noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第4章

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The　tram　contingent　had　already　arrived；had　in　fact　finished

feeding　at　the　many　mushroom　teahouses　gathered　about　the　station；

and　were　now　busy　finding　themselves　seats。　　Their　bustle　was　most

pleasing　to　witness；　till　suddenly　I　discovered　that　there　were　no

first…class　carriages；　that　it　was　my　seat；　so　to　speak；　for　which

they　were　scrambling。　　The　choice；　it　appeared；　began　with

second…class　coaches；　doomed　therefore　to　be　doubly　popular。　

Second…class　accommodation；　by　no　means　merely　nominal；　was　evidently

the　height　of　luxury　to　the　patrons　of　the　country　half　of　this

disjointed　line；　which　starts　so　seductively　from　Tokyo。　　Greater

comfort　is　strictly　confined　to　the　more　metropolitan　portion。　



The　second…class　coaches　had　of　course　the　merit　of　being　cheaper；

but　this　was　more　than　offset　by　the　fact　that　in　place　of　panes　of

glass　their　windows　had　slats　of　wood　with　white　cotton　stretched

over　them；an　ingenious　contrivance　for　shutting　out　the　view　and　a

good　bit　of　the　light；　both　of　which　are　pleasing；　and　for　letting　in

the　cold；　which　is　not。　



〃If　you　go　with　the　crowd；　you　will　be　taken　care　of；〃　as　a　shrewd

financier　of　my　acquaintance　used　to　say　about　stocks。　　This　occurred

to　me　by　way　of　consolation；　as　the　guard　locked　us　into　the　carriage；

in　the　approved　paternal　government　style。　　Fortunately　the

locking…in　was　more　apparent　than　real；　for　it　consisted　solely　in

the　turning　of　a　bar；　which　it　was　quite　possible　to　unturn；　as　all

travelers　in　railway　coaches　are　aware；　by　dropping　the　window　into

its　oubliette　and　stretching　the　arm　well　down　outside；a　trick　of

which　I　did　not　scruple　to　avail　myself。　　My　fellow…passengers　the

Japanese　were　far　too　decorous　to　attempt　anything　of　the　kind；　which

compelled　me　to　do　so　surreptitiously；　like　one　who　committeth　a　crime。　



These　fellow…passengers　fully　made　up　for　the　room　they　took　by　their

value　as　scientific　specimens。　　I　would　willingly　have　chloroformed

them　all；　and　presented　them　on　pins　to　some　sartorial　museum；

for　each　typified　a　stage　in　a　certain　unique　process　of　evolution；

at　present　the　Japanese　craze。　　They　were　just　so　many　samples　of

unnatural　development　in　dress；　from　the　native　Japanese　to　the

imitated　European。　　The　costume　usually　began　with　a　pot…hat　and

ended　in　extreme　cases　with　congress　boots。　　But　each　man　exhibited　a

various　phase　of　it　according　to　his　self…emancipation　from　former

etiquette。　　Sometimes　a　most　disreputable　Derby；　painfully

reminiscent　of　better　bygone　days；　found　itself　in　company　with　a

refined　kimono　and　a　spotless　cloven　sock。　　Sometimes　the　metamorphosis

embraced　the　body；　and　even　extended　down　the　legs；　but　had　not　yet

attacked　the　feet；　in　its　creeping　paralysis　of　imitation。　　In　another

corner；　a　collarless；　cravatless　semiflannel　shirt　had　taken　the

place　of　the　under　tunic；　to　the　worse　than　loss　of　looks　of　its

wearer。　　Opposite　this　type　sat　the　supreme　variety　which　evidently

prided　itself　upon　its　height　of　fashion。　　In　him　the　change　had　gone

so　far　as　to　recall　the　East　End　rough　all　over；　an　illusion

dispelled　only　by　the　innocence　of　his　face。



While　still　busy　pigeonholing　my　specimens；　I　chanced　to　look　through

the　open　window；　and　suddenly　saw　pass　by；　as　in　the　shifting　background

of　some　scenic　play；　the　lichenveiled　stone　walls　and　lotus…mantled

moats　of　the　old　feudal　castle　of　Uyeda。　　Poor；　neglected；　despised

bit　of　days　gone　by！days　that　are　but　yesterdays；　aeons　since　as

measured　here。　　Already　it　was　disappearing　down　the　long　perspective

