Ellsworth American., 1876-05-18
Inside A japanese House.

iNtu ~ japanese mouse IN Fuku
seven months. during which time becam,
well acquainted with the inS and outs o
the old mansion and its behavior in season
OF storm, typhoon, and earthquake. A. al
visitors 10 the Centennial VIII see, and a.
all may :ead Oi,the outside let me describe
the interior of japanese house
Ntatness and simplicity are the charac
teri>tic> OF the people in the mikado's en-
pire. Paint i rarely used on the woodwork
the delicate grain aud fragrance of the ma
tive woods being too highly appreciated
After a months residence in Japan on,
wonders why We spoil 50 much beauty by
smearing It over with oil pigments
In Japanese house parts OF the wood
work are lacquered. This substance. laid
on as yarni>h. leaves a hard. lnstrous sur
face, difficult TO scratch. Woe be TO him
who touches or approache, ID when il i
fresh. Lacquer r-poi> >onlns' I, tempora
! ~ purEatory OF itch. rash, and swelling
Respectable ladies and gentlemen look liz,
ptze-nShters after the last round Tor the
I championship. In aggravated cases, the
eyes close entirely. auI the nose bursts in-
To fiery bloom. The misery lasts week
or more {, but some persons are never affect.
ed by the zap.
Ihc moor /, laid with ,li4mi OF r.cc-,traw
I t"" inches thiCk. made intn mats six frrt
/ long and bound by an inch border ct blac /
cloth The tace OF the mat T., of fine smooth
stAs>, LNc that la our best mating lie.
] mG :" closely Iaid,thr rDor rejujuu, one q,
colossal cht>s-bnari. The joints are %
. tight that there are no lrAu.hjs. ana thc
ait At the iluor j. OF a sinGuiAtly warm tenn
pcratur"-
4 ine ceiling j. OF thin board or wood.
GfaInei ,IAr wAtcrcd silk crossed by blAcA
la,q.rIcd strip, oi wood, nicer,chAum. ii
cuiond bamboo Plaster on the ceiling :
decidedly unpopular on account Of earth
IuaAc~ Ihc JlpAu,s" are Hut 30 passion
atcly tuui n knowledge A. 20 wish To see
the iaw uf gravity illustrated ut eycry chill
OF Mother Earth by having their souls
cracked by falling lime. Ca the " ais. aitcr
pTlmiuG NJ common Nl-tc.t ornament
ed or -,.t paper j. pasted. lhc ceA.n. +,
rarely - COS cred.
Closets. chimucy., or sA>heI easements
were uuAuowu until recently though cuG-
ds holes for small articles are made. aud
often cNqui>Itciy aioiucd. Cabinets and
chests % drawers have their place Ia TIE
Kitchen the smoke waudcr> out ai Ii, own
sweet viii. Charcoal, which /, used for
warmth. i suone.c,, aud oIprir>>. OAc
would suppose thr use ~ iat. fuel to Ne
danger iuus. hut, though often cHqu.rcl.
never heard ot native losing uj> lite ~ It.
he op"nuc>S Of the houses prevents i'll ,f-
tcci'. II use iVr suicidal purposes j. ut-
trrlF nnAuown. lA.- phase ul Frruca cy-
lllzIi!ou 4, MT y,t iu yp-ur in Japan.
