The Coconino sun. [volume] (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 1891-1891, 1891-08-01
Funny Toys of Japan.


as the Japanese. About one day out
OF three is a holiday in their country
and even their pilgrimages to temples
OF worship are performed in gala CO.'S
tune, with dancing and sport by the
wayside. Play is, from their point Of
view, the object Of existence, work
being the means to the end, because
it is necessary TO earn pleasure In
orderto find it enjoyable. Americans,
OF course. know better than this, hay
ing ascertained that the purpose Of
life Is labor and that fun in any shape
is Il waste of time.
The Japanese have the most per-
feet kindergarten system in the world.
In fact they originated this method
OF instructing by entertainment in
stead OF by punishment inflicted.
Their play apparatus for such purpose
is elaborate, but all OF it is adapted to
the infant mind, which it is designed
at once to amuse and to inform. The
little ones Of that nation even become
somewhat interested in mathematics
by seeing and feeling what a pretty
thing a cone, sphere or cylinder
is when cut out of wood with q lathe.
They make outlines OF solid figures
out Of straws, with green pease dried
to hold the joints together, and for
the instruction of the blind fat blocks
are provided, with the Japanese char
acters raised upon them.
Even the boys of Japan give In.
struction to those who play with them.
One sort OF playing cards has printed
upon them 100 scraps Of classical
poetry by which the rudiments OF the
art OF yersifcation are expected to be
inculcated. Another set embodies q
collection Of old Japanese parallels,
by which the syllabary Of the Ian
guage and moral maxims at the same
time are to be taught. Another set
is Of natural history cards, TO give in
struction in the names aud forms OF
animals, and still another set, especi-
ally intended for girls, affords exam
pies OF women who have been cele-
brated for their virtue and noble
qualities.
All these things can be seen in the
museum of the bureau OF education at
Eighth and G streets, of the existence
OF which few people in Washington
are aware. In the collection there,
which includes all the educational ap-
pliances OF civilized countries, Is
most interesting assemblage of Japan
ese toys. Many OF them are types of
play things which the youth OF Western
civilization has adopted from the East
For example there are kites, but no
Yankee boy can fly such kites, In the
shape of birds and monsters, as can
the urchin of Japan. There are tops
also, but the American school-boy has
never got farther in this play art than
'peg-in-a-ring," whereas his Japan
ese contemporary is acquainted
with the science OF spinning many
tops together, OF whistling tops,
and SO on. So far as
both tops and kites are concerned the
young Caucasian is an ignoramus COM
pared with his oriental rival.
Among the babies toys from Japan
at the museum is a mouse that feeds
from bowl when a little bamboo
spring is touched, lowering his head
and long tail in quite life-like man
ner. Another is small cylinder,
into which one blows through two
smaller reed tubes, three balls OF
pith being kept bobbing in bit
of a cage over the cylinder
by the breath, while cut in
one of the tubes produces a shrill
whistle. Another Is C little man that
is made to jump up long stick by a
bamboo spring, and still another is a
wooden gentleman who rides along
between two wheels, being attached
to the axle with heavy base. A toy
jinricksha is one of the more expen-
slvo playthings, showing foreigner
being drawn in hand-buggy by
netive between the shafts. Further
devices for toy purposes are kaleido-
scopes, boxes with glass tops filed,
like cupboards. with various house.
hold utensils in miniature, and bags
filled with shot for tossing. Wash
ington Star,