noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第7章

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ears。　　I　was　only　too　ready　to　believe　that　the　best　of　anything　came

from　Noto。　　Did　they　lay　my　interest　to　the　score　of　lime…making；

I　wonder；　or　were　they　in　part　undeceived　when　I　asked　if　Noto　were

visible　from　where　we　were？



〃It　was；〃　they　said；　〃on　very　clear　days。〃　〃Did　I　know　Noto？〃　What

shall　a　man　say　when　questioned　thus　concerning　that　on　which　he　has

set　his　heart？　　He　cannot　say　yes；　shall　he　say　no　and　put　himself

without　the　pale　of　mere　acquaintance？　　There　is　a　sense　of　nearness

not　to　be　justified　to　another；　and　the　one　to　whom　a　man　may　feel

most　kin　is　not　always　she　of　whom　he　knows　the　most。　



〃I　am　by　way　of　knowing　it；〃　I　said；　as　my　eyes　followed　my　thoughts

horizonward。　　Was　it　all　mirage　they　saw　or　thought　to　see；　that

faint　coastline　washed　a　little　deeper　blue　against　the　sky？　　I　fear

me　so；　for　the　lime…burners　failed　to　make　it　out。　　The　day　was　not

clear　enough；　they　said。　



But　the　little　heap　of　charcoal　at　least　was　real；　and　it　had　once

been　a　tree　on　that　farther　shore。　　Charcoal　to　them；　it　was　no

longer　common　charcoal　to　me；　for；　looking　at　it；　was　I　not　face　to

face　with　something　that　had　once　formed　part　of　Noto；　the　unknown！







VII。



Oya　Shiradzu；　Ko　Shiradzu。　



Toward　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　we　reached　a　part　of　the　coast