Ia Summer 4 laptur,r house makes a
pleasant dwelling. ace: la The cold winter
u = simply apominnbir North OF Osaka
one urcdr line ia mlutu, IN ihr NcAi. but
, Wv '''''''' t"'t-"o"'. ~ ''e"''' ''""'
"' "1f'','>' mus J." " ''''''' "' I"-H'' 90,
~ '"'"'"'"n "'''r :" l"'"'' "'t 90 '"i'l
'"-' ''"' 4. r.. i +" ''. SF''"' '''" '''"
"''H' u's 'r'." C"'"rI Io>' 'HiP"'ll'P +
N""' ''' '"'''I'P, ,'o't otA|.'E "Hh - P't-
iu' Val MS" 'c''cu oH-F - '"AAc C"'H N'7'-
u'e' "o"-" H"T"''''"' '"''' - 4 'o'e'-"t' =
'hc>' n"u''' n Hin IL y Al l''l'c'e' -
4 'Vc 'ot' "'1tt'' '",' e''c ,NtA Pu1
V" ""u'N''''A' ''f T. " S!''"''-' l'Nt SN''N
T !" Il" o"l""' "h1" t"'H nave a. m'NhS ~
/ touI, ,iA'oF tNeh t'&ht thtAnts,eN 'i cloth
ln-- Nlln ihelF pAidtu 7,'-c!olAe, con
/ hn'n- lhe hrAl o. 'h'ir '"d'tN' n thry ny
/ ~ 'heir Nhet''h@ iA'hi"h y" 'n" 'l''h h't :
'nfN nee" ""'u'H o"-H y" tlel' "a'H''
Nn.th u hAuu'uI oi CoAia va''S t4e'd'-
( he A'tchth ! CH'ei d''H'NuT' " -FeA'-
1 pace "h!CA AuIhc'cHI4y ludlc1lte WY Ilc
/ Chhditl ~ thc -odN 'otalt guy HtA1 u ~
ieclohs 'h inc s'"ihach. Inc Ch'eI piece
/ oil furniture l. 'ie furnace nahe % cHI'h
or plaster WIN t"o gay tito I"r llte-o"i'tI
anu tcakrttle Inc iuti II q spHt WOOD
which = much cheaper ~ Japan man ~
hlhh' "hete hot water l. te2"'alis >n'd
Ia shops l" people too poor to have mr.
rs lhe JApAhtst ~ tNei'Nh'h- upside
doMh' ~ "e nuns the o!hde o' r. axe Iof
/ sphtNnS wood Is stt ~ flSht angles tp me
handle
II llttl gi below ~-ll AIililcIll nltT Dl
luass to b'o" The hrt the Japanese u>e
Nature own. ana BAMBOO lubc carries
the needed oxygen from ihe mouth q lht
hte Ia addition lheie are ltuh anu bIA>'
c"oAlh@-ppt> With wooden covers thhr'
coaI + u>rd lpr otoIihS "heh the hlrd>'
nm, "F btahchrd' arg >p!tlea oF ia'i ~
gfiilrph,- ihltA cuttlh2-Doari'h i'hhd hlt'
sided kntie 70 sIice vegetables another dlrh
( Ike one 10 slice raw h>h. ahd an edSclts'
sheet "I Dta>s. LOT peal-cuiu' are aihoh-
the necessary implements a fa>p' or m
perforated piece OF lfot'lS Kept lor grating
purposes luo,. palls OF Az sizes. ahu
/ dipFers, are made "holly OF bamboo or oi
wood. lhe tlh-wafe, now SO common
throughout the country came lIto genera
use since the opening OF the country tC
foreigners. MoItars OF "oou ahu stone
and sle'es ana baskets. are much used
HE domestic hahd-lnlIl Is IN all respect
similar 10 those with winch q kho"leu9t
OF Biblical antiquities acquaInts Us, ana i
used especially TO grind mIso,or bean prep
aratlon No shch thlh1 a' Iork (niKu-Sdh
meat sti'kHr J or spoon Is known to the
Japanese COOK. lie ulss OUT the ooiIco
rice with Nat paddle, or scoop only
slightly couhtersunh. Pieces OF HAT nam
boo. with the end slightly lndented Ike a
spoon ana lacqnered IN the CAVITY, are
called sll. Foreigners III Japanese notes
thirstily yearnlns Tor a teaspoon. are sadly
perpleXed at tue sIght OF the nondescrp
wooden sdI produced at their call. Since
the native OF japan neither dehles his te;
with mix nor spoils It's havor with sugar
hi nation has lived withoutth knowledge
OF teaspoon. or even the need OF it,
OF furniture, IN one sense OF the word
there is, in japanese se,almost none
The casual visitor sees no sofa, chairs. Ia
bles. stoves, curtains, or hat-rack. In the
parlor OF room for receiving guests, ar'
seen In the tokonomd, or raised space.
handsome sword-rack, fower-vases. bronze
or lacquered ware. In the ladies' chambe
will be found bureaus, mirror or toile