, 1875-12-27

East-If for no otlior reeson, their funtluess for
amneomontH, proccBsio4s Theatrical Pcrforln-
aucoa, aud fate daya would cntitlo them to that
designation. Going to tho theatro ia with tho
tnasass Qua Of tho great pleasures Of lifs-tho
alissocraoy do not frequent tho thcasres it is
not considered fitting OF decorouH that high dig
uitarieB mon of letters. or important pers0n-
ages SHOULD bo seou in such places. Their
DRAMA diBguiBed In tho dress Of wouisn Of tho
people. N0whero Aro the social llues moro dis
tinptsY drawn botWenn saiiteront csa.nes than III
japan. After tho mobiles, who arc aluloas Chi
nose In tler exctuBlvoucss, como tho three III
ferior caaBos, tho peaaantB, artisans, eradeFs,
from whoBo ranks nro drawn tho great majority
OF the audiences ut tue Japanese tlloatres. For
q stranger tho allow coMmeneea DoiorU ho Gu
tors tho plavhousc-
Tue building il oasy recognized by its height,
by tho little pagoda-liko poop Geek which Hus-
mounts 1t, from which watetlnan ia couatantly
On tho lookout, and gives innoaiate aIatu ~
case Of itra and by tho tNo low rassageuhys
which form tile entrance, guarded by ,ioket-
takers sitting squat on tho ground In the midst
OF littio piles OF small coin. Large show bills,
covered with lifolika representations Of tho prin
boldly executed in red ink. rern!liou aad gold,
arc surrounded by gaping crowds, Thoae bills
are changed about 0nco month, unless pieoe
hAs al exceptional succoss. Tarces as general
thing have q longer run than tho legitimate
drama" which bore, as with tho ancient Greeks
aud tlis "mYstesies Of tho middle ages, Las q
There Ihere arc many shea.res at yoddo. Tlopo Of
shiu,bara and Hhka-1,ashi, nitualod in tue contrc
Of the torn, depnnu mostly Oh chance CUSTOM
tho roaly popular lestrea being tLuso Of
AHtAsa,
4 word OF explanation may be useful in cop.
nputiun with this famous resort Of o largo pof-
t,on Of tho reopia Of Ictldp II. nfto1 passing
through the nortLctn cato Of the city. ono kocpa
| OIL up tho right bnn!s Of Tho river, passing
through deusoly populated and animated quar-
| ter, q brisk walk Aoon brings QUO to sLous
arch, through which t1aggeA way loads " q vast
| incoslre tied with IellEtoua monuments. tenn
pies. cllspels, and pagodas. to nay nothing Of ,
/ multitudo OF tall buildings Of d widely lilIsrsnt
aud much less aacrea oharsoter. ThisiH Asaksn
In many respects 1t eau DO fifty compsTed to
| what tho pAtA,a 1loyal wns in tho pariy days Of
tho Fronch Revolution, tie BONES taking tus
place Of tho Abbes" OF ola.
Religion and ploaauro moot horo ou m equal
footing. YouDg llbsrttnos and old sinners gu
hand toRether among tho crowds Of pious BUD
dhiass who come to worship at thcir favoFito
EhrlncA. Tho place Ia crowded with fortuue-
tello1s sellsrB Of suuats, aud already printed
prAYerB tbs latter OF which rolled up in littIo
balls and thrown In front OF tho Goddess QuAn.
| non. Bon1nsmbu!ists toll you Of tho absent aud
tho doId, Of love and marriage. Mouutebanks
swallow swords and exhibit wonderful foass Of
strouKth.
It Ia not necessary In yeado, as with us, to
hurry through ones dinner III order to Rrrivo at
the theatre Ia tims for tho frat ac.. You must,
however, got up betimes tn tho morning, Tic
play counlences At .. NJ, and ends botHeen
and . in tho evoning.. Ono eau form Al
and sudlenco' on learning that soino pieces co.,.
SUING Mors Ehgu three consecutive days boforo
they arc brought to close.
The aun Ia scarcaly up beforn motley crowd
| presses around the entrance Of tho theatre, at-
trAetetl by the sound Of tho drum. which a,l-
notncns thu bcsinhing Of tho shom, H1naii
traders, who hare nhut up shop for that par
t!rulsr dEy, prosa aBatunt artisans, boatuio1,
coolies, and sunburnt peasants, who epopa OH
tlIesa entertainments tho profits resulting from
| tae previous days sale Of their slender garden
produce, They ars al dresaod In the!r holiday
clothes.
When = fayorite actor uakos lis appearance
tho whole audience hsco11s electrified, aud tos-
ufy their delight by sorleH Of shouts, ycls. aud
| ctiea which no known combination of yoMals aud
consonRnta aA0 A1sqlstely reoder. IIey do not
| Ill shut together, but the yells run rapidly
| from group to group, scnludins ono of tho iall.
Ing Of \ stone ~ Il bounds doan tho ede of 4
! mountain. Thsir enthusiasm IL kent within
bounds by Bors Of inspector ur policeman scat-
81 on small raised plssform IN tho coptrs Of
the thsatre, ~ho preserves order and eulnma1lly
| ojocts all dlsturbsra Of tho pubiu paace.
During tho whole tlHo constant feastlug
Reenla 70 be going aui plates OF rice and ilsl AT .
succeeded by ca,ldlos, sWsotnoata. aud ether dol.
icaslas, sold BY licensed vendors, WHO posaubu-
lste pssaaEes bstween scts,, ot1eaug thelr wares
in alnH-sang. aleepy, nasal tones nothing es-
| cape1 them, hoW8vor; thu slightest slsu from
would-oo buyer brings them IL fash to Ais
side.
When tho chop-sticks are for = moment laid
| ssids, listls bottles Of Eakki and cups Of tea
make thslf appearance. Empty dlahoa are car
| rlet od. and almost Instantly rspacel BY full
onos. Notwithstanding these Interesting oouu-
pas,ons. Rse.t attentlon IL given to tbs piece.
= Tho orchestrs, placed II. . stsXo-bo1 10 the
| left, IL composed Ut dt4ms, lutes, aud tAroo-
| stsiugel guitars. The 1nuaiolanE arc clothed iu
prisatly robes i neinory Of tue earliest thoatri-
cal performsucea given In honor Of tho gods.
They have no mercy On the audience but play
almost necessarily. y.-lussng tbs pleco to accom-
pAny the rectatlge, and between tho acts 10 Gu
liveu the public. Que OF the atrongest proofs IT
the genslepess aud strength Of mind Of tho jap
anass Is thu &dmirsbls forittlda with which 6uD
people listen to this unea.thly aud diahoiical
innaln for twslye consecutive hours, wEthou: @x-
hiblting tho slghsess signs Of mental Alienation
Two s!eles OF SAngways lead from either end of
tho stage to tho front entrance uf tho theatre,
going difsetly through the little checkorboard
squares Tho sotofa generally mako tholr Gu
tEaoco on tha stage by these Rangways, passing
through the audience Aul unlaE their very nosea.
Though chs Aotors bsiopa 70 tho lowast
alaasss, thsy e9tsa sudsAs hsusslvss 10 tic
public u lAks, sh0 bssoms much infatuated