The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-03-22
Holidays In Japan.

The Japanese are well trained in the laws
of good breeding, and, in their several
grades, seldom offend the rules Of etiqutte.
According to these rules, joyous freedom is
extended to every one on this day Of days.
Various styles Of reception cards are carried
through the streets on elegant lacquered
tom of Japanese merchants to send, as gifts
to the families of their customers, beautiful
Jams and toys OF exquisite designs.
One of the most popular amusements of
the day is masquerades, in which parents,
children and servants delight in pulling one
another by personifying various families of
rank. Here and there. fathers. with their
big and little boys, are intent upon the use
of the top, with which they are very expert !;
while groups of pretty girls and young
women play merrily with battledore and
shuttlecoek. At one time we were mystifed
by sweet, musical sounds in the air, resem-
bling those preceding from an Holian harp,
and discovered that these came from great
number of kites flying over the city. Our
Japanese teacher and interpreter explained
this mystery by showing us a strip of fine
bamboo stretched across the frame of the
kite.
Among the toys are bows and arrows, arti-
fetal birds and hen and chickens true to ma
ture; charming dolls, parading the streets
with automatic regularity; families Of mice,
rabbits and monkeys, eggs and tIuit In bril-
liant-c0lored grapes. Here are cranes, par
rots, dragons and wild beasts in combat I;
there, feats of jugglery that astonish the be-
holder. Here, playing battledore and shut
tlecock, Is bevy Of pretty girls, dressed in
their gayest robes and girdles, with lbs and
cheeks painted till they resemble beetles
wings, and their beautiful hair dressed most
curiously and attractively. There, knot Of
boys are laughing uproariously over huge
image Of Darnma, the snowman of the
Northern and Western coasts. In America,
the boys snowman is an lrishman, with
hat, clay pipe and shillalah in hand; but in
Japan, the snow-image is Daruma, fol-
lower of Buddha, who, by long players in
kneeliDg posture, lost his legs from pa
ralysis.
Banquets are spread in the streets for the
police, and for the benefit of those that
prefer this repast to the more private dinner
at home. Buckets, barrels and porcelain
jars are everywhere flowing with new sdkt,
which everybody drinks; and yet, to the
credit OF these people be it said, there IS
little drunkenness. Far into the night some
religious ceremony is enacted by the head Of
each household, and by the priests, IN their
temples, by which all evil spirits broodlng
about on wrong intent are said to be
exercised, and thus the day is ended.
The Japanese are determined to enjoy life
as they go. All classes may be seen leaving
their homes on short journeys into the
country, where under the rustic shade of
blossoming fruit trees, or in one of the end
less teahouses. they may rest. refresh and
enjoy themselves. We often observed family
groups visiting the suburbs, or temples or
Statues on some high hill. with apparently
no other object than to view the landscape
under light fall of snow, or to gather some
of natures treasures, to adorn the grottoed
wall or miniature lake in the bit of garden
at home, or amuse the children.-Helen III
S. Thompson, In Cosmopolitan.