The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-10-18

writo this letter at Nillko. It is the site
Of the most beautiful shrines in Japan, and two
of the greatest of japanese heroes are buried
here. The japanese are, to a large extent
hero-worshipers. They revere their great dead
and the stories of Japanese bravery are told
over and again in their histories and around
the charcoal-box of a Winter evening. They
have poems about them, and the legends of the
nation are as many as those Of the countries of
the Rhine. The men here buried were Com
manders-in-C Chief of the japanese armies, with
the power Of military dictators or rulers. They
were two of the most famous Of the Shoguns.
Iyeyosu, the founder Of Yeddo has a grand
bronze monument lying above him, and an
other Shotgun lies similarly commemorated on
an opposite hilt Massive stone steps lead
in winding ways up TO these tombs, and pill
grims and tourists from all parts Of Japan como
TO visit them.
Two of the finest temples of Japan were built
here hundreds OF years ago, and as / write this
the Government Photographer is taking pct-
ures Of their interiors to be used in the Art
Schools Of the Empire. Prof. FeBolosa, the
most noted critic of japanese art in the world,
is here experimenting the work, and he tells
me the Japanese Government is nov photo
graphing all of its antiquities and noted art
works. Ex-Mnister Kuki, who was so popu-
lar at Washington, is now at the head Of the
bureau having charge Of the Emperors art col
leCti0us and he has made japanese art his
hobby. During the past four months be, in
company with Mr.. FenOllosa, has been cataiOg-
ing the art works about the old capital, Kiota,
and they are at the head of the movement 20
preserve the antique art Of the Empire. Most
of the art works of Japan are in the temples.
During the revolution of a few years ago, the
income of the priests from the Government
was cut off. Many Of them then began to sell
the beautiful things Of the temples, and costly
cDFu hpl lie ant 0ld RI
lists, embroderies that were noted in Japan for
centuries, were sold for what they would bring.
Some of the bronZes and bells contained gold
and silver in their composition, having been
cast out of the offerings Of the people and these,
failing to bring the value Of the gold and silver
in them, were melted down by the priests. To
this way the old art Of japan has been in large
part lost. The Government however, is col
lecting it as far as possible, and in some cases
fine works which have gone to Europe have
been bought back at eztrayagant prices.
] would like to give you picture of a Jap
anese temple. The religions of the people are,
you know, wo-Shintoism, the ancient mytho-
logical religion of Japan, and Buddhism. Both
religions have their temples and their shrnes
all over Japan, and there arc in the city Of
Toxic alone more than 1900 temples. There
were in 1885, in all Japan, $4,000 Shinto tenn
pies aud 10000 temples belonging to the Bud
dhists. In shape these temples are much alike,
but as to their interiors Shintoism is simplicity
itself, while Buddhism has a more gorgeous dec
Grafton than the cathedrals Of the Roman
Catholics in Italy. Buddhism has, indeed,
many ceremonies in common with Catholicism,
and the Buddhist priests of Japan, with their
shaved heads, their round faces and their
portly FORMS remind one Of the fat friars Of
the Europe of the past. They are, many of
them, fne-looking, and not few are well ed
ucated. They are polite and gentlemanly in
their japanese way. and some of them I find
liberal enough to say that any religion is good
enough if it is the religion Of ones fathers.