of　the　past；　and　yet　only　twenty　years　before　it　had　stood　in　all　the

pride　and　glory　of　the　Middle　Ages。　　Then　it　had　been



　　　　A　daimyo's　castle；　wont　of　old　to　wield

　　　　Across　the　checkerboard　of　paddyfield

　　　　A　rook…like　power　from　its　vantage　square

　　　　On　pawns　of　hamlets；　now　a　ruin；　there；

　　　　Its　triple　battlements　gaze　grimly　down

　　　　Upon　a　new…begotten　bustling　town；

　　　　Only　to　see　self…mirrored　in　their　moat

　　　　An　ivied　image　where　the　lotus　float。



Some　subtle　sense　of　fitness　within　me　was　touched　as　it　might　have

been　a　nerve；　and　instantly　the　motley　crew　inside　the　car　became　not

merely　comic；　but　shocking。　　It　seemed　unseemly；　this　shuffling　off

the　stage　of　the　tragic　old　by　the　farce…like　new。　　However　little

one　may　mourn　the　dead；　something　forbids　a　harlequinade　over　their

graves。　　The　very　principle　of　cosmic　continuity　has　a　decency　about

it。　　Nature　holds　with　one　hand　to　the　past　even　as　she　grasps　at　the

future　with　the　other。　　Some　religions　consecrate　by　the　laying　on　of

hands；　Nature　never　withdraws　her　touch。　







IV。　



Zenkoji。



We　were　now　come　more　than　half…way　from　sea　to　sea；　and　we　were

still　in　the　thick　of　Europeanization。　　So　far　we　had　traveled　in　the

track　of　the　comic。　　For　if　Japan　seems　odd　for　what　it　is；　it　seems

odder　for　what　it　is　no　longer。



One　of　the　things　which　imitation　of　Western　ways　is　annihilating　is

distance。　　Japan；　like　the　rest　of　the　world；　is　shrinking。　　This　was

strikingly　brought　home　that　afternoon。　A　few　short　hours　of　shifting

panorama；　a　varying　foreground　of　valley　that　narrowed　or　widened

like　the　flow　of　the　stream　that　had　made　it；　peaks　that　opened　and

shut　on　one　another　like　the　changing　flies　in　some　spectacular　play；

and　we　had　compassed　two　days'　worth　of　old…time　travel　when　a　man

made　every　foot　of　ground　his　own；　and　were　drawing　near　Zenkoji。



I　was　glad　to　be　there；　hardly　as　glad　to　be　there　so　soon。

There　are　lands　made　to　be　skimmed；　tame　samenesses　of　plain　or　weary

wastes　of　desert；　where　even　the　iron　horse　gallops　too　slow。　　Japan

is　not　one　of　them。　　A　land　which　Nature　herself　has　already　crumpled

into　its　smallest　compass；　and　then　covered　with　vegetation　rich　as

velvet；　is　no　land　to　hurry　over。　　One　may　well　linger　where　each

mile　builds　the　scenery　afresh。　And　in　this　world；　whose　civilization

grows　at　the　expense　of　the　picturesque；　it　is　something　to　see　a

culture　that　knows　how　least　to　mar。　



Upon　this　mood　of　unsatisfied　satisfaction　my　night　fell；　and　shortly

after　the　train　rolled　into　the　Zenkoji　station；　amid　a　darkness

deepened　by　falling　rain。　　The　passengers　bundled　out。　　The　station

looked　cheerless　enough。　　But　from　across　the　open　space　in　front

shone　a　galaxy　of　light。　　A　crowd　of　tea…houses　posted　on　the　farther

side　had　garlanded　themselves　all　over　with　lanterns；　each　trying　to

outvie　its　neighbor　in　apparent　hospitality。　　The　display　was

perceptibly　of　pecuniary　intent；　but　still　it　was　grateful。　　To　be

thought　worth　catching　partakes；　after　all；　of　the　nature　of　a

compliment。　　What　was　not　so　gratifying　was　the　embarrassment　of

choice　that　followed；　for　each　of　these　gayly　beckoning　caravansaries

proved　to　be　a　catch…pilgrim　for　its　inn　up…town。　　Being　on　a　hill；

Zenkoji　is　not　by　way　of　easy　approach　by　train；　and　the　pilgrims　to

it　are　legion。　　In　order；　therefore；　to　anticipate　the　patronage　of

unworthy　rivals；　each　inn　has　felt　obliged　to　be　personally

represented　on　the　spot。　



The　one　for　which　mine　host　of　Takasaki　had；　with　his　blessing；

made　me　a　note　turned　out　so　poorly　prefaced　that　I　hesitated。

