.
In Japan a man never leaves his family, and his
ancestors he has always with him on his god-shelf.
It is a woman who goes to be married in the
mourning garb of a corpse, pure white, to signify
the fact that she is dead to her old home, and that
henceforth she belongs to her husband's family, and
that from that date her filial piety is to be observed
towards her new parents. It is rather sad, I think,
that a Japanese mother should only rear up her dear
little girl and educate her so that she may become
the submissive and loving daughter, both in spirit
and in deed, of another woman ; for as soon as a
girl has reached the age of sixteen, she marries and
becomes the daughter of her parents-in-law ; and
as she is only a woman, she cannot raise up offspring
to her own parents, but to her husband's, for
nothing descends through a woman in Japan.
Indeed, Buddhism teaches us that a woman cannot
hope for immortality unless she is re-born a man.
Poor, brave-hearted, patient, gentle, loving, sub-
missive little creatures ! it must be hard for them
to believe that these are the teachings of the
Buddha who extolled mercy as the highest virtue ;
that a woman is but a temptation, a snare, an
124
KEEPING THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
unclean thing, a scapegoat, an obstacle to peace
and holiness ! Shinto religion accords her a higher
place while she is on earth amongst men, but it
does not give her a niche on the family god-shelf
after death. It is small wonder that the Japanese
woman is disappointed when the baby in her arms
turns out to be a girl.
Undoubtedly the military spirit of the people,
of which we see such marked evidence to-day, has
been kept alive by ancestor- worship ; and although
the Japanese themselves do not consider that a
woman is capable of transmitting to her offspring
hereditary characteristics, one cannot doubt for
an instant but that the spirit of endurance and
courage and self-sacrifice in the Japanese soldier
are gifts which he inherits from his mother,
rather than from his indulgent, egotistical father.
For all that is best in a Japanese man, be he
soldier or politician, must come from his long line
of nobly-lived female ancestors ; women who have
never shirked or repined at fulfilling their hard
lot, or in obeying to the last letter the peculiar
moral teachings of their religious dogma. In the
intentions of the heart the Japanese woman is a
touching example of filial devotion and self-
extinction ; for, to keep the fifth commandment
according to her highest ideal, she will sell herself
joyfully as a beautiful young girl to a house of ill-
fame so as to gain money for her parents ; and as a
125
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
mother she will sacrifice her children's happiness,
and even their lives if circumstances demand it, to
her parents' welfare. Indeed, a woman will violate
her finest feelings to obey her parents' wishes ; and
it is quite possible for even gentle-hearted, devoted
parents to desire their daughters to sacrifice them-
selves to the most degrading of all professions for
their sakes.
The position of women and the subject of filial
submission is one of the points upon which the
most earnest Buddhists, who are really desirous
for the welfare of their fellow-creatures, are now
agreeing that in the Christian teachings there are
some morals worthy of their close attention and
consideration, for it is only in Christian countries
that they can find a high standard of respect and
veneration for women. In Japan it is perhaps a
woman's humility of spirit and her entire disbelief
in her own self-worthiness which has made her an
object of much higher veneration in the eyes of the
Western world than that of her mankind. For
what we may choose to call the sins and
immoralities of a woman's life in Japan she
commits from the highest purpose. They are
actions of absolute filial devotion. Her very faults
in our eyes are her highest virtues in the eyes of
her parents, whereas a man's sins and shortcomings
in Japan are but the ordinary self-indulgences and
vices of his spoilt and egotistically - reared sex,
126
KEEPING THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
who are taught that a wife should look upon a
husband as if he were heaven itself, and upon his
relatives as celestial relations.
The most common plot for a romance or a
popular drama in Japan is that of filial piety.
The struggle between maternal and filial love is a
topic upon which no woman is ever weary of read-
ing or of hearing. Take, for instance, the case
where some powerful enemy will only spare the
parents of the beautiful heroine if she consents to
become his concubine. At first her purity shrinks
from it, and she refuses. But her mother entreats
her to remember her duty towards her parents ;
and so, to save her mother and father, not her
own little children be it noted, she gives herself
up to the enemy. The moral, of course, is her
future higher state for this act of filial devotion.
In Japan the keeping of the fifth commandment,
like the keeping of all the others, seems to be left
chiefly to the women.
The Japanese man is not called upon for quite
such sensational sacrifices as the Japanese woman,
but they would be galling enough if it were not
that loyalty to his Emperor, his country and his
ancestors is the breath of his nostrils to a Japanese.
The tribal system, which makes the eldest male
of a family the chief of all the descendants of one
man, is almost as strong in Japan as it is among
the aborigines of Australia. They may even live
127
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
under the same roof; for not only do the sons
continue part of the paternal household after they
are married, but, not content wdth this, it is usual
for them, after their father's death, to continue
members of their eldest brother's household, until
the progress of events forces them to set up
establishments for themselves. And they are
prepared to carry their observance of the fifth
commandment to obeying the elder brother as a
parent, in the same way as a man's wife always has
to obey not only her father-in-law and mother-in-
law, but any elder brothers that he may have, and
any wives they may have.
The fact that Japanese gentlemen never went
into business is to some extent answerable for this,
just as we see in England three or four old-maid
sisters with small annuities, who would be in poverty
if they lived separately, get along comfortably by
living together. So in Japan, which is a land of
poor people, it was easier for a family of brothers
to maintain their dignity by leaving the property
undivided and sharing a home. If a brother wished
very much to start on his own account, he had to
be allowed to do so, but it was a breach of the
Japanese fifth commandment.
As the upper classes gradually take to commerce,
this will be altered automatically ; but it will take a
long time before the Japanese withdraws the un-
questioning obedience which he yields to his father,
128
KEEPING THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
although a person notoriously inferior to himself in
capacity and position.
Springing from and modifying this extraordinary
devotion to the fifth commandment is the Japanese
habit of retiring from business or the control of
property at an age which we should consider the
prime of life. The old-fashioned Japanese, in fact,
retired as soon as his son or his children were old
enough to keep him. In those days he made over
his property as he now makes over his business if
he is in trade. His children in reality only assume
the responsibilities ; the best of everything goes to
the honourable parents, who spend the afternoon
and evening of their life in contemplation and
writing poetry. Everybody in Japan is a poet ; and
as the Japanese have no rhymes, and hardly any
rules for poetry except the commendable habit of
considering five or seven lines of a few syllables each
the correct length for a poem, it is not surprising to
learn that beauty of handwriting is the most valued
feature in verse-writing. Even being a bad poet
does not rob a father of his semi-divine position in
his children's eyes ; so long as his father is alive the
Japanese looks upon himself as a boy, though he
may be sixty. His father's most unreasonable
wish is law so long as it does not conflict with the
authority of the police. The only recognised mode
of getting out of it is the family council, which
suggests that what the father asks would be dis-
9 129
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
agreeable to the ancestors, who stand in the same
heavenly relation to him in which he stands to his
children. But in practice Japanese parents are
fairly level-headed, except when it is a question of
sacrificing the comfort or the prospects of the son's
wife or children to the selfishness of his parents.
As I have said above, a Japanese parent will accept
the greatest sacrifices from his children in the same
matter-of-course way as a lady lets you give up
your seat or open the door for her in Europe.
It is the woman upon whom the fifth command-
ment weighs most severely in Japan, and the hardest
part of it is that her sacrifices are not made for the
parents to whom she was born, but the parents
selected for her by the matrimonial agent who
engaged her for her husband. It is her father-in-
law and her mother-in-law and her sisters-in-law
that she has to love, honour, and obey, till it is her
turn to be a mother-in-law. No wonder that the
Japanese mother-in-law is so often soured. From
the time that, at the marrying age of sixteen, she be-
comes their child, she makes and mends and brushes
their clothes, gets up in the small hours of the
morning to give them the first dose of the honour-
able tea, and waits on them and entertains them
the whole day long, except when she is required
for doing the marketing, looking after the servants,
and the things that are absolutely necessary for her
children.
130
KEEPING THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
Let no one imagine, after contemplating this
terrible picture, that the lot of the Japanese wife is
worse than the lot of the Christian slaves of the
Mahdi. There are stepmothers in Japan who are
monsters compared to the stepmothers of European
fiction, but, as a whole, the system of wife-slavery
works out pretty well in practice, like other
monstrous regulations in Japan, the fact being
that Japan is an Oriental country, and that in
Oriental countries constitutional government is
not a feature of family life. But Japan is also the
country in which the gentle rule of Buddhism has
produced its finest flowers.
131
PART II
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF
NAPOLEON
WITH IJVES OF PETER THE GREAT, ALEXANDER
THE GREAT, AND ARISTOTLE
Written by a Japanese In the first half of the Nineteenth Century,
With illustrations by a native artist, and a fetu corrections
of proper names by S. H.
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
WITH LIVES OF PETER THE GREAT, ALEXANDER
THE GREAT, AND ARISTOTLE
Note by the Edito7\
This history was written in the first half of the
nineteenth century. It has the highest extrinsic
interest, as having been written while Japan was
entirely cut off from the Western world, long
before Commander Perry's famous expedition
which reopened it. One would not have expected
the renown even of Napoleon to have pierced the
impenetrable veil which had hung over Japan for
a couple of centuries.
It was originally my intention to give an explana-
tion of all the personages, places, and events men-
tioned in the following history of Napoleon, which
was written apparently soon after the transference
of his body from St Helena to its present resting-
place in the Invalides. But I saw that the attempt
to supply a sufficient commentary would overburden
the book, so I have contented myself with giving a
few verbal corrections, chiefly of names.
135
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
For although the history sets down the main
events of Napoleon's life in a rough and ready way,
it is likewise a tissue of almost unemendable
mistakes. The King of Baylen and the King of
Bautzen are European monarchs, of the same
importance as the Emperor of Austria and the
King of Prussia. There is a country called Bey,
which shares a Duke with Clives. The Battle of
Trafalgar is considered unworthy of attention, and
the English do not appear to have taken any con-
siderable part in the fighting at Waterloo. The
history reads as if it had been derived from very
incorrect and partial Dutch sources, but it is suffi-
ciently wonderful that a Japanese history of
Napoleon should have been written at all before
Commodore Perry had reopened the relations
between Japan and the civilised world in 1854.
The allusions to Holland verge on the comical :
they compare it to ancient Greece.
The first illustration gives a picture of Napoleon
seated in his royal robes on a throne, both being
freely Japanised. On his right is seated the Pope ;
Napoleon's sister, called here the Empress Eliza of
Piombino, and Peter HI., presumably of Russia ; the
Emperor Francis of Austria ; the King of Holland,
and Napoleon's brother Joseph (whom he made King
of Spain). I do not know the exact subject ; but as
Pope Pius VII. went to Paris to crown Napoleon,
it is presumably the Emperor'js coronation.
136
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
In illustration ii., which is entitled " Drill on the
Rhine," the scenery is entirely Japanese, and the
men are being drilled in the Japanese exercise
of quarterstafF. The umpire may be observed
directing them with his fan, as he does in a modern
wrestling-match. Napoleon and his staff wear
seventeenth century costumes.
Illustration number iii. is extremely funny. It
represents the marriage ceremony between
Napoleon and the Empress Josephine, but every-
thing is done in the typical Japanese style. The
gigantic iron candlesticks, with rush candles impaled
on their spikes, stand upon the floor. The table is
only about a foot high, and is laden with Japanese
delicacies. Napoleon and Josephine are ac-
companied only by Josephine's maid and the two
elderly persons who have arranged the wedding.
Napoleon is engaged in drinking one of the three-
times-three cups of sake which are drunk by bride-
groom and bride from the same cup, first at the
banquet and afterwards in their bedroom, which
gives the religious sanction to a Japanese marriage,
though the only binding part about it is the change
in the registration of the bride, from her father's
possessions to her husband's, at the local police-
court. The sake is being poured from a most
peculiar kettle, highly ornamented, with a cock
standing upon the lid. The windows are paper,
divided into tiny squares like Japanese windows.
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
The non- Japanese features in this picture are the
arches of the room and the chairs.
Illustration iv. gives a picture of an assassin in
Japanese armour, firing a Japanese blunderbuss at
a carriage on a causeway crossing a marsh, like the
causeways you get between Kyoto and Lake Biwa.
This picture refers to the attempt at assassination
mentioned at the beginning of chapter ii. in the
Life of Napoleon. It is a ludicrous misrepresenta-
tion, because the attempt was made with a bomb,
and not with a musket. INIr J. H. Rose says in his
Life of Napoleon : —
" On the third day of Nivose (December 24th, 1 800), as the
First Consul was driving to the opei-a to hear Haydn's oratorio,
The Creation, his carriage was shaken by a terrible explosion.
A bomb had burst between his carriage and that of Josephine,
which was following. Neither was injured, though many spec-
tators were killed or wounded. ' Josephine,' he calmly said, as
she entered the box, ' those rascals wanted to blow me up : send
for a copy of the music' But under this cool demeanour he
nursed a determination of vengeance against his political foes,
the Jacobins.''
Illustration v. represents Napoleon burning the
British ambassador, an event alluded to in the
text, where he is preposterously called the Due
d'Enghien. The ambassador, stark naked and
yelling, is tied to four posts over a pit of flames,
fed apparently with charcoal piled up in Japanese
baskets. The guards are armed with battleaxes.
Illustration vi. is very amusing. It represents
the French attack on Moscow. Moscow is a lofty
138
To back on p. 138
Drill on
To back on p. 139.
the Rhine.
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
mediteval fortress. Guns of an antique Asiatic
pattern are standing in the open, firing at it. The
Russian general with his staff is depicted standing
outside the walls, because he could not be seen if he
were inside. The sea, with the French fleet on
it, washes Moscow on the left, where a swarm of
French spearmen crowd the shore.
Illustration vii. represents Napoleon as a
prisoner at St Helena, in rags, with bare arms and
feet, sitting on an anvil under a bamboo shed,
dressed like John Bunyan in the preface to the
Pilgrims Prog?^ess. He is guarded by four
English pikemen in armour, one of whom is
pointing in scorn and another gigghng at him.
In the distance are mountains and the sea and
British men-of-war — rather well done.
Illustration viii. represents Napoleon's funeral
at Paris. Most of the picture is taken up with a
gigantic car, with wheels nine feet high, drawn by
ten horses, and adorned with a great " N " and a
quantity of fleur-de-lis. The latter ornamenta-
tion does not seem very probable, but it is entirely
thrown into the shade by the rest of the Japanese
artist's conception, for he makes the car like the
sacred palanquin or mekosJii used at a Japanese
temple when the god is taken out for a procession
or to visit another deity. The mekoshi are
enormously high and large, and are carried on the
shoulders of a swarm of coolies. Napoleon's
139
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
funeral car has a little image of the Virgin dangling
from each corner of its top under a Japanese lamp
ornament, and is adorned with Shogun knots and
the gilt tassels used for the mekoshi. I have
only reproduced these pictures, but there are others,
including quite a good picture of the city of Paris in
the eighteenth century, a very comical picture of the
manufacture of firearms, and others of the founding
of cannon, the building of a frigate, and the
building of a steamer, which is a little previous, and
can only have been reproduced as the latest novelty
at the time that the book was written.
Uniform with the Napoleon book are brief lives,
also illustrated, of Peter the Great, Alexander the
Great, and Aristotle.
In the Life of Peter the Great, the fii'st picture
represents Peter himself, an absurd person ^^^th a
wig, sitting in front of a building like the orangery
in Kensington Gardens, talking to a masculine-
looking woman, described as Sophia Strelitz.
The second, the only one that I have the space
to reproduce, represents Peter the Great in full
armour on a richly caparisoned horse, chasing
Charles XII. of Sweden, who is also in full armour
and flying at full gallop. Peter has Pultowa for
his background ; Charles, not very appropriately, a
group of cocoanut palms.
140
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
The other picture in this volume represents the
castle of Azov and Russian frigates sent to Turkey.
Peter the Great, it will be remembered, fell into
the power of the Turks, and had practically to be
ransomed in the middle of his victorious contest
with Sweden.
The Life of Alexander the Great has only one
illustration — Alexander in a seventeenth century
costume, standing under the inevitable cocoanut
palms, between the sun and Diogenes. The sun is
shooting palpable rays direct at Diogenes, a very
elegant young man, dressed in a costume which
would have been more appropriate to Pico della
Mirandola, and is keeping his back religiously
turned to Alexander, who looks like Louis XI. at
the St James's Theatre.
Aristotle is not thought worthy of illustration,
though one would have given much for a Japanese
version of Raphael's Vatican fresco of Aristotle and
Plato, the latter destined without doubt to become
one of the most popular authors with the Japanese.
To English Readers — a Note by the
Japanese Translator.
You people who read this book will laugh at
my translation. I am content, for the tragedian
141
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
may play a comic part. In this book I am a
buffoon, for I have translated word for word,
without thinking of your English idioms. So the
more you laugh the more I shall be pleased.
Y. M.
Preface by the Japanese Author.
Nowadays all the Western countries fight
against each other for their own interest. France
is the most distinguished, through the greatest
hero, whose name is " Napoleon." He was born
in the island of Corsica. Even in his childhood
he was entirely different to other children. When
he came of age he showed great wisdom and
abihty. Napoleon had at different times ruled all
the European countries except England, created
new laws, encouraged all branches of science, and
was very good to the poor, but at the same time
he had done most cruel deeds. Perhaps he was
the greatest hero ever known in the Western
countries ; but if you compare him to the heroes
in our own (Japanese) history, their deeds and
morals are as wide apart as the pig and the lion.
However, if you have time to idle by your fireside
in winter evenings, it may be worth your while
to read this history of Western heroes.
142
CHAPTER 1
The Pretender Mikado of France in Europe,
whose surname is Bonaparte and Christian name
Napoleon, was born in Ajaccio in Corsica island,
5th of the second month (the fifth year at Meiwa)
1765. Once Ajaccio was not a French dominion,
but about this time it belonged to France, and
Napoleon claimed to be French by birth, and
wished to be popular among the French, and
therefore deceived them, saying he had been born
5th of eighth month 1769. Even this one thing
proves his deceitful nature, also his ability to rule,
not only France, but all Europe.
His father was called Charles Bonaparte ; he
was of noble Corsican blood ; his mother was
named Maria Laetitia Ramolina, younger sister
of Cardinal Fels. Hearing of her beauty, Charles
married her, and they had five sons and three
daughters, Napoleon being the second son —
surnamed Napoleoni.
When quite young he was very thoughtful and
studious, and did not like the buoyant manner of
143
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
the Corsicans. When about eight or nine years
of age, Maraiibeau Calab, of Corsica island, intro-
duced him to the mihtary college at Brienne.
When iNIaraubeau was General in Corsica, he was
indebted to Napoleon's mother; therefore he did
all that he could for Napoleon. When the latter
entered the military college he did not care to
play with his schoolfellows, but was always think-
ing of history and surveying, and had a keen
admiration for all historical heroes. He used to
like talking of war, and studied all the tactics of
war. At that time few people in France cared to
study the war, so his ideas were far above those
of his friends, and he often made detachments of
his schoolfellows and fought with them. Though
he was youngest of them, he was a wonderful
organiser and very strict, and always won with a
smaller detachment.
It was our fifth year of the Serpent of Tenmei
(1784) when he was raised to the rank of an
officer. The military authorities, seeing his ability,
greatly respected him.
After a while he left Brienne and entered the
military college at Paris, where he stayed for
several years. When seventeen years of age he was
raised to Second Lieutenant of the Artillery.
At this time civil war broke out in France,
and from the first Napoleon had great sympathy
with the revolutionists. He therefore gave up
144
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
his duty and returned to Corsica, with Patriot
Paoli, who promised him to protect his family ;
but when they returned to Corsica, Napoleon was
too strong-minded to agree with Paoli, so the
latter drove away all Napoleon's family and allies.
When they arrived at Marseilles the citizens
opposed Napoleon and his party, consequently
they had great difficulty and hardships. His
younger sister did all his housekeeping, and went
to the city each day to buy provisions, which
gave him his democratic ideas, and he volunteered
for the Jacobin party.
There was a man named Barras who had great
influence, and made Napoleon head of the National
Frugnardelind, also Second Lieutenant of the
Artillery. Then each time Napoleon went to
war he was so brave and conquered his opponents ;
finally Toulon was surrendered to him. At this
time Napoleon was only twenty-six years of age ;
he was then raised to the rank of Battalion Chef;
after one year he was again raised to Brigadier
General, to fight against Italy. Then the armies
who fought against Italy were badly organised ; in
consequence of which they were defeated, and
Napoleon was appointed to take over the leader-
ship. This was the first time Napoleon had had
the opportunity of planning it as he thought best ;
but unfortunately he had to share Robespierre's
fate (the latter was found guilty and sentenced).
10 145
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Robespierre was very cruel to his men, so the
Jacobin party held a council of war and sent
pamphlets to all the states to disarm and imprison
Robespierre the terrorist. Napoleon escaped to
Nice, where he was also imprisoned. After some
time he was released, but his military title wrh
taken from him. He fled to Paris to plead his own
cause, but the Government rejected his petition ;
consequently he was left solitary and without
sympathy, which made him flee from France and
go to Turkey, where he hoped to obtain a
prosperous life, but was unsuccessful ; so returned
to France and became Commander of the Artillery,
to fight against Holland.
Just as he had prepared to start, some priest
in Paris raised a rebellion. General Barras had to
quiet them, and made Napoleon commander of a
battaUon. He defeated them. In 1795, eighth
year of the Dragon of Kwansei, the royal party of
France wanted to fight the democratic party. The
Jacobins, remembering Napoleon's great ability,
appointed him Deficit - General. After three
months, in the year 1794, General Barras made
Napoleon Director, to fight against Italy. General
Barras was very friendly with the widow of the
late General Beauharnais, who wanted to imprison
Napoleon, and made the latter marry her. She was
very rich, which was of great help to Napoleon.
He got all the power over the French army
146
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
and invaded Italy, but his soldiers were very weak,
and their armaments were deficient in many ways.
At that time Austria had 60,000 men, under the
command of General Beaulieu ; but Napoleon
was very skilled in the art of war, so he easily
defeated the enemy at Monte Notate on the 13th
of fourth month. The next day he defeated them
at Millesimo and Dego. The armies of Piedmont
were scattered by Napoleon, who charged their
headquarters. On the 14th of fourth month
(eleventh year of the Horse of Kwansei, 1797)
he fought Duke Charles of Leoben's party and
defeated them; the enemy surrendered, and sent
an envoy of peace to Campo Formio. A long
time before this Napoleon took the \^enetian
Republic, and gave part of this country to Austria,
and in return Austria gave him Holland. Soon
after, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief and
defeated the English in Egypt on the 19th of the
fifth month — eleventh year of Sheep of Kwansei
(1798). He got together all his warships; they
were armed with 30,000 well-discipHned soldiers,
and started from Toulon, and on his way he besieged
and took Malta and landed at Alexandria, and left
his warships behind and invaded England, also
besieged Cairo. On the 1st of the eighth month
Nelson of England came to Alexandria with many
warships and fought the French fleet at Aboukir,
and all men and boats were entirely destroyed,
147
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
except two small ones which escaped to Malta.
This was Napoleon's first failure.
In the ninth month Turkey declared war
against Napoleon. He had enemies on both sides
—Turkish before him and the English at the back
of him — but this did not daunt him, and he was
busy fighting Egypt, but was not altogether
successful.
One of Napoleon's staff, Desaix, defeated the
Turkish Marshal Mouratby at Sedoman on the
21st of tenth month. Cairo rebelled against
Napoleon again; he sent an army and conquered
them. Soon after, another rebellion broke out
in Syria ; on the 22nd of the twelfth month he and
the army of 12,000 men went to the front, and
sent another army to the Isthmus of Suez to find
out whether it was between the Mediterranean and
Red Sea, as the people said. He besieged Jaffa
(then called Joppa) in the twelfth year of the
ISIonkey of Kwansei. He entered Acre, where he
stopped his army. He left many invalid soldiers
there, and returned to Cairo on the 14th of the
sixth month.
The French army was much discouraged. He
was busy making fresh preparations. Some Turkish
warships came to Aboukir and took the castle,
and on the 26th of the same month Napoleon
fought the Turks and regained his castle. This
is the end of the Egyptian fight.
148
To hack on i\ 148.
Josephine.
^^ ^^^ %: % ^ fti
^M.
Maniage of Josephine
To hack on p. 149.
and Napoleon.
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
At this time Napoleon got an urgent message
from his own country, which said that an Enghsh
army had invaded France and was very strong
and dangerous. Sieyes held a council meeting,
and appointed Napoleon commander to rescue
the French army, which was in a distressing con-
dition. So the latter left one of his staff named
Kleber to take his place in Egypt, and himself
left Egypt, with I^annes, Murat, Belthail, Marmont,
and others, on the 23rd of the eighth month ;
they arrived at Frejus the 9th of the tenth month,
where he left all his boats and marched inland
to Paris with great triumph. As he had had
great victories, many Parisians were glad to see
him back home, but there were not a few who
disliked him, and were afraid of his cunning and
deceit, and feared that he might one day give
trouble to his own country.
Some old diplomatists appointed him head of
the army and state, and they expected to found
a democratic party. On the 9th of the eleventh
month (the thirteenth year of the Tiger of Kwan-
sei — 1799) Napoleon changed all the system of
government. Several old diplomatists and five
hundred officers held a council meeting at St Cloud.
Napoleon himself attended the meeting with the
Guard. Some diplomatists complained because
Napoleon was made dictator, as it was very in-
convenient to them ; several shouted " Napoleon,"
149
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
from all sides applauded him. One of them
caught Napoleon's clothes and drew a dagger.
Marshal Lefevre, with some of his guard, rescued
Napoleon. By that time Murat had come to the
rescue with some of his soldiers, and drew away
the line with their bayonets.
The next day a few people who knew the
secrecy of the meeting discussed the matter, and
stopped the dictator ; also made them new officers
instead ; they were called Professional Council,
and let Napoleon be one of them ; the others
were called Sieyes and Ducos. On the 17th of the
eleventh month these three started their duties;
they settled everything quickly, and on the 16th
of the twelfth month they announced a fresh
government. This was the end of the fourth
revolution of the French Republic, and the term of
Napoleon as First Consul was ten years. He
picked up two of his favourites to assist him,
one named Consul Cambaceres and one Consul
Lebrun.
At this time Italy was taken by his enemy,
and Germany, Russia, Naples, and Turkey had
studied to rebel against Napoleon. England also
broke its oath of allegiance. Napoleon, seeing his
country in great danger, held a council meeting at
Dijon, the fifth month first year of the Chicken
of KyoAva (1800). He sent his army to Italy,
crossing Mount St Bernard. Before this, he
150
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
ordered Marshal Massena to fight against Italy ;
but the latter, seeing the superiority of the Italian
army, fled. Then Napoleon himself went to
command the forces.
On the 4th of the sixth month of the same year
he made his army's headquarters at Milan, and
rescued the Republican party at St Alpin ; at
the same time General Moreau invaded Germany,
and met the Austrian army, which was on its way
back after a victory at Novi. General Moreau
surrounded them ; on the 14th and 15th they
fought severely at Marengo, between Alexandria
and Tentoura. Both armies were so brave and
fought so well that it was one of the worst battles
in history. After the French army was victorious,
on the 16th a treaty of peace was drawn up and
signed, and Austria agreed to give up the northern
part of Italy to France.
15]
CHAPTER II
Napoleon left Marshal JNIassena in Italy and
returned to Paris. It was the 1st day of the
seventh month of the first year of the Chicken
of Kyowa (1800). Some Parisians were pleased
to see him back, but others hated him, for they
thought in time he would turn traitor to his
country.
In the tenth month he imprisoned several people
who plotted against him. In the twelfth month
one of them threw a bomb at him, but missed
his aim. The assassinator was put to death.
The first month and the second year of the
Dog of Kyowa (1801), Napoleon ordered some
spies to find out who was plotting against him,
regardless as to their rank, and imprisoned a
hundred and thirty members of the Jacobin party,
and banished seventy of them. He also killed
Alma, Selaschi, at the guillotine. Detectives were
sent to each house in Paris, and if anyone was
found hiding implements of war it was taken and
locked in the go\'ernment magazine.
152
To hack on p. 152.
1 *T *^ ?'^^t
Napoleon going to be
To hack on p. 153.
killed by assassios.
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
Some time before this (on the 3rd of the ninth
month of the previous year) he made a com-
mercial treaty with North America, also with
Austria, as the latter made proposals of peace
with France, giving France all the land between
the Rhine and Holland. It was the 9th of the
second month of the second year of the Dog of
Kyowa (1801), but England would not join the
alliance, and on the 28th day of the third month
he made a treaty with two Sicilian kings. On
the 1.5th day of the seventh month he made a
concordat with the greatest sacred priest (the
Pope).
On the 24th of the eighth month he allied with
Haranzu Bey (in Japanese version), and on the
28th of the same month he made peace with the
late Batavian party. On the 29th of the ninth
month he had a treaty of peace in Madrid with
Portugal, and on the 1st of the tenth month
with England, and on the 8th of the same month
treaty of peace with Russia and Turkey. On
the 9th of the eleventh month he made a declara-
tion of peace, to which the envoys of the different
countries were invited, and Napoleon was heartily
congratulated on his success as First Consul.
Before this, in June, the French army was defeated
in Egypt, and had to return the foreign possessions
to Egypt, and the few survivors managed to escape
to France. All the people looked upon it as a
153
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
great disgrace ; but the nation being so taken up
with the peace declarations, forgot their own
grievance.
Napoleon wanted to improve all sciences and
treaties, also to enlarge the navy, and encourage
colonisation, by which you will see Napoleon was
not only a great soldier but a clever statesman
as well.
In the first month of the third year of the Wild
Boar of Kyowa (1802) he commanded his own
guard as First Consul and went to Lyons, where
he restored the St Alpin party. All the governors
in France appointed Napoleon to superintend that
party. At that time he had a treaty of peace
with Great Britain at Amiens. At this time he
had also been very successful with colonisation,
and already saw the fruit of his labour ; then
started improving the national laws ; and he
acquainted the Pope with the result of the temple,
and restored many schools which had before been
destroyed. Napoleon also created some new laws
for the benefit of the emigrants, which policy the
French people were very pleased with, and he
became very popular among the folk.
On the 8th of the fifth month, at the council
meeting, they reappointed Napoleon as First
Consul for another ten years, which office he
wiUingly accepted, and undertook all duties con-
nected with it without any help. More than half
154
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
the populace wanted him to hold this position for
the remainder of his life ; they praised the deeds
of his early life, and offered him a larger body-
guard, by which he obtained great power, and
used it to overthrow the oppressors of the people.
He made himself so popular that the nation got
up a petition and sent to the council meeting to
have him appointed Consul for ever.
On the 2nd of the eighth month the meeting
granted this petition, by which Napoleon held the
reins of government firmly in his hands, and
nothing could be done without his approval. The
governors were so loyal that they took an oath
of allegiance to him. Napoleon, seeing everything
was going smoothly in his country, became
ambitious to invade other countries ; on the 26th
of the eighth month he annexed the island of
Elba to the French RepubHc, also Piedmont and
the Duchy of Parma; the latter was an inde-
pendent country previous to this, and used to be
disturbed by anarchist parties, but now enjoyed
peace under the French RepubHc. Napoleon
made fresh laws for this new territory, established
many schools, and regulated the roads and houses,
and also made canals. This gave employment to
the populace, and the people enjoyed their welfare.
While Napoleon established this charitable policy,
England became very jealous. He got one of
the Enghsh daily papers which said, "France
155
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
had a treaty of peace with us only to escape
danger. Now France is building warships ; when
her naval power equals ours she will break her
oath and fight against us." Napoleon said, " If this
is the opinion of the English people, England will
never be satisfied with the treaty she has made
with us, therefore it is better for us to make hostile
advances." For this reason he made all prepara-
tions for war. Before war had been declared, letters
passed between them, each country accusing the
other of breaking its oath of allegiance.
It was the first year of the Rat of Bunkwa
(1803) war was declared between England and
France.
Hanover, which lies between these two countries,
and belonged to England, and at this time Napoleon
sent Marshal Mortier to besiege this country. On
the 3rd of the sixth month they took an oath at
Scheveningen, in spite of which they ransacked all
the castles. Though England and Hanover had
allied, the former did not come to help the lat-
ter, for which reason France besieged Hanover.
Germany also wanted to ally with France and
fight against England. The whole European con-
tinent deserted the latter, and made a new law
forbidding English ships to land at any of their
ports.
On the 20th of the sixth month of the same
year he prohibited all commercial transactions with
156
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
England, and gathered the whole French fleet
together between Havre and Ostend, but they
did not yet commence fighting operations, though
England had already sent ships to many German
and French ports, and invaded the land between
the Elba and Weser. On the 15th of the second
month of the second year of the Ox of Bunkwa
(1804) the anarchists attempted to assassinate
Napoleon, but were unsuccessful, and forty-three
of them were imprisoned, including Moreau,
Pichegru, and Georges. At the same time he
found out that this anarchist party held secret
communications with the English ambassador
(Duke d'Enghien). Several French people who
had emigrated to different parts also had secret
communications with these conspirators, so Napoleon
commanded General Colli to lead two battalions,
and on the 15th of the third month they crossed
the river Rhine and secretly landed at Kiel and
Dettingen, and captured English and other
ambassadors ; after sending them to be court-
martialled in Paris, burnt them at the stake.
Russia hearing this, complained to France that
it was against the international law to kill
ambassadors belonging to other countries.
Napoleon sent reply that he could not alter this
manner of punishing traitors. Someone told
Napoleon that the English minister (Francis
Tallyrand) at Munich and Spencer Smith at
157
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Stuttgart intended raising another rebellion in
France ; these two returned to England and
pleaded their innocence, so that the English
government explained to Napoleon for them, but
as a matter of fact they were really guilty. All
the officers in France held a meeting, and came
to the conclusion that all the trouble was the
result of having a republic instead of an empire,
and therefore decided to elect an Emperor. On
the 30th of the third month of the second year
of the Ox of Bunkwa (1804) the tribunal made the
following proclamation : — " Because our country
was a republican one and had no royal family to
look up to, it caused great trouble to the govern-
ment, for which reason it is necessary to have an
Emperor elected, and give him the entire power ;
also that the Bonaparte family should succeed to
the throne."
The President of the French Republic agreed to
this proclamation, and all said that this had long
been their desire. On the 18th of the fifth month
of the same year the senate held a council meet-
ing ; and on the 20th day of the same month they
put on the throne the first Bonaparte, whose
Christian name was Napoleon. At the same time
several generals, who had been head of their
barracks, thought it might be dangerous for the
future to crown Napoleon, therefore it was a
great grief to them when he was elected as
158
I
fc-.
To hack on p, 158.
•^lil P^
Napoleon buniinj
To back OH p. 159.
the British Auibassador.
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
Emperor. But it was of infinite advantage to
Napoleon to be able to use his own influence, and
he wished his subjects to be very loyal to him. He
sentenced many disobedient subjects, among whom
were Pichegru, who was put into prison and died
there ; also Moreau, who knew all the traitors, but
was not concerned in this conspiracy, on which
account he was released from prison and banished
to America. On the 25th of the sixth month
Georges and nine of his confederates were put to
death, several of them were released, and others had
to take holy orders. So in this way Napoleon got
rid of all who opposed him. Since he came to the
throne his ambition to rule all Europe had become
stronger still, and at this time the French army
was better trained than that of any other country,
besides all of which, other nations were afraid of
Napoleon's strength and determination. On the
other hand, all the neighbouring countries were
very weak and indolent ; also they had no one ready
to take up the lead for them, which made it easy
for Napoleon to annex these countries to his own.
On the 2nd of the twelfth month of the same
year the Pope came to Paris to crown Napoleon,
who had for some time past wanted to invade
Italy, but thought it wiser to wait until after his
coronation, and started the invasion immediately
after this had taken place, and destroyed all the
republican parties which he had formerly assisted.
159
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
On the 15th of the third month of the third
year of the Tiger of Bunkwa (1805), Prince Eugene
de Beauharnais was elected King of Italy, and his
younger sister Eliza as Princess de Piombine, and
her husband as Prince of Legs. He also annexed
Piacenza and all states of Piedmont to France.
He then went to Paris from Italy with his whole
army, and found that Austria had allied with
England and Russia. He at once invaded
Germany, and on the 25th of the ninth month
crossed the river Rhine and made a treaty of peace
with Bauzen Wurtemburg. At this time Baden
betrayed Germany and sided with Napoleon, and
wherever he went was victorious.
On the 13th of the eleventh month in the second
year of the Tiger (1805), Marshal Murat occupied
Vienna, and at the same time Napoleon took
possession of Schoenbrunn.
On the 2nd of the twelfth month of the same
year he defeated the Russians at Austerhtz. The
German Emperor made proposals of peace. On
the 26th of the same month Napoleon and the
German Emperor met and took oath at Freyburg.
Germany had to cede its most fertile land to
France. Bauzen, Wurtemburg, and Baylen became
empires, giving each their own emperor. Prussia
gave Hanover over to France and proposed peace
with that country, but as Hanover is related to
England, the latter was at enmity with Prussia
160
To lack on p. 160.
The Empress Eliza
Piombino.
The Bishop of Rome,
i.e., the Pope Pius VII.
x ±1 m
The Coronation of
Napoleon,
iperor of France.
To hack on p. 161.
Francis, The
Emperor of Austria. King of Holland.
Napoleou at Paris.
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
for giving Hanover up to France without their
consent, and proclaimed war. In the fourth year
of the Rabbit of Bunkwa (1806), the cabinet
ministers presented Napoleon with the title of
Daimio (which means the Great). Through all
this he became very haughty ; he made his son
(a King of Italy) marry the daughter of the King
of Baylen, also made Josephine (his niece) marry
the Crown Prince of Bauzen. In the third month
of the same year Napoleon made Murat Grand
Duke of Clives and Bey, and made his brother
Joseph King of Syria and Napoli. At this time
Venetia became a French territory, and Napoleon
gave his sister Pauline the title of Duchess of
Gat soli ; he gave the Minister of War, Marshal
Belthail, the castle of Neufchatel. Napoleon
raised Tallyrand to Duke of Brie vents, and
Bernadotti to Prince of Pante Corva, and all the
other officers and soldiers received some reward,
according to their merit during the war.
On the 11th of the seventh month in the fourth
year of the Rabbit of Bunkwa (1806) he made his
headquarters on the Rhine. In the 8th month of
the same year the Emperor of Germany resigned,
and the whole government was destroyed.
Although Russia had proposed peace to France,
the nation did not like the tyranny of the French
government, and rebelled against Napoleon. They
had a severe fight at Jena and Auerstadt, and were
11 161
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
completely defeated. All other strong fortresses
had surrendered to France, and Saxony was also
cut off from Prussia.
The Prince of Hesse fled from his castle, and on
the 27th of the tenth month he entered Berlin.
On the 1st of the eleventh month he commanded
his whole army to fight against England, and pro-
hibited his subjects to communicate with that
country.
Napoleon wanted to rescue Poland, which was
fairly defeated by Russia and Prussia. These two
countries helped each other to oppose France. On
the 'iGth of the twelfth month of the same year
they fought against France at Bobrinsk, and
the Russians were defeated. On the 7th of the
second month of the following year the
Russians were defeated at Eylau, and at the same
time Turkey invaded Russia and lessened the
latter's forces, besides which, Russia was defeated at
Friedland, and finally Russia and Prussia proposed
peace with France. On the 7th day of the seventh
month they took an oath at Tilsit, and in this war
Prussia lost about four million men, and had to pay
an enormous sum of money to France, and give up
all important fortresses to that country till the
money was paid. Napoleon gave part of Warsaw
to the King of Saxony, and Westphalia toi
Heronemus (Napoleon's brother), who married the
Princess of Wurtemburg. Napoleon then re-
162
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
turned to Paris after a great victory. On the 27th
of the tenth month of the fifth year of the Dragon
of Bunkwa (1807), for pohtical reasons he aUied
with Spain, and made war between that country
and Portugal, after which he fought with Spain
and captured several Spanish dominions. Napoleon
again issued a new law prohibiting his people to
communicate with England. He had already
several times made this law, but it was violated by
the people. He thought that if all intercourse and
trade with England was stopped, the latter would
suffer without war being made.
On New Year's Day in the sixth year of the
Serpent of Bunkwa (1808), Napoleon annexed Kiel,
Cassel, Wessel, and Flushing. At this time they
had riots in Spain, of which Napoleon took ad-
vantage, and took possession of the whole country ;
also made his brother Joseph (King of Napoli)
King of Spain, and his brother-in-law (IVIurat)
King of Napoli ; he also gave Berg to the youngest
son of the King of Holland.
The Emperor of Russia met Napoleon at Erfurt
to renew the formal oath of peace. England,
seeing France take possession of Spain, attacked
the latter, and on the 29th of the tenth month he
defeated the English. The Emperor of Germany,
being so often beaten by France, wished to avenge
himself, and on the 9th of the fourth month of
the seventh year of the Horse of Bunkwa (1809)
163
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
he proposed making war with Napoleon, who
accepted this proposal and defeated the German
army. On the 12th of the month Germany sent
messages of peace and gave Vienna over to France,
and on the 12th of the seventh month they ceased
fighting, whilst the treaty of peace was being
drawn up. On the 14th of the tenth month they
took an oath of peace in Vienna, Germany having
to give France several states, as well as an amount
of gold and silver.
The first Empress, Josephine, having no children,
on the 16th of the twelfth month of the 7th year
of the Horse of Bunkwa (1809) Napoleon divorced
her, and married Marie Louise of Austria, and
made her second Empress. At this time he raised
the King of Italy's son from first primate to Prince
of Frankfort. He then made Hanover and West-
phalia into one state. On the first of the 7th month
Napoleon dethroned the King of Holland, and
annexed this country to France ; also Walcheren,
which is near the three rivers Elbe, Weser, and
Meuse, as well as Wurtemburg, and part of Bey
and Westphalia. He became very influential and
luxurious. Although now more than half the
continent belonged to Napoleon, he had not yet
settled with Spain, and England was quite inde-
pendent, and also Russia, whose politics were
impenetrable.
In the 9th year of the Monkey of Bunkwa
164
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
(1811), Russia and Silesia raised an army against
France ; the latter also prepared for war, but the
Silesian army besieged Dantzig and other fortresses
which belonged to France. At this time the armies
from all the different coimtries were gathered
together in Germany, and were under the
command of Napoleon, awaiting his orders to
fight against Russia.
On the 9th of the fifth month in the tenth year
of the Chicken of Bunkwa (1812) he started for
St Cloud, and on the 26th of the sixth month he
crossed the river Niomen, and on the 15th of the
sixth month he entered Moscow (the old capital of
Russia) ; then the Russians inade about five hundred
fires in different parts of the city, and burnt out the
whole of it ; the wind blew strongly, and the fire,
which blazed rapidly, continued for seven days.
After this Napoleon's army was defeated ; he
wanted to rest his army till the following spring,
but the city was entirely burnt out, and conse-
quently there was nowhere for them to shelter, so on
the 17th of the tenth month he had to retreat ; his
army met with great snowstorms, and most of his
men were frozen to death, only two or three thousand
survived ; thus he lost most of his army, besides
which he received reports from his own country
that General Mallet was plotting against him, so
he left the King of Napoli to command those of
the army who survived at Smolensk. On the 18th
165
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
of the twelfth month Napoleon returned to Paris.
At this time there were many riots in Spain, which
was a great disadvantage to France.
The Pope wished to make peace between France
and Spain, but the Pope's opinions were un-
profitable to Napoleon, so the latter did not obey
him, which displeased the Pope, and he tried to
cut all religious ties between himself and Napoleon,
who got angry and captured the Pope, and
imprisoned him in Paris. He then wanted to
suppress the riots in Spain.
On the 28th of the first month of the Dog of
Bunkwa (1813), Napoleon released the Pope and
renewed the former oath with him at Fontainebleau,
and called it the completed concordat, with which
Napoleon threatened the rioters. On the 27th of
the third month Russia declared war against
Napoleon, who invaded Germany, and on the 2nd of
the fifth month he defeated the Russians at Ludzen.
On the 20th and 21st of the same month he
defeated the Prussians at Bauzen, also invaded
Silesia. At the same time INIarshal Davoust
regained Hamburg, and on the 4th of the sixth
month of the same year they agreed to call a
halt, and Austria wanted to make peace between
France and Russia, for which purpose they held a
council of peace at the Hague, but it was un-
successful. On the 10th of the eighth month
Austria declared war against France, and a severe
166
To back on p. 166.
Napoleon's attack on Moscow—
To hack on p. 167.
the artist has put the French inside and the Russians outside.
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
battle took place at Dresden, Austria being defeated.
General Moreau was seriously wounded. This was
Napoleon's last victory. On the 26th of the eighth
month Blucher fought gallantly against the French
at Konisberg, who were completely defeated and
had to retreat. On the 29th of the same month
General Blucher's army rebelled against Napoleon,
and the Prince of Silesia entered Germany with
his entire army. On the 6th of the ninth month
Napoleon retreated from Dresden to Leipsig, being
afraid the enemy might cut off his access to France.
Each battle he fought he was defeated, and on the
19th of the same month more than half of his army
retreated to the other side of the Rhine. After
his great loss at Hanau, Napoleon returned to St
Cloud.
On the 1st day of the twelfth month of the
eleventh year of the Dog of Bunkwa (1813) all the
countries sent representatives, who held a meeting
at Frankfort, where they took an oath of allegiance
and decided to punish Napoleon. They sent a letter
to him ; the latter saw their letter, but ignored it
The allied armies had already crossed the Rhine and
were daily approaching. Duke AVellington of Eng-
land crossed the E mountains and quartered off
the field of Galornnia. At the same time he drove
Napoleon to Valencia. Had Napoleon renewed
the friendly relations with Ferdinand, King of
Spain, with whom he proposed peace with the
167
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
allies, the latter would have agreed, and Napoleon
would not have lost his dignity, as he was much
feared by all the nations, but unfortunately he took
the opposite step, which was fatal to him.
On the 25th of the first month of the twelfth
year of the Wild Boar of Bunkwa (1814) he left
Paris, and the wheel of fortune turned against him,
entirely wrecking his life, since when he had
occasionally won battles, but nothing worthy of
mention. On the 1st day of the second month of
the same year. Napoleon was defeated by Marshal
Blucher at Brienne. Had he proposed peace to
the latter, he might still have held his position
there, but the former was too proud, and wished to
regain his fame, without considering the strength
of his enemy. On the 30th day of the third month
all the allies attacked Napoleon, who made his whole
army surrender. Marshal Blucher captured Mont-
marte, and the Kings of Russia and Prussia, with
the first division of the allied armies, surrounded
the palace.
On the 1st day of the fourth month, after severe
fighting, the palace was surrendered, Napoleon him-
self escaping to Fontainebleau. On the 2nd day
of the same month all the allies sent representa-
tives, also the French diplomatic party held a
council, at which they decided to dethrone
Napoleon, to put the Bourbon family on the throne
instead of him. On the 11th of the fifth month
168
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
they forced Napoleon to sign the deed of abdica-
tion ; they at the same time gave him the island of
Elba to rule. On the 28th of the same month the
latter embarked, and soon after reached the island
of Elba. This island is near Frejus.
About fifteen years ago, when Napoleon came
back fi'om Egypt victorious, he landed at this
port, where he was warmly received by the people.
Now that he landed at the same place as an exile,
everybody in the island pities him in his mis-
fortune. He learned that the French people did
not like the new government, and thought more
and more of Napoleon every day. On the other
hand, all the allies began to enjoy the peace, at
the same time neglecting the army. In his own
heart Napoleon was pleased at this, and hoped
to regain his former position.
On the 26th of the second month in the
thirteenth year of the Rat of Bunkwa (1815) the
latter left Elba with 1100 men, and on the 1st
day of the third month of the same year landed
at Cannes, near Frejus, which faces the Mediter-
ranean, and at once invaded the land. While on
his way to Grenoble he met Latroux and his army,
who at first pretended to fight against Napoleon,
afterwards joining his forces. They then entered.
The new Emperor, Louis XVIII., hearing the
news of Napoleon's second abdication, fled, so
that he entered Paris without even the sound of
169
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
a gunshot. The kings, emperors, and representa-
tives of the different alUes who had met at Vienna
were surprised at the news of Napoleon's re-entry
into Paris. They at once proceeded to make
preparations for war, and at the end of the fifth
month they started their campaign. At this time
Napoleon's army increased, and of the 13th of
the sixth month he crossed the river Somme
to attack Wellington and Blucher, who com-
manded the whole armies of England, Belgium,
and Prussia. On the 16th they had a severe
battle at Frejus. Napoleon had little advantage.
General Ney commanded the left division, and
went to Quatre Bras. The latter wanted to cut
off the enemy's way from Brussels. The Russian
army had retreated, and the English and Dutch
army temporarily retreated to an adjoining wood.
It was Marshal Blucher's plan to gather together
the armies of the different countries and to attack
Napoleon after a pretence of being defeated. At
that time the latter himself marched to the hill
of Waterloo and attacked the strongest army,
which was under the command of Wellington.
The rest of the English and Dutch army were
under the command of William I. (then Crown
Prince of Holland), who took part in this battle.
Awaiting the sunset, Blucher returned with all
his men and attacked Napoleon's right division.
This was the severest war the world had ever
170
To hack on p. 170.
English soldiers guarding
To hack on p. 171.
Napoleon at St Helena.
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
witnessed. The Crown Prince of Holland was
most distinguished for his bravery. Napoleon,
after being completely defeated, fled to Paris.
On the 21st all the Prussians held a meeting and
advised Napoleon to resign in favour of his own
son. He agreed to do this, but it was in vain,
as the Bonaparte family would no longer be
allowed to keep the throne. He fled to Malmaison,
then reached Rochefort, whence he intended to
cross the ocean to America, but the English fleet
cut off his way. On the 14th of the seventh
month he had to surrender to Captain Maitland,
who was in command of the English fleet ; the
next day he was removed to the English ship
called Bellej^ophon, and was sent to St Helena,
where he was imprisoned at Langwood, and was
guarded by an English army. Napoleon was in
very good health during the six years that he was
imprisoned, and on the 5th day of the fifth month
and the sixth year of the Horse of Bunslei (1821)
he died, in his fifty-first year. According to his
will, he was buried in the valley ; and on his
tombstone was engraved, "In memory of a brave
General."
