Omaha daily bee., 1893-05-28
JOURNEYINC FROM JAPAN
OPINIONS ON AMERICA AND AMERICANS
Little Lady from Chrysanthemum Country
Doesn't Like to Wear Shoes-Here to
Fit Herself for Teaching In Her
Own Country. t-

the guest with Missionary r. N. White and
Mrs White, of Mr.. and Mrs Z. A. Dawes on
South Twenty. sixth street. Her name Is
Miss Yoshi Karijo and she is on her way to
enter on three years course at Mount Hol-
yoke seminary, Massachusetts,, 60 tit herself
TO assume the duties Of q teacher in an acad-
emy or college in Japan. ..t
When The BEE representative called to
see her, Miss Yoshi was found attired in
n regulation American suit of gray serge
made with plain skirt and basque with a
pointed girdle. The lady is a very pre-
possessing, bright little woman of wide in
formation and speaks English in the most
delightful manner. She is very modest and
retiring, but as she is so obliging, she soon
made an effort to lay aside all differences
and conversed on general topics with the
most fascinating candor. This is in sub
stance what she said during the interview:
at is just one month today since we
sailed from ,Yokoha ma, and the trip
was long one for me, as never travelled
very much. wore my own dress, as we do
at home, on board the steamer and bought
this one in San Francisco. 1t is very ur-
comfortable, and / do not like it very well
and wish l could dress as we do in
Japan, but the board who are sending me to
wear any but American clothes, and you
know, as the styles do not change with us,
when return home after the three years
are up my clothes will be all right and can
wear them.
81 have been thinking of coming to
America for many years, and have waited
long for the chance, and ut last it came. /
teach at home, have taught for about four
years. l teach English in the schools.
About seven years ago there was great de-
sire on the part of all japanese ladies and
girls to learn English, but it did not last,
and so great number do not study English
now. But think 1t will be taken up again
soon, as believe it is fact that English
will soon be spoken by every country on the
earth, and will be taught everywhere in ad-
dition to the native language. 1t is an easy
language to learn, mt least had no trouble
learning it.
81 think the American shoes are espec-
tally uncomfortable, but l suppose when 1
get used to Them 1t will be better. OF
course, ifyou wish it l will show you our
Japanese dress"
Japanese Costume.
Miss Kajiro then excused herself with her
graceful little courtesy and cordial smile
and retired. After short time she re
turned clad in the robe of the Japanese lady.
1t was OF fine silk made with long deep
siee yes, one corner of which are sewed up to
be used as pockets. The dress is made with
low neck and filled in with silk of a differ
robe itself is of striped gray silk with fine
stripes of red and heliotrope. Around her
waist was wound n scarf of the most beauti-
full colors and texture and with embroidery
which would make any woman green with
envy. Her feet were clad in sort of hose,
with n separate compartment for the great
toe, made of white cotton cloth. When the
ladies go on the street they wear the wooden
shoes, or ''getas," with which all are famil-
lar. AS these shoes are about three inches
high the dress is thus kept from contact
with the street and Is never soiled at the
bottom. In winter they wear one dress over
another until they are sufficiently protected
from the cold.
"Of course" said the little lady, ''the
very rich ladies have much finer dresses
than this made of crepe and the finest silk.
1t is very easy to know the age of n woman
by her dress. The little children dress in
the brightest shades Of red and all colors,
and as a woman grows older she lays aside
bright colors, and by the time n woman is
full grown she dresses in gray or some dark
color. We have this wrap of black silk,
which we wear on the street sometimes. 1t
Is made almost like the dress, with the same
deep sleeves. 1t costs about 10 or IL cents of
American money to hire robe made like
the one l have on, but we do not have so
much money as you do. | get about $40 or
Sl2 q month for teaching school.
Annoyed by American Curiosity.
81 do not think the Americans are very
w l.
| ping in San Francisco | wore my dress as
| have it now, and they came and examined it
very closely, even asked me about the strings
| with which 1t is fastened-you know we do
| not use pins as you do, but fasten everything
| with strings or ribbons. Another thing do
not like. / notice so many people eating all
sorts of things on the streets. 1 do not think
that is nice. To eat on the street! Why,
only the,a the very .nl6 lowest .nf class in
they would be ashamed of it. But
| we admire the American women. We wish
we were more like them. Weare improving
though. We have great many magazines
now devoted entirely to women, and all the
ladies of high station take the magazines
and they all read them. We have one maga-
zine which is edited by a woman and one in
| which nearly all the work is done by women
| A great many girls in my schoOll Oh YES
| The boys and girls are always in separate
| schools are anxious to improve and study
| the sciences, but their parents object and
| think if they learn how to read and study
the arrangement of flowers and get married
| when they arrive at the age of about seven
teen, it is all that is necessary. This is
| especially true of parents who have not
accepted Christianity
"If n girl does not get married almost the
| only way she has OF making a living is by
sewing. All the embroidery which you
| American ladies admire so much Is done by
| the lower classes or servants. A lady
| OF high standing never sews or has any en-
| plOymenJ WndteVcr, fone reauS novels or
| plays on an instrument with strings, some-
| thing like piano, or arranges flowers. We
| teach flower arrangement a science or a rt
| IN our schools, and 1t takes many years for a
| student to finish this branch. The ladies
| have what we call ceremonial teas and
| flower arrangements for social pleasures,
to which they invite their friends, and this
is the extent of society among the better
| class"
! At Ceremonial Tea"
"The ceremonial teas are very tiresome
| Yes, we always sit on the floor with our feet
folded under US, and when we accept cup
of tea we must make a bow, or great many
bows, ana it is all very slow and tiresome.
| We make our bows by placing our hands on
the floor with the palms downward and the
thumbs together, and must bow so low that
our noses touch our hands, as we are seated
round the cloth on which the tea Is served.
hope you have Society of Christian En-
deavor in Omaha as we will remain here
over Sunday, and | should like 10 attend the
society, of which / am a member. Our
society at home has thirty members and is
very interesting.
"Oh, yes, / expect to get very homesick
in fact, have been homesick already, while
on board the steamer, and in San Francisco
and especially when we landed, the band