locally　famous　or　infamous；　for　the　two　were　one；　a　stretch　of　some

miles　where　the　mountains　made　no　apology　for　falling　abruptly　into

the　sea。　　Sheer　for　several　hundred　feet；　the　shore　is　here　unscalable。

Nor　did　it　use　to　be　possible　to　go　round　by　land；　for　the　cliffs　are

merely　the　ends　of　mountain…chains；　themselves　utterly　wild　and

tractless。　　A　narrow　strip　of　sand　was　the　sole　link　between　Etchiu

on　the　one　hand　and　Echigo　on　the　other。　　The　natives　call　the　place

Oya　shiradzu；　ko　shiradzu；　that　is；　a　spot　where　the　father　no　longer

knows　the　child；　nor　the　child　the　father；　so　obliterating　to　sense

of　all　beside　is　the　personal　danger。　　Refuge　there　is　none　of　any

kind。　　To　have　been　caught　here　in　a　storm　on　the　making　tide；　must

indeed　have　been　to　look　death　in　the　face。　



Between　the　devil　of　a　precipice　and　the　deep　sea；　he　who　ventured　on

the　passage　must　have　hurried　anxiously　along　the　thread　of　sand；

hoping　to　reach　the　last　bend　in　time。　　As　he　rounds　the　ill…omened

corner　he　sees　he　is　too　late；　already　the　surf　is　breaking　against

the　cliff。　　He　turns　back　only　to　find　retreat　barred　behind　by

rollers　that　have　crept　in　since　he　passed。　　His　very　footprints　have

all　been　washed　away。　　Caged！　　Like　the　walls　of　a　deep…down　dungeon

the　perpendicular　cliff　towers　at　his　side；　and　in　the　pit　they　rim；

he　and　the　angry　ocean　are　left　alone　together。　　Then　the　sea　begins

to　play　with　him；　creeping　catlike　up。　　Her　huge　paws；　the　breakers；

buffet　his　face。　　The　water　is　already　about　his　feet；　as　he　backs

desperately　up　against　the　rock。　　And　each　wave　comes　crushing　in

with　a　cruel　growl　to　strikeshort　this　time。　　But　the　next　breaks

closer；　and　the　next　closer　still。　　He　climbs　a　boulder。　　The　spray

blinds　him。　　He　hears　a　deafening　roar；　feels　a　shock　that　hurls　him

into　space；　and　he　knows　no　more。　



Now　the　place　is　fearful　only　to　fancy。　　For　a　road　has　been　built；

belting　the　cliffs　hundreds　of　feet　above　the　tide。　　It　is　a　part　of

what　is　known　as　the　new　road；　a　name　it　is　likely　long　to　keep。

Its　sides　are　in　places　so　steep　that　it　fails　of　its　footing　and　is

constantly　slipping　off　into　the　sea。　　Such　sad　missteps　are　the

occasion　for　bands　of　convicts　to　appear　on　the　scene　under　the

marshaling　of　a　police　officer　and　be　set　to　work　to　repair　the　slide

by　digging　a　little　deeper　into　the　mountain…side。　　The　convicts　wear

clothes　of　a　light　brick…color　which　at　a　distance　looks　a　little

like　couleur　de　rose；　while　the　police　are　dressed　in　sombre

blue。　　It　would　seem　somewhat　of　a　satire　on　the　facts！



The　new　road　is　not　without　its　sensation　to　such　as　dislike　looking

down。　　Fortunately；　the　jinrikisha　men　have　not　the　instinct　of

packmules　to　be　persistently　trifling　with　its　outer　edge。

In　addition　to　the　void　at　the　side；　another　showed　every　now　and　then

in　front；　where　a　dip　and　a　turn　completely　hid　the　road　beyond。

The　veritable　end　of　the　world　seemed　to　be　there　just　ahead；　close

against　the　vacancy　of　space。　　A　couple　of　rods　more　and　we　must　step

offindeed　the　end　of　the　world　for　us　if　we　had。　



When　the　road　came　to　face　the　Oya　shiradzu；　ko　shiradzu；　it　attacked

the　rise　by　first　running　away　from　it　up　a　stream　into　the　mountains；

a　bit　of　the　wisdom　of　the　serpent　that　enabled　it　to　gain　much

height　on　the　bend　back。　　Trees　vaulted　the　way　tapestrying　it　with

their　leaves；　between　which　one　caught　peeps　at　the　sea；　a　shimmer　of

blue　through　a　shimmer　of　green。　　The　path　was　strung　with　pedlars

and　pilgrims；　the　latter　of　both　sexes　and　all　ages；　under　mushroom

hats　with　their　skirts　neatly　tucked　in　at　the　waist；　showing　their

leggings；　the　former　doing　fulcrum　duty　to　a　couple　of　baskets　swung

on　a　pole　over　their　shoulders。　　The　pilgrims　were　on　their　way　back

from　Zenkoji。　　Some　of　them　would　have　tramped　over　two　hundred　miles

on　foot　before　they　reached　home　again。　　A　rich　harvest　they　brought

back；　religion；　travel；　and　exercise　all　in　one；　enough　to　keep　them

happy　long。　　I　know　of　nothing　which　would　more　persuade　me　to　be　a

Buddhist　than　these　same　delightful　pilgrimages。　　Fresh　air；　fresh

scenes　on　the　road；　and　fresh　faith　at　the　end　of　it。　　No　desert

caravan　of　penance　to　these　Meccas；　but　a　summer's　stroll　under　a

summer's　sky。　　An　end　that　sanctifies　the　means　and　a　means　that　no

less　justifies　its　end。　



While　we　were　still　in　the　way　with　these　pious　folk　we　touched　our

midday　halt；　a　wayside　teahouse　notched　in　a　corner　of　the　road

commanding　a　panoramic　view　over　the　sea。　　The　place　was　kept　by　a

deaf　old　lady　and　her　tailless　cat。　　The　old　lady's　peculiarity　was

personal；　the　cat's　was　not。　　No　self…respecting　cat　in　this　part　of

Japan　could　possibly　wear　a　tail。　　The　northern　branch　of　the　family