Twenty years after his death, and the twelfth
year of the Ox of Tempo (1840), he was re-interred
at Paris as the Emperor of France. There had been
rumours in France, saying that Napoleon was still
alive at St Helena, and he would return to
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
France in 184-0 to fight against the new govern-
ment, consequently the people became very excited,
and many people loved Napoleon, therefore in their
own hearts they did not like the present govern-
ment, in consequence of which ministers and senators
wanted to have Napoleon's coffin transferred from
St Helena to Paris, and give him a royal funeral
to please the public ; they asked England's con-
sent to do this. The King of France appointed
Prince Louis Philippe to be commander of the
ship Bellerophon. On the 7th day of the
seventh month this ship left Toulon, and on the
8th day of the tenth month it arrived at St
Helena. On to the night of the 15th they dug
up Napoleon's remains, the officers of England and
France being witnesses, and the next morning
they opened the coffin, and found that Napoleon
looked just the same as when alive, even after
having been buried for twenty years. On the
afternoon of the 16th the gun carriage left the
grave in the valley, one gun being fired as a signal
that the coffin was on board ship. During the
night all the priests read the prayers for the dead
before the coffin containing Napoleon's remains,
and on the 17th the Bellerophon set sail, on the
30th day of the eleventh month they reached the
coast of France, on the 15th of the twelfth month
the remains were interred at Paris. The officers
who guarded the coffin were very sincere and
172
1
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
dignified. There were over 125,000 military
people present. The whole funeral route was
covered with sand. The spectators numbered over
100,000, many of whom paid huge sums to stand
on the tops of houses. The funeral ceremony was
not impressive, as all the old army officers who
had fought under Napoleon marched in front of
the gun-carriage bearing his remains. King Louis
Philippe followed the gun-carriage with all his
equerries and attendants, the 45th division of the
infantry, among them being representatives from
cavalry and Ajaccio (Napoleon's birthplace). Two
hundred bands played the funeral march as they
entered the churchyard, three archbishops and twelve
bishops, dressed in their purple vestments, said the
service of the dead. Five hundred bands and a choir
of 150 sung the funeral hymn. The pall was very
elaborate, the length was 3 jo 2 shaku 9 sung
(about 33 feet), breadth 6 shaku 4 sung 6 bu (about
17 feet), heighth 3 jo 6 shaku 2 sung (about 36 J
feet). The coffin was placed on a four-wheeled
gun-carriage, the four wheels being gilded. The
front of the carriage was carved in a half-moon
design. A group of Guards held the crown of an
ancient emperor over Napoleon's coffin. Several
stood at the four corners, holding trumpets in their
hands. On the front of the pall they engraved
Napoleon's last words. One of the officers followed
the procession, holding Napoleon's sceptre. Inside
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
the pall was wrapped the coffin, the length of
which was 1 jo 6 shaku 4 sung 6 bu (about 17
feet), height 9 shaku 5 sung and 8 bu (about 7
feet) ; it was covered with purple velvet, the letter
" N " being embroidered on the top of it, on top
of which they laid his sword. Six goddesses with
golden helmets decorated the upper part of the
carriage. All the figures were life-size, each one
holding a shield. All the sticks, armours, hats, and
crowns which he had used during his lifetime
were put on the top of the coffin, outside the pall,
from a height of 4 jo 9 shaku 3 sung 8 bu,
decorated with gold and velvet, this drawn by
16 horses, each group of 4 horses being in
one line, each horse being covered with a gold-
embroidered cloth, and on their heads they had
white plumes, the reins being made of ropes of
gold. The coachman's livery was the same as
that of the royal family. All around the gun-
carriage were stationed 500 sailors who were on
board the IBellerophon. Fifteen hundred of the
Emperor's Guard, in the uniforms which they had
worn on the battlefield, followed the procession.
AVhen the gun-carriage entered the church all
soldiers presented arms. This ceremony is only
practised when people of high rank are buried.
All the soldiers inside the church put their swords
on their shoulders and knelt down. After the
bishop had finished reading the creed, the 36th
174
b
To hack on p. 174.
Napoleon's funeral
To hack on p. 175.
at Paris.
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
Volunteers carried the coffin and proceeded to
the altar. Napoleon's sword, covered with velvet,
was put on the top of the coffin. General
A took the sword and handed it to Marshal
Soult, who presented it to the King of France,
who commanded General Bertrand to put the
sword on the coffin. After this ceremony, the
coffin was carried to the sacred place in the church.
The height of this place is 4 jo 9 shaku 3 sung
8 bu (about 50 feet), covered with pure gold, and
decorated with several colours in velvet. The
ministers, city mayors, etc. sat on the chairs,
which were most elaborately decorated. The
grave was covered with a sacred eagle, modelled
in bronze, spreading out its wings, its wings
measuring 9 shaku 7 sung 8 bu (about 10 feet).
Inside the sacred place they lit many candles,
which lit up with blue flame, and reflected them-
selves on the golden walls, besides which they had
60 silver lanterns, the brightness of which dazzled
the spectators, and all the armour which Napoleon
had captured from his enemies decorated the
inside. They had, as well, a list of all the names
of those who had fought for Napoleon. After all
this ceremony the royal carriage went back to
Paris, followed by numerous officers.
175
CHAPTER HI
Let us again explain about France, that during
the last fifty years war, in which France greatly
distinguished itself, and became known as one of
the great countries. At first the Bourbon family
were the reigning family. In the fourth year of
Kwanseim the whole royal family became extinct,
consequently France was made a republic. In
the first year of Bunkwa it was made into an
empire, and Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned,
calling himself Napoleon I.
In the eleventh year of Bunkwa all the allies
destroyed the Bonaparte family, allowing the
previous royal family to reign again, the King
being called Louis Philippe XVIII.
In the second year of Kwansei this country had
eighty-three states. In Napoleon's time he en-
larged it to one hundred and thirty states. It had
a population of 42,000,000 people. On the 30th
day of the fifth month and the eleventh year of
Bunkwa a meeting of representatives was held
in Paris, in consequence of which France gave up
176
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
the land of which Napoleon had formerly taken
possession.
On New Year's Day of the fourth year of
Kwansei, France regained all she had lost, which
made in all eighty-six states and a population of
33,000,000. In olden times the states varied in
size, but at this time they were all of the same
size, and named after the river or mountain. On
I the south it was bounded by the Mediterranean
and Spain, and on the west by the Atlantic
Ocean, on the north by Belgium and Holland,
and on the east by Prussia and Italy. Its capital
was Paris on the Seine. Besides this mainland they
had the island of Corsica, this being counted as
one of the eighty-six states. In the Bay of France
there were two or three small islands, and in East
India they had many other islands. In South
America they had part of Guiana ; in Africa,
Gambia, etc., belonged to France. Their system of
government was to have a king, who would obey
the constitutions. At that time women were not
allowed to reign in France.
Generally the French inherit their titles, there-
fore could not marry anyone below their own rank.
They all had to pay a certain tax, which varied
according to their rank. If they did not pay this,
their title was taken from them.
The King himself had the privilege of making
new laws, but could not bring them into force
12 177
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
without the consent of Parhament. Every year
he appointed two fresh private secretaries for
himself. The French officers are very impulsive
and courteous, but shallow and insincere. They
planned to make canals right through the country,
seven-tenths of which was done. They had much
trade with Russia, Italy, Holland, and Spain.
Before the war they had about 7,000,000 interest
in trade, but after the war the West Indian
Islands, which belonged to France, had great dis-
advantage in trade, so that the interest was lowered,
though after peace had been made they somewhat
regained their former commerce. They had
65,000 in Napoleon's time, but in the twelfth year
of Bunkwa they were reduced to 250,000. In the
third year of Kwansei their navy amounted to
seventy-four ligny boats, sixty -two frigates, twenty-
nine corvets, and twenty-two brigs ; among these,
twenty-six ligny, twenty-eight frigates, eight
corvets, twenty-six brigs were prepared for actual
service, and so that they should be ready in case
war broke out. They had 25,193 officers and
sailors, 2870 guns. In the naval dock they were
always building from six to ten warships; in
the second year of Bunkwa, fifty-five ligny, forty-
three frigates, without counting all the small boats.
At present (when this book was written) they had
sixty ligny in construction, thirty-one frigates, and
more than a hundred and seventy smaller boats.
178
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON
Their education was much neglected during the
long civil war, but when Napoleon was appointed
Consul he encouraged education; now they had
primary schools for the infants, secondary schools
for languages and science, and besides these they
had also Universities for advanced agriculture,
engineering, and commerce.
The latest information about the annual taxation
is that it amounts to 839,595,661 francs, that is our
1,983,544 rivan 749 monme 1 bu 1 rin 25'. The
annual expenditure 548,252,520 francs, besides
the temporary expenditure of 290,000,000. The
national debt amounted to 150,000,000 francs.
After the war, France promised the allies to pay
700,000,000 francs, under terms to pay ofF
40,000,000 in a year. Till the end of the first
year of Bunsei 150,000 soldiers of the allies were in
the country and had occupied seventeen fortresses in
France, all the expense of which France had to pay,
this amounting to about 13,000,000 francs in one
year. The depth of this country from north to
south is about 150 ri, from east to west also about
150 ri. They have colonies in Asia, Africa, and
America.
179
CHAPTER IV
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF PETER THE GREAT
Peter 1., named AlexiefF, was celebrated for his
ability and virtues, and was called "the Great."
He was made Czar, which is the Russian for
Mikado. It was through this Mikado that Russia
became such a large country. He was born in
Moscow in the first year of the Ox of Myempo
(1672) ; his father's name was AlexiefF Mikainaif,
and his mother, who was called NataUe, was the
daughter of a noble lord (Narisku). Peter's home
education when a child was incomplete, but being
very clever he taught himself ; people said that he
would become " Peter the Great," consequently
when his father died he stated in his will that he
should become the Czar instead of the elder son.
This was in the thirtieth year of the Wild Boar of
Temwa (1682) ; and as at this time Peter was only
eleven years of age, Sophie AlexiefFana (his elder
sister) wanted to rule. To gain her end she raised
a mock riot, and said the disturbance was caused
180
OF PETER THE GREAT
through having such a young Czar, and that she
should therefore be elected regent till he grew
up.
When Peter was fifteen years of age he was very
ambitious to regain peace in the country ; and
having studied all military tactics, he knew how to
command his soldiers, and attacked Strelitz. After
several narrow escapes he conquered and made
them surrender ; his whole army was surprised at
his bravery, especially on account of his extreme
youth.
After three years had elapsed, Peter then being
just eighteen years of age, he was clever enough to
find out Sophie's secret plots, in consequence of
which he put her and all her partisans into a
temple. Previous to this Sophie wished to de-
throne Peter because he was not the eldest son,
saying therefore he was not entitled to be the Czar,
appointing Ian (Peter's elder brother) as Czar; so
they had two Czars. But Peter forced his elder
brother to resign, and entirely governed Russia
himself, since which time he was anxious to enlarge
the navy.
In the royal museum there were several old
English boats. Peter, seeing these boats, became
ambitious to build some more ships, but Russia
having very little sea, few people understood
anything about ships ; they had no shipbuilding
yards in their own country, for which reason all
181
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
his subjects abandoned the task of promoting the
Czar's ambition to build more ships.
However, Peter had made up his mind to enlarge
his navy, in spite of not receiving any encourage-
ment from his subjects, and said to himself, " If we
had more ships we could go straight across the
water to other countries, thus avoiding delay, and
communicate with civilised countries to get the
latest inventions." Peter therefore tried to
introduce English ships into Russia. At this time
they had no frigates in that country. He elected
one of his subjects as admiral.
When Peter's father (AlexiefF) reigned in Russia
he ordered Dutch shipbuilders to build one warship,
which was christened ArderaL They wanted to
sail to Astrakhan, but were attacked by the
Cossacks, who burnt their ships, all the sailors
taking to flight ; among these latter w^ere two
Dutch engineers, who both returned to Moscow.
Peter appointed them to be constructor-generals,
and started shipbuilding.
In the seventh year of the Dog of Gonrokan
(1693) they completed this warship, which had on
board the two Dutch engineers, and at once sailed
to Arkengel to import cloth to Russia for the
soldiers' and sailors' uniforms.
Peter the Great was very anxious because his
subjects were so idle and uncivilised ; though his
country was in a European continent, it was
182
OF PETER THE GREAT
entirely different to other countries. This state
of affairs was brought about by their lack of
education. The Czar thought the best remedy
for this would be to invite professors from every
coimtry, and let them educate the people. Among
those whom he invited was the distinguished
Leholt, a native of Geneva, who was quite young,
and when he became the Emperor's favourite
companion and adviser, in which position he helped
the Czar to carry out his great deeds. Firstly, he
helped him to organise his army in the European
way. Previous to this, the Hugenots rebelled
against the French government. This was caused
by the government issuing some stringent laws
to which the Hugenots were opposed. Most of
them fled to Russia. The Czar made more than
30,000 of these become soldiers. The Czar ap-
pointed Leholt and Gordon to command this army,
which in a short time became well disciplined, and
proved very useful to the country.
Peter thought the best way to civilise the
country would be to open commerce with all other
civilised countries. All Russia's principal rivers
flow into the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. He
therefore intended to put many ships into these
rivers. In later days, when he fought against
Turkey, he himself went to the river Dnieper
and wanted to take possession of Azov, to make
it a commercial city, and enlarge the export and
183
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
import trade which was carried on through the
Black Sea, but the enemy held out so strongly
that he could not take the castle. So he withdrew
his army and returned to Moscow. At this time
there was a great famine in Russia ; the only parts
of this country which had no famine were Lega
and Dantzig. Peter took some provisions from
these places by boat to other parts of the country
and divided them up. He invited engineers from
Holland and Brandenburg to establish ordnance
in Russia, after which the system of fighting
became more regulated.
In the tenth year of the Ox of Genroku (1696),
Peter established a shipbuilding yard on the bank
of the river Dnieper, where he built twenty-nine
ships. When these were completed, he fought
the Turks at Azov and took possession of their
fort, this being a very useful fortress. Peter
wanted to make it a Russian stronghold. He
also built fifty-five warships, which he stationed
there. Peter commanded an engineer named
Brackell to cut a canal between the Dnieper and
Volga. He also sent many young noblemen* to
Holland and Italy to learn shipbuilding, others
to Germany to learn military discipline.
In the eleventh year of the Tiger (1697) several
soldiers in Strelitz and a few of the ministers
plotted to assassinate the Czar, but Peter quelled
the rebellion, after which he went abroad to see
184
OF PEtER THE GREAT
the customs of the different countries, leaving
behind three cabinet ministers to attend to the
affairs of the state. Peter disguised himself as
the Russian envoy, and tra^'elled through Branden-
burg, Hanover, A^^estphalia, and from there went
to Amsterdam and Zaandam, where he dressed
in the Dutch peasants' costume, and changed his
name to Petromikaeloff. He was employed at
the ships, and under this name lived in a little
cottage, doing all his own work : whilst there
Peter held secret communication with his ministers,
and later on returned to Amsterdam, where he
ordered warships which were equipped with sixty
guns, himself superintending the shipyard. ^Vhen
this ship was finished Peter sent it to Arkengel.
The latter was also much interested in all other
branches of science, and had learned everything
himself down to the most minute details. The
Czar was very ambitious to study the art of
navigation. To do this William the Third of
Holland sent him to London, where he went
disguised as an English sailor, staying at one of
the shipyards in I^ondon. He would often say,
" If I were not the Czar of Russia, I would be an
English sailor." While in London more than six
hundred men waited upon him, all of whom were
military or naval officers, engineers or gunners.
Everyone who knew the Czar, who had gained
his university degree, was admired by everyone
185
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
for his great ability. After being in England for
three months, Peter sailed for Holland, visiting
Dresden and Vienna. He also wanted to visit
Italy, but at Strelitz the people again rebelled
against him.
In the ninth month of the twelfth year of the
Rabbit of Genroku (1698), Peter returned to
Moscow. Here he found that Gordon had already
quelled the rebellion ; however, Peter was very
angry, and wanted to punish every individual who
had been concerned in this plot ; every day he put
to death some of these offenders. Thinking that
the leader of this plot was Sophie (his sister), he
erected a guillotine in the churchyard of the
temple in which she was confined and put to
death 30,000 people, three of whom persuaded
Sophie to raise a fresh rebellion against the Czar.
These plotters signed a petition and handed it to
Sophie through her bedroom window, but the con-
spiracy was discovered by the officers, by whom the
rebels were instantly put to death. Besides those,
500 others were banished ; Peter afterwards sent
his soldiers to put these to death.
In the third year of the Dog of Hagli (1705)
the Czar assembled a regiment ; this was the 27th
regiment of infantry ; and two other regiments,
which numbered over 30,000 men, who became well
disciplined after three months' training. At this
time the Czarina treated Peter with great contempt ;
186
OF PETER THE GREAT
the latter, suspecting her of being one of the traitors,
confined her in one of the temples, and changed her
name to Helena, and deprived her of the title of
" Czarina," making her of ordinary rank. In this
year the Czar's two great friends, Leholt and
Gordon, died. There was a man named Menschi-
koff, who was of quite humble birth, but having
great ability, the Czar raised him to the post of
cabinet minister.
The Czar, having already had several civil wars,
thought the best thing would be to please the
populace ; he therefore reduced the taxes and went
to other countries to get useful books, founded
colleges in the large towns, made new laws to
protect the Church, and invited all professors of
science from the other European countries, promis-
ing his people to make them civilised and wealthier
if they would keep peace in the country and stop
all rebellions.
Peter kept his word to the people in every
respect ; he opened the gold mines, encouraged
agriculture, sent out surveyors to make maps
of the different countries, and established many
factories.
The Czar had had war with Ostenlake, and signed
a treaty of peace at Kerlowitz. In the fifth year
of the Rat of Hayei (1707) they made the terms
of the treaty of peace extend over thirty years ;
however, this was not kept. Charles XII. (King
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
of Silesia) with his entire army attacked and con-
quered Russia. The Czar, who was undaunted and
despised the enemy, said to his subjects, " We have
been defeated, but have learnt the art of war."
Hearing that King Charles was away at Bologna,
the Russians attacked Silesia and captured Leus-
land. In the seventh year of the Tiger of Hazei
(1709) the Czar entirely defeated King Charles's
army. The chief of the Cossacks, who was called
IMaseppe, had once been in King Charles's army,
but now turned traitor, and went over to the
Russians, to whom he showed his great loyalty to
the Czar, and greatly strengthened the latter's army.
In the first year of the Rabbit of Shoku (1710)
the Czar attacked Silesia, and captured several
castles.
Charles XII., recognising his enemy's strength,
asked assistance of the Turks, who sent an army
to attack Russia. The Turks, who had four times
as many men as the Russians, thought they could
at once defeat the enemy. At this time the
Russians had not yet made any preparations for
war, but the Czar crossed the river Pruth and
fought against the Turkish field-marshal ; the
former was surrounded by the Turks and was in a
desperate condition. The second Czarina made
proposals of peace to the Turkish field-marshal. In
the second year of the Dragon of Shotoku (1711)
the treaty of peace was drawn up ; the Czar was
188
OF PETER THE GREAT
released and returned to Moscow, but had to give
Aza up to Turkey, and other fortresses which he
had captured several years previous to this. Since
his return he fought against Silesia, capturing the
whole of Finland. In the seventh year of the
Tiger of Kyoho (1721) Silesia could no longer hold
out, made Russia proposals of peace, which they
accepted, and took their oath at N . More than
half Silesia was annexed to Russia. During this
war Charles XII. and the Czar commanded their
armies on the field of battle, and fought several
duels, and once Charles retreated. In the evening
the Czar, seeing the general of Silesia, said to him,
" Tell your king 1 thank him, for he has taught me
to fight."
For twenty-one years the northern part of
Russia had had many wars, but did not suffer
through this financially, on account of the Czar's
great diligence and economy.
After this long war the Czar worshipped Heaven
and made good laws, only punishing murderers and
robbers who did not repent, and released all other
prisoners.
In the third year of the Dog of Kyoho (1717) the
people of the surrounding districts praised him as
if he had been their own father, and called " the
Great." On the 22nd of the tenth month of the
seventh year of the Tiger of Kyoho (1721) a great
declaration of peace was made ; all the ambassa-
189
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
dors from Russia, Holland, and Silesia attended
this ceremony ; several other countries also sent
representatives. By this time the country was so
far civilised ; however, the Czar thought that after
his death it would not be safe to leave the govern-
ment of the country in the hands of his subjects ;
he therefore made a law that the Czar should
appoint his own successor to the crown, and also
made the cabinet ministers take an oath before
him.
The Czar had for a long time been very anxious
to invade Persia, and on the 23rd of the ninth
month of the ninth year of the Dragon of Kyoho
(1723) he defeated the Persians, taking possession
of the northern part of Persia ; he severely
punished the wicked officers of the Persian govern-
ment ; among these was Aikafstolo, who was
sentenced to death, but just as he was to be guillo-
tined Peter ordered him to be banished to the
borderland of Persia. MenschikofF paid 200
roubles to the Russian government, thus escaping
death, but instead had his nose cut off. In the
tenth year of the Serpent of Kyoho (1724) the Czar
threatened to invade Denmark, making the Danish
king pay 25,000 in silver ; he then sailed to Kron-
stadt, and celebrated the completion of the twenty-
one warships and 2166 guns. Peter afterwards
fortified St Petersburg, and made a treaty of com-
merce with Silesia. In the fifth month of the tenth
190
To lac'c on ^;. 190.
Charles XII. of Sweden pursued by
To back on p. 191.
3£^^tr
Peter the Great of Russia.
1
OF PETER THE GREAT
year of the Serpent of Kyoho (1724) he recognised
the Czarina's good deeds in the past, for which he
crowned her, and in the eleventh month of the same
year arranged a marriage between her fa\'ourite
daughter (Anne) and the King of Silesia.
In the same year the Czar caught a fever, through
which he lost all energy. In the ninth month of the
tenth year of the Serpent of Kyoho (1724) Peter
went to S to inspect the ordnance ; after sun-
set he went to Cakuta. Several soldiers were
crossing the river in a small boat ; the wind was so
high that the boat capsized ; the Czar himself
jumped into the water, saving more than twenty
men, which caused him to have a relapse, and in the
eleventh year of the Horse of Kyoho (1725) Peter,
in spite of his illness, went patiently through the
religious ceremony, but on the 8th of the second
month of the same year his condition became very
serious. The Czarina, who attended at his bedside,
released Menschikoff, and reinstated him in his
former position. Soon after this Peter died, at the
age of fifty-three. The Czarina succeeded to the
throne by Peter's desire. The former had a son
(AlexiefF Petrovitch) who was very light-hearted,
and thoroughly incapable of taking the reins of
government, and ran away while the Czar was ill.
Menschikoff, who told the Czar this news, captured
the Prince, and Peter himself beheaded him.
191
CHAPTER V
A JAPANESE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Alexander the Great of Greece (now belonging
to Turkey) was famous for his virtues as well as
his wisdom, and was for this reason surnamed " the
Great." In Kan (one of the ancient dynasties of
China) they translated his name to Lek-Yan. He
was the son of Phillipus of INIacedonia ; in 356 B.C.,
which was the thirty-ninth year of the Rabbit in
the reign of Emperor Koan, was born in Pekin.
Alexander when quite a child was a man in mind,
and different to other children. One day King
Phillipus had won a great victory, and taken
possession of the whole of the enemies' country.
Hearing of this, Alexander said to his friend,
" My father did everything himself and has left no
work for me, therefore I weep." His father invited
the great Aristotle of F , who undertook to
educate Alexander, and did his best to do this.
When Alexander was twenty years of age he
was made King of Macedonia. While on a trip,
192
OF ALEXANDER THE GllEAT
two states in Greece, knowing that he was away
from his own country, raised a rebeUion against
him. However, he at once returned home and
conquered the rebels ; this was Alexander's first
battle. The people of Athens also surrendered
to him. Only Tibanels opposed him, the capital
of which country he destroyed, and massacred all
the people except those of the race of Pindariu,
this race being in great favour with him. All
the people of the Greek empire liked Alexander,
and were very loyal to him. At this time Persia
gathered together a large army and attacked
Greece. All the Greek nations beseeched Alex-
ander to protect them. Diogenes of Synoba was
the only one who did not ask his help. He was
the most learned man in this country, and lived
quite apart from the world. The Emperor him-
self called at the house of Diogenes, who looked
veiy poor and starved. He was always dressed
in rags, and used to warm himself in sunshine.
The Emperor approaching asked him, " Is there
anything 1 can give you? " Diogenes replied, " You
stand before me and take away the sunshine,
which is all that 1 require." The Emperor, hear-
ing such philosophy, respected him greatly.
Alexander invaded Asia with 30,000 infantry,
5000 cavalry, and defeated Persia near the river
G and E . All the other states
also surrendered to Alexander, who wanted to
13 193
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
have a long expedition ; but the soldiers were
very homesick, for which reason he destroyed all
the boats except two, which made the soldiers
more willing to join the expedition. Alexander
invaded H and attacked the capital. The
enemy was very strong and fought bravely, but
was finally defeated. The whole of Asia Minor
now surrendered to Alexander ; the King of
Honduras also surrendered to him, and accom-
panied him in every campaign. They stopped at
Phoenicia and sent his army to Syria, which he
captured. Alexander then went to Candium, to
the temple, where he worshipped the stars, and
seeing some strange ropes tied in the temple, he
drew his sword and cut them. At this time
Alexander also conquered C near Persia,
and then went to Teheran, where he had a bath
and caught a fever, with which he became very
seriously ill. The King of Persia, hearing this
news, gave all the doctors a large sum of money
and told them not to cure Alexander, so there was
no doctor to attend him. However, one doctor
came to him and wanted to give him some
medicine. A friend of Alexander's wrote to him
saying, "This doctor has a secret message from
the King of Persia, who wants to poison you."
Alexander, pretending not to know anything
about it, took the doctor to his bedroom, holding
the latter's medicine in one hand and his friend's
194
I
4/)
h
To hack on -p. 1 94.
Diogenes rebuking Alexander the Great
To hack on p. 195.
for getting between liim and the sun.
OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
letter in the other, which he showed to the doctor,
watching the latter's face ; and seeing he was
honest, Alexander swallowed the medicine. The
King of Persia, not knowing that Alexander had
been cured, attacked him on the river Tigris.
However, Alexander defeated the whole Persian
army, and captured enormous sums of money
and provisions. He at the same time captured
some of the royal Persian families, whom he
treated with great courtesy. Alexander then took
Damascus (where the King of Persia kept all his
grand heirlooms), and annexed the whole coast of
the Mediterranean to his own property. Alex-
ander then left Palestine and captured Egypt.
Before this time that country complained about
the cruelty of the Persian government. Alexander
improved the laws, restored the ancient methods
of worship, and made the people happy. He
estabhshed his capital at Alexandria, since when
this capital has flourished, even up to the present
day.
Alexander had several times fought the Persians
and defeated them; during the next spring he
invaded Persia and attacked the cavalry, who
retreated ; the King of Persia himself was nearly
captured by the enemy, but his horse being very
fleet, he just escaped. Alexander captured all
monies and instruments of war. After this, the
whole of Western Asia belonged to him. Babylon
195
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
and Susan also surrendered to him ; the latter
was at that time the richest country. After
this, Alexander entered P (then the capital
of Persia). He had now achieved his ambition, his
country being the largest and most opulent one
ever known, on which account Alexander became
very haughty ; he often became very angry, and
would kill any of his soldiers who gave him any
advice ; once, when he was intoxicated, he burnt
down H (the capital of Persia), which was at
that time the finest city in the world ; as soon as
he came to himself again, he deeply repented his
deeds, and at once sent the army to drive out
Dalius (the former King of Persia).
General B captured Dalius and killed him.
Alexander, seeing the latter 's corpse, with so many
horrible wounds on it, being laid on the waggon,
he wept, and commanded his subjects to give
Dalius a royal burial.
Alexander then defeated H , M , B ,
and became King of Asia, after which he was
more ambitious than ever to enlarge his territory.
During the winter he invaded the northern coast
of Asia ; this was the first time the Grecian people
had ever been to the arctic regions. At this time
S was an uncivilised country, but he made
it into an empire, and taught the people to respect
him as their king; he then returned to B .
The following year Alexander defeated all the
196
OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
neighbouring countries which opposed him, also
made S surrender. He imprisoned a whole
tribe of O , and married one of their daughters
who was named Lokiesone ; she was celebrated for
her beauty ; her father and the whole tribe became
very loyal to him.
Alexander made all the nations swear fealty to
him, after which he went to India, and crossed the
river Ganges to make peace with the chieftain
(Tapillius), and then crossed the river Heydaspus,
where Polius attacked him. Alexander defeated
Polius, who asked him how he would punish him
should he surrender? Alexander replied, "I will
make you a king." As Polius surrendered to him,
Alexander gave him back his own country as well
as other land ; he also gave him a title. Alexander
then wanted to invade the territories further east,
but all his subjects grumbled at the long expedition ;
he therefore was obliged to abandon this project.
On his way back he met with many perils. When
he reached the river H he gathered together
all his warships, putting half of his army on board,
and made the other half walk along the bank till
they reached the ocean. The Macedonians had
never before seen the ocean, and were amazed at
its grandeur. All his warships sailed across the
Persian Gulf, landed at the other side of the shore.
On their way back to Babylon they had to travel
through the Great Desert of Arabia, most of his
197
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
soldiers dying of hunger and thirst, and he returned
to Persia with less than one quarter of his army.
At Shiraz, Alexander married Atartilla, the eldest
daughter of Dalius (the late King of Persia) ; the
ceremony was the most impressive that had ever
been witnessed. After his marriage he wanted to
return to Babylon, being anxious to start a fresh
expedition, but was suddenly taken ill, and had to
remain in bed for three days ; he then took to drink,
and died in his thirty-second year, leaving no heir.
His subjects for several days discussed who should
succeed ; they finally decided to put his younger
brother (Aritius) on the throne. Alexander's
corpse was put into a golden coffin and buried
in the churchyard at Alexandria.
Note on Aristotle, the Tutor of Alexander.
Aristotle was a very wise man ; we are therefore
giving you an outline of his history. He was born
in 384 B.C. When seventeen years of age he went
to Athens to study science from Plato. Aristotle
was so clever that he always was far in advance
of the other students ; the former told his friends,
"Aristotle is the soul of our school." After
Plato's death, his friend (Sophocles) was living in
Arukane, where Aristotle went and lived with
him, and married Sophocles's younger sister.
After several years Aristotle was invited by
198
OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Alexander (King of INIacedonia) to be his own
tutor ; the King said " he loved his tutor more
than his father," but later on his love became less.
Aristotle educated the young King for a few years,
and then returned to Athens and established a
school at Lyceum ; he was the first professor of
philosophy. After the death of King Alexander,
one of the opposing countries sent a priest to
make mischief betAveen tlie people and their king.
Aristotle said, " Unhappily I have met with mis-
fortune, but I must not allow the people of Athens
to blame my philosophy ; so he left Athens and
went to Carthage, where he died."
Aristotle had written many books, some of
which were not translated into Dutch ; he under-
stood science in all its branches, was especially
learned in universal philosophy, and was very
famous for his poems.
199
CHAPTER VI
A JAPANESE ACCOUNT OF GREECE
Greece, which is now known as Turkey, is
situated on the south of Turkey, and surrounded
by the Adriatic, the Mediterranean Sea, and the
Achipelago.
In the third year of the Kyotoku (1454) the
Turkish army captured Constantinople and made
it their basis ; they invaded this country, threaten-
ing to make the nation surrender. Since the last
four hundred years, too, the whole nation suffered
through the cruelty of the Turks ; the people
resented being under Turkish rule, but were not
strong enough to rebel.
In the third year of Tempo (1832), a powerful
patriot, seeing the nation's misery, raised a rebellion,
at which they greatly rejoiced, and all loyally fol-
lowed their leaders. Although the people met with
many difficulties, their courage was undaunted ;
they finally conquered, and freed themselves from
the Turks.
200
A JAPANESE ACCOUNT OF GREECE
In the eighth year of Bunsei, a Dutch dip-
lomatist helped Greece to improve its commerce,
and gathered together his partisans to discuss the
interchange of commerce between Holland and
Greece ; they eventually made a treaty between
these two countries, which was as foUows : " Now-
adays so many events take place in Europe, but
one of the most important to record in history
relates to Greece ; the people of this country
greatly respect bravery and virtue ; the most gallant
diplomatists sacrificed their own lives for their
country, to free her from the barbarous govern-
ment of the Turks."
After being instructed for four hundred years, all
the patriots gathered together by mutual agreement
to fight against the barbarians, who could not claim
European rights of parentage, their customs being
quite different to ours ; they injured our education
and manners, for they would not conform to the
universal laws and rights, consequently the Greeks
wanted to free themselves from these savages ; they
fought for the freedom of their country, while
the opponents merely fought for bloodshed. Both
parties fought very severely ; it was hard to know
who would win ; the other nations were anxiously
awaiting the result.
In the olden time the Greeks were very proud of
their individual bravery, but now the whole nation
united and became one body, and fought for their
201
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
rights, for which all the European countries greatly-
sympathised with them, and whenever they were
defeated by the barbarians we grieved for them. . .
Every country with any humanity, whether neutral
or allied, could not help feeling sympathy for the
Greeks, and everywhere throughout Europe the
people greatly admired the noble way the Greeks
fought for their freedom, so it is natural that we
(Dutch) could not control our feelings, especially
as our own country (Holland), seeing these noble
actions, was reminded how some years ago we
gallantly fought for our hberty. At that time
we realised what difficulties we had to free
ourselves from tyranny, and how overjoyed we
were when success came ; it is therefore our desire
to record these events in history for the guidance
of future generations. . . .
By this manuscript you will see how the Greeks
endured the cruelty of the Turks, and under what
difficulties they fought for their liberty, which they
eventually gained.
Greece had seven states, and in olden times,
when it was a flourishing country, the population
amounted to 300,000 ; they also had many islands
around the coast ; the populations of these amounted
to 198,000, besides which they had the JMorea states,
which had a population of 500,000. By the hst
which was made in the first year of Kokwa, Greece
had a population of 1,000,000 people, but we are not
202
A JAPANESE ACCOUNT OF GREECE
certain whether this list was correct or not ; this
country has now been free from Turkey for more
than ten years. All the people who fled from
Greece during the war now returned to it, and
commerce began to improve, and population
increased.
203
A FEW CORRECTIONS OF THE
MISTAKES IN PROPER NAMES. By S. H.
IN THE JAPANESE LIFE OF NAPOLEON
Page 14-3. The name of Napoleon's mother is generally spelt
Ramolino.
„ 143. The correct name of Napoleon's mother's brother is
Cardinal Fesch.
„ 146, Deficit-General. I can offer no explanation of this.
The office to which Napoleon was appointed was
Second in Command of the Axmy of the Interior.
„ 149. Belthail should be Berthier.
„ 151. St Alpin should be Cisalpine.
„ 151. Alexandria should be Alessandria, Tintoura should
be Tortona.
„ 152. Alma and Selaschi should be Saint Rejant and
Carbon.
„ 153. The "two Sicilian kings" should be the King of
the two Sicilies.
„ 154. St Alpin should be Cisalpine.
„ 156. Mortier should be Moreau.
„ 157. Colli should be Caulincourt.
„ l60. Eugene de Beauharnais was appointed Viceroy, not
King of Italy.
,, l60. Legs should be Lucca.
„ l60. Bauzen should be Baden.
„ l60. Baylen should be Bayern, i.e. Bavaria.
„ l6l. It Avas Josephine's niece, whose name was not Jose-
phine, but Stephanie de Beauharnais, who married
the Crown Prince of Baden.
204
MISTAKES IN PROPER NAMES
Page 161. Clives and Bey should read Cleves and Berg.
„ 161. Napoleon's sister Pauline married Prince Borghese,
and was created Duchess of G .
„ 161. Belthail should be Berthier.
„ 161. Talleyrand was made Duke of Benevento.
„ 161. Bernadotte was Prince of Ponte Corvo.
„ 162. Bobrinsk. I cannot identify this. Should it have been
Pultusk or Borodino ?
„ 162. Heronemus, i.e. Hieronymus, is Napoleon's brother
Jerome.
„ 164. Bey should be Berg.
„ 165. Mallet should be Malet.
„ 166. The twin victories should be Liitzen and Bautzen.
„ 167. Hanau ought to be Hainan.
„ 167. Valencia should be Valence.
„ 167. E mountains should be Pyrenees.
„ 168. Montmarte should be Montmartre.
,, 169. Latroux should be Marchand.
„ 170. Frejus should be Ligny.
„ 171. Langwood should be Longwood.
,, 178. "Ligny boats" should be "ships of the line."
IN THE JAPANESE LIFE OF PETER THE GREAT
Page 1 80. Alexieff Mikainaif (Czar Alexei).
,, 180. Natalie — Natalia Nariskina.
,, 181. Strelitz, not a town; the "streltzi" is the Russian
term for the militia.
„ 181. Ian should be Ivan. Alexieff should be Alexei.
„ 182. Arkengel should be Archangel.
„ 183. Leholt should be Lefort.
,, 184-. Soldiers in Strelitz — the "streltzi" or militia.
„ 186. "At Strelitz the people'' — the "streltzi" or militia.
„ 187. Leholt should be Lefort.
,, ] 88. Silesia should be Sweden. Leusland should be
Finland. Second Czarina — Catharine.
,, 189- Aza should be Azov. Silesia should be Sweden.
„ 190. Silesia should be Sweden.
205
Page
: 192.
192.
193.
193.
193.
193.
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
IN THE JAPANESE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER
Alexander was not born at Pekin, but at Pella,
Aristotle was born at Stagira.
Tibanels should be the Thebans.
Pindariu should be Pindar.
Synoba should be Sinope.
Rivers G and E should be Granicus and Issus.
194. Honduras is, of course, nonsense.
194. Candium should be Gordion.
On the citadel of Gordion stood the remains of
the royal palaces of Gordios and Midas, and Alex-
ander went up the hill to see the chariot of Gordios
and the famous knot which tied the yoke. Cord
of the bark of a cornel tree was tied in a knot
which artfully concealed the ends, and there was
an oracle that he who should loose it would rule
over Asia. Alexander vainly attempted to untie
it, and then, drawing his sword, cut the knot, and
so fulfilled the oracle. — J. B. Bury.
194. The doctor's name was Philip of Acarnania. The
wTiter of the letter was Parmenio.
196. Susan should be Susa or Shushan.
196. P the capital of Persia, and H the capital of
Persia, both seem to stand for Persepolis.
196. Dalius should be Darius. The Japanese frequently
substitute '1' for 'r' and 'r' for '1.'
196. General B is Bessus.
] 96. B is Bactria.
196. S is Sogdiana.
197. O is Oxyartes, the chief of a Sogdian tribe, whose
name has been transferred to his people.
197. Lokiesone is Roxana.
197. Heydaspus is Hydaspes.
197. Polius is Porus.
198. Dalius is Darius.
8.06
PART III
THE ORIGINAL LETTERS OF THE
ENGLISH PILOT
WILLIAM ADAMS
Written from Japan between A.D. l6ll and 1617. Reprinted
by special permission from the papers of the Hakluyt Society
TOKYO
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
There have been many allusions during the past
few months to the letters of Will Adams, the
English pilot cast away in Japan in 1598. But it
has long been impossible to obtain a copy of
them, unless one could, by the merest chance, pick
up the volume of the Hakluyt Society's reports,
published more than fifty years ago, in which they
were printed with notes by Mr Thomas Rundle.
Accordingly I have begged and received permis-
sion to reprint here from the papers of the Society
these famous letters, which, with the diary of
Richard Cocks, published by the same learned
body, give the best picture of seventeenth century
Japan. The volume contains the six letters written
by Will Adams to England from Japan between
the years 1611 and 1617. It follows the text
of the Hakluyt Society— to whose enterprise and
liberality the public owes its acquaintance with
these delightful letters — omitting certain notes,
which did not elucidate the names of the towns
and persons mentioned. I gave the story of Will
14 209
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Adams in Queer Things about Japan, but I had
not then the opportunity of giving the letters.
Who Will Adams was is nowhere more succinctly
explained than in the pages of the indispensable
Chamberlain : —
" Will Adams, the first EngUshman that ever
resided in Japan, was a native of Gilhngham, near
Chatham, in the county of Kent. Having followed
the sea from his youth up, he took service, in the
year 1598, as ' Pilot Maior of a fleete of five sayle,'
which had been equipped by the Dutch East India
Company for the purpose of trading to Spanish
America. From ' Perow,' a portion of the storm-
tossed fleet came on to ' lapon,' arriving at a port
in the province of Bungo,^ not far from ' Langa-
sacke' (Nagasaki), on the 19th April 1600. From
that time until his death, in May 1620, Adams
remained in an exile which, though gilded, was
none the less bitterly deplored. The EngHsh pilot,
brought first as a captive into the presence of
lyeyasu, who was then practically what Adams
calls hinx, ' Emperour ' of Japan, had immediately
been recognized by that shrewd judge of character
as an able and an honest man. That he and his
nation were privately slandered to lyeyasu by
'the lesuites and the Portingalls,' who were at
that time the only other Europeans in the country,
probably did him more good than harm in the
1 A province in the island of Kiushiu, Japan.
2i0
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
Japanese ruler's eyes. He was retained at the
Japanese court, and employed as a shipbuilder,
and also as a kind of diplomatic agent when other
English and Dutch traders began to arrive. In
fact, it was by his good offices that the foundations
were laid both of English trade in Japan and also
of the more permanent Dutch settlement. During
his latter years he for a time exchanged the
Japanese service for that of the English factory
established by Captain John Saris at Firando^
(Hirado) near Nagasaki ; and he made two voyages,
one to the Loochoo Islands and another to Siani.
His constantly reiterated desire to see his native
land again, and his wife and children, was to the
last frustrated by adverse circumstances. So far as
the wife was concerned, he partially comforted
himself, sailor fashion, by taking another — a
Japanese, with whom he lived at ease for many
years on the estate granted him by lyeyasu at
Hemi, near the modern town of Yokohama,
where their two graves are shown to this day."
"The first letter sent by Wilham Adams for
England, he thus addresses :— ' To riy Vnkxowne
Frinds and Countri-men : dessiring this letter by
your good meanes, or the nerves or copie of this
1 Hirado is an island separated from the large island of
Kiushiu, Japan, by a channel a quai-ter of a mile wide. In the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it was the emporium of trade
between Japan and foreign countries. — Murray.
211
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
letter, may come into the hands of one, or manny oj
my acquayntance in Limehovse or eke wheare, or
in Kent in Gii.lingham, by Rochester.'
" Probably through the agency of their Factors
recently settled at Bantam, two copies of the
letter were transmitted to the ' Worshipfull Felow-
ship of the Merchants of London trading into the
East Indies ' ; and in the sequel it will be perceived
the communication led to the opening of com-
mercial intercourse between England and Japon.
" Purchas has given a version of this letter
{Pilgrims, vol. i., p. 125, etc.) ; but it is to be
viewed as a loose paraphrase only. In the varia-
tions he has adopted, erroneously or capriciously,
the sense is not unfrequently destroyed ; and the
unaffected earnestness which characterizes the
original, is rarely preserved. The version now
given is founded on two manuscript copies, pre-
served among the records of the East India
Company. Many of the variations between the
printed and manuscript copies are noted ; but to
exhibit the whole, it would be necessary to print
the two versions in juxtaposition, which would
occupy more space than seems advisable."
The notes identifying the places mentioned which are signed
B. H. S., were specially written for this book by Mr Basil
H. Soulsby, of the Map Department of the British Museum, and
Secretary of the Hakluji; Society. Those signed Maunde Thomp-
son are taken from Sir E. Maunde Thompson's edition of the
Diary of Mr Richard Cock. Those unsigned are my own, — D. S.
212
LETTER No. I
Hauing so good occasion, by hearing that certaine
English marchants lye in the island of laua,
although by name vnknowen, I haue ymboldened
myselfe to wryte these few lines, desiring the
WorshipfuU Companie being vnknowen to me,
to pardon my stowtnes. My reason that I doe
wryte, is first as conscience doth binde me with
loue to my countrymen, and country. Your
Worships, to whom this present wryting shall
come, is to geve you vnderstand that I am a
Kentish man, borne in a towne called Gillingam,
two Enghsh miles from Rochester, one mile from
Chattavi, where the Kings ships doe lye: and
that from the age of twelue years olde, I was
brought vp in Limehouse neere London, being
Apprentice twelue years to Master Nicholas-
Diggines', and my selfe haue serued for Master
and Pilott in her Maiesties ships; and about
eleuen or twelue yeares haue serued the AYorshipfull
Companie of the Barbaric Merchants, vntill the
Indish traffick from Holland [began], in which
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Indish traffick I was desirous to make a lettel
experience of the small knowledge which God had
geven me. So, in the yeare of our Lord 1598, I
was hired for Pilot Maior of a fleete of five sayle,
which was made readie by the Indish Companie :
Peeter Vandei' Hay and Hance Vander Veek.
The Generall of this fleet, was a marchantt called
laques Mailiore, in which ship, being Admirall, I
was Pilott. So being the three and twentieth or
foure and twentieth of lune ere we sett sayle, it
was too late ere we came to the line, to passe it
without contrarie windes. So it was about the
middest of September, at which time we fownde
much southerly windes, and our men were many
sick, so that we were forsed to goe to the coast of
Guinney^ to Cape Gonsalves, where wee set our
sicke men a lande, of which many dyed : and of
the sicknesse few bettered, hauing little or no
refreshing, beinge an vnhealthful place. So that
to fulfill our voyage, wee set our course for the
coast of BrasilU beinge determined to passe the
Streightes of Magilanus ; ^ and by the way cam
to an Hand called Annahona,^ which island we
landed at, and tooke the towne, in which was
about eightie houses. In which Hand we refreshed
1 Guinea. - Straits of Magellan.
3 Annabona — Annobon, or Annabon, Spanish island. West
Afi-ica, in the Gulf of Guinea, in about 1° 24' S. and 5° 38' E. ;
4 miles long ; mountainous. Journal R.G.S., 1832, pp. 276-8. —
B. H. S.
214
{
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
ourselues, hauing oxen, oranges, and diuers fruites,
etc. But the vnwholesomenesse of the an*e was
very bad, that as one bettered, an other fell sicke :
spending vpon the coast vp the cape Gonsalues,
and vp Anjiabo?ia, a two moneths tyme, till
the twelfth or thirteenth Nouember. At which
time, wee set sayle from Annabona, finding the
windes still at the south and south by east, and
south-east, till wee got into foure degrees to the
southwards of the line : at which time the winde
did fauour vs comming to the south-east, and
east south-east, and so that we were vp betweene
the Hand of Annabona, and the Streightes of
Magilano^ about a fine monethes. One of our
fine sayle hir maine mast fell over bord, by which
we were much hindred ; for in the sea with much
troubell we set a new mast. So that the nine and
twentieth of March, we saw the lande in lattetude
of fiftie degrees, hauing the winde a two or three
daies contrarie : so, in the ende, hauinge the windes
good, came to the Streightes of Magilano^ the
sixt of Aprill, 1599, at which time, the winter
came, so that there was much snowe : and with
colde on the one side, and hunger on the other,
our men grew weake. Hauing at that time the
wind at the north-east, six or seven dayes, in which
time wee might haue past through the Streightes.
But, for refreshing of our men we waited, watering
^ Magellan.
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and taking in of wood, and setting vp of a pynnas
of fifteene or twentie tonnes in burthen. So at
length, wee would haue passed through, but could
not by reason of the southerly windes : the weather
being very cold, with aboundance of snowe and
yce. Wherefore, we were forced to winter and to
stay in the Streightes from the sixt of Aprill, till
the foure and twentieth of September, in which
time our victualles was for the most part of spent,
and for lacke of the same, many of our men
dyed of hunger. So hauinge passed through the
Streightes, and comming in the South Sea, wee
found many hard stormes, being driuen to the
southward in fiflie foure degrees, being very cold.
At length we found reasonable windes and weather,
with which wee followed our pretended voyage to-
wards the coast of Perow ^ : but in long traves" we
lost our whole fleet, being separated the one from the
other. Yet wee had appointed before the dispersing
of our fleet by stormes and foule weather, that if
wee lost one another, that in Chili in the lattetude
of fortie sixe degrees, wee should stay the one for
the other the space of thirtie dayes. In which
height according to agreement, I went in sixe and
fortie degrees, and stayed eight and twentie dayes
where we refreshed our selues, findinge the people
of the countrey of a good nature : but by reason
of the Spaniardes the people would not trade with
^ Peru. 2 Traverses.
216
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
vs. At first, they brought vs sheepe and potatoes,
for which we gaue them bills and kniues, whereof
they were very glad: but in the end, the people
went vp from their houses into the countrey, and
came no more to vs. Wee stayed there eight and
twentie dayes, and set vp a pynnas which we had
in our ship in foure partes, and in the end departed
and came to the mouth of Baldiuia,' yet by reason
of the much wind it was at that present, we entred
not, but directed our course out of the bay, for
the iland of Much ' [Mocha], vnto the which the
next day wee came ; and finding none of our fleet
there, directed our course for *S'^. 3Iaria,^ and the
next day came by the Cape, which is but a league
and an halfe from the Iland, and seeing many people
luffed about the cape, and finding good grownde,
anchored in a faire sandy bay in fifteene fathom ;
and went with our boats hard by the water side,
to parle with the people of the lande, but they
would not suffer vs to come a lande, shooting great
store of arrowes at vs. Neuerthelesse, hauing no
victualls in our ship, and hoping to find refreshmg
1 Baldiuia— Valdivia, river, Chile, province Valdivia, enters the
Pacific at the Puerto de Corral in 39° 55' S. Length, 84 miles.—
B. H. S.
2 Much (Mocha)— island, off coast of Chile, resorted to by
whalers. Lat. 38° 24' S. ; long. 74 W. ; length, 8 miles.—
B. H. S.
3 Sta. Maria— island, Chile, province Ararco, 36° 59' S., has a
lighthouse. Length, 7| x 4i miles; area, 12 square miles. -
B. H. S.
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by force, wee landed some seuen and twentie or
thirtie of our men, and droue the wilde people from
the water side, most of our men being hurt with
their arrowes. And being on land, we made signes
of friendship, and in the end came to parle with
signes and tokens of friendship, the which the
people in the end did vnderstand. So wee made
signes, that our desire was for victualls, showing
them iron, siluer, and cloth, which we would give
them in exchange for the same. Wherefore they
gaue our folke wine, with potatoes to eate, and
drinke with other fruits, bid our men by signes
and tokens to goe aboord, and the next day to
come again, and then they would bring us good
store of refreshing : so, being late, our men came
aboord, very glad that we had come to a parle
with them, hoping that we should get refreshing.
