Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-08-26
How the Children Play in Japan.

lne mOSS interesting SlSnUS are III
games and sports of the children. Th
Japanese believe in enjoying themselves
and the young folks are as bright ant
merry as the children of other Chimes Th
girls play battledoor and shuttlecock, AM
the boys fly kites and spin tops. The girl
enjoy their game very much, and are usu
ally dressed in the prettiest robes ant
bright-colored girdles; their faces are pow
dered with little rice flour, their lips ar
tinted crimson, and their hair is done ur
in most extraordinary fashion.
They play in the open street, sometimes
forming circle of half dozen or more
and sending the flying shuttlecock from
one to the other. They are very sklllful
and rarely miss stroke. The boys like q
strong wind, that their kites may soal
high; but the girls sing a song that it may
be calm; so that their shuttlecocks may q
right.
The boys have wonderful kites, of tough
paper pasted on light bamboo frames, anG
decorated with dragons, warriors, anC
storm hobgoblins. Across the top of the
kites is stretched a thin ribbon OF whale
bone, which vibrates in the wind. making
peculiar humming sound. When l first
walked the streets Of Toxic, could noi
imagine what the strange noise meant that
seemed to proceed from the sky above me
the sound at times was shrill and sharp
and then low and musical. At last dis.
covered several kites in the air, and when
the breeze freshened the sounds were great
ly Increased.
Sometimes the boys put glue on their
kite strings, near the top, and dip the
strings into pounded glass. They then
fight with their kites, which they place in
proper positions, ard attempt to saw each
others strings with the pounded glass.
When string is severed, kite falls, and
is claimed by the victor. The boys also
have play-fghts with their tops.
Sometimes 1 met boys running race on
Suits; at other times they would have
wrestling matches, in which little siX-year-
old youngsters would toss and tumble one
another to the ground. Their bodies were
stout and chubby, and their rosy cheeks
showed signs of health and happiness.
They are always good natured, and never
allow themselves to get angry. On the
fifth day of the month the boys have their
Fourth of July, which they call the Feast
of Flags" They celebrate the day very
peaceably, with games and toys. They
have sets of figures, representing soldiers,
heroes, and celebrated warriors; with flags,
damaio prOcessiOns, and tournaments
Outside the house bamboo pole is erect
ed by the gate, from the top of which a
large paper fish is suspended. The fish is
sometimes six feet long, and is hollow
When there is breeze, it fills with wind.
and it's tail and fins flap in the air as
though it were trying to swim away. The
fish is intended to show that there are boys
IN the family. 1t is the carp which is
found in Japanese waters, and sWims
against the stream, and leaps over water
falls. The boys must, therefore, learn
from the fish to persevere against difficult
ties, and surmount obstacles in life. When
hundreds of these huge fishes are seen
swimming in the breeze, it presents a
very curious appearance.
The girls have their Feast of Dolls'' on
the third day of the third month. During
the week pr eceding the holiday, the shops
of Toxic are filed with dolls and richly
dressed figures. This Feast of Dolls" is
great gala day for the girls. They bring
out all their dolls and gorgeously dressed
images, which are quite numerous in re-
spectacle families, having been kept from
one generation to another. the images
range from few. inches to foot in height,
and represent court mobiles and ladies',
with the Mikado and his household, in full
costume. They are all arranged on shelves,
with many other beautiful toys, and the
girls present offerings Of rice, fruit, and
''saki'' wine, and mimic all the routine of
court life. The shops display large num-
bers of these images at this special season;
after the holidays they suddenly disappear.
once bought a large doll baby at one of
the shops, to send home to my little sister;
the doll was dressed in the ordinary way,
having it's head shaved in the style of most
Japanese babies. It was so life like, that
when propped up on chair, person
wonld easily suppose it to be live baby.
In going along the Tori, would often
see group of children gathered around
street teller, listening with widening
eyes and b1eathless attention, to the ghost
story or startling romance which he was
narrating. Many old folks also gathered
around. The storv-teller shouted and
stamped on his elevated platform to secure
attention, until just as the most thrilling
part Of his story was rea ched; then sudden
1y stopped and took up collection He
refused to go on, unless the number of
pennies received was sufficient to encour-
age the continuation of the story.
Street theatricals can also be seen land
travelling shows with monkeys. bears, and
tumbling gymnasts, who greatly amuse
the children. Sugar candy aud various
kinds of sweetmeats are sold by peddlers
who are eagerly sought after by the little
folks. Sometimes man carries small
kitchen utensils on the end of pole, and
serves out tiny grlddle cakes, and the chill
dren smack their lips in anticipation of
the feast.
A Snowman will put piece OF camphor
on tiny model of duck, which he floats
on shallow dish of water, and as the
children look on in wonder, the dissolving
camphor gum sends the duck from side to
side, as though it were alive.
The boys delight in fishing, and will sit
for hours holding the lines by the meats
and canals, waiting for a bite. L have
seen dozen people watch a single person
fish, when there would not be bite once
in the half hour.
There are few vehicles in Toxic, ex-
ceptinp the iinrickishns: and most of the