The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-10-23
TIFFIN TRIBUNE.
lmn. Thursday Eve, Oct. 2sd, ls7;
Japanese Housekeeping.

J1t9lE1I A11SNANNt1h6s
Jap2nese housekeeping is reduced
to the minimum Of care and labor.
There is not in the whole country an
upholster; or, at least, there was not
a few wears ago and a young couple
who wish to marry and set up house
keeping, need not delay on account
of the outfit. A Philadelphia gentle
man, living in Japan, sums it up in
this way "a few mats, q chest Of
drawers for clothing, two or three
Quilts for bed on the floor, some
simple kitchen utensils, and the house
is furnished" OF course, we must
make due allowance for the fact that
this is a mans inventory 3 woman
would probably discover many things
that would escape masculine eyes
"Why," the gentleman continues,
should we litter these neatly matted
rooms? Why cover with paint and
gliding, virgin wood Of fsultless grain,
or mar the sweet simplicity and airy
r0ominess of Japanese chambers by
loading them with unnecessary lux
uries ? Why, indeed, now that house
keeping has become such q
burden to women, and good
servants are thing Of the past I? We
certainly might dispense with much
that but gives US care and trouble, for
a compensation that is wholly made
quate. The Japanese, when they get
ready to go to bed, bring from side
closets their bedding, which is simply
what we would call a covering"
This they place upon one of their soft
mats, three or four inches thick, and,
removing every vestige of clothing,
put on long, loose gown. Sheets
they have no need for, and for pillows
they have bar Of wood, six inches
high and one wide. On the top is mar
row cushion, covered with aper, which
is removed every day in all well reg
uIatsd households. Travellers wonder
much at the origin Of this anomalous
pillow. 1t seems that it arose as a
consequence of the lofty and elabor-
ate coifure Of the ladies, which is too
arduous work of art to be renewed
every day.
The dinner Of ceremony in Japan is
very extensive affair; but nothing
could be simpler than the ordinary re-
past in hotels, for example. A little
toy-table, four inches high is placed
before the guest, on which are four
covered bowls containing the articles
of food. One of these is always rice in
some form, another soup, another fish
cooked with soy. This you eat sit
ting on the clean and soft mats, SUBJ
dued light falling on you through ele-
CANT paper screens on one side; and
on the other, the lattieed sliding par
titions being withdrawn, you look in
TO large open court, spanned by an
arched bridge. In this court is a gar
den, an aviary, pond filled with gold
fish and marine plants, and the bridge
is frequently decorated with splendid
lilies and other flowers in pots. The
whole atmosphere of the Japanese
house suggests airiness, utter cleanli-
ness, and comfort also, when once you
thave learned to do without chairs ;
but how long the ancient customs and
the simple ease with which the middle
classes live, will resist the incoming
wave of Western civilization, it is diff
fcult to say. Already the common
question that greets the traveller on ar
irving at a hotel is, if he will be SER
we'd in the Western or in the jap
anese style. The young men have
mostly adopted our method of cutting
hair, and are gravitsting towards
standing collars and Congress boots,
while the crinoline that our ladies
have just discarded may possibly find
favor in the eyes of theirs.