The Helena independent., 1893-12-27
THE TEMPLE At N|KK0.
A Beautiful apd Wonderful S.ruc-
turs That Is Found in
Japan.
Extends Over Hundreds OF Acres
and There Are Miles OF
Avenues.

Many Othsr Interesting characteristics
Of the Country of tho Mikndo aud
Its People.
The more / sec Of Japan, tho more il
fascinates me. Tho cultivated parts are
. continuous garden, every square foot
utilized. Where the land rises above the
level of possible irrigation pine trees are
planted. Mulberries, for the food of the
silk worm. and fruit trees give variety to
the stretches Of rice, millet and vegetables,
These level and terraced fields are bounded
by wooded heights Often between the
fields are hedges-not to make a barrier,
but rather to indicate boundary. There
are no fences seen in q days ride-that
is, no real fences. Sometimes ono comes
to light latticework OF bamboo, like the
work of children. The trees range from
the slim and symmetrical bamboos, with
tops as graceful as ostrich feathers, to
massive pines, camphors and cryptome-
rias, uniting elegance with amplitude.
The people interest me more than the
landscapes They present to the traveller
constant adaptation Of means to ends ep-
preaching perfection. Most Of them are
poor, but without squalor, half naked, yet
not ashamed; industrious, but not with
out leisure and its fruits, Everything
they have, from the bamboo cutters and
conductors on their simple houses up to
the best products of their art, serves its
purpose admirably. Even their wooden
pattens and clogs, their straw rain coats
and oiled paper umbrellas, seem to be the
very best for them. They have arrived at
their methods by long experience. If their
civilization is not of the highest character,
it is complete. Add to this their urbanity
and cheerfulness, the happiness Of the
children, the perfect manners of the maid
ems, and, indeed, of the whole population,
and one gets the impression that here is
people who can teach the missionaries
sent to them many useful lessons.
After returning from Atami to Yoko-
hama and spending one day in trying to
Z digest what we had seen and yielding to
the temptations of curios which are never
duplicated, but always new and original,
, we started one morning for Nikko. At
Nikko arc the most famous and the most
elegant temples, in the highest state of
" preservation, placed in scenery at once
grand and beautiful These costly works
of art arc not so much temples today as
national monuments. No words can con-
vey an idea of their elegance or the rich
ness Of their decoration. No European ca
thedral or palace can compare with them
in the latter respect. OF course they lack
the majestic proportions of the famous
Christian churches, but in variety, origi-
nalty and richness OF ornamentation they.
surpass the finest productions Of European
builders. Many of them have substruc-
lures of stone, but the rich effects are pro-
duced by bronze and lacquer work, ard
by such carving as only japanese artists
have accomplished. The carvings are gen.
orally on the exteriors. Many are gro
tesque, but all are full of life and action.
l recall Il frieze of largo monkeys, one of
which presses his paws upon his lips, an
other on his ears and third on his eyes.
Also n sleeping cat over gateway, so life
like that one expects to see her move if
disturbed. Outside and inside the most
charming harmonies of color arrest the at
tention.
We advance from court to court through
these wonderful gateways, finding each
more beautiful than the others. And
around all and among ali the stately cryp-
tomerias, adornng a stone stairway here
and stretching to right and left in grand
avenues. Nowhere else havo | seen such
combinations of nature and art. AS we ad-
vance we constantly ascend, opening new
vistas continually, and after we leave the
last court of the temple there are 200 stone
steps, divided into four great stairways,
which lead up to the mausocum of Ieyasu
The tomb itself, shaped like Il small pa
CODA is a single bronze casting OF light
color, produced by the admixture of gold
The accessories include a stone table bear
ing an immense bronze stCrk with Il brass
candlestick in it's mouth, an incense burn
er of bronze and vase with artificial To-
tus flowers and leaves in brass.
Turning, from this, we pass on to other
temples, through other stately avenues
and spacious courts, to the mausoleum of
Iemitsu, equally beautiful, though less
profusely decorated. You must imagine
tori, those peculiar temple gates of gran
ite and bronze, great stone lanterns, huge
bells, stone fountains, SO finely lcveled
that the water flows over every inch OF
their circumference in IL silver film, the
rich coiOrs of the bronze and the lacuue-
work-tho latter sometimes vividly rcd
leaping cascades, colossal sculptures, and,
above all, the enormous trunks and the
graceful foliage of the trees
The floors Of the temples are either shin
ing with lacquer or covered by imlnacu-
late mats, and the visitor is obliged to re-
move his boots at the threshold, putting
OF Il prir OF soft solea slippers.
When | tell you that these structures
extend over hundreds Of acres, and that
there arc miles Of stately avenues, you car
form some idea OF the extent of the famous
Nikko temples. The amount Of human
labor expended here-and generally labol
of II high order of artistic skill-is some
thing enormous. The richness of the ma
terials used is also to be considered II
is estimated that these temples could not
be reproduced today for $50, ,OOO, 600.
They are visited by thousands of pill
grims, who show all the outward forms Of
devotion. Certain 1t is Shat the opportu
nifty to see such works of art must he al
aesthetic education. The ethical instruc
ton is rude, but it seems to include al
that is considered essential by the great
body of Christians. They have u suprem,
god-Amida-and many subordinate del
ties, to whom they appeal for special bless
ings. They haveu system of rewards ant
punishments after death, and the mos
elaborate philosophy of prayer. They nrt
taught reverence, charity, Kindness, hon
esty, vcracity. The result OF this teaching
is Il kindly, urbaac, docilc people compar
ing favorably in all the Fundamental vir
tues with amy western people. 1t is true
that there arc many things which appea