Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-12-08
WOndrous Beauty OF the Temples and
their Courts-The Shrioe of Iseyas.
the Greatest of the TyeO0ns. whose
Dynasty Ruled from a. 9S To 1865
YEDo, September 80 1875.

YEDo, September 80 1875
"Iou cannot say 'kikko' until you have seen
Mike " the Japanese adaae has it. Kikko, the
beautiful, is found only in perfection upon the
hills and AMIDST the groves of Mike, where, OF
all places in Japan, nature most freely gives an
added charm TO art, and where the sacred tradt
lions of the past still religiously preserved.
The progress of ''Western civilization" in Japan.
within the past few years has been the theme OF
admiring comment the world over. But even
civilization from the West has its disadvantages.
In Japan, for instances, it treats somewhat too
closely upon the heels of tradition and sentiment
Amidst the hurry and hustle OF change, it is apt
to hustle away Unfortunately the good with the
bad old temples and older shrues, beautiful
yashukiS and lovely gardens, must take their
chances with crooked streets and filthy canals,
whose alteration the progressive municipal mind
has decreed. There is no cause for complaint 10
this, perhaps, but without doubt valid reason for
regret. AS an unworthy representative OF 'the
most progressive people Of the world SIR l am
willing to admit the unitarian beauties OF rail
roads iron mills. wooden factories and the like
still feel pang Of
SOMETHING AKIN TO REMoRsE
when see tall brick ehimneys usurping the place
Of graceful temple roots aud the - iron steed'
hashing ruthiessly through the midst OF quaint
that they 90 not have any OF these things al
Nikko. The iron steed has never snorted there
the tall brick chimnies have never eouded those
blue skies and quiet glsaes with their smoke
and SCOT.
"See Mike ard die" says another japanese
sdsge l have seen Nikko. and while 1 must
confess to a slight unwillrgness to shutting of
this mortal coil at the present writing, ! shall
atone for the omission by telling you something
about Ibis wonderful place
Nikko is situated about one hundred miles to
the north of Iokei, (Yedo) 1t is the burial place
Of lyeYas, greatest OF the FycO0ns, and founder
Gin 1881 of the Tokugawa dynasty. which ruled
Japan until 1865 when the Mikado, or spiritual
ruler, took bis rightful place as head of the ma
ton of which for centuries he aud his ancestors
had been merely nominal sovereigns. Perhaps il
is saying too much to allege that Iyeyas was
"greatest OF the Tycooos." It Is, in fact, tres
pass upon truth TO call him t. coon at all While
he really welded all the power Of 'Lieutepant OF
the Empire it not until after death that he
received the titles and honors usually conferred
upon he holder the Shiogunate. Not to put too
fine point upon II, Iyeyss was an usurper. As
guardian of Hideyoshi, infant son OF his great
predecessor. raikosama. 1.-THE monkey faced, i" he
obtained the control OF affairs, and having secured
power in the name Of his infant ward held it in
his own.
IYEYAs DOES NOT APPEAR
in a very fiatterng light in the chronicles OF the
Jesuit fathers, who in those times were making,
with no small prospect of success. strenuous eft.
forts for the conversion of all Japan. But the
Jesuits we're not unbiased witnesses. To their
CHARGE that 1yeyas gave the death blow TO the
religion OF Christ in Japan. 1t can truthfuly be
answered that he withheld his hand until In heir
fanatical zeal the devotees of the new faith at
tempted to undermine the government Itself
When ne struck the blow descended with savage
violence, and Christianity. Notwithstanding the
fair promise OF its introduction, became in Japan
a word and reproach. The walls and groans
of their msrtyred proselytes in after days bore
eloquent witness against the int0lerant spirit of
the Jesuit fathers themselves In their time OF
prosperity.
Iyeyas undoubtedly left his mark upon the his.
tory of his country. Although man of war, and
one who had made his way TO power through vlo
lence and bIoodshed, he was an earnest advocate
of peace. BY his practical foresight and shrewd
diplomacy the powerful mobiles Who hal hitherto
bound down by code of law. which preserved
national peace and unity for more than two hun
dred years.
In April, 1917. Iyeyas was buried with great
pomp and parade at Nikko He himself had Sc
ected this spot to be bis burial place some years
previous. Atter the manner of the East, he was
Invested with posthumous honors of great dignity
He was enshriDed among the Buddhist divinities
under TIE title Industrious Gem" The place of
his sepuchre came to be considered one OF the
most sacred spots In the empire, and is still annu
ally visited by thousands of pilgrims. With the
change 10 the national religion from Buddhism
10 Symbolism all Buddhist titles are revoked
But Iyeyas is still known by the most honorable
name,
Light OF THE KAsr'-To sHo.