The next day, being the ninth of Nouember 1599,
our capten, with all our officers, prepared to goe
a lande, hauing taken counsell to goe to the water
side, but not to lande more then two or three at
the most ; for there were people in aboundance
vnknowen to us : wilde, therefore not to be trusted ;
which counsell being concluded vpon, the capten
himselfe did goe in one of our boats, with all the
force that we could make ; and being by the shore
side, the people of the countrie made signes that
they should come a lande ; but that did not
well like our capten. In the end, the people not
218
THE LETTERS OF AVILL ADAMS
comming neere vnto our boats, our capten, with
the rest, resolved to land, contrary to that which
was concluded abord or shipp, before their going
a lande. At length, three and twentie men landed
with muskets, and marched vpwardes towards
foure or fine houses, and when they were about
a musket shot from the boates more then a
thousand Indians, which lay in ambush, immedi-
ately fell vpon our men with such weapons as
they had, and slewe them all to our knowledge.
So our boats did long wait to see if any of them
did come agen ; but being all slaine, our boates
returned : which sorrowful newes of all our men's
deaths was very much lamented of vs all ; for we
had scarce so many men left as could winde vp
our anker. The next day wee weighed, and went
ouer to the Hand of St. Maria, where we found
our Admiral, who had ariued there foure dales
before vs, and departed from the Hand of Much
the day before we came from thence, hauing the
Generall, Master, and all his Officers, murthered
a lande ; so that all our officers were slaine, the
one bemoning the other : neuerthelesse, both glad
to see the one the other, and that we were
so well met together. My good friend Timothy
Shotten was Pilott in that ship.
Being at the island of St. Maiia, which lieth in
the lattetude to the soward of the line of thirtie
seuen degrees twelue minutes on the coast of Chili,
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
wee tooke counsell to take all things out of one ship,
and to burne the other ; but that the captens that
were made newe, the one nor the other, would not,
so that we could not agi'ee to leave the one or the
other ; and having much cloth in our ships, it was
agreed that wee should leaue the coast of Peroiv^
and direct our course for lapon,^ having under-
stood that cloth was good merchandiz there ; and
also how vpon that coast of Pe7^ow,^ the king's ships
were out seeking vs, hauing knowledge of our
being there, vnderstanding that wee were weake
of men, which was certaine ; for one of our fleet,
for hunger, was forced to seeke reliefe at the
enemies hand in Saint Ago.^ For which reason,
hauing refreshed ourselues in this Hand of St.
Maria, more by poHcie then by force, we departed
the twentie seuen of Nouember, from the Hand of
St. 3Iaria, with our two ships ; and for the rest of
our fleete we had no newes of them. So we stood
away directly for lapan, and passed the equinoctiall
line together, vntill we came in twentie-eight
degrees to the northward of the line : in which
lattetude we were about the twentie-third of
February 1600. Wee had a wonderous storme
of wind, as euer I was in, with much raine, in
which storme wee lost our consort, whereof we
were very sorry : nevertheless. Math hope that in
^ Peru. 2 Japan.
3 Saint Ago— Santiago, Chile.— B. H. S.
220
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
lapon we should meet the one the other, we
proceeded on our former intention for lapon, and
in the height of thirtie degrees, sought the norther-
most [?] Cape of the forenamed Hand ; but found
it not, by reason that it heth faulce in all cardes,
and maps, and globes ; for the Cape lieth in thirtie-
fiue degi-ees J, which is a great difference. In the
end, in thirtie-two degrees ^, wee cam in sight of
the lande, being the nineteenth day of April. So
that betweene the Cape of St. 3Iaria,^ and lapon^^
we were foure moneths and twentie-two daies ; at
which time there were no more than sixe besides
my selfe that could stand vpon his feet. So we in
safetie let fall our anchor about a league from a
place called Bungo? At which time cam to vs
many boats, and we suffred them to come abord,
being not able to resist them, which people did vs
no harme ; neither of vs vnderstanding the one the
other. Within a 2 or 3 daies after our arivall, ther
cam a lesuit from a place called Langasacke,^ to
which place the Carake of Amakau^ is yeerely
wont to come, which with other laponers that
were Christians, were our interpreters, which was
not to our good, our mortal enemies being our
^ Cape of Sta Maria — the cape on the island of Santa Maria,
Chile.— B. H. S.
^ Japan.
2 Bungo — district, east side of island Kiushiu, Japan. — B. H. S.
* Nagasaki. '•' Macao.
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Truchmen/ Neuerthelesse, the King of Bungo,
the place where we arriued, shewed vs great
friendship. For he gaue vs an house a lande,
where we landed our si eke men, and had all
refreshing that was needfull. We had when we
cam to anker in Bungo, sicke and whole, foure and
twentie men, of which number the next day three
dyed. The rest for the most part recouered, sauing
three, which lay a long time sicke, and in the end
also died. In the which time of our being here,
the Emperour hearing of vs, sent presently fine
gallies, or friggates, to vs, to bring mee to the
Court, where his highnes was, which was distant
from Bungo about an eightie English leagues.
Soe that as soon as I came before him, he
demanded of me, of what countrey we were; so
I answered him in all points ; for there was nothing
that he demanded not, both conserning warre and
peace betweene countrey and countrey : so that
the particulars here to wryte would be too tedious.
And for that time I was commanded to prisson,
being well vsed, with one of our mariners that cam
with me to serue me.
A two dayes after, the Emperour called me
agein, demaunding the reason of our comming
so farre. I aunswered : We were a people that
^ Truchmen — obsolete English for Dragomen, or intei*preters.
German trugman, French trucheman. — B. H. S.
222
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
sought all friendship with all nations, and to haue
trade in all countries, bringing such merchandiz as
our countrey did afford into strange landes, in the
way of traffick. He demaunded also as conserning
the warres betweene the Spaniard or Portingall and
our countrey, and the reasons ; the which I gaue
him to vnderstand of all things, which he was glad
to heare, as it seemed to me. In the end, I was
commaunded to prisson agein, but my lodging was
bettered in an other place. So that 39 dayes I
was in prisson, hearing no more newes, neither of
our ship, nor capten, whether he were recouered
of his sickenesse or not, nor of the rest of the
company ; in which time, looked euery day to die :
to be crossed, as the custome of iustice is in lapon,^
as hanging is in our land. In which long time of
imprissonment, the lesuites and the Portingalls ^
gaue many euidences against me and the rest to
the Emperour, that wee were theeues and robbers
of all nations, and were we suffered to line, it
should be ageinst the profit of his Highnes, and
the land : for no nation should come there without
robbing: his Highnes iustice being executed, the
rest of our nation without doubt should feare and
not come here any more : thus dayly making
axcess to the Emperour, and procuring friendes to
hasten my death. But God that is always merci-
ful at need, shewed mercy vnto vs, and would not
^ Japan. 2 Portuguese.
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suffer them to haue their willes of vs. In the end,
the Emperour gave them aunswer that we as yet
had not doen to him nor to none of his lande any
harme or dammage : therefore against Reason and
lustice to put vs to death. If our countreys had
warres the one with the other, that was no cause
that he should put vs to death : with which they
were out of hart, that their cruell pretence failed
them. For which God be for evermore praised.
Now in this time that I was in prisson, the ship
was commaunded to be brought so neere to the
citie where the Emperour was, as might be (for
grownding hir) ; the which was done. 41 daies
being expired, the Emperour caused me to be
brought before him agein, demanding of mee many
questions more, which were too long to write.
In conclusion, he asked me whether I were desirous
to goe to the ship to see my countreymen. I
answered very gladly : the which he bade me doe.
So I departed, and was freed from imprissonment.
And this was the first newes that I had, that the
ship and company were come to the citie. So
that, with a reioicing hart I tooke a boat, and
went to our ship, where I found the capten and
the rest, recouered of their sickenesse ; and when
I cam abord with weeping eyes was received : for
it was given them to vnderstand that I was
executed long since. Thus, God be praised, all
we that were left aliue, came together againe.
224
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
From the ship all things were taken out : so that
the clothes wliich I took with me on my back 1
only had. All my instruments and books were
taken. Not only I lost what I liad in the ship,
but from the capten and the company, generally,
what was good or worth the taking, was carried
away. All which was doen unknowen to the
Emperour. So in processe of time hauing know-
ledge of it, he commaunded that they which had
taken our goods, should restore it to vs back again ;
but it was here and there so taken, that we could
not get it again : sauinge 50000 Rs in reddy money
was commaunded to be geven vs ; and in his
presence brought, and delivered in the hands of one
that was made our gouernour, who kept them in his
hands to distribute them vnto vs as wee had neede,
for the buying of victualls for our men, with other
particular charges. So in the end of thirtie dayes,
our ship lying before the city called Sakay,^ two
leagues J or three leagues, from Ozaca,'^ where
the Emperour at that time did lye, commaunde-
ment cam from the Emperour, that our ship should
be carried to the estermost part of the land, called
Qucmto, whither according to his commaundement
we were carried, the distance being about an
hundred and twenty leagues. Our passage thither
was long, by reason of contrarie windes so that
the Emperour was there long before vs. Comming
1 Sakai. - Ozaka.
15 225
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to the land of Quanto,^ and neere to the citie
Eddo,^ where the Emperour was : being arriued.
I sought all meanes by supplications, to get our
iship cleare, and to seeke our best meanes to come
where the Hollanders had their trade : in which
suit we spent much of the mony geven vs. Also, in
this time, three or foure of our men rebelled against
the capten, and my selfe, and made a mutinie with
the rest of our men, so that we had much trouble
with them. For they would not abide noe longer
in the ship, euery one would be a commander : and
perforce would haue euery one part of the money
that was geven by the Emperour. It would bee
too long to wryte the particulars. In the end, the
money was devided according to euery man's place ;
but this was about two yeeres that we had been in
lapon ; and when we had a deniall that we should
not haue our ship, but to abyde in lapon. So that
the part of every one being devided, every one
tooke his way where he thought best. In the end,
the Emperour gaue euery man, to Hue \^on, two
pounds of rice a day, daily, and yeerely so much
1 Quanto — Hakone, village, Japan^ province of Sagami, island
of Honshiu, 58 miles S.W. from Tokyo, 8 miles W.S.W. from
Odawara. At a neighbouring pass, called the Hakone Pass,
crossed by the coast road from Tokyo to Kyoto, there was
formerly a bai'rier (Kwan or Kuvan), with reference to which the
west part of Honshiu was spoken of as Kwansai (west of the
barrier), the east as Kwanto (east of the barrier). — B. H. S.
2 Yeddo, i.e. Tokyo.
226
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
as was worth eleuen or twelue ducats a yeare,
yearely : my selfe, the capten, and mariners all
alike.
So in processe of four or fiue yeeres the
Emperour called me, as diuers times he had done
before. So one time aboue the rest he would have
me to make him a small ship. I answered that I
was no carpenter, and had no knowledg thereof.
Well, doe your endeavour, saith he : if it be not
good, it is no matter. Wherefore at his com-
maund I buylt him a ship of the burthen of eightie
tunnes, or there about : which ship being made in
all respects as our manner is, he comming aboord
to see it, liked it very well ; by which meanes I
came in more fauour with him, so that I came
often in his presence, who from time to time gaue
me presents, and at length a yearely stypend to
hue vpon, much about seuentie ducats by the
yeare, with two pounds of rice a day, daily. Now
beeing in such grace and fauour, by reason I
learned him some points of jeometry, and vnder-
standing of the art of Jiiatheviatickes, with other
things : I pleased him so, that what I said he
would not contrarie. At which my former
ennemies did wonder ; and at this time must
intreat me to do them a friendship, which to both
Spaniards and Portingals have I doen : recompenc-
ing them good for euill. So, to passe my time to
get my lining, it hath cost mee great labour and
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trouble at the first ; but God hath blessed my
labour.
In the ende of hue y teres, I made supplication
to the king to goe out of this land, desiring to see
my poore wife and children according to conscience
and nature. With the which request, the emperour
was not well pleased, and would not let me goe
any more for my countrey ; but to byde in his
land. Yet in processe of time, being in great
fauour with the Emperour, I made supplication
agein, by reason we had newes that the Hollanders
were in Shian ^ and Patania ; ^ which reioyced vs
much, with hope that God should bring us to our
countrey againe, by one meanes or other. So I
made supplication agein, and boldly spake my selfe
with him, at which he gaue me no aunswer. I
told him, if he would permit me to depart, I would
bee a meanes, that both the English and Hollanders
should come and traffick there but by no means he
would let mee goe. I asked him leave for the capten,
the w^hich he presently granted mee. So by that
meanes my capten got leave ; and in a lapon iunk
sailed to Pattern ; ^ and in a yeares space cam no
Hollanders. In the end, he went from Patane^
1 Shian. More likely here to refer to Acheen (Achin or
Atjeh), north of Sumatni. — B. H. S.
2 Patani — town, Lower Siam, Malay Peninsula. Capital
Patan State, east coast, about 6° 51' N. — B. H. S.
3 Pattan or Patane = Patani. — B. H. S.
228
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
to lor,^ where he found a fleet of nine saile:
of which fleet Matlecf was General, and in this
fleet he was made INIaster againe, which fleet
sailed to Malacca, and fought with an armado
of Portingalls : in which battel he was shot, and
presently died : so that as yet, I think, no certain
newes is knownen, whether I be liuing or dead.
Therefore I do pray and intreate you in the name
of Jesus Christ to doe so much as to make my
being here in lapon, knowen to my poor wife : in
a manner a widdow, and my two children father-
lesse : which thing only is my greatest griefe of
heart, and conscience. I am a man not vnknowen
in Ratcliffe and Limehouse, by name to my good
Master Nicholas Diggines, and M. Thomas Best,
and M. Nicholas Isaac, and William Isaac,
brothers, with many others; also to M. William
lones, and M. Bccket. Therefore may this letter
come to any of their hands, or the copy : I doe
know that compassion and mercy is so, that my
friends and kindred shall haue newes, that I doe as
yet line in this vale of my sorrowfull pilgrimage :
the which thing agein and agein I do desire for
lesus Christ his sake.
You shall vnderstand, that the first ship that I
1 lor — Johor or Johor Barn, town, capital of the State of Johor
or Johore, on the south coast, opposite the middle of the island
of Singapore, a free port ; in 1866 a few huts, now (1894) 15,000
inhabitants. — B. H. S.
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did make, I did make a voyage or two in, and then
the King commaunded me to make an other, which
1 did, being of the burthen of an hundred and
twentie tunnes. In this ship I have made a
voyage from Meako^ to Eddo,^ being as far as
from London to the Lizarde or the Lands end of
England: which in the yeere of our Lord 1609,
the King lent -to the Gouernour of Manilla, to goe
with eightie of his men, to saile to Acapulca.^ In
the yeere 1609 was cast away a gi-eat ship called
the S. Francisco, beeing about a thousand tunnes,
vpon the coast of lapon, in the lattetude of thirty
fiue degi-ees and fiftie minutes. By distresse of
weather she cut ouer-boord her maine mast, and
bore vp for lapon,^ and in the night vnawares, the
ship ranne vpon the shore and was cast away : in
the which thirtie and sixe men were drowned, and
three hundred fortie, or three hundred fiftie saued :
in which ship the Gouernour of 3Ianilla as a
passenger, was to return to Nona Spania.^ But
this Gouernour was sent in the bigger ship which
I made, in ann. 1610, to Acapulca. And in ann.
1 Miyako, i.e. Kyoto. ^ Yeddo, i.e. Tokyo.
3 Acapulca — Acapulco, seaport^ Mexico, Gueirero^ on the
Pacific^ l6° 50' N. It has an excellent landlocked harbour,
from which the Spanish galleons used to sail to Manilla. —
B. H. S.
* Japan.
^ Nueva Espaiia — name given in 1518 by Juan de Grijalva
to the peninsula of Yucatan, and extended two years later by
Femand Cortez to all the Empire of Mexico. — B. H. S.
mo
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
1611, this Gouernour returned another ship in her
roome, with a great present, and with an Embas-
sadour to the Emperour, giuing him thankes for
his great friendship: and also sent the worth of
the Emperours ship in goods and money : which
shippe the Spaniards haue now in the Philippinas.
Now for my seruice which I haue doen and daily
doe, being employed in the Emperours seruice, he
hath given me a liuing, like vnto a lordship in
England, with eightie or ninetie husbandmen, that
be as my slaues or seruents : which, or the Hke
president, was neuer here before geven to any
stranger. Thus God hath prouided for mee after
my great miserie ; and to him only be all honnor
and praise, power and glory, both now and for
euer, worlde without ende.
Now, whether I shall come out of this land, I
know not. A^ntill this present there hath been
no meanes ; but now, through the trade of the
Hollanders, there is meanes. In the yeere of our
Lord 1609, two Holland ships came to lapon.
Their intention was to take the Caracke, that
yeerly cam from Macao, being a fine or six dayes
too late. Neuerthelesse, they cam to Firando,'-
and cam to the Court to the Emperour, where
they were in great friendship receiued, making
1 Firando — Hirado, Hirato, Firato, or Firando, island, Japan,
Strait of Korea, ofF extreme west coast of Kiushiu. The
Dutch had a trading fort here, l609-l640.— B. H. S.
231
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
condition with the Emperour yearely to send a
ship or two ; and so with the Emperour's passe
they departed. Now, this yeare 1611, there is a
small ship arriued, with cloth, lead, elephants
teeth, dammaske, and blacke taffities, raw silke,
pepper, and other commodities ; and they haue
shewed cause why they cam not in the former
yeare 1610, according to promise yearely to come.
This ship was wonderously well receiued. You
vnderstand that the Hollanders haue here an
Indies of money ; for out of Holland there is no
need of sillier to come into the East Indies. For
in lapon, there is much siluer and gold to serue for
the Hollanders to handell wher they will in the
Est Endies} But the merchandiz, which is here
vendible for readie money, silke, damaske, blacke
taffities, blacke and red cloth of the best, lead, and
such like goods. So, now vnderstanding by this
Holland ship lately arriued here, that there is a
settled trade by my countrey-men in the Est
Indies,^ I presume that amongst them some, either
merchants, masters, or mariners, must needs know
mee. Therefore I haue ymbolddened my selfe to
write these few lines in breife ; being desirous not
to be ouer tedious to the reader.
This Hand of lapon ^ is a great land, and lyeth to
the northwards, in the lattetude of eight and fortie
degrees, and it lyeth east by north, and west by
^ Eist Indies. - Japan.
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAISIS
south or west south west, two hundred and twentie
EngUsh leagues. The people of this Hand of lapon
are good of nature, curteous aboue measure, and
valiant in warre : their iustice is seuerely executed
without any partialitie vpon transgressors of the
law. They are gouerned in great ciuilitie. I
meane, not a land better gouerned in the world by
ciuill policie. The people be verie superstitious in
their religion, and are of diuers opinions. There
be many lesuites and Franciscan friars in this land,
and they haue conuerted many to be Christians
and haue many churches in the Hand.
Thus, in breife, I am constrained to write, hop-
ing that by one meanes or other, in processe of time,
I shall heare of my wife and children : and so wdth
pacience I wait the good will and pleasure of
Allmity God. Therfore I do pray all them, or
euery one of them, that if this my letter shall com
to their hands to doe the best, that my wife and
children, and my good acquaintance may heere of
mee ; by whose good meanes I may in processe of
time, before my death heare newes, or see som of
my friendes agein. The which thinge God turn
it to his glory. Amen.
Dated in lapon the two and twentieth of
October IGll.
By your vnworthy friend and seruant,
to command in what I can,
WiiJJA:\r Adams.
233
LETTER No. II
Concurrently with the preceding, Wilham
Adams addressed a letter to his wife, of which a
fragment has been preserved by Purchas. lb
contains some interesting additional touches that
contribute to the completion of the picture already
given.
WILLIAM ADAMS TO HIS WIFE.
LouiNG wife, you shall vnderstand how all things
haue passed with mee from the time of mine
absence from you. We set saile with fiue ships
from the Tejcel, in Holland, the foure and
twentieth of lune 1598. And departed from the
coast of England the fift of luly. And the one
and twentieth of August, we came to one of the
isles of Capo Verde, called Sanf lago, where we
abode foure and twentie dayes. In which time
many of our men fell sicke, through the vnwhol-
somenesse of the aire, and our generall among the
rest. Now the reason that we abode so long at
these ilands was, that one of the captaines of our
234
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
fleet made our generall beleeue that at these ilands
we should find great store of refreshing, as goats
and other things, which was vntrue.
Here I and all the pilots of the fleet were called
to a councell ; in which wee all shewed our iudg-
ments of disliking the place; which were by all
the captaines taken so ill, that afterward it was
agreed by them all, that the pilots should be no
more in the councell, the which was executed.
The fifteenth day of September we departed from
the isle of Sanf lago, and passed the equinoctiall
fine. And in the latitude of three degrees to the
south, our generall dyed : where, with many con-
trarie windes and raine, the season of the yeare
being very much past, wee were forced vpon the
coast of Guiney,^ falhng vpon an head-land called
Cabo de Spirito Sancto. The new generall com-
manded to bear vp with Cape de Lojw Co7isaIues,
there to seeke refreshing for our men, the which
we did. In which place we landed all our sicke
men, where they did not much better, for wee
could find no store of victuals. The nine and
twentieth of December, wee set saile to goe on
our voyage, and in our way we fell with an island
called Illha da Nobori, where we landed all our
sicke men, taking the iland by force. Their towne
contayned some eightie houses. Hauing refreshed
our men, we set saile againe. At which time our
1 Guinea.
235
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
general! commanded, that a man foure dayes
should haue but one pound of bread, that was a
quarter of a pound a day ; with a Hke proportion
of wine and water. Which scarcitie of victuals
brought such feeblenesse, that our men fell into
so great weaknesse and sicknesse for hunger, that
they did eate the calves' skinnes wherewith our
ropes were couered. The third of Aprill 1599, we
fell in with the Port of Saint Inlian. And the
sixt of Aprill we came into the Straight of
Magellan to the first narrow. And the eighth
day we passed the second narrow with a good
wind, where we came to an anchor, and landed on
Penguin Island, where we ladded our boate ful of
penguins, which are fowles greater then a ducke,
wherewith we were greatly refreshed. The tenth,
we weighed anchor, hauing much wind, which was
good for vs to goe thorow. But our generall
would water, and take in prouision of wood for all
our fleet. In which straight there is enounfh in
euery place, with anchor ground in all places, three
or foure leagues one from another.
In tlie meane time, the wind changed, and came
southerly, we sought a good so harbour for our ship
on the north-side, foure leagues off Elizabeth's Bay.
All Aprill being out, wee had wonderfuU much
snow and ice, with great winds. For in April,
May, lune, luly, and August, is the winter
there, being in fiftie-two degrees ^ by south the
236
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
equinoctiall. ^lany times in the winter we had
the wind good to goe through the straights, but
our generall would not. We abode in the straight
till the foure and twentieth of August 1599. On
the which day wee came into the South Sea;
where sixe or seuen dayes after, in a greater storme,
we lost the whole fleet one from another. The
storme being long, we were driuen into the latitude
of fiftie-foure degrees J, by south the equinoctiall.
The weather breaking vp, and hauing good wind
aaraine, the ninth of October we saw the admirall,
of which we were glad ; eight or ten dayes after
in the night, hauing very much wind, our fore-
sayle flew away, and wee lost companie of the
admirall. Then, according to wind and weather,
we directed our course for the Coast of Chili,
where the nine and twentieth of October we came
to the place appointed of our generall in fortie-sixe
degrees, where wee set vp a pinnesse, and stayed
eight and twentie dayes : In this place we found
people, with whom wee had friendship fine or sixe
dayes, who brought vs sheep ; for which we gaue
them bels [? bills] and kniues and it seemed to vs
they were contented. But shortly after they went
all away from the place where our ship was, and
we saw them no more. Eight and twentie dayes
being expired, we set sayle, minding to goe for
Baldivia} So wee came to the mouth of the bay
^ Valdivia River, Chile^ Province of Valdivia (see p. 217).
237
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
of Baldivia. And being very much wind, our
captaines minde changed, so that we directed our
course for the isle of 3Iocha.
The first of Nouember, we came to the ile
3Iocha,^ lyJJ^g in the latitude of eight and thirtie
degrees. Hauing much wind, we durst not aiuhor,
but directed our course for Cape Sancta Maria^
two leagues by south the iland of Sancta Maria^
where hauing no knowledge of the people, the
second of Nouember our went on land, and the
people of the land fought with our men, and hurt
eight or nine ; but in the end, they made a false
composition of friendship, which our men did
beleeue.
The next day, our captaine, and three and
twentie of our chiefe men, went on land,
meaning for marchandize to get victualls, hauing
wonderfull hunger. Two or three of the people
came straight to our boat in friendly manner, with
a kind of wine and rootes, with making tokens to
come on land, making signes that there were sheep
and oxen. Our captaine with our men, hauing
great desire to get refreshing for our men, went
on land. The people of the countrey lay intrenched
a thousand and aboue, and straight- way fell \^on
our men, and slew them all ; among which was
my brother Thomas Adanis. By this losse, we had
scarse so many men whole as could weigh our
1 Off the coast of Chile {see p. 217). 2 !„ Chile {see p. 217).
238
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
anchor. So the third day, in great distresse, we
set our course for the Island of Santa Maria,
where we found our admirall ; whom when we
saw, our hearts were some what comforted : we
went aboord them, and found them in as great
distresse as we, hauing lost their Generall, with
seuen and twentie of their men, slaine at the
Island of 3Iocha, from whence they departed the
day before we came by. Here we tooke counsell
what we should doe to get victualls. To goe on
land by force we had no men, for the most part
were sicke. There came a Spaniard by composi-
tion to see our shippe. And so the next day he
came againe, and we let him depart quietly.
The third day came two Spaniards aboords vs
without pawne, to see if they could betray vs.
When they had scene our shippe, they would
haue gone on land againe, but we would not
let them, shewing that they came without
leaue, and we would not let them goe on land
againe without our leaue ; where at they were
greatly offended. We shewed them that we had
extreame neede of victualls, and that if they would
giue vs so many sheepe, and so many beeues, they
should goe on land. So, against their wils, they
made composition with vs, which, within the time
appointed, they did accomplish. Hauing so much
refreshing as we could get, we made all things well
againe, our men beeing for the most part recouered
239
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
of there sickenesse. There was a young man, one
Hudcopee, which knew nothing, but had serued
the admirall, who was made generall : and the
master of our shippe was made vice -admirall,
whose name was lacoh Quaterjuik of Roterdam.
So the generall and vice-admirall called me and
the other pilote, beeing an Englishman, called
Timotluj Shotten (which had been with M. Thomas
Candish, in his voyage about the world), to take
counsell what we should doe to make our voyage
for the best profit of our marchants. At last, it
was resolued to goe for lapon. For by report of
one Dirrick Gei^ritson, which had been there with
the Portugals, woollen cloth was in great estimation
in that Hand. And we gathered by reason, that
the 3Ialucos,^ and the most part of the East Indies,
were hot countreyes, where woolen cloth would
not be much accepted ; wherefore, we all agreed
to goe for lapon. So, leaning the coast of Chili
from thirtie-sixe degrees of south -latitude, the
seuen and twentieth of Nouember 1599, we tooke
our course directly for lapon, and passed the line
equinoctiall with a faire wind, which continued
good for diuerse moneths. In our way, we fell
with certain islands in sixeteene degrees of north
latitude, the inhabitants whereof are meneaters.
Comming neere these islands, and hauing a great
pinnesse with vs, eight of our men beeing in the
^ Moluccas.
240
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
pinnesse, ranne from vs with the pinnesse, and (as
we suppose) were eaten of the wild men, of which
people we tooke one ; which afterward the generall
sent for to come into his shippe. When wee came
into the latitude of seuen and twentie and eight
and twentie degrees, we found very variable winds
and stormy weather. The foure and twentieth of
February, we lost sight of our admirall, which
afterward we saw no more: Neuerthelesse, we
still did our best, directing our course for lapon}
The foure and twentieth of March, we saw an
island called Vna Colonna: at which time many
of our men were sicke againe, and diners dead.
Great was the miserie we were in, hauing no more
but nine or tenne able men to goe or creepe vpon
their knees : our captaine, and all the rest, looking,
euery houre to die. The eleuenth of April 1600^
we saw the land of lapon, neere vnto Bungo : at
which time there were no more but fine men of vs
able to goe. The twelfth of Aprill, we came hard
to Bungo, where many barkes came aboord vs, the
people whereof wee willingly let come, hauing no
force to resist them ; at which place we came to an
anchor. The people offered vs no hurt, but stole
all things they could steale ; for which some paid
deare afterward. The next day, the king of that
land sent souldiers aboord to see that none of the
marchants goods were stolen. Two or three dayes
^ Japan.
16 241
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
after, our shippe was brought into a good harbour,
there to abide till the principall king of the whole
island had newes of vs, and vntill it was knowne
what his will was to doe with vs. In the meane
time we got fauour of the king of that place, to
get our captaine and si eke men on land, which was
granted. And wee had an house appointed vs, in
which all our men were laid, and had refreshing
giuen them. After wee had beene there fine or
sixe dayes, came a Portugall lesuite, with other
Portugals, who reported of vs, that we w^ere pirats,
and were not in the way of marchandizing. Which
report caused the gouernours and commonpeeple
to thinke euill of vs : In such manner, that we
looked alwayes when we should be set vpon crosses ;
which is the execution in this land for theeuery and
some other crimes. Thus daily more and more the
Portugalls incensed the justices and people against
vs. And two of our men, as traytors, gaue them-
selues in seruice to the king, beeing all in all with
the Portugals, hauing by them their lines warranted.
The one was called Gilbei^t de Conning, whose
mother dwelleth at 3Iiddlcborough, who gaue him-
selfe out to be marchant of all the goods in the
shippe. The other was called lohn Abehon Van
Owater. These traitours sought all manner of
wayes to get the goods into their hands, and made
knowne vnto them all things that had passed in
our voyage. Nine dayes after our arriuall, the
242
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
great king of the land sent for me to come vnto
him. So taking one man with me, I went to him,
taking my leaue of our captaine, and all the others
that were sieke, commending my selfe into His
hands that had preserued me from so many perils
on the sea. I was carried in one of the king's
gallies to the court at Osaca,^ where the king lay,
about eightie leagues from the place where the
shippe was. The twelfth of May 1600, I came
to the great king's citie, who caused me to be
brought into the court, beeing a wonderfull costly
house guilded with gold in abundance. Comming
before the king, he viewed me well, and seemed to
be wonderfull fauourable. He made many signes
vnto me, some of which I vnderstood, and some I
did not. In the end, there came one that could
speake Portuges. By him, the king demanded of
me of what land I was, and what mooued vs to
come to his land, beeing so farre off. I shewed
vnto him the name of our countrey, and that our
land had long sought out the East Indies, and
desired friendship with all kings and potentates
in way of marchandize, hauing in our land diuerse
commodities, which these lands had not ; and also
to buy such marchandizes in this land, which our
countrey had not. Then he asked whether our
countrey had warres ? I answered him yea, with
the Spaniards and Portugals,- being in peace with
^ Ozaka. 2 Portuguese.
243
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
all other nations. Further, he asked me, in what
I did beleeue ? I said, in God, that made heauen
and earth. He asked me diverse other questions
of things of religions, and many other things : As
what way we came to the country. Hauing a
chart of the whole world, I shewed him, through
the Straight of Magellan. At which he wondred,
and thought me to he. Thus, from one thing to
another, I abode with him till mid-night. And
hauing asked mee, what marchandize we had in
our shippe, I shewed him all. In the end, he
beemg ready to depart, I desired that we might
haue trade of marchandize, as the Portugals and
Spanyards had. To which he made me an answer ;
but what it was, I did not vnderstand. So he
commanded me to be carried to prison. But two
dayes after, he sent for me againe, and enquired of
the qualities and conditions of our countreys, of
warres and peace, of beasts and catell of all sorts ;
and of the heauens. It seemed that he was well
content with all mine answers vnto his demands.
Neuerthelesse, I was commanded to prison againe :
but my lodging was bettered in another place. . . .
244
LETTER No. Ill
To my assured good frind Augustin Spalding, in
Bantam, deliuer this, per a good frind Thomas
Hill, whom God presserue.
Lavs dei : written in Japan in ye Hand qj
Ferrando,^ the 12 of Jeneuari 1613.
My good and louing frind : I do imbolden my
self to wrytt theess feaw Hnes vnto you in which 1
do hartylly sallute me vnto you with all the rest
of my good country men with you, with hope of
your good health, which God long continew : as I
prayss God I am at this present, etc.
Your ffrindly and Christian letter I hau receued
by the Hollanders which be heer arriued this yeer
1612, by which I do vnder stand that you have
receued my letter which I sent by Peetter Johnssoon,
of which I am veri glad, hoping yt my poor wyf
and frindes shall heer I am alyve. For vnto
this present ther hath not coum to ye hands of
my frinds anny letter of myne : being by the
1 Hirado.
245
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Hollanders intercepted alwayes ; for by the
company of thees ship I haue sertain newes of
trewth yt it is expressley forbid by the Winth-
abers so called, or Indish Company, yt they shall
carri nor bring anny letters in no maner of wayes :
for by both thees shipes I have had diuers letteers
sent me by my wyf and other good frinds out
of Ingland and Holland, but feaw coum to my
hand and thoo as yt I hau receued the most part
were 2 lettrs which cam from London by the
convayance of the Gloob of London, which arriued
at Pattania [ ] which is heer arriued :
which 2 lettrs, the on is from [? the honourable Sir']
Thomas Smith, and on from my good frind John
Stokle, soum tym on of the [ ]. Thees
2 lettrs hau not bin oppened, but a 40 or 50 dayes
detayned from mee, etc.
You shall [? understand] by the letter of Sr.
Thomass Smith, he hath written that he will send
a ship heer in Japan to establish a facktori, of
which, yf yet may be profitt I shalbe most glad :
of which newes I told the Emperour thearof, and
told him yt in ye next yeer the kinges mati.^ of
Ingland would send his imbashador with mony and
marchandiz to trad in his country; and of the
certenti theerof I had receued newes. At which
hee wass veery glad, and rejoyced that strange
nacions had such good oppinion : with many other
^ Majesty.
S46
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
good speeches. Now, my good frind, if it so fall
out that on of our country shipes do coum heer to
traffick thear [ ] not lee [ ]
welcoum. And this I do inseur you of, for it is
in my power to do it. I doo prayss God for it :
who hath geuen me fauor with the Emperour,
and good will to me, so farr as that I may
boldly say our country men shalbe so welcoum
and free in coumparisson as in the riuer of
London.
And now to the purposs. I feear yt theer wilbe
no profitt, which is principal : for ye coumodeties
of our countri are heer good cheep, yt is clloth ;
for by reason of the ship that comes from Novo
Spaynia of the on party and the Hollanders on the
other party, hath made the priss of cloth so good
chep as in Ingland. An 8 or 9 years ago cloth
was very deer, but now verry chep. Now the
coumodities yt ye bring from Holland are theess :
cloth, leed, still \_steel], louking glasses, drinking
glasses, dans-klass-glasses, amber, dieeper and
hoUand, with other things of small importance.
First of ther cloth no profitt ; leed at [ ]
the 1., or lees, 3d the which is no profitt ; steel
6d the 1. and other things of small profitt. By ye
way [ ] them bring peper, the priss thearof
40s. the lOOl. ; clouess 5\. starlinge the lOOl. and
thees [ ] and the priss they sell them for.
The ship that coums from Pattania [ ] of
247
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
all prisses, damas, taffety, velvett, satten, Brassill
to dye with. All other china coumodities yt
[ ] is not sartain becass soum yeers good
cheep, and soum yeer deer [ ] of chinas
goods they mad great proffit at first. As the
shipes coum lade, so thay go away much deeper
lade, for heer [? they^ lad thear shipes with rise,
fish, bisket, with diuers other prouisions, monicion
[? mumtion\ marriners, sojoures, and svch lyk, so
that in respeckt of the warres in Mollowcouss
[Moluccas] Japan is verry profittable vnto them ;
and yf the warres do continew in ye MoUucous
with ye traffick they haue heer wilbe a great
scourge vnto ye Spaynnards, etc.
Now my good frind : can our Inglish marchants
get the handelling or trad with the Chinas, then
shall our countri mak great profitt, and the
worshippful Indiss Coumpany of London shall not
hau need to send monny out of Ingland, for in
Japan is gold and siluer in aboundance, for with
the traflick heer they shall hau monny to serue
theer need ; I mean in the Indiss, etc.
The HoUandes be now settled and I hau got
them that priuilledg as the Spaynnards and
Portingalles could neuer gett in this 50 or 60
yeers in Japan, etc.
This yeer 1612 the Spaynnards and Portingalles
hau evssed me as an instrument to gett there
liberty in the manner of the HoUandes, but vppon
248
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
consideration of farther inconvenience I hau not
sought it for them.
It hath plessed God to bring things to pass, so
as in ye eyes of ye world [? must seevi] strange : for
the Spaynnard and Portingall ^ hath bin my bitter
ennemis, to death ; and now theay must seek to
me an vnworth wr[d?^]ch : fo the Spaynard as well
as the Portingall must haue all their negosshes
[? negociations] go thorough my hand. God hau
ye prayse for it, etc.
The charges in Japan are not great: onlly a
pressent for ye Emperour and a pressent for ye
Kinge, and 2 or 3 other pressents for the Secretaris.
Other coustoumes here be nonn. Now, once, yf
a ship do coum, lett her coum for the esterly part
of Japan, lying in 35d. 10m. whear the Kinge and
ye Emperour court is : for coum our ships to
Ferando " whear the Hollanders bee, it is farr to ye
court, about 230 L., a wery soum way and foul.
The citti of Edo^ lyeth in 36, and about this
esterly part of the land thear be the best harbors
and a cost so cleer as theayr is no sholdes nor rokes
^ a myll from the mayn land. It is good also
for sale of marchandis and security for ships, forr
which cass I haue sent a pattron [? pattern card, or
chart] of Japan, for which my self I hau been all
about the cost in the shipping that I have made
1 Portuguese. ^ Hirado.
3 Yeddo, i.e. Tokyo.
249
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
for ye Emperour, that I hau experyence of all yt
part of ye cost that lyeth in 36d,, etc.
Now my good frind : I thank you for your good
writting and frindly token of a byble and 3 other
boukes. By your letter I vnderstand of ye death
of many of my good frinds in the barbarous country
of Barbary : for which death, and los of goods I
am heartelie sorry. Nevertheles it is ye lot of all
flesh : in this lyf manny trobelles and afflixcions,
and in the end death. Thearfor it is a blessed
thing to dy in the Lord, with a faithfull trust in
God : for theay rest from theer labores, etc.
In this land is no strange newes to sertify you
of : the whool being in peace : the peopell veri
subiect to thear gouvernours and superiores : also
in thear relligion veri zellous, or svpersticious,
hauing diners secttes, but praying all them secttes,
or the most part, to one saynt which they call
Ameeda ^ : which they esteem to bee their mediator
between God and them : all thees sectes lining in
frindship on with an other, not [ ] on an
other, but everi on as his conscience teacheth. In
this land are many Christians according to ye
romishe order. In the yeer 1612 is put downe all
the sects of the Franciscannes. The Jesouets hau
what priuiledge [ ] theare beinge in
Nangasaki,'^ in which place only may be so manny
as will of all sectes : in other places not manny
^ Amida — Buddha. 2 Nagasaki.
250
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
permitted. In justis very seuer, hauing no respecte
of persons. Theer cittis gouerned with greatt
ciuility and in lou : for ye most part nonn going
to lawe on with an other ; but yf questiones be
bettween nay hour and naybour, it is by justiss
coummanded to be pressently taken vp, and frind-
ship to be mad with out dellay. No theef for ye
most part put in prisson, but pressently executed.
No murther for ye most part can escap : for yf so
bee yt yt murtherer cannot be found, ye Emperour
coumands a prochmacion with a wryting, and by
ye writting so mvch gold as is of vallew 3001.
starlinge ; and yf anny do know whear ye
murtherer is, he cooms and receueth the gold,
and goeth his way with out anny further troubell.
Thus for the lukar of so moch monny it coumes
to light. And their citties you may go all ower
in ye night with out any trobell or perrill, being a
peepell [? well affected] to strangers : ye lawe much
lyk the Jud [ ] truth. Thus by the way,
in hast I hau imboldned [? myself] to writ some-
what of ye coustome and manners, etc.
If it bee yt thear coum a ship neer vnto the
estermost part, let them inquir for me. I am
called in the Japann tonge Augiu Samma.^ By
that nam am I knowen all the sea cost allonge, and
feear not to coom neer the mayn, for you shall hau
barkes with pillotts yt shall carry you will ; and
1 Anjin Sama, i.e. Mr. Pilot.
251
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
coumes thear a ship heer, I hop the wourshippfull
coumpanie shall find me to bee a saruant or yr
saruants to seru them in such a maner as they
shalbe satisfied of my serues. Thus yf occasion
semeth, I pray wrjrt my hombell sallutacion to ye
wourshippfull Sr. Thomass Symth ; and conssern-
ing his Christian charity and greate lou in lending
my wyfe 20l. starlling, God I hop will reward
him ; and I am, and shalbe allwayes reddy to make
paiment to whoum he shall apoynt me. I pray yt
capptain Stippon, capptain of the Gllobe [ ]
I pray him to mak known in Ingland to my frinds,
that I am in good health, and I trust in God errlong
to gett leeaue from the Emperour to get out of this
country to my frinds agayne. Thus with this my
poor request do I imbold my seelf to troubell you.
Had I known our Inglish shipes hade trade with
the Indiss, I had long a[^o] troubled you with
wrytting ; but the Hollanders hau kept it most
seccreet from me tell the yeere 1611, which wass
the first newes yt I heerd of the trading of our
shipes in the Indiss. I would gladdly a sent soum
small token in signe of good will vnto you, but at
this pressent no conuenient messadg [? message, or
opportunity of sending]. For thes ships ass theay
saye go no far[M6'r] as the Mollocouss in his coum-
mand. Thus with my coummendacion only, and
to all my countrimen, I beque[rtM] you and your
afFares to the tuicion of God, who blless and keep
252
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
you in body and soull from alkyour ennemys for
euer and euer.
Your vnwourthe frind yet assured to coumand,
William Addames.
I hau writt 2 letters all in one maner, so yt yf on
coumes to your hand I shall be glad.
25a
LETTER No. IV
INTRODUCTION
In conformity with the intimation communicated
by Sir Thomas Smith to WilHam Adams, of the
intention of the East India Fellowship to seek
trade with Japan, Captain John Saris, in com-
mand of the Clove, was despatched on a mission
to the Emperor : being accredited with a letter,
and charged with presents, from the Sovereign of
England, James the First.
The Clove came to anchor in the vicinity of
Firando^ one of the Japanese Islands, on the
11th of June, 1613. The arrival of the vessel was
marked by many circumstances of highly interesting
character ; and the commander was greeted with no
less cordiality than courtesy. These matters are
fully set forth in his narrative, which is as follows :
captain saris : his arrival at firando, and
his intertaynment.
The ninth [of June, 1613] in the morning wee
had sight of land, bearing north north-east, and
^ Hirado.
254
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
sixe great islands on a ranke. From the island we
descried yesternight north-east and south-west, and
at the northermost end of them all, many small
rockes and hummockes, and in the bay to the east-
ward of the hummockes we saw an high land
bearing east, east by south, and east south-east,
which is the island called Xima ^ in the Plats,^ but
called by the naturals Mashma^ and the island
aforesaid, north north-east, is called Segue or
A7naxay'. it lyeth east by north, and west by
south, with many small islands and rockes on the
southerne side of them, and is distant from the
island with the steepe point, (which wee did see
the eight day) south-south-west twelue leagues,
the winde calme all night, yet we got to the
northward, as wee supposed, by the helpe of a
current or tide.
The tenth, by breake of day the outward most
land to the westward did beare north by east ten
leagues off, the wind at north-east by north : at
nine, a gale at south, wee steered north by west,
and had sight of two hummockes without the
point. Then wee steered north north-west, and
soone after came foure great fisher-boats aboord,
about fine tunnes apeece in burthen, they sailed
^ Shima is the Japanese for an island.
^ Plates or maps.
3 Mishima, which gives its name to the Mishima Nada, in the
inland sea.
255
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
with one saile, which stood Uke a skifFe saile, and
skuld with foure oares on a side, their oares resting
vpon a pinne fastned on the toppe of the boats
side, the head of which pinne was so let into the
middle part of the oare that the oare did hang in
his iust poize, so that the labour of the rower is
much lesse, then otherwise it must be ; yet doe
they make farre greater speed then our people with
rowing, and performe their worke standing as ours
doe sitting, so that they take the lesse roome.
They told vs that we were before the entrance of
Nangasaque,^ bearing north north-east, and the
straights of Arima, north-east by north, and the
high hill, which we did see yesterday, is vpon the
island called Vszideke,^ which maketh the straights
of Arima,^ where at the norther-most end is good
riding, and at the south end is the going into
Cachinoch. To this noone we haue made a north-
way sixe leagues. Wee agreed with two of the
masters of the fisher-boats (for thirtie rialls of eight
a piece in money, and rice for their food) to pilot
vs into Firando ; which agreement made, their
people entred our shippe, and performed voluntarily
their labour, as readily as any of our mariners.
We steered north by west, the pilots making
1 Nagasaki.
2 Uzendake. — Maunde Thompson.
3 Arima — I find Harima Nada in Japan (Stanford's London
Atlas, 1904). — B. H. S. (This means the same. — Ed.)
256
H'
M^^
-«?e£?
To bcick on p. 256.
r
■:^w mKWg : &mw^ ? r *" M!MM1 i
Misliima.
To hack on p. 257.
Mishima.
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
account to be thirtie leagues off Firando} One of
the foure boats which came aboord vs, did belong
to the Portugah, living at Langasaque,^ and were
new Chris'tiam, and thought that our ship had been
the Macau '^ ship ; but finding the contrary, would
vpon no intreatie stay, but made hast backe againe
to aduise them.
The eleuenth, about three of the clocke in the
afternoone, we cam to an anchor halfe a league
short of Firando, the tide so spent that we could
not get further in : soone after I was visited by the
old king Foyne Sama, and his nephew Tone Saiiia,*
gouernour then of the iland vnder the old king.
They were attended with fortie boats or gallyes,
rowed some with ten, some with fifteene oares on
a side: when they drew neare to the ship, the
king commanded all, but the two wherein himselfe
and his nephew were, to fall a sterne, and they
only entred the ship, both of them in silk gownes,
girt to them with a shirt, and a paire of breeches
of flaxen cloath next their bodies. Either of them
had two cattans ^ or swords of that countrey by his
side, the one of halfe a yard long, the other about
a quarter. They wore no bands, the fore-parts of
their heads were shauen to the crowne, and the rest
1 Hirado. 2 Nagasaki. ^ Macao.
^ Another name of Figen a Sama, King of Firando. — Maunde
Thompson.
^ The Japanese sword is called "catana."
17 257
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
of their haire, which was very long, was gathered
together and bound Mp on a knot behind, wearing
neither hat nor turbant, but bare-headed. The king
was aged about seuentie two yeeres, his nephew or
grand-child, that gouerned under him, was about
tw^o and twentie yeeres old, and either of them had
his gouernour with him, who had command ouer
their slaues, as they appointed him.
Their manner and curtesie in saluting was after
their manner, which is this. First, in presence of
him whom they are to salute, they put off their
shooes (stockings they weare none) and then
clapping their right hand within their left, they
put them downe towards their knees, and so
wagging or mouing of their hands a little to and
fro, they stooping, steppe with small steps sideUng
from the partie saluted, and crie Augh, Augh. I
led them into my cabbin, where I had prepared a
banquet for them, and a good consort of musicke,
which much delighted them. They bade me
welcome, and promised me kind entertainment. I
deliuered our kings letters to the king of Firando,
which he receiued with great ioy, saying bee w^ould
not open it till Auge came, who could interpret
the same vnto him ; this Auge is, in their language,
a pilot, being one William Adams, an English man,
who, passing with a Flemming through the South
Sea, by mutiny and disorder of the marriners shee
remained in that countrey, and was seised vpon by
<^58
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
the emperour about twelue years before. The
king hauing stayed aboord about an houre and a
halfe, tooke his leaue : he was no sooner ashoare,
but all his nobilitie, attended with a multitude of
souldiers, entered the ship, euery man of worth
brought his present with him, some venison, some
wild-fowle, some wild-boare, the largest and fattest
that euer any of vs had seene, some fruits, fish, etc.
They did much admire our shippe, and made as if
they had neuer seene it sufficiently. AVe being
pestered with the number of these visiters, I sent
to the king, requesting him that order might bee
taken to remoue them, and to preuent all incon-
ueniences that might happen. Whereupon hee
sent a guardian, (being a principall man of his owne
guard) with charge to remain and lye aboord, that
no injury might be offered vnto vs ; and caused a
proclamation to be made in the towne to the same
effect. The same night Henrick Brower, captain
of the Butch factory there, came aboord to visite
me, or rather to see what passed betwixt the king
and vs. I did write the same day to master Adams
(being then at Edoo, which is very neare three
hundred leagues from Firando) to let him vnder-
stand of our arriual. King Foijne sent it away the
next day by his Admirail to Osackay,^ the fu-st
port of note vpon the chiefe island, and then by
post vp into the land to Edoo :^ giuing the
1 Ozaka. "^ i.e., Yeddo, now Tokyo.
259
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
emperour likewise to vnderstand of our being
there, and cause thereof.
The twelfth in the morning, there was brought
aboord such abundance of fish, and so cheape as
we could desire. We weighed and set sail for
the road. The king sent at the least threscore
great boats or gallyes very well mand, to bring
vs into the harbor. I doubted what the cause of
their coming might be, and was sending off the
skiffe to comand them not to come neare the ship,
but the king being the head-most, weaued with
his handkercher, and willed the rest to attend, and
himselfe comming aboord, told me that he had
commanded them to come to tow our ship in about
a point, somewhat dangerous, by reason of the
force of the tide, which was such, that hauing a
stifFe gale of wind, yet we could not stemme it,
and comming into the eddie, we should haue been
set vpon the rockes. So we sent hawsers aboord
them, and they fell to worke. In the meane
while the king did breake his fast with me. Being
at an anchor, I would haue requited the people for
their paines, but the king would not suffer them to
take any thing. Wee anchored before the towne
in fiue fathome, so near the shoare, that we might
talke to the people in their houses. We saluted
the towne with nine peeces of ordnance, but were
not answered, for they haue no ordnance heere, nor
any fort, but barricados only for small shot. Our
260
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
ground heere wes ozie. Diuers noblemen came to
bid me welcome, whereof two were of extroardinary
account, called Nobusane'^ and Shimmadone, who
were very well entertained, and at parting held
very great state, one staying aboord whilest the
other was landed ; their children and chiefe followers
in the like manner. There came continually such
a world of people aboord, both men and women,
as that we were not able to go vpon the decks :
round about the ship was furnished with boats full
of people, admiring much the head and sterne of
the ship. I gaue leaue to diuers women of the
better sort to come into my Cabbin, where the
picture of Venus, with her sonne Cupid, did hang
somewhat wantonly set out in a large frame. They
thinking it to bee our ladie and her sonne, fell
downe and worshipped it, with shewes of great
deuotion, telling me in a whispering manner (that
some of their own companions which were not so,
might not heare) that they were Christianos :
whereby we perceiued them to be Christians,
conuerted by the Portugall lesuits.
