Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-12-11
FIRST EDITION.
Lir. and Manners la Japan.

city, give fresh and interesting accounts of life
and manners in that strange county, some Of
which we are permitted TO communicate to our
readers
YOKOHAMA, Nov 7th, 1874.
Since last wrote you have beer. visiting for
q week in Yeddo, in the family Of Judge Bing
ham, our minister to Japan His wife and two
daughters are very lovely, and nay stay in their
delightful home was 30 pleasant and home-like
that have gladly promised to renew my visit
often. While there went TO a farewell enter
tainment given by Mr.. Shogoi Yoshido Keyon-
adj, (if that is too long an appellation, he con-
descends to be called by one name, but 1t must
be the middle one that is the custom with all
Japanese instead of using the last name with
us,) who goes i'll tho steamer Pdncouuer to
America to assume at Washington the duty OF
Japanese Minister to the United States.
This entertainment,
"1IFFIN," OR BREAKFAST,
was given at the Emperor's Summer Palace
"Hamagoten." The guests were Americans,
favored few, and Japanese grandeeB. The castle
is furnished very mnch in the European style,
but the carvings all through the building, the
paintings, and the paper on the walls, are pecu-
liarly Japanese. The patterns of that wall-pa-
per would amuse you. In several of the rooms
1t has all fans, opened and shut, in every imag-
inable shape and size. In others the walls were
covered with cavalry charging in battle, OF hunt
ing parties with falcons. Others still Of
fered celestial views OF blue sky with clouds of
gold lacquer, and were furnished with velvet
carpets and exquisite French furniture " to
match" These are the 4" Rooms of Heaven"
The pictures on the walls illustrate great
story in every ROOM A great deal Of gold is used
in these paintings, and in the paper, as it is all
lacquer work. Very handsome screens abound,
and at the windows are exquisitely fine and deli
cate bamboo shados, through which you can see
what passes without and yet be shaded from the
sun. When l return home want to bring some
Of these shades with me if can obtain them.
THE ROOMS OF THE CASTLE
are an on one floor, 30 please try to imagine
the ground 1t covers. 1t is curved building,
much more graceful than a straight facade. The
windows open out on wide verandahs, and from
every one you have view of the most magnih-
cent scenery eye ever rested on. The grounds
extend for miles enclosed and cultured like a
garden by landscape artists. In this country,
great attention is paid to landscape gardening
and in Hamagoten the art s carried to its highest
point OF perfection. Tho grounds are diversified
with lakes. mountains, (on small scale) summer
houses, rustic bridges overhangng with vines
and shrubbery, and now and then little forest
of old, old trees, all of which have been planted
and arranged for effect
Our tiffin was sumptuous with numerous
courses keeping us at the table more than three
hours After tifin came speeches, well de-
iivered by our own minister, Consul General,
and several other Americans. Our Japanese en-
tertainers made speeches, too, endeavoring to
equal them The native gentleman were all
dressed in foreign style, that is to say, Like our
own countrymen.
On leaving the table we walked through the
grounds for mile at least, when we came to a
TEA HOUSE BESIDE PRETTY LAKE.
1t WAS brightly carpeted, with tables and chairs
within, aud thrown open for our use. Here we
rested aud partook Of coffee and tea, liquors,
fruits and sweetmeats. Then we walked
through the falconing ground. over bridges and
lakes, and ished awhile with the Emperors rods
and hooks. So we roamed about until sundown,
attended all the while by the courteous native
gentlemen who never slacRened in their polite
attentions to US. Then came sdieux, and we
drove away after whole day Of delight.
While at Yeddo (Tokio they call it) enjoyed
many delightful drives, especially to "Owena," a
great forest of immense trees, with wide, smooth
drives among them, and mossy banks, ferns and
wild vines. Here and there are erected booths
in which dancing girls and tumbers (acrobats)
exhibit on feast days. which are very numerous
in this country. Occasionally we would meet a
"Yakaman" with his swords hanging at his belt,
strolling in dignified meditation; then we would
shiver aud Hit closer together and drive little
faster, for we have still fresh in our memories
the death of our poor friend, Mr.. Harber (of
whose dreadful murder, supposed TO be at the
hands of some OF these fierce soldiers who bore
him grudge, / wrote you in previous letter.
We drove once in the grounds OF
the Castle, which are incloaed within three
IMMENSE WALLS AND MoATs-
In the spring these moats are full Of the lotus
blossoms, large water lilies, pink and white with
golden centres, most gorgeous to behold. Gen
| eral Capln kindly took mo to drive through the
| Agricultural Gardens, a farm Of two hundred anc
| fifty acres, which they are endeavoring to make
| like q home Peunsylyania farm, with our OWL
| fruit, and vegetables, and stock. The collection
would be considered very choice even at home
and one cannot help admiring the energy and
| taste displayed there, and giving General OapiI
full credit for what he has done.
| Another attraction at Yeddo which l fount
very amusing is the 'Osaxha," which il regn
lar Vanity Fair. Avenues Of small stores lin'
the great thoroughfare for miles. Crowds thront
there continually. People are worshipping q
the temples, surrounded by the hustle of traffic
| and amusements which goes on all days Of tn,
| year-forever. In the temples are great bronz'
images and tue usual altars and offerings. W.
approach one very crowded place and push ou
very old image Of wood, much worn away, ,aroun'
winch crowd people Of every age, praying ant
rubbing the figure of the god to
CURE THEIR RHEUMATISM,
thousands of them orowding and rubbing
| every day. As we stand there an oil
man hobbies up to it, jerks his hea'
in Halutation, rubs his old hands to
gether and mumbles few prayers, then rub
the knee of the statue and with the same hant
transfers the virtue received from the woodel
image to his own rheumatic knee. He ha
scarcely begun before several mothers wit
babies at their breasts press forward, and lean
ing over the head Of the old man rub vigorousl
at the head, breast, arms or legs OF the image
according to the location of their own aches an
pains, and then rub their infants In like manne
till the crowd of similar devotees pushes ther
aside. The image is worn away so that you car
not sec feature of the face, and shines like me-
bronze with the polish acquired from the frit
ton OF so many palms. During the three mil
utes stood there counted more devOtees tina
seconds to the minute.
We went to see the "wax works." which ar
really made Of porcelain, quite startling in the
| life likeness Japanese life, of course) 30 thi
the superstitious natives believe them to
Gods. Travellers say these images much exc
Madame russand'B celebrated wax-works. W
stood long time to see the wonderful feats {
, top-spinnng. Tops were thrown great heigl
7 into the air and caught again on the end of
: fan or small pipe, still spinning as befoi
: they were thrown.
: The"foreigners" in Yeddo (Americans chief.
ARE VERY soorABIE TOGETHER,
though their dwellings are generally several mil,
apart. We had delightful visits and dinner
! Some families club together to tenant IL
: "Yaskis" castles formerly inhabited by princ'
of the old reglme which is all changed now
the new form OF Government Each one is b
enough for several families which is very mic
went to church last Sunday in an old japan
8 ere temple. IL belonged to the old religio
i which ls abolished with the change OF polite
J, aud now they lot the English Missionaries hay
i it for church. The walls and ceilings are fre
10 | cood and caryad and lac0uered. To the le