, 1889-02-07
OUR JAPANESE LETTER
YoKouAMA, Jan. 7th. 1889,

aUODIlOu Ol WtSttI4 ltSSS' 'AN tt'
gressive government, by an edlct
Rarmonized the Japanese year will
that of the civilized world. Even
Sunday was not excepted On that
dav all public offices and the schools
rest, but few of the people observe 1t,
Tho national and religious holidays
still remain in vogue. Foreigners
can not keep track of these days
they are so many 1t is the boast OF
the Japanese that their country has
never been conquered and that they
have had one uninterrupted dynasty
of rulers. While the old idea of the
divine nature of the Mikado is fast
losing ground in the minds of the
people, there still remains IN every
breast an undying love of country.
The Japanese are brave and patriot
ic In this respect they differ from
Chinese. 4 Chinese official defrauds
his government at every opportunity,
while such thing IS seldom, if ever,
heard of among Japanese officials.
In the long line of rulers, there were
not few noted characters. There
were also many men distinguished
for their great deeds in war, for their
patriotism, their strength, their pi~
ETY. or their learning. AT death :,
such men were deified and temples
wera erected for their worship.
Throughout the year each deiied
person is honored by one or more
special days of worship. Such days
are kept as holidays by the devout
worshipers Old and young, In their
best garments, wpnd their way to
the particular temple. At night the
buildings are Illuminated by gaily
colored lanterns. These religious
holidays, from their great number
and general observance, form an I'M
portant feature of the Japanese So
cial life. In large city, where there
are temples to many deities, seldom
week passes without the celebra-
ton of some sacred occasion. AS
one notices the we'll dressed crowd
vending its way to the temple, he
can not help thinking that majori>
ty of them are enjoying pleasant
outing. They are out to see the
sights; some of them, perhaps. to be
seen. Young ladies are studious to
attract attention and young men, as
is their wont in other lands, are not
slow to note the charms of the we'll
favored. But, as we have said, the
New Year holidays form the most
enjoyable part of the year. That
Joy may then be unconhned," this
event is preceded by many days of
preparation. Near the end of the
old year accounts are adjusted, and,
so far as possible, differences recon.
ciled. Each house is decorated with
out and within, presents are given
and received, and every one seems to
aim to begin the New Year in unal-
loyed happiness. On New Years
day the streets present gay APP
peaTance. Business Is suspended.
Besides other decorations, each
dwelling exhibits one or more flags
Attired in their best robes, crowds
are passing to and fro, making New
Yeat calls, seeing the sights, or
vending their way to temples and
places of amusement. Many are the
low bowling salutations one sees IN
the streets. Callers at houses, either
leave their cards in box placed on
purpose outside the entrance, or, in
case of relations CT intimate friends,
enter the house, and, having saluted
all within, partake of tea, wine and
sweeU"meats, bountIfully offered.
The temples and places of amuse
ment reap a rich harvest at this sea
SOD. Each worshipcr casts liberal
offering into the large treasure box.
Not few begin the year with votive
offerings, the sincerity of which is
guaged by the largeness OF the gift
to the deity prOpitiated, Managers
of theatres engage the most noted
actors and bring out the most at
tractive plays. For this their Golfers
are well filed by the appreciatiye
audiences. The New Year festivities
usually last a week or longer, but
New Year calls may be made any
time during January.
Foreigners living in Japan, keep
the holidays according to the custom
of their respective countries. except
in the outward declaration of their
houses, in which they usually adopt
the Japanese style.
This year we have been favored
with remarkably fine weather 1t Is
true, that on New Years day there
were two earthquakes, one quite se-
we're, but such occurrences are COM
mon here. On the night of the third,
too, there was. also fall of SNOW
Still SNOW is 30 rare and its coming
so welcomed, that it caused no in
convenience. When a snow falls the
tea houses at elevated places are fill
ed with sight seers assembled to ad-
mire the beauti ul snow and res
peat or compose appropriate verses.
(Our snow was short lived; south
wind springing up it was gone in a
day. The coldest weather is still to
come and we may be favored by
other feecy storms. During the
winter months the American steam.
ers are always behind time. The
steamers from Vancouver take TWEEN
ty or more days in coming and COM
plain of head winds and rough seas
The 5. f. steamers in winter benC
their course far to the south anC
have milder weather but also MAKE
longer voyages.
! The most important foreign new
reaches us by telegraph but for Par
ticulars we await the coming of tn
newspaper. To your correspondent
the news from Washington territOr,
IS rare treat
!! so many are the changes going o.
in that land of enterprise, that wheI
he returns, he may have difficulty il
recognizing places once familiar.
NIPPON.