The king came aboord againe, and brought foure
chiefe women with him. They were attired in
gownes of silke, clapt the one skirt ouer the other,
and so girt to them, barelegged, only a paire of
halfe buskins bound with silke reband about their
1 Bongo Sama, the King of Firando's great-uncle. — Maunde
Thompson.
261
xMORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
instep ; their haii-e very blacke, and very long, tyed
vp in a knot vpon the crowne in a comely manner :
their heads no where shauen as the mens were.
They were well faced, handed, and footed ; cleare
skind and white, but wanting colour, which they
amend by arte. Of stature low, but veiy fat ;
very curteous in behauiour, not ignorant of the
respect to be giuen vnto persons according to their
fashion. The king requested that none might stay
in the cabbin, saue myself and my Linguist, who
was borne in lapan, and was brought from Bantam
in our ship thither, being well skild in the Mallayan
tongue, wherein he deliuered to mee what the king
spoke vnto him in the lapan language. The
kings women seemed to be somewhat bashfuU, but
he willed them to bee frolicke. They sung diuers
songs, and played vpon certain instruments (where-
of one did much resemble our lute) being bellyed
like it, but longer in the necke, and fretted like
ours, but had only foure gut strings. Their fingr-
ing with the left hand like ours, very nimbly, but
the right hand striketh with an iuory bone, as we
vse to playe upon a citterne with a quill. They
delighted themselues much with their musicke,
keeping time with their hands and playing and sing-
ing by booke, pricked on line and space, resembling
much ours heere. I feasted them, and presented
them with diuers English comodities : and after
some two houres stay they returned. I moued the
262
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
king for a house, which hee readily granted, and tooke
two of the merchants along with him, and shewed
them three or foure houses, willing them to take
their choice, paying the owners as they could agree.
The thirteenth, I went ashoare, attended vpon
by the merchants and principal officers, and de-
liuered the presents to the king, amounting to the
value of one hundred and fortie pounds, or there-
abouts, which he receiued with very great kind-
nesse, feasting me and my whole companie with
diuers sorts of powdered wild fowles and fruits :
and calling for a standing cup (which was one of
the presents then deliuered him) he caused it to
be filled with his country wine, which is distilled
out of rice, and is as strong as our Aquauitce :
and albeit the cuppe held vpward of a pint and
half, notwithstanding taking the cup in his hand,
he told me hee would drinke it all off, for health to
the king of England and so did myself, and all
his nobles doing the like. And whereas in the
roome where the king was, there was onely my self
and the cape merchant, (the rest of our company
being in an other roome) the king commanded his
secretarie to goe out vnto them, and see that euerie
one of them did pledge the health. The king and
his nobles did sit at meat crosse-legged vpon mats
after the Turkie fashion, the mats richly edged,
some with cloath of gold, some with veluet, satten,
and damask.
263
JMORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
The fourteenth and fifteenth, we spent with
giuing of presents. The sixteenth, I concluded
with captain Andassee, captain of the China
quarter here, for his house, to pay ninetie fiue
ryals of eight for the monson of six moneths, he to
repair it at present, and wee to repair it hereafter,
and alter what we pleased : he to furnish all con-
uenient roomes with mats according to the fashion
of the Countrey.
This day our ship was so pestered with people,
as that I was enforced to send to the king for a
guardian to clear them out, many things been
stolne, but I more doubted our owne people, than
the naturals. There came in a Flemming in one
of the Countrey boates, which had been at the
Island 3Iashma, where he had sold good store of
Pepper, broad Cloth, and Elephants teeth, but
would not be aknowne vnto vs to haue sold any
thing, yet brought nothing backe in the boat with
him. But the lapons his waterman told vs the
truth, viz. that he had sold good quantitie of goods
at a Mart there, and returned with barres of siluer,
which they kept very secret.
The one and twentieth, the old King came
aboord againe, and brought with him diuers women
to be frolicke. These women were actors of
comedies, which passe there from iland to iland to
play, as our players doe here from towne to towne,
hauing seuerall shifts of apparrell for the better
264
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
grace of the matter acted ; which for the most part
are of Warre, Loue, and such like.
The twentie ninth, a Soma or lunke of the
Flemmings arriued at Langasaque,^ from Syam,^
laden with Brasill wood and skins of all sorts,
wherein it was said that there were EngUshmeJi,
but proued to be Flevimiiigs. For that before our
comming, the passed generally by the name of
Englishmen; for our English Nation hath been
long known by report among them, but much
scandalled by the Po7^tugals lesuites, as pyrats and
rovers upon the seas ; so that the naturals haue a
song which they call the English Crofonia, shewing
how the English doe take the Spanish ships, which
they (singing) doe act likewise in gesture with their
Cattans by their sides, with which song and acting,
they terrific and skare their children, as the French
sometimes did theirs with the name of the I^ord
Talbot
The first of July, two of our Company happened
to quarrell the one with the other, and were very
likely to haue gone into the field, to the endangering
of vs all. For it is a custome here, that whosoeuer
drawes a weapon in anger, although he doe no
harme therewith, hee is presently cut in peeces :
and doing but small hurt, not only themselues are
so executed, but their whole generation.
1 Nagasaki. ^ Siam.
265
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
The seuenth, the King of the Hand Goto, not
farre from Firando'^ came to visit King Foyne,
saying that he had heard of an excellent English
ship arriiied in his dominions, which he greatly
desired to see, and goe aboord of. King Foyne
intreated me that he might be permitted, for that
hee was an especial friend of his. So he was well
entertained aboord, banqueted, and had diuers
peeces shot off at his departure, which he very
kindly accepted, and told me, that hee should bee
right glad to line to see some of our nation to
come to his Hand, whither they should be heartily
welcome.
The eighth, three laponiaiis were executed, viz.
two men and one women : the cause this ; the
woman none of the honest est (her husband being
trauelled from home) had appointed these two their
seuerall houres to repair vnto her. The latter man
not knowing of the former, and thinking the time
too long, comming in before the houre appointed,
found the first man with her already and enraged
thereat, he whipt out his cattan, and wounded
both of them very sorely, hauing very neere
hewne the chine of the mans back in two. But
as well as he might hee cleared himselfe of
the woman and recouering his cattan," wounded
the other. The street taking notice of the fray,
forthwith seased vpon them, led them aside, and
^ Hirado. ^ A sword.
266
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
acquainted King Foyne therewith, and sent to
know his pleasure, (for according to his will, the
partie is executed) who presently gaue order that
they should cut off their heads : which done, euery
man that listed (as very many did) came to trie the
sharpenesse of their cattans ^ vpon the corps, so that
before they left off, they had hewne them all three
into peeces as small as a mans hand and yet not-
withstanding did not then giue ouer, but placing
the peeces one vpon another, would try how many
of them they could strike through at a blow ; and
the peeces are left to the fowles to deuoure.
The tenth, three more were executed as the
former, for stealing of a woman from Firando,^ and
selling her at Langasacque^ long since, two of them
were brethren, and the other a sharer with them.
When any are to be executed, they are led out of
the towne in this manner : there goeth first one
with a pick-axe, next followeth an other with a
shouell for to make his graue (if that bee permitted
him), the third man beareth a small table whereon
is written the parties offence, which table is after-
wards set vp vpon a post on the graue where he is
buried. The fourth is the partie to be executed,
his hands bound behind him with a silken cord, hau-
ing a litle banner of paper (much resembling our
wind- vanes) whereon is likewise written his offence.
1 Swords. '^ Hirado.
3 Nagasaki.
267
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
The executioner followeth next, with his cattan^
by his side, holding in his hand the cord where-
with the offender is bound. On either side of the
executioner goeth a souldiour with his pike, the
head thereof resting on the shoulder of the partie
appointed to suffer, to skare him from attempting
to escape. In this very manner I saw one led to
execution, who went so resolutely and without all
appearance of feare of death, that I could not but
much admire him, neuer hauing scene the like in
Christen-dome. The offence for which he suffered
was for stealing of a sacke of rice (of the value of
two shillings sixe pence) from his neighbour, whose
house was then on fire.
The nineteenth, the old King Foyne entreated
me for a peece of Poldauis,^ which I sent him ; hee
caused it presently to be made into coates, which
he (notwithstanding that hee was a King, and of
that great age, and famed to be the worthiest
soldiour of all lapan, for his valour and seruice in
the Corea7i warres) did wear next his skinne, and
some part thereof was made into handker chiefes,
which he daily vsed.
The nine and twentieth, M. Adams arriued at
Fh^ando,^ hauing been seuenteene dayes on the
way comming from Sorongo, we hauing staied here
for his comming fortie eight dayes. After I had
1 Sword. 2 Canvas, see page 292.
^ Hirado.
268
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
friendly entertained him, I conferred with him in
the presence of the merchants, touching the in-
couragement hee could giue of trade in these parts.
He answered, that it was not alwaies alike, but
sometime better, somethnes worse, yet doubted
not but we should doe as well as others ; giuing
admirable commendations of the Countrey, as
much affected thereunto.
The third of August 1613, king Foync sent to
know of what bulk our kings present to the Em-
perour was, also what number of people I would
take with me, for that he would prouide accordingly
for my going vp in good fashion both for barke,
horses, and pallanchins.
This day, I caused the presents to be sorted that
were to be giuen to the emperour, and to those of
office and esteeme about him, viz.
£ s. d.
To Ogoshosama,^ the emperour^ to the value of 87 7 6
To Shongosama,^ the emperours sonne . . 43 15
To Corf*Aerfow«,3 the emperours secretarie . 15 17 6
To Saddadona,^ the emperours sonnes secretarie 14 03 4
To Icocora Inga,^ ludge of Meaco . . . 04 10 6
To Fongo dona,*^ admiraW of Orango . . 03 10
To Goto Shozauero, the mintmaster . . 1 1 00
Totall . . .180 03 10
1 lyeyasu. ^ Hidetada.
3 Codskin dono, secretary to lyeyasu.
■* Father of Codskin dono.
^ Chief Justice of Japan.
^' "■ The ould admirall " of Richard Cock.
269
WILLIAM ADAMS: HIS LETTER— IV
[Endorsed : " A vearey Larg Letter wrot from Japan by
William Adams, and sent home in the Cloue, l6l4, touching
of his assistance rendered vnto ye Generall and of enter-
tanemt into the Companies Seruice, Decern. l6l3."]
The Allmightye God by whoum all enterprisses
and purpoosses hau thear full effect be bllessed for
euer. Amen.
Right Woorshipfulls, hauing ssoo just occacion,
I haue imboldned my self allthough unwourth to
writt thees feau vnwourthy lines vnto you : in
which first of all I crau your woorships pardon in
whatt I shall fayll in.
Hauing thorough the prouidenc of God ariued
on of your shipes called the Cloue, being Gennerall
or Captain John Sarris, who at his first ariuall in
the Hand of Ferando ^ sent a letter vnto me, in all
hast to haue me coum to him ; vntill svch tym he
would tarri for me. Ye which so sooun as I had
receued his letter, I made no dellai, being at that
tym at the courte, being distant from the place of
^ Hirado.
270
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
the ships arriuall 250 llegs. So coomming to the
place of the ships ariual, I wass gladly receued of
the Gennerall and Master and all the wholl covm-
pani. At which tym we did enter in to consultacon
what courss was to be taken : the Gennerall making
knowen vnto me that he had brought his Majesti
[«] letter with a preessent for him. Vppon which
for the honner of his Mti.^ and our covntri, both, I
with him thought it good to mak all speed and to
go to the courte for the delliueranc thearof, etc.
I allso entred into speech with him what covmo-
dites he had brought with him : of which he made
all thinges to mee known. So finding that svch
thinges as he had brought wass not veri vendibel ;
I told him, for his arivall I was veri glad theerof,
but in respecte of the ventm- by the wourshipfull
covmpani being so great, I did not see anny wayss
in this land to requit the great charges therof.
My reesson wass, for theer cloth at this pressent
was very cheep, becass both from Nova Spania,
Manilla, and ovt of Holland, which in thees 4 yeers
there caem very mvch : soum sold and verry mvch
vnsold. For oUiphant teeth the Hollanders had
brought aboundanc, that the priss therofF was fallen
very mvch : vppon which occassion the Hollanders
hau transported manny theroff to Siam. Stylle
[steel] in long barres still holding his old prise at
20 crownes the picoll, which is 125/. Inglish wayt,
1 Majesty.
271
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
and sovmtymes being coum worth 3l. 15s. starling.
Leed [lead] holding his priss a llittell mor or less at
25s. and sovmtymes 30s. the picoU. Tin so good
cheep heer as in Ingland, and ordinance not in any
great request : not the picoll abou 30s. and sovm-
tym vnder. For callecovs ^ and fine Cambaya goods ;
not in any request, becass this countri hath abovn-
danc of cotton. Thus for thoos thinges. Now
for peeper and clones. This covntri doth not evs
[use'] verri mvch therof, nor of any other spice :
for which case senc [sincel the trad of the Hollan-
ders which hau brought mvch peper and clones,
that peper the pownd is no more worth then 5d. a
pownd, and sovmtymes less and at the deerest 6d.
and clones at 12d., which is of no proffit to bring
hether. AfFoor tym, when the Spaynard had the
trad with the Jappanners, onlly the peper was at
12d. the L. and clones at 2s. 6d. and 3s. the L. :
now being ouerlayd is verry chep, etc.
Thus hauing confferred heer vppon, the gennerall
mad him self redy to go with me to the court : of
which with all hast prosseeded theerof, etc.
The journey vp to the courte.'^
The seuenth of August, King Foyne furnished
me with a proper galley of his owne rowed with
twentie fine oares on a side, and sixtie men, which
1 Calicoes.
- The following account of the journey is given by Captain
Saris, Adams having omitted the particulars.
272
THE LETTERS OF AVILL ADAMS
I did fit vp in a verie comely manner, with waste
cloathes, ensignes, and all other necessaries, and
hailing taken my leaue of the King, I went and
remained aboord the ship, to set all things in order
before my departure. — Which done, and remem-
brances left with the master and Cape merchant,
for the well gouerning of the ship and house
ashoare during my absence, taking with mee tenne
English, and nine others, besides the former sixtie,
which were only to attend the gallie, I departed
from Firando^ towards the Emperours court.
We were rowed through, and amongst diners
Hands, all of which, or the most part of them,
were well inhabited, and diuers proper townes
builded vpon them ; whereof one called Faccate,
hath a very strong castle, built of free-stone, but
no ordnance nor souldiers therein. It hath a
ditch about hue fathome deepe, and twice as
broad round about it, with a draw bridge, kept
all in very good repaire. I did land and dine
there in the towne, the tyde and wind so strong
against vs, as that we could not passe. The
towne seemed to be as great as London is within
the wals, very wel built, and euen, so as you may
see from the one end of the street to the other.
The place exceedingly peopled, very ciuil and
curteous, only that at our landing, and being
here in Faccate, and so through the whole country,
1 Hirado.
18 273
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
withersoeuer we came the boyes, children, and
worser sort of idle people, would gather about
and follow along after vs, crying Coi^e Core,
Cocore, Wai^e, that is to say, Yo7i Coreans with
false hearts: wondering, hooping, hollowing, and
making such a noise about vs, that we could
scarcel heare one an other speake, sometimes
throwing stones at vs (but that not in many
townes) yet the clamour and crying after vs was
euery where alike, none reprouing them for it.
The best aduice that I can giue those who here-
after shall arriue there, is that they passe on with-
out regarding those idle rahlements, and in so doing,
they shall find their eares only troubled vnth the
noise. All alongst this coast, and so vp to
Ozaca^ we found women diuers, that liued with
their household and family in boats vpon the
water, as in Holland they do the like. These
women would catch fish by diuing, which by net
and lines they missed, and that in eight fat home
depth : their eyes by continuall diuing doe grow
as red as blood, whereby you may know a diuing
woman from all other women.
We were two dales rowing from Firando'^ to
Faccate. About eight or tenne leagues on this
side the straights of Xemina-seque^ we found a
great towne, where there lay in a docke, a iuncke
of eight hundred or a thousand tunnes of burthen,
' Ozaka. 2 Hirado. ^ Shimonoseki.
274
1
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
sheathed all with yron, a guard appointed to keep
her from firing and treachery. She was built in
a very homely fashion, much like that which
describeth Noahs arke vnto vs. The naturals
told vs, that she serued to transport souldiers into
any of the Hands, if rebellion or warre should
happen.
We found nothing extraordinary after we had
passed the straights of Xemina-seque, vntill we
came vnto Ozaca, where we arriued the twenty
seuenth day of August ; our galley could not
come neere the towTie by sixe miles, where
another smaller \'essell met vs, wherein came the
good man or host of the house where we lay in
Ozaca, and brought a banquet with him of wine
and salt fruits to intertaine me. The boat having
a fast made to the mast-head, was drawn by men,
as our barkes are from London westward. We
found Ozaca^ to be a very great towne, as great
as London within the walls, with many faire
timber bridges of a great height, seruing to passe
ouer a riuer there as wide as the Thames at London.
Some faire houses we found there, but not many.
It is one of the chiefe sea-ports of all Japan ; hauing
a castle in it, maruellous large and strong, with
very deepe trenches about it, and many draw
bridges with gates plated with yron. The castle
is built all of free-stone, with bulwarks and
^ Ozaka.
275
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
battlements, with loope holes for smal shot and
arrowes, and diners passages for to cast stones
vpon the assaylants. The walls are at the least
sixe or seuen yards thicke, all (as I said) of free-
stone, without any filling in the inward part with
trumpery, as they reported vnto me. The stones
are great, of an excellent quarry, and are cut so
exactly to fit the place where they are laid, that
no morter is used, but onely earth cast betweene
to fill vp voyd creuises if any be. In this castle
did dwell at our beeing there, the sonne of
Tiquascnmna,^ who being an infant at the time
of his fathers decease, was left to the gouernement
and education of foure, whereof Ogoshosamma,^ the
now Emperour, was one and chiefe. The other
three desirous of soveraigntie each for his particular,
and repulsed by Ogoshosamma, were for their owne
safetie forced to take vp armes, wherein fortune
fauouring Ogoshosamma at the triall in field, two
of them beeing slaine, the third was glad to saue him-
selfe by flight. He beeing conquerour, attempted
that which formerly (as it is thought) hee neuer
dream'd of, and proclaimed himselfe Emperour,
and seazing vpon the true heire, married him vnto
his daughter, as the onely meanes to worke a
perfect reconcilement, confining the young married
couple to line within this castle of Ozaca, attended
onely with such as had been brought vp from their
1 Hideyoshi. ^ lyeyasu.
276
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
cradles by Ogoshosamma, not knowing any other
father (as it were) then him: so that by their
inteUigence he could at all times vnderstand what
passed there, and accordingly rule him.
Riorht ouer against Ozaca,^ on the other side of
the riuer, lyeth another great Towne called Sacay,^
but not so bigge as Ozaca, yet is it a towne of
great trade for all the Hands thereabout.
The eight and twentieth day at night, hauing
left musters and prices of our commodities with
our host, we departed from Ozaca by barke towards
FusJdmi,^ where we ariued.
The nine and twentieth at night we found here
a garrison of three thousand souldiers maintayned
by the emperour, to keepe Miaco* and Ozaca in
subiection. The garrison is shifted euery three
yeares, which change happened to be at our being
there, so that we saw the old bands march away,
and the new enter, in most souldier-hke manner,
marching five a brest, and to euerie ten files an
officer which is called a captain of fiftie, who kept
them continually in verie good order. First, their
shot, viz. calieurs, (for muskets they haue none,
neyther will they vse any), then followed pikes,
next swords or cattans, and targets, then bowes and
arrowes : next those, weapons resembling a Welch-
1 Ozaka. - Nagasakai.
3 A city between Ozaka and Kyoto.
* Miyako, i.e. Kyoto.
277
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
hooke called waggadashes ; then calieuers again,
and so as formerly, without any ensigne or colours :
neyther had they any drummes or other musical
instruments for warre. The first file of the cattans
and targ-ets had siluer scabberds to there cattans,
and the last file which was next to the captain had
their scabberds of gold. The companies consists
of divers numbers, some fine hundred, some three
hundred, some one hundred and fiftie men. In
the midst of euery companie were three horses
very richly trapped, and furnished with sadles, well
set out, some couered with costly furres, some
with veluet, some with stammet broad-cloth,
euery horse had three slaues to attend him, ledde
with silken halters, their eyes couered with leather
couerys. After every troope followed the captaine
on horse backe, his bed and other necessaries were
laid vpon his owne horse, equally peased [poiaed] on
either side. Ouer the same was spread a couering
of redde felt of China, whereupon the captaine did
sit crosse-legged, as if hee had sate betwixt a couple
of panniers : and for those that were ancient or
otherwise weake-backt, they had a staff artificially
fixed unto the pannell, that the rider rest himselfe,
and leane backward against it, as if he were sitting
in a chaire. The captaine generall of this garrison
wee met two dayes after we had met his first
troope, (hauing still in the mean-time met with
some of these companies as we passed along, some-
278
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
times one league, sometimes two leagues distant
one from another.) Hee marched in very great
state, beyond that the others did, (for the second
troope was more richly set out in their armes then
the first : and the third then the second, and so
still euery one better then other, vntill it came
vnto this the last and best of all.) He hunted and
hawked all the way, hauing his owne hounds and
hawkes along with him, the hawkes being hooded
and lured as ours are. His horses for his owne
saddle being sixe in number, richly trapped. Their
horses are not tall, but of the size of our midling
nags, short and well trust, small headed and very full
of mettle, in my opinion farre excelling the Spanish
iennet in pride and stomacke. He had his pallankin
carryed before him, the inside crimson veluet, and
six men appointed to carrie it, two at a time.
Such good order was taken for the passing and
prouiding for, of these three thousand souldiers,
that no man either trauelling or inhabiting vpon
the way where they lodged was any way iniured by
them, but chiefly entertayned them as other their
guests, because they paid for what they tooke, as all
other men did. Euery towne and village vpon the
way being well fitted with cookes and victualling
houses, where they might at an instant haue what
they needed, and dyet themselues from a pennie
Knglisli a meale, to two shillings a meal.
The thirtieth, we were furnished with ninetene
279
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
horse at the emperours charge, to carrie vp our Kings
presents, and those that attended me to Surunga}
I had a pallankin appointed for me, and a spare
horse led by, to ride when I pleased, very well set
out. Sixe men appointed to carrie my pallankin
in plaine and euen ground. But where the
countrey grew hilly, ten men were allowed me
thereto. The guardian whom king Foyne sent
along with vs, did from time to time and place by
warrant, take vp these men and horses to serue
our turnes, as the postmasters doe here in
England: as also lodging at night. According to
the custome of the countrey, I had a slaue
appointed to runne with a pike before mee.
Thus we trauelled vntill the sixth of September,
before we got to Surunga, each day fifteene or
sixteene leagues, of three miles to a league as we
ghessed it. The way for the most part is wonder-
full euen, and where it meeteth with mountaines,
passage is cut through. This way is the mayne
reade of all this countrey, and is for the most part
sandie and grauell ; it is diuided into leagues, and
at euery leagues end are two small hills, viz. of
either side of the way one, and vpon euery one
of them a faire pine tree, trimmed round in fashion
of an arbor. These markes are placed vpon the
way to the end, that the hacknie men, and those
1 I.e., Tsuruga — probably Kamakura (Tsuru-ga-oka) — capital
of Japan 12th-15th cent, then of immense extent.
280
To hack on p. 280.
Totsuka.
Travelliug in Japan in
To hack on p. 281.
r Wir
ftijgf^
/^\
Hosogayo.
"Will Adams's day.
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
which let out horses for hire, should not make
men pay more than their dues, which is about
three pence a league. The roade is exceedingly
trauelled, full of people, euer and anon you meet
with farmes and countrey houses, with villages,
and often with great townes, with ferries ouer
fresh riuers, and many Futtakeasse or Fotoquis,^
which are their temples, scituate in groues and
most pleasantest places for delight of the whole
countrey. The priests that tend thereupon
dwelling about the same, as our friers in old time
planted themselues here in England. When wee
approached any towne, we saw crosses with the
dead bodies of those who had been crucified
thereupon. For crucifying is heere an ordinarie
punishment for most malefactors. Comming neere
Surunga, where the Emperours court is, wee saw
a scaffold with the heads of diners (which had
beene executed) placed thereupon, and by it were
diuers crosses with the dead corpses of those which
had been executed, remayning still vpon them,
and the pieces of others, which after their exe-
cutioners had beene hewen againe and againe by
the triall of others cattans} All which caused a
most vnsauourie passage to vs, that to enter into
Surunga, must needs passe by them.
This citie of Surunga is full as big as London,
with all the suburbs. The handi-crafts men wee
1 Temples, from Hotoke, an idol. '^ Swords.
281
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
found dwelling in the outward parts and skirts of
the towne ; because those that are of the better
sort, dwell in the inward part of the citie, and
will not be annoyed with the rapping, knocking,
and other disturbance that artificers cannot be
without.
WILLIAM ADAMS I HIS LETTER CONTINEWED.
Comming to Meaco ^ [? Osaccd] had the kinge
free hoorsses according to need to goo to the
courte wher the emperour wass : at which plac
of the genneralls arriuall, I made his comming
knowen. So the first day after, being sovmwhat
weery, rested and sovmwhat in fitting of the kinges
pressents. So the next daye following being redy,
the gennerall went to his [the ejnperour's] palles
[palace] : being courteouly receued and bid wel-
coum by the tresvrer and others. So being in the
palles set downe, the gennerall called me and byd
me tell the ssecretari, that the king mati.^ letter he
would delliuer it with his own handes. Vppon
which I went and told ye secretari thearof: at
which he awnsswered, that it was not the covstoum
of the land to delliuer anny letter with the hand
of anny stranger, but that he should keep the
letter in his hand till he cam into the pressence
of the emperor ; and then he would tak it from
him ovt of his handes and delliuer it to the
^ Miyako, i.e. Kyoto. '^ Majesty's.
282
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
emperour. A¥hich awnsser I told the generall
theearof ; at which awnsswer not being contented
cassed me to tell the secretari that yf he myght
not delliuer it himself he would retourn agayne to
his loging. Which second awnsswer I told the
secretari ; the which, not thinking well therof,
was disconted with me in that 1 had nott instruckted
him in the manners and coustoum of all strangers
which had bein yeerly in their covntri ; and made
me again to go to the gennerall : the which I did ;
but the gennerall being verry mvch discontented, it
so rested. At which tym, pressently, the emperour
came fourth, and the gennerall wass brought befoor
him : to whoum the emperour bid him wellcovm
of so weery journy, receuing his mati.^ letter from
the gennerall by the handes of the secritary, etc.
So the generall departed his way, and I was
called in : to whoum the emperor inquired of me
of the kinges mati.^ of Ingland : consserning his
greatnes and poovr [poive?-], with diuers other
questiones which wear to longe to wright. Onlly
at ye last he byd me tell the gennerall, yt what
request he had, yt he should mak it knowen to
me, or to go to his ssecretary ; he should be
a^vnssered : which awnsser I returned to the
gennerall. So the next day folowing the gennerall
went with me to the ssecrettaris hovss, with whoum
he mad known his demandes. The which being
^ Majesty's. ^ Majesty.
28S
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
written wear caried befor the emperor. The which
the emperor reead all his demandes, and hauing
reed them told me that he should hau them.
Hauing much talk with me of his covming, I
told him to settell a factory in his land. He asked
me in what plac. I told him, hereon, 1 did
think not far from his court, or the kinges courtt :
att which he seemed verry glad. And hauing had
mvch speech heer and thear, he asked me if part
of his covming was not for discouer [«'] to farther
partes to the northwestward, or, northwards. I
told him our countri still douth not cees to spend
mvch monny in discoueri thearof. He asked me
whether thear ear nott a way, and whear [? whether']
it wass not verry short, or, neer. I told him we
douted nott but thear is a way, and that veery
neeir ; at which tym called for a mappe of the
wholl world, and so sawe that it wass very neer.
Hauing speechis with me, whether we had no
knolledg of a land lying hard by his countri, on
the north part of his land, called Yedzoo^ and
Mattesmay.' I told him I did neuer see it p\i:
into anny mappe nor gllobe. I told him it myght
bee that the wourshipfull coumpany woould send
soum ship, or other, to discouer. He told me that
^ Yezo, the large northern island of Japan.
2 Matesmaye — Tukuyama, Matsmai, or Matsumai, is a sea-
port, Japan, Yezo, on Tsugaru Strait, S5 miles S.W. by W. of
Hakodate. Population, 1 1,400.— B. H. S.
284
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
in the yeer of our Lord 1611, a ship was seen of
theis cost, on the est syde, in latitude of 38 d.,
or thearabout, whether that wear anny of our
countri ship ? I told him I thought not. He told
me agayn it could be no ship of ye Spaynnards
going for Novo Spania : ^ for this ship was seen in
Apprill, which tym no ship goeth not from the
Manillieus [3Ianillas]. He asked me yf I did
deesir to go that waye. I told hym, yf the
wourshippful coumpanie should dessir svch a thing,
I would willingly ymploy my self in svch an
honorabell accion. He told me yf I did go, he
would geue [^vel me his letter of frind ship to
the land of Yedzoo, whear his subiects haue
frindship, hauing a stronge towne and a castell :
thorough which menes haue 30 dayes joourney
frindship with thoos pepell ; which peopell be,
as I do gather, Tartares joyning to the Cam,^ or
borders of Cattay.^ Now in my sympel iudgment,
yf the northwest passag be euer discouered, it
wilbe discouered, by this way of Japan ; and so
thuss, with diuers other speechis most frindli
evsed [used], I toouk [took] my leaue of him.
So the next day folowing, the gennerall mad
him self reddy to go for Quanto,* a province so
called, whear the kinge, the emperors eldest sonn,
is ressident, being distant from the emperours
^ See above, page 230. ^ Tartary.
3 China (Cathay). ^ Hakone^ see above, page 226.
28.5
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
court soum 42 Ueagues. To which place we went,
hauing in 4 or 5 dayes finnissed according to ye
coustoum of the land, the gennerall being verri
well entertayned. So returned to the emperors
courte agayne. At which place receuing the
emperours commission and priuileges, mad our
retourn for Ferrando/
Now consserning my self. Hauing dispached
the gennerall bysiness, I did seek vnto the counsell
to speak in my behalf, to get leeau [leave] to go
hoom for my covntri ; but the ssecretari, with no
other, would not speak for my liberty to goo for
my country, knowing that I have diuers tymes
mad [7^equest] and he would not let me goo. So
I neuertheless mad my selfe soumwhat bold.
Finding the emperour in a good moud [i?iood], I
took out of my boussom his broode seeall, cons-
serning certtain lands, and layed it doum beefore
him, geuing his mati." most hvmbell thankes for
his great fauor vnto mee, dessiring leaue to go for
my countri. At which request he looked ernestli
\^pon mee, and asked me yf I wass dessirrovs to
go for my country ? I awnssered, most dessirovs.
He awnssered, yf he should dettain me, he should
do me wrong ; in so mvch, that in his seruis I had
behaued my self well, with manny other woourds
of coummendacions, the which I leaue. So I thank
God got my lyberty ovt of my long and evill sarues
1 Hirado. ^ Majesty.
286
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
[sej^vice]. With his toouk my leau of him, bidding
me yf I did not think well of going this yeear, I
should tarry tell other shipping came, and go as
I wovld : telling me yt. yf I came vp into the
countri to bring sertain goodes which he named.
So thuss, I thank God, being not littell joyfFul
retvrned with the gennerall to Ferrando,^ whear
the shipp wasse, etc.
So about a 15 dayes of my abod in Ferrando,
it was the gennerall plleasur to call for mee, the
cape marchant with others bein in pressenc, hauing
wrytten cartain lynes vppon a sid of paper, calling
me to [? an ac] count, and to know of mee what
my intent wass, whether I would go hom with him,
or tarry heer in this countri. I awnsswered him
my desir wass to go houm to my countri. He
asked me, now with him or no ; I awnssered him,
I had spent in this countri mani yeares, thorov
which I wass poour : for which cass I wass dessir-
rouss to get soumthing befor my retourn. The
reason I would not go with him wass for dyuers
injerues [? injurious things'] doun against me veri
Strang and vnloked for, which thinges were wrytt
I ceass, leuing it to others to mak rellacion thereof.
He asked me yf I would serue the coumpani. I
awnssered, yees, veri willing. He asked me on
what condisscion, whether I would tak the 20/. of
grattis which the wourshipfuU coumpany had lent
^ Hirado.
287
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
my wyfe, and stand to their courtessi. First, I
do most hvmbly thank the wourshipfull company
for this deed of Christian charrit in the lending of
my poour wyff the 20/. If euer I be abell I will
mak sattisfaxcion for the proffit therof, and for the
principall hau heer mad sattisfaxcion to gennerall
John Sarris, taking the byll of exchang, which
diuers of my good frinds had giuen their wourds
for payment therof hauing theear hands firmed,
and I thank all myghti God, that hath geuen me
abilliti to mak payment therof. The tym wass
manny yeares in this covntri, I hau not bin mr.^
of 20^. I awnswered, yf I weer in pressenc of the
wourship. coumpani, I would stand to anny thing
they should think good of; bvt in this plac, was
willing to haue soum sartanty. He still vrged mee
with the 20/. lent to my wyfF of grattis, and stand
to the coumpanis good will. I awnssered as at the
first, again. Theay asked me what I would for a
yeare. I told him, I hau neuer bin hired by the
yeear, but by the month. He told me the coumpani
did not hire anny man by the monneth, but by the
yeear. I told him, I wass not willing to go by the
yeer, but by the monnth. He asked me what I
would ask a moneth. I told him of strangers by
whoum I hau bin imployed did geu mee 15/. the
monnth, but I demanded 12/. the month. Vppon
demand, he bade mee go ovt of the chamber a littell
1 Master.
288
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
whill, and he would call me again. So I went away,
and a littell whill afterward he called me again, and
asked me yf I wass ressolued. I told him as at
the first. So he bad mee the yeer 80/. I told
him again, I would not. So in the end I told
him not vnder 10/. the monnth, I would not serue,
alledging I wass vnwilling to pvt the coumpany to
svch a great charge, becass I did not see in Japan
anny proffit to be mad to quit svch great wages,
but rather to be free, for in respect of bennifit I
had diuers mens [inecms] ofered me, to be mor to
my proffit, which the gennerall knew of : dessiring
ye gennerall to let me be free, and to tak other
orders, which weear for my furtheranc ; and not
to be heer imployed, whear I saw no proffit coum
in. Thus in the end, he proffited [? p?^qffhrd~\ me
80/. and the 20/. geuen mee free which wass lent my
wyfF. I awnser him, no. So lett me dept. till the
next day, at which tym I promissed to geu him a
ressolut awnsser. So the next day, in the morning,
sent for me again, [asking] whether I was ressolued.
I sayd ass afFor. So he awnssered me, I did exact
vppon them to hau them to geu mee what I list.
I told him again my mening was not so for I could
better my selfe a great dell more, onlly I wass not
willing to searue, where, by my sarues I could not
win so mvch for my masters, for which cass onlly
and nothing ells. So demanding me still ernestly,
proffered me 100/. the yeer; the which, in cons-
19 289
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
sideracion I would not geu discontentment, but
granted vnto it. So vppon this he did aske me
how I would be paid it. I told him, heer in Japan.
He said, none in his ship did receue not aboue a
3 pt befFor he cam hom : at which I awnssered, it
might be so, bvt my cass was otherwyss, for I haue
promyssed my sserues [service] no longer but svch
tym as God shall send the Clone in to Ingland, or
awnsser of her ariual, and return of the wourshipfull
companis awnsser, whether they will discouer to
the norwest, or not. Thear for, for me tarry so
longe, and not to receu [receive'] no wages heir, I
would not mayntain my self with aparill and ex-
pences, with ovt receuing soom monny to mayntain
my self in credit and clothes. So I agreed : which
God grant his blessing vppon my labors, that I
may be a proffitabell saruant Mito your wourship :
which I hop in all myghti God I shalbe, etc.
Now consserning this discouerie to the norward.
Yf it stand with your wourshipps liking, in my
judgment neuer hath bin better menes to discouer.
My ressons : First, this Kingdoum of Japan, with
whom we hav frindship : the emperador hath pro-
myssed his assistance to you, his letter of frindship
to the countri of Yedzoo ^ and Matesmaye,^ whear
his subiects are ressident. Secondly, langwiges,
that can speak the Corea and Tartar langwage,
for Japan langedge not to be reckined. For
^ Yezo. 2 S(;g note, page 284.
290
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
shipping: yf your wourship send not, yet you
may hau bylded, or cass to be bylded svch shipes
or pinnces necessary for svch discoueri with lesse
charges. Things ar heer good cheep, as tymber,
plank, irroun, hemp, and carpenteres : only tarre
heer is none ; rosen annouf, but verry deer. Thees
thinges I hau experienc of, becass I hau byllt 2
shipes in this country for the emperor : the on of
them sold to the Spaynnard vppon occacion, and
the other I sayld in my selfF vppon dyuers voyages
uppon this cost. Now, the on of them that wass
sold to the Spaynnards, wass vppon this occassion :
that a great ship of 1000 tovnes, which cam from
ye Manilia, which was cast away vppon this cost,
whear in was the gouernor of Manilia, to whoum
the emperor lent hir to carry him to Akapulca,^ a
place in Nova Spaynia ; '^ which ship theay found so
good as theay neuer returned agayn, butt sent so
mvch monny ass shee was wourth, and afterwards
wass imployed in the vyages from Nova Spaynia'^
to the Phillipines. Sso that neuertheless by my
profession I am no shippwright, yet I hop to make
svch shipping as shalbe necessary for army svch
discouery. Now men to sayll with only excepted,
the peopell are not acquaynted with our manner.
Therfor, yf your wourshipps hau anny svch pvrposs,
send me good marriners l7iavigators'] to sayll with ;
and yf you send but 15 or 20, or leess, it is no
1 Acapulco, in Mexico. ^ See page 230.
291
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
matter, for the peopell of this land are verri stoutt
seea men, and in what way I shall go in, I can hau
so manny as I will. Now for vytelling. Heir is
in this land annouf and svch plenty, and so good
cheep, as is in Ingland, as thoss who haue bin heer
can satisfi your wourshipp therin. So that I say
agayn, the wantes be coordish [cordagey pouldaues
[canvas~\, and tarr, pich, or rossen, and coumpasses,
rounning [hou?^'] glasses, a payr of gllobes for de-
monstracion, and soum cardes [charts'] or mapes
contayning the whoU world. Thees thinges yf
your wourship do furnish me with, you shall find
me not neglegent in svch an honorabell surues
[service^ : by God's grace. Thus mvch I had
thought good to wrytt to your wourshipp, being
soumwhat longe in making the particuUers apparent
of this discource ; which discource, I do trust in all
myghti God, should be on of the most famost that
euer hath bin, etc.
Now conserning the great kindnes which your
wourshipps hath shewed to me, in lending my wyf
monny. I do stiU crau your wourship coumpassion.
What monny your wourship shall lend, by God's
grace I will mak svch sattisfaccion as shalbe to
your dessir. Thearfor, I do again intreat your
wourshipes to lend my wyf 30/. or 40/., tell it
be the will of God I coum hoom ; and eyther
^ Poledavy — Pol-da-vi ; also polidavie, polldavy, pouldavies^
poldway, etc. Origin obscure = a coarse linen. — B. H. S.
292
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
heer to pay it, or els wher, as you command
me, etc.
I do embolden my self to coummend me vnto
your wourshipes : praying God all myghty to bless
your wourship with continewance of his grace, in
health and prosperitie ; and in the lyf to coum
euerlasting feliciti. Amen.
By your vnwourth saruant and vnknown fFrind,
yeat faythfvU to command tell death.
William Addames.
293
APPENDIX TO LETTER No. IV
THE CONTRACT MADE WITH CAPT. WILLIAM
ADAMS, AT FIRANDO, IN JAPON, THE 24TH
OF NOVEMBER, 1613.
WHEREAS ye. R. honourable compayne, ye.
marchants of London trading [into] ye. East
Indyes, of there greate lone and affection to you
Capt. Addams haue appointed and set out this
shipp called ye. Clone pr. Japan ; bilding there
hoopes vppone ye. foundation of your long
experyence in these partes, for the settling of a
benyficiall fFactorye. And hauing since my
arriuall not onlye obteyned ye. emperor's grant
with large priualiges for ye. same, but also
procured your freedome, which, till this present,
could not be obteyned. IT now resteth what
course you will take ; wheather to retorne for
your countery or remaine heare ye. companyes
servant, in what manner you hould your selfe best
able to doe them seruice : what sallory you will
haue ; and in what manner to be paid. Viz. to
294
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
haue the 20/. pr. exchange imprested vnto you,
and to stand to ye. curtesie of ye. companye for
further guirdon, or to com to a sertaine agreement
pr. such a some as my selfe and ye. fFactors
appointed to staye heare shall thinke fitting, till
advize out of England. And hearin I intreate you
chearfullye to diliuere your resolution to each
pointe : for yt. the tyme of yeare inforseth my
departure. And I should be heartalye sorrye yf
in what I may giue you content, there should
happen the leaste defect.
WHERVNTO he made answer, that his desyre
is to goe home for his native contrey of England,
but not in this shipp : only his stayinge is for a
certen tyme to get somthing, hauing hetherto
spent his tyme soe many yeares in vayne, and wold
not now goe home with an emptie purse. And
that he is willinge to do the companye the best
service he can in any thinge he may serue them in,
eather pr. sea or land, to the benyfit of the English
fFactory in Japon, or else wheare, as shall be
thought fyting by the Counsell of the English
fFactors their [there] resident, vntill the retorne of
the next shipp, or ships after the certen news of
the Clones arivall in England. Yet is not willinge
to take the 20/. empresse before mentioned, and to
stand to the wourshipfuU companeyes courtsie for
the rest ; but rather to com to agreement now,
that he should hau to stand vpon a certentie.
295
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
And demanded twelue pownds str. per moneth :
sayinge, the Fflemynge did geue hym fyfteene
pownd, when they first emploid hym into these
ptes ; and herevpon went forth ; wilhng the
Generall and rest, that they should bethinke them
selues : for yf they wolde not geue him soe much,
theare were others that wold ; and therefore wished
them not to be his hindrance. And soon after
retorninge, our Generall ofFred hym fFowre-skore
pownd a yeare. But he answered, that vnder one
hvndred and twenty pownds per anno, he wold not.
Then he was offred to haue the 20/. lent to his
wife geuen gratis, besids the 80/. per anno. But
he stood still to his formeir offer of 120/. per anno. ;
and soe departed, wishing vs to bethink our selves
better, till the morrow morning. At which tyme
the Cownsell afForsaid beinge assembled againe,
Capt. Adams, beinge present, was of his owne good
will, contented to be entertayned into the wourship-
full companyes service for the stipend, or salleiy,
of one hvndred pownds str. pr. yeare, to be paid at
the end of two yeares, or, at such tyme as news
shall com out of England of the arivall of the
Clone pr. any one ship ; Only in the meane tyme
his desire was, that yf he stood in neede of twentie
pownd str. to lay out in aparell, or any other
necessaries, that he might be furnished therewith.
AND SOE IX IVirXESSE of the truth, he
hath herevnto put his hand and scale, promesinge
296
\
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
not to vse any trade for his owne private benefytt
per sea or land, to be preiudtiall to the benefytt of
the Company. Dated at Firmido in Japon, the
2Uh day of November, 1613.
By me W. A. ADDAM. [l.s.]
Sealed and dd. in the putes [?] of us
RICH COCK.
TEMPEST PEA COCK.
RICHARDE WICKHAM.
This agreement with Mr. Addams, was made with
the consent of vs. Richard Cock, Tempest Peacock,
and Rich. Wickham, whose names are aboue written
for witnesses.
297
LETTER No. V
There is a second letter from William Adams,
dated in December 1613, but to whom addressed
is not apparent. It is a faithfril epitome of the
" vearey larg " letter before given : and there are
only three portions that need be cited : viz. i. As
to the vessel first lent to, and eventually purchased
by, the Governor-General of the Philippine Islands :
II. As to Adams continuing i?i Japon: iii. The
conclusion.
I.
I my seelf hau bylt 2 shipes in Jappan, the on [e],
by occassion sold to the Spajninards, went for
Nova Spania. Which ship, on [e] viage vppon
this cost I mad with her : being of burden 170
tovnes.
II.
Your woourship shall vnderstand I had thought
to a coum hom in the Clone, but by som
discovrtissis ofFred me by the generall, changed
my mind : which injuries to wryt of them I lean ;
298
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
leauing to others, God sending the ship horn, to
mak rellacion.
III.
Senc the tym I saw your wourship, I hau passed
great misseries and trowbells. God hau the prayss
to whoum it douth belonge, that hath dehuered
me ovt of them all. To writt of the partieullers,
it wear for me very longe, thearfor, in short, I leau
the rehearsall tell further tym. Thus, with my
most harty and humbell sallutacions, to you and
to your good wyf, I seeas [cease~\ ; dessiring your
wourship to sallut me to Sr. Thomass Smyth, and
tell him on my behalf, he shall find me in his servis,
so trusti as euer faithfull Inglish man, that euer
hath serued the coumpany. And as consserning
the afFares in Jappan, let him tak no cair [ca?-e'\.
His factory is so saf ; and so sver [sure] his goods,
as in his own houss. This I dare insver so long as
I do lyue. And whatsoeuer the wourshipfull
company shall have need in Japan, it shalbe
accompHshed. This I dare insver: for the
emperour and the kinge hath mad me such
promis, which I do know shalbe accovmplished.
I pray you sallut me vnto my good frind Mr.
William Bourrall, shipwryt, who I heer is on of
the company : whous good kindnes hath bynn to
my pour wyf, in speking to lend her the forsayd
20/. [? o/] which, I thank God [? /], hau heer
299
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
mad payment : and I pray him in my behalf still
to continew his Christian loue and pitty, which
without dowt God will reward. I pray remember
my humbell dvtty to my good Mr. Nicholass
Diggens, and thank him for his great former loue
to me, etc.
Thuss hauing no tym, I cess, covmmend ing you
with yours to the protexion of God : who bless
your wourship in this lyf; and in the world to
covm euerlasting lyfe. Amen.
By your unwourthy frind and seruant
to coMnmand,
Wm. Addames.
Yf you send for Japan anny shipping: that
present that shalbe sent to the emperour in it,
lette them send soom Rousse [Hussianl glass of
the gretest sort : so mvch as may glasse him a
rowm of 2 fadoom 4 squar, and what fine lames
[lambs'] skenes [skins'], [? you will], and 2 or 3 peces
of fyne hoUand, yf it be more I leau it to your
discression : with 3 or 4 payr of spaktakle glasses.
And for marchandis, he deessired to haue soum
1000 barres of steill 4 squar, in length sovm 8 or
9 foout ; which goods the Hollanders haue brought
and sold to the emperour at 51. starling the picoU,
which is Inglish waight 125 powndes.
Wm. Addames.
300
THE I.ETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
Observations
Probably under the impression that he had been
overreached by Adams in regard to the terms of
his engagement with the Company, Captain Saris
may have exhibited some discourtesies: since in
the document, designated a " Rememhrancer which
he left for the guidance of Captain Cock in the
management of the factory, the following dis-
paraging remarks occur, viz., " And for Mr. Adams
he is onlye fittinge to be mr.^ of the junke, and
to be vsed as linguist at corte, when you have
no imployment pr. hym at sea. It is necessarye
you stirr hym, his condition being well knowne
vnto you as to my selfe : otherwayes you shall hau
littell seruice of hym, the countrye ofFording great
libertye, wheare vnto he is mvch affected. The
forsed agi'eement I haue made with hym as you
know could not be eschudd, ye. Flemmings and
Spaniards making false proffers of great intertayne-
ment, and hym selfe more affected to them then
his owne natyon, we holye destitute of language.
.... You shall not need to sende for anye
farther order to ye Emperour for the setting out
of the junke [iritended to proceed to Siam], it being
an article granted in the charter, as by the coppie
thereof in English left with you will appeare. Yet
will Mr. Adams tell you that he cannot departe
without a Hcence, which will not be granted except
1 Master.
301
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
he go vp. Beleue him not ; neither neglect that
busines : for his wish is but to haue the coumpanye
bear his charges to his wife [meaning his native
wife, who i^esided on the property granted to him by
the Emperor, on the way to the court]. Yet rather
then that he shall leaue you, and bitake himself to
the Spaniards, or Fflemmings, you must make a
vertue of necessitye, and let hym go."^
In all this, Captain Saris was wrong and unjust.
I. William Adams did not need stirring. After an
experience of twelve months, Captain Cock states :
^ Captain Cock to the Gour, etc. of the E. I. Co, 25 Novr, l6l4.
The Cape Merchant, on a subsequent occasion, bears testimony
to the tractability of William Adams in the following words :
" Mr. Wickham, I praye you haue a good care to geve Captain
Adams content, which you may easilye doe yf you vse hym with
kynde speeches, and fall not into termes with hjTU vpon any
argvment. I am perswaded I could lyve with hym 7 yeares
before any extraordenary speeches should happen betwixt vs."
Cock to Wickham, proceeding to his station at Soronogo ^ and Edo,
Jan. 161 3-] 4 E. I. Mss.). Some months afterwards, the Cape
Merchant recurs to the subject, and concludes his admonition to
Mr. Wickham, with the following sensible remark : '' Fap-e
words are as soon spoaken as fowle, and cause a man to pass
thorow the world as well amongst fowes as frinds." {From the
same to the same, proceeding with Adams to Siam, 25 Nov. l6l4.
E. I. Mss.). From various passages in Captain Cock's Diary, Mr.
Wickham appears to have been somewhat " humoursome," and
apt to "fall into termes" with his associates, especially when he
had "pottle in pate."
1 Sorongo — Suruga, gulf, Japan, Honshiu, east coast, in 34'
40'-35° 10' N. ; also Suruga, a kuni or old province, now in
Shizuoka ken, Japan. — B. H. S. But see note on page 208 in
favour of Kamakura. — D. S.
302
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
" I finde the man very tractable, and willinge to do
your wourship the best seruis he can, and hath taken
great paine about repairing our juncke, the Sea
Adventure, otherwayes she would not haue byn
ready to haue made the Syam voyage this yeare."
