The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-10-28
MANNERS oF TIE JAPANESE.
Treat ment OF the Fair sex-Deference
shown to Parents and Elders.


shown to Parents and Elders.
rHarper's Bazar.I
The Japanese, as nation, have few
compunctiOns on the subject of white
lies They find it difficult ever to tell
you an unpleasant truth about yourself,
but for the most part their rules and
ceremonies are founded in kindliness
and chivalry, and are well suited to the
conditions under which they live. Con
tact with people OF western lands has
already made considerable difference in
the manners Of the people living in the
open ports. Many of them, however,
seem to look upon western politeness as
negative quantity merely, and it Is not
unusual to see young men who think
that simply setting aside their own ma
tive manners is politeness according to
European ideas.
The absence of all the little atten-
tions so dear TO feminine hearts in
western LANDS strikes one very strangely
at first. In Japan the lord and master
is always the chief consideration. His
wife does not walk or ride out with him,
but meekly follows on behind. reing
present one day at the commencement
exercises of large government school
for girls, my attention was called to
one of the princesses who sat among
the distinguished visitors on the plIt-
form. AS she left the stage l notice
s fine looking Japanese gentleman fol
lowing her. He was dressed in fault
less broadcloth made in Europe n style.
and looked, | thought, quite princely.
so inquired of Japanese friend near
me if he were not the prince; but the
answer was very emphatic: oh, no; he
would never walk behind
In the Difference shown by young PEG
pie to their parents and elders, young
America might well take a lesson. Gray
hairs are especially honored in Japan.
a few years ago a missionary made
trip to the north of the country to visit
q church which had been established
there He was accompanied by
bishop who was travelling in Japan at
the time, and the missionary was anx-
ious that the people should appreciate
the honor conferred upon them by hav-
ing visit from this dignitary. But the
missionary had white hair, while the
bishops was still dark and glossy, and
though the bishops position was care
fully explained, the missionary received
all the honors, while his superior i'll
Office was left in the background
In Japan it is considered extremely
indicate for young men and young
women to mingle together III society As
they do in western lands. They are
often brought together for the FIRST time
on their wedding day, the parents OF
the contracting parties making all the
arrangements for the wedding by means
of the inevitable nRkadachi, or go-be-
tween; but humanity is much the same
the world over and those who have hail
the care of young people in Japan 6n'l
that they are easily foreignized in this
respect. American ladies IN charge Of
boarding schools feE girls have to keep
strict watch over their precious charges
Gentlemen cousins in the to,s'
schools are very numerous, and surrep
titious notes and letters have been
known to find their way to their fold
quite a la Americana.
We Europeans, with our active habits
and our freedom from conventionaI-
ties, are apt to be impatient with the
restraints of Japanese society aud. the
time-consuming details OF Oriental
ceremonies, but the busiest, most crit
cal, and most practical of us can bat
admit that the people of the Sunrise
Land are exceedingly graceful in tteir
movements, and that their system of
etiquette is one of the most interesting
features of their unique civilization.