unbeaten tracks in japan-第58章

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shot。　　The　summer　has　been　the　worst　for　some　years；　and　now　dark
heat；　moist　heat；　and　nearly　ceasless　rain　prevail。　　People　have
been　〃rained　up〃　in　their　summer　quarters。　　〃Surely　it　will　change
soon；〃　people　say；　and　they　have　said　the　same　thing　for　three
months。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XLIV



Fine　WeatherCremation　in　JapanThe　Governor　of　TokiyoAn
Awkward　QuestionAn　Insignificant　BuildingEconomy　in　Funeral
ExpensesSimplicity　of　the　Cremation　ProcessThe　Last　of　Japan。

H。　B。　M。's　LEGATION；　YEDO；　December　18。

I　have　spent　the　last　ten　days　here；　in　settled　fine　weather；　such
as　should　have　begun　two　months　ago　if　the　climate　had　behaved　as
it　ought。　　The　time　has　flown　by　in　excursions；　shopping；　select
little　dinner…parties；　farewell　calls；　and　visits　made　with　Mr。
Chamberlain　to　the　famous　groves　and　temples　of　Ikegami；　where　the
Buddhist　bishop　and　priests　entertained　us　in　one　of　the　guest…
rooms；　and　to　Enoshima　and　Kamakura；　〃vulgar〃　resorts　which　nothing
can　vulgarise　so　long　as　Fujisan　towers　above　them。

I　will　mention　but　one　〃sight；〃　which　is　so　far　out　of　the　beaten
track　that　it　was　only　after　prolonged　inquiry　that　its　whereabouts
was　ascertained。　　Among　Buddhists；　specially　of　the　Monto　sect；
cremation　was　largely　practised　till　it　was　forbidden　five　years
ago；　as　some　suppose　in　deference　to　European　prejudices。　　Three
years　ago；　however；　the　prohibition　was　withdrawn；　and　in　this
short　space　of　time　the　number　of　bodies　burned　has　reached　nearly
nine　thousand　annually。　　Sir　H。　Parkes　applied　for　permission　for
me　to　visit　the　Kirigaya　ground；　one　of　five；　and　after　a　few
delays　it　was　granted　by　the　Governor　of　Tokiyo　at　Mr。　Mori's
request；　so　yesterday；　attended　by　the　Legation　linguist；　I
presented　myself　at　the　fine　yashiki　of　the　Tokiyo　Fu；　and　quite
unexpectedly　was　admitted　to　an　audience　of　the　Governor。　　Mr。
Kusamoto　is　a　well…bred　gentleman；　and　his　face　expresses　the
energy　and　ability　which　he　has　given　proof　of　possessing。　　He
wears　his　European　clothes　becomingly；　and　in　attitude；　as　well　as
manner；　is　easy　and　dignified。　　After　asking　me　a　great　deal　about
my　northern　tour　and　the　Ainos；　he　expressed　a　wish　for　candid
criticism；　but　as　this　in　the　East　must　not　be　taken　literally；　I
merely　ventured　to　say　that　the　roads　lag　behind　the　progress　made
in　other　directions；　upon　which　he　entered　upon　explanations　which
doubtless　apply　to　the　past　road…history　of　the　country。　　He　spoke
of　cremation　and　its　〃necessity〃　in　large　cities；　and　terminated
the　interview　by　requesting　me　to　dismiss　my　interpreter　and
kuruma；　as　he　was　going　to　send　me　to　Meguro　in　his　own　carriage
with　one　of　the　Government　interpreters；　adding　very　courteously
that　it　gave　him　pleasure　to　show　this　attention　to　a　guest　of　the
British　Minister；　〃for　whose　character　and　important　services　to
Japan　he　has　a　high　value。〃

An　hour's　drive；　with　an　extra　amount　of　yelling　from　the　bettos；
took　us　to　a　suburb　of　little　hills　and　valleys；　where　red
camellias　and　feathery　bamboo　against　backgrounds　of　cryptomeria
contrast　with　the　grey　monotone　of　British　winters；　and；　alighting
at　a　farm　road　too　rough　for　a　carriage；　we　passed　through　fields
and　hedgerows　to　an　erection　which　looks　too　insignificant　for　such
solemn　use。　　Don't　expect　any　ghastly　details。　　A　longish　building
of　〃wattle　and　dab；〃　much　like　the　northern　farmhouses；　a　high
roof；　and　chimneys　resembling　those　of　the　〃oast　houses〃　in　Kent；
combine　with　the　rural　surroundings　to　suggest　〃farm　buildings〃
rather　than　the　〃funeral　pyre；〃　and　all　that　is　horrible　is　left　to
the　imagination。