II. It is not to be assumed that any offers made by
the Flemmings and Spaniai^ds to Williavi Adams
were not bond fide. The Flemings had had too
much experience of the value of his good offices,
not to be solicitous to secure the continuance of
his services.^ The Spaniards had had too much
experience of the effects of his opposition to their
views, not to be desirous of cultivating his good-
will.^ Both parties were perfectly aware of his
ready access to the presence,^ and of the influence
he exercised over the Emperor : which was fully de-
monstrated by the extensive privileges he obtained
1 The good offices rendered by Adams to the Flemings, which
were the chief means of their becoming estaWished in the
Empire, are detailed at length by Charlevoix (t. iv, p. 125, and
pp. 258 and 264), who prefaces his narrative with the following
remark : " Le Pilote Anglois, Guillaume Adains, qui etoit homme de
merite, s'introduisit a la cour de Surunga si bien, qu'il y devint en
quelque sort le favori du souverain."
2 Charlevoix (t. iv, p. 292) observes : " Ce Pilote disservit
d'une maniere cruelle les Espagnols, et tous les Chretiens " ; i.e.
in the phraseology of Captain Cock, the Romish Christians ; and
cites instances. This is also the case with Ca/;<. Cock.
3 " The truth is, the emperour esteemeth hym mvch, and he
may goe and speake with hym at all tymes, when kynges and
princes are kept ovt." {Cock to the Gouernour, etc. of the Company,
25 Feb. 1615-14, EI. Mss.)
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
for the English : " such as the Portuguese, even at
the time of their highest interest with the Japonese,
were unable to procure on any terms whatever."^
III. Adams did not pi'ove himself more affected to
the Flemings and Spaniards than to his own nation.
There is not an instance to be found in Captain
Cock's Diary of Adams having afforded any
assistance to the Flemings, except when their
interests and those of his own nation were identical.
Of his disposition towards the Spaniards, enough
has been said. In fact, Adams nobly redeemed
the pledge he gave to Sir Thomas Smith, that he
should find him " so trusti as ever faithful Inglish-
man, that euer hath serued the coumpany." He
was staunch to his countrymen, resisting alike
the overtures of the Flemings, the Spaniards and
the Japonese.'^ ia. Adams did not pretend it was
1 Scheuchzer. Introduction to Kcempfers Hist, of Japan, page
xlix. Also Charlevoix, t. iv, p. 291,
2 " Thus much Captain Adams tould me. Also that the
emperour gaue hym councell not to seale \sair\ in Japan jonks
in noe voyage, but rather stay in Japan ; that yf the stipend he
had geuen hym were not svffitient, he would geve him more.
But he answered, his word was passed, and therefore yf he
performed not his word, yt would be a dishonour vnto hym."
Captain Cock tested the sincerity of Captain Adams' professions.
The Cape Merchant proceeds to say : " Yet, truly, at his
retorne to Firando, I offered to hau quit hym of his promis, and
to hau sent hym to Edo, to be neare the emperour vpon all
occations. Yet would he not be perswaded therevnto." {Cock
to the Gouernour, etc., dated 25th of Febraury, l6f|. E. I. Mss.)
On another occasion it is reported : " And being at court, the
304
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
necessary to go up to the Court to obtain a license
for the junk to proceed to Syam ; and he did not go
up to the Court before the junk sailed, either that the
Company might bear the expenses of a visit from
him to his wife, or for any other purpose. As
before stated, he was usefully and zealously engaged
in fitting up the junk ; and when the vessel was
ready for sea, he sailed in her forthwith.
The generall was also wrong in another particu-
lar : the extent of the privileges conferred on the
Enghsh by the " charter." Captain Cock corrects
the error into which he had fallen in the following
terms : " Neither can we set out any junke, with-
out procuring the yearely license of the Emperour :
otherwise no Japon mariner dare go out of Japon
vpon paine of death, only our owne shippes from
England may come in and goe out again when they
will, and no man gain-say it."
admerall of the sea was very ernest with Mr. Wm. Adams, to
haue hym pilot of a voyage they pretended to the northward,
to haue made conquest of certen islands (as they said) rich in
gould ; but Captain Adams exkewsed hym selfe, in that he was
in your worship's seruice, and so put hym ofe." {Cock to the
Gouernour, etc. of the Company, dated 1st of January, l6^f. E.
I. Mss.)
20 305
LETTER No. VI
To the hounarabell Sir Thomas Smyth, knight,
gouernour of the Est Indes Coumpani^ in
Loundoun. Per JMr. [....], whoum God
presserue.
Wi^itten in Firando in the kingdom of Japon, the
14 ofJeniievari [1616-17].
Right wourshipfull Sir, finding my self altogether
imwourthy to writt vnto your wourship, yeet lest
you should condemn mee of ingratitude, I have
imboldened my self to writt theis few lines to gev
your wourship to \Tiderstand how for the space of
three yeeares I hau byn ymploied by your woorship
Cape Marchant, Mr. Richard Cock, 2 viages for
Siam, etc. In the yeare of our Lord 1615, 2 dayes
after my departure from Firando a most grieuous
storme took me, called a horicane, of violent wdnd,
by which I was in great danger to looss both hues,
ship and goods for the space of three daies, baylling
in 4 rooumes,^ hauing with mee at that tyme of
^ East India Company. ^ Compartments.
306
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
officers, marriners, merchants and passingers [ ?
some'] 40 sooiiles ; the which being wearied with a
long storm, could not longer enduer it ; but the
principall of them cam to mee and held vp ther
handes praying mee to do my best to saue ther liues.
Now at this pressent I had 2 of your woorship
saruants, the one called INIr. Richard Wickham,
who for the pressent viage wass Cape Marchant,
the other called Edmon Sarris, his assistant : to
which twoo I made the complaynt of our men
knowen, whoo allso seeinge the great extremiti wee
were in, dessired mee the like. The which thing
greved me not a littell (being not aboue 20 lleags
from the cost of China) to go for China, beinge
most bitter ennemys to the Japanners (thear wee
could not trym our ship) : that I wass fayne to take
an other cours, and derectted my courss for sartayne
Hands called the Leques,^ which through the bless-
ing of God 3 dayes aftere arriued in safFetie, to all
our great reioycing : for which God be praysed for
euer. Now in theese ilands, wee found maruelous
great frindship : for both generous [ ? people of rank]
and ordenari peopell frindly. But in conclusion,
beefor wee could vnlade our ship, tak out our mast,
and trym her agayn, the monsson was past, that
wee could not prossed of our voyage : but in the
end returned for Japan agayne.
Now in the yeere of our Lord 1617 [ ? 1616],
1 Loo Choo or Riu Kiu Islands.
307
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
hauing tiymed our ship, agayne prosseeded for
Siam, and thorough the fauour of God mad a
prosperoose vyage ; and at my returne to Japan
I found 2 ships arriued abought 15 days bifFor mee,
the on called the Thomas, the other the Advice : of
which I wass most joyfull to see.
So pressently of my arriuall, the Cape Marchant
was reddie to go to the court, hauing way ted sartain
dayes in hoop of my couming. So within 5 daies
of my arriuall, according to wind and wether
departed, and went with the Cape Marchant befFor
the Emperour, with which in 5 daies deUiuered his
pressent. So hauing delliuerd his pressent, 2
dayes after sent me to the country to procure those
things which he required, which was the renewall of
the old Emperour's priuliges [^privileges] with a
gowshon [license] for his juncke for Siam: which
things were granted with all kinde speeches, but
in conclusion were not performed ; as afterwards
appeared. For hauing taken his leaue of the court,
and being bovnd to INIeaco, by the way coummeth
an express with letters from Mr. Richard Wickham
from Meaco,^ with letters how that all strangers
good was forbiden to make sale of any, and that
covmmandment was geuen to all marchants that
were strangers, should go for Firando ' and Langa-
sacki.^ Vppon which strange newes, the Cape
Marchant, Mr. Cock, thought it is necessary to go
1 Miyako, i.e. Kyoto. ^ Hirado. ^ Nagasaki.
308
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
to the court agayne, to know the oceasione, and to
see yf he could remedy it. So returned to the
court agayne, and evsed me as his messenger therein.
And returning examined agayne his coummission,
or priulleges ; and indeed found an artikell altered :
which wass, that in the old Emperour, his priulleges,
thorough his whool domynions, our Inglish factori
might trad \_trade~\, by [^niy] or sell, wher they
thought good, in thease new priulleges weare
granted but in two pllaces, which m eare nomynated,
that was in Firando ^ and Langasachi.^ So about
this byssiness, Mr. Cock hath taken no small care
to a reformed it. So I beinge daylie ymploied
in his byssiness, could not get it reiFormed ;
but in fyne this generall awnsswer, that wass :
that this wass the first yeare of the Emperour's
raign, and as his eddict wass gone all ouere
Japan, it was not a thing pressently to be called
back agayne ; that wee should be content till
next yeear, at which tyme request being mad by
those that shall coum vp to geue the pressent,
doutted not but it should be geuen. So with his
absolut awnsser, the Cape Marchant returned to
Meaco.^ Ther dispaching svch bissiness as he had
to do, returned to the shipping in Firando, with
svch factoris as weear aboue.
Now your woorship shall v^nderstand the casse
^ Hirado. 2 Nagasaki.
^ Miyako, i.e. Kyoto.
309
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
[cause] of thees things as followeth. In the yeear
of our Lord 1615 heer was great warres : for
Qiiambaccodono [i.e. Faociha, or, Taico Sama'^] a
two yeears before his deth had a ssoone, which vntill
this [....] beeing the 24 yeare of his age, and
hauing aboundance of riches, thought him selfe
strong with [••.•] diuers nobles to a rooss [?]
with him, which was great Ukly. Hee mad warres
with the Emperour [..••], allso by the Jessvits
and Ffriers, which mad his man Fiddayat Samma^
belleeue be should be fauord with mirrackles and
wounders ; but in fyne it proued to the contrari.
For the old Emperour [••..], against him
pressentUy, maketh his forces reddy by sea and land,
and compasseth his castell that he was in ; although
with loss of multitudes on both sides, yet in the
end rasseth the castell walles, setteth it on fyre, and
burnetii hym in it. Thus ended the warres. Now
the Emperour heering of thees jess vets and friers
being in the kastell with his ennemis, and still froin
tym to tym against hym, coummandeth all
romische sorte of men to depart ovt of his countri,
thear churches puUd dooum, and burned. This
folowed in the old Emperour's dales. Now this
yeear, 1616, the old Emperour he did [died]. His
son raigneth in his place, and hee is more hot
1 Hideyoshi.
2 Fidaia Sanaa, i.e. Hideyori, the son of Hideyoshi. — Maunde
Thompson.
310
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAJNIS
agaynste the romish relligion then his ffather wass :
for he hath forbidden thorough all his domynions,
on paine of deth, none of his subiects to be romish
christiane; which romish seckt to prevent eueri
wayes that he maye, he hath forbidden that no
stranger merchant shall abid in any of the great
citties. On svch pretence many jessvets and fFriers
might seket [? in secret] teach the romissh relligion.
Thees are the casses of our Inghsh ffactori, and
all other strangers are not suffred abou in the
countri.
Now consserning my owne part, your wourshipp
shall vnderstand I am this yeear bound to Coche
China: yf my God will permitt me. Thees
ressones hath mad mee tak it in hand. 3 yeers past
your Cape merchant, Mr. Richard Cock, sent a
ffactori thether, but men nor good returned not;
as the report on of them killed thear, and the other
couming from Japan cast awaye. Now my selfe
being no waye abell to mak that my hart dessu-eth,
of anny satisfticion for your wourshipps great
kindnes to my poor wyf hi my absenc, and allsso,
heer in Japan, your woorship ffiictor JNlr. Richard
Cock, his lou and most frindly afFaction ; I say
hath mad mee tak this joorney in hand, to see yf
by my menes I can get thooss priuelleges wherby
your woorship may get a free trad or ffactori
agayne; and alsso to know by what menes Mr.
Pecock lost hys lyf IMr. Cock had thought to a
311
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
sent Mr. Wm. Nellson with mee, but hauing svch
need of his pressence, that indeed hee could not
miss bym. A'^ppon which occacion I go my selfe
alloun, desiring the protexion and favor of all
mightie God heer in.
Thus being vnwoorthy, I hau imboldened my
selfe to wryt thees feaw lines to let your woorship
to vnderstand of the trowbelles of thees parts in
brif : only knowing assvredly Mr. Cock hath moost
largly wrott your woorship of all matters. Therfor,
this pressent my hvmbell devtye remembred, I
ceess : praying God for your woorship longe lyf
and moost happi daies ; and in the lyf to covm
euerlasting felliciti for euer. Amen.
Your woorship vnwoorthy saruant to comand in
all dutifull sarvis that I cann,
Wm. Addams.
Conclusion
The foregoing is the last communication from
William Adams that has been preserved, if any
other were sent. The two following extracts
have each an interest, but of a totally dissimilar
character. One represents Adams in his prosperity,
an object of honour and esteem : the other an-
nounces the occurrence of " the last scene of all " ;
the termination of the singular career of this
312
THE LETTERS OF WILL ADAMS
*' homme de meritcj^ as justice forced an antagonist
to term him.
In 1616, Captain Cock went up to Edo^ about
the "Privileges." In his Diary, under date the
26th of September, narrating the circumstances con-
nected with his return, he states : " We departed
towards Orengava this morning abt. 10 a clock,
and arived at Phebe ^ some 2 houres before night,
where we staid all that night: for that Captain
Adames wife and his two children met vs theare.
This Phebe is a Lordshipp geuen to Capt. Adames
pr. the ould Emperour, to hym and his for eaver,
and confermed to his sonne, called Joseph. There
is above 100 farms, or howsholds, vppon it, besides
others vnder them, all which are his vassalls, and
he hath power of lyfe and death ouer them : they
being his slaues ; and he hauing as absolute
authoretie over them as any tono (or king) in
Japon^ hath over his vassales. Divers of his
tenants brought me presents of frute : as oringes,
figges, peares, chistnutts, and grapes, whereof there
is aboundance in that place." Continuing his
Diary, the next day, the 27th of September,
Captain Cock remarks : " AVe gaue the tenants
of Phebe * a bar of coban to make a banket after
our departure from thence, with 500 gins to the
servants of bowses, the cheefe of the towne accom-
1 Yeddo, i.e. Tokyo. 2 Hemi, near Yokosuka.
3 Japan. * Hemi, near Yokosuka.
313
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
panying vs out of their precincts, and sent many-
servants to accompany vs to Oringava (which is
about 8 or 9 Enghsh miles) ; all rvning before vs
on foote as honeyer [hoiiow'] to Captain Adames.
After our arivall at Oringava, most of the neigh-
bours came to vizett mee, and brought frutes
and fysh, and reioiced (as it should seeme) of
Captain Adames retorne."
The next extract is from a letter addressed by
Captain Cock to the Governor and Committees
of the East India Company, dated the 13th of
December 1620. It is to the following effect:
"Our good frend Captain Wm. Addames, whoe
was soe long before vs in Japon, departed out of
this world the vj of JNIay last ; and made Mr. Wm.
Eaton and my selfe his overseers : geuing the cue
halfe of his estate to his wife and childe in Eng-
land ; and the other halfe to a sonne and doughter
he hath in Japon. The coppie of his wdll, with an
other of his inventory (or account of his estate) I
send to his wife and doughter, per Captain ^lartin
Pring, their good frend, well knowne to them long
tyme past. And I haue delivered one hvndred
pounds starling to diuers of the James Royall
Company, entred into the pursers book to pay two
for one in England, is two hvndred pounds starling
to Mrs. Addames and her doughter, for it was not
his mind his wife should haue all, in regard she
might marry an other hvsband, and carry all from
THE LETTERS OF AVILI. ADAMS
his childe; but rather that it should be equally
parted between them: of which I thought good
to adviz your wourship. And the rest of his debts
and estates being gotten in, I will either bring,
or send it per first occasion offred, and that may
be most for their profitt : according as the deceased
put his trust in me and his other frend ^Ir. Eaton."
It only remains to be observed, that the A^^iix
OF William Adams, in Japonese, is preserved
among the records of the Honourable the East
India Company; and that a translation has not
been traced. The Inventory is also extant.
The title runs thus :
''IN THE NAME OF GOD, A3IEN.
1620, May the 22d day.
THE INVENTORY OF THE ESTATE
OF THE DECEASED, CAPT. WILLIAM
A DAMES, taken at Firando, in Japan, after his
death, pr. me Richd. Cock, and 3Ir. Wm. Eaton,
factors, in the English Factory at Firando,^ in
Japan, left by testament his ove?^sea7^s, viz., of all
the monies, debts, merchandiz, and moveabls, being
as herecfter followethy
The succeeding extract shows that William
1 Hirado.
S15
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Adams had accumulated about £ stg. 500 at the
period of his death, viz.
1
'•' The totall is : ^.
In ready money
In bills of debt
In merchandiz, rated at
In moveables, sould for
ma.
2
CO.
4"
ta.
0365
0890
0638
0078
m.
7
4
CO.
9
5
1972
2
4
ta.
1972
s. d.
10 Condrins= 1 Mas =^0 6
1 Mas = 1 Taie = 5
Q \ English.
316
PART IV
JAPAN FROM A MAN'S POINT
OF VIEW
By DOUGLAS SLADEN
CHAPTER I
THE ARMY AND THE FAMILY IN JAPAN
The redoubtable Japanese soldier is a dwarf beside
the British grenadier, for the Japanese male is no
larger than the EngHsh female of the days before
lawn-tennis. It has been said that there are a
million and a half people in Tokyo under five feet
high. This may be an exaggeration. But there
must be quite a million. In what do the fighting
qualities of the Japanese soldier, then, consist ? In
his courage and his endurance, and his marvellous
faculty of going without. To take the last first :
as Saint-Saens said, it is our wants that make us
poor. The Japanese has no wants. He can sleep
in his clothes without a tent ; he can live on rice
or the ofFal of the sea ; and he is so accustomed to
carrying heavy weights and running long distances
that he can be his own commissariat, and even his
own horse. As we turned our foot-soldiers into
mounted infantry, so the Japanese can turn their
riksha-hoys, of whom there are fifty thousand in
319
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Tokyo alone, into unmounted cavalry. A riksha-
boy without a riksha could run forty miles in a day,
and be ready to do it again or to fight on the next
day. The endurance of the Japanese is wonderful.
I have seen four little Japs carrying a grand piano
slung between them from bamboos on their
shoulders. They do not feel the cold, because
their fire-boxes are too small to warm them beyond
their finger-tips. They cannot feel the heat
because in summer whenever it is hot the riksha-
boy takes off his hat for fear of spoiling it with
sweat. They cannot, it is true, do much on an
empty stomach. Your riksha-hoy stops whenever
he feels hungry or he would break down, but they
live on low-grade foods, which are light to carry.
Their courage is wonderful. The Japanese does
not fear death in any form. Many Orientals, even
the more unwarlike races of India, will face a bullet
with placid resignation, while nothing will induce
them to face cold steel, no matter what the dis-
parity of numbers. But the Japanese has always
dealt in cold steel. It was his aim to get near
enough for his terrible two-sworded samurai, with
their razor blades, to reach the enemy. His wars,
it is true, have mostly been civil wars, but they
have been decided by one party being hacked to
pieces. No one nowadays is allowed to carry two
swords in Japan ; and the samurai, the men-at-arms
of the feudal princes, no longer exist as a body, but
320
THE ARMY k THE FAMILY IN JAPAN
the Japanese army is thronged with them (ninety
per cent, of its officers are samurai), for the only
professions open to gentlemen of their rank were
the army, the police, literature, printing, and
domestic service. In the old feudal days it was a
degradation for the samurai to do anything but
serve, and fight, and write poetry. It was so far
from being a degradation for him to be his lord's
servant that it was no degradation for the son of
one noble to be the servant of another, any more
than it was a degradation for an English duchess
to be Queen Victoria's governess. And in Japan
the service was actual, and not titular. Ich dien, I
serve, was the motto of everyone in feudal Japan
except the Emperor, and to the Japanese mind the
revolution has made no difference in the honour of
being a good and faithful servant, though the
samui'ai may now be in the service of a strange
Japanese, or even a hotel or a foreigner, instead of
the nobleman's family with whom his own family
have been connected from time immemorial.
Literature was the amusement and the accom-
plishment of the samurai ; therefore, as journalism
is a branch of writing, and printing is one of the
practical phases of literature, it is no disgrace for a
samurai to be a reporter or a compositor.
Fighting was, however, his occupation par
excdlence, and therefore it is natural for him to
wish above all things to be in the army, and next
21 321
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
to that, in the police. There are said to be two
millions of the samurai class, but I do not know if
this number refers to men of the military age, or
includes men, women, and children. As Chamber-
lain says: from 1200 to 1867, soldier and gentle-
man were convertible terms. To fight was not
only a duty but a pleasure, in a state of society
where the security of feudal possessions depended
on the strong arm of the baron himself and of his
trusted lieges. That was in the good old days
when men's incomes were reckoned in rice, and
one nobleman was so grand that he had two
million koku of rice a year. The Japanese say
that this would have been the equivalent of four
million English pounds a year, but then the
Japanese regard for statistical truth is not strict,
and it is quite certain that, now, Japanese with
ten thousand a year are rarer than Anglo-Saxons
with a hundred thousand a year. In any case, he
had to keep a whole tribe out of it, just as the
Highland chief in the old days had often to keep
his whole clan out of the income which English
misapprehensions allowed him to make his own.
Japanese self-renunciation has no parallel in the
history of the world. The feudal princes thirty
years ago gave up the enormous incomes which
maintained themselves, their armies, and their
samurai. The myriads of samurai, without a word,
gave up the wearing of the formidable swords
322
To hack on p. 322.
Toyania,
To back on ;;. 323,
Samurai in the olden time.
THE ARMY & THE FAMH.Y IN JAPAN
which put the government at their mercy. The
samurai received notliing in return except the
empty honour of not being able to earn their own
hving outside of the few professions open to gentle-
men. The nobles received new titles and small
pensions.
In the first days after the Revolution the
Japanese army consisted of only fifty thousand
men, and there is no doubt that many of the
samurai came to the verge of starvation. Nowa-
days, when every available man is wanted, comes
their opportunity ; for above all people in the world
the Japanese samuj'ai has what Chamberlain calls
" that military spirit which is the sine qua non of
all military excellence." One used to see this in
watching the Japanese police in the old days when
the policemen's lot was a happy one (to reverse the
Gilbert and Sullivan phrase), on which the Japanese
samurai cast longing eyes. In the centre of a
crowded thoroughfare stood the miniature police-
man ; height, from four feet ten to five feet
nothing, dressed in a blue serge suit and a cap with
a patent-leather peak, which made him look like a
messenger-boy, and with his hands in large white
cotton gloves, which made any idea of using force
ridiculous. Before him the population kowtowed,
literally touching the ground with their foreheads
if he spoke to them sternly, though he seldom
produced any more formidable weapon than a
323
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
notebook. If he was really displeased he boxed
the ears of the subject of his displeasure, who
submitted grovellingly. If he had to make an
arrest he did not employ handcuffs ; he produced
a hank of yellow cord, and the victim felt honoured
in holding his hands behind him in the position
most convenient for the policemen to bind them
together. If the disturbance was created by big
drunken foreign sailors, he did not even trouble
to bind them. With them he put forth the secret
powers which made him an object of intelligible
terror to the native population — he used his know-
ledge of jujitsu and judo. These are the sciences
only taught to gentlemen for self-defence against
violence. All London has heard about jujitsu
now from the marvellous expositions of it at the
music-halls by Mr Tano, who has in vain challenged
the wrestling champions to face him in a wrestle-
as-you-please. It is based on a knowledge of
anatomy. There are certain grips which mean a
broken limb if the person gripped resists, and
certain others which enable a small man to sling
a heavy man head over heels a dozen feet away.
The Japanese policeman is drilled into this, and is
therefore irresistible to those who do not know the
art, unless they can use weapons. By jujitsu the
most violent man can be led away without a
struggle if he is ignorant of the scientific way to
resist it. But it is not only this tremendous
324
THE ARMY & THE FAMH^Y IN JAPAN
physical power in the poHceman which the
Japanese coohe dreads. He remembers the days
when he had not the right to Uve if the samurai,
now changed into a pohceman, considered him
guilty of disrespect to the samurais lord. Even
foreigners were occasionally cut down by the
samurai for not making obeisance as a daimio
passed, until the tremendous indemnities extorted
by foreign Powers made the Japanese government
of those days prevent it. The poor Japanese obeys
the police, not the law. The law means nothing
to him. He has very likely never heard of it.
The Japanese soldier is the outcome of Japanese
family life. The greatest obstacle to the spread
of Christianity in Japan has been that the Christian
teaching is to forsake all things and follow Christ,
whereas the essence of religion to a Japanese is
the immorality and impossibility of ever forgetting
his duty to his parents and his duty to his Emperor.
It is wrong for him to love his wife except in so
far as it does not conflict with his duty to his
parents. When a woman marries a Japanese she
is cut off from her own family, even technically, on
the registers of the pohce. The change of regis-
tration in the ownership of this human chattel is
in fact the only binding element in a Japanese
marriage. It is true that when proper ceremonies
are observed she is dressed in white like a corpse
to leave her father's house, where purifying fires
325
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
are lighted, as they would be after the removal of
a dead body. It is true that in her bridegroom's
house she puts on a change of raiment, typifying
the purification after touching a corpse ; takes sip
and sip about with him in three-times-three cups
of sake at a ceremonial family banquet ; changes
her dress again ; is conducted by her maid to his
bedroom, where she takes sip and sip about in three-
times-three cups of sake once again ; and, a day
or two afterwards, pays a visit of ceremony with
her husband to her former parents. That is the
outward and visible sign of a Japanese marriage.
The inwardness of it is, that she becomes an unpaid
servant to her husband, and his father and mother,
and any grandparents he may have, and any
elder brothers that he may have, and any wives
that they may have. It is wrong for a Japanese
woman to love her children, or at any rate to show
any love for them. A Japanese woman's life is
not worth living till she is old enough for her
husband's relations to have been dead and her
sons to be married. A Japanese woman does not
wish to become a mother, she wishes to become
a mother-in-law ; and the mother-in-law of the
English stage is as mild as JVIellins' food compared
to her in making other people's lives burdens. But
there is one peculiarity about her — she cannot
make her son-in-law's life a burden, because she
hardly ever has one. A woman whose daughter
326
THE ARMY & THE FAMH^Y IN JAPAN
is married does not attain to the distinguished
position of being a mother-in-law in Japan. The
daughter who went out of her house in the garb
of a corpse has nothing more to do with her — she
practically has been sold as a slave into her
husband's family.
There is an exception, however ; when a Japanese
family cannot scrape up a son, born or adopted,
and has any property to leave to a daughter, the
situation is changed. The son-in-law becomes the
slave, and has to take his wife's name and wait on
her parents, and possibly on any elder sisters she
may have, and any husbands they may have, and
is liable to be discharged, like a cab, the moment
he is not wanted any longer, just as the ordinary
Japanese wife is.
So eminent an authority as Mr Basil Hall
Chamberlain, in his Things Japanese, says that one
marriage out of three in Japan ends in divorce.
As the woman has no dowry, and the husband
makes no provision for the divorcee, and parents
will seldom take such an undesirable woman back,
in theory there would seem nothing for her to
do but to take poison. In practice, however, she
nearly always marries again, presumably because
some friend of the husband's has noticed that she
was not so black as her mother-in-law painted her.
Divorces in Japan are quite as often owing to
the husband's parents' dissatisfaction with the wife
327
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
as a servant, as they are to his dissatisfaction with
her as a wife, which means that, as far as the law
is concerned, a man can practically divorce his
wife when he likes in Japan. ^
"A Japanese judge has ruled in a certain case
that the wife is not obliged ' to obey the unreason-
able demands of her husband.' In this particular
instance the man of the house had told the wife
to perform some disagreeable manual labour for
him ; she refused, and he promptly divorced her.
The wife appealed, and her plea was upheld by
^ This is a good deal altered by recent legislation. Even the
custody of the children is, under circumstances, given to the
mother nowadays. One of the most recent authorities, Mr
Ernest W. Clement, in his Haiidbook to Japan, gives the follow-
ing infoniiation bearing on the subject : —
" There are two ways of effecting a divorce : either by arrange-
ment, which is effected in a similar Avay to marriage — that is,
by simply having the registration of marriage cancelled — or by
judicial divorce, which may be granted on several grounds
specified in the code. But divorce by arrangement cannot be
effected by persons under twenty-five years of age, without con-
sent of the person or persons by whose consent the marriage was
effected. And if the persons who effect this kind of divorce
fail to determine who is to have the custody of the children,
they belong to the father ; but ' in cases where the father leaves
the family owing to divorce, the custody of the children belongs
to the mother,' evidently because she remains in the family.
In other words, children are the chattels of the family.
"The grounds on which judicial divorce is gi-anted include
bigamy, adultery on the part of the wife, the husband's receiving
a criminal sentence for an offence against morality, cruel treat-
ment or grave insult, such as to render living together unbearable,
desertion with evil intent, cruel treatment or gross insult of or
by lineal descendants."
3^8
THE ARMY & THE FAMILY IN JAPAN
the court. A very important precedent has been
established, and this decision may lead to a
revolution in Japanese domestic life, in which,
thanks to the courage of one woman and the
enlightening effect of American ideals, the Japanese
wife need no longer be her husband's slave." —
( Congi'egatwnal JVoi^k. )
Mr Gubbins, in the introduction to Part ii. of
his translation of the Civil Code, writes as follows :
— " The legal position of women in Japan before
the commencement of modern legislative reform is
well illustrated by the fact that offences came under
different categories according to their commission
by the wife against the husband, or by the husband
against the wife, and by the curious anomaly that,
while the husband stood in the first degree of
relationship to his wife, the latter stood to him
only in the second.^ The disabilities under which
a woman formerly laboured shut her out from the
exercise of almost all rights. She could not inherit
her own property in her own name ; she could not
become head of a family ; she could not adopt,
and she could not be the guardian of her own
child. The maxim, muUer est finis familice, was
as true in Japan as in Rome, though its observance
may have been less strict, owing to the greater
frequency of adoption.
"In no respect has modern progress in Japan
^ Since 1882 they have been upon the same basis.
329
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
made greater strides than in the improvement of
the position of woman. Though she still labours
under certain disabilities, a woman can now become
the head of a family, and exercise authority as
such ; she can inherit and own property, and
manage it herself; she can exercise parental
authority ; if single, or a widow, she can adopt ;
she is one of the parties to adoption effected by
her husband, and her consent, in addition to that
of her husband, is necessary to the adoption of her
child by another person ; she can act as guardian or
curator, and she has a voice in family councils."
Filial piety, says Chamberlain, is the virtue par
excellence of China and Japan. This is the source
of the devotion which shows itself in such extra-
ordinary loyalty to the Emperor, such marvellous
disregard of death in the soldier. The Japanese
parent, he has told us, thinks no more of filial
piety than an English lady thinks of accepting his
seat from a gentleman in a crowded train. He
accepts it as a matter of course, and had no idea
that he was stony-hearted till the missionaries told
him so. The attitude of the missionaries upon this
question has been one of the great stumbling-blocks
to the introduction of Christianity into Japan. To
the Japanese, the fifth commandment, "Honour
thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be
long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth
thee," is the greatest of all the commandments;
330
THE ARMY k THE FAMILY IN JAPAN
in fact, it is the only one of the ten upon which
his system of ethics was at all strict till he adopted
trousers, and other Western ideas for external
application only. But to the ten he added another
— Thou shalt not survive disgrace. Mr Chamberlain
says that the four-and-twenty paragons of fiUal
piety introduced in the dark ages from China to
Japan are still the ideas of the Japanese people.
As pointed out more than once elsewhere in this
book, the most marked instance of the lengths
to which the Japanese carry filial self-sacrifice is
that of pure young girls selling themselves into
houses of ill-fame for a term of years in order to
relieve the necessities of parents in poverty. The
daughters of the daimio, the old nobles, if they
could not get married, sometimes adopted such a
course to reheve their parents of the necessity of
supporting them. The daughters of one of the
early Mikadoes did so in order to make it an
honourable profession for other women. Half the
Japanese plays you see have a heroine who has
sold herself in this way, and emerges from it
untainted (at least in her heart, as B. H. C. says,
quoting, with a smile up his sleeve, the Japanese
proverb, that a truthful courtesan is as great a
miracle as a square egg).
The Japanese do not spare the rod and spoil the
child, neither do they use it, for the Japanese child
is born without original sin, which means, as Miss
331
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Lorimer said, that its sins are original. But though
it never cries and you never hear it being scolded,
the cat sometimes peeps out of the bag, for gempu,
the word which the Japanese child uses for its
male parent, means literally " strict father," and
"yz^o" means literally " benevolent mother"; and
Mr Daigoro Goh, our chief authority on the family
relation in Japan, as I quoted in Queer Things
about Japan, tells us about a Japanese boy who
classified the Japanese father as one of the
" four fearful things of the world "— " earthquake,
thunder, conflagration, and father " ! But there
were four controlling powers, according to Mr
Goh, on the brutalities of a Japanese father. The
first was that of his ancestors, which seems a little
shadowy to Europeans ; the second, that of his
relatives ; the third, that of society ; and the fourth,
that of the law.
Some of Mr Goh's obite7' dicta which I gave are
very amusing : — " When a Japanese father is cruel
to his children, his neighbours do not sympathise
with his children, but with his ancestors. It is
considered a disgrace to them if the children are
ill-treated or neglected, because this is not keeping
the ancestral name in honour. The social control
seems to lie in the fact that the father is afraid of
being called 'a fiend-like parent,' which is worse
than our word ' bully.' In cases of trouble between
parents and children, it is quite usual for relatives
332
THE ARMY & THE FAMH.Y IN JAPAN
to hold a family council and interfere ; and finally,
there are certain ancient Roman privileges which
the Japanese house-father does not enjoy, such
as physical cruelty, infanticide, and manslaughter
generally. But the Japanese father and the
European son and daughter have different ideas
about the worst form of cruelty. In Japan it is
horribly cruel not to send a child to school, and
you are very neglectful if you do not settle for
your children whom they are to marry. ' They
might not get married at all,' says the Japanese
sage, — a disgrace too awful to contemplate."
The Japanese are martyrs to etiquette. That
they should have begun so important a thing as
a war in which they were making their debut as
a first-class power, without the proper etiquette, is
the last straw for the camel's hump on the back of
the German Press.
It is to be hoped that the honest members of the
German Press have by this time corrected their views
by the light of what Mr Arthur Diosy, Chairman
of the Committee of the Japan Society — the only
European publicist who foresaw the power of Japan
before her war with China — had to say about the
Japanese army at his lecture to raise funds for the
Japanese wounded and widows. The Japanese,
said INIr Diosy, was willing to have two or more
religions at the same time, because his real religion
was his country. Religion, he explained, is that
333
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
which makes us triumph over our instincts —
even over the instinct of self-preservation. Every
Japanese prays that he may do something before
he leaves the earth to increase the glory of Japan,
and spread it over the land and across the sea.
The Japanese's feeling for his country is more than
patriotism : it gives him the ambition of the martyr,
not only to live for it, but to die for it. His desire
to die for his country is not induced by the promise
of any great happiness in the future state, like that
dangled before the eyes of the Turk. As to what
his life in the future existence will be, he does not
make bold to say. He considers that his hfe belongs
to his country, and for it he is quite willing to take
the risks of the other world, setting a noble example
to politicians in our own country who sacrifice the
interests of England to their miserable consciences,
asserting that what they do not wish to do is wrong.
The Japanese do not accept claptrap as an excuse
for breaches of patriotism. It is the Japanese, not
the German, to whom ' Fatherland ' means most.
The Japanese is the model soldier ; no one can say
to him, " This also oughtest thou to have done, and
not to have left the other undone." The Japanese
is equally particular and enthusiastic about musketry
and drill and the proper presenting of arms and
cleaning of buttons. He thinks there is no such
thing as an unimportant detail in naval and military
matters. What he is told to do he does with all
334
THE ARMY & THE FAMILY IN JAPAN
his might. He questions no orders, although his
officers may be sending him, as they did in the
battle of Kinchau, to certain death. The word
' decimate,' meaning to put every tenth man liors
de combat., shows what Europeans consider an
appalling loss, but a Japanese regiment will stand
losing, not one-tenth of its men, but nine-tenths,
if the other tenth can get through and do what
is required. In feudal times men's training was
all in this direction ; but, as Mr Diosy said very
pointedly, one does not expect to find it in this
age of switchbacks and wild-cat companies.
Consummate wisdom was shown by the men
who directed the counsels of Japan in the transi-
tion period from 1859 to 1889. They decided that
the first thing to do was to make Japan safe from
foreign foes. No Japanese doubts that it is the
first duty of every able-bodied male to submit to
severe training for the defence of his country. As
Mr Diosy pointed out, there is only one country
which disputes this in theory, which has refused to
place that sacred duty of a citizen on its statute
books. These wise men were in favour, not of
conscription, but of universal service. Conscrip-
tion only satisfies two countries at the present
moment — Spain and the Netherlands. Japan is
a nation in arms on sea and land. Twenty is
the regular age for the Japanese to begin his
training, but if he is sufficiently forward physi-
335
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
cally he is allowed to begin at seventeen. From
that time till he is forty he belongs to the nation,
if physically and mentally fit. As the Japanese
can only afford to pay for a certain number of
soldiers and sailors on a peace footing, they only
allow the best and the strongest and the weU-
educated to serve in the first line of their army
and navy. The others who do not come up to the
standard are relegated to the reserve. The ordinary
Japanese serves three years with the colours, but
those who have certain particular educational
qualifications need serve only one year, and are
known as volunteers, which is an odd name for
those who wish to get off serving.
The Japanese army and navy are a sort of
continuation of school. In Japan education is a
government affair, and free. The average Japanese
leaves school at thirteen or fourteen, so that the
army and navy form one of the greatest elements
in education. Fourteen years ago the government
issued a rescript to the army and navy officers as
to the proper training of the minds of the men
under them. This is given to every regiment by
its colonel and to every ship by its captain once a
week. The army and navy form one of the greatest
schools of ethics, for the first thing taught is the
beauty of honour and patriotism. Instructed in
this way, every private regards himself, like the
general, as a pivot in the operations which are
336
THE ARMY & THE FAMILY IN JAPAN
being undertaken. The emblem of duty, the
symbol of honour, is the Rising Sun war-flag,
with its crimson rays.
The highest of all things is the Emperor. He
is not worshipped, but reverenced, more than Queen
Victoria. It may have been noticed that Japanese
commanders, from Admiral Togo downwards, are
in the habit of ascribing their victories to the
excellent virtues of the Emperor. This, of course,
is the Emperor as an embodiment, and not as an
individual. His name never passes their lips. He
is always spoken of as Tenno-San, not as Mutsu-
Hito, and not as the Mikado. In their conception
of the Emperor they reverence, almost adore, all
that is excellent in themselves.
The present Emperor stands above his people as
Saul, the son of Kish, stood above the Israelites.
He is Ave feet eight inches high — which is immensely
tall for a Japanese, whose average is only five feet
— broad-shouldered, deep-chested. He has noble
features, serious and dignified, and a low, serious
voice.
The Japanese have realised from the beginning
that soldiers, to be of any use, must be good shots.
The Japanese infantry are excellent shots, and
Japanese artillerymen are worth their weight in
radium. At the beginning of the war it was
expected that the fewness of the Japanese cavalry
and their bad mounting would place them at the
22 337
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
mercy of the Cossacks, but they are so strong in
foot cavahy that these predictions have been
falsified. The Japanese have a large number of
men who, from tlieir training as riksha-hoys and
bettos, or running grooms, and so on, are capable
of running forty miles or more in a day without
exhaustion. These infantry, who are capable of
going immense distances at the double, have proved
themselves more than a match for the Cossacks,
which is only natural when one comes to think
of it, because they are fine shots and can take
cover, where the cavalryman cannot help exposing
himself.
The Japanese catch their officers young, generally
at about thirteen, and ninety per cent, of them are
samurai, hereditary fighters. The Japanese military
stores are always full and always sound in condition,
which is the first step towards success by land or sea.
It has been said that the Japanese rank and file,
like most of the great men of history, inherit their
splendid qualities from their mothers, the noble,
sweet women of Japan, the best of all wives, whose
whole life is made up of devotion and obedience.
The Japanese woman, the gentlest of her sex, has
shown Spartan courage during the war. There
have been instances of women who have had all
their children killed in battle, mourning not for
their children's deaths, but because they were too
old to bear any more sons to fight for their country.
338
THE ARMY & THE FAMILY IN JAPAN
Other mothers have wept when their wounded sons
have been sent home to recover, because their off-
spring had not had the honour of dying for their
country. But Mr Diosy points out that although
they may have wept bitter tears of mortification
before their neighbours, in the secrecy of their
chambers they would have comforted themselves
with having their dear ones back to recover and
fight again, just as the parent who is proudest and
happiest in public at his son having died for his
country, will, when he is no longer buoyed up by
pride, weep like any other human being behind the
paper shutters of his home.
We, their allies, are willing to honour them
equally for their human feelings or their stoicism.
We do not feel called upon to analyse their feelings :
it is sufficient for us that they show a devotion to
their country, a courage in the face of their enemies
unequalled in the annals of the civilised world. ^
1 There is one point in which the Enghsh have been mis-
understood. It has been thought that because the French have
subscribed more Hberally for the Russian wounded than we for
the Japanese wounded, that they have more sympathy for their
alhes than we have. This is not the case. The fact is that the
French are better allies than we are. We are so painfully anxious
to be fair and correct in our neutrality, that it is only bodies
of private individuals, like the Japan Society, who declare their
feelings and come forward with their purses. The Russians do
not respect us for our fairness ; they do not even believe in it :
they would respect us a great deal more if we answered them
back in their own coin, and helped our allies, as the French
and Germans help them.
339
CHAPTER II
"JAPAN, THE ITALY OF THE EAST "
Those who have Hved much in both can hardly
think of Japan and Italy together without being
struck with the fact that Japan is the Italy of the
East, and the Italians are the Japs of Europe. The
same clear blue sky shines over the Italics east
and west, and the climate has permeated the speech,
for the same clear liquid sounds salute your ears.
SpeU sayonara, the most eloquent word of fareweU
in all the languages, with a ' /,' and Juliet might
have used it to Romeo. As Italian are the
Japanese thank-you, afigato, and the Japanese
all-right, yoroshi ; while some of the best-
known town names, like Nagasaki and Kyoto, only
need expressing in Italian consonants instead of
English — Nagasachi, Chioto — to be as Italian as
Siracusa — Syracuse.
The resemblance goes far deeper than the
atmosphere of the climate or the language. Except
340
I
THE KAMO RIVER.
I
v^r ^ >***
-JAPAN, THE ITALY OF THE EAST"
for certain orientalities of dress, the poor Japanese
and the poor Itahans are as Hke as brothers.
It was this which gave Mrs Hugh Eraser, the
wife of a former British INIinister in Japan, well
known for her books on the subject, a better
understanding of the Japanese than Captain
Brinkley, who has spent the best part of his man-
hood in Japan, and is an unrehable judge at the
end of it. It will be my aim in this chapter to
point out some of the thousand parallels between
the poor Japanese and the poor Italian. For it is
the poor Japanese whom the traveller, however
long in the country, sees almost exclusively. But
first I must point out the union between Arms and
the Arts — that the patronage of poets and painters
and porcelain-makers was as honourably character-
istic of the princes and nobles of Japan as of the
dynasties of Florence and Ferrara, the magnificoes
of Venice. Only, Japan went further. In the old
daimio days, if a man excelled in an art, he entered
the household of a noble, and was provided for for
life. All he had to do was to produce the best
article in his power, without regard to time or
expense of material. There are some precious
objects of art on which a man, and his father and
his grandfather before him, have spent their lives.
The artist's connection with the daimio was here-
ditary. He trained his son to follow him, secure
of his place in the household. And just as the
S41
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Italian nobles and knights of the Middle Ages
were apt to be poets, so the samurai — the gentlemen
entitled to bear arms in Japan — were also the
literary class.
The importance of Japan in the world of art
is more and more recognised every day. The
Japanese played the same part in Asia as Italians
have played in Europe. The chief difference is
that their moyen age, whenever it began, came to
an end four centuries later. For as the Middle
Ages had the doors of time closed upon them in
Italy when the great awakening took place, of
which the discovery of America was the most
significant phase, so the doors began to close on
the Middle Ages in Japan in the Revolution, which
was the outcome of the American squadron's
practical discovery of Japan in 1854, the year of
the Crimean war. It would not be an exaggeration
to say that, after that of Italy, the influence of
Japan has been the most profound upon the art
of the modern world. The curious thing is that
Japanese art permeated the world before her great
military successes had turned the eyes of all nations
upon her.
There is one fundamental resemblance between
the poor of Japan and the poor of Italy. Both
have the reputation of being idle, but are absolutely
industrious. Both work whenever they can get
wages, and both, when there is no work for them
342
"JAPAN, THE ITALY OF THE EAST"
to do, take a holiday, instead of bemoaning their
fate. The SiciHan, when there is not enough work
to go all round, stands at the Quattro Canti of
Palermo or in the Piazza Archimede at Syracuse,
and smokes his cigarette and sees life like any
other gentleman. The Japanese takes his moosvie
or his children to some temple where there is a
festa or a perpetual fair.
The man who has his patch of land in either
country is never idle. Early and late he does not
stoop to fate, but goes on terracing and planting,
bringing earth or bringing water, treating his plants
as if they were animals, if not human beings. The
terraces of Italy are built on to the stony mountain-
side, and need earth for the corn and wine and
oil which grow simultaneously from the same
few rods of land. The terraces of Japan are
scooped out of the deep earth of volcanic hills to
receive the rice which is both corn and wine to
the Japanese, when water has been spread over
them, by patient irrigation. All day long you can
see the Sicilian stooping in his fields, and the
Japanese knee-deep in mud and water, separating
the roots of the rice for transplantation. A vine-
yard grown as they grow them at Syracuse, in
low bushes, is mighty like the tea-gardens round
Kyoto, and the little women Avho troop out from
Kyoto to Uji, with pale-blue coolie head-towels
twisted into sun-bonnet shapes, and the bright-
34^
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
blue working cottons of Japan would, but for one
thing, almost pass for photographs of the women
gathering lemons on the slopes of Etna with their
kerchiefed heads. When they are standing under
the trees for the moment, resting and talking, a
photograph of the one would almost do for the
photograph of the other, were it not that the little
Japanese woman's figure is as different as anything
could be in the world from the perfect upright
figure of the Sicilienne, accustomed to carry bur-
thens on her head.
The likeness between the South Italian at work
in the fields and the Japanese coolie is extraordinary
when they tie up their heads in kerchiefs, and only
show their cheerful but dogged weather-browned
faces ; and when the weather is cold enough to
make the old Japanese wear their big leather cloaks
they look more Italian than ever, if they have not
some wonderful design painted on the back like
the big wheel at Earl's Court.
The two countries remind you of each other at
every turn. The Italians are the navvies of the
West. Most great enterprises, from the St Gothard
tunnel to harbours in the United States, have been
the work of the Italian labourer. The Japanese
has his St Gothard. He has pierced a hill near
Kyoto for a canal instead of a railway to connect
Lake Biwa with the sea, and he often tunnels the
hill for his magnificent roads. Likewise, the
34-4
-JAPAN, THE ITALY OF THE EAST"
Japanese is the handy-man of the East, as the
Italian is the handy-man of the West. When I
asked my cabman at Syracuse where I should send
some boots to be soled, he said that he could do it
himself. When I apologised to my little bedroom-
boy at Tokyo — he was a boy of about forty-five —
for giving him a bowler hat that was too large for
him, he said that it did not signify, because he
could take it in to make it fit. No kind of job
seemed to come amiss to him. When a cork
slipped down into a medicine-bottle he coaxed it
out ; and when one of the flat-headed Japanese
canaries, which my wife kept, got out of its cage
and went and hid under the bed, he coaxed it into
its cage again. Any kind of damaged curio which
we bought cheap because it was in pieces, whether
it was a rare vase or a rare book, he pieced to-
gether so neatly that you could not see the mends.
He sewed on buttons, and I am quite sure that
he could have darned stockings. He was excellent
at mounting kodaks, and he was a positive genius
at making the chimney of the American stove
red-hot just before he went to bed on the very
cold winter nights of Tokyo.
The primitive Japanese shop is very nearly re-
lated to the primitive Italian shop. The essential
feature of each is that it has no front. (I began
to write 'guiding principle,' but they neither of
them have any principles.) The basso of Naples
345
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
is a sort of ground-floor cellar with coach-house
doors, which are kept open or taken off during
the day. The Tokyo shop is a one-storied
doll's house, with its front shutters taken down.
In hot weather Naples has its awning ; Tokyo,
its chocolate-coloured curtain, with the owner's
monogram in white as large as himself Both
of them use the floor as a counter, and neither
of them has anything much to sell, though the
Japanese is more apt to start an al fresco shop
with the articles he has used for his domestic
establishment, till he needed money and had to
sell them. Both ask three times as much as they
intend to take, in the hopes of getting half as much
again as they ought, and neither of them will
refuse any offer that yields them a fraction of
profit. In one respect the Itahan shows more
imagination. Instead of keeping a stock of char-
coal, oil, and potatoes, he hangs a stick of charcoal,
a broken bottle with a little oil in it, and a half
potato on a string across his shop front, I do not
know if the Japanese has yet reached the Italian
condition of selling nothing but postcards, whatever
kind of business the shop pretends to shelter, but
I am sure that postcards will soon take the place of
small change in Italy. The one touch of nature —
ill-nature — which makes Italy and Japan more akin
than anything else, is making shift with charcoal
for cooking and heating. In winter, out of the
346
"JAPAN, THE ITALY OF THE EAST"
sun no Italian or Japanese is ever warm beyond the
tips of his fingers. The Japanese hibachi is exactly
the Italian scaldino, a hoop-handled saucepan for
holding charcoal embers. The Japanese have a
similar article, but smaller, for lighting the pipe.
That is the tabako-viono. And there is a larger
article like a carpenter's chest with the lid off, full
of white charcoal-ash, with a few embers in the
middle, over which they cook the eternal tea and
the eternal rice, and the sea-offal and sea-weeds,
which they use for entrees and vegetables. The
Itahan, too, inclines to sea-offal such as the octopus
and the sea-urchin. But here the likeness in food
ends. The Japanese has his tea, like the poor, with
him always, and he is never too poor to have it.
The Itahan belongs to the coffee half of humanity,
when he is well enough off to get it, and contrives
to have more plentiful and more appetising food.
The Italian uses a great deal of rice for his risotto.
