The Republican journal., 1874-04-16
Yokohama and tho Japanese,

The street, OF Yokohama arc wide and
| straight Each house is built ofwood. with
out an atom of paint, and is a real tow
house, genuine Lilliputian Swiss chalet,
/ built with a taste, nicely, and a neat
ness which are admirable. The Japanese
are wonderful workers in wood and it is
pleasure to see the roofs, so light and vet
50 strong, supported by walls which are
made. like the sidc-scene> in Il theatre. of
/ thin strips of wood, over which are pasted
sheets OF cottony, transparent paper. In
the evening. when the lanterns dispense
their soft light round the insid& of these
white buildings the spectator seems to be
looking at Il magic-lantern. During the
day time the sides Of the houses are slipped
out us side-scencs are, and the houses
becomes only 4 roof resting on the four
light corner posts. the whole interior being
lhuS opened to the air. Every part of the
house is exposed to view, and everything
done in it can be seen. while behind it APP
pear the charming verdure. the cascades
and the dminutive plantations of the
little gardens situated IN the rear.
The great luxury of the japanese con-
siSts in their mats made OF plated straw.
They are perfectly rectangular in shape,
about three inches thick, and soft TO the
touch. They are never stepped on with
| shoes, since the japanese 90 about their
| houses always baretoOted. OF furniture
| they have ne NJ to nothing; a small furnace
III one corner acloSet made of side scenes
| like the side OF the house and intended to
| contain the mattresses, a small set of
shelves, on which are arranged the lac
qu@red plates for rice and iish-this is all
| the furnishing for these houses. in which
| they live. As it We're in the open air. In
| the middle Of each house are two articles
J OF general use among all claSSes-lhe
"chitat' and the ''tOhacco-bon." that is. a
hrazicr and the box for tobacco Being
great tea-drnkcr>. great smokers. anI,
great takers the japanese pass their DAYS
around the brazier; there they can be
seen. in groups OF seven or eight. seated
on their heels around the tea-kette.
In every shop our travellers visited, the,
| were received with distinction and polite
nes, which surpassed even the proverbial
manners OF their native country In walk
ing through the city they passed through
| the street ofbaths In Japan, where every
one lives, rs 1t We're in public, the eos
| tune of our tirS' parents in no way shocks
!
| matter NAV he considered as still in the
Golden Age. This street is filled with bath
houScS to which the population resort
many Of them twice or thrice \ day Here
all ~eNc@ ages. and conditions minglp,
fifty to sixty n time in each hath-honse
The pa~Ser-by sees them crouchrd down,
| or dancing ON an inclined plane, surround
ed BY pyramids of >Small tubs made of
| IN
they sprinkle and soap each other At
tracted hy the sight Of the travellers they
| come to ask 1.-THE noble Strangers politely
| for a cigarette.
A woman seller OF dry goods invited the
party TO enter her shop and seat them
| selves upon the mats This was for her a
| great honor, and aS the party entered, She
| 4aluteh them by bowling unit! her forehead
| touched the floor then offered them tea
in small cups she brought out tobacco for
their pipes, and presented lighted Goals
held between two chOp-sticks. 81 cannot
hope, writes the court, Ito express to YOU
all the elegance OF this woman Of the PEG
| pie in her slightest movements; her feat
| ures expressed the most simple womanlv
| aifability Us her habtual condition. Well.
| in whatever house you may enter, YOU will
| be treated with the same distinction; we
We're almost stupelied to find it, and CON
tess that this people can rightly call us bar
barlans have not seen a single fight OF
dispute in the streets; all the men, in
'9allting each other with profound bows,
wear smile upon their lips; and when
we desire to appear amiable, we are awk-
ward and Inbred, in comparison with
| these Japanese. who are gracious without
thinking of being 50. Among them man
who gives way to hisanger, or shows it in
his tone or words. is avoided by his kind
as unfit for society. Thus, when at first
our plenipotcntales in the diplomatic
conferences became animated, the Japan
csc said, Let us pnt off this matter tol
another day; we cannot treat with those
| who are not masters of Themselves Lip
pncott'9 Magazine,