Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-22
LIFE IN JAPAN--oURIoUs CUSTOMS

lTlDuHe, luIHlSHeS Ihe lOllOWlnS III refer
ence to certain features in the life of that
| country:
Nothing in Japan will impress stran-
ger more forcibly than the exceeding still
ness of its rural life, nor is it in the country
alone that the tendency to quiet is apparent.
| There is little boisterousness in the every
day life of the japanese. The farmer
swearing at his refractory OK or horse, the
master or mistress loudly chiding a negli-
gent or unwilling servant to the edification
of neighborhood are sights and sounds
more germane to our civilized ways, than
those of those rude people. Many is the
time when walking solitary afeld in some
| by-path, have come suddenly on farmer
leading homeward his laden beast The
animal snuffs the stranger, and in alright
plunges away, breaking his leading-rope
and spilling his load Patiently the peas
ant goes to work to sooth his frightened
beast, not pounding him, gathers his spilled
load, apologies for the trouble he has made,
and goes on again, leaving one to reflect
on the lesson of patience and forbearance
taught by the rude peasant. On the great
thoroughfare of the Tokaldo, the daily
throng passes by, sliding smoothly along
in stocking feet or in sandals of straw. A
daimio's train with its hundreds of retain
ers, winds through the crooked thorough
fare nolseless as a serpentS trail, save
where the herald IN advance calls out to
citizen and wayfarer, Sta nj irO, Down on
your knees" The road bed beaten by the
tread of generations Of travellers, reverber-
ates no sound from straw-shOd foot of man
and beast. Only the norimon bearers move
under their burden poles tC the chorus of
their inharmonious grunt, or travelling
vender of quack medicine, or itinerate show
man or pastry cook, cries out the attract
ions of his trade, or some begging priest
tinkles his bell, soliciting aims with sonor-
Gus voice at the open doorway, orit issome
group Of playing children, or hoyden lass
on her high wooden pattens, who awakes
the stiffness as she goes Gathering by to
the bath-house. But away from the kaido,
among the fields and farms, the stiffness of
a universal Sabbath reigns see the rude
plow driven through the field, the mattock
sink into the yielding earth, but never
clink of stone gives back sound. The
burdened horses come filing through the
winding pathways, nOiseless in their straw
shoes, their masters as quietly walking
alongside. There are laborers in the field
at their noiseless work Of pulling weeds
The groves are less vocal with bird songs
than in our newer land The very streams
come gliding down between grassy banks
and over stoneless beds, with muffled
sounds, to fall into the quiet sea. Many
time | have taken walk of miles among
alternate woods and cultivated fields Of
this populous neighborhood, meeting rare
ly soul or hearing any sounds OF animate
life save the pheasant calling to his mate,
the whirr of the wood pigeons, the twitter
Of myriads of rice birds, or the piping Of
the frogs in the poddy fields, until l have
wondered when, how and by whom, all the
fields were so tidily kept and cultivated.
AS the winter is broken in upon by the
New Year holidays, so the midsummer of
labor has its repose in similar national hol-
idays, beginning with the 18th day of the
7th moon, or the latter part Of our August. !
These holidays are observed with nearly or
not quite the faithfulness of the New Year
holidays. Labor is universally suspended;
even the fisherman throws no net into the
sea. Like the New Year time, this is also
a general settling time of accounts. All,
gentle and simple alike, are clad in their
best attire, and the streets are full of pretty
and showily dressed children, intent on their
vistings and amusements. The 10th day
of this moon, the second of the holidays,
Bong, as it is called, is day of universal
cessation from labor Even the prisoners
in the jails have some relaxation from their
usual severe confinement, their bands are
unloosed, and better meal to them feast,
is provided at the government expense.
In Yedo, ceremonious visits are made to
the Tycoon by the Daimios and chief officers
of State. During these days, too, it is the
duty Of each family to visit the family tenn
pie and burial place The cemeteries are
cleansed and swept, tombstones are reno
waited or replaced, the stone basins are re-
plenished with water, fresh flowers and
green branches are brought, offerings of
food and drink are made, an incense burn
ed, and many prayers repeated.
The more conspicuous monuments are
adorned with paper, strips of plain white,
orinscribed by the priests with sacred words
and symbols. Lanterns are suspended over
the graves for illumination at night On
the seacoast, where there is water when
night comes down, tiny boats are launched
laden with food for the departed spirits
which wander about their old habitations,
and such as are large enough are illumina-
ted with lanterns. If the air is still, whole
fleets of these little boats may be seen float
ing on the quiet waters.
As in all lands, foremost in these pious
observances are the women, attended by
their children, and the sight of so many
wel[dressed groups, bent on common er-
rand, is as picturesque as it is pleasing
The stranger who should happen for the
first time to fall upon Yedo during the Bong
holidays would be astonished at the fine APP
pearance of the streets, thronged with so
many elegantly dressed females.
From Daimio palace and official residence,
the lady of the house issues forth with her
train of attendant maids, for this pious du-
ty admits of no exemption of rank, and the
high-born lady must humbly go on foot to
her ancestors graves, as old custom and
etiquette prescribes, though she may return
to her home in her norimon. She is pro-
tected while on this errand, from the vul-
gar gaze by the artifce of dressing several
of her maids precisely like herself, to baf
t1e impertinent curiosity.
But one will not mistake the meaning of
these rites for the dead which of themselves
are sufficiently touching and beautiful, for
they spring, not as with us, out of dear af-
Il n