Milan is surrounded with paddy-fields, and macaroni
is one of the staple foods of the poor Japanese as it
is of the poor Italian. But bread, which is sold in
long sticks, is literally the staff of life in Italy in
more senses than one, whereas rice is the bread of
the Japanese. The Itahans, too, do their cooking
over charcoal, but in long tiled stoves with birds'
nests of charcoal, and not in a mere fire-box.
Probably, if they had anything to cook, the
Japanese would rival the Italians as a nation
347
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
of cooks. They do rival them as a nation of
waiters.
Except that he does not act as his own horse,
and is a much greater rogue, the Naples cabby is a
riksha-man. Their vehicles are about the same
size. The cabby has some of the riksha-msins
aptitude as a guide, and prefers doing your
shopping or anything else to doing his own
business. Rikshas are just what you want in the
small Sicilian towns, and would lessen that serious
army of the unemployed. The poor Japs, like the
poor Italians, live in the street. They do not have
cafes. This may be because they do not have
tables or chairs ; and the least that even an Italian
can run a cafe on is a drinks' table and a couple of
chairs. The children play in the street all day.
Their elders sit outside their houses in the evening,
when labourers, like warriors, put off their harness.
It is Sicily which is most like Japan. Etna and
Fujiyama seem to have impressed themselves on
the individuality of the people. Seen from the
south, the truncated cone of Etna is almost the
twin of Fujiyama in immortal majesty and beauty,
and it rises from the blue African sea as Fujiyama
rises from the blue Hakone Lake. The tremendous
mountain influence seems to have implanted fatalism
in both races, but that of the Japanese results in
a devotion of which the Sicilian is incapable. It
has made them both too chummy with Heaven.
348
"JAPAN, THE ITALY OF THE EAST"
They are very familiar in tlieir religion. The
streets of Japan, like the streets of Italy, are full
of monks and priests. But the Japanese monks
have the whole of their heads shaved, and do not
go about unshaven ; in their religious observances
one notices very much in common. Although
Japanese towns do not have shrines in their streets,
hke the pictures of the Madonna at street corners
in Italy, the country is as thickly dotted with little
shrines as the country in Italy. Specially numerous
are the little red shrines of the rice-goddess, Inari,
guarded by her faithful stone foxes. JNIost farms
have a shrine in honour of this Japanese Ceres, who
usurps the functions of Bacchus also m ith the sake
or rice beer which replaces wine in Japan. Wine
is grown a little, and no doubt wiU be grown largely
in a country so suited for grapes and so well off
for gardeners. The exterior of Shinto temples
perpetuates in the East the primitive wooden
building which in the West also must have been
the forerunner of the Greek temple, and conse-
quently of the Christian church. In simplicity
and majesty, especially in its treatment of the roof,
it is not unworthy of the comparison, and the
bareness of the interior suggests a parallel. On
the other hand, the interior of a great Buddhist
temple like that of Asakusa when a service is going
on reminds one very mucli of a church service in
Italy, with its white-robed priests, and its incense,
349
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
and certain features of ritual ; and Japanese temples
often have images of saintly men, like the five
hundred disciples of Buddha (among whom they
are apt to include Marco Polo). The Shinto
religion has quantities of saints called Jcami, but
the Buddhist religion naturally presents more
points of resemblance to Italian Christianity.
I have left to the end the more solid points of
resemblance between the two countries — their
history, their national and political adaptability,
their tremendous naval power. No one can fail
to be struck with the resemblance between the
rise of the Japanese nation since the Revolution in
1868, which left the Mikado the sole monarch of
Japan, and the almost simultaneous rise of the
Italian nation, unified under the sole monarchy of
the house of the Savoy. Both were as helpless as
children then ; both are Great Powers to-day. Each
had before it the task of constructing the army and
na^y necessary for the maintenance of such a
position. Both have attached prime importance
to their navy. The one possesses the finest battle-
ships of the East, the other the largest battleships
of the West, though it is doubtful if the Italian
navy is ever kept on such a war-footing as the
Japanese. Each subjects its hardy population to
very severe tests and military training. The
Italian cavalry is considered to have no equal in
Alpine work, such as riding up and down almost
350
''JAPAN, THE ITALY OF THE EAST"
precipitous hills ; and the marvellous Japanese
infantry combines the steadiness of Europeans
with the fanatical courage and contempt of death
of the African dervish, and the Asiatic's ability
for going on short food and comforts.
Both, in the short time that they have been
reckoned Great Powers, have evolved constitutions
something on the model of England's
Neither has achieved conspicuous success in
commercial tribunals. The law is venal in Italy
and elastic in Japan, where civil tribunals belong
to the ken or prefecture, and not to the whole
country, so that the law can be evaded by a change
of residence. Neither country enjoys a high
reputation for commercial infallibility. The shop-
keeper of Japan and the shopkeeper of Italy has
not good credit. The reason is the same in both
instances. Both countries look down on trade,
though the lower classes are so ingenious, so
artistic, so industrious, and so worthy, if they
only had better lights. In Japan, the tradesman
is still lower in the social scale than the mechanic
or the farm labourer or the servant theoretically,
though in practice what he has achieved is gradually
placing him above them. But no decently born
person would soil his hands with trade, though
the samurai, the squires of old Japan, see nothing
degrading in becoming policemen or compositors
in a printer's office, the one falling into their
351
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
ancient profession of arms, and the other their
ancient profession of letters — most Hterally. The
ItaUans go further. In most ItaHan cities it is not
respectable for a nobleman to go in for any kind of
profession except the army, navy, and the church ;
and even in the army he must be particular about
his regiment.
Another great point of resemblance between the
two nations is their love of inventions, especially
those which have to do with science or engineering.
I have found the acetylene gas used by large
hotels and small shops in an out-of-the-way
Sicilian ^ illage. Kobe had the electric light long
before London. Both nations make magnificent
roads, involving tremendous feats of engineering.
Marconi, an Italian, brought wireless telegraphy
into practical use, though the Japanese claim that
it had already been discovered by one of their
countrymen. In any case they have achieved
wonderful results in the practice of it, for the great
Russian disaster at Port Arthur was due largely
to the Japanese tapping the wireless telegraphy
messages of the Russians.
And lastly, Italy and Japan are the world's two
favourite holiday-grounds, they have such great
and similar claims upon travellers. Both have
exquisite scenery and some of the noblest
monuments of architecture, though the world-
old Shinto temples at Ise, which are of the most
852
"JAPAN, THE ITALY OF THE EAST"
primitive simplicity, and the Buddhist shrines of
the dead Shoguns in the sacred groves of Nikko,
which are riots of quaintness and carving and
colour, lined with gold lacquer, to which even
Solomon's temple in all its glory could not com-
pare, seem such a very far cry from Greek and
Roman temples and cathedrals like St Peter's and
St Mark's and IMonreale. Both have reached the
zenith of landscape gardening, with their dark
groves of evergreens, and glory of ancient mossy
stone in terrace and stairway. In both countries
the traveller's stay is made delightful by the cheer-
fulness and obligingness of the lower orders, and
both are a kodaker's paradise, by reason of the
beauty of their atmosphere and the incomparable
quaintness and variety of the subjects which come
before the camera.
We are all grown-up children ; and as we once
delighted in reading about topsy-turvydom in the
pages of Hans Andersen, so in our maturer years
we find nothing more delightful than seeking the
topsy-turvy in the living pictures of Italy and
Japan.
353
CHAPTER 111
TRAVELLING IN JAPAN
"Travelling in Japan, except perhaps in time of
war, is one of the easiest and most inspiring things
possible. It is safe, it is comfortable, and it is
mightily amusing from morn till night. The
hotels are good, the servants are obliging, the
police are effective.
We are not likely to forget our landing. It was
Asia before we dropped anchor. The lighters and
fishing-boats all round us were full of frankly nude
Japanese, looking like bronze statues, and no sooner
had we dropped anchor than every white slave
of the American democracy (we had crossed the
Pacific) was surrounded by ko widowing natives, who
touched the decks with their foreheads, and gave
upside-down views of the preposterous designs Hke
Waterbury watches on the backs of their dark blue
medieeval doublets. All of these cheery stage
supers wished to sampan us and our baggage
ashore, a sampan being a Japanese gondola, but
354
TRAVELLING IN JAPAN
the hotel porter had a launch alongside, and an
understanding with the Customs. The Customs
give you your first initiation into Japanese pohte-
ness, the rikshas outside the Customs' station your
first taste of the comedy of everyday life in Japan,
more tragedy than comedy; but the Japanese
smile on good and evil fortune with the fine im-
partiality of the sun. There are few things more
inspiriting than that first innings in a riksha along
the Bund of Yokohama on a Japanese winter
morning, dazzhng as crystal in the purity of its
atmosphere. Your kodak goes off at half-cock,
the population is so funny and the light so
appetising. Some thin fir-trees and a sea-wall,
nothing else, separates you from the Gulf of Tokyo.
Soon you are at the Club, and the Club hotel, and
if it is the middle of the day you have the rus-in-
urhe delight of summer in winter. You see your
feUow-country people in immaculate flannels and
light smart frocks, with the beatific smile of people
who have just come out of church, and have their
hunger and thirst after righteousness slaked.
When you get to Japan every feature of life is
invested with a new excitement. Whether you
wish for a bath, or a box of matches, or another
piece of bread at meals, there is a roaring farce
over it. The waiters are dressed in skintight
indigo garments from neck to toe. They don't
even wear boots to break the monotony, and they
355
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
carry everything, including plates of soup, at a run.
Whatever their age, they are called 'boys.' Perhaps
that is because they look like boys till decay sets
in. The colour of their hair changes very late,
and it refuses to grow on their faces till the
bitter end. ' Bread ' is a word they know, but if
you want beef or potatoes it is safer to give a
number. "Boy! No. 9." "Boy! No. 16." The
dishes on a Japanese menu down to the humble
potato are numbered, and the servants know the
numbers in English. It comes in handy for houses
as well as cauliflowers. The houses frequented by
Europeans in Japan are not numbered by streets,
but like the Tommies in a regiment. When we
were there the Club hotel was No. 5, and the
Canadian Pacific offices No. 200, and there was
one number which is never mentioned by the
initiated in polite society, but is the same in all
Japanese towns. Japanese servants, though good,
are embarrassing, they have so little confidence
in the virtue of the European man, and so little
reserve in entering the bedroom of the European
woman. The distinction between the sexes is little
observed in Japan, except to keep woman in her
proper place (from the Asiatic point of view). But
the Japanese have sense, and saw at a glance that
the discretion of the European lady is much more
marked than the discretion of the European gentle-
man. Likewise, that the European lady is never
856
TRAVELLING IN JAPAN
smitten with the charms of the Asiatic man,
though the converse does not hold good. In the
large cities, therefore, the hotels go in for men-
servants, and only ladies feel the awkwardness
about the bathing arrangements. In country inns
the servants are mostly girls, and a bashful
European of the genus homo is quite overcome
by their perfectly innocent attentions. A Japanese
maid-servant would wash him from head to foot
without any rnal y pense, and therefore without
any honi soil.
The wise man who travels in Japan treads
in beaten tracks. Even the back streets of
Yokohama are so desperately funny and oriental
that he could write a book about them. And if
he spends a month in Tokyo, and passes his days
at Shiba and Asakusa, he could re-write the
Arabian Nights at the end of it. It is the greatest
mistake to think that you see most of a country by
going to unfrequented villages, where there isn't
enough of anything for you to see much. Scenery
is not Japanese or Scotch. Scenery is hot or cold,
or otherwise ; it is man who makes the difference,
not scenery ; and villages don't contain many men,
and those they do contain have not enough money
to produce anything except the fruits of the earth
in their due season.
I don't mean to say by this that you will not
see very amusing, very pretty, even very poetical
357
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
effects if you take a jinriksha and drive to the back
of beyond, or, to be more moderate, go by road
from Tokyo to Kyoto on the grand paved cause- j
way used by the Tokugawa Shoguns when they
rode down to the nominal capital once a year to
pay crocodile's homage to their poor httle puppet
Emperor. What I mean to say is, that you will
see ten times as much if you divide your time
between Tokyo and its port of Yokohama, and
Kyoto and its port of Kobe. You can only
generalise about a nation when you see it in
hundreds of thousands.
Concerning cities, I have not space to speak in
detail. But I must say something about certain
country places in Japan, which, on account of
special scenic and climatic advantages, or specially
splendid monuments, are worth a visit from the
traveller.
When you are at Yokohama, for instance, it is
wrong not to go to Kamakura, and Enoshima, and
Yokosuka. The last is specially interesting just
now, for it is the principal arsenal of Japan, founded
under the shadow of the grave of the Englishman
who taught the Japanese to build ships of wood to
match the navies of the time, as other Enghshmen,
less than a generation ago, taught the Japanese how
to build and how to handle the ironclad navy
which is the present wonder of the world. The
Japanese are not fond of showing the Yokosuka to
358
TRAVELLING IN JAPAN
foreigners, and, except to the expert, all arsenals-
are equally uninteresting or interesting. But the
climb up to the village of Hemimura, on the
green hill which overlooks the birth of Japanese
greatness, is worth doing, for there is the tomb,,
in the style befitting the nobility conferred upon
him by the mighty Shogun lyeyasu, of poor Will
Adams, the Kentish pilot, who had greatness with
the attendant condition of exile thrust upon him.
lyeyasu having a naval architect, such as Asia had
never known, shipwrecked by a kind Providence
upon his shores, was understandably loth to let him
go back to his family on the Medway. He gave
him a new family as well as a well-endowed title,
and when Will died he loyally divided his fortune
between the wife in the East and the wife in East.
Kent. Even in our day, if one visited Will's tomb,^
one was apt to find fresh cakes and flowers offered
to his godship, for he has long since been admitted
into the silent and permanent majority of the
Japanese Pantheon. He is a Shinto god, and has his-
feast-day, and a street named after him on the busy
Shinagawa side of Tokyo.
It is a charming riksJia drive from Yokosuka to*
Yokohama in the spring. It takes you througli
woods where tiger lilies grow like poppies in a
cornfield, and hurl their fragrant breath a stone's,
throw with every breeze ; and it takes you past
delightful scenery, where the fishermen are draw-
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
ing in their nets with long files of half-naked
bodies, like the fishers of Naples ; and between
paddy-fields, flooded like oyster-beds, guarded
with the stone foxes and little red shrines of
the God of Rice ; and past dear restful villages,
so brown in hue and mellow in outline, with their
tall, thatched roofs, that they seem to have grown
like the woods. As typical a piece of Japanese
scenery as you could desire lies under the bluff on
the far side from Yokohama.
Kamakura might well complain. It is regarded
by the foreigners as a place where you have picnics,
and scramble up into the nose of the Dai Butsu.
To the globe-trotter the great Buddha is a
humorous object, with interesting statistics. The
length of its thumb or the dimensions of the
temple in its head are quoted like ' titbits.' It is
really the most magnificent idol in the world ;
wonderfully majestic, heavenly beautiful, with the
peace of God which passeth all understanding
shining from its calm countenance. It is fifty
feet high, and makes you feel a pigmy in many
essentials besides stature.
The priests are partly to blame for the impression.
They make a beer-shop of it, and very glad you
are on a hot day in that sandy place to buy the
excellent lager beer of Japan, which has made iis
trade-mark, the Kirin dragon, more familiar to for-
eigners than all the voluminous mythology of Japan.
360
TRAVELLING IN JAPAN
There is no reason why the Dai Butsu should
monopohse Kamakura, which after Tokyo and
Kyoto is the most famous historical city in Japan.
Civil wars have been a Japanese speciality, and the
greatest of them was fought round Kamakura.
Every foot of that beautiful district has been
drenched in valiant blood. To this day the ruins,
especially the monastic ruins, of Kamakura might
be regarded as a Japanese Babylon, if foreigners
ever regarded the wooden Japanese ruins at all.
The rise and fall of the Kamakura dynasty is one
of the most brilliant and bloodstained pages in
Japanese history. And to this day the principal
temple of the God of War, Hachiman Sama, rises
above Kamakura. One hopes that his believers,
who have acquitted themselves so mightily by sea
and land, have their gratitude rising to Heaven
from his temple-precincts in these piping days.
A mere walk from Kamakura is Enoshima, one
of the most delightful spots in Japan. Here you
are in the house of oddness and mystery. The
island of Enoshima is a green volcanic hill rising
out of the sea, connected with the shore by a sandy
spit famous for its terrific crabs, with bodies as large
as saddles, and claws fifteen feet long from tip to
tip. In legends these crabs attack bathers, but
they have proved unequal to the attacks of curio-
dealers, and they are seldom seen now except on
the walls of tea-houses. They are natural history
S61
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
facts, though they read Hke the wildest fiction.
On the island of Enoshima is the temple of Benten,
the Japanese Venus, a literal parallel to the Venus
Anadyomene, who inspired sculptors and painters,
from the unknown creator of the Venus of Syracuse
to Sandro Botticelli. The Greeks and the Romans
pictured their Venus being born of the snow-white
foam of the sea. The Japanese locate theirs in a
cave flooded with the ocean. One is apt to forget
the sea-born Venus and the monster crabs while at
Enoshima, in the vision of peaceful beauty formed
by the green hill rising from the sea in alternate
terraces of grove and glade, united by stairways of
mossy stone, which are the keynote of landscape
gardening in Japan, and graced at every salient
point with temple or torii. The island of Enoshima
and Lake Biwa are the absolute perfection of art
landscape. To the business man and the globe-
trotter off shipboard at Yokohama, Kamakura is
the Rosherville of Japan — the place to spend a
happy day. The week-end place, the Brighton
of Japan, is Miyanoshita. It is also much more I
Nature has been prodigal, for the last stage before
you reach the village is a five-mile climb along the
sides of the gorge which mounts to JNIiyanoshita.
The gorge is thickly wooded, and in spring every
tree seems to flower, from the thicketing azalea
to the tall, lean cameUia. The wild camelha is
much later than the garden camellia, like the wild
362
TRAVELLING IN JAPAN
primrose in England. At Miyanoshita we found a
delicious native hotel, where the imps who waited
on us in Tokyo and Yokohama were replaced by
butterfly moosmes, with scarlet kirtles and obis,
and red geraniums in their hair. They take an
innocent but inconvenient interest in your being
well waited on in your bath — and there are such
wonderful baths here. The Duke of Connaught,
protected from such embarrassments by his suite,
pronounced the baths of Miyanoshita the best
thing in Japan. The steaming sulphur water in
them, which has to be cooled with water from the
mountain river below, is brought down from the
heart of the mountain called Big Hell, a mile and
a half above, and it makes the whole trip in jointed
bamboo pipes, which leak on a large scale. The
leaks are the likska-mens shower-bath. Woe
betide Mrs Grundy if she goes out after six at
Miyanoshita towards the mountain ; at every leak
she will find a naked riksha-hoy. The country
riksha-hoy is as impervious to considerations of
decency as he is to scalds. There never was such
a picnic place as IMiyanoshita. Everyone who
goes there is, like John Gilpin, on pleasure bent,
and he can have it to suit all grades of exertion.
If he is idle he can stroll down the shady zigzags
which lead to the waterfalls and Kiga, and that
perfect river of green moss and brown boulders in
translucent waters. This is the lovers' walk. The
363
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
energetic and the sight-seer go the grand Hakone
Lake tour. There is no need to take any exercise
unless you desire it, for you can hire a kago
or a Hong-Kong chair and be carried all the way,
which is much better for seeing the marvels
thickly strewn by the wayside. You go through
bamboo brakes to Ojigoku, the Mountain of Big
Hell, a playful volcano, whose crust is so thin that
you sink through and burn your boots off if your
feet stray from the straight and narrow path.
Small eruptions and boiling-mud fountains may
be had for the seeking, but most people prefer
to hurry on to the top of the pass, where they
are met by the finest view in the world — Fuji-
yama reflected in the blue Hakone Lake. No
mountain rivals Fujiyama, a pure pyramid, with
curving sides, and a snowy mantle hanging from
its graceful shoulders. You cross the divide and
choose some perfect spot in the wood below, where
you can see the monarch of mountains and the
nymph of lakes, to devour the sumptuous lunch
sent from the hotel, packed in tiny white wooden
boxes, with a liberal supply of knives and forks and
napkins. Japanese guides are as strong as donkeys ;
they will carry anything you ask them — an arm-
chair if you like. It is the most luxurious country
in the world for servants. They may or may not
be good, but they make you "jolly comfortable."
All the way down to the lake is through de-
364
To hack on p. 364.
.'mmm^atSie
. «^«»/«*'A3'ss*-wp;<' -*«" w?afcftiaihftjfcws»^
Fuji-San.
To back on p. 365.
Fuji-San,
TRAVELLING IN JAPAN
licious woods and bamboo brakes. Where the
wood meets the water there are spacious sampans,
made, hke the Rapid-boats, to transport travellers
and their conveyances to the fairy village of
Hakone, with its quaint thatched houses built over
the lake and its glorious mossy temple. Then you
take the backward path of intensified beauty to
Miyanoshita, past the beautiful image, of super-
human stature, of Jizo-Sama, carved on the living
rock, and past the ancient tombs of hoary stone
built to the Kill-Dragon Men, who freed the valley
from the monster, and past the healing springs of
Ashinoyu, all veiled in groves. This is the most
wonderful walk I ever went.
The life at Miyanoshita is charming, apart from
what there is to see. Pleasure and picnics are in
the air, the hotel is full of pretty people, and when
you come in from your excursions you go down
into the village to bargain for the inlaid-wood
Miyanoshita ware, which salutes you in London in
its vulgarer forms. Miyanoshita is the lovers'
j)lace — the place where you go to pursue pleasant
friendships formed on board ship. Miyanoshita is
like liqueurs, it makes you so unreserved.
But it is not really a patch upon Nikko, to which
you go a little later. Nikko reminds you of the
Sleeping Beauty in the Wood. In the middle of
dark cryptomeria groves you come upon temples
of unearthly richness and beauty. There are no
365
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
such woods in the world as Nikko's. They are
the perfection of forestry, and divulge in every
glade some gem of Buddhist art. The greatest
and most powerful of all the dynasties which have
ever ruled Japan, that of the Tokugawas, resolved
to have the noblest burial-place on earth, and the
first and third of the house, who were buried here,
have it. The perfection of outward form, the
perfection of gold lacquering, the perfect air of
peace divine, we have here. The mingling of the
mountains reared by God and the woods grown
by God and man is here.
The mountain of the sacred groves and temples
stands above a sky-blue river, bordered with the
avenue of the hundred Buddhas, and fringed with
acres of scarlet azaleas, and spanned till the other
day by the sacred bridge of red lacquer, which
embodied in art the arc of the rainbow.
Nikko is good for picnics. The ride or walk
past the Seven Waterfalls to the mountain lake of
Chiusenji, with tall old tea-houses overhanging it,
is dehghtful ; it takes you past azalea thickets and
cryptomeria and camellia groves. There you may
meet the patient countryman, carrying on his back,
on a frame such as we use for carrying glass, a
cartload of faggots, or, if the woods are weeping
with the summer rains, clad in the cloak made of
thatch, which makes him look like a flooded hay-
stack. You may well run into rain at Nikko,
366
I
TRAVELLING IN JAPAN
because its day of all the year, the festival of the
deified lyeyasu, is on the edge of the summer wet.
This is the most medieeval and richly costumed
of the processions of Japan. It is the day of the
Buddhist hierarchy, whose power fell with that of
lyeyasu's discrowned descendant, and its most
notable feature is the closed triumphal car carried
on many shoulders, occupied only by the spirit of
the god.
But at Nikko you do not see Japanese country
Hfe as truly as you do round Kyoto. Sacred Nikko
is all mountain and forest ; you do not pass paddy-
fields, with their patient women knee-deep in shme
and water, and bent double to separate the rice
roots — muddy animals. You do not pass dear
little moosmes, the picture of cleanliness in their
hght blue country cottons and sun-bonnets, picking
tea. You do not see the rice being thrashed in
front of cottages with sugar-loaf thatched roofs,
and dried on trays or mats. If money makes a
country's sinews, the sinews of Japan are in the
great plains round Tokyo and Kyoto. They are
the legitimate capitals of the country, since most
of its population and industries could be reached
in a day by riksha from one or the other, just
as, in the words of John Hill Burton, nearly all the
history of Scotland happened within a day's march
of Edinburgh or Stirling.
367
CHAPTER IV
TOPSY-TURVY TOKYO
Tokyo is a typical Japanese city. It has a million
and a half inhabitants and only a few hundred
houses — that is to say, houses which would be
recognised as such in the capital of a first-class
Power. The rest would do better for bathing-
machines. They are one-storied, very small, and
made of wood, and are taken to pieces, all except
their roofs, every day. The roof is the most solid
part of a Japanese house, and is the first part to
be built. It is made of purple tiles, channelled
like corrugated iron, and so heavy that it would only
take about four of them to weigh as much as their
master. This is the patent earthquake-and-typhoon
house. The roof is warranted not to blow off, and
not to fall on its owner. i
The position of Tokyo is not a promising one.
To have made one of the ten principal cities of the
world in less than three centuries on such a spot
would all by itself show the greatness of the
368
i
To hack on p. 368.
Yedo—
To hack on p. 369.
now called Tokyo.
TOPSY-TURVY TOKYO
Japanese. It was built out of a swamp in the
delta of an unnavigable river, at the head of an
unnavigable bay, on ground visited pretty regularly
by earthquakes and typhoons. The inhabitant of
Tokyo has to make his choice between having his
house blown away by the typhoon or brought down
on the top of him by an earthquake. On the whole,
he puts his money on the typhoon, though he
hedges a bit. So he builds his roof first and
makes it typhoon-proof, and then raises it on four
posts and fills in the sides with light woodwork.
The sides are so light that it does not signify if
they do fall on the inhabitants. They do for both
earthquake and typhoon. If the roof were light,
the commonest typhoon would play kites with it.
But it can be made heavy enough to stand any
ordinary typhoon. But, I asked of Man Sunday,
what happens in an earthquake ? What's the
good of having your walls so light, with a roof that
would squash the whole family as flat as a dried
salmon ? He answered, with the wisdom of the
wise, that in earthquakes the roof does not kill
the people in the house, but the people in the
street. Judged from this standpoint, the Tokyo
house is a good one. It looks like a cross between a
cupboard and a plate-rack, or an imitation of itself
made to hold chocolates.
Tokyo is really an astonishing city. Except the
castle, which covers nine square miles, and a few
24 369
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
temples, there is hardly an3'i:hing in it which could
not be put up as easily as pitching tents. It is a
mere cantonment of little wooden huts, like those
they put up for the rifle meeting at Bisley. The
poor Japanese, like the snail, can move his house on
his back ; and the thing which surprised me most
was, that he did not build it a little smaller, and
carry it to ^vork with him like an umbrella. Not
that they are not, some of them, extremely artistic.
I have not forgotten the yashiJd of the daimios,
which are not yashiki any longer, but barracks or
tenement houses, instead of palaces. They are part
of the castle, and the part of them which you see
is a wooden enclosure about ten feet high. The
dawiws house stood in the centre, and was of
course a treasure-house of art, and looked something
like a temple. It was built on the principle which
has made the temples of this earthquake-whisked
land last for so many centuries. It had no
foundations, but stood on a stone platform, with a
sort of ball-bearings, like a bicycle. Even lofty
pagodas will stand earthquakes if they are treated
like this. You can see how the principle acts if
you watch a woman with a cup of boiling tea in
an express train. She lets the cup follow the
swaying of the carriage, and the Japanese style of
building lets the house follow the swaying of the
earthquake. It must be very unpleasant to be in
one in a good earthquake. Old residents do not caU
370
TOPSY-TURVY TOKYO
it a good earthquake unless it brings down all the
chimney-pots in Yokohama. Tokyo has none of
those seismometers (earthquake-gauges), and it has
no mantelpieces to shed their clocks and crockery.
The late Sir Edward Arnold, who lived in a native
house, used to make shift with some of the flat,
stuffed-silk Japanese figures which British drapers
stock, though nobody has ever found any use for
them. He used to balance these on the rafters in
which the shoji worked, and when they came down
he looked out for quakes. Miss Arnold's Japanese
maid, whom we christened Otori-san, used to forget
her manners and her sex when those images fell on
their faces, and scream. She was very apologetic as
soon as it was over ; but " the more you live with
earthquakes," she said, " the less you like them."
Now I must explain shoji. For simpHcity, the
Japanese house is hard to beat. The essential
feature is, as I have explained, the roof ; and if it
were possible to five in a roof which had no under-
standings the Japanese would do it, because no
earthquake could make it fall down, and no typhoon
could blow it away. But this has not been found
practicable, so they raise a roof a few feet from the
ground, stick a post under each corner, and connect
them with a framework, which serves the double
purpose of holding up the roof and being hung
round with shutters. Except the roof, a Japanese
house is all shutters. There are wooden ones
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
which go all round the outside at night and in bad
weather. These are called amado. Shoji would
not keep the rain out, and even the amado would
be insufficient for the more highly strung European
female in the land where burglaries are fashionable
and the burglars go about armed with the razor-
edged Japanese sword. The shoji are not made of
matchwood Uke the amado, but of paper stretched
on light wooden frames like an artist's canvas ; and
as they are constantly painted, they are, to all in-
tents and purposes, so many artists' panels. They
are of two kinds — the one covered with cartridge
paper for decoration and making bedrooms, the
other made of Japanese tissue-paper, and covered
with a sort of wooden trellis to act as A^dndows.
The only trouble is that they let in so much more
air than they do light. The Japanese are quite
aware of the fact, for they will go to sleep with a
charcoal fire-box alight in a native room. Perhaps
paper windows would be a cure for consumption. I
At all events, the Japanese did not know what con- I
sumption was until they learned the meaning of the
word draught. Draught is a white man's iden.
The consideration of draughts is one of the fruits
of the Tree of Knowledge which has proved most
fatal to the coloured races.
But to get back to the Japanese house. It
consists of the aforesaid roof, mth wooden shutters
all round it, and a platform, raised a Httle from the
372
TOPSY-TURVY TOKYO
ground, generally covered with mats. These mats
are not like anything except the Japanese hampers,
consisting of two lids folding into each other, which
are now used all over the world. The mats are
made of the same chain-stitch pattern, and are an
inch or more thick, so soft that they are the best
things for a man to fall on when he is learning
wresthng from a Japanese. In a private house
they are ideal. In a common lodging-house they
are an Alsatia for fleas. To a flea, a Japanese mat
is a fortress with thousands of doors. He burrows
in it like a rabbit. The mats have the further dis-
advantage that the house is theirs and not yours.
As your heels would be bad for it, you have to
leave your boots on the doorstep of your own
house. Sir Edwin Arnold, who wore rose-coloured
spectacles in Japan, just as Mr Delmar, the
author of Aroinid the World through Japan, saw
everything through a glass, darkly, used to say
sententiously, "The Japanese does not make a
street of his home." It is not surprising that the
natives reckon the dimensions of a house by saying
that it is of so many mats. A Japanese mat is
two yards long and a yard wide.
A small Japanese house is no larger than a single
room, and by day it is often only a single room.
But as a whole Japanese family, father and
mother, and unmarried children and married sons,
are apt to live under one roof, at night they turn
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
it into a honeycomb by sliding the paper shutters
called shoji in between the rafters of the ceiling
and grooved laths in the floor. You can have as
many rooms as you hke to put up grooves for ; but
as the Japs never put a groove across a mat, the
smallest room must be six feet by three, and of course
never is so small as that. The space between the
rafters and the ceiling is filled up with plaster. In
the old days, when Sir Edwin Arnold had that
house, no foreigner was allowed to live in Japan
outside of the Settlements unless he was in govern-
ment employ or a teacher. Sir Edwin got over
this difficulty by nominally paying double the rent,
and getting half of it back again as tutor to his
landlord's daughters, desperate-looking Christians,
who wore sham European boots and stockings with
Japanese dress, and did their hair like female mis-
sionaries. This was very hard on Sir Edwin, who
was trying to be a Buddhist.
The Japanese have no bedrooms. At night the
sitting-rooms are divided up for sleeping accom-
modation and beds, such as they are. A padded
quilt to sleep on, and a padded quilt to sleep
under, and a wooden door-scraper for a pillow, are
brought from cupboards and laid on the floor. It
is no wonder, under the circumstances, that the
Japanese is a light sleeper. Whenever he wakes
he smokes. His pipe only holds about three whiffs,
and then he knocks the ashes out. " Oft in the
374
TOPSY-TURVY TOKYO
stilly night, ere slumber's chains have bound me,"
has a new meaning in Japan.
They do not have to remove the furniture to put
up the bedrooms. In theory, the furniture is put
away in the go-down until it is wanted. But there
is generally very little to put away. They do not
have chairs, and the tables are only tea-trays, with
legs like dachshunds'. The food is very often
carried in on the table, and just as often as not
eaten on the floor. Instead of sitting on chairs
they kneel on flat princess cushions, and the
cushions are not to save the knees but to save the
mats. A flower-pot or a flower- vase and a screen,
which you could walk over, constitute the whole
furniture which is left in a Japanese room. When
a visitor arrives, the servants come in at a run — it
is disrespectful to v/alk when you are w^aiting on a
superior — and bring in a cushion and a fireplace for
each guest. Most soup-tureens are bigger than
Japanese fireplaces, and the fire is a shovelful of
charcoal ash, with a smouldering ember in the
middle like a cuckoo's e^o;. Fino-er-stoves would
be the proper name for them. Tea may be carried
in on a table or only on a tray. The number
of guests does not signify ; they bring in five cups
at a time. To make up for this they go on bringing
it all the time you are there, whether you want it
or not, with oranges or bean-flour-swccts to eat.
The streets are just as ridiculous as the houses.
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
The back streets are cantonments of bathing-
machines. The Ginza is even more Asiatic. It
is what the contemptuous Chinaman would call
a " lie-European " street, for it has shops with
glass windows filled with lie-European goods and
lie-American signboards, intended to rival Broad-
way in New York, which, in its turn, resembles
nothing but an advertisement page in a halfpenny-
newspaper. Of lie-European goods Mr W, Petrie
Watson, in his Japan : Aspects and Destinies, one
of the best books published on the subject, gives
some admirable instances. A bottle of Parisian
scent guaranteed genuine bore the following label :
Superior
Lavende
RWater
Preparedwitagr
eatcare erom
selected F
reshliver
Manufactured
and Bottled by
Gustav
Boehm
Paris
Sole Agents
Another firm announces the newest insect-
powder: "For Sale or Hire, Jumping Bug." A
Tokyo hairdresser proclaims himself "A Head
Cutter or Berbar." An umbrella-maker describes
his establishment as " anumbrellaseller." A
S76
TOPSY-TURVY TOKYO
hatter puts up " General Sort of Straw Hat
Dealer. New and Stylish Straw Hat will make
to order." A cobbler advertises —
Boota and shoes made to order
and
Repairing neatly done
wite
First class workmen ship
and a chemist —
" The most efficacious mabicine for wring the
Political stomach, bowels scik and meny
biscasas coming from vomiting anb sun-
strkoe, etc."
When we were in Japan I went to a shop in
Tokyo to buy a bottle of whisky, and the pro-
prietor was quite hurt because I would not believe
that a bottle labelled "Fine Blended Glasgow
Wine " was genuine. Imitating labels has always
appealed to the Japanese, and they say that now
they do it in some instances in a way that defies
detection. But this is difficult to beheve. In all
the forged Japanese labels I ever saw there were
ridiculous spelling mistakes like those on Mr Petrie
Watson's bottle of scent, and Allsopp would not
know his own outstretched hand in the Japanese
counterfeit. The fact is that the Japanese does not
contemplate selling these lie-European goods to
Europeans, and everything that looks like English
takes in the native customer. In the old days it
did not signify in the least whether the label
377
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
belonged to the article which was being sold. The
instance always quoted is that of a firm of silk-
handkerchief-makers who labelled their goods
Crosse and Blackwell.
The most interesting things in Tokyo are the
temples. You are in the heart of the Orient when
you go to Shiba. Once in the Court of the
Lanterns you forget the existence of Admiral
Togo, the great little Japanese who was called No
Go by his shipmates on the Worcester when he
was learning sailoring in England, and has since
" gone better " than any admiral alive. It is not
the Japan of ironclads and wireless telegraphy that
is with you in these shrines of the dead Shoguns,
but the Japan which passed away with the fall of
the last Shogun who is still alive, and, according to
]Mr Petrie Watson, spends his old age in learning
to ride the latest new American bicycles.
But I must not talk about temples and tea-
houses, the two most popular forms of amusement
in Japan, here, for I want to finish up now with a
picture of Tokyo hotels as they were before the
" Imperial " was started.
We spent many many months at the old Tokyo
hotel, built out of a daimio yashiki in the castle.
Everything about it was Japanese except the food
and the furniture, especially the servants, who put
on blue serge yachting jackets and trousers over
their native dress for meals, and pulled them off
378
TOrSY-TURVY TOKYO
quite openly in the dining-room as soon as the
meal was over. The funniest thing about that
hotel was the way they enlarged it to take in more
visitors. A lady who was staying with us was
horrified on going to bed in a room quite high up
from the ground, to find that one of its sides had
gone, and that only a piece of blue paper stretched
on bamboo poles separated her from the blue of the
sky. Her notice was drawm to it by seeing the stars
shining an inch above the floor, and in a gap which
the paper curtain did not cover. She thought an
earthquake had happened, and was terrified out of
her life. Seizing her dressing-case and dressing-
gown, she prepared to fly into the street, having
heard that the great thing in an earthquake was to
be in the open. In the passage she met her bed-
room-boy, whose name was Tiger, but who was
always caUed Cauliflower, because his hair was so
curly. He waved her back respectfully. With
Oriental intuitiveness he had taken in the whole situ-
ation. " OH right to-morrow ! " he said— although
this was rather poor consolation at 11 p.m. on a
freezing night. He explained, with the use of
sundry expeditions to consult the dictionary in the
manager s office, that they had taken off" that end
of the hotel to add some new rooms, and that they
would only take one day doing it. The job was
almost more gruesome when it was done. You
could not always remember that one wall of your
379
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
bedroom had been put up by a carpenter in less
time than it takes to perform a Japanese play.
If the servants liked you they stole the furniture
from the rooms of the people they did not like
to bring your room up to war strength. If they
disliked you they hid when you rang your bell in
your bedroom, or looked the other way in the dining-
room. A rich Australian who had kicked one of
them had to leave the hotel because he never
could get a servant to do anything. When he
went to the manager's office to complain, the
manager got under the table till he left again.
The war did not last long. It was too serious
for a man who wanted a whisky-and-soda every
half-hour.
The servants were so anxious to learn the
English language and customs that they asked all
sorts of embarrassing questions, though none of
them quite came up to the question asked by a
Japanese who was lunching with us. Among
other guests was the most famous Englishman
who has ever visited Japan, who was justly proud
of his slim figure. In the middle of lunch the
Japanese asked if it would be very rude to inquire
if his thinness was due to his leading an unusually
immoral life. The Japanese admire stoutness.
They were always complimenting me on my
figure.
380
CHAPTER V
HOW THE JAPANESE SPENDS HIS HOLIDAYS
At the New Year is the time to see Japan. Topsy-
turvydom is then at its height, for the New Year,
as they keep it, does not represent an}i:hing at all
except the national intention to finish a year by
paying off all debts, and begin a new one by tak-
ing a holiday, the only real holiday the industrious
Japanese ever takes for more than the time between
getting up and going to bed. The Japanese, by a
special arrangement with Heaven, had a New Year's
Day of their own, which was the most important
day in the year. But they found it more con-
venient to take the Englishman's New Year's Day,
and invest it with all the properties of their own.
Some of them go farther in treaty ports, and put
up their decorations in time to include the English-
man's Christmas.
The fun of the New Year for foreigners begins
the night before, when the Japanese are consumed
with a wild desire to pay their debts — but only to
S81
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
each other. Obligations to foreigners do not count,
and the foreigner retaliates by regarding this painful
process as a huge joke. The English merchants in
Yokohama make a very wry face when they tell
you that any Japanese who does not settle his
debts by New Year's Day is a dishonoured man.
At Tokyo, where there are a million and a half of
inhabitants, there are many debtors. Their one
idea of paying their debts is to carry everything
they have in the house to the Ginza in Tokyo, on
the off- chance of being able to sell enough of it to
satisfy their creditors. They make a little stall of
their wares (lit with some feeble sort of light), very
like the rag-fair stalls you see in the Campo dei
Fiori at Rome. The row of debtors, four deep,
extends for two or three miles. This fair in the
Ginza has humours of its own, which I described
in the chapter on Fairing in Japan in my Queer
Things about Japan.
The charm of the Japanese New Year is that
the natives shed their trousers and other Western
ideas, and are for something less than a week pure
Orientals. Politeness is the order of the day.
Sir Edwin Arnold, who lived in a Japanese house,
and was so desperately Japanese that he kept his
boots on the doorstep and went about the house
in grey worsted socks, had Japanese servants who
maintained the national tradition by boarding all
their relations in his house. One of them had a
382
THE JAPANESE AND HIS HOLIDAYS
baby who was only three years old, but came in
before breakfast on New Year s morning and made
a grand salaam, touching the ground with its fore-
head, and said, " At the beginning of the year on
the first day I wish you great prosperity ! " On
New Year's Day two scavengers who have each
other's honourable acquaintance cannot meet with-
out elaborate bows and compliments laid down
with rigid minuteness in the unwritten laws of
Japan. Each person has a separate lot of bows
for superiors, equals and inferiors. They have even
a separate language for them. One of the greatest
social revolutions of Japan took place a few years
ago, when the Emperor decided that actors need
no longer be described with the numbers used for
beasts, but might be reckoned as human beings in
the future. The Japanese have several sets of
numerals.^
New Year's Day is the great visiting day in
Japan. Leaving a name-paper, which is Jap-
English for a visiting card, on their friends is a
mania of the Japanese. The cards are really
autographs on fine rice paper. On New Year's
Day you cannot leave such an empty compliment
^ Though the A"o-actors (wlio, as the late Colonel Beaumont
remarked^ are no actors at all, but only dancers who are No-
dancers) were honoured, the Kabuld or real acting actors
were despised, and counted with the numerals properly used
for animals, ippiki, iii-hiki, instead of hitori-futan. This, says
Chamberlain, was a terrible insult among the Japanese.
383
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
as name-paper. You take some present, and the
Japanese idea of a present is not something to
keep, but something that you can eat or use up,
or give away to somebody else. As the Japanese
do not keep anything in their houses, they cannot
keep presents. A squashed salmon, with a paper
string tied round its waist to hold the little gold
kite which shows that it is a present, is a very
popular offering. The very poor give each other
towels made of blue cotton, and worth about
three halfpence. As they tie these round their
foreheads to prevent the sweat rolling from their
hair into their eyes, they can absorb a good many.
The Japanese takes his hat off when he is hot.
He thinks no more of sunstroke than he does of
loving his wife, which is a most uncontemplated
proceeding, and would be thought wrong. If you
love your wife you spoil your mother's servant ; it
is almost as bad as flirting with your housemaid in
England. Poems are the only present it is polite
to keep in Japan — for an obvious reason ; and the
poem itself does not signify so much as the beauty
of the handwriting in which it is transcribed.
Judged by this standard, as an incentive in im-
proving the handwriting, poetry has its use, though
it would not do to apply the test to Shakespeare
in the only pieces of his handwriting which we
have left — his signatures to documents. His
spelling was, I beheve, no better than his writing.
384
THE JAPANESE AND HIS HOLIDAYS
I have always been told that all three of his sur-
viving signatures are spelt differently.
We had an ideal New Year's Day in Japan.
AVlien I came down in a new suit of flannels, the
hotel manager, a Japanese who could speak a few
words of English, asked me if it would be very rude
to inquire if my suit was fashionable. I explained
that I had done my best to secure desirable
garments. He smiled pleasantly, and said that if
I felt quite sure of them he would like to order a
suit of the same style. He decided for us that we
ought to spend the day at the Asakusa temple,
where there was a great fair going on, and the
neighbouring Ekkoin temple, where the wrestling
championship was in progress. All Tokyo was
of the same mind. As we drove through miles
of streets with wooden houses about the size of
bathing-machines, from which the smell of sesame
oil went up to heaven, everyone who was not
playing battledore and shuttlecock or flying kites
was tramping or douhle-7iksha-mg towards that
quarter of Tokyo whose consumption by one of
the first-class fires which they have in Japan would
do so much for the moralisation of the city. The
Japanese ride two in a riksha, and pay about half
the fares of foreigners. Even then a ?iksha-hoy is
a rough person who can know nothing of manners
and is unworthy to be called a servant — he is only
a tradesman, which is justly a term of contempt in
25 385
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Japan. He is sure to be in the wrong. The
poUce always take part against him, unless he has
a foreigner on board to plead for him, which makes
it a question of politeness.
At the corner of the street we were stopped.
A policeman about four feet nothing, dressed in
a blue serge suit, and a cap with a patent-leather
peak, which made him look like a messenger-boy,
was giving a piece of his tongue to a liksha-hoy.
The embodiment of the majesty of the law stood
at ease, with his hands folded in white cotton gloves,
and an expression of icy disdain shot from his eyes
to the point of his nose. The riksha-hoy, who held
a white sun-helmet upside down in both hands,
like a steward on a rough passage across the
Channel, curtsied between every sentence. I dare-
say he had done nothing very heinous, but, true
to the topsy-turvy traditions of the land, a Japanese
crowd always sympathises with the police.
We went to the wrestling match first. People
went there very early, said Taro, the riksha-hoy,
who could speak Enghsh. Pressed as to what
* early ' meant, he admitted that the rush began at
daylight.
There is nothing so Japanese as a wrestling
match at Ekkoin. The building is nominally a
temple erected in memory of the great fire of
Tokyo, in which all this district and a hundred
thousand people were burnt.
386
THE JAPANESE AND HIS HOLIDAYS
It is now, as I have said, time for another fire,
to clear the atmosphere in the Asakusa quarter.
But the destruction of all these people at once
created a difficulty. There is nothing in religion
to which the orthodox Japanese attaches more
importance than prayers for the dead. The priests
see to that, as it is their most obvious means
of obtaining a living, and here were a hundred
thousand new candidates requiring prayers, and no
one to pay for them, because their whole famihes
had perished in the conflagration. The priests
were equal to the occasion. They got up a
pilgrimage. The special feature of Japanese
pilgrimages is that the gods take a hand in them.
Some of the most celebrated immortals, like Inari,
the Rice Goddess, are taken on a pilgrimage every
year, as the old-fashioned bee-farmers used to take
their hives in some parts of England. Inari is
taken down to visit the divinity at Ise, the most
sacred spot in Japan. Over the pit where most
of the victims were buried a temple was built,
called the Temple of the Helpless, because these
poor people had nobody to pay for their prayers.
Every year some important deities paid a pilgrimage
to the temple, carried in mekoshi, their state palan-
quins, with high pomp, and a vast concourse of
worshippers was attracted, whose offerings paid the
priests to pray for the dead.
The Japanese are a very practical people, even
387
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
in their relations with Heaven, and likewise in sport.
A good gate was essential to the success of the
wresthng championships ; and as this was the
biggest crowd of the year, the wrestlers brought
their championship to Ekkoin at the pilgrimage
time. Now there is nothing left but the wrest-
ling. Nobody thinks of the gods or the fire.
A Japanese wrestling match is about the oddest
thing you can go to. In the foundations of the
wrestling-booth, a superannuated wrestler, who
could only be described as a fat bull of Bashan,
sold us wooden tickets the size of hymn-books.
Armed with these, we crawled through a kind of
man-hole, and found ourselves in a crowd to which
even a popular football match affords no parallel.
Every inch of that vast building was filled with
Asiatics, squatting on their hams as close as mustard
and cress, and round the man-hole those who had
no kneeling-room were sandwiched. We prepared
to turn back, but Japanese politeness forbade it.
An enormous wrestler named Arakato told the
crowd to make room for us to accommodate our-
selves comfortably. The crowd at once shrank
right and left, hke the Red Sea for the Israelites,
and left us high and dry. We looked at our Hfe-
preserver. No wonder the crowd obeyed him.
He was four times the size of any of them — a
man six feet I don't know how much in height,
and immensely broad and fat. His hair was as
388
THE JAPANESE AND HIS HOLIDAYS
long as a woman's, and arranged in a feudal
chignon. He had a different sort of face, too,
but we did not trouble about that. Unfortunately
he could speak no English, and we did not then
know about the locks and grips with which a
course of Jujitsu and Judo at London music-halls
has made every metropolitan bank-clerk familiar.
Wrestling had therefore its tediums, though the
novelty of the whole scene kept us amused. In
the middle of thousands of spectators, kneeling
like spitted larks, was a stage eight or ten yards
square, with a grand silk canopy over it, supported
by a post at each corner. There was a rope round
it, to prevent the combatants descending upon the
crowd a couple of feet below them. The ring
was covered with stuff that looked like the tan
of Rotten Row. It was occupied by an umpire
dressed in the feudal style, with a chignon and
shoulder-pieces like elephant's ears, and carrying
a black wedge-shaped lacquer fan ; the wrestlers
were dressed in very little but a chignon, except
the strip of dark blue harness round their loins.
They were pot-bellied monsters, with arms and
legs like Michael Angelo's statues. At the first
signal they sat up like frogs in front of the umpire,
waiting to spring. At the second they sprang,
and tried to get a good grip or a killing lock. If
their guards were successful, as often happened,
they returned to their haunches and started again.
389
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
When they got a good start, sometimes a man
was defeated without a struggle, bemg caught in
one of the fatal locks. He knew that if he moved
a limb would go. At other times they hugged,
and tried to trip and throw for the best part of
half-an-hour, hke dalesmen in Cumberland. One
thing was as dull to watch as the other. The
really interesting part of the performance to
Europeans lay in the way they wiped the sweat
off their huge bodies with little bits of tissue-
paper, such as ladies use when they think their
faces look shiny, and the washing out of their
cavernous mouths with salt and water.
At the Ekkoin wrestling championship there is
not room for the teapots and chow-boxes and wives
and babies that the Japanese takes to the theatre
with him, though the Japs are wonders at making
room when they are already packed like sardines.
As we saw when a dark horse threw the favourite
out, and the whole audience rose and threw their
hats at the victor. We were not so ignorant as to
mistake the meaning of this demonstration. It
was not like Passive Resistance with bad eggs.
It was more like a pawn-shop. The attendant
collects the hats and puts them away till the
owners come to redeem them with presents. It
might be a good way of getting a new hat, if any
Japanese ever had a new hat. One wonders if
they keep special hats for wrestling matches, like
390
THE JAPANESE AND HIS HOLIDAYS
we keep for evening church. This hurricane of
hats is magnificent. How much more sensible
than forty-shilHng bouquets, which get broken in
throwing them. The same hat will do duty again
and again if you know how to mend a broken
bowler as a Japanese does. Decidedly there is
something quite original about Japanese wrestling,
even down to the building, which has an awning of
matting hung over the top to keep out the sun,
and other awnings hung round the sides of the
building to prevent people seeing the show without
paying for it. Japanese wrestlers' championship
belts would set the London Police Gazette wild
with envy. They can only be compared to red
silk crinolines, with a fringe of bullion a foot deep.
