The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-09-14

Hozn 11oH JAPAN.
Imagine yourselves-if you cam
ready for . journey in Japan. trunks
strapped and al in waiting. The
house We leave may need . glance. It
b low. two.story house, with aiding
door and windows. long marrow veran.
d.. and wide spreading roof with the
shingles held down by many stones.
All around the yard Il plaster and
stone wall seven feet high. At the
steps Il . jinrickisha. The men stand
By ready to take % on our way. They
wear dark blue japanese suits, straw
sandals, and hats which resemble In.
verted butter bowls. The servants
stand bowling and saying farewell to
% until We are ont into the street and
away.
Japanese streets never run 1T right
angle with each other, but wind In and
out, sometimes wide and sometimes
marrow. We soon reach the edge Of
the city aud ind ourselves among rice
fields. Along either side Of the road
h . row Of piae trees extending the
whole distance-flve miles to the sea.
These trees are very old and are much
bent. Along al Of the most public
Highways in japan these trees are to
b found. The jinrickisha men 60
along at . very good rate, making the
i've miles In about forty minutes. We
then take the steamer for an all days
run. Though It IL the largest steamer
that runs on the west coast It has not
muoh Of which to boast. The first
class cabin II about 12x15 feet with
benches around tho sides. The ceiling
b just high enough % that with . lit
tie care about tho crossbeams and door
ways one may stand erect. There are
four staterooms each 416 feet contain
ing four berths. You SEQ the steamer
ID built to 1t tho japanese although it
is 10 foreign style.
Hoon after We start We take our
places on the deck and prepare to en-
Joy ourselves. The scenery along the
coast ID very beautiful. The mountains
como down to tho waters edge, and
then rise range after range In the dis.
lance. "Haku San" next in height to
Full Yama IL still covered with snow,
The sky ID clear and We promise our.
selves smooth trip. But before the
first hour IL over we meet . gentle
swell which gradually increases until
all Of our party Of eight except one are
str stched out on the benches and floor
of the cabin. There we remain until
we get into Tsuruga bay. Tsuruga
certainly has one Of the best ma tural
harbors to be found anywhere. For
ten miles It d long narrow bay with
high mountains on both sides, and the
water 10 very smooth. From the steam
er We get into . small boat called the
sampan rowed by one or more natives
standing in the end. The hotel at
which We stop IL very much like all
Japaneee hotels. We are met by shouts
Of welcome ~ boys aud girls come for
ward 10 relieve % Of canes, umbrellas,
etc. The floor In . japanese house is
always . foot or more higher than the
ground and Il covered with mats two
inches thick and six feet long by four
wide. A room IL always made to con-
tain certain number Of mats. The
doors and Windows are made to slide
and are Of paper. These can be easily
lifted out and the whole house thrown
into one room. This IL usually done
In the day time. 50 - we enter we
zee tho whole first floor. There Is .
long, narrow passage with stone
door. Along this We are led past the
kitchen, where women are at work
around . fire of charcoal, built In .
hole Of tho floor, cooking all sorts Of
oovV1y uOAtOoOAo0S w ~ 0ASuVuv uA-
connected with the rest Of the house
and consisting Of three large rooms
with q narrow veranda on two sides.
Leaving our shoes on the stone out.
side We step into our rooms. The only
furniture IL boquet and some screens
On one eide Of ~ is . little japanese
garden. Not spear Of grass Is allow
ed TO grow. But there are small ever
green's and NAPLES trained and twisted
into strange shapes. There IL pile Of
stones with ferns and vines growing
over it. A little hollow made of rocks
with clear water In which gold fish
swim, . pot or two Of plants and many
stepping stones complete the garden.
It Is very pretty in ito way-but alto.
gether different from our idea Of . gar
don