unbeaten tracks in japan-第12章

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grey；　with　a　suggestion　of　metallic　lustre　about　it。　　They　are
slightly　concave；　and　the　joints　are　covered　by　others　quite
convex；　which　come　down　like　massive　tubes　from　the　ridge　pole；　and
terminate　at　the　eaves　with　discs　on　which　the　Tokugawa　badge　is
emblazoned　in　gold；　as　it　is　everywhere　on　these　shrines　where　it
would　not　be　quite　out　of　keeping。　　The　roofs　are　so　massive　that
they　require　all　the　strength　of　the　heavy　carved　timbers　below；
and；　like　all　else；　they　gleam　with　gold；　or　that　which　simulates
it。

The　shrines　are　the　most　wonderful　work　of　their　kind　in　Japan。　　In
their　stately　setting　of　cryptomeria；　few　of　which　are　less　than　20
feet　in　girth　at　3　feet　from　the　ground；　they　take　one　prisoner　by
their　beauty；　in　defiance　of　all　rules　of　western　art；　and　compel
one　to　acknowledge　the　beauty　of　forms　and　combinations　of　colour
hitherto　unknown；　and　that　lacquered　wood　is　capable　of　lending
itself　to　the　expression　of　a　very　high　idea　in　art。　　Gold　has　been
used　in　profusion；　and　black；　dull　red；　and　white；　with　a　breadth
and　lavishness　quite　unique。　　The　bronze　fret…work　alone　is　a
study；　and　the　wood…carving　needs　weeks　of　earnest　work　for　the
mastery　of　its　ideas　and　details。　　One　screen　or　railing　only　has
sixty　panels；　each　4　feet　long；　carved　with　marvellous　boldness　and
depth　in　open　work；　representing　peacocks；　pheasants；　storks；
lotuses；　peonies；　bamboos；　and　foliage。　　The　fidelity　to　form　and
colour　in　the　birds；　and　the　reproduction　of　the　glory　of　motion；
could　not　be　excelled。

Yet　the　flowers　please　me　even　better。　　Truly　the　artist　has
revelled　in　his　work；　and　has　carved　and　painted　with　joy。　　The
lotus　leaf　retains　its　dewy　bloom；　the　peony　its　shades　of　creamy
white；　the　bamboo　leaf　still　trembles　on　its　graceful　stem；　in
contrast　to　the　rigid　needles　of　the　pine；　and　countless　corollas；
in　all　the　perfect　colouring　of　passionate　life；　unfold　themselves
amidst　the　leafage　of　the　gorgeous　tracery。　　These　carvings　are
from　10　to　15　inches　deep；　and　single　feathers　in　the　tails　of　the
pheasants　stand　out　fully　6　inches　in　front　of　peonies　nearly　as
deep。

The　details　fade　from　my　memory　daily　as　I　leave　the　shrines；　and
in　their　place　are　picturesque　masses　of　black　and　red　lacquer　and
gold；　gilded　doors　opening　without　noise；　halls　laid　with　matting
so　soft　that　not　a　footfall　sounds；　across　whose　twilight　the
sunbeams　fall　aslant　on　richly　arabesqued　walls　and　panels　carved
with　birds　and　flowers；　and　on　ceilings　panelled　and　wrought　with
elaborate　art；　of　inner　shrines　of　gold；　and　golden　lilies　six　feet
high；　and　curtains　of　gold　brocade；　and　incense　fumes；　and　colossal
bells　and　golden　ridge　poles；　of　the　mythical　fauna；　kirin；　dragon；
and　howo；　of　elephants；　apes；　and　tigers；　strangely　mingled　with
flowers　and　trees；　and　golden　tracery；　and　diaper　work　on　a　gold
ground；　and　lacquer　screens；　and　pagodas；　and　groves　of　bronze
lanterns；　and　shaven　priests　in　gold　brocade；　and　Shinto　attendants
in　black　lacquer　caps；　and　gleams　of　sunlit　gold　here　and　there；
and　simple　monumental　urns；　and　a　mountain…side　covered　with　a
cryptomeria　forest；　with　rose　azaleas　lighting　up　its　solemn　shade。
I。　L。　B。



LETTER　IX



A　Japanese　Pack…Horse　and　Pack…SaddleYadoya　and　AttendantA
Native　Watering…PlaceThe　Sulphur　BathsA　〃Squeeze。〃

