New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-01
THE JAPANESE PEOPLE.

In our intercourse with this people we found them
very inquisiiive, though their questions very often
seemed to be only say something without having
any object in view, i'll the answer. Everybody
carried bis nkhOrn at his girdle, tike the writer in
Eek tx 81 and the answer is jOtted down IN the book
carried in the BOSOM The courtesy of the officials shows
the degree of potenes which the japanese trained
and them credit society seems 10 move ON IN an agree
able the higher grades but the seryty OF
the untitled people strikes one less favorably When
Of them is spoken he kneels nearly TO the ground and
if in honse be bends nearly TO the ground he sits
However each grade kneels and bows 10 the next
above him, and there is envy, infer, where even
Justice is thus dealt cat. All official people wear two
swords thrus; the grde in uneasy manner higher
ones having sword benrer coming after them aud M
can lightly touch il. These weapons highly polished,
the metal be excellent and the hits often
richly oruamcnted; their manufacture Is monopoly.
The people whom have are well fed and
healthy in the main; Ophthalmc diseases are common,
and the smallpox shows lis existence IN many face
The officials put silks their common dress, at
least those outw ardly worn Grape forming the most
usual fabric the poor wear substantial sort ~ cotton,
blue and blackh and pretty well covered 80 far as one
can Judge. Their houses on the whole, III villages
near our anchorage less cOmmodous than those of the
Lewchewans and Chinese in similar circumstances their
roofs covered with thatch foot thick; and the
walls of the building constructed of sliding panels,
one Of paper and another OF board The floor raised
heh as Inc corridor which surrounds the building between
the paper and board panels aud laid with thick mats on
which the inmates eat, work, sleep and receive their
friends In large apartments, part OF the inclosure s
merely the ground well pounded where agricultural i'm
pmeD and produce are stored and the cooking carried
on The effects of the constant smoke from the kitchen
are visible on the backened raer and the bettersort
cooking is doubtless carried in an outer building AZ
the inmates do all their work these mats, which are
usually kept commercially clean there no tables chars
or bedseads in the house rendering very empty 10 our
notions Of domestic comfort. In dull, rainy and cold
weather the interior of these houses is t more gloomy
in our view the roof projects far the outer pan
els that the shade in the house still more than
the paper glazing. Altogether, a japanese peasant
dwelling would not please New England farmers, and
hope they may long Introduce some OF the conye-
nences we are much used into their houses. The
position of the among these poor people such as
YOU might expect They made 10 work hard IN the
fields and houses hoeing. wedding, reaping and other
duties falling them well the men, while the cares
of the house weaving spinning and such work seem all
be their too. They wear cloth or fancy kerchIei
wrapped around their head in the fields and often too,
indoors The of shaving the eyebrows of married
women impars odd aspect their counenance taking
away the dstnc, impression given 10 all the features by
that one they shaver until after child born
Another repulsive fashion among them that OF
backeuing the teeth which If done completely that
when a woman is mos; pleased aud laughs the meriest
she appears the most hdeous on think almost she has
made an nkstand of her mouth. believe this ungraceful
custom is not everywhere fashionable in japan but dis
pleasing j. II IL less Objectionable than that of cramp-
IN. the feet in China Japan Cor y. \. Observer