has　long　since　discarded　that　really　useless　feline　appendage。　　A　dog

in　like　circumstance　would　be　sadly　straitened　in　the　expression　of

his　emotions；　but　a　cat　is　every　whit　a　cat　without　a　continuation。　



With　the　deaf　old　lady　we　had；　for　obvious　reasons；　no　sustained

conversation。　　She　busied　herself　for　the　most　part　in　making　dango；

a　kind　of　dumpling；　but　not　one　calculated　to　stir　curiosity；　since

it　is　made　of　rice　all　through。　　These　our　men　ate　with　more　relish

than　would　seem　possible。　　Meanwhile　I　sat　away　from　the　road　where　I

could　look　out　upon　the　sea　over　the　cliffs；　and　the　cat　purred　about

in　her　offhand　way　and　used　me　incidentally　as　a　rubbing　post。　　Trees

fringed　the　picture　in　front；　and　the　ribbon　of　road　wound　off　through

it　into　the　distance；　beaded　with　folk；　and　shot　with　sunshine　and

shadow。　



I　was　sorry　when　lunch　was　over　and　we　took　leave　of　our　gentle

hostesses；　tabbies　both　of　them；　yet　no　unpleasing　pair。　　A　few　more

bends　brought　us　to　where　the　path　culminated。　　The　road　had　for　some

time　lain　bare　to　the　sea　and　sky；　but　at　the　supreme　point　some　fine

beeches　made　a　natural　screen　masking　the　naked　face　of　the　precipice。

On　the　cutting　above；　four　huge　Chinese　characters　stood　graved　in

the　rock。　



〃Ya　no　gotoku；　to　no　gotoshi。〃



〃Smooth　as　a　whetstone；　straight　as　an　arrow；〃　meaning　the　cliff。　

Perhaps　because　of　their　pictorial　descent；　the　characters　did　not

shock　one。　　Unlike　the　usual　branding　of　nature；　they　seemed　not　out

of　keeping　with　the　spot。　　Not　far　beyond；　the　butts　of　the　winter's

neve；　buried　in　dirt；　banked　the　path。　



For　miles　along　the　raod　the　view　off　was　superb。　　Nothing　bordered

one　side　of　the　way　and　the　mountain　bordered　the　other。　　Far　below

lay　the　sea；　stretching　away　into　blue　infinity；　a　vast　semicircle　of

ultramarine　domed　by　a　hemisphere　of　azure；　and　it　was　noticeable　how

much　vaster　the　sea　looked　than　the　sky。　　We　were　so　high　above　it　that

the　heavings　of　its　longer　swells　were　leveled　to　imperceptibility；

while　the　waves　only　graved　the　motionless　surface。　　Here　and　there

the　rufflings　of　a　breeze　showed　in　darker　markings；　like　the　changes

on　watered　silk。　　The　most　ephemeral　disturbance　made　the　most　show。　

Dotted　over　the　blue　expanse　were　black　spots；　fishing　boats；　and　a

steamer　with　a　long　trail　of　smoke　showed　in　the　offing；　stationary

to　the　eye；　yet　shifting　its　place　like　the　shadow　of　a　style　when

you　forgot　to　look。　　And　in　long　perspective　on　either　hand　stretched

the　battlement　of　cliff。　　Visual　immensity　lay　there　before　us；　in

each　of　its　three　manifestations；　of　line；　of　surface；　and　of　space。　



We　stood　still；　the　better　to　try　to　take　it　inthis　grandeur

tempered　by　sunshine　and　warmth。　　Do　what　he　will；　man　is　very　much

the　creature　of　his　surroundings　yet。　　In　some　instant　sense；　the

eyes　fashion　the　feelings；　and　we　ourselves　grow　broader　with　our

horizon's　breadth。　　The　Chaldean　shepherds　alone　with　the　night　had

grander　thoughts　for　the　companionship；　and　I　venture　to　believe　that

the　heart　of　the　mountaineer　owes　quite　as　much　to　what　he　is　forced

to　visage　as　to　what　he　is　compelled　to　do。　



We　tucked　ourselves　into　our　jinrikisha　and　started　down。　　By　virtue

of　going；　the　speed　increased；　till　the　way　we　rolled　round　the

curves　was　intoxicating。　　The　panorama　below　swung　to　match；　and　we

leaned　in　or　out　mechanically　to　trim　the　balance。　　Occasionally；　as

it　hit　some　stone；　the　vehicle　gave　a　lurch　that　startled　us　for　a

moment　into　sobriety；　from　which　we　straightway　relapsed　into

exhilaration。　　Curious　this；　how　the　body　brings　about　its　own

forgetting。　　For　I　was　conscious　only　of　mind；　and　yet　mind　was　the

one　part　of　me　not　in　motion。　　I　suppose　much　oxygen　made　me　tipsy。　

If　so；　it　is　a　recommendable　tipple。　　Spirits　were　not　unhappily

named　after　the　natural　article。　



It　was　late　afternoon　when　we　issued　at　last　from　our　two　days

Thermopylae　upon　the　Etchiu　plain。　　As　we　drew　out　into　its　expanse；

the　giant　peaks　of　the　Tateyama　range　came　into　view　from　behind

their　foothills；　draped　still　in　their　winter　ermine。　　It　was　last

year　yet　in　those　upper　regions　of　the　world；　but　all　about　us　below

throbbed　with　the　heartbeats　of　the　spring。　　At　each　mile；　amid　the

ever　lengthening　shadows；　nature　seemed　to　grow　more　sentient。　

Through　the　thick　air　the　peaks　stood　out　against　the　eastern　sky；　in

saffron　that　flushed　to　rose　and　then　paled　to　gray。　　The　ricefields；

already　flooded　for　their　first　working；　mirrored　the　glow　overhead

so　glassily　that　their　dykes　seemed　to　float；　in　sunset　illusion；

a　mere　bar　tracery　of　earth　between　the　sky　above　and　a　sky　beneath。　

Upon　such　lattice　of　a　world　we　journeyed　in　mid…heaven。　　Stealthily

the　shadows　gathered；