YASHIMAYA；　YUMOTO；　NIKKOZAN　MOUNTAINS；
June　22。

To…day　I　have　made　an　experimental　journey　on　horseback；　have　done
fifteen　miles　in　eight　hours　of　continuous　travelling；　and　have
encountered　for　the　first　time　the　Japanese　pack…horsean　animal
of　which　many　unpleasing　stories　are　told；　and　which　has　hitherto
been　as　mythical　to　me　as　the　kirin；　or　dragon。　　I　have　neither
been　kicked；　bitten；　nor　pitched　off；　however；　for　mares　are　used
exclusively　in　this　district；　gentle　creatures　about　fourteen　hands
high；　with　weak　hind…quarters；　and　heads　nearly　concealed　by　shaggy
manes　and　forelocks。　　They　are　led　by　a　rope　round　the　nose；　and　go
barefoot；　except　on　stony　ground；　when　the　mago；　or　man　who　leads
them；　ties　straw　sandals　on　their　feet。　　The　pack…saddle　is
composed　of　two　packs　of　straw　eight　inches　thick；　faced　with　red；
and　connected　before　and　behind　by　strong　oak　arches　gaily　painted
or　lacquered。　　There　is　for　a　girth　a　rope　loosely　tied　under　the
body；　and　the　security　of　the　load　depends　on　a　crupper；　usually　a
piece　of　bamboo　attached　to　the　saddle　by　ropes　strung　with　wooden
counters；　and　another　rope　round　the　neck；　into　which　you　put　your
foot　as　you　scramble　over　the　high　front　upon　the　top　of　the
erection。　　The　load　must　be　carefully　balanced　or　it　comes　to
grief；　and　the　mago　handles　it　all　over　first；　and；　if　an　accurate
division　of　weight　is　impossible；　adds　a　stone　to　one　side　or　the
other。　　Here；　women　who　wear　enormous　rain　hats　and　gird　their
kimonos　over　tight　blue　trousers；　both　load　the　horses　and　lead
them。　　I　dropped　upon　my　loaded　horse　from　the　top　of　a　wall；　the
ridges；　bars；　tags；　and　knotted　rigging　of　the　saddle　being
smoothed　over　by　a　folded　futon；　or　wadded　cotton　quilt；　and　I　was
then　fourteen　inches　above　the　animal's　back；　with　my　feet　hanging
over　his　neck。　　You　must　balance　yourself　carefully；　or　you　bring
the　whole　erection　over；　but　balancing　soon　becomes　a　matter　of
habit。　　If　the　horse　does　not　stumble；　the　pack…saddle　is　tolerable
on　level　ground；　but　most　severe　on　the　spine　in　going　up　hill；　and
so　intolerable　in　going　down　that　I　was　relieved　when　I　found　that
I　had　slid　over　the　horse's　head　into　a　mud…hole；　and　you　are　quite
helpless；　as　he　does　not　understand　a　bridle；　if　you　have　one；　and
blindly　follows　his　leader；　who　trudges　on　six　feet　in　front　of
him。

The　hard　day's　journey　ended　in　an　exquisite　yadoya；　beautiful
within　and　without；　and　more　fit　for　fairies　than　for　travel…soiled
mortals。　　The　fusuma　are　light　planed　wood　with　a　sweet　scent；　the
matting　nearly　white；　the　balconies　polished　pine。　　On　entering；　a
smiling　girl　brought　me　some　plum…flower　tea　with　a　delicate　almond
flavour；　a　sweetmeat　made　of　beans　and　sugar；　and　a　lacquer　bowl　of
frozen　snow。　　After　making　a　difficult　meal　from　a　fowl　of　much
experience；　I　spent　the　evening　out　of　doors；　as　a　Japanese
watering…place　is　an　interesting　novelty。

There　is　scarcely　room　between　the　lake　and　the　mountains　for　the
picturesque　village　with　its　trim　neat　houses；　one　above　another；
built　of　reddish　cedar　newly　planed。　　The　snow　lies　ten　feet　deep
here　in　winter；　and　on　October　10　the　people　wrap　their　beautiful
dwellings　up　in　coarse　matting；　not　even　leaving　the　roofs
uncovered；　and　go　to　the　low　country　till　May　10；　leaving　one　man
in　charge；　who　is　relieved　once　a　week。　　Were　the　houses　mine　I
should　be　tempted　to　wrap　them　up　on　every　rainy　day！　　I　did　quite
the　wrong　thing　in　riding　here。　　It　is　proper　to　be　carried　up　in　a
kago；　or　covered　basket。

