The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-07
A JAPANESE HOTEL.
LIFE AT A WATERING PLACE IN THE
MIKADo'S EMPIRE.
Some of the Noteworthy Guests and How
They Amuse Themselves-The jolly
Bank President - Some Draw
backs to Pleasure.

lAtarni (Japan) Cor. Philadelphia Times1
Inc Rising Sun hotel is light, two-story
structure, IN pure japanese STYLE Situated
on the uppermost of a series of terraces ris-
ing abruptly from rocky seashore it com
mands very fine view Of the surroun ding
country and the hills which shut us in from
the rest of the world. The village. with IFS
huddle OF brown matched roofs, Greens ND TO
the foot Of the terrace, while beyond it lies
the blue Pacific, dotted here and there with
Islands, the horizon being bounded by the
volcanic island of Oshima All this. in con-
nectlon with the rare salt and sulphur baths
led from the geyser directly behind the
mousse, make this a very desirable retreat for
the crowds who flock here from all parts of
the empire.
The open space in front of the house is de-
voted to landscape garden, laid out under
the proprietor's direction, according to the
very best ideas of japanese taste. In the
farthest corner, overlooking the town. is a
rustic arbor; nearer the house is a pictur-
esque we'll, with long sweep, while the
miniature hills and valleys between are all
covered with a carpet of velvety grass. The
trees which dot the landscape here and there
are trained with the greatest precision,
each twig and branch being at the stiffest
angle possible. A couple of gardeners were
busy all day at a pine tree, tying up refrac-
with stout cords and even trimming the
needles to the proper angle. The men at
work placing new squares of sod on parts
where the velvety carpet was worn secured
the sods with wooden pegs until they should
have taken root.
THE HOT BATHS.
The baths, supplied with water from the
geyser, whose medicinal qualities are so
highly spoken of. are situated in corridor
at the back of the house, where the water is
conducted through bamboo pipes to the re-
ceptacles sunk in the floor of each apart
ment and is constantly flowing At stated
intervals-namely, 6 and 10 a. m, g. and
p. m-the geyser is in action, when por-
ton of the immense volume of boiling
water, which bursts with dull roar ana
terrific force from the rocks is conducted to
reservoirs in the bathrooms, to be turned
on at pleasure.
The guests, arrayed in the fantastic bath
ing uniform of the house. are constantly
skipping in and out of the baths, looking
ike boiled Holsters as they emerge from
baths which would be simply uncomfortable
to Europeans. 1t is rather a melancholy
sight to watch the bathers as they tramp
to the baths Indeed, it reminds one of the
sacred story of the pool of Bethesda, whittier
the sick and suffering hocked for healing
the gaunt bodies and sunken cheeks of some,
death signals on their cheeks, not to speak
Of the many lame and halt for whom the
waters are supposed to work wonders.
PLEAsURE-sEEKERS.
Besides invalids, however, are some who
have come for change or pleasure and who
have no sign of declining health. Among
these is stout, jolly bank president in the
corner room, who dresses in bright yellow
silk and wanders about all day in search Of
a kindred spirit with whom to crack a joke
He pokes his stubby nose into the kitchen to
have a laugh at the maids; he wanders from
room to room stirring up the invalids and
helping the hearty to pass away the time,
else he is in the garden swinging the children
or quizzing the good-natured gardeners.
Hearing that foreigners had arrived at the
hotel, he sent word to us that he was dying
of ennui, and begged that we would take
pity on him and allow him to come and see
us to keep him alive few days longer
The baby OF the house quite electriies the
guests, both native and foreign, by rushing
up to each one crying rapturously, "Papai
Papal" having learned that one English
word 1t is needless to say that the fat old
gentleman and the baby are the best of
friends.
SOME DRAWBACKS TO PLEASURE.
At night, when you have settled down
comfortably on your wooden block of a
pillow. and having closed your eyes,
resolutely determine not to be disturbed by
the noise during a lull in the Babel around
you, a sepulchral voice in the passage
just outside the paper partition of your
room, utters a sound which send
the blood back to your heart and gives
feeling of rising capillaries all over your
much-enduring frame Raising yourself on
your elbow and peering into the darkness,
you TREMENDOUSLY ask, "DareY (Who is itO
and, instead Of one of the ghouls which
haunt japanese folklore, you receive re-
ply to the effect that the blind man who
practices massage has come and is willing to
render his services for the modest sum of
"san jul mon," or 80 cash. His services,
however, are not required. If you should
change your mind and employ him he would,
beside other valuable information, tell you
how many more bones the Japanese frame
contains than the foreign, and throw in
gratis great deal of gossip or tales about
friends of his who were bewitched by foxes
Having become happily rid Of this nui-
sance you are dropping into pleasant doza,
when-clapl goes something just at your
head, and you start up again, wide awake
at once, to find brilliant light shining
through the partitions and a vigorous
cIapping going on. It takes some time to
realize that it is only the night Waterman
with his wooden clappers and his lantern
and by the time you are fully aroused his
ella piping is heard in a distant part of the
building, where he is waking some other
poor victims
a Funeral in st. Pani's.
London letter.