The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-04-03
COUKIsuir IN JAPAS.
Mediation tho Most Usual Form, but
Poetry and Love Songs Permissible.

tu' MOst USUAL DuN
Poetry and Love Songs Permissible.
In JAPAN courtship is regulated by
many curious customs 1t is carried on
In many different ways, but the most
usual one is by mediation. The duty of
the medators is to investirote and in
form one party in regard to the prop
erty, reputation. and character of the
other. After this investigation there is
a meeting Of the persons intending to
marry and there they are introduced to
each other. They may promise to marry
at this time, but before the final consent
is given each one must investigate the
others character. If both are satisfied
the marriage ceremony will be per-
formed by the help of the mediators.
and the name of the contracting parties
must be recorded in the official register.
This is considered as a civil contract.
In some instances children are betrothed
to each other by their respective parents
when mere babies, but of course such an
engagement is voidabe when the chill
dren become of age. The employ
of mediators is a necessary one; all the
people in japan are obliged to follow
this method, notwithstanding their rank
in society. The service of the middle
man is considered very honorable, and
the japanese term for this is "musu-
buenokami, which means a god OF con-
nection of the opposite sex. Among
middle class people there is positively
no courtship between the parties them
selves. With the higher classes court
ship by poetry is in vogue. There are
two kinds Of this poetry, SSH" and
"Uta. The gentleman sends poems to
the lady, and she replies in poetry
The following is n translation of cele-
brated answer:
"The first plum blossom of the Isle Of Quoshin,
This night shall ope, my lord. for you.
Should you long to know all the charm, of
this flower,
Come singing to the moon at the hour of mid
night"
An allusion to the moon or flowers al
ways stands for the word love. The fol.
lowing is II fine conceit attributed to a
gay young lady:
parted and from thee,
gaze upon the heavenly vault,
How delightful were it for me,
Could but the moon turn to mirror"
Among the lower classes flirting is
practiced by the use of the fan or hand
kerchief, or with wave of the right
hand, with palms downward, or by the
fair charmer waving her long sleeves.
Instead of winking, they convey the
same meaning by twitching the left
corner of the mouth or rolling the eye
balls to the right or left. Jealousy is
expressed by erecting the two fore
fingers on the forehead, in illusion to
the monster. The courtship of the
lower class of young men and women
is on Hanami, or picnic day, and on
that day one can hear whispering be-
hind the trees or flowers, but no kiss
ing or shaking of hands If they did
such thing they would be excluded
from the society of their order. Middle
class people could not go so far even as
this; they are always endeavoring to
preserve their reputation on account of
their social standing. The celebration
of marriage ceremony is required not
by the law, but by society. There are
several forms, but usually the first step
is "yuino, or the exchange of presents
at the time of the espousal. usually of fish,
belt fan, money, etc, which consists of
seven articles aS the number of seven
is considered fortunate one among all
classes After the exchange of presents
a few days are suffered to elapse and
then is celebrated the marriage cere-
mony. This is not performed in the
church, but takes place in the house,
as the people think the church the place
for funerals and not for merry making.
The expense of the ceremony varies nc
cording to the social standing of the
parties. The married couple do not
take their honeymoon trip until two or
three days after the wedding; it is gen
orally nothing more than visit to the
theater or Il hot spring resort, of which
there are many in Japan The welded
pair very seldom separate from the par
ents, but live near them, though not in
the saue house. When the parents be-
come old and feeble, the children are
obliged to make them a comfortable
home called "Inkio." which literally
translated means resting place. This
is customarily built in the same place
by the son. At certain age the parents
generally turn over as gift their entire
property to their son.
Mr.. Parnell IN u Playwright.