They would make even the German Emperor's
epaulettes look mean.
From Ekkoin we rikshad to Asakusa, where the
Japanese are chummiest with Heaven. It is the
East with a vengeance. You go through a huge
scarlet temple gateway to a huge scarlet temple,
with a large gilt image of the Goddess of Mercy.
The priests, with gong and incense, pursue a stately
service, quite undisturbed by the fact that the
worshippers are ringing bells, just as we ring up the
Central Office on the telephone, to inform their
gods that there are prayers for them to listen to ;
or by the sacred cocks and hens which Hy up and
down and feed and cluck ; or by otlier and more
391
MOKE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
acceptable ^\'orshippers, who prefer to deposit paper
prayers, which the priests get paid for, in boxes
suggestive of the beetle-traps used to take the
tickets at the Twopenny Tube. But the temple
is only a side-show at a big festival. Holiday-
makers stream up the avenues made by tea-houses
decorated with cut bamboo for the day, and huge
round white paper lanterns, with red suns on them,
for the night ; and stalls where they sell tobacco-
purses, and ornamental hairpins, and sham soap,
and other rubbish that you could have sworn no
sensible Japanese would look at. But no Japanese
goes to a fair without his moosme or his children,
and a fevv coppers to spend on them, and this
rubbish is handsome to their unspoiled souls. This
is the part of the grounds which they like. The
foreigner prefers the lake, with its swing bamboo
bridge, far more exciting than any switchback,
and its imitation Fujiyama made of plaster, and
its row of booths with raree-shows. The day we
first went to Asakusa they were wonderfully good
and bad. In one booth there was a living picture
of some historical scene in the life of the old
daimios, made with growing chrysanthemums. In
the next, which was much more popular, there was
a primitive electrical machine for giving shocks at
a fraction of a halfpenny each. Then came a sea-
serpent, which was really some sort of seal, and
only emitted fire from its nostrils on the advertise-
S92
THE JAPANESE AND HIS HOLIDAYS
ment. The woman who took hold of her chin and
stretched her neck the length of her right arm was
peerless. If we had only had the proper connec-
tions, what a fortune we could have made by
brinofinof her to do turns at British music-halls.
Less effective for a large theatre, but equally
wonderful in a small booth, was the woman who
swallowed her nose and eyes by stretching her
lower lip up to meet her eyebrows. We got tired
of one man holding up dozens of his descendants
and swallowing swords in the juggling theatre.
There was a quack dentist, and a man who offered
to cut your head off and put it on again, with a
two-handled Japanese sword. But there was no
Red Indian corn-doctor. Shoes were then such a
novelty in Japan that corns were in their infancy.
What a scene it was ! The vast red gateway
and the temple, with its bell-tower and drum-tower,
and all the usual accessories, and with the cock-
tower, which is Asakusa's own, were standing up
from a seething mass of booths and stalls and a
Japanese holiday crowd. A Japanese holiday
crowd is delightful. The man who pays for all
ambles along in his best kimo?io, with a grey
bowler hat resting on his ears, and his beautiful
split-toed tabi and clogs very likely exchanged for
nauseous red socks and German shoes the shape of
walnut shells. But he has more sense about his
children and moosmcs. They, at any rate, are
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
bright and beautiful in native dress, the children
with scarlet sashes and under-skirts ; the moosmes
with flowers in the butterfly wings of their glossy
black hair. There is nothing much prettier than
to see three little moosmes with their sunburnt
cheeks as rosy as ripe peaches, and their laughing
white teeth and eyes, hohdaying at a temple.
They invite attention and run away from it, taking
care to be caught up again. Of the foreigner, at
any rate, they are not in the least afraid.
Then came night, with its thousands of lanterns,
and its tea-house revelries, and its little troops of
dragon-dancers, with bands of flute and drum, and
its twanging of samisen-players.
But at night the centre of gravity, or its opposite,
shifted to Shiba, whose innkeepers have cornered
the best geisha in Tokyo. There we found our-
selves in an atmosphere of banquets w^hich lasted
far into the night, with the most beautiful women
in Japan to sing and dance and make love to those
who engaged them. The Japanese find them very
enchanting, and will spend a month's income on an
entertainment ; but I would rather go without the
geisha than go through a Japanese banquet.
394
CHAPTER VI
SHOPS A JOB-LINE IN JAPAN
There is no civilized country where shops are
such a job-hne as they are in Japan. In the Ginza
at Tokyo, and a few streets of the foreign settle-
ments in Yokohama and Kobe, there are a certain
number of shops with windows and counters, and
even doors. But, as a rule, the Japanese shop is
the Japanese house with the front taken off, because
the owner has something to raise the wind on.
There is no need to confine the remark to the
ground floor, because few Japanese houses have
anything else. Even out in the country almost
every house you pass sells the rope sandals worn
by 7ikska-men, at three halfpence the pair.
Japanese shops do not have counters, but the
floor makes a natural counter, on which the pro-
prietor spreads his goods, and squats. What you
do depends on how much you want to buy. If
it is only a small purchase, you sit on the edge of
the floor with your legs hanging down. If it is a
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MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
purchase which will take time — and there are very
few in Japan which do not — you, too, squat on the
floor, and a servant brings you a knee-cushion and
a finger-stove and five cups of tea before you are
asked what you honourably want.
There are shops and shops in Japan. Most
foreigners prefer to deal with shops which have
windows and doors, and chairs and counters. This
is a mistake. A foreigner who goes to Japan to
make his pile, or a Japanese so acquainted with
Western ideas as to countenance such innovations,
expects his cent, per cent. And the other kind of
shop is much more amusing. It is not like a shop
at all. It is a home, exposed to the public gaze,
in which you can buy anything which takes your
fancy. In our shops we arrange the articles for
sale round the walls. The Japanese uses the floor
and the ceiling, because he has no walls to speak
of, but only paper shutters, which fit into grooves
like lantern slides, and are all of them used as doors,
and opened without any warning, like the European
knock at the door.
Most Japanese shops are second-hand, because
the stock consists of the owner's worldly possessions.
You take your choice and pay your money. In
the central streets of the large cities the shops are
more normal. They have regular stocks of china,
hardware, hosiery, cheap knickknacks, basket-ware,
or greengrocery. More than half of them seem
396
SHOPS A JOB-LINE IN JAPAN
to belong to greengrocers, says Miss Campbell-
Davidson, the most recent observer on the subject.
This is only v^^hat you would expect. The Japanese
shopkeeper has the greatest possible objection to
paying for the articles he sells, and the only things
which you get for nothing in the long-run are what
the bountiful earth gives you. Therefore at every
turn you are confronted by radishes as large as
conger-eels and as rank as sour turnips ; enormous
pumpkins, whose quantity tells in a country which
does not demand quality in its food ; oranges which
have no pips, and the gorgeous but unsatisfactory
persimmon. In some of the cities the china-shops
are quite imposing, with their shelves rising in tiers
from the floor hke potato exhibits at a flower-show.
At others, where the pieces are better instead of
worse, they are few in number, and arranged in
rows on the floor. In some shops you may see
the work of manufacture. In the back streets of
Yokohama the Satsuma porcelain of modern com-
merce is manufactured by boys who look about
four years old. In a china-shop the most tempting
things to buy are queer teapots, delightful little
sets of cups without handles, and saucers without
sockets, always sold and served in fives ; the covered
soup-cups, which are a feature of every Japanese
banquet; flower-pots, lakes, and gardens. The
flower-pots of blue and white porcelain are some-
times half a yard high, and as lean as rats. They
397
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
are used for the little plum-trees, trained like
rambler-roses, and taught to blossom in time for
the New Year, at which every self-respecting
Japanese household must have one. The lakes,
also of blue and white porcelain, are about eight
inches across and two inches deep, and are designed
to hold the quaint pebbles in which the Japanese
lily is taught to grow with water instead of earth.
The gardens, mostly of earthenware, are about two
feet long and a foot and a half wide, and contain a
whole landscape, with trees which may be centuries
old, though they are no longer than a Jew's cigar.
Among the most interesting shops are those
of the lantern-sellers and umbrella-makers and
stationers, for they deal in paper, and the Japanese
makes everything of paper, even his premises, just
as the Mexican made his house and his clothes
and his equivalent for whisky, and very likely his
equivalent for soda, from the American aloe, which
we only use for dosing children. The Japanese
nearly succeeds in making rice go all round, for he
makes his best paper, and his best paste, and his
food and drink, and the thatched cloak of straw
which he wears when it is wet, and his roof-thatch,
from it.
A native stationer's is a most fascinating place.
The common account-books are made of so many
sheets of paper folded inside a sheet of card, and
threaded on a piece of rope, which is tied into an
398
SHOPS A JOB-LINE IN JAPAN
ornamental knot for hanging up. The bookbind-
ing is done by tiny boys, who ought to be still in
their cradles, and the rice-paste which they use,
which looks much more appetising than most
blancmange, is kept rolled up in bamboo leaves.
Japanese books are bound in the maddest way.
They are folded like maps, and the loose ends are
sewn together half an inch from the edge. It
follows that only one side of the page can be used,
and when the paper is very thick the book has
only about as many pages as an exercise-book.
The favourite thing to bind them in is paper crepe,
though some books attain to the dignity of a hemp
binding, or even silk, and wood is rather popular.
There are two kinds of Japanese note-paper.
The first consists of square sheets of beautiful rice-
paper printed in colours, or water-marked with
designs of temples and gardens and bridges and
flying storks, or even popular courtesans. This is
for the childish foreigner. For himself the Japanese
uses a roll of curl-paper about six inches wide and
forty yards long, on which he writes with a paint-
brush, beginning at the right hand instead of the
left, and writing down the page instead of across it.
When he has painted a yard or two of the letter
he tears it off and folds it up very narrow, because
his envelope, though it may be a foot long, is never
more than two inches wide. The envelope is some-
times plain, but very often has a fancy border in
399
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
pale green or blue, even when it is not prepared
to allure the childish foreigner.
The bookbinders do their work on the floor,
kneeling at tables a yard long, half a yard wide,
and a foot high, which form the Japanese dining-
tables on the rare occasions when the Jap does
not dine off the floor. The lantern-painter lies on
his stomach while he is decorating the lantern's
oleaginous belly. The umbrella-maker does a
fiTood deal of standino^, because he has to run round \
the umbrella-frame, pasting on a separate strip
between each pair of ribs. Fan-making is also
combined with umbrellas. Ribs and paste are the
essence of both.
The ironmonger is a disappointing person, his
only native line being tea-kettles, which are often
very fanciful and beautiful, but are shamed out of
countenance by swarms of kerosene lamps that
might have originated the expression " cheap and
nasty." The most demoralising thing in Japan is
the kerosene lamp. The Jap burns the vilest and
most ardent kerosene in a tinkering twopenny-half-
penny lamp which would hardly hold water. For
this he has discarded the beautiful old square paper
lantern with a scarlet-lacquer frame, which sat on
a stool, though he had none to sit on himself, and
gave so little light that the servants were allowed
to squat about, talking, since they could not see to
do anything else. The aesthetic spirit is amply
400
SHOPS A JOB-LINE IN JxVPAN
avenged, for a Japanese house is hardly better
suited than a powder-magazine for a lamp explosion.
Its deep straw mats and paper walls go off like
fireworks. The other kind of shop m which the
Japanese do themselves least justice is what
they call a kwankoba, or bazaar. The kucanhoba
is ineffable. Its lacquer can only be compared
with our paper-leather photo frames ; and its other
temptations consist of combs, with a tendency
towards scarlet ; pads and other forms of false hair ;
hairpins with any kind of extravagance down to
Chinese prisoners dangling by their pigtails ;
note-purses ; tobacco-purses ; the ridiculous little
Japanese pipes ; and soaps with misspelt names of
famous brands but no other washing properties.
The kwankoba is the German fair, the sixpence-half-
penny shop of Japan, and the funny thing is that
the Japanese themselves patronise it more than
foreigners.
The Japanese foot-tailor who has no foreign
cUentele does not, except in rare instances, make
boots and shoes ; he makes clogs and sandals. The
sandals vary from the rope soles popular with riksha-
boys to the fine straw, disc-like, glorified Turkish
bath slippers worn by gentlefolks. In practice,
what the Japanese uses most are clogs a few
inches high, beautifully made out of the light
kiri wood. These account for the state of Japanese
roads, for it takes a mighty big puddle to flow
26 401
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
over a clog. The scuffing of clogs is the sound
which goes up to heaven from Japan with the
incense of sesame oil.
The fish-shops of Japan bring out the likeness
between Japan and Italy, for in Japan also the
tunny and the octopus are frequent dishes. But
the Japanese are even more inclined to devour the
offal of the sea, from sea-urchins to sea- weeds, which
they regard as sea-vegetables.
A good silk-shop is one of the most typical shops
in Japan, for here they maintain the ancient
etiquette. Take Nosawaya's, at Yokohama, for
instance. It has a floor of spotless matting, raised
a foot from the ground, and a curtain of dark blue
cotton, veiling its contents from the merely roving
eye. In the middle of the curtain is Nosawaya's
monogram as big as himself, and his name is
printed on a board fixed over his shop like the
boards on our butchers' carts, which are lifted off
on Sundays to let them be dogcarts for butchers'
honeymoons. We went beneath the veil to buy
Nosawaya's silks. I had my suspicions at first,
because Nosawaya invited me to stand on his
matting with my boots on. I thought he must
expect to cheat me handsomely, so I took off" my
overcoat and stood on that. But I fQund that his
suggestion only emanated from good feeling. He
was too great a swell to leave his goods in his shop,
which contained nothing except himself and his
402
SHOPS A JOB-LINE IN JAPAN
assistants, who seemed to be taking diving lessons
on the floor, till they were despatched to the go-down
to bring pieces for our honourable inspection. The
striped silks and figured crepes they brought were
extremely beautiful. Each piece was a Japanese
foot (which is a very large foot) wide, and a good
many yards long. We bought several pieces.
The only kind of shopping which is really very
interesting to foreigners is curio-shopping, and that
is no fun if you go to the large European or
Europeanised curio-shops. The bargains are to
be picked up at the lower order, which are curio-
shops to us, and general dealers, if not monti di
pietd, to the natives. The first thing I looked for
in those shops was to see if they had any old
bottles or second-hand boots for sale. If they had,
I knew it was one of the genuine jumble-sales of
which I was in search, which have made my
Japanese room the despair of collectors in London,
who entirely overlook the little domestic articles,
wonderfully curious and beautiful, which I made
my speciality. In these shops one used to pick
up all kinds of magnificent works of art in the
form of netsukes, inros (medicine carriers), ink-
stands, tobacco-boxes, shrines, gods, native clocks,
magic mirrors, and so on, many of them of great
value before they received the fatal crack or chip
which deprived them of their rank of being perfect
pieces. This applies especially to lacquer.
403
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Bargaining is a great trouble in Japan. The
Japanese always asks twice or three times as much
as he intends to take, and I never was clever
enough to acquire the short cut to discomfit
him— that of being able to follow his reckoning
on the soj'oban or abacus, or being able to read
the numerals on the little paper ticket usually
attached to an article in a second-hand shop.
The shopkeepers invariably began by registering
on the soroban the price they had paid, and
then calculated the profit.
Knowing the price they had paid, the offer of a
very small percentage on it would always secure
an article. The Japanese are really very tiresome
in their slavish adherence to the soroban. As
Miss Campbell-Davidson puts it, if you take a
two-dollar railway ticket and give the booking-
clerk a five-dollar note, he works out the change
on the soroban before he gives it to you. Failing
these expedients, I had to invent one of my own,
which was to decide how much I should like to
give for a thing, the price at which I thought it
a bargain, and yet sufficiently acceptable to the
vendor. I remember, for instance, seeing an old
schoolgirl's satchel of green silk, with a few
bamboos worked on it in silver thread. It was
lined with an old brocade of Chinese figures. At
half-a-crown it would have been dear, at eighteen-
pence reasonable, at a shilling cheap. I did not
404
SHOPS A JOB-LINE IN JAPAN
particularly want it, but decided that at threepence
it would be irresistible. Threepence I offered its
proprietor on the Avay out to a long day at Shiba.
He appeared to take no notice, but as we were
returning in the shades of the evening his small
boy ran out after me, calling out " Yorosld ! "
(all right). That was the royal road for curio-
shops, and we were very fond of going to spend
long days in that wonderful part of the temples.
As we drove out I used to put my price on any
article that took my fancy. On my return I
nearly always found it accepted ; and if it was
not accepted, it was because the man had given
more for it. He generally told me the truth about
that; and if I was tempted, 1 gave him a trifle
beyond it to make his profit.
The Chinese shopkeeper in Japan is the anti-
podes of the Japanese. When you ask him the
price, he names the lowest possible, in the hopes of
cUnching the bargain. In choosing materials, such
as tweed for clothes, the Japanese has no eye for a
good thing or for the taste of the foreigners. He
has a natural inclination towards shoddy. The
limit of his ambition is to have a thing that will pass
muster. The Chinaman tries to get the best thing
in the market. There is the same difference in the
matter of bargains. The Chinaman's word is as
good as a cheque. The Japanese's word is a mere
compliment. He is not so bad in retail transac-
405
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
tions, unless it is a matter like a lady's silk dress, in
which it is difficult to compute quantities, and he
is apt to use a material inferior to the sample. It
is in buying, not selling, that the Japanese shop-
keeper sacrifices the national good name. He
trades without capital, and cannot stand a sub-
stantial loss. This does not deter him from giving
a large order. But if, when the goods arrive, they
have gone down in value, or the market is bad for
trade, he repudiates the order, sometimes admitting,
with tolerable frankness, that he cannot afford to
buy the article, now that the market is against him.
If, as is often the case, the European importer
sells the repudiated goods by auction, an agreement
with his fellow-shopkeepers that they will not bid
against the man for whom the goods were ordered
enables him to buy them at a tremendous sacrifice,
unless a Chinaman wants the goods. Their poverty
is the excuse the Japanese shopkeepers make for
themselves. Their low caste is the excuse made
for them by their apologists. In the Japanese
social scale the merchant is the lowest, except the
outcast or scavenger class, called eta. In the old
feudal days the nobles and their establishments of
samurai did not buy things at shops. Manufac-
turers and artificers of all sorts formed part of the
establishment. Tradesmen had no customers worth
having, and therefore only a very low class cared
to go into trade.
406
SHOPS A JOB-LINE IN JAPAN
The Elder Statesmen, whom we know in these
last few months to be the real rulers of Japan, who
have been pulling the wires in secret ever since the
Revolution, are much disturbed at the debacle of
Japanese trade reputation in the eyes of the world,
and there are signs that when the war is over they
will take the matter in hand. For the present we
are confronted with the spectacle that though the
Japanese Government is the most correct of any
of the Great Powers in observing international
obligations, the Japanese individual is at the other
end of the scale.
407
CHAPTER VII
THE CHEERFUL LOT OF THE JAPANESE WOMEN
The Japanese woman is among the most interest-
ing specimens of the eternal feminine, as capable
of the sternest self-sacrifice as the angular strong-
minded mothers of Sparta and Republican Rome.
She is also the gentlest and most faultless of her
sex. She asks nothing, she expects nothing ;
she is the incarnation of the spirit of loyalty
which makes the Japanese soldier the bravest of
the brave. Her duties begin early, though she
is the latest weaned of the human race. Hardly
has she left her mother's breast before she may
be called to carry the next baby like a knapsack
on her back. This does not prevent her skipping
and playing baU and battledore or shuttlecock.
A Japanese baby can hang on like a fly, and
seems to enjoy trying to shake its head off. She
has a happy childhood, though before it is over
she has been taught more etiquette than most
Lord Chamberlains, and though her life grows
408
CHEERFUL LOT OF JAPANESE WOMEN
increasingly solemn from the day of her birth.
Nothing is too bright for a Japanese baby, which
has a scarlet petticoat and dabs of scarlet over
the rest of its person. The moosme, unless she
is a waitress — a profession which runs to scarlet
petticoats — has to content herself with a scarlet
obi and throat lining, and something scarlet in
her hair. The married woman grows sadder and
sadder in her costume, and the widow is expected
to look like a crow on a barn door.
It is surprising how women put up with the
hardness of their lot in Japan, where they never
have a word at all, let alone the last word, and
where the fashions have not changed since the
time of Queen Elizabeth, except in the simple
direction of ladies of rank having given up wear-
ing coloured dresses, because they are no longer
allowed castles to wear them in.
Formerly the wives of the great nobles, the
daimio, wore marvellously worked and coloured
garments of silk, embroidered to copy the flowers
of the season. When wistaria came in they were
dressed in wistaria patterns ; in the month of
peonies they rivalled the gorgeous tree-peony of
Japan. At present these dresses are only to be
seen on the stage, but the women of the new class
of rich merchants are thinking of reviving them,
to mark the creation of a plutocracy.
The ambition of a Japanese woman is not to
409
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
be a mother, but a mother-in-law. As a mother
she enjoys no consideration till she is too old to
have any of her husband's female relations older
than herself, so a Japanese woman does not try
and look younger than she is, but older ; and it
must be admitted that she succeeds, though she
no longer blacks her teeth at marriage to make
herself hideous in the eyes of men. Until she
is the viaterfamilias she is the slave of any woman
in the household who ranks as older than herself,
and she has not even the consolations of religion,
for it is considered improper to go to temples
much until she is so hideous that no one will look
at her. Being fond of religion is a fault coupled
in the same breath with talking too much, and
both of them, like leprosy, are among the principal
reasons for divorce.
In a land where suicide has been so common
and so honourable, you wonder why the whole
female population of Japan has not committed
haraJdri, the formal form of suicide.
The Japanese are very kind to their children
and their moosmes, the young unmarried girls ;
they take them to festivities at temples so often
that it must be doubly hard for the Japanese
woman when she is married at the great age of
fifteen to give up going to tlie temples, which she
associates with earthly pleasures so much more
than divine. Every Tokyo moosnie has a father or
410
CHEERFUL LOT OF JAPANESE WOMEN
someone who takes her to a big fair in the Temple
of Mercy at Asakusa, and treats her to paper
flowers and sham soap, and anything that can be
bought with coppers. He is hberal also in treating
her to side-shows at a fiirthing or a halfpenny each ;
and no restrictions are placed on her going to
simple fairs, with one or two other little girls of
the same age, to have a lark. It must try even
the stoicism of the Japanese women to abandon
all this at fifteen, to be maid-of-all-work to her
husband, and any parents and grandparents, and
elder brothers and elder brothers' wives he may
have, all packed into the beehive accommodation
of the Japanese house.
But she submits as a matter of course. For a
woman to refuse to marry in Japan would open
an alarming new phase of the servant question,
since the wife does the lion's share of the house-
work. Besides, she would be costing her father
money for her keep; and in Japanese ideas it is
much more respectable for a woman to sell herself
to a house of ill-fame, and give the money to her
parents, than to go on costing them money by her
failure to marry. Since men do not, as a rule,
choose their wives, or girls their husbands, looks
do not signify so much in escaping old-maidenhood
in Japan as they do elsewhere.
A Japanese marriage is a novelty in mariage^f
de convenance, for the male of Dai Nippon em-
411
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
ploys a go-between, like the impecunious Count
of Paris, but does not expect to marry a dot.
He expects to marry a servant good enough to
keep her mother-in-law's tongue quiet ; for when
the Japanese woman becomes a mother-in-law,
she vents all the pent-up ill-humour of her life-
time upon her unhappy daughter-in-law. If his
mother is not satisfied, he knows that he will
have to divorce his wife, if she is the loveliest and
sweetest woman in the land. In fact, if they really
are fond of each other, their affection is likely to
bring about a catastrophe, for the mother-in-law
dislikes her servant's time being preoccupied.
The Japanese have handed down from the
Middle Ages a wonderful code of morals called
the Onna - JDai - Gaku, or greater learning for
women, which tells them what is expected of
them, and is a marvellous illustration of how far
the vanity and selfishness of a Japanese man and
the self-sacrificingness of a Japanese woman can
take them in the direction of antediluvian
absurdities.
A woman's lot is summed up in the three
obediences : obedience, while unmarried, to her
father ; obedience, when married, to her husband
and the elders of his family ; and obedience, when
widowed, to her son. "Whilst thou honourest
thine own parents," says the Greater Learning for
Women, " think not lightly of thy father-in-law.
41:2
CHEERFUL LOT OF JAPANESE WOMEN
Never should a woman fail night and morning
to pay her respects to her father and mother in
law. With special warmth of affection must she
reverence her husband's elder brother and elder
sister. Let her never even dream of jealousy.
If her husband be dissolute, she must expostulate
with him, but never either nurse or vent her
anger. If her jealousy be active, it will render
her countenance frightful and her accents repul-
sive A woman should be circumspect
and sparing of her use of words, and never, even
for a passing moment, should she slander others
or be guilty of untruthfulness Of tea
and wine she must drink but sparingly, nor must
she feed her ears and eyes with theatrical per-
formances, ditties and ballads. To temples she
should go but sparingly until she has reached the
age of forty. She must not let herself be led
astray by mediums and divineresses, and enter
into an irreverent familiarity with the gods, neither
must she be constantly occupied in praying. If
only she satisfactorily performs her duties, she
may leave prayers alone, without seeking to enjoy
the divine protection. She must never give way
to luxury and pride .... and on no account
whatever must she enter into correspondence
with young men. ... It is wrong in her, by
an access of care, to obtrude herself upon other
people's notice. . . . Again, she must not be
413
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
filled with pride at the recollection of the
splendour of her parental house, and must not
make it a subject of her conversation. Her treat-
ment of her handmaidens will require circum-
spection. These low and aggravating girls have
had no proper education ; they are stupid, obstinate,
and vulgar in their speech. When anything in
the conduct of their mistress' husband or parents-
in-law crosses their wishes, they fill her ears with
their invectives, thinking thereby to render her
a service. But any woman who would listen to
this gossip must beware of the heartburnings it
will be sure to breed. Easy is it by reproaches
and disobedience to lose the love of those who,
like a woman's marriage connections, were all
originally strangers ; and it were surely folly, by
believing the prattle of a servant- girl, to diminish
the affection of a precious father-in-law and mother-
in-law. If a servant-girl be altogether too loquacious
and bad, she should speedily be dismissed ; for it
is by the gossip of such persons that occasion is
given for the troubling of the harmony of kinsmen
and the disordering of a household. Again, in
her dealings with these low people, a woman will
find many things to disapprove of. But if she be
for ever reproving and scolding, and spend her time
in bustle and anger, her household will be in a
continual state of disturbance."
But the climax of the gospel of male swollen-
414
CHEERFUL LOT OF JAPANESE WOMEN
headedness is yet to come. " The five worst mal-
adies to conflict the female mind are indocility,
discontent, slander, jealousy, and selfishness. With-
out any doubt these five maladies afflict seven or
eight out of every ten women, and it is from these
that arises the inferiority of women to men. A
woman should cure them by self-inspection and
self-reproach. The worst of them all, and the
parent of all the other four, is silliness." And,
climax of climax, such is the character of her
character that it is incumbent on her in every
particular to distrust herself and obey her hus-
band.
After all this, it is not surprising to hear that the
Japanese compare men to heaven, and women to
earth.
A Japanese woman is, if she is the greatest lady
in the land, in theory expected to be her husband's
valet and her husband's tailor. Any service which
touches his person or the articles he wears it is
her privilege to keep to herself, and she is only
supposed to delegate such duties as she has not
the physical strength to perform. In practice this
is, of course, modified. When Miss Bacon, whose
books are the principal source of information on
Japanese women, visited the daughter of the last
of the Shogun rulers of Japan, who was the wife
of a great noble, she found her, a beautiful young
creature, completely absorbed in playing with her
415
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
baby, and otherwise amusing herself and making
herself look pretty to flirt with her husband, which
would have given the old-fashioned Japanese the
horrors. And since most Japanese men of position
are accustomed to wear European dress in public,
the idea of having their wives for their tailors and
of wearing home-made clothes is no longer sublime.
In France they say the tailor makes the man : in
Japan the dressmaker certainly makes the woman.
For, provided that her garments are in European
style, a Japanese lady is treated as a lady instead
of a servant. While she is in native dress a
Japanese woman is simply her husband's faithful
body-servant. Not only is she valet, but she waits
upon him at meals, instead of taking them with
him. It is she who pushes back the shutters, the
Japanese equivalent of opening and shutting a door,
for him, and she would hand him a chair if he ever
used one. When they go out, she walks a dog's
pace behind him — a relic of the good old days when
it was the fashion for your enemies to stab you
in the back. But it is the unwritten law in Japan
that a lady in European dress must be treated like
a European lady, and it is faithfully observed, at
all events in public.
As a Japanese woman averages about four feet
eight inches in height, she can fairly claim to be
the best for her inches in the whole human race.
There is very little she cannot, will not, and does
416
CHEERFUL LOT OF JAPANESE WOMEN
not do. Japanese women coaled the big man-of-
war which brought Pierre Loti to Nagasaki, as
well as supplied him with the model for his Madame
Chrysantheme. They tuck up their skirts between
their legs and do the mud-gardening in the
malarious rice-fields ; they carry the American
ladies' Saratogas up the hill to ^liyanoshita on their
backs.
A woman may teach the ins and outs of the
Solemn Tea Ceremony, the bows and expressions of
etiquette, music, painting, and flower-arrangement,
but all these avocations are open to men also, and
in fortune-telling men have the preference. The
Japanese are a fortune to fortune-tellers. They
will not marry or change their houses or go on a long-
journey, they will hardly have a tooth out, without
consulting a fortune-teller as to the day on which
the conflicting omens offer least resistance ; and if it
seems impossible to reconcile the omens, they just
make up their minds to cheat the gods. Miss
Bacon mentions a case in which a man was to
marry a girl much above him in station and in
wealth. When he went to the fortune-teller to be
told a propitious wedding-day, he discovered that
the lady lived in a quarter of the city from which
it was absolutely fatal for him to take a bride.
He was equally afraid of defying the omen and of
offending such a powerful family by backing out
of the marriage. They got over the difficulty by
27 417
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
making the girl go and stay with an uncle on the
opposite side of Tokyo, from whose house she
issued as a corpse on the following day.
There is one occupation which is very lucrative,
•and of which women have the monopoly in Japan,
though it is almost the monopoly of men in Europe,
and that is hairdressing. The Japanese have a
motto that the hairdresser's husband never need
work. To have her hair well done takes a woman
at least two hours, and it has to last about two
days, and sometimes lasts a week. A Japanese
woman does not lay her head on a pillow, she lays
her neck on a little wooden door-scraper, which
used to remind me of Mary Queen of Scots being
executed wrong side upwards, and taking her
execution lying down, to use a phrase made
classical by Mr Chamberlain.
The Japanese woman has only one vice : she is
fond of flirtations with popular actors, unless one
calls it a vice to be a light sleeper, and smoke
whenever she wakes. For there is not much
repose about Japanese smoking, as the pipe only
contains tobacco enough for three whiiFs, and is
then tapped to knock the ashes out.
There is only one absolute essential about a
Japanese wife, and that is that she should not be
educated, for if she is educated she may be the
wife on the European plan, as they say in American
hotels, to a Japanese ; but she cannot be a Japanese
418
CHEERFUL LOT OF JAPANESE WOMEN
wife, for the Japanese wife is not allowed to have a
mind, or at least to exercise it, which comes to the
same thing. If she has been educated, how can she
put up with the life of making and mending and
brushing her husband's clothes ; and getting his tea
before he gets up ; keeping her temper while she
keeps the servants in order ; washing the clothes
without soap and ironing them without irons ; and
keeping away from her church — temples — until she
is forty or frightful ?
Shopping may be some alleviation, as constituted
in Japan, for the simplest thing takes time ; you
can hardly buy a yard of silk in Japan without
having a kneeling-cushion and a fireplace and five
cups of tea brought in for your use before they
inquire what you want. But aristocratic ladies have
not even this relief: instead of their going to the
shops, the shops are taken to them.
Certainly the Japanese woman has a good deal
to put up with : it is almost bad form of her to
love her husband ; it is more moral of her to
anticipate the wishes of her mother-in-law. It is
considered mere self-indulgence for her to show any
love to her children ; and, worse than that, if she
has no children, she is expected to welcome the
presence of another woman in the house who shows
the ability to give her husband the desired heir.
She can comfort herself with the idea that from
the moment that the son of the mekake or
419
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
mistress is accepted as the heir, he ceases to be
his mother's child and becomes her child. The
judgments of Japanese Solomons might be attended
with peculiar difficulties.
The Japanese idea of course is, that just as a
mother-in-law cannot have sons-in-law, so a mother
cannot have sons. So unworthy an object as a
woman is not considered to have any part in bring-
ing into the world the children she brings forth ;
they belong entirely to her husband, and are con-
sidered to derive all their qualities from him. Till
recently, if the best and most charming of women
divorced a drunken husband the children were his,
unless the State liked to take them away from him,
but in any case they could not be hers ; she had no
dowry, so she could not demand that back ; her
husband need make no provision for her ; her family,
unless they were very much attached to her, would
not take her back. There was nothing for the
divorced wife to do except to marry again, which
she usually did without any difficulty, though in
theory she was a soiled and worthless object. Until
quite recently one marriage out of every three
ended in a divorce, which was perhaps, as the
American woman said, one way of making enough
husbands to go all round.
The maddest thing of all about a Japanese
marriage was the trousseau. A girl whose parents
were only moderately well off, who was marrying a
420
CHEERFUL LOT OF JAPANESE WOMEN
man no better off than herself, might have a trous-
seau worth five hundred pounds, in which she was
provided with everything she could want during
the first few years of her married life, except the
food which perishes. The theory was, that it
might make her husband dissatisfied with her if she
had to go on asking for things ; and a Japanese
husband, fenced in by such highly accommodating
laws, no doubt is more easily put out than most
husbands.
It sounds as if a Japanese woman's life was a hell
upon earth, and so it might be if the Japanese were
like ordinary human beings ; but they are so fenced
in with natural politeness and unnatural etiquette,
and the fear of disgracing their ancestors, that the
system works fairly well if the woman is content to
live the life of a popular house-dog, and does not
wish to have ideas.
From this it will be seen that Japan is not an
ideal country for ventilating the subject of woman's
rights. If the Japanese women knew anything of
countries outside their own, even as near as India,
they might be thankful that their lords and masters
did not employ the rites of suttee, instead of the
dreaded divorce, for reducing the number of women
in need of a husband.
421
CHAPTER VIII
THE JAPANESE GIRL
Shakespeare's Seven Ages are not for the Japanese
girl. She has only two, unmarried and married.
The former is all sunshine, the latter at best cool
retreat. The state of unmarried girlhood com-
mences very early in Japan, where quite little chil-
dren are set to take care of babies. The way they
do it is typical of the seeming absurdities of the
Japanese. The baby is tied on the back of a
tiny tot in a haori, or shawl, preventing its small
deputy mamma from taking a moment's rest, and
the baby also ; for the small nurse skips or plays
ball or shuttle-cock without a thought for her
charge. Its head shakes till you expect it to drop
off, but the baby only seems to regard it as a form
of rocking.
In time — a mighty short time, for a woman gets
married at fifteen — the little nurse will grow into
a moosme, the grisette of Japan, about whom so
much has been written. She will then have grown
422
THE JAPANESE GIRL
out of carrying babies, except when she has na
younger sisters ; she can be put to better use in.
other ways. It is the fact of their using very
young children to do whatever is within their
capacity which makes Japanese goods so cheap.
A girl becomes a girl at live years old, when she
puts on the sash called the obi, which is the
distinguishing mark of her sex through life. To
have to wear the ohi in front is the mark of the
disgraceful profession. These obis are made of the
most costly brocades, and are handed down in
families, and constitute the handsomest presents, as
they not infrequently form the most valuable part
of a dowry. Till she assumes the obi on her fifth
birthday the girl is only a child. On every subse-
quent birthday, until she is married, she receives,
another fine obi, which she hoards up as English
girls hoard up their jewels, so that even if she is-
married at fifteen she has quite a respectable stock
of them, and these she takes with her to her new
home. As her trousseau has to last her a lifetime, -
it cannot be begun too early. The trousseau is one
of the most extraordinary things about Japan ; it
quite takes the place of a dowry, which was un-
known in the old Japan.
I have already alluded to the Japanese trousseau
in my chapter on " The Cheerful Lot of the Japanese
Woman." Girls will have trousseaux costing far
more than their fathers' incomes. The child of
423-
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
moderately well-off parents might take five
thousand yen worth of goods with her to her
bridegroom's house, but not a dollar of money. It
was especially a point that she should have every
conceivable article, even of a household nature, such
as candles, which she could possibly require in the
first year or two, so as not to have to ask her
husband for money.
The Japanese girl of the lower classes, when she
is ripe for the mourning garments of marriage, is a
most fascinating little creature. Her complexion
is not yellow, but of a sunny brown, with rich red
blood showing through it like the best Italian com-
plexions. Her eyes are not obliquely placed or set
in slits — she would only be too thankful if they
were, for it is vulgar to have the eyes we admire.
The paintings of Giotto would seem perfectly
beautiful to a Japanese. The merry little maiden
like Greuze's Gii'l at the Fountain, with her bright
healthy cheeks, and lips like cherries, and innocent
round eyes, which Europeans admire so much in
Japan, only strikes the Japanese themselves as
plebeian : they prefer tragic queens, with lantern
jaws and long hooked noses, and pasty white faces,
and eyes like cats. Natural colour is considered
most unbecoming in Japan. If a girl has auburn
hair she soaks it in Camellia oil till it looks black,
and the fashionable woman carries down her sleeve
a little ivory card-case for dyeing her lips magenta,
424
THE JAPANESE GIRL
or even gilt. The geishas, who are the Japanese
idea of beauties, chalk their faces.
The Japanese girl has no jewellery, though she
is gaiety itself in her costume compared to married
women in these degenerate days, when the rich
flowered robes of the feudal age are relegated
to the stage.
To take the place of jewellery she has nothing
but the little articles of toilet which she carries in
her sleeve or slung round her waist, and her hair-
pins. Hairpins are the hatpins of Japan. To
rival the fine diamonds and pearls with which
girls in the suburbs pin on their home-made hats,
she uses hairpins which have nothing to do
with keeping her hair up. According to her
wealth and refinement, her hairpin-heads vary
from little bits of choice lacquer to gaudy imi-
tation flowers and butterflies. In the Whitechapel
Exhibition there were even hairpin-heads of
Japanese soldiers dragging Chinese soldiers by
their pigtails. But these were not good style,
and the large tortoise-shell hairpins, which look
like fiddle-pegs, are only worn by bad women in
Japan, though Europeans delight in them for
fancy balls. The moosmes who are engaged as
waitresses in tea-rooms and similar positions often
insert real flowers in their splendid hair with great
effect.
The saying that a woman's hair is her glory
425
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
has a special significance in Japan, where no woman
with any pretence to modishness can do her own
hair ; and hair, hke Macbeth, has murdered sleep.
The women of Japan and JNIashonaland have
hit upon an almost identical contrivance to enable
them to go without doing their hair for a week.
It is made of wood, and looks like a door-scraper
with a top taken from a cripple's crutch. When
the woman sleeps she lays not her head but the
nape of her neck upon this headsman's block of a
pillow. Probably the grand ladies at the court
of the Grand Monarque had some contrivance
like those of the Japs and Mashonas. It takes a
really smart woman about half a day to have
her hair done, and to be a successful hairdresser
is the most brilliant career to which any woman
can look forward in Japan. She makes more than
a prime minister, and something like the income
of a first-rate actor. While the hairdresser is
putting the finishing touches to her task, her
victim kneels in front of one of the magic mirrors
of Japan, propped up in its black lacquer case.
These mirrors are fiat round disks of silver-coloured
bronze, exactly similar in shape to those of the
ancient Greeks and Etruscans, and, with the
exception of the Chinese ideograms, which are
often introduced, decorated in much the s;-me
way. One wonders if the ancients in Europe
knew the secret of the Japanese magic inirrors^
426
THE JAPANESE GIRL
which, although seemingly on their surfaces absol-
utely level and blank, have the power of reflect-
ing through theii' faces the designs on their backs.
A^^hen she has had her hair done, a girl who is
young and new to it is apt to feel rather hke an
American in her first costume by Worth or
Paquin; it is about the only time you see a
Japanese ill at ease, they are such masters and
mistresses of etiquette.
Etiquette, of course, plays a supreme part in a
Japanese girl's life. There is an etiquette, even a
language, for addressing superiors, equals, and
inferiors. Equal attention has to be paid to bows
and kowtows. The tipping of Europe is a joke
compared to the elaborate system of offering
meals and bestowing presents which a woman has
to see to in Japan. Etiquette culminates in the
arrangement of flowers, though few Japanese
rooms contain more than one or two vases, and
these are apt to contain, not a bouquet, but a twig
of fruit tree, with a blossom or two on one side
of it, arranged at a particular angle. Though
exquisite taste is shown, the flower arrangement of
Japan seems an awful ado about nothing, unless
it is regarded as affording another honourable
profession to women, who make a good deal out
of teaching flower-etiquette and the Solemn Tea
Ceremony.
The Solemn Tea Ceremony is carried out in a
427
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
building made for the purpose, and has so little
to do with ordinary domestic life that very few
visitors to Japan ever see it, though it is part of the
education of girls of the upper class. Tea goes on
all day long in Japan : whenever anybody calls,
a servant brings in a dining-table with five cups
of tea on it as a matter of course. It is served
without milk or sugar, but the queer Japanese
sweetmeats made of bean-flour, and their Httle
pipless oranges, are often served with it.
In Japan the women smoke as universally as the
men; they use the tiny brass-bowled pipes called
kiseru ; and it is the custom to place beside every
guest, male or female, the tabako-mono, or pipe-
stove, consisting of a bowl of live charcoal, with
a bamboo vase to knock the ashes into, and a
drawerful of pipes. It is generally made of
mahogany, and often carved very handsomely.
Even the little geisha girl has her pipe and tobacco
case in the pocket which she makes out of the end
of the sleeve of the richly flowered silk robes
which only geishas and actors use. Accomplish-
ments, such as music, and dancing, and singing,
and especially the art of conversation, are
theoretically left entirely to geishas^ though the
daughters of the nobles are now said to be learn-
ing them, in order to prevent their husbands going
in for geisha entertainments, by giving them similar
attractions at home. Formerly the only kind of
428
THE JAPANESE GIRL
dancing the Japanese had was not dancing from
our point of view, but elegant and dramatic
posturing, in which the hand and the sleeve and
the fan played a great part.
This kind of dancing was not taught to ordinary-
girls, but confined to professionals. Now, however,
the ladies connected with the Court are learning
to dance in the European way.
The moosmee is not to be confused with the
geisha. They have nothing in common except a
proneness to flirtations, not always of an innocent
nature. Her costume is gay, because she has not
lost all the freedom and colour of childhood. But
her finery is cheap, whereas a geisha will often be
carrying hundreds of dollars in the decorations of
her person. You can tell them at a glance by
their complexions. The geisha's will have the
fashionable whitening on it, while the moosmee
will have her own glorious damask complexion.
To the foreign eye she is infinitely the prettier of
the two. It is difficult not to pity the little painted,
powdered geisha, in her robes, as stiff as boards, of
heavy brocade.
The moosmee leads a butterfly Hfe without
losing the national industriousness ; she goes a good
deal to the fairs and festivals in the temples, which
are such a feature of Japanese life, either with her
parents or girls of her own age. Little restriction
is placed on her flirtations ; she is allowed to enjoy
429
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
herself as she Ukes. Her ideas of enjoyment are
simple — to sit in a beautiful tea-house hung with
brilliant lanterns, enjoying a frugal repast ; to visit
raree-shows at a fraction of a penny each ; to receive
little presents of cheap soap and scent and hairpins.
It is the outing that she likes. It is rather sad to
contemplate the transformation of this gay kitten,
any time after she is fifteen years old, into the
drudging Japanese wife, who until she is old
enough to have daughters-in-law does nothing
but wait upon her husband and his belongings.
But the clouds are breaking on the horizon. The
author of the latest book on Japan says that the
increasing demand for female hands in factories
and cotton-mills (which may be a thing to be de-
plored) is balanced by the demand for women in
healthier employments, such as tobacco-shops,
telephone exchanges, post-offices, railway -ticket
offices and printing offices, where the girls win the
same good opinion as they have won in England
and America for deftness and industry. In hos-
pitals and schools, too, the Japanese young woman
is finding her sphere, as well as in artistic and
literary employments. The naive confession of
the Japanese, that all this is causing the servant
question to be a trouble in Japan as elsewhere,
shows what domestic servitude the Japanese wife
must have endured.
Even the Onna Dai Gakku is threatened, that
430
THE JAPANESE GIRL
time - honoured code, whose translation by Mr
Chamberlain has made so much merriment for
English readers. " Onna Dai Gakku " means the
Greater Learning for Women, and it began by
setting forth the three obediences : that of the
daughter to the father, that of the wife to her
husband and the elders of his family, and that of
the v/idow to her eldest son. There is now a Shin
Onna Dai Gakku — ' SJiin ' means ' new ' — written
by the great Fukuzawa, which strikes at the very
root of Japanese morality, by not allowing the
mother-in-law to live with the newly - married
couple. Women are not to imitate men : they
have their own proper spheres, and are to keep
to them. They are to have a knowledge of
cooking, and making the most of money, and of
managing servants. They are to be instructed
in the laws of health, and botany is recommended
as specially suited to the female mind. A woman
is to have a thoroughly enlightened mind, " instead
of carrying a dagger in her girdle."
All this is not law any more than the old Onna
Dai Gakku was ; it is the opinion of the greatest
authority. Mr Clement has much more that is
interesting to say upon the subject ; but although
he mentions the name of the Crown Princess Sada,
he does not mention that it is to her and her
husband that the Japanese wife owes so much.
The Princess enters the carnage ahead of him when
431
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
they drive together, and they habitually take their
meals together — an astounding revolution in Japan.
The Empress's work on behalf of the members
of her sex is well known. She is the active
patroness of the Peeresses' School and the Uni-
versity for Women. She constantly visits them, and
uses her enormous influence to enable them to get a
Western education. This would be a curse instead
of a blessing if it were not for the greater liberty
which is accorded to woman under the civil code.
She is no longer unable to inherit her own property
in her own name, to be the head of a family, to
adopt or to be the guardian of her child ; and she
is no longer obliged to obey the unreasonable
demands of her husband.
I have kept to the end, as a kind of bonne
bouche, the O-Hina, or Honourable Dolls. From
time to time we have seen in England exquisite
little dolls dressed up to represent personages of
the Japanese Court, and exquisite models of
every article of Japanese furniture used in noble
Japanese households. Many people know that
on the third day of the third month they are all
set out with great pomp on shelves covered with
scarlet cloth at the O-Hina Matsuri, or Feast
of Dolls. But not many people know that a
pair of these images is presented to every girl-child
at her birth, and that when she is married she takes
them away uninjured to her new home with her.
432
THE JAPANESE GIRL
At the Feast of Dolls the little girls are allowed
to prepare elaborate feasts of the real food which
is represented, and to go through the proper
ceremonies with their dolls' court; but they do
not play with the O-Hina, and in fact never see
them except on the day of the Matswi, and the
day before and after, for they are put away in the
godown or storehouse in which the old-fashioned
Japanese keep their furniture. They keep nothing
in the house except what is being used for the
moment. The growing custom of making the
house a storeroom, like a European house, is con-
sidered by them to be responsible for the appearance
of consumption in Japan.
28 433
CHAPTER IX
JAPANESE DO:\IESTIC JOYS FOR ENGLAND
The introduction of the Japanese moosme into
the British domestic service might make hfe more
picturesque, but it would not make it more peace-
ful. Chief among its drawbacks would come the
insurmountable objection to the introduction of
the low-waged Italian maid-servant into England :
in any household where there were young men
as tempters the Japanese maiden would exhibit an
alarming facihty. There have been consular
reports upon the lack of the paramount virtue in
Itahan female domestics ; and I have no doubt that
our consuls in Japan, when upon the subject, could
make ^Irs Grundy gasp. In European hotels in
Japan they have men-housemaids ; and as far as
I remember, in only one hotel for Europeans
kept by natives were there any women-servants.
This is most important, because it hmits the supply
of Japanese girls, who have any notion of what the
English expect of a housemaid, to a few dozen
434
DOMESTIC JOYS FOR ENGLAND
young women. They have no carpets in Japan in
native houses, and the Japanese always take off
their boots before they enter the house, so the
imported moosnie would not know how to sweep.
They have no beds. The Japanese lie on a quilt,
with another quilt over them, and a sort of door-
scraper under their heads, so she would not know
how to make a bed. The Japanese have no
furniture, so the moosmc would be completely
paralysed by the complexity of the duties of the
life into \vhich it had pleased Providence to caliber.
She would not know how to lay or light a fire ;
the Japanese themselves have nothing but fire-
boxes of charcoal, which they never allow to go
quite out. They have no knives and forks in
Japan ; and as they have no washing-up, and no
glass, and their teacups have no handles and cost
next to nothing, there is no saying what might not
happen in the scullery.
It may be urged that the Japanese are an adapt-
able people ; that they can learn anything they set
their minds to, down to wireless telegraphy and
submarines. But they can only learn it in their
own way. It is a cardinal principle of Japanese
domestic servants that no one is fit to enter the
honourable profession of being a servant until he or
she knows what to do without being told. English
people who have had native servants in Japan
pronounce the same lot of servants angels or devils
435
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
according to their ideas of managing a household.
If they only express in a loose sort of way what
they wish to be done, and leave the servants to their
own devices, their wishes are carried out fairly
well. But if they have an idea that household
duties should be done in a particular way, they
declare Japanese servants to be lazy, insubordinate
fiends. The Japanese regard all foreigners as more
or less mad. That they can possibly know how
a thing ought to be done never occurs to the
Japanese domestic. The Enghsh in Japan have no
opinion of the Japanese as nurses ; they import their
amahs from China. But a Japanese wife might
be a success. Her business is to be the slave
of her husband and his relations until she is old
enough to be a mother-in-law. She stays at home
and looks after the house while the others amuse
themselves. She is one of those who are blessed
because they expect nothing. But servants, who
are higher in rank than shopkeepers, expect a good
deal. If they go to the theatre or to a picnic with
the family they expect to take part in the fun.
