New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-03
NEW VIEWS OF JAPAN.

THE FOREIGN SETTLEMENT OF YOKOHAMA
A MODERN JAPANESE CITY SCENERY AND STREET
sCENEs-PREDoMINANcE OF ENGLISH INFLUENCE
IN soCIETY-soMK WAYS IN WHICH COOLIES ARE
BMPLOYED-THE CHINESE IN JAPAN.
fPRoM OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuNR.l
YOKOHAMA, Japan, Sept. 10-My first sensa-
ton on landing at Yokohama was one OF surprise.
Could this DO q Japanese town With these macadam-
ICED streets gas lamps, handsome houses and dashng
vehicles Of all sorts! Where we're the mud huts with
matched roofs the doOrless wndowless houses over
the pictures OF which In "COmmodore Perry's Expedi-
ton 10 Japan" had so often pored In my younger
daysi II is true that the natives Of both sexes were
the streets, but side by side with them
were so many familiar, prosac sights that my romantic
ideas Of life the East threatened to be entirely dis
PEELED. For moment regarded II In the light OF
grievance that foreign ideas of comfort should have so
completely done away with all that was characteristic
OF the natives In my ignorance OF modern Japan had
yet to learn that Yokohama OF recent
growth being the treaty port OF the Gulf OF Yedo and
that from ITS Importance In q commercial point OF
view large number of foreigners have taken up their
residence there they brought with them their own
notions OF LIVING the Settlement" as 1t Is called bears
but little OF the appearance OF native town. AdJoih
ing this the natives have built up large town where
was formerly o small village, in which, however, the
charm OF antiquity is entirely wanting. though the ma
tl0nal cnaracterlsucs arc strongly ueuueu' ho1"'"
Ing it's proximity to the foreign settlement. AT short
intervals are several small fishing villages, where the
counterparts Of the huts OF my Imagination are seen
accompanied by all the DIRT that had not imagined
when gazing at the highly coored pictures OF " Perrys
Japan" SO after rejecting upon the fact that there
were, OF course, charming old native towns winch
would visit by and by confess to feeling OF pleasure
the sight Of the familiar home comforts around me-
II was with great content therefore that settled my
o1f,n oil hot In W presence
native servants reminded me that was IN strange
land.
CHARACTERISTICS OF YOKOHAMA
The settlement proper Is built upon land originally
swamp and extends back from the bund, or water
'front.' to the bluff" which is a range OF high hills
nearly surrounding the low land. Business houses OF
all kinds hotels churches &C., all in the settlement
while tho bluff devoted to charming residences, called
bungalows and their accompanying grounds The bund,
lined with business houses, and having most unDusi
nesske look from the amount OF shrubbery about them
with its hotels and above ALL its close proximity 70
the water the most attractive street in the settle
ment. The others narrow, and without Sidewalks
though remarkably clean. The absence OF these side
walks is often spoken Of instance Of the rapacly
OF many of the foreigners who settle in this country
The town was laid out with the width Of the streets
especially designated, but law being In force with
regard to the width OF the sidewalks, each building In
succession was run out little beyond Its next door
neighbor thus crowding out the space usually allowed
to pedestrians who now walk in the middle OF the
streets Fortunately the continual ceanngs TO which
the streets are subjected the most Objectionable
features of such OF things though one naturally
prefers keeping the passing horses and vehicles more
at a distance.
On what is called Msn-st are the principal retail
stores it seemed to me to be sort OF incongruy 10 See
in the windows Of of them the latest fashions
from Paris London said latest fashions being season
old at least But the incongruity had nothing TO do
with tho latter fact-t consisted IN seeing Haunted be-
fore ones eyes In this comparatively uncivized land
the familiar dress goods and aces, ribbons, and other
pretty civilized vanites. How much more appropriate,
thought 1t would be to only the gorgeous Eastern
fabrics, the cashmeres grapes gazes ana emDrouered
silks. Again the feeling of dsapponttnent took pos
session OF at another evidence that YOKOHAMA Is
but foreign town native soil On the wess side OF
the canal which nearly surrounds the foreign settle
ment. rises the "buff" connected with the town by
several arched bridges This bluff originally possessing
many natural beauties but little cultivated until within
the last five years. is now covered with line bungalows
and tasteful gardens With It's macadamized roads ana
fine scenery 1t forms suburban neghborhOOd OF unu-
sua attractions and is striking evidence OF the rapid
increase OF the foreign population. One OF the most
noticeable unaccustomed eye the singu
lar of these bungalows with their tiled roofs
each tile painted partly black and partly white They
are mostly one stored the low, and with broad
pazzas generally extending around three sides OF the
building surrounded all Of them are, with we'll kept
grounds, they have a CHEEKY, coy look happy COM
bnation Of simplicity, comfort and beauty.
FLOWERS FRUITS, AND sHRUBBERY.
Though it was early Spring when arrived, the shrub
berry and grass were green with perfect wealth or
flowers blooming everywhere. These last have more
than realized my expectations The japonica, that Is
tended so carefully and przsd SO highly at home here
blooms as a common shrub. in the humbest garden, or
on the roadside; In many places have seen little
groves Of them, each one forming good sized shade
tree about the huts of the natives. The delicate asaa
and sweetscented daphne are also INDIGENOUS to this
country, and bloom with perfection rarely seen at
home even In the forced atmosphere OF greenhouse.
The foliage is If possible, more worthy OF notice than
the flowers the brantcolored leaves OF many Of the
shrubs greeu shading into red pink white, yellow.
give them beauty and richness OF colorina I'm
agine O garden presenting such variety iof eolors
grouped together and unlike the tnts OF the blossoms
never fading until touched by frost The grounds about
the houses Of the foreigners are carefully tended the
gardeners being always natives Those gardeners pos
sess wonderful skill in tho training and dwarfng OF
what in America would be large, coarseleaved trees
the pine and cedar brought into diminutive gro
tesque shapes and the MAPLE with ts tiny leaves and
delicate colors, forms favorite house-plant Many
thick shrubs clipped into the shape OF various AMI
mails and by the aid Of bamboo twigs as o suppost
certain fne-leaved vine tof the name OF (which am
ignoran is so woven to represent man. boat, and
other curious devices At certain flower show which
took place in Yedo some months ago. Japanese Lady,
life size holding paraso was accurately repre-
sented by the peculiar twistngs 10 which ohrysanshe
mum In full bloom subjected. But the cultivation
of fruits and vegetables by no means attended with
the success that with " the training Of HOver
Fruits especially, though Of tempting appearance, are
most Of them utterly tasteiess It rs said thai foreign
fruits, when planted In this country, parsahe Of the
taseessness OF the native ones after the nrst OF
bearing, which compels the frequent importation OF
fresh seeds supply the wants Of the foreign eommu