Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-01-07
NEW YEARS IN JAPAN.
FUN, FEAsTING AND FAIRYLAND
\ SCENES.
The Picturesque Fair in Tokyo the
Last Night of the Old
Year.


New York Journal.
l don't think l ever thought more of
home in Japan than on Christmas day.
and the last night of the old year.
most important occasion in Japan.
The Japanese have an excellent habit
of paying all debts Except to foreigncrs)
On New Years day. A man who fails
is dishonored; consequently, those who
are in debt sell everything they own
which will fetch money on the last night
Of the old year In Tokyo. especially.
there Is n huge fair held in the gina, or
principal street, on New Years eve, for
over at least couple of miles In four
long avenues, each stall being hghtcu
with oil flares In addition to the rather
feeble electric lights. Here you can
make every Imaginable kind of humble
purchase, What are curios to foreign.
eiH, aud household odds and ends to the
natives, prelOmlnntr, especially old
metal, lacquer and porcelain things. This
Is where one buys the charming little
inrose Japanese porte-medicinesj which
l have go often described In my "Iaps
at Home uetsukes ornamental buttons
FOR string!pg through ones SASH; NINA.
ture temple OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, candle
stlclls, flower vessels; the little pocket
mirror and comb cases carried by tup
mousmees in their graceful hangina
sleeves; Lhe Fantastic hair combs and
huirpns very old some Of them, more
or less battered, but Of exquisite work.
manship and materials; the Queerest lit.
tie China boxes, some Of them onlv
inch across holding the red or black
pigments used for the seals, which every
Japanese carries to impress where we
NiWmufMrps Iln SCALA fltnFNe.1s.n.
generally of brass; exquisite little bronze
and silver charms; fine old brass or
bronze ends for paper lanterns: little
ivory boxes hardly bigger or thicker
thnn gentleman's visiting card used
for tue yermillion. with which they
brighten their lips
II was like fairyland, jostlng ones
way among quaint and mirthful Orient
ais up the long avenues of torch-lit stalls.
piled with outlandsh wares. Most no
liceable of all were the tail tea-houses,
with triple fastoons of huge red paper
lanterns and futtorlng strings of flags;
the whole of the ground floor front would
be blocked mp with tiers and tiers of
sake kegs. looking like half-barrcls sewn
up in yellow mating, decorated with
staring red and green dragons, or tai
fish, piled up like the gubions Of a re.
doubt. From behind these came sounds
Of revelry and the tinklc of the samisen,
of Japanese lutte, and, too often, the
smells Of ieaetng, in which the horrible
sesame OIL beloved of the humble japan.
csc, dominated. Sometimes The samisen
playing would come from the beautiful III.
tle guecha, or singing girls-.ttle fairies,
with shaved eyebrows and whitened
faces, and gilt and crimsoncd lips, decked
out like butterilies-the proper adjunct of
q Japanese banquet But more often
in these common tea-houses, looking ont
al f1a mcmillan fair hn MA
he done by one OF the strolling samisen
players belonging TO the eta. or parish
class, Occasionally one would moot
q curiousiy-masked man samisen-nlaver
reminding one Of Carnival night Mt Rome
But, after all. the main business of
ms ialr was selling, not iunketiug
writes Douglas Slnden In the Queen
We felt inclined to buy everything. every.
thing was ESQ funny-the mats, cushions
dmonos, obis, tabi 1.-THE queer Japanese
cocks with divided toes, white, for wqnr.
ing with sandals, blue, studded upder.
Meath. Tor wearing without: the STRAW
and rope sandals, high wooden clogs,
i1kara hune,. the. little plated grass shin
of wealth, with the seven Gods of Richie.
seated IN II, used for hanging over Tho
bed TO bring You lucky dreams; lantern
boxes, mnde Of white card, almost Gov.
cred with o gorgeous black crest the
shane OF 2 l,nansack; pipecases; hibacLis
quaint old musicial Instruments, veio
much soiledi embroidertes and sworn
-.4u4c
One Of the most interesting pnrt Of the
tar was The flower market whcse ono
bought the little trained blossoming plnm
trees IN blue and white porcelain pots
which every Japanese has In ms bouse
~ the New Year, and most Furonanns
in Japan At Christmas. There were rows
and rows Of them, with blossoms single
and blossoms double. white, pink. Jeen
red, or oven yariegatei; these wore
dwarfed TO the size Of geraidnn,s. Win
every branch twisted into queer cnrvse
aud each in u blue or white porcelain M,
The educated fir trees (matsnjn ,rsre
even more dwnried ana highly trainel
and one could buy either OF these. or 4
beautiful fan palm Ia an artistic not. for
eighteen pence or two shillngs; ana IA,
crown or two one OF the tiny nrtifcei
gardens, . couple Of feet square with its
trained trees, and its lake and rs tov
paeoda and BRIDGES AMI siore lnnfer9s
III duo. sud my the dock sirucl,
twelve, and We hasteued back 20 ONT
temporary ZONE IN the Castle of Tnkio
TO spepd The hour between the 81 year
and the new Ia thinking and drln' Inc Ia
absent friends in the old home beyond
the seas.