The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-25
FLOWERS IN JAPAN.
FLORAL WONDERS OF THE DAN
GO-ZAKA GARDENS.
Unique aud Beautiful Designs IN Chrys-
an,hemums-Walkin Flowerpieces-A
yIoral Murderess-Giants, Dragons and
Demons in Observation-Disclosures Art.

Demons in Observation-Disclosures Art
No one goes to Dango- zaka except In
the chrysanthemum season, and the little
community tend, prune, dwarf and cult
vate their plants in peace until the chrys-
authemums begin TO flower. Then Danso-
zaka becomes q gay fair. Banners, flags,
pennants, lanterns end gorgeous posters
ill the sides of the steep, narrow street,
holiday crowds trudge up and down, ana
before every garden entrance an eloquent
proprietor sits, Turk fashion, on table
covered with red blanket, and holding
ais hands over q hibachi, or brazier OF
charcoal, aud sings the merits OF his
chrysanthemums The little gardens
themselves are models Of landscape ri
and arrangement, all so many poems In
rocks. trees. vines and flowers. Dwarf
pines. dwarf naples, dwarfed everything,
are ranged in prosaic rows or benches, but
the net chrysanthenum bushes are now
housed in temporary huts or sheds Of
bamboo mats. in order that not petal
may uncurl or drop, and that they may he
kept at their perfect stage as long rs posi-
| bic. Bushes as tall AZ those In the EN-
peror's garden, covered with as superb and
finely tinted blossoms, are there, but not
in such regiments as in the imperial
| grounds. These florists, too, have their
bushes bearing 100 and 200 separate and
| full blown towers, and bushes where
| sklllful grating has made the great top
of variegated blossoms look Like one well
arranged bouquet Of long stemmed flow
| ors
The specialties OF Dango-zal,a gardens
| nre set pieces Of flowers that dwarf all
| other coral efforts in that line. Under
matted sheds. which are so many tenn
| porary stages witbou, footlights, tabieaux
| with lie size figures are arranged. The
faces and hands OF the agure are OF wax
| or composition, but their clothes aud the
accessories and scenery are made OF living
| flowers. trained 40 closely over frame
| works that one cannot even suspect
| mechanism. The flowers are not clipped,
| ard wired or toothp.cked into place TO
| wilt IN q day, but the plants forming the
| lower parts OF the pieces grow In tho
| ground. For the upper courses the plant
| Is taken, up with all its roots, ana they are
wrapped in straw and cloths and watered
every day. as il they were in the ground,
instead Of being propped up inside the
skeleton framework The blossoms are
| drawn 70 the outside and woven into
! place. and the most natural effects are
realized in this ingenious way. Groups
CT ladies are literally clad in lowered
Gowns. kimonos of white chrysanthemuns
being lined with deep crimson or yellow,
and having folds Of pale lilac at the neck.
The tableaux represent scenes from history
and legends, from the latest plays at the
Sh.ntomiza theatre, and in one case illus
trate the last sensational murder with
which the japanese newspapers have been
lrincing represented in this latter case by
a floral Mrs. Druse plunglng a dagger
into prostrate chrysanthemum man.
In one garden alcoye three youngsters
Island around a hugo vase OF eyerSreens.
| From Il Lole in its side gush streams Of
white chrysanshemulas and a small boy
with q distressed countenance and q red
chrysanthemum coat. The figures are life
size. and illustrate the story OF the boy
who had presence Of mind, and by break
ing q hole ia the side OF a huge water jar,
saved the life Of their playmate, who had
fallen in aud would have drowned. The
boy in the jar is a common subject with
the artists who elnbroider or decorate
porcelain, lacquer or bronze. In another
garden that is Il study OF rocks there is a
charming little pool in rocky niche,
ovcrhung and almost curtained by trees.
On q ledge over tho pool sits Edisu, one
Of The seven household gods Of luck, clad
In chrysanthemum clothes and holding q
fishing rod that has just hooked q small
chrysanthemum fish AS 4 picture, this
little lone iisherwonan is the most charm
ing thing in Dango- zaka, and the tiny 1T
tie amnhitheatre, with It's high rocky
walls, Is mirror pool and parted curtains
OF maple branches, is worth raving over,
without the contemplating deity being In
trodUed
The great piece Of tho year is q scene
from ancient history, where tho Empress
J!nro and her councillor, Takenonchi,
sand on the deck Of n chrysanthemum
ship bound for the conquest Of Korea,
and receive omens from the gods OF luck
ana the marine deities, over whom Jingo
Kogo had control Only the forward halt
OF The ship ~ shown, but that IS more
than fifty feet long; a PROV OF yellow
chrysanthemuns and hull Of banded red
and white flowers, riding on deep green
sea fecked with q foam Of white flowers.
Seeing this life size ship Of living chrys'
anthemums, that has been on view for O
fortnight and is good for a fortnight
longer, makes one smile to remember the
tiny floral ships that the florists OF the
western world build up as marvels OF
their art
The giant Of Alazku is splendid fel
low, thirty feet high, with shoes and
p sword aud voluniinous garments Of highly
colored flowers, and the mask face has
pair Of big rolling eyeballs that hold
japanese children spellbound. One chrys
anthemum man fleeing from the giant
has climbed q live pine tree and two
others are hiding behind NOISY greer
rock. One florist has II large landscape
piece, with o waterfall OF white chrysan
theluums pouring through a gap in {
, mountain range and spreading into
stream, where huge green dragon will
red eyes and foaming mouth is coilinS enc
d.sDorting itself. A rustic bridge, car
peted with reddish-brown flowers, crosses
. the stream, and aehrysanthemum woman
; leads chrysanthemum horse, ridden b,
| IL. h ef.l frA