Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-01-23
NEW YEARS DAY IN JAPAN.
Curious Customs Observed by the Almond
Eyed People of the East.


New Years Day found us living on
the hill of Suruga, in the center of the
city of Toxic, the capital of Japan. Our
house was four-room dilapidated cot
tage, standing at the gateway of the en-
trance to beautiful half acre lot of land,
which had once belonged to Japanese
daimio or prince. TEe had planted on
the ground some of the choicest trees
that grow in Japan. Near where the
house of the daimio had once stood was
broad sloping bank, rising almost to
the dignity of hill. 1t was crowned
with the ruins of an old shrine, around
which clustered groups of thick-set
palmettoes, camelias, tamarisk and oak.
better bank than Shakespeare's, "where
OK lips and the noddIng violets grow,
for in midwinter it was bright with the
rudy poisoning japonica and the scar
let berries of the heavenly bamboo.
These grounds were now owned by Mr..
Arinori Mort, the present minister from
Japan to the Court of st. James in Eng
land. The house of the Japanese daimio
had long since gone to ruin, and upon it's
foundation stones Mr.. Mori was at this
time building for us European cottage.
we watched its growth. We were de-
lighted at the prospect Of having genu-
Inc chimneys instead Of pipes, and win
dows of glass instead of paper, and glad
that even with its tiled roof it would
have about it a touch of dear, good New
England. While this larger house was
being built for us, with paint and paper
and plaster, we made the little half-ru-
ined cottage habitable. Clumps of myr-
tie at the veranda, morning glories
climbing over the garden wall, the pale
green of the broad-leaved banana plants
furnished with their freshness and beauty
a relieving contrast for the inside dingi-
ness of the cottage.
New Years Day came to us warm and
bright and beautiful. We were three
miles away from the foreign concession.
We We're in the very midst of the TEEN
ing population of Toxic, and no dream
came to us that the tidal wave of New
New Years calls from home shores
would reach us. We were busy
at our study and work, our table
was piled high with dictionaries and
books, when party OF japanese officials
called to see us. They were dressed IN
European costume, and wore swallow
tailed coats, tall hats and white kid
gloves. All day long the stream Of Wis
itors continued. English residents from
Tsukidiii, the foreign concession, three
miles away, professors from the imperial
colleges, and also japanese from every
class, came to give us a New Years
greeting, until it seemed as if the dunk
old gods of feudal Yeddo, if they had
any spirit of divination, must feel thai
their days were being numbered, Wher
so many of the Japanese, once their de-
vout followers, should now welcome
with such genial courtesy professed
teachers Of the true God. We had but
little to offer our unexpected guests, but
punches of rare camelias Frightened
up our low walled rooms. We threw
open the sliding doors, and our com
monplace home expanded into garden
filled with beautiful semi-tropical plants
Beguiled by the warm sunshine and the
picturesque garden, our guests seemed
to forget the lack of accustomed refresh
ments, and fingered long as we talked
together of matters of common interest
while the japanese extended to US many
expressions of welcome.
L
Day at home, we attended a festiva
given by Sir Harry and Lady Parkes a
the British legation. Noticeable among
the guests was Iwakura, at thatt time prime
minister to the Mikado. A man of men
tai culture and power, he wore still thu
scar of an attempted assassination by
some of the roughs of the non-progres-
sjve Of Japan. Representatives OF the
royalty of Japan were present. The
ladies were in full court dress of scarlet
silk richly embroidered. These native
ladies, with their Oriental drapery
mingling with the foreign ladies in rich
European dress, made the scene a bril-
liant one. A veritable Santa Claus dis
tributed gifts from beautiful Christ
mas tree, while the children made merry
over magic-lantern views, after which {
bountiful English collation. was served
Formerly, according to the JAPANESE
calendar, the year commenced the 18th
of February. Now it is changed to the
LIST of January, and on this day the Mika
do and Empress receive calls. The streets
during the holidays, are gayly decorated
many of the stores have at their en-
frances heavy arches of evergreen, with
OThuS06 duu u0dNOuIy DdLuOOO pC41lCs
fastened in among the leaves.
According to the law all Japanese mer
chants are required to settle their &C
counts and pay their debts by the 31st
of December, and are not allowed to buy
r sell goods until they have done so
Therefore, on New Years Day there il
great emulation among the merchants
to make the first sale of goods, as they
seem to consider it an advertisement o
the soundness of their credit. If good
were sold on the 1st of January, tn,
merchandise is piled conspicuously OF
drays drawn by coolies. The merchan
receives the congratulations of hi
friends, and together they follow thu
goods to their destination. E
PROF. A1PHEUs s. PACKARD, of Bow