The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-07-19
A VISIT TO ATAMi.
John L. Stoddards Party on Their Jour
ney Through Japan.


In the quiet of my summer home at
Prout's Neck, am reminded of a visit to
seaside resort on the Pacific, in Japan.
We started by rail from Yokohama.
Among our fellow passengers were
bridal couple, whose friends assembled
at the train and sent them off with all
the jollity of a similar occasion with us.
When the last ''sayonaras" were said
and the train had started, we were
amused to see the bride drop her wooden
soled shoes on the car floor and nimbly
hop on to the car seat where, during the
entire journey. she sat comfortably on
her heels.
Leaving the train, we next travelled
by tram for five miles along pretty
road. In one place, where large tree
inclined over the road, a cash was cut in
it's trunk to allow for the passage of the
car roof. After the tram we took long
ride by jurlckishas, each having two
men. on account of the steepness of the
road, one to push and the other to pull.
What a charming ride that was! We
skirted the sides and followed the convo-
buttons of steep hills, with the deep,
clear waters of the Pacific always at our
side. hundreds OF feet below us. 1t was
night when we reached our destination,
the Higuchi Hotel, in the little village OF
Atami. Our rooms were on the pretty
garden, and we were lulled to sleep by
the beating of the waves of the Pacific
less than 200 yards from our windows.
The next morning we walked out and
found pretty village, with narrow
streets, zig-zagging in all directions,
having one main street about 30 feet
wide, running steeply to the water. The
little shops which lined the streets were
mostly filled with small articles in inlaid
wood, whose usefulness, beauty and
cheapness proved an irresistible tempta-
ton to our purses. We had become
sufficiently familiar with a few Japanese
words and phrases to be able to go about
and do our shopping without the assist
ance of a guide. The appearance OF our
party called out the entire leisure popu-
lation of the place. who crowded around
us as we walked, and blocked up the
street whernver we stopped at a shop,
manifesting quiet but lively interest in
all our doings. Steam arose all day
from geyser in the centre of the town.
which was covered over by a building.
Hot springs ran through the town, and
on one of the principal streets was a
public bath house. No door was pro-
vided for it, and we could see at all hours
of the day as we passed by, men, women
and children soaking in the watts or dress
ing and undressing in entire disregard OF
all conventionalities.
In the grounds of our hotel workmen
had been engaged in erecting pretty
miniature wooden Shinto temple, about
10 feet high, in which was shrine for
daily devotions. 1t had just been COM
pleted, and was that day to be dedicated.
For DAYS the hotel employees had been
cleaning up the place, trimming the
trees and the grass and brushing, up the
walks as only this people can, until they
had brought things to, such state that
1 hesitated to sharpen my lead pencil in
the grounds. A tall bamboo rod had
been erected in the centre, from which
cords depended in every direction, which
were hung with lanterns In the centre
of the little temple was the shrine.
In front of it were tastefully arranged
dishes of unbaked cake, radishes, beets,
carrots, raw fish, with wide, fan-like
tails, trimmed with fancy papers, persinl-
mons, garlic and oranges. A small bell
hung in front to which was attached
long, red and white cord. Two bamboo
rods were crossed, in front, each bear
ing the national flag-for Shintoism is
national religion whose highest deity is
the emperor. When all was ready
little baby of three months was brought
out and made to ring the temple bell.
Following the baby was it's venerable
great grandmother. who was escorted to
the shrine. She rang the bell and then
sat on a mat in front and went to telling
the beads Of rosary, all the population
gathering respectfully about her. With
this ceremony the dedication was con-
Guided and all day long the people
streamed up to the temple, each ringing
the bell and muttering prayers, then Civ
ING way to the next. All the children of
the village were invited to play in the
hotel grounds and each was provided
with little cake. 1t was interesting to
notice that games like hide and seek,
leap frog, and others were most popular,
and it was observed than whenever a
crowd of girls would gather intent on
their play together, there would be a
concerted movement on the part of rude
boys to burst in among them and break
up their play, much as we should see it
done here. Everything was good tenn
pered. however, and the occasion was
evidently one of great enjoyment.
pleased with our visit. And as our
iinrickishas filed up the hill from the
hotel all the pretty servants of the
house, resans, as they are called, ran
ahead and arranged themselves on each
side Of the road to greet us with their
smiles and to say IS ayonara'' or good-by
in the softest of voices, CAB.
Il