Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-04-11
FACTS ABOUT JAPAN.
A Japanese Student Talks About
His Native Land.

A Japanese student ranks HSOSt
His Native Land.
Mr.. Seiichi Tolkito was sitting in n
big armchair, luxuriously upholstered
and drawn up within easy range OF the
glowing anthracite fire in the CRATE.
He seemed to be on pretty good terms
with himself and the world in general.
He was somewhere about the middle
OF thrilling French novel. and was
accompanying the detective OF the story
on a still hunt after the girl, who had
been spirited away in some mysterious
manner by the low browed villain. MI.
Tokito speaks very good and correct
English. There is slight tea-planta-
ton aroma in the manner in which he
wrestles with some OF the more difficult
and long-waisted consonants, but, on
the whole, it is quite passable. He has
been in this country for about two
years, engaged in the study OF practl-
cal engineering. A portion OF the
time has been spent as a student at the
university at Ann Arbor, the remainder
i'm travelling about the country IN quest
OF practical experience upon the suo-
ject. He is now on his return to Ann
Arbor, after several months spent In Il
Kansas City engineering Office. Mr..
To1ito is scion OF very prominent
Japanese family, one of his brothers
being governor of something or other
over there and another high officer
in the navy. He is exceedingly intel
ligent, and, as he sat in his handsome
Russell House apartment yesterday
afternoon, talked in an interesting and
| instructive manner Of his native land.
"My home is in Toxic" he said.
at is city Of over million inhabl-
taats, and is the literary, educational,
artistic and commercial center OF
japan. As far as securing an educa-
ton is concerned, there is no reason in
the world why we should come to this
country. We have in Toxic the Inn
perial University, an institution which
outranks in all important respects the
university at Ann Arbor. The PROBES
sors and teachers are all English, auC
the studies are conducted in that Ian
ruage. | am opposed to the idea o
our Young men coming 10 this country
for the purpose of acquiring Il genera
education There is no necessity FOL
it. OF course, it is only the sons O
the rich who do come, and the prlncl
pal object in doing so Is to secure
knowledge of the manners and Gus
toms OF the country. In Toxic, too
the whole educational system is excel
lent. Education over there Is compul
sorry. We have good primary, inter
mediate and grammar schools all owe
Japan. In these branches, the stud
of the English language was only Satire
duced n couple of years ago. l, my
self. graduated from the lmperia
University of Toxic before coming t
this country but desired to pick up
few American ideas on engineering.
"Is Japan advancing in the arts an
sciences?"
Mr. Toliito smiled.
1--WE claim TO have known a grea
deal about such things in my countr.
before the existence OF America wa
suspected by the civilized world" h
said. Still, it is always possible
advance, OF course. / think | kno
what you mean. You desire to lear
whether we are falling into Englis
and Americans ways in such matter
We have a musical institute in ToHi,
under The direction of Boston profe
sor. where our ladies are taught
play and sing after the most approve
style of your fashionable circles. Ii
Japanese girls are very ready to fl
in with that sort of thing, too, | c,
assure you. OF course, you must II
derstand that all say about Japan r
fer5 only TO the upper classes. II
poor are very poor, and have nelth
time nor money for progress in al
direction. Our girls are rapidly pickil
up all sorts Of English Accomplishment
at seminaries and finishing school
which have been established for til
r. purpose"
= "How about dress?"
10 Mr.. Tokito smiled again.
Y "If you entertain an idea that {
Id better classes in Japan still appear
!. the outlandish attire pictured in {
y Mikado, and other supposed sketch
81 and histories of my country, plea
" disabuse your mind OF it at once"
l., said. THAT idea is more roman
- and picturesque, perhaps, but it is /
V true to nature. As you see me now
" throwing open handsome Prince !
as bert coat and exposing full and p,
feet fitting American attire througho
"you see all the better classes of l
q. countrymen at home. | have VIC
c, nothing else since | was a child. Q
n, ladies dress handsomely and in peril
ne taste, appearing at receptions and p
in ties in full dress costumes which eq,
anything ever seen in this count
s, England, or even France. 1t is j,
Ne the same with the men. Our dane
n, there at the present time are just
OF same as yours here, and think l
CT CT justified by the facts in saying. Il
10 they are just as well and graceful
danced"