1t was on pleasant afternoon in mid
summer that our party got under way for
and three gentlemen. The writer Ito drop
again into nautical phraseology) acted as
convoy 10 two married couples, or, perhaps, more
properly as a sort o. tail to . hymeneal kite. We
were rather grand In our equipage. boasting Of
one ''pony-trap," which il was resolved to convey
to the foot OF the sacred mountains whether the
roads were good, bad or indifferent. Half dozen
jim rieki shas exaggerated baby wagons) drawn
by coolies completed the cortege. The first two
days of the journey we're marked by no Incident
specially worthy of notice. Travelling at a
leisurely rate we made about thirty miles per
diem, resting at noon and night in japanese tea
houses -
Neatness and courtesy are the marked charac
teristics OF n Japanese hosiery and its inmates
Comfort you may or may not ind as you are dis
posed. Clean mats, rooms separated only by
sliding paper screens. and tasteful little gardens,
one is sure TO tud even at the humbest tea house.
The innocent curiosity and the polite attentive
ness of the people, big and little, are a charming
experience TO one who has wilted beneath the
gaze of the lordly hotel clerk But then there
are no chairs, no tables, no carpets, nc---; but
why pursue the plant Of those good people who
expect to find duplicate of Fitth-av hotel 10
the jungles of Africa? There are enough solid dis
comforts every to crowd out o mind tbouR hts
OF thos that ut Iea-t partly Imaginary. In ia
pan, for example, the wicked hea." Here no
mats are SO clean and no native house so we'll
scrubbed that this lively gentleman does not
have therein his exits and his entrances He
comes and stays, and brings all bis poor relations
with him. The Investigations which he makes 1t
is his constant duty to pursue, are not, as men,
Der Of our party remarked, conducive TO somno-
lency."
On the third day of our journey
WE CROSSED THE TosEGAwA RIVER
and entered country differing widely in appear
ance from that we had just traversed. Hills and
forests OF oak and pine took the place OF level rice
fields, while the road changed from something
very like dixie to broad avenue, lined on either
side with grand old cryptomerIas Words Of mine
cannot fittingly describe the impressive effect OF
this change. At rrst sight IT seemed that this
magnificent avenue must be the entrance to some
stately temple The dusk OF the summer twi.
light was just settling over the landscape we
entered IL. AS far the eye could reach the
broad vista OF level road and overhangipg trees
stretched before US. Some Of the trees were
gnsrled and twisted into the most fantastic
shapes, while others seemed to touch the very
heavens with their giant tops. At times our way
lay for miles beneath ctnopy OF green. the great
branches INTERVIEWING above For fity miies
the avenue stretches In uninterrupted beauty up
to the very foot OF the mountains OF NiEko.
1t was on this road that in olden times the dai.
mios Tor nObles) travelled on their pilRrimages 10
the grave OF Iyeyas In the ma lOrity OF instances
these Journeys by no means evidences oil
reverence. They could hardly be called voiun.
tary, the successors OF Iyeyas following the
lead Of their astule ancestor In exaetng the most
humilatiDg obedience from the daimiGs, com
PEELED them TO pay this mock homage at his
shrine. Policy. well as pride. dictated this
course. By compelling the daimios ia make long
Journeys by land-they were not allowed TO travel
By seattle Tycoons succeeded 10 at once humili
atinx the haughty spirit OF the proud mobiles and
impoverishiug them by the expenses Of these en-
forced pilgrimages.
NOR WAS THE SHRINE WITHOUT TOKENS
of respect from higher sources. At a little vii
lsge called lmaichi another road Joins the one
from Yed0 Like the latter, IL Is lined with
large cryptomerias. The two roads meet each
other at RS BIT angle, the trees forming pyra
mid OF green. This road was travelled annually
by high "kuge,H fcourt noble) the envoy Of the
Mkado bearing the sacred "gobei." tpieces d
gilt psper.) to be deposited at the tomb Of Iye
Thus even the spiritual sovereign OF Japan paid
homage TO the memory OF the nan who appro-
priated TO himself the second place Ia the En-
pire without even the form of approval from the
Colrt Of Kioto.
The little village Of Haehichi Is the terminal
point OF the avenue OF which / have been speak.
ing. IL Is nothing more than long, straggling
street, across the upper end Of which rushes =
brawiing mountain torrent, separating the vii
shrines ard temples. We were fortunate 10 Sc
curing good quarters at the house OF Swzuki, the
.'chiji' or 10 ayor of the town. Suzuki We found
upon further acquaintance to be a polite and
affable Bontface. With
KEEN EYE TO THE MAIN CHANCE,
and tight grasp upon everything salabIe in
his bailfwick. Notwithstanding DIN suspicion
that during our stay he made corner TO the egg
and chicken market-not exactly to our pccu-
mary advantage-we are inclined to regard
Swzukf as very good sort Of q fellow. Certainly
his neat house the taste displayed In Its loca-
ton were sufficient excuse for graver offenses
than mysterious rise in the price OF fowis.
Before verandah was spread out most
beautiful panorama In the foreground the tor
rent pursues it's headiong Eay-now sweeping
down with . graRd smooth rush and now foaming
In miniature cascades over obsfructing rocke.