They stay in the room while you have visitors or
are enjoying the family circle, and put their spoke
into the conversation ; and when they want to leave
you they do not give notice, but say that their
parents are dying, and as soon as they are out of
the house send you a note saying that their health
will not allow them to return. They are said to be
436
DOMESTIC JOYS FOR ENGLAND
good for an emergency, but self-respecting British
households do not deal in emergencies. Even the
Pacific Coast American, desperate with servant-
hunger, has never ventured on the introduction of
the Japanese moosme as a partner of her joys and
sorrows. But the men-housemaids of Japan might
furnish better ' generals ' than we are accustomed
to in England. Men-housemaids account for a
good many of the eighty thousand Japanese who
are settled in California, and extort such admiration
by their neatness and handiness.
437
CHAPTER X
A bird's-eye view of japan
How is it that a small empire like Japan has been
facing the conflict with gigantic Russia with an
equanimity which no European nation would have
shown ? Because she is so self-sacrificing, so self-
reliant, so self-supporting. The Japanese is the
most patriotic person in the world. He lives for
his Emperor and his country. He considers it
an honour to sacrifice his life, or his future, or his
family to them. His greatness is shown most in
defeat. He would starve to death before he gave
in, and he is not an easy person to starve. For
his power of doing-without is marvellous, and his
rano-e of food incredible. The sea- weed to him is
a sea-vegetable, and every kind of mollusc is a
variety of oyster. The offal of the sea is like
Bombay ducks to him. The most curious feature
about him is, that he is not able to grow enough
rice for his requirements. It is because Korea is
his rice-granary that he was willing to fight to the
438
A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF JAPAN
last gasp for Korea. This feature has its explana-
tion in the geographical conditions of Japan. '^^ As
I said in Queer Things about Japan, Japan con-
sists of a large number of islands. There are over
three thousand, if you count uninhabited rocks.
The area of the empire, not including Formosa,
is little less than 150,000 square miles, which
support about 45,000,000 people, 12,000 towns,
and nearly 60,000 villages. But these statistics
mean nothing at all unless you notice how much
of the population the plains in tlie main island
absorb. That is practically Japan, and that is
why she cannot grow her own rice.
The bulk of the country, like the bulk of
Sicily, is taken up with mountains, the beggars
of geography. Japan was designed by nature to
dominate Northern Asia ; for though her great
bays on the eastern side, like that of Tokyo, are
spoilt by shallowness, she has in her inland sea
the most formidable naval harbour in the world,
a little IMediterranean, with easily guarded entrances
and an abundance of safe anchorages, from which
she can leap out on a foe, choosing her own time.
She can produce almost everything she wants
except rice, and, I suppose, the steel of which she
builds her fleets. Flour, and kerosene and other
products, which she gets from America, she
can do without, and would do without. And
though she has none of the smokeless coal of
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
Cardiff — which we ought to confine to our own
ships, as one of the most valuable assets in naval
warfare — she is one of the world's great purveyors
of coal from her Nagasaki mines. Kiushiu, the
island on which Nagasaki is situated, the most
southerly of the great islands, has in its south an
almost semi-tropical climate. The Hondo or main
island, which has no name, has a hot and wet
summer, in which everything that can mildew
suffers, but a cold winter, relieved by an atmos-
phere as clear as crystal. Yezo, the large northern
island, inhabited by the hairy Ainu, suffers a good
deal from cold, and the Kuriles beyond are
practically useless.
The Japanese man is no bigger than the
European woman, and the Japanese woman
looks like a European child. But their strength
and endurance are astonishing. Women coal the
steamers at Nagasaki, and I have seen two httle
Japs moving a whole house with rollers and levers.
Riksha - boys can run thirty miles a day easily,
and forty at a stretch, with their riksha behind
them, and be ready to do it again the next day.
If Japan were invaded they would be at a premium,
for there are no roads but the main roads and
r/A'5A«-tracks between the rice-fields. One wonders
if these WA*,?/; a- tracks form part of the study of
the ostrich-brain of the German officer. If the
Japanese army took up its position in the back
440
A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF JAPAN
country its transport could be done by rikslia-raen.,
and the invader could hardly move at all. Not
that the Japanese transport need amount to much :
beyond ammunition, their commissariat would be
very modest. Foreigners know little of the back
country. Until treaty revision they had some
difficulty in getting leave to visit it, and it is
really not worth visiting till you know the great
cities well. The largest cities are the most typical
things to visit in the country. You may miss
certain primeval touches, but it is only where there
are plenty of people that you can generalise. If
you go to Japan for six months, you will know
more about it if you divide your time between
Tokyo, with occasional visits to Yokohama, and
Kyoto, with occasional visits to Kobe, than if you
visited every town and village in Japan. Even
in Tokyo there are plenty of primitive touches,
and Kyoto is the most Japanese thing in Japan.
If you want to see Japan, go to one of the chief
temples on its festa day.
Tokyo is a city of contrasts. You have parlia-
ment and government offices and military head-
quarters, showing how Dai Nippon has approximated
to the Great Powers of the West ; but visit the
parade ground, on which a section of an army
corps is practising German manoeuvres, and at its
end you will very likely see a waggon laden with
sake barrels in matting painted with devils, drawn
441
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
by coolies in mediaeval hose and doublets, and
decorated with paper toys fluttering from the
branches of trees. The INIikado is one of the
great monarchs of the world, who takes his part in
the world's councils with a firmness and sagacity
that would grace any European throne. His
palace, it is true, is modern, but that is only
because the palace of the Tokugawas was burnt ;
it is situated in the castle of Tokyo, one of the
most extraordinary sur\dvals of the Middle Ages.
Its area may be measured in square miles. It has
three moats and three gigantic walls. These walls
slope outwards like the bows of an ironclad.
This is to cheat the earthquakes. They are built
of enormous polygonal pieces of black stone, and
at intervals they have gates and towers which look
like houses built on a telescope plan. The outer
moat is taken into the service of navigation. The
inner moats are filled with wild-fowl in the winter
and blossoming lotus in the summer, and the great
Japanese hawks and crows wheel over them all
day long. Except round the Mikado's palace
there is no particular system of guarding, and the
gnarled Japanese fir-trees crawl over their tops.
They are in reality a survi^'al of the JMiddle Ages
— the husk of the marvellous fortress city which
lyeyasu created with a magician's wand out of
the marshes of the Sumida at the beginning of the
seventeenth century.
442
A RTRD'S-EYE VIEW OF JAPAN
But the castle of Tokyo is not its most typical
part : the Ginza, the broad street which runs for
miles from the railway station, with its would-be
European shops ; the Nihombashi, or bridge of
Japan, with its Venetian water-life Asiaticised ;
the temple parks of Shiba and Ueno ; the pleasure-
quarter of the Yoshiwara, and the holiday resorts
round Asakusa are the most typical things at Tokyo.
The Asakusa temple on New Year's Day, and
Ekkoin at a wrestling championship, are wonderful
studies of Asiatic hfe ; but at Shiba you can get
something almost as good on any day of the year.
Shiba is a simply wonderful place. You go
through a huge scarlet temple-gate and find your-
self in fairyland, for in the midst of cherry-orchards
and cryptomerias you come upon temple after
temple of fantastically carved woodwork, glittering
with gilt and colour, and surrounded by courtyards
of stone lanterns. Behind the temples are the
gold-bronze tombs of the Shoguns ; beyond this
are the pagoda and the terraced lake, and the
booths of the Japanese fair. A large Japanese
temple is almost like a city, so much goes on
within its precincts, from huge bazaars to humble
stalls, and juggling and horse-archery, and play big
Aunt Sally with the Seven Gods of Wealth. The
Japanese are the most industrious people in the
world, but they always have time to go to their
favourite temple on a feast-day ; and though so
44S
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
poor, they always have money saved to spend on
their moosmes and their children.
The service in a Buddhist temple much resembles
the Roman Catholic service. From a place like
Shiba you carry away a vision of heavenly beauty,
of white-robed priests gliding noiselessly over the
lacquered floors of matchless temples, and fragrant
incense. These are Buddhist temples, of course.
Japan has two religions, and most Japanese belong
to both. During their lives they practise Shinto-
ism more than Buddhism. But there is little to
note in the plain wooden temples of Shinto,
except their faithful adherence to the oldest uncor-
rupted building forms. The Shintoist has his
household gods, or Kami, burns a little lamp before
them, and offers them cakes and sprigs of flower-
ing trees. Beyond that, if he is faithful to his
Emperor and honours his ancestors by his mode of
living, he has little religion, so when he is dying
he leans more on the comforting creed of the
liuddhists, and their priests head his solemn funeral
cortege to the crematorium and the graveyard on
the green hillside.
The Japanese cHmate, so bitterly cold and
draughty in winter, and so hot and steamy in
summer, is a trying one ; but the Japanese did
not feel it while they adhered to the native dress of
layers of kimonos, and the old style of house
so thoroughly ventilated that charcoal fire-boxes
444
A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF JAPAN
could be used even in their bedrooms with im-
punity. Coddhng in European clothes and build-
ing draught-proof houses has greatly injured their
physique.
Kyoto is the best place for a bird's-eye view
of the Jap enjoying himself. Its theatre street
may not be so well stocked as Osaka's, but its
temples, — the Gold and Silver Pavilions, with their
incomparable gardens ; Nishi and Higashi Hong-
wanji, which rise like hills against the horizon, and
are cities within the city ; Inari-no-jinja, with its
mountain of sacred foxes ; Kiyomidzudera, built
out from the mountainside ; Sanjusanjendo, with
its thirty-three thousand images ; and the favourite
Gion temple, are collectively unrivalled in Japan.
The last is a sort of perennial fair, always fuU of
holiday-makers. Kyoto is the Paris of Japan.
Rich Japanese go there to dissipate, and buy choice
silks and pottery, especially in cherry-blossom time,
when the Miyako-odori ballet is going on, and the
sound of revelry never dies down on the hill of
Maruyama.
Kyoto is the centre of delightful excursions.
Within a drive are the Phoenix temples of Biodoin
and the tea-gardens of Uji the historical ; Nara,
with its ancient temples and acres of wild azaleas,
and its thousand-year-old treasury of the JNIikado ;
the famous rapids of the Katsura-gawa, which both
the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Connaught
445
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
thought the best thing in Japan — to shoot; and
Lake Biwa, which the Japanese have decorated
Hke a pond in a park, till, in spite of its size, it is
as perfect in art as it was by nature.
Fujiyama, the sacred mountain, is the best
mountain in the world to climb, because you can
climb it in a chair carried by four stout cooHes, and
have anything which you wish to use on the top,
even a bath, carried up for a trifling cost. There is
a sort of village at the top.
And soaring Fujiyama, with its pure simple out-
line, is the emblem of the simple devotion and lofty
souls of the Japanese.
446
CHAPTER XI
" THE DAllIJNG OF THE GODS "
The Darling of the Gods fell into the cate-
gory so neatly defined by the faded poet Cowper,
" where every prospect pleases." In this play
only man, with his better-half, woman, was vile.
And he was by no means uniformly vile. There
were some admirable performances in the play, in
spite of the innate difference between East and
West, which makes it so hard for English-born
people to flatten their calves and their spirits in
Japanese squatting and etiquette.
The scenery for the most part was so Japanese
that all who had spent long months in that de-
lightful land, where the ancient world is still alive,
suffered from heartache. You were in Japan
from the moment the curtain rose and revealed
towering over the stage a great Buddha, with the
peace of God in his benign countenance and
attitude. Beside him were the isJiidoro, the
mysterious stone votive lanterns offered by princes
447
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
to the memory of a greater prince, with no hght
ever gleaming from their hollow sockets.
But who has seen a court of lanterns leading
to the shrines of dead Shoguns at Shiba or Nikko
without feeling a sense of grace and majesty and
mystery, indefinable but irresistible ?
It was a stroke of genius to open under the
shadow of the great Buddha, surrounded by these
emblems of death and homage and fidelity.
In fine contrast was the advent of the Princess
and her moosmes, with the thin ice of gaiety over
the black pool of tragedy, which is emblematic of
woman's lot in Japan. With the exception of the
dumb man-servant. Miss Lena Ashwell was the
most Japanese personality in the piece. Gaiety,
tragedy, and devotion were stamped on her life
from the outset. But at the same time she was
often not Japanese at all. One of the most
repellent features about the Japanese is that they
have no love-making to tone down the crudeness
of the relation between the sexes ; and much of
the charm in Miss Ashwell's acting consists in the
beauty and good taste of her love-making. It was
almost a misfortune to have been in Japan and
know how utterly un-Japanese was that display of
the sunny generosity of her nature which warmed
the whole house as well as the heart of the out-
lawed prince.
But it had its redeeming features, for the distress
448
" THE DARLING OF THE GODS "
of the dumb man-servant at the falling away of
the Prince and Princess from the stern Japanese
code was Japanese to the core, and the finest
thing in the piece. That servant was admirable :
he looked like a Japanese, moved like a Japanese,
thought like a Japanese, and breathed like a
Japanese, which means a great deal to those Avho
have been to Japan and know how breathing ex-
presses the grades of respect. Next best to him
really came the Prince of Tosan, the daimio
whose life had been saved by the outlaw. He, too,
was admirable : his beard seemed to grow from a
Japanese chin ; he was the hving image of one of
the thirty-six poets, w^hose portrait I have carved
upon the ivory netsuke of an old-world ladies'
tobacco-pouch. His dignity, his patient courtesy,
his clinging to the high quixotic code of Japanese
honour and etiquette, were real art, truthful and
unexacrgerated. He was an Asiatic.
The fault of the piece, from the Japanese point
of view, was the introduction of comedy. The
situation was the very antipodes of comedy to the
Japanese mind. They do not play with honour,
do not jest over it. To them such a situation
would be desperately tragic. Before this war is
finished the people will understand that the days
of knights are not over in Japan ; that there could
very well be a King Arthur there to-day ; that
knight-errantry actually exists now. The Japanese
29 449
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
has his faults ; he is unsatisfactory in commerce, he
is arrogant, he has been ruthless, but he is what
Chaucer would call " a very perfect gentle knight,"
and the piece was founded upon incidents which
belong properly to one of the old knightly plays
of Japan.
Japanese plays are divided into comedies and
histories. They throw a new light upon the old
saw, " Happy is the nation that has no history," for
tradition forces tlie Japanese playwTight to make
every history a tragedy. It is recorded of the
younger Pitt, that when he was a boy of twelve,
I think, he wrote a play in which the love interest
was replaced by politics. In Japanese plays flirta-
tion is replaced by imperialism or filial piety.
This salient fact was altogether lost sight of in
The T)arVmg of the Gods. But I do not say
that its general charm as a play was diminished by
the frank intention to write an English play with
Japanese scenery. All the purely Japanese plays I
have seen in Japan were immoderately dull. It
was much better for Mr David Belasco and Mr
John Luther Long to give a play prepared for
Western consumption like Pierre Loti's novel
Madame Chi'ysantheme, which the Japanese them-
selves consider to give the atmosphere of Japan,
although it is inaccurate in almost every detail.
Jlie Darling of the Gods had much of the charm
and the atmosphere of Madame Chrysanthevie. It
450
"THE DARLING OF THE GODS"
carried you straight back to Japan. You forgot
that the actors and actresses were cutting small
jokes which no Japanese mind could ever have
conceived. You forgot that INIiss Ashwell was
making love with an audacious charm which no
Japanese woman could ever have rivalled ; you
forgot that INIr Tree, so typically Japanese in
appearance and tricks, had the inind of a Borgia
cardinal. He showed his finish as an actor by the
accuracy with which he had acquired Japanese
habits and gestures, but the part provided for him
by the playwright was hopelessly un-Japanese.
Mr Tree had taken the putting on of this play in
the riglit spirit. He had provided scenery which
in nearly every case was so Japanese that you
thought yourself back in Japan, and he had taken
extraordinary pains in salting the performance with
the queer things about Japanese habits. It is a
wonderful picture of Japan. It would have been
still more wonderful if he could have knocked
the conceit out of his minor actors and actresses,
and made them try to reproduce Japanese effects
faithfully and soberly. INIiss Ashwell did run like
a Japanese and squat like a Japanese, but the
supers went in for pantomime. They ran not
because a Japanese ser^'ant runs, but to make the
audience laugh. If they were not intended for
servants, but for ladies-in-waiting, it was so much
the worse.
451
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
One cannot help feeling a little ungracious in
picking faults, for the general effect was so very fine ;
the view into the garden of the yashiki or palace
of the Prince of Tozan was such as one might meet
in driving down from Kyoto to the palace at Nara,
which has been the treasure-house of the Mikado
for a thousand years. The great state-hall of the
Prince during the night of the Feast of a Thousand
Welcomes was like standing in a temple at Nikko,
looking out on the procession of the Toshogu, or
at the revelry which fills the hill of IMaruyama in
cherry-blossom time. The only thing you doubted
^was if any daimio had ever so stately a pleasure-
hall. Certainly there was none in the castle of Nijo,
built by the mighty lyeyasu to hold himself and
his train of daiviios when he rode down from
Tokyo to Kyoto to visit his puppet master the
Mikado. It was wonderfully done, this semblance
of the pomp of lacquered woodwork, and the
glimpses of the Feast of Lanterns had the en-
chantment of the Arabian Nights.
Only those who had been to Japan could grasp
to the full the trouble Mr Tree had taken to make
his actors act like Japanese. It is typical that there
should be nothing for a visitor to squat down
on till the futon were fetched from a storeroom.
It was typical that a tobacco-tray (even if live
charcoal was simulated with methylated spirit)
should have been brought in with the cushions ;
452
"THE DARLING OF THE GODS"
that the moosmes should have had pipes up their
sleeves ; that the outlaw should have written a
letter on a roll of whity-brown paper held in the
hollow of his hand, while his servant handed him
a full paint-brush as soon as he had emptied the
other, as our King is automatically provided with
loaded guns to hold his own against the big
battalions of pheasants. The Japanese banquet
was a masterpiece, and here, without doubt, JVIr
Tree himself " took the cake." His imitation of a
Japanese feeding was wonderful, and the whole
thing was just what one remembered of banquets
in the Maple Club at Tokyo.
The smaller of the two geishas, with her stiff
mediaeval whisk of hair, was Japanese to the hfe.
She might have been stolen from a kakemor.o.
The chief geisha, up to a certain point, was
admirable ; though her face was not whitened
enough, she had caught the puppet appearance of
the geisha very accurately, except that she wore
her obi in front and talked about herself as if she
were a yoro, a professional woman of pleasure,
not a geisha. The geisha, though often no better
than they should be, are never professionally bad,
and the wearing of the ohi in front is a professional
badge. It was pleasant to turn from this libel
on a witty, hard-working, and deservedly popular
class, to the study of Kara the outlaw, by Mr
Basil Gill. To please a Western audience, he had
453
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
to make certain sacrifices, but his performance
of a Japanese warrior was very fine. He showed
the proper dignity and reserve ; and while he was
resisting the advances of the princess, he was
typically Japanese, as he was in his make-up. His
ten swordsmen, too, were splendidly Japanese.
One felt as if the present crisis had made them
throw into their parts an inspiration of the old
samurai spirit. Doubtless the Russians, long ere
this, have learnt the extraordinary code of knight-
errantry which inspires the humblest samurai.
Tlie last scene would have been extremely affecting
if the statue of Kwannon Sama, the Goddess of
Mercy, had not been so hopelessly unsuitable.
The. incongruity was even greater in the scene of
the old sword-room in the palace of Sakuti, which
was much more Chinese than Japanese in feeling,
as also was the situation embraced. In marked
contrast to that were the scenes giving the exterior
and the interior of Yosan's apartments. In the
former the creeper-covered trellis was almost the
only discordant note which made the verandah
un-Japanese. But the crawling of the spies and
the dumb man-servant made one shudder with
its suggestiveness of Oriental treachery and
cunning ; and the swift stabbing of the spy, and
the throwing of his body into the river, was the
chef-cToeuvre of the piece. The interior of the
princess's apartment in the next scene was as
454
"THE DARLING OF THE GODS"
Japanese as stage requirements would permit, and
the view when the shoji were pushed back very-
natural.
In Japaneseness the play was a great advance
on anything we have yet had. It was a real
attempt to portray Japanese habits, and some
consideration was shown to Japanese modes of
thought. Perhaps some day we shall have a
Japanese play that really is Japanese in feeling;
and if any actor-manager wishes to know where
to find it, he has only to take the volume of
Japanese stories published by his Excellency the
Japanese Minister a few months ago. There is
a story there which in the hands of a competent
playwright would be pitiful enough to reduce an
English audience to tears, and yet give only that
side of love to which the Japanese restrict them-
selves.
455
APPENDIX
THE YOSHIAVARA FROM WITHIN
30
To hack on p. 458.
A lady of the
To hack on p. 459.
Yoshiwara.
THE YOSHIWARA FROM WITHIN
In my other books on Japan I have desired to-
describe the interesting phenomena incorrectly
known by foreigners as Yoshiwara. Want of
famiharity with the subject deterred me, but I
have recently come across a Japanese book giving
details of the Yoshiwara from within, and this I
have supplemented by comparing it with the
materials collected by Mr Chamberlain and Mr
Osman Edwards, and by Mr Delmar's courage-
ously frank disclosures on the subject. Mr Basil
Hall Chamberlain, in his Things Japanese, the
most useful book ever written about Japan,
says : —
"When the city of Yedo suddenly rose into
splendour at the beginning of the seventeenth
century, people of all classes and from all parts
of the country flocked thither to try their fortune.
The courtesans were not behindhand. From
Kyoto, from Nara, from Fushimi they arrived —
so the native authorities tell us — in little parties
459
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
of three and four. But a band of some twenty
or thirty from the toA\Ti of Moto-Yoshiwara, on
the Tokaido, were either the most numerous or the
most beautiful, and so the district of Yedo where
they took up their abode came to be called the
Yoshiwara.^ At first there was no official super-
vision of these frail ladies. They were free to ply
their trade wherever they chose. But in the year
1617, on the representations of a reformer named
Shoshi Jin-emon, the city in general was purified,
and all the libertinism in it — permitted, but
regulated — was banished to one special quarter
near Nihon-bashi, to which the name of Yoshiwara
attached itself. Later on, in a.d. 1656, when the
city had grown larger, and Nihon-bashi had become
its centre, the authorities caused the houses in
question to be removed to their present site on
the northern limit of Yedo, whence the name of
Shin {i.e. New) Yoshiwara, by which the place
is currently known. Foreigners often speak of
'a Yoshiwara,' as if the word were a generic
term. It is not so. The quarters of similar
character in the other cities of Japan are never
1 The weight of authority is in favour of this origin of the
name. According to others, the etymology is yoshi, a reed,
and hara, a moor, and the designation of "reedy moor" would
have been given to the locality on account of its aspect before
it was built over. There is another Chinese character, yoshi,
meaning "good" or "lucky," and with this the first two syllables
of the name are now usually written.
460
THE YOSHIWARA FROM WITHIN
so called by the Japanese themselves. Such words
as ijiijoba and huruwa are used to designate them.
Japanese literature is full of romantic stories in
which the Yoshiwara plays a part. Generally the
heroine has found her way there in obedience to
the dictates of filial piety, in order to support her
aged parents, or else she is kidnapped by some
ruffian, who basely sells her for his own profit.
The story often ends by the girl emerging from a
life of shame with at least her heart untainted, and
by all the good people living happily ever after.
It is to be feared that real Ufe witnesses but
few such fortunate cases, though it is probably
true that the fallen women of Japan are, as a class,
less vicious than their representatives in Western
lands— less drunken, less foul-mouthed. On the
other hand, a Japanese proverb says that a truthful
courtesan is as great a miracle as a square ^^^g. In
former times girls could be, and were, regularly and
legally sold into debauchery at the Yoshiwara in
Yedo, and at its counterparts throughout the land
—a state of things which the present enlightened
government has hastened to reform. When we add
that a weekly medical inspection of the inmates of
all such places was introduced in 1874, in imitation
of European ways, that each house and each
separate inmate of each house is heavily taxed,
that there is severe police control over all, and that,
since 1888, the idea has been mooted of doing
461
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
away with licensed prostitution altogether — a plan
eagerly advocated by zealous Christian neophytes,
but frowned on by the doctors — we have mentioned
all that need here be said on a subject which could
only be fully discussed in the pages of a medical
work."
To show the callous, matter-of-course way in
which the Japanese themselves regard the question
of harlots and harlot-quarters, I have only to quote
from a curious book printed in English, Japanese,
and Chinese, entitled Picto?ial Description of the
Famous Places in Tokyo. Biographies "of some
of the most eminent persons in Tokyo" are included,
all of them without exception popular harlots. The
English version by Mr G. Takahashi is naive in the
extreme. He writes, for instance, of the Tori-
No-Ichi (Cock Market) :—
" The Tori-no-Matsuri, or Fete of the Cock, is
celebrated on the cock days in November, some-
times twice and sometimes thrice, according to the
number of cock days happening to be in the same
month As a rule, on those fete days all
the prostitute-quarters open every gate and receive
the visitors, who also seize the occasion to see their
loving objects — beautifully dressed harlots." He
describes the comic dance in the Yoshiwara known
as the Niwaka, as if it were one of the great insti-
tutions of Tokyo.
462
THE YOSHIWARA FROM WITHIN
COMIC DANCE IN YOSHIWAllA.
" In Yoshiwara there are three festivals, namely,
the show cf cherry-blossoms in March, the Feast of
Lanterns in July, and the comic dance called Ni-
waka in September. This last-named farce was first
performed at the Fete of the God Inari, in some
years of Kyoho, so it is said. On the occasion, the
professional buffoons belonging t(^ the infamous
quarter, as well as the singing and dancing girls, all
in disguise, perform the low comedy, usually men in
women's and women in men's dress. Besides, some
ten or twenty singing-girls, wearing men's clothes,
draw a gigantic lion-head made of wood, unitedly
singing barbarous songs, accompanied with strange
music. These are old-standing odd customs. At
this time they make their garments as beautiful
and costly as possible, it being a matter of emula-
tion among them. This picture will give you some
idea of the above-described farce." And in his
description of the Feast of Lanterns at the Yoshi-
wara lie bears unconscious testimony to the strength
of its position among the people.
THE FEAST OF LANTERNS AT THE YOSHIWARA.
" In Yoshiwara, in the first month of autumn,
the Feast of Lanterns is celebrated yearly. The
origin of the festival is ascribed to the untimely
463
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
death of a flourishing harlot, by the name of Tama-
giku, in a former time. As she died suddenly
in the midst of her prosperity, the whole quarter
wherein she dwelt while living lamented over the
loss of her, and every house hanged out a lantern,
upon which a kind of elegy was written for her, in
order to console the dead spirit of her. This being
the origin of the celebration, it has now lost the
mournful nature entirely, and taken a licentious
character, and is celebrated yearly to attract
visitors."
How popular the Yoshiwara is, and how ordinary
a subject to contemplate in the minds of the
Japanese, is shown also by —
CHERRY-BLOSSOMS IN YOSHIWARA.
" In Yoshiwara, cherry-trees loaded with blos-
soms are planted in April every year, on both
sides of the main street. This was first done
in some year of Kyampo (1741-8). When they
are in full bloom, all the houses there are adorned
with curtains of brilliant colours in the day-time,
and at night they are lighted by numerous bright
lanterns, in order to add artificial to natural beauty.
This is one of the four festivals in Yoshiwara,
described in another place.
"To say the truth, all this is done to attract
visitors, as that Feast of Lanterns I have explained
in another place."
464
THE YOSHIWARA FROM WITHIN
Only once in the book does Mr Takahaslii's
version express anything which could be construed
into disapproval of the Yoshiwara and its works,
and that is when he is describing the temple of
Nazugongen in the Ueno Park at Tokyo. " But
alas, after the Restoration, a prostitute -quarter
arose near the temple, and the sounds of songs and
music coming from these brothels echo in the still
remaining trees of the temple groves." He is too
obviously laughing up his sleeve in the concluding
sentences of the Hare-Day- Worship : — " On the
road to it there is a grand restaurant called
Hashimoto-Ro, to which the rich worshippers, on
their way back home, resort with their mistresses
or intimate singing-girls, to drink and have sweet
talks. Such is the condition of most of the wor-
shippers of heathen gods."
His description of the Shinagawa-Ro in the
Yoshiwara is his ordinary vein: —
SHINAGAWA-RO IN YOSHIWARA.
" Among the prostitute-quarters in and near
Tokyo, Yoshiwara is the most noted and prosper-
ing. It contains about a hundred brothels, of
several degrees, among which there are five grand
brothels, one of which is called the Shinagawa-Ro.
Those brothels have recently emulated with each
other in building new houses ; and this Shmagawa-
Ro is the first, both in the date of building and
465
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
in beauty of its architecture. The house is three-
storied, and excellently well furnished, many strange
and precious woods being used in the fixings. It
is said that this brothel differs from all others
in the treatment of the visitors, and acts in a
quite independent manner in some other respects
also."
His biographies of the popular Yoshiwara
women bear out what has been said about their
gentle manners and the praiseworthy motives
which lead many of them to adopt the profession,
which remind us of the proneness of the English
unfortunate to assert that she is the daughter of
a clergyman.
SHIRATSUYU OF THE INAMOTO-KO.
"Shiratsuyu {lit. White Dew) of the Inamoto-Ro,
though not so beautiful, is very lovely. She was
born in Saikyo ; her family name is Qamamoto,
and her real name O-fusa. She lost her father
while very young, and was brought up by a man
who married her mother after her husband's death.
This man was very cruel, and treated her and
her mother with utmost severity. But she,
serving him with patience, forbore all the bitter-
ness, and comforted and encouraged her mother
with hopeful words. For some reason or other,
however, she and her mother removed to Tokyo
afterward ; and as they had no resources, she
466
THE YOSHIWARA FROM WITHIN
became a singing-girl to support her mother and
herself. But soon her mother fell sick, and trouble
upon trouble oppressed her ; so that the obedient
and lovely girl at last sunk into the mud, and
became a harlot in the Inamoto-Ro in Yoshiwara.
This last blow was given her seven years ago.
She was morally dead, much against her will.
Since that time she was generally called Shiratsuyu.
But as she was very clever and of kind disposition
all her mates honoured her, and she was made chief
harlot in that establishment ; for she was not only
kind to her mates, but very sincere in the treat-
ment of her visitors. This won her quite a name.
" She was very modest in all her dealings, so
that neither remarkable conducts nor ugly be-
haviours were reported of her. Many, supposing
that she would not remain long in the profession,
interrogated her on this subject ; but she always
answered in the same language, that as she had
once become a harlot, she had no hope of be-
coming the wife of a good or rich man ; and that,
as it is very difficult to find a man of deep love,
to whom she would be willing to entrust her
person, she would rather await the coming of the
true Saviour of her soul ; so saying, she wept
deeply. Indeed the — by her so long waited for —
Saviour came to her, and she was taken to the
Western Paradise in the beginning of this year,
regretted by all who knew her."
467
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
SHIZUNAMI OF THE DAIMONJI YA.
"Shizunami (Calm Sea) is a harlot in the
Daimonji of the Yedo ward in Yoshiwara. Her
father was a samurai, belonging to the Tokugawa
Shogunate, and in the time of the Revolution
fought the famous battle upon the Ueno hill for
his lord. But as his party was defeated, he fled
into Shizuoka, where the last Shogun is now
residing ; and passing some time there, he returned
to Tokyo after the Restoration. Then he became
a merchant and opened a shop in Hongo, but
his want of experience soon made him bankrupt.
This sad event was followed by a severe disease.
He was now unable to support his family.
"At this time, seeing her family suffer from
poverty, this poor Shizunami, his daughter — then
still young — was greatly troubled, and determining
to sacrifice herself for the good of her family,
went to Yoshiwara, to do the profession of a harlot.
How was it that such a woman of fihal piety as
she should have been so unfortunate as to become
a harlot? She is very beautiful; two crescent
moons represent her eyebrows, while two bright
stars shine under them. She is loved by all
those who visit her on account of her tenderness
and sincerity. She never forgets her parents,
always doing them good."
468
THE YOSHIWARA FROM WITHIN
MURASAKI OF THE KOZEN-RO.
" Murasaki is a harlot in the Kozen-Ro, one of
the five great brothels in Yoshiwara. She was
born in Yokohama : her mother and brother
treated her cruelly, though she was very obedient ;
and pressed by poverty, they sold her to become a
harlot. She does not learn to practise the harlotry
of art ; her behaviour is simple, and like that of
a daughter of a good family. The writer of the
Azuma Shinshi (a periodical magazine) once wrote
a brief sketch of her biography in his paper.
After that, one of her visitors spoke to her of
what was said in that magazine, and asked her
whether she was really so unfortunate as that ; to
which question she replied thus : — ' I do not say
that it is all false, but I think it very deplorable
that such a thing has ever been written, for it has
brought the cruelty of my dear mother and brother
into light.'
" In fact, she defiled her body but not her heart ;
so that it was with justice that she was once
described by the same writer as a ' lotus in the
mud,' which gives a pure and elegant flower,
undefiled by the mud."
Mr Takahashi seems to gauge the prosperity of
a place by the number of its houses of ill-fame.
He describes Shinagawa thus, for instance : — " The
town of Shinagawa stands on the high shore of
469
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
the Tokyo bay, almost adjoining the city of Tokyo.
As the position is very high, it has a commanding
view. Formerly the town was very prosperous,
and brothels or prostitute-houses of all degrees, as
well as various kinds of restaurants, stood in rows,
every one of which was always full, both day and
night. In prosperity it rivalled with Yoshiwara
then. But after the recent Revolution it has
undergone a total change — change, it might be
said, for the better : still it possesses some sixty or
seventy brothel-houses, and seven or eight hundred
prostitutes. Thus in prosperity it stands below
Yoshiwara and Nezu, but in scenery it surpasses
these and any others, because nature does not
change as the works of men do."
" Yanagibashi has for a long time been the first
geisha quarter (quarter where singing-girls keep
their houses) in Yedo ; but after the Restoration
a like quarter at Shinbashi got the ascendency,
and the former is now almost unable to compete
with the latter. But judging from the preservation
of the true old characteristics of that profession,
Yanagibashi stands several degrees above Shinbashi.
Nor is this all. As to the restaurants, the former
almost eclipses the latter by its grand and fine
buildings standing on the edge of the beautiful
stream of the Sumida, which gives to them in-
comparable grace and elegance. As for the love-
affairs so common there, there are among them
470
THE YOSHIWARA FROM WITHIN
many worthy of relating ; but as they have already
been described by several able pens, we will not
mention any here."
It must be remembered that these quotations
did not come from a book written upon the
Yoshiwara, but that they constitute about one-half
of the letterpress of an illustrated guide-book to
the most celebrated places and personages of Tokyo.
Tokyo leaves Paris far behind.
I must now quote the evidence of INIr Delmar,
who has the very great merit of attempting to set
forth absolutely what he saw in Japan, without
fear or favour. He is, in my opinion, sometimes
unnecessarily severe, and not infrequently mis-
guided in the views he takes, being influenced in
this direction by his view that most other travel-
lers have seen everything through rose-coloured
spectacles : —
" The ' social evil ' does not force itself upon the
notice of travellers in Japan as it does upon visitors
to European cities, and it is not surprising that
many ladies have formed the opinion that the
immorality of the Japanese has been grossly
exaggerated. Most European men who go to
Tokyo are familiar with the Yoshiwara, and some
European ladies have been to see it. An hour's
drive from the hotel brings you to its gates, and
a couple of hours' stroll through its crowded streets
will suffice to gather a clear idea of the externals
471
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
of this peculiar institution. With the exception
of a few of the best joroya, where the pubHc
exhibition of the inmates has been abandoned,
each house has a show-window similar to those
of the great shops in European cities. The side
open to the street has perpendicular bars of iron
or wood about six inches apart, and in a fevr the
spaces between the bars are filled with panes
of glass. At the back is a screen, varying in
splendour according to the means of the house,
but generally blazing with gilt, and sometimes
made of valuable gold-lacquer. In front of the
screen the inmates sit or kneel on little cushions,
with tiny lacquer tables before them, engaged
generally in smoking, but at times applying a
finishing touch to the la^dsh make-up mth which
their faces are covered. As far as can be seen
through this mask of cosmetics, some few of these
girls are rather pretty, but the majority are simply
plain, if not ugly. In the better class of houses
the costumes of the joi'O are of a richness and
brilliancy seen nowhere else in Japan except at
the theatres, and strongly contrasting with the
dull neutral tints seen elsewhere. In this gorgeous
array they sit absorbed in their trivial occupations,
with apparent indifference to the inspections of
the passers-by, or as to whether a favourable eye
will rest on one of them, and lead to her being
called from the show-window to the interior. In
472
i
THE YOSHIWAKA FROM WITHIN
the more democratic houses the girls will throng
to the front, sohcit the promenaders, and indulge
in coarse jests and ribald conversation with them.
Although one sees children brought as visitors
to the Yoshiwara, and it is said to be " a favourite
promenade" for respectable women, I doubt if
decent Japanese women come very often, as tlie
joro suspect such as do come there to be looking
for missing husbands or lovers ; and they are apt
to show their resentment, for what they imagine
may be unlicensed and unfair competition, oy
shouting insulting remarks. Nor will these remarks
necessarily be in Japanese, for some of the joro
have a sufficient smattering of a European tongue,
usually English, and those who have the greatest
command of the language may astonish you w^ith
the information that they acquired it at a mission-
ary school. If some of the lady missionaries,
whose efforts have been directed to teaching
English to Japanese girls of the poorer classes,
Avould interview the English-speaking inmates of
the Yoshiwara of Tokyo and the cho of other big
cities, they would either discover many scholars
from the missionary schools, or would find out
why the joro represent themselves as ha^'ing
received instruction there. This is no reflection
on the missionaries, as it is impossible for them
to fathom the reasons which may induce the send-
ing of a crirl to their schools; but similar results
31 473
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
followed the founding of a girls' school in Siam,
where, owing to the habits of cleanliness taught
by Europeans, and the consequent freedom of
the girls from certain diseases, they were eagerly
sought for by rich men as mistresses. One joro,
living in Yokohama under a three years' agree-
ment, told me that she had learned, at the same
school where she had acquired her English, of the
better treatment of women in Europe, and the
superior position they occupy in their relations
with men, so that her ambition was not to marry
a rich Japanese, but to become the mistress of a
rich European."
" The 707^0, who is no longer in law a slave, is
the one whose earnings are a source of profit to
the hcensing authorities. What these earnings
are may be judged by the established tariff of the
various houses {joroya) in the fashionable Shin-
Yoshiwara of Tokyo. This ranges from thirty
sen (seven and a half pence) in the poorer joroya
to three yen (six shillings) in the best ones. Half
of the joi'o's earnings go for board, fifteen per cent,
toward paying off the loan to her father, husband,
or guardian, for which she is the pledge ; seven
per cent, is estimated for taxes ; and out of the
remaining twenty-eight per cent, expensive clothes
and various luxuries must be bought. In the old
days the girls were sold outright at a tender age
to be brought up to their 'profession.' In 1872
474
THE YOSHIWARA FROM WITHIN
they were emancipated, and a system of mort-
gaging them instituted, which accomphshes the
same ends as the previous slavery. Until the
debt is paid, they may never leave the prostitute-
quarters. A death or other important family
event may procure a few days' leave. An un-
satisfactory report from the doctor by whom she
is examined weekly at the police-station may
lead to her seclusion in the Lock Hospital.
Serious illness of any kind may cause her to be
sent to the general hospital. But with these
exceptions, nothing but money or death accom-
phshes a release. Some few are freed by rich
lovers, some manage to save enough from the
rapacity of the brothel-keepers to free themselves,
but more obtain release by suicide, which most
frequently takes the form of joshi or shinju, the
double suicide of the joro and the financially ruined
lover. The keepers are bound by various stringent
regulations, most of which they habitually trans-
gress. They must not sohcit passers-by, but
many of them do so nightly. They must not
tip Ji7iriksha-men, but most of them do. They
must not advertise, but their cards are to be found
in the sitting-rooms of the leading hotels."
The laws protecting the joro are equally violated
or evaded, and they are cheated and swindled with-
out end. The minimum age at which girls are
Ucensed as joro is fixed at fifteen years, a limit
475
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
which is certainly not strictly held to. The
keeper's profits are enlarged in another direction,
by the sale of food, drink, and tobacco to his
clients ; and each client is expected to spend on
these luxuries and on tips to the servants at least
twice as much as goes to the joro. In the joroya
frequented by Europeans an additional charge is
exacted for a room furnished in European style,
and the tariff for the same joro who may be visited
in a Japanese room for three yen might be, if seen
in the European room, as much as ten yen. In
some cases young women let themselves out to
joroya for a period, which, by law, is limited to
three years. Starting without any debt to work
off, such of these as remain out of debt occupy a
better position than their more unfortunate sisters.
Every city has its prostitute-quarter {cho), and what
is called in Tokyo the Yoshiwara may be known
in other towns as yujoba or kuruwa, or by some
name indicative of its locality. The Joro is also
called yujo or asobime, and is known by a score
of euphemisms. The great objection to this system
of state regulation of prostitution is that it does not
seem in any way to diminish the number outside
its scope, except in the street- walking class. It is
true that there are laws against secret prostitution,
and trivial penalties for their infringement ; but
almost every district has its local name for secret
prostitutes, ranging from goke (widow) and kusa-
476
THE YOSHIWARA FROM WITHIN
mochi (rice-bread), to jigoku-onna (hell-woman) ;
and almost every inn has its meshi-mori, who are
prostitutes as well as servants. The secrecy only
means that they are unlicensed, and so escape
taxation. In other respects there is not only no
secrecy but no concealment, and nothing surrepti-
tious. The liberties you may be permitted to take
with even a vieshi-mori are limited to the caresses
which may be prompted by the half-disclosed
bosom in the loosely-folded kimono, unless or
until an arrangement has been come to with the
proprietor of the inn, who is entitled to appropriate
whatever remuneration is given for the services of
his domestic.
The statistics collected by Mr Osman Edwards
in his admirable Japanese Plays and Playfellows
(Heinemann) should be compared with those of
Mr Delmar; and Mr Edwards' account of the
subterfuges by which he obtained his information
are as amusing as his speeches, wliich is saying a
good deal, as he is one of the best speakers in
London : —
" To their credit or discredit, be it said, none of
my Tokyo friends cared to visit the Shin-Yoshiwara
ill the company of an alien. They were not
exactly hindered by moral scruples, but rather by
a disinclination to disclose the seamy side of their
fellow-countrymen to censorious eyes. They
professed ignorance, and changed the subject to
477
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
railways or ironclads. However, one eAxning T
met by chance the secretary of a famous lawyer
politician, who was taking a country cousin to see
the sights of the capital ; and as he obligingly
invited me to join the party, we made our way
together through the maze of variety-shows and
toy-shops which surround the Temple of Kwannon
at Asakusa, until we reached the high embank-
ment of Nihontsutsumi.
" We traversed Gojikken-machi, the street of
fifty tea-houses, leading to the ponderous gate,
where tv.^o dapper policemen, neatly gloved and
sworded, kept watch and ward. Now we are
between handsome edifices, four storeys high,
adorned with balconies and electric light, in the
broad central Naka-no-cho, which three narrow
turnings intersect on either side, containing shops
of less imposing dimensions. The upper storeys
tell no tales, though their paper-panelled shutters
give twinkling and tinkling signs of revelry. On
the ground floor is an unbroken series of shop-
windows, not fronted with plate-glass as in
Piccadilly, nor open to the street as in the Ginza,
but palisaded with wooden bars from three to
seven inches wide. And behind the bars, on silk
or velvet cushions, against a gaudy background of
draped mirrors and ornamental woodwork, sit the
wares — a row of powdered, painted, exquisitely
upholstered victims. Most of them look happy
478
THE YOSHIWARA FROM WITHIN
enough as they chatter or smoke, or run laughing
to the barrier to greet a passing acquaintance, but
I know what heroic endurance is masked by a
Japanese smile, and the sight of caged women turns
me sick. Then I reflect that Western sentiment,
however justified by inherited ethics, is scarcely
the best auxiliary of fair judgment ; so, striving to
convert my conscience to a camera, I follow my
companions through the strange avenue of animated
dolls. It was easy to believe that the inmates of
the best houses were socially superior to the rest,
for those whom I saw had gentle, refined faces, and
did not raise their eyes from book or embroidery.
" The least expensive dolls' houses — they were of
four grades — were decorated in execrable taste, and
the Circes who cried or beckoned from their red-
and-gilt dens had harsh voices and were of ungainly
build. But between these extremes were some
groups of prettily dressed exhibits, whose rich yet
sober colouring harmonised admirably with the
vision of whatever artist had been invited to
decorate their showroom. There was the house of
the Well of the Long Blooming Flowers, which
should have been isolated, for sheer loveliness, from
its flaunting neighbours. Behind the motionless
houri, whose bright black tresses and mauve
kimono were starred with white flowers, ran a riot
of branch and blossom on wall and screen. Had
Mohammed been Japanese, here was a tableau to
479
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
win believers with the lure of a sensual paradise,
but for the fact that, having realised so material a
heaven on earth, the most inquisitive nation in the
world would have demanded less familiar felicity.
" We have been tramping and gazing for more
than an hour at nearly two thousand replicas of
the same figure, watching its movements and con-
jecturing its feelings. The cages were beginning
to empty, as the more attractive centrepieces
found purchasers. I detected a certain impatience
in my companions' bearing, and I was on the point
of taking leave of them when the secretary sug-
gested that if I would like to enter the Dragon-
house and take notes of the interior, he would
explain my mission to the proprietor. It was need-
ful to release three damsels from the public gaze if
we would enter, and this we cheerfully did, bidding
Young Bamboo, Golden Harp, and River of Song
escape to their chambers. Then, leaving our shoes
in charge of bowing attendants, we climbed to the
first floor and began the evening with a mild tea-
party. The Skinzo, in black dresses, brought in
lacquer trays, on which were scarlet bowls contain-
ing eggs, fish, soup, and other delicacies. Sake
flowed more copiously than tea. I was sorry to hear
that the old-time processions were falling into dis-
use, and, though not yet abandoned entirely, were
losing their antique splendour. The tahju, too, was
a thing of the past. The aureole of combs, the
480
THE YOSHIWARA FROM AVITIIIN
manifold robe over robe, the child attendants, had
all gone. Varying now only in costume and
accomphshment, all the women alike were cage-
dwellers, whereas in former days the superior
classes of them were spared that indignity. So far
from evading questions, the presiding representa-
tive of Spear-hand, an elderly woman, with a not
unkindly ftice, seemed amused by my interest, and
answered readily. I began to think we had made
a mistake. This decorous tea-party, removed from
the glare and bustle of the street, bore small resem-
blance to an orgy.
'^ A sound of thrumming from the floor above
hinted that the next item on the programme would
be musical. We mounted, and found ourselves in
presence of two geisha. Miss Wistaria and Miss
Dolly, who had been summoned by my cicerone
while I was interrogating the Shinzo. The status
and performance of these geisha differ considerably
from those of their more respectable sisters, and
Europeans, by confusing the two, have no doubt
helped to affix a stigma to the whole class. Miss
Dolly was no more than a child, and Miss Wistaria
looked about sixteen. Both songs and dances,
without being vulgar, were decidedly lax ; and as
the songs were topical, I followed them less easily
than the dance, which might have been named,
after a primitive Japanese goddess, ' The Female
who Invites.' Yet I must confess that the indeh-
32 481
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
cacy was not blatant, but redeemed by a coy con-
scientiousness, as of one who, half laughing, half
shrinking, complies with an inevitable command.
" At this moment Young Bamboo, Golden Harp,
and River of Song, whom I had completely for-
gotten, reappeared on the scene. They had
changed their scarlet robes for looser ones of white
satin, and awaited our pleasure. I explained to
River Song, whose intelligent expression had
influenced my choice, that if she would tell me
her story and describe her impressions of Yoshiwara
life, her duties would be at an end and her fee
doubled. Entering readily into the role of
Scheherazade, she began by declaring that, though
eagerly awaiting the day of liberation, which was
yet two years off, she was not so unhappy as many
of her companions. At first, when the bell rang
before the shrine at evening for a signal to enter
the cage {viise, " the shop," she called it), the ordeal
was both long and painful. But time had assuaged
this feeling, and she had made many friends.
Moreover, the Spear-hand of Dragon Cape had
taken a fancy to her, and made her life easier.
Then she recalled her childhood. Her real name
was JNIiss JNIushroom (INIatsutake), and her father
had been a fisherman of Shinagawa. Ever since
she could remember, it had been her habit to
patter barefooted along the beach and gather
shellfish at low tide. But bad times drove her
482
THE YOSHIWARA FROM WITHIN
parents into Tokyo, where an uncle had a small
shop in the main street of Asakusa. On him they
built their hopes, but his business failed, her mother
died, and at last the father, hoping to make a fresh
start by capitalising his daughter, sold her to the
house of the Dragon Cape. At this point I asked
if I could see the nenki-shomon, or certificate of
sale, which would probably be in the possession of
Spear-hand. The River of Song hesitated, not
liking to ask, but I volunteered to accompany her,
and we finished the story in the actual sanctum
of Spear-hand, whom I had propitiated with coins
and cigarettes. The document (except in the
matter of names) was thus worded : —
Name of Girl — Ito Matsutake.
Age — Eighteen years.
DweU'mg-place. — Asakusa, Daimachi 18.
Father s name — Ito Nobuta.
You, Minami Kakichi, proprietor of the house of the Dragon
Cape, agree to take into your employ for five years the above-
named at a price of —
300 yen (about £30).
30 yen (about £3) you retain as mizukin (allowance for dress).
270 yen (about £27), the balance, I have received.
I guarantee that the girl will not cause you trouble while in
your employ.
She is of the Monto sect, her temple being the Higashi
Hongwanji in Asakusa.
Parent's name — Ito Nobuta.
Witness's name — Kimoto Nagao.
Landlord's name — Yamada Isoh.
Proprietor s name — Minami Kakichi.
Name of Kashi-cashiM— House of the Dragon Cape.
483
MORE QUEER THINGS ABOUT JAPAN
" It seemed to me that this certificate was story
enough, with its batch of red seals denoting the
triple sanction of father, master, and gods. Yet
was it not better so ? Hard as her fate might be,
these were regular sponsors of a legal profession.
She was not living in lonely defiance of public
opinion and private remorse. She would still be
gentle, submissive, modest, until the lapse of time
should restore her liberty, unless the rascaldom
that would beset her pathway for five long years
should coarsen and undo her natural goodness."
It seemed to me that by printing the opinions
of three of the most honest and observant foreign
critics of Japan, beside the naive confessions of
the Japanese, Englished by Mr Takahashi, I might
give some idea of the famous Yoshiwara of Tokyo.
.,j-^
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FEINTED BT NEILL AND CO., LTD., EDINBUEGn.
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