The Lamar register., 1893-05-06
AMONG THE JAPANESE
THE WONDERFUL TEMPLE AT
SHiBA PARK, TOXIC.
rho rombs OF the shoSans-pruuax
Aids to Devotion = Paper vad
Prayers = Mirror. Sword.
and Cry stall EmSirm~ -

ASt-6 ~ V1t ~ t-AS
ono foreigners know it by.and it was u
place we were told we must visit to see
the wonderful toia9lc Accordingly
ono day we arrived. and alighting
from the usual jinrikishas, were on
a road bordered by fine old trees and
facing large gateway that led us
into courtyard which contained
hundreds Of stone lanterns most of
them in a wonderful state of preserva-
tion. and all decorated with the Toku-
gawa crest OF three hollyhock leaves.
They were set in straight linss, and
must have been presented by some
one who simply wished TO spend
money for the temple, Us they never
can have been oi use The temple
seemed all closed and barred. bat a
voice comingi from the interior
soundei on the air. "Do you want
to come in?n it said. "Yesr' went
back, ahd soon u priest came around
o corner to show us a small side door.
telling us Ten cents" We were
willing. so he let Us in and tied can
vas shoes over our feet to protect tbs
lacquer door. which was pretty well
worn
We saw the tombs Of three sho-
guns, and they were all beautiful
specimens Of lacquer in the forms OF
cabinets with two doors. The guide
made 1t cloar to as that the bones
were not inside, nor yet the ashes.
but what was there he declined to
tell The incense stands. the little
tables that hsla vases. every thing
surrounding them was Of the finest
workman hip; the gold lacquer
dream Of beauty They Ucro ell IN
small room at olc end Of
tho temple raised few
steps from the main Hoo- On
this polished expan 9 of floor
were two priests. one praying. and
ne;thor paying the slightest aften-
tion to Us. There wore drums sitting
about, and VIC were shown one that
the sixth shogun had used whea at
his devotions- Each was mounted on
low stand, aad fancy was beaten
to cali tbs attention of ,'re god 20 bs
petitioEed. We examined the walls.
which wee painted well ns carved.
rad our attention was called 70 the
roof OF copper tiles. Thou we wore
told "All. ten cents. no N Jrc, - which
we finally found out meant that we
had had our ten cents worth, 80 VIC
each paid it, aud had our canyas shoes
taken of.
There were generally two iigures at
the sides of the entrance to each tenn
pie. huge, grotesque affairs set in
shrines and protected Ia front b.
modssn. large mcshed wire netting.
Tho netting and figures always had
more or less wais of paper sticking
20 them. which were prayers, writton
or paper, chewci and then spit n the
god II they passed the barrier and
stuck to the figure the prayer would
be granted; II they foil short the
paper. ink. saliva and intention were
without effect This. while one might
not admire its eleganra. could be
comprohended, as weu as whom one
saw a statue of Budda. but il was
quite by accident I cams upon this
explanation OF the shining. round
steel mirror that was often TO be
seen. and which we knew belonged 70
the Shintocult- Ameratsu Onikani
gave q mirror, sword and a crystal
as the emblems OF the imperial power
to her successor, the Emperor Jimd1.
The three enblers have been handed
down from generation to generation
OF tho succeeding emperors.
The mirror is the emblem of iustics
/ the crystal OF virtue. and the sword
OF power. The mirror when the
emperor secs it shows his imperial
person. who is descended in the un-
4 broken line from the first ancestor.
I and reminds him Of the ancestral
/ commandment to love the people Us
4 his family. When the people see il
/ il shows them themselves. who are
the offspring and memorial OF their
! LOYAL ancestors who lived under the
/ fatherly rule OF the benehcent en-
/ pcrors. and reminds them to lore
their fathcrland an1 their emperor;
at tho same time IT enables every one
to see and know one's self, which is
the first principle of practical
philosophy. And are these better
memorial of ouo's ancestors than
ones own self' japanese how not
down to the mirror. but to tho memory
of the emperors.
There is a large bazaar in the
Shiba park filed with n wonderful
array of articles exposed on stalls
that line narrow passageways. says
. the Washington Post. They seem to
extend for miles and one winds about
until quite bewildered All the
things are new. blue and white tea
pots. creamers. and teacups. the lat
] ter done mn in packaves Of ten VIII ich