Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-04-10
LETTEts RON JAPAN.
In which Is Given n Comprehensive
View OF that C0nntry, Its People
nnd Their Habits.

"" w pho''su the iOloWinB pOTtiOn OI
private letter received by friends in Per-
rysburg from Miss Mabel Van VolKen.
burg, who less than a year ago was united
III marriage with Rev. Mr. Jones and soon
after the twain proceeded TO, Japan to ex-
plore and labor 10 the missionary fields OF
that country. For several years Miss Van
Nolkenbnrg was teacherin the schools of
the South, and for the past three, or ,fonr
years spent u portion OF her vacation with
the family OF MIR. John Powcrs, of this
place. Her letter gives most compre,
prehensive view OF that country, its people
and their habi,s i3i
80, KITA SAN BANcHo, M CHoME1
SENDAI, JAPAN, Feb. "a, 1885.
We are 30 far from Yokohama, $50
miles, that we do not know when mail
steamers arrive or depart for America. but
we learn to-day that one leaves March 8,
aud as il takes four days for our mail to
reach Yokohama it necessitates consider
able haste on our part to get some letters
of by that steamer. .t,t.
am hoping to receive several letters by
the steamer which arrives from San Fran
cisco, about the 23i.
We have been in our Japenese home
now nearly three months and have Been
more comfortable than we expected to- be,
with only thin white paper between us
and "rut doors, in day time, ,..A. 4.
The winter has been wonderfully bright
and pleasant not one cloudy OF rainy day.
The snow has not been more than three or.
four inches deep at any time, and this has
always fallen vt night or early morning,
so the sky has been clear every day.
This is said to have been an Unusually
cold winter but though we have,o had,
some very cold weather it has seemed
mild 10 us. Then, too, there are so
many evergreen trees and shrubs, ivies
and other plants, such rs bamboo, CAM
elias, tea, great variety OF pines aud
ce,lars and small shrubs, the names; of
which are as strange 10 ia as their ap-
pearancs, that the winters here have none
OF the gloom and barrenness Of thUse' ut
home.
Our floors are all covered with smooth
ly woven and perfectly fitted rush mats,
six feet long, three feet wide and padded
to the thickness of two and one half
inches. The partitions are thick 'Psrer
doors which slide in grooves in the floor
and ceiling, and can be pushed from right
to left or entirely removed at pleasure,
Thus throwing all the compartments into
one. The sides OF the house consist OF
skeleton frames much resembling window
sash and are covered with thin. white pa
of light, though we have not pahe of
| .,lusa A varu,,l. oytnnl,
the whole length OF the house, front and
back in the outer edge OF which ARE
grooves, in which are slid large wooden
doors, until the house is perfectly and
securely enclosed at night and in stormy
weather. The caves project down and ou,
over all the verandas. When these door.
are in place of course the house is much
warmer, but as dark as can be.
To keep warm and for convenience sake
we have lived in two rooms this winter
but shall soon occupy the others.
We have enough land for nice garden
and are to get American seeds from Y0ko-
hama. Gardening commences the first ol
April, and, though am anticipating this
work, and the great variety OF birds and
flowers which the spring will bring, an
dreading the myriads OF bees, mosquito,
and other creeping and flying creature,
with which Japan is infested. l am tlot
il is not an Overdrawn statement that one
will have no less than 100 TO $50 fleas
on one at once, and that mosquitoes ar,
in perfect clouds. Quantities OF insec
powder IL used by foreigners, and give
some relief, but even then one suffer
dreadfully. - ~ r
We are both, 80 far, in excellent health
and are rejoicing daily that we wer,
brought here. though we cannot but b.
lonely at times, and long 10 see familia
faces and sights; but it is home, and 10 M
that means much. "a f.
For several weeks we were the opl,
foreigners here, among $4,000 inhabitants
but lately Mr.. Poaie, OF Yokohama, la
removed his family here on account OF hi
wife's health. They are English Ul,a
is, he ia, and Mira. Poate is Amelican), an.
are very nice people. They have beel
laburers in this vineyard for twelve wear
and need a rest very much, Mrs. Poate ha
been in very poor heaIlh-every earth
quake shock would no unnerve her as 4
make her sick in bed, and as they occurred
two or three times in week, and some
times n halt dozen times In a night, q
greater or less violence, an siumediat
change. became necessary and they cam
here. Al first they lived bat few min
utes walk from us, but were in sncll ia ba
place were Obliged to move assoon aB the
could get better house and are now abou
one and cne-half miles fronpna. "a 10 q
Though we do not nee one, another q
often, il is u great comfort to know tile
are here, and a great privilege TO go /
their house once week at least and hav
lltlle PRAYER meetings aud singing. asI. r.
i l. -, H.,
one, and it sounds so like home am, -civiii
zalion that one can almost imagine tha
one is In Christian land. 4 ~ ies
land and America appreciate their bless
ngs! How little we valued oars @,whil
there, and how much we murmured
do not speak Of this because we ar
suffering in any way here for bodflytcoin
forts, for we have all that we need an,
much more in that line, but The idolaIry
immortality, poverty and general wretclied
ness is simply awful.
We can not take a short walk wjthou
seeing numbers vi little wayside shrine,
and the shops are full of idols OF val
E ious kinds, made OF paper, wood, cls
c or stone, and most OF Them veryacheal
e at mbh, few sen. They are iii III
i form Of human beings, with dsforme
j, Lodies and terribly distorted feature
dogs, foxes and other ani,nals.E9s b.. z
Two religions exist, Shintoisin ,sat war
ship OF ancestors, and Buddhism.Ja.Ii .
f, There are several expensive old TEN
j Piles, and The finest of these was bnrne
:, TO the ground by robbers last Saturda
\. night. .T
After services last Sunday Mr.. Jon.
and myself visited one of the temples ea,
OF the city at the end Of the i,rlncip,
4 street. Ii ia on the top of high hill
: and is reached by a long flight Of sto
a steps. On Monday we went 10 one a slo
distance from our house, very larg
structure built $50 years ago. II is ais
upon high hill
From the street one walks 10 the fot
of the hill on stone paved walk, twely
feet wide, then we climb two flights