The　end　nearest　the　road　is　a　little　temple；　much　crowded　with
images；　and　small；　red；　earthenware　urns　and　tongs　for　sale　to　the
relatives　of　deceased　persons；　and　beyond　this　are　four　rooms　with
earthen　floors　and　mud　walls；　nothing　noticeable　about　them　except
the　height　of　the　peaked　roof　and　the　dark　colour　of　the　plaster。
In　the　middle　of　the　largest　are　several　pairs　of　granite　supports
at　equal　distances　from　each　other；　and　in　the　smallest　there　is　a
solitary　pair。　　This　was　literally　all　that　was　to　be　seen。　　In　the
large　room　several　bodies　are　burned　at　one　time；　and　the　charge　is
only　one　yen；　about　3s。　8d。；　solitary　cremation　costing　five　yen。
Faggots　are　used；　and　1s。　worth　ordinarily　suffices　to　reduce　a
human　form　to　ashes。　　After　the　funeral　service　in　the　house　the
body　is　brought　to　the　cremation　ground；　and　is　left　in　charge　of
the　attendant；　a　melancholy；　smoked…looking　man；　as　well　he　may　be。
The　richer　people　sometimes　pay　priests　to　be　present　during　the
burning；　but　this　is　not　usual。　　There　were　five　〃quick…tubs〃　of
pine　hooped　with　bamboo　in　the　larger　room；　containing　the　remains
of　coolies；　and　a　few　oblong　pine　chests　in　the　small　rooms
containing　those　of　middle…class　people。　　At　8　p。m。　each　〃coffin〃
is　placed　on　the　stone　trestles；　the　faggots　are　lighted
underneath；　the　fires　are　replenished　during　the　night；　and　by　6
a。m。　that　which　was　a　human　being　is　a　small　heap　of　ashes；　which
is　placed　in　an　urn　by　the　relatives　and　is　honourably　interred。
In　some　cases　the　priests　accompany　the　relations　on　this　last
mournful　errand。　　Thirteen　bodies　were　burned　the　night　before　my
visit；　but　there　was　not　the　slightest　odour　in　or　about　the
building；　and　the　interpreter　told　me　that；　owing　to　the　height　of
the　chimneys；　the　people　of　the　neighbourhood　never　experience　the
least　annoyance；　even　while　the　process　is　going　on。　　The
simplicity　of　the　arrangement　is　very　remarkable；　and　there　can　be
no　reasonable　doubt　that　it　serves　the　purpose　of　the　innocuous　and
complete　destruction　of　the　corpse　as　well　as　any　complicated
apparatus　（if　not　better）；　while　its　cheapness　places　it　within　the
reach　of　the　class　which　is　most　heavily　burdened　by　ordinary
funeral　expenses。　｛23｝　　This　morning　the　Governor　sent　his
secretary　to　present　me　with　a　translation　of　an　interesting
account　of　the　practice　of　cremation　and　its　introduction　into
Japan。

SS。　〃Volga；〃　Christmas　Eve；　1878。The　snowy　dome　of　Fujisan
reddening　in　the　sunrise　rose　above　the　violet　woodlands　of
Mississippi　Bay　as　we　steamed　out　of　Yokohama　Harbour　on　the　19th；
and　three　days　later　I　saw　the　last　of　Japana　rugged　coast；
lashed　by　a　wintry　sea。

I。　L。　B。



Footnotes：


｛1｝　　This　is　an　altogether　exceptional　aspect　of　Fujisan；　under
exceptional　atmospheric　conditions。　　The　mountain　usually　looks
broader　and　lower；　and　is　often　compared　to　an　inverted　fan。

｛2｝　　I　continue　hereafter　to　use　the　Japanese　word　kuruma　instead
of　the　Chinese　word　Jin…ri…ki…sha。　　Kuruma；　literally　a　wheel　or
vehicle；　is　the　word　commonly　used　by　the　Jin…ri…ki…sha　men　and
other　Japanese　for　the　〃man…power…carriage；〃　and　is　certainly　more
euphonious。　　From　kuruma　naturally　comes　kurumaya　for　the　kuruma
runner。

｛3｝　　Often　in　the　later　months　of　my　residence　in　Japan；　when　I
asked　educated　Japanese　questions　concerning　their　history；
religions；　or　ancient　customs；　I　was　put　off　with　the　answer；　〃You
should　ask　Mr。　Satow；　he　could　tell　you。〃

｛4｝　　After　several　months　of　travelling　in　some　of　the　roughest
parts　of　the　interior；　I　should　advise　a　person　in　average　health
and　none　other　should　travel　in　Japannot　to　encumber　himself　with
tinned　meats；　soups；　claret；　or　any　eatables　or　drinkables；　except
Liebig's　extract　of　meat。