The　extreme　zeal　on　the　part　of　its　proprietor　to　book　me　made　me　still

more　doubtful。　　So；　sending　Yejiro　off　to　scout；　I　walked　to　and　fro；

waiting。　　I　did　not　dare　sit　down　on　the　sill　of　any　of　the　booths；

for　fear　of　committing　myself。　



While　he　was　still　away　searching　vainly　for　the　proper　inn；　the

lights　were　suddenly　all　put　out。　　At　the　same　fatal　moment　the

jinrikisha；　of　which　a　minute　before　there　had　seemed　to　be　plenty；

all　mysteriously　vanished。　　By　one　fell　stroke　there　was　no　longer

either　end　in　sight　nor　visible　means　of　reaching　it。　



　　　　〃In　the　street　of　by　and　by

　　　　　Stands　the　hostelry　of　never；〃



as　a　rondel　of　Henley's　hath　it；　but　not　every　one　has　the　chance　to

see　the　Spanish　proverb　so　literally　fulfilled。　　There　we　werenowhere。

I　think　I　never　suffered　a　bitterer　change　of　mood　in　my　life。　



At　last；　after　some　painful　groping　in　the　dark；　and　repeated　resolves

to　proceed　on　foot　to　the　town　and　summon　help；　I　chanced　to　stumble

upon　a　stray　kuruma；　which　had　incautiously　returned；　under　cover　of

the　darkness；　to　the　scene　of　its　earlier　exploits。　　I　secured　it　on

the　spot；　and　by　it　was　trundled　across　a　bit　of　the　plain　and　up　the

long　hill　crowned　by　the　town；　to　the　pleasing　jingle　of　a　chime　of

rings　hung　somewhere　out　of　sight　beneath　the　body　of　the　vehicle。　

When　the　trundler　asked　where　to　drop　me；　I　gave　at　a　venture　the

name　that　sounded　the　best；　only　to　be　sure　of　having　guessed　awry

when　he　drew　up　before　the　inn　it　designated。　　The　existence　of　a

better　was　legible　on　the　face　of　it。　　We　pushed　on。　



Happily　the　hostelries　were　mostly　in　one　quarter；　the　better　to　keep

an　eye　on　one　another；　for　in　the　course　of　the　next　ten　minutes　I

suppose　we　visited　nearly　every　inn　in　the　place。　　The　choice　was　not

a　whit　furthered　by　the　change　from　the　outposts　to　the　originals。　

At　last；　however；　I　got　so　far　in　decision　as　to　pull　off　my　boots；

an　act　elsewhere　as　well；　I　believe；　considered　an　acquiescence　in

fate；and　suffered　myself　to　be　led　through　the　house；　along　the

indoor　piazza　of　polished　board　exceeding　slippery；　up　several

breakneck；　ladder…like　stairways　even　more　polished　and　frictionless；

round　some　corners　dark　as　a　dim　andon　（a　feeble　tallow　candle

blinded　by　a　paper　box）；　placed　so　as　not　to　light　the　turn；　could

make　them；　until　finally　we　emerged　on　the　third　story；　a　height　that

itself　spoke　for　the　superiority　of　the　inn；　and　I　was　ushered　into

what　my　bewildered　fancy　instantly　pictured　a　mediaeval　banqueting

hall。　　It　conjured　up　the　idea　on　what　I　must　own　to　have　been

insufficient　grounds；　namely；　a　plain　deal　table　and　a　set　of

questionably　made；　though　rather　gaudily　upholstered　chairs。

But　chairs；　in　a　land　whose　people　have　from　time　immemorial　found

their　own　feet　quite　good　enough　to　sit　on；　were　so　unexpected　a

luxury；　even　after　our　Takasaki　experience；　that　they　may　be　pardoned

for　suggesting　any　flight　of　fancy。　



The　same　might　formerly　have　been　said　of　the　illumination　next

introduced。　　Now；　however；　common　kerosene　lamps　are　no　longer　so

much　of　a　sight　even　in　Japan。　　Indeed；　I　had　the　assurance　to　ask

for　a　shade　to　go　with　the　one　they　set　on　the　table　in　all　the　glaring

nudity　of　a　plain　chimney。　　This　there　was　some　difficulty　in　finding；

the　search　resulting　in　a　green　paper　visor　much　too　small；　that　sat

on　askew　just　far　enough　not　to　hide　the　light。　　The　Japanese　called

it　a　hat；　without　the　least　intention　of　humor。　



By　the　light　thus　given　the　room　stood　revealed；　an　eyrie；　encased　on

all　sides　except　the　one　of　approach　by　shoji　only。　　Into　these　had

been　let　a　belt　of　gla