The　village　consists　of　two　short　streets；　8　feet　wide　composed
entirely　of　yadoyas　of　various　grades；　with　a　picturesquely　varied
frontage　of　deep　eaves；　graceful　balconies；　rows　of　Chinese
lanterns；　and　open　lower　fronts。　　The　place　is　full　of　people；　and
the　four　bathing…sheds　were　crowded。　　Some　energetic　invalids　bathe
twelve　times　a　day！　　Every　one　who　was　walking　about　carried　a　blue
towel　over　his　arm；　and　the　rails　of　the　balconies　were　covered
with　blue　towels　hanging　to　dry。　　There　can　be　very　little
amusement。　　The　mountains　rise　at　once　from　the　village；　and　are　so
covered　with　jungle　that　one　can　only　walk　in　the　short　streets　or
along　the　track　by　which　I　came。　　There　is　one　covered　boat　for
excursions　on　the　lake；　and　a　few　geishas　were　playing　the　samisen；
but；　as　gaming　is　illegal；　and　there　is　no　place　of　public　resort
except　the　bathing…sheds；　people　must　spend　nearly　all　their　time
in　bathing；　sleeping；　smoking；　and　eating。　　The　great　spring　is
beyond　the　village；　in　a　square　tank　in　a　mound。　　It　bubbles　up
with　much　strength；　giving　off　fetid　fumes。　　There　are　broad　boards
laid　at　intervals　across　it；　and　people　crippled　with　rheumatism　go
and　lie　for　hours　upon　them　for　the　advantage　of　the　sulphurous
steam。　　The　temperature　of　the　spring　is　130　degrees　F。；　but　after
the　water　has　travelled　to　the　village；　along　an　open　wooden　pipe；
it　is　only　84　degrees。　　Yumoto　is　over　4000　feet　high；　and　very
cold。

IRIMICHI。Before　leaving　Yumoto　I　saw　the　modus　operandi　of　a
〃squeeze。〃　　I　asked　for　the　bill；　when；　instead　of　giving　it　to　me；
the　host　ran　upstairs　and　asked　Ito　how　much　it　should　be；　the　two
dividing　the　overcharge。　　Your　servant　gets　a　〃squeeze〃　on
everything　you　buy；　and　on　your　hotel　expenses；　and；　as　it　is
managed　very　adroitly；　and　you　cannot　prevent　it；　it　is　best　not　to
worry　about　it　so　long　as　it　keeps　within　reasonable　limits。　　I。　L。
B。



LETTER　X



Peaceful　MonotonyA　Japanese　SchoolA　Dismal　DittyPunishmentA
Children's　PartyA　Juvenile　BelleFemale　NamesA　Juvenile　Drama…
…NeedleworkCalligraphyArranging　FlowersKanayaDaily　Routine…
…An　Evening's　EntertainmentPlanning　RoutesThe　God…shelf。

IRIMICHI；　Nikko；　June　23。

My　peacefully　monotonous　life　here　is　nearly　at　an　end。　　The　people
are　so　quiet　and　kindly；　though　almost　too　still；　and　I　have
learned　to　know　something　of　the　externals　of　village　life；　and
have　become　quite　fond　of　the　place。

The　village　of　Irimichi；　which　epitomises　for　me　at　present　the
village　life　of　Japan；　consists　of　about　three　hundred　houses　built
along　three　roads；　across　which　steps　in　fours　and　threes　are
placed　at　intervals。　　Down　the　middle　of　each　a　rapid　stream　runs
in　a　stone　channel；　and　this　gives　endless　amusement　to　the
children；　specially　to　the　boys；　who　devise　many　ingenious　models
and　mechanical　toys；　which　are　put　in　motion　by　water…wheels。　　But
at　7　a。m。　a　drum　beats　to　summon　the　children　to　a　school　whose
buildings　would　not　discredit　any　school…board　at　home。　　Too　much
Europeanised　I　thought　it；　and　the　children　looked　very
uncomfortable　sitting　on　high　benches　in　front　of　desks；　instead　of
squatting；　native　fashion。　　The　school　apparatus　is　very　good；　and
there　are　fine　maps　on　the　walls。　　The　teacher；　a　man　about　twenty…
five；　made　very　free　use　of　the　black…board；　and　questioned　his
pupils　with　much　rapidity。　　The　best　answer　moved　its　giver　to　the
head　of　the　class；　as　with　us。　　Obedience　is　the　foundation　of　the
Japanese　social　order；　and　with　children　accustomed　to
unquestioning　obedience　at　home　the　teacher　has　no　trouble　in
securing　quietness；　attention；　and　docility。　　There　was　almost　a
painful　earnestness　in　the　old…fashioned　faces　which　pored　over　the
school…books；　even　such　a　rare　event　as　the　entrance　of　a　foreigner
failed　to　distract　these　childish　students。　　The　younger　pupils
were　taught　chiefly　by　object　lessons；　and　the　older　were　exercised
in　reading　geographical　and　historical　books　aloud；　a　very　high　key
being　adopted；　and　a　most　disagreeable　tone；　both　with　the　Chinese
and　Japanese　pronunciation。　　Arithmetic　and　the　elements　of　some　of
the　branches　of　natural　philosophy　are　also　taught。　　The　children
recited　a　verse　of　poetry　which　I　understood　contained　the　whole　of
the　simple　syllabary。　　It　has　been　translated　thus：…


〃Colo