Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-12-17
4 JAPANESE FesflYAL.
A scero Whose dorgsousnsss and charHi
Bsfie Description.

A scer0 Whose 0orgeousness and Chafns
Bafis Description.
The das tlrst wo reached Kioto was
the last day Of the Gion n'at~ri..a a fec.
tiyal which lasts for a month and serves
rs prctcxt for getting all tho popula-
ton out Of doors and in one quarter
Of the city during tho evening. The
Gion temple, ari cdifce resred for tho
Worship Of Shinto believers, lies N the
foot OF Alaruyalna, and from tho court
yard of tho tcr!ric II Babel OF music
and voices arose as so5a NJ the
,un had fallen. With each hour IT IN
creased, and finally drew us irreslstibly
down tho steep and shady road and
through the great stone forii TO she
COURTYARD Of the temple. The noise,
tho lights and the people were then furi
ther on. and pursuing them. re vent
down through the great gateway and
stood nj tho head of the main street
The view there was dazzling and the
shouts and the chatter OF many
voices dcafcnirg. On either side
the narrow sttect was lined with
rows of white papet lanterns hanging
over the house doors, and ut tia curb
booths hung round with lanterns and
men with wares spread on tho ground.
surrounded by torches, made walls OF
light ON either side OF the street
Crowds sureed up and down between
these rows Of lighls, iiearly every man
carrying paper lantern on tho end OF
u short bamboo stick, the women carry
ing smaller lanterns. Of white paper.
and the children dclighting themselves
with red and gaily colored paper shells
for tiny candles. Boys marching anil
running in single flo and shouting q
measured chant rs they cut their way
through the crowd. whirlcd giant lan'
terms or torches at the end Of long poles,
All the people out on this gala night
were arrayed in their holiday clothes!
and the gay colors of the womcn's and
chldren's dresses added to the bril-.
lancy Of the lanterncd scene. Being
barehca,lcd with their glossy black
hair glued in the big loops Of the latest
Kioto style, twisted with scarfs of brigl!
red or blue Grape and stuck with silver.
shell or flower hairpins, the graceful
women Of the old capital were nll in
harmony with the surroundings Of the
great night Of tho great midsummer
feta.
From the Gion temple the shijo street
ONLY r,insa few hundred feet until II
reaches the Shijo bridge, but crossing by
that long yiaduct it then clcaves its way
with few curves out to the furthcst SUI
burbs. For all la length tho Shijo stree.
was vavering, glittering line Of ligh,
for the Gion festival. II narrows jus,
before the bridge piers. and on that last
block either side Of the street is lined
with thcaters, pccp-shows and jugglcr
shows, each with its gaudily painted
banners and pictures, its rows OF torches
and lanterns, and shouting ticket selleri
yauniing the merits Of the show within
On the night OF tho mdisuri there were
more lights and lanterns and more vOca
displays in this narrow reach, ant
people were crowded solidly from
wall 20 wall. A louder shout ant
stronger chorus heralded thu
advance Of twenty or more mer
carrying between them giant bamboo
polo blazing at one end like a Br0bdig
Magellan trick. and the crowd surgct
back to the house walls and parted
quickly NJ this fiery wedge was driven
through their midst and carried out tc
the center of the Shijo bridge, ant
whirlcd and swung aloft in great are
and circles. All this parade Of torches
by bands of shouting men was for thu
purpose of holding and increasing thu
crowd for the sacred procession thai
carried back certain sacred chair from
the Gion temple to another Shintc
sanctuary. where II will remain until the
niatsu,f Of the next year. More torches
and lanterns, priests in garments OF sill
and gauzc, wearing strange hats, ant
beating and blowing strange instru
mcnts were in tic possession OF tin
chair, and the heat and din were over
powcring when the temple chair wa
borne along.
From the Shijo bridge there is a Wis
ion of fairy land on any midsummer
night, but during the Gion nidtsuri the
spectacle IL enhanced tcnfold. The
whole broad river bed Is ablaze will
torches and colored lanterns for thu
half mile intervening between the ShijC
and Sanjo bridges, and the first sight Il
40 dazzling. so brilliant and so bcwil
dcring with its novelty that one has tc
rub his eyes and look long to ma kc
out the secret of the fascinating scene
In summer time the tea houses thai
line the river bank there with their pic
turcsqucly gallcricd fronts set out acre
Of low platform tables In the clear
shallow river. The water ripplci
pleasantly against the supports at these
tables, and gives u grateful sense o
GOODNESS to the dear aesthetic Japan csc
who sit in groups ON these platforms
these summer nights, eating an'
smoking their tiny pipes under tli'
light of paper lanterns. Every bit o
running water Is covered with ten
house tables, and OH the dry
grayclly stretches OF the rive
bed u multitude OF smal
peddlers. rcfrcshment vendeis and show
men set up their strings of lanterns an.
oil torches. Somewhere we had read
heard or dreamed Of such n scene u
Japan. and the sight Of II caused US Z
nearly shrek with delight and satisfac
ton. Instead, we seized one another b
the arms, we pointed, we waved OF!
hands, we crowded close to the rail
ing OF the bridge, and hanging ther
alternately raved ecstatically over thi
bit Of .'thc real, the ideal Japan" W
had been looking for, or shook on
heads with the hopelessness OF ever max
ing words do justice to the brilliant
fairy.lke scene. There were hundred
of Japanese lingering and strolling OF
the bridge to admire the gay sight. for a
no people but the Japanese could hav
conjurcd up so brilliant q spectacle Y
ordinary every day or every night liz
out of such simple and natural elements
so none but them can more truly appre
ciate its beauty and charm.
(Japan) Cor. 81. Louis, GLOBE Democrat
-AModei Farm. go ~