｛5｝　　I　visited　this　temple　alone　many　times　afterwards；　and　each
visit　deepened　the　interest　of　my　first　impressions。　　There　is
always　enough　of　change　and　novelty　to　prevent　the　interest　from
flagging；　and　the　mild；　but　profoundly　superstitious；　form　of
heathenism　which　prevails　in　Japan　is　nowhere　better　represented。

｛6｝　　The　list　of　my　equipments　is　given　as　a　help　to　future
travellers；　especially　ladies；　who　desire　to　travel　long　distances
in　the　interior　of　Japan。　　One　wicker　basket　is　enough；　as　I
afterwards　found。

｛7｝　　My　fears；　though　quite　natural　for　a　lady　alone；　had　really　no
justification。　　I　have　since　travelled　1200　miles　in　the　interior；
and　in　Yezo；　with　perfect　safety　and　freedom　from　alarm；　and　I
believe　that　there　is　no　country　in　the　world　in　which　a　lady　can
travel　with　such　absolute　security　from　danger　and　rudeness　as　in
Japan。

｛8｝　　In　my　northern　journey　I　was　very　frequently　obliged　to　put　up
with　rough　and　dirty　accommodation；　because　the　better　sort　of
houses　were　of　this　class。　　If　there　are　few　sights　which　shock　the
traveller；　there　is　much　even　on　the　surface　to　indicate　vices
which　degrade　and　enslave　the　manhood　of　Japan。

｛9｝　　I　advise　every　traveller　in　the　ruder　regions　of　Japan　to　take
a　similar　stretcher　and　a　good　mosquito　net。　　With　these　he　may
defy　all　ordinary　discomforts。

｛10｝　　This　can　only　be　true　of　the　behaviour　of　the　lowest
excursionists　from　the　Treaty　Ports。

｛11｝　　Many　unpleasant　details　have　necessarily　been　omitted。　　If
the　reader　requires　any　apology　for　those　which　are　given　here　and
elsewhere；　it　must　be　found　in　my　desire　to　give　such　a　faithful
picture　of　peasant　life；　as　I　saw　it　in　Northern　Japan；　as　may　be　a
contribution　to　the　general　sum　of　knowledge　of　the　country；　and；
at　the　same　time；　serve　to　illustrate　some　of　the　difficulties
which　the　Government　has　to　encounter　in　its　endeavour　to　raise
masses　of　people　as　deficient　as　these　are　in　some　of　the　first
requirements　of　civilisation。

｛12｝　　The　excess　of　males　over　females　in　the　capital　is　36；000；
and　in　the　whole　Empire　nearly　half　a　million。

｛13｝　　By　one　of　these；　not　fitted　up　for　passengers；　I　have　sent
one　of　my　baskets　to　Hakodate；　and　by　doing　so　have　come　upon　one
of　the　vexatious　restrictions　by　which　foreigners　are　harassed。　　It
would　seem　natural　to　allow　a　foreigner　to　send　his　personal
luggage　from　one　Treaty　Port　to　another　without　going　through　a
number　of　formalities　which　render　it　nearly　impossible；　but　it　was
only　managed　by　Ito　sending　mine　in　his　own　name　to　a　Japanese　at
Hakodate　with　whom　he　is　slightly　acquainted。

｛14｝　　This　hospital　is　large　and　well　ventilated；　but　has　not　as
yet　succeeded　in　attracting　many　in…patients；　out…patients；
specially　sufferers　from　ophthalmia；　are　very　numerous。　　The
Japanese　chief　physician　regards　the　great　prevalence　of　the　malady
in　this　neighbourhood　as　the　result　of　damp；　the　reflection　of　the
sun's　rays　from　sand　and　snow；　inadequate　ventilation　and　charcoal
fumes。

｛15｝　　Kak'ke；　by　William　Anderson；　F。R。C。S。　　Transactions　of
English　Asiatic　Society　of　Japan；　January　1878。

｛16｝　　I　failed　to　learn　what　the　liquor　was　which　was　drunk　so
freely；　but　as　no　unseemly　effects　followed　its　use；　I　think　it
must　either　have　been　light　wine；　or　light　sake。

｛17｝　　I　venture　to　present　this　journal　letter；　with　a　few
omissions；　just　as　it　was　written；　trusting　that　the　interest　which
attaches　to　aboriginal　races　and　little…visited　regions　will　carry
my　readers　through　the　minuteness　and　multiplicity　of　its　details。

｛18｝　　The　use　of　kerosene　in　matted　wooden　houses　is　a　new　cause　of
conflagrations。　　It　is　not　possible　to　say　how　it　originated；　but
just　before　Christmas　1879　a　fire　broke　out　in　Hakodate；　which　in　a
few　hours　destroyed　20　st