The daily critic., 1890-10-24
TRAVEL TALKS
OUR CLUB VISITS THE LAND OF
THE NIkAD0.
GLIMPSE OF THE JAPANESE KINGDOM
Impressions Of an American Landing
at Yokohama.
fECUIlARITIES OF JAPANESE LIES.
Oddities in Cosmmo.--The Small Scale Of
Nearly Everything -Landscapa
Gardening American In
terest in Japan.
GLIMPSE OF THE JAPANESE KINGDOM.
fECUulBITIES OF JAPANESE LIFE.


country. Il was due to the enterprise
and perseverance of an American that
the japanese Government finally adj
mitted foreigners, after the country had |
been closed to the world for over 200 |
years, and though treaties were con-
cluded with other powers 10 rapid sue.
cesslon after Commodore Perry made
his successful attempt, yet II is doubtful
whether they would have succeeded for |
many years but for his persuasion. As
he approaches its shores the American
cannot help but feel that he is entering
a country whose destiny and history
have largely been influenced by one Of
his own Countrymen, and hence he Is
aware Of a critical interest, which is alb
sent In travelling through European
countries
-
As the steamer moves up the beauu-
ful bay Of Yedo, the scene at once in
dicaies the presence of a strange civili-
zaiion. 1nnumerable small boats sculled
by two persons, usually a man and
boy, I'LL the bay. The scullers propol
their little craft with velocity and
a grace that put to shame all ordinary
civilized rowing. The sanpans, as these
boats are called by foreigners, are un.
painted. rather slovenly. looking affairs
but they take the waves beautifully. aud
entirely outspeed American boats of the
same dimensions. Besides these are the
sailing vessels, picturesque, with single
sail suspended from the top Of the mast
l., - Al Fk...
But more striking than these, more strik.
ing even than the green shores dotted
with bungalows is Fugiyama the king
of mountains. If the day Is clear, the
traveller will probably see the most
magnificent mountain In the world,
rising $4,000 feet from plain, with !
his head high above the clouds !
that hang about his side The noted !
Alpine peaks may perhaps be more |
sombre or bolder, but none surely Is |
more digniiled, more commanding than |
Fugiyama, OF Fugisau, as II Is called /
by the natives, All eyes are on the |
alert for a view of him, and every one
eXclaims with wonder aud delight at /
seeing this solitary, peerless peak. |
Here is the object that has figured most |
conspicuously 10 japanese legends aud |
art; its Influence upon every phase Of life |
Of the people, It's hold upon their afiec.
lions Is greater than any Swiss scenery
upon the Inhabitants of Switzerland.
aAs
Every good Japanese hopes at least
once in his life 10 make pilgrimage to
the top Of this mountain. Under the
old regime Of the Shoguns, who held
the government previous TO 1868. II was
the custom Of the Dalmols or feudal
lords to make their pilgrimage with Inn
mense pomp and show and surrounded
with a splendid retinue. In those days
of color and curios Fugisau played |
even a greater part than he does to-day.
In old Japanese art wares of all kinds, |
lacquer work. bronze aud porcelain |
vases. kakemOnOs, screens and paint |
ings, this nnblest Of mountains Is more |
frequently found than any other object, |
and IN landscape garden he still rules |
supreme as an object Of decoration.
-
But we are steaming merrily up the !
bay to our harbor al Yokohama. We |
are nearer the eastern shore f0r the bay
is nearly land locked, and far ahead We
see the white cliffs or bluffs of Yoke
hama. Here in the haTbOT are gathered
together the steamers and men-of-war
Of nearly every nstion of the world.
The war vessels, with their projecting
guns, have quite a sinister look.
As the steamer comes tO anchor be-
fore the city of Yokohama. the Sc me
rivals that Of New York haTboT in ae-
tivily and OutstTips il in picturesque
ness. Here are romantic Chinese junks,
with high proWs and steTns and loose
bellying sails, here are sanpans moving
hilheT and thiiher like water spiders,
and merchant ships from every quarter
and corner of the globe lie at anchor
waiting for a new cargo. The men-ot-
war are more clustered together, and
seem to have a stolid, patriarchal bear
ing toward the others There Is so
much sunlight and sparkle and activity
IN the bay that every one, even tue
glOOmiest, cheers up and begins 10 take
On interest IN what Is going on. We
enter a launch provided by the Grand
Hotel Of Yokohama, and are quickly
landed al the Hatoba or English dock
and custom house Here We must have
our trunks examined so We stand about
and have a curious eye for everything
around US.
Its rule laid down by old resi-
dents here that Il Is best 10 j0t down
trst impressions, as they are the freshest
aud most vivid. AfteTward one gets so
accustomed 10 certain phases Of life,
even In SO strange q country as Japan,
that be 0Yerlooks them and stops
thinking about them. II is the old
stoFy-that what one sees every day be-
comes habitual, and arouses no interest
except In the philosopher. think that
most Of us were all ready for first i'm
uIessiOus and 10 make a note Of them.
Yokohama Is not q good place Co study
japanese people, because they are So
much influenced by the foreigners that
swarm there, but there is sufficient
novelty, for a newcomer or griffin gas
q fresh arrival Is called in the slang
phrase Of the East % keep ones mind
busy even in foreiguiZeu Yokohama.
ll Is u0I an old eiiy aud has DO japanese
traditions whatever, and Is tleret1Ie
Without any of tbe flavor of arl or
architecture so characteristic of the
ancient Japanese eities. But these lueg
points Of arr aud tradition are only
necessary b lhe palate of the elunls
sour on old resident the novice IS c9u-
tens with the simpler and more salient
differences that distinguish even tue
Japlnese of Yokohama
##
Sa While We are waiting Tor The s.ow
.r f-.-r- ~ tina fHrefaHr INruaa ~ as--