Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-02-11
The New Year in Japan.

The New Year ia Japan.
Correspondence of tie ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE ]
TOXIC, Jan 16-.:s air.ve. aye:y one
knows, the most +, stiye season in japan ia
The time OF tbs New Year, snd, although
only the first three Gays are observed ss ia
tional holidays, the festivities are KEEP. up
during the entire month of January.
Every Japanese likes to begin The New
Year free from debt, SO for days and weeka
before that time every effort is made TO raise
money for this purpose. All the shop keep
ers turn their wares ia the street, before
their shops. the entire fronts of which are
open winter eud summer, 80 thGt their goods,
at greatly reduced prices, may attract the
of the year articles may be bought fox almost
nothing, go desperate dc the shop keepers
become in their efforts to obtain the Eeces-
"GierZs," the Broadway oi Toxic, is gay De
yonG description, snd tbs decorations ere
numerous aad beautiful. Booths sra erect
ed aoDg both sides Of ibe street, wbere
everything imaginable is displayed, while
are everywhere. Every oas seems to De
out, arrayed in ais test attire, and peope
push anG iostie each other without IGercy,
but no one SCENE to mind, for ali are gay
and happy, in keeping with the scene. On
side street is flower show, illuminated
with garing torches, where many pretty
flowers may be seen, in spite OF toe cold
weather At almost every corner the musi-
1Ui, If pcIr ont
greets the ear, and, although the sounds Gre
anything nut harmonious. they are in per-
feet accord with the rest of this bizarre
scene.
The decoration CT houses begins about 8
week before New Years Day. Before the
entrance, two pine trees are placed called
the Gate Pine" TO show that The owners
are receiving. Across the top OF the en-.
trance is fringe of straw, with coDspicu-
Gus centre piece representing huge red
lobster placed on TWO fern leaves, surround
ed with dried fish, oranges, perslmmons,
sea weed, tags OF paper, etc. Each Of these
he's presumably some special significance
which is inccmprehensibe to foreigners.
The lobster is a symbol of long life aud is
supposed TO soy 10 passers by May you
live 10 be as old and crooked as 3 lobster"
This unfeeing wish seems to be often real.
izsd, for one sees very many distorted old
persons on the streets Of Toxic.
The system of making New Years calls
III Japan js much the same as in America,
except that here 1t is not confined TO cne
day. Every official is compelled To call on
his superior officers, so that man holding
a low positon may have hundreds Of calls to
make. Ga the fret day the Princes, Dam
ioz'' former feuda lords) and high Off.
ciais, call upon the Emperor first and SO on
down the scale of rank. The soldiers are
out in force also; officers gallop hither and
thither in the most gorgeous uniforms,
while the less fortunate privates go ebout
in squads and somewhat modified raiment.
But the custom of calling is gradually dy-
ing out here. Many persons now place
bench before the door, etfectually bGrrcad
ing the entrance, on which the caller depos
lis his card and then wends his way TO the
next place. When he does succeed in get
ting in he makes the most of his privilege
and sometimes remains for an hour or two
if the company proves congenia. They sit
on the floor around "bibachi," or charcoal
stove smoking, eating, drinking the inevi-
table tea, and apparently having good
time.
On New Years Day, and throughout the
month, every Japanese eats "niochi," which
ia kind of cake made of boiled rice pound
ed until it becomes as tough az leather. To
foreigners this ''niochi" is very tasteess, but
the natives delight in it and eat it religiously
three times day in spite OF the indigestion
sure to follow.
This year the Emperor celebrated the
New Year by moving into his handsome new
palace. The day of the removal was OBJ,
served IS 8 national holiday, OF course, and
the streets were crowded with people from
early in the morning until after the Emper
or had passed at about noon. He rode ia bis
new Parisian carriage, drawn by four black
horses, and was dressed in full foreign uni
form. He was followed by the Empress in
a similar carriage, she also being dressed in
foreign style They were preceded by the
Imperial Guard on horeeback, very gay in
their scarlet uniforms. School children were
stationed along the entire way from the old
palace 10 the new one, and as His Majesty
passed they sung p8an composed for the
occasion 1t was taken up all along the
line making continuous strain.
The Emperor vas very much pleased
with this feature of the occasion, and be
showed his appreciation by bowing and
smiling most graciously upon his subjects.
A train Of thrty-seven carriages completed
the imposing procession.
The Emperor is doing more every year Tor
the advancement of his subjects, and Japan
is RAPIDLY becoming Une ofthe civilized IA
tions of the world. H. +.
Syrup OF Figs
Is NATURES own trne laxative. 1t la the
-oo,t oosilu takan and the most effective