Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-08-12
LIFE IN YOKOHAMA.
Curious Sights In the ~City-Native Char
scter and Customs.

In visiting japan from this country
the direct course is TO cross the continent
TO San Francisco, whence o three weeks
VOYAGE will land the traveller in the COM
mercial capital Of Yokohama. When
Commodore Perry opened this port in
1854 with a fleet Of the American navy,
it was scarcely more than a fishing vii
lage, but it has now a population Of
1870, 900, with well built streets of dwell
ing houses, the t~horoughfares broad,
cleanly and all macadamized. The town
extends along the level shore, but is
backed by a half moon Of low, wooded
hills, known rs tho Bluffs, upon which
are the villas of the foreign residents,
built after the European and American
styles. \ deep, broad canal surrounds
the city, passing by the large warehouse
and connected with the bay at each end,
being crossed by several handsome and
substantial bridges. From the Bluffs
there is a charming and extended view.
In the west, seventy miles away, the
white, cloud like cone of Fujiyama, the
one volcanic mountain Of Japan, can be
clearly discerned. while all about the
visitor lie the attractive villas, beautiful
gardens and groves Of ornamental trees
belonging to the foreign settlers,
In looking about Yokohama every.
thing strikes us as curious; every new
sight is a revelation, while in all direc-
tons tangible representations Of the
strange pictures we have seen upon fans,
SatSuma and lacquered ware are pre-
sentcd to view. One is struck by the
partial nudity of men, women and chill
dren, the extremely simple architecture
Of the dwelling houses. the peculiar veg
citation, the extraordinary s~alutations be-
tween the common people who meet
each other upon the streets, the trading
bazars and the queer, toylike articles
which fiji them. children flying kites in
the shape of hideous yellow monsters
each subject becomes a fresh study.
Men p~ropeling vehicles. like horses be.
tween the shafts, and trotting of at a
six mile pony gait, is a singular sight toa
stranger. SO are the naked coolies,
working by fours, bearing heavy bales or
hogsheads swung from their shoulders
upon stout poles, while they shout a
measured chant by means of which TO
keep step. No beggars are seen upon
the streets. The people are neat and
clearly. The houses are special exam
pies Of this-very small, seldom over
twenty feet square and n story in
height. All persons, foreigners or natives,
take off their shoes before entering upon
the polished floors. The conviction
forces itself upon us that such universal
neatness and cleanliness must extend
even TO the moral character of the people.
A spirit Of gentleness, industry and thrift
is observable everywhere, imparting an
Arcadian atmosphere TO these surround
ings.
In the houses which we enter there are
found neither chairs. tables nor bedsteads;
the people sit. eat and sleep upon the
floors, which are at all times as clean as a
| newly LAID table cloth. Here and there
upon the roadsides O grown shrines
bearing sacred emblems are observed, be.
fore which women, but rarely men, are
seen bending. The principal religions Of
japan are Shinto and Buddhism, sub
divided into many sects. The Shinto is
mainly n form of hero worship, success
full warriors being canonized as martyrs
are in the Roman Catholic church.
| Buddhism is another form of idolatry,
| borrowed originally from the Chinese.
As we travel inland, places are pointed
out to us where populous cities once
stood. but where no ruins mark the spot.
A dead and buried city in Europe or Asia
leaves rude but almost i~ndistructible re-
mains to mark where great communities
once built temples and monuments, and
where they lived and thrivcl, like those
historic examples Of mutability, Memphis,
Paestum or Delhi, but it is not SO in
| Japan. When it is remembered Of what
| ephemeral material the natives build
their dwellings, namely, of light bamboo
frames and paper, their utter disappear
ance ceases 20 surprise us. 1t is a curl
Gus fact that this people, contemporary
with Greece and Rome at their zenith,
who have only reared cities of wood and
temples Of lacquer, haze outlived the
classic nations whose half ruined NOM
mercs form our choicest models. The
Hellenic and Latin races have passed
away. but Japan still remains, without Il
dynastic change and with an inyiolate
country.
In journeyinS inland, we are struck
with many pa~culiarities showing how en-
tircly opposite 10 our own methods are
many of theirs. At the post stations the
horses are placed in stalls with their
heads to the ~pasSageway, and their tails
chow In place Of their heads. Instead OF
iron shoes, the japanese pony Is shod
with closely braided rice straw. Carpen-
ters draw the plane toward them, instead
Of pushing IL from them, 1t Is the same
in using a saw, the teeth being SCI nc.
cordingly. The tailor sews from him.
not toward his body, and holds his thread
with his toes. The women ride astride,
like the Hawaiians. Manufacturing Of
various sorts is carried on 10 n large ex.
tent. We have evidence enough Of this
in the variety and quantity " native
articles which are imported thence into
this country. Yet the use Of mechani
cal contrivances for the purpose Of pro
duction IL little known. Hand work 1
nearly the only process employed. Tn,
mode Of husking rice which Is common
will illustrate this, being performed a
follows: The grain IL placed In a sort O
mortar, into which q pcstle falls, it bein,
attached { o a horizontal lar Of wood sup