Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-07-07
July /, 1855.
(Fron the.Portland Transcript. J
Japanese pecnliarities.


Of this peculiar people is also exhibited in
their towns. They presen, only a dead wall
upon each side, the houses being situlted in
g,rtens behind them, and hidden as nlu, b
as possible by trees and shrubbery. Being
| under constant surYeiancc, the people are
much given to hiding themselves.
Their dress consists Of one loose robe
with girdle about the middle. This is
very cool arrangement, tor summer y Gather.
bat in winter is not quit: so comfortable
However they manage 10 keep warm BY
levying contributions upon each other, for
whenever one member Of the family goes
u, in the cold weathef he borrows The gar
,nents Of all who remain thin and puts
rcm on one over the other!
The japanese idea Of shoe is peculiar.
The article with them is simply sole, and
IL worn, nor for the protection Of the foot
yhi.a in iact il does not cover but for the
pr .servation of the mating upon their floors
the sole being alwaps slipped off at the
Ioor, the wturer going barefootin the house.
The shoe there fore is only intended to keep
the feet from contact with the earth aud
thus from soiling the mating, which il is a
matter Of pride to keep very clean. This,
indeed, is very essential matter, as the
nat,ingis used no, only for carpet but
or table cloth and mlttrass as well, beiag
n TACT The only article OF furniture in the
louse. TIE in mates sit, cat AMI sleep up
on the floor.
III, japanese pllow--for they indulge in
n. luxury-is a very curious affair. II
consists OF a little block OF wood, with sides
OF equal width, 50 that by turning it over
which is 0 ten done, even in sleep--,he
head may rest at different points Of eleva-
ton. TINS peculiar pillow is made nec-s-
airy from the fact that the hair is worn up
rignt upon the head matted together with
grease and secured by pms, which by their
material Indicate the rank of the wearer.--
lhis pillow Is considerated very co.nior-
table affair and altogether superior to the
bay, OF feathers on which we outside bar
0arians are wont 10 reciine our heads.
The Japanese, like the Chinese, take
their TODD with chopstieks, and indicate
her enjoyment ot It By loud snIfiag
i,sse, not at all agreeable to civilized ears.
Being always a, cpstomed to sit win th.r
egs bent up upon the floor, they find it pain
al to sit on chairs, ooInpialnng that the
part OF the leg which hangs down"is all the
same as ii il wee cut oil"
The mandarns, when they 60 abroad,
have always a great retinue; an umbrella
capable OF covering thirty or forty persons,
held over their heads, while two men @
before to sw eep away evil spirits, in the
sir. They believe in spirits, but not IN the
immortality OF the soul.
When japanese gentleman walks abroad
h is always &C som panledb by ase want whose
duty is to carry three essential ar'i-
cies-an um bre LA to shade his master
his 81 ppers (tor it is u genteel thing to go
barsiooD and an eating box containing food,
| lest his master should become faint on the
way. When this happens, the gentleman
sits down on the ground, opens box, and
eats his dinner.
The Japanese are bound to support their
| fathers while living, and to worship them
| after death. This worship is the only So
! cial enjoy they have, for they make
| an amusement oil il, though one would
think it must be very grave one In
fact the grave yards the only place OF pub
| lie resort, and is made u place OF sensual
enjoyment. Every day the household re-
sorts to the family tomb. and there indulge
in eating, drinking and wal'ng alternately
This is their worship. Formerly they were
reqlir d to spend fifty days by the graves
OF their pare nts, now three days will do,
ard they sometimes even hire men to watch
in their stead This indicates a llmentabie
decline OF piety, which. however, is not with
out its parallel among the professors OF a
high faith.