Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-10-06
JAPANESE PECULIARITIEs.

II seemst What the national eXclusivcncss Of
this peculiar people is also exhibited in their
social habits. The streets of their towns
present only dead wall upon each side, the
houses being situated in gardens behind them
and hidden as much as possible by trees and
shrubbery Being under constant surveillance
the people are much given to hiding them
selves.
Their dress consists of one loose robe with
q girdlc about the middle. This is n very
cool arrangement for summer weather, but in
winter is not quite so comfortable. However
they manage to keep warm by levying contri-
buttons on each other, for whenever one men,
Der of family goes out in cold weather, he
borrows the garments of all who remain with
in, and puts them one over the other
The japanese idea Of q shoe is peculiar
The article with them is simply sole, and
is worn not for the protection of the foot
which in fact it does not cover-but for the
preservation of the mating upon their floors
the sole being always slipped off at the
door, the wearcr going barefoot in the house.
The shoe, therefore, is only intended to keep
the feet from contact with the earth, and thus
! from soiling the mating. which is matter
! of pride to keep very clean. This, indeed
is a very essential matter, as the mating is
used not only for q carpet, but for table
cloth and mattress as well as being in fact
the only article of furniture in the house.
| The inmates sit, eat and sleep on the floor.
The Japanese pillow-tor they indulge In
| that luXury-is curious affair. 1t consists
of little block of wood with sides of une-
| quail width, so that by turning it over-which
is often done even in sleep-the head may
rest at different points ofeleyaton. This pc
culiar pillow is made necessary from the fact
that the hair is worn upright upon the head,
matted together with grease and secured with
pins which by their material indicate the
rank of the wearer. This pillow is consider
cd very comfortable affair, and altogether
superior TO the bag of feathers on which we
outside barbarians are wont to reclinc our
heads.
The Japanese like the Chinese take theil
food with chopsticks, and indicate their enjoy.
ment of it by a loud snoring noise, not at oil
agreeable to civilized ears.
Being always accustomed TO sit with then
legs bent upon the floor, they find 1t painful
to sit on chairs complaining that the part o
the leg which hangs down sis all the same as
il it were cut OFF,
The mandarins, when they go abroad, have
always great retinuo an umbrella capable
OF covering thirty or forty persons, is helC
over their heads, while two men 60 before
them with brooms to sweep away evil spirits
in the air They believe in spirits, but no
in the Immortality of the soul
When Japanese gentleman walks abroad
he is always accompanied by servant who's
duty it is to carry three essential articles-al
an umbrella to shade his master-his slippers
(for it is the genteel thing to go barefooted,
and an eating box containing food, lest hi
master should become faint on the way
When this happens, the gentleman sits dow
upon the ground, opens his box and eats hi
dinner.