The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-04-10
JAPANESE LIFE.
;urios and Flowers as Seen by
American Eyes.

American Eyes,
A correspondent writing from Yoko-
hama has much to tell of the curios of
Japan. He says: "Out here there are
little gods, big gods, good gods and bad
gods. They can be had from so cents to
b1O, 900 each. They are made from every
material known to man, from clay to
crystal and gold. Of course the wood
Buddhas, as they arc called, are the
oldest and most unique. Good old Bud
lhas can be had from SIS to $35 Mex.
These are prices hare. 1t is ways the
oest way to figure that an article costing,
say, $50 Mexican here will cost the pur-
chaser $50 gold landed in the United
States.
II thirk Japan is the most beautiful
country in the world. The people arc
quaint and picturesque; the flowers are
marvellous. At present writing see be-
fore me two plum trees about twenty-four
inches high, in full bloom, each tree
about ten years old. A few days ago We
had little snow, and it was sight to
see roses, geraniums, plum AMI cherry
blossoms, all in full bloom, with snow on
them. Next month We will have the
camellias, which arc now in bud. They
arc all out in the open air, and in April
the large cherry trees. ranging in size
from eight feet TO forty, though many
Japs assure me that there are cherry trees
eighty feet high. / have never seen
them, but it would not surprise me if it
were true, as firmly believe Jap gar
dener can do most anything with trees
and plants. / suppose youngsters will
come that way some time in the future.
In August we have the lotus flowers;
these also are worth travelling thousand
miles to see. October and November
the favorite flower, chrysantherlum, for
a month. This is the flower show of the
year.
"There is a little place called Dayo-
zaka, near Toxic, where they nave the
chrysanthcnlum shows, and they are, for
all the world, the same as old English
fairs. Two criers at the door, clapping
together two pieces of hard wcod-this
is to call attention to the show Within
then you plank down two cents and get
your ticket, which is a piece Of wood
about two inches wide, six inches long,
and half an inch thick; they are made
this size so as to last few years. ] never
tire visiting these quaint places. Ihave
had several invitations to visit rhe Shi-
biya (theatre) at Toxic when the great
Danturo acts This man is called the
Booth OF Japan; his pay is $4,000 for
twcnty-one nights.
"The costumes of the company are the
most lovely things ever saw; they are
beyond description. really came out
here to form another japanese village,
together with japanese opera company
composed entirely of japanese .adies and
gentlemen, with brass and string band
combined. I am sure of all except the
opera part; although there are sixty
graduates from the Conservatory of Music
lin our music), they cannot sing. My
idea was to do The Mikado with a jap
anese company and proper costumes; not
one of the companies at home ever cos
tuned the piece properly.
"The brocades one sees out here are
perfect dreams, particularly old priests
robes. We have paid as high as $3.50 for
full suit. If had come out here ten
or fifteen years ago, l could have attained
the finest collection in the world for my
little money that would have been worth
half a million at this moment. There arc
several men who came here twenty-five
and thirty years ago who bought little
odds and ends from time to time Mt
very small prices, and lind now their col
lections 70 be worth from $3.50 900 to
$500, 900. Pieces of gold lacquer work
that cost mere trihe ten to twenty years
ago are now worth hundreds of dollars
EACH"