Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-02-28
ODD SIGHTS IN JAPAN.
The Home Life of the Natives
Light and Airy Costumes.
Yokohama Cor. Phila. Press.


and the freside communion is not
vouchsafed to the foreigners in Japan.
Courteously and politely as he may be
treated, he still is kept at a distance
from all the intimacies of home life that
distinguish the people of the Western
World. There are so many notions
and acts that seem to be spontaneous
with this people that are so directly OPP
poslte to the received ideas of the
Western World that one is amazed at
the apparent Indifference to many mat
ters considered Of prime importance
elsewhere. Here you shall see as you
journey on the Tokadio, the great artery
of the travel of the empire, the peasant
woman naked to the hips, and the
limbs uncovered above the knee, and
without thought that it is not the
most natural thing in the world. evil
to him who evil thiLks." | know not,
but it may be as more elaborate
covering Of the body. These women
nurse their children without the thin
disguise of covering the head of the in
FAINT and the fount at which it draws
its life When the cold demands that
they don warm clothing for their COM
fort they put it on. When the heat
oppresses them they bare their shoul-
ders and breasts and limbs to the
breezes. Unconcerned as if no eye
rested upon them, they got about their
daily labor and household duties in
that state of undress that would shock
the life out of fastidious woman of
the Western World.
The men do likewise, only more so.
A cloth ia tied about their sturdy
brown bodies, and hangs in as graceful
folds as the Roman toga, but there is
little eoneealment On the street, in
the house or in the field as many can
be seen in this attire as more complete
ly dressed. Children, entirely naked,
are running about as unconcerned and
unnoticed as if it was enjoined on them
to do SO. Now all this seems so far
away from what it should be that it
causes astonishment when first wit
messed. but repetition of the sight
soon familiariZes one to it-so much 50
that it almost loses its siDgularity.
There are no more indications of rude
ness or intended immodesty than are
observed an ong those who wear ample
clothing. In the treaty ports, where
are congregated the foreigners, these
things are not palpably apparent. Ia
the interior, during the heat of the day,
it is common sight in all the towns
and villages TO see the mother stretched
upon the mats sleeping, the babe be-
side her taking its nourishment, the
man or men Of the house and the chill
dren also doing away as if there was
no future, and all the clothing that is
visible would be about the loins and
hips of the woman. The houses, too,
during the day are entirely open to the
gaze of the most inquisitive. In travel
ing along the road the Rikisha man
will stop at any teabouse or holel and
deliberately denude himself before all
who may be present, and proceed to
wash his body as if there was no eve
open for miles in any direction from
him.
At the bathing establishments in
the interior there is no seclusion at
tempted in the business. At Kega,
Ashinoysi, Umota and else here in the
llakone mountains the hotels are pro-
vided with bathing facilities, but pri-
vacy is unthought OF by the japanese.
The bathing quarters are generally in
the portion Of the house most accessi-
BILE to the residents in it and where
passing and repassng is constantly
going on. The bathing places are
large square boxes. into which the
water is constantly flowing and pass
ing of by overflow 1t is no uncom-
mon thing to see men, women and
children bathing together, dressed and
undressed in the open space around
the bath. There is no suspicion that
there can be any improperly in doing
this. 1t seems TO be favorite recrea-
tion to meet at the bath and gossip and
chat while they enjoy the washing.
The husband and wife see no error in
the thing. They will deliberately un-
dress before strangers and go into the
same bath with them without the least
hesitation. And in the private bath
houses Of Yokohama, exclusively for
the use Of the feminine sex, all the at
tendants are males These things ap-
pear SO tlange TO those unaccustomed
to them that the first promptings Of
criticism is to adjudge that there is an
utter absence OF all shame and modesty.
Yet this people undoubtedly fail to see
where immodesty plays any part in
this regard.
The construction Of the houses ad-
mits of but partial privacy. Thin pa
per partitions, which slide past one an
other, are not much impediment to the
transmission OF sound, and at night
the shadows made by the lights in the
different apartments give very correct
indications Of what is going on. Life
in Japanese hotel is a revelation OF
carelcssncss one would have TO travel
far to duplicate. The construction of
the house is responsible for much Of
this, for every occupied room is enter
ed from corridor open TO the sunlight
and general use, the sliding paper
screens when in position admitting all
the light that ground glass would
give. The occupants are served with
their meals In their rooms, each per-
son ordering as he desires at any
moment during the day or evening.
An order given for meal TO be served
is filed Immediately. A clap Of the
hand summons a servant to attend
you, and that without delay. The
matted floor is the sofa and lounge to
sit upon, there being provided cot
ton or silk quilted cushion for the use
of each person. During the day it is
very rare to find the screens closed at
the front Of the room occupied by Wis
itors. The interior of every depart
ment is as open to the inspection OF