Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-06-13
KOTEL LIFE IN JAPAN.
How Travellers are AecOmmO.
dated In the Empire of
the HsikadO.

Life in a japanese hotel, says a wri.
ter ID the San Francisco chronicle, il
q revelation of carelessness one would
have to 90 far to duplicste. The con-
struction Of the house is responsible
for much Of this, for every room il
entered from a corridor. open=fothe
sunlight and general, use, the sliding
paper screen, when in position, admit.
ting all the light that ground glass
would give. The occupants are served
with their meals in their rooms, each
person ordering as he desires at any
moment during the day or evening.
An order given for ameal tobe served
is filled Immediately. A Clap Of the
hands summons servant to attend to
you, and that without delay. The
matted floor is the sofa tolounge upon,
there being provided y cotton or silk
quilted cushion for each person. Dur
ing the. day il is very rare to fad
screens closed at the front of any room
occupied BY visitors. The interior of
every department is as open to the in
spection OF every one in the house as it
is to the occupant. The conversation
is the property Of neighbors as well,
unless carried on in avery low tone.
At night the bedding arrangements are
prepared when required.
A number OF. thick quilts. piled one
upon tile other, complete the outfit,
with a rest for the head. A light is
placed in the room that is supposed to
bura all night. 1t is q small taper,
placed in vessel containing a vege-
table oil that is put inside of small
iantern made Of paper, standing some
three feet high. The preparation Of
food at the hotels is a process that
can be witnessed by the guests, as the
kitchen and cooking facilities are
placed 10 open view Of al. Kitchen,
store room, pantry and general Office
of the establishment generally occupy
the most conspicuous portion on the
the premises. The cooking is done on
portable furnaces and charcoal fires.
There are no chimueys needed or used.
Fish are usually kept in a reservoir
and killed as they are needed. Fresh
vegetables are kept under the trick
ling water, and Inc all well conducted
places there is a scrupulous neatness
manifest in all the culinary arrange.
ments. Everyone, guests or other
wise, must take off his shoes before he
can enter the establishment. There
is no creaking noises or trampings
heard to irritate the nervous. and
corns never trouble while one is in a
Japanese hotel. The mats upon the
floors are as yielding to the tread as
the most luxurious carpets ever made.
| wish | could say that there were
no feas to trouble guest as he seeks
to compose himself, but in truth be
cannot, and great drawback it is to
ones comfort to be pestered with
these nimble insects that are domes-
ticated and at home in these places.
The thick mats upon the floor make
famous places to hide in. Mosquitoes
are guarded against by large net at.
tached to the ceiling of the room and
reaching to the floor, being nearly as
large as the room. When the net |:
in position for the night, if it is il
perfect condition, the mosquito is left
out in the cold. If some one would
invent some method to hive feas, he
would make his fortune quickly.