The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-27
JAPANESE AT HOME
THEIR ROOMS MADE ANY SIZE TO
SUIT AT A MOMENTS NOTICE.
Guests at Dinner Squat ON the Floor
Beautiful surroundings of the
Women Described.

Inc Japanese nome mas Deen Wen Qe-
scribed as a sort of dolls house magnihed
to a thousand diameters. "Al wood and
wicker and white paperr'
Almost every house in Japan, however
humble. has a garden. Some of these gar
dens are very beautiful, with huge leaved
palms. shady naples, bending bamboos and
bright colored shrubs and lowers. Bum
blebees, b~road-winged butterflies, half
tanned crows and sweet humming birds en-
liven the scene.
The entrance hall Is a platform raised a
couple of feet above the ground. Here the
foreigner removes his boots and the jap
anese his sandals. The divisions of the
rooms are sliding panels. ingeniously ar
ranged In their grooves to inclose a space
at the pleasure OF the householder. A
large room can therefore be converted into
a number Of smaller rooms. and, as al
most by magic touch, the room in which
you have been sitting becomes divided into
a number of sleeping chambers. Chairs
and tables are almost unknown. The post
ure Of repose Is a squat" AT mealtimes
you squat anywhere and your food is placed
before you. When you are tired you throw
yourself anywhere on the floor, with no
fear of spelling your white clothes. When
evening comes you do not seek your cham
Der, but simply make 1t by sliding the wall
round the spot you have chosen for your
slumbers. In the morning you take a bath,
and when you return bed and bed room
been removed. The bath is a great insti-
tuition in Japan. A great big tub OF water.
filed T1ea with d50r reSbot cbarcosal. " Tb ,eusae Won u sit
until the pores are opened. and the cold
The japanese dinner is excellent. The
dishes are endless. They usually begin
with a dish of soup and another of fish
brought in upon a lacquer tray. You drink
the soup out of the bowl, and eat the fish
with your chopstick. After the dish comes
another lacquer dish with four or five
s neaRs f SI ) soSd' ches smas 9 a few UT S E,lH ro lily
roots and some stewed seaweed. Wine Is
always served with a good Japanese din
your cup is full. Still the dishes come in.
Raw fish. green salads and sweet sauce.
TEA, CAKES AND PIPES.
When you have well eaten and drunk to
the full, then tea is served with small
cakes, and the Japanese pipe follows. The
Japanese householder is a social being. The
festive meal is prolonged by a thousand
jokes. roars of merry laughter and endless
conversation.
In the houses of the wealthy the girl mu-
s,cians and dancers entertain the guests
during the dinner hour or Immediately aft
er. While you are slipping your tea, per-
haps, you hear a nap OF bare feet on the
polished stairs. 1t is the geisha or dancer.
She twines herself round the corner. and
at the threshold falls upon her hands and
knees and bows her head to the floor In
salutation TO the guests.
VITA iapa speciai ds affnf,on is 70 chiefly fSs post e1deS;
of the fan. The dancer interweaves her
PAGES with but slight grace. Her steps are
being used more than in walking. Still. In
the fluctuations of the body, the serpentine
movements Of the hands and arms, and In
har 0np1n Iafo N ntnpnfrofo cLfn fhA IoronAca
danseuse shows marvellous agility and skill.
The Japanese lady is a dream. Even so
Rev. Mr.. Simpson. Of New York. author
of Larger Outlooks on Missionary Lands"
writes:
"a Japanese woman is a pretty study.
She is almost always small. Indeed, they
all seemed to us like girls of thirteen or
fourteen. Their dress is very like that of
that hang down like wings. This robe is
folded around the person, left quite too
open at the bosom. and fastened around the
waist with a sash, which terminates over
her loins In n great square bow like a but
terfiy. Her face Is round and full and al
ways pretty. Her complexion is generally
rosy, her eyes small and almond-shaped, but
bright and playful; her expression kind,
rank and refined. Her hair is black as a
sort of pompadour fashion. and tied be-
hind In a glossy roll, ornamented with rib
| accordingiy as She Is married or ssingIepl of q
high or low station. Her figure is usually
plump and graceful, and she is mounted
on a high pair of stills or sandals, rails
ing her about three or four inches above
the ground; on which she hobbies about
with a studied shuttle, which is considered
form and fashion in Japan.
THE JAPANESE WIFE.
'1The influences of civilization are seen in
the dress and fashion of the Japanese wife.
The days when she stained her teeth black
! on her wedding day and shaved her eye
brows when the first baby was born are
past, except. perhaps. in the lower classes
in remote country districts.
I'm Japan marriage is purely a civil con-
tract, without religious or official ceremo-
MES. Monogamy has been the law of Japan
concubinage exists. but a legalized system
of polygamy has never been adopted. Di-
vorce is less common in Japan than ii Is
in Chicago and, what is unusual in ORR
entail countries, a wife may sue for al d.
vorce from her husband.
The Japanese wife is singularly faithful
in her ~conjugal relations. The key to her
character is found in the word obedience
Ages ago Confucius declared obedience to
father; If a wife. to her husband; If a
widow, TO her eldest son. Under such a
condition Of things love matches are al
Mr.. Newman says that "the original
face. a long slender throat and neck. a
narrow chest, small limbs and small hands
and feet" But Mr.. McClatchie has trans
| lated the description of Lady kokonoya,
an ideal japanese beauty. as follows:
Her figure so trim
AS the willow trees bough Is as graceful
and slim;
Her complexion's as white as is Futi's boar
peak
Meath the SHOWS Of midwinter-like dam
ask her cheek
With a dear little nose,
And two eyes black as sloes,
And a pair OF ripe lips which, when parted.
Pearly teeth-her fine eyebrows obliquely
On Japan that's a beauty)-her hairs dark
as jet
Ard is coiled in thick masses on top Of her
pate
In a wonderful chignon as big as a plate
CThere are eight styles Of %chignon, just
here L may tell
My fair readers. as known to the Japanese
BELIEF
Then, to heighten the beauty bestowed on
her part
OF kind Nature, she's called in tn as
sistance Of Art,
For rice powder to render more dazziingly
fair
Her face, hands, neck and chin-cherry oil
for her hair
Just as soupcon OF rouge to embelish her
lip,
And a host Of cosmetics my memory that
slip.
To complete the fair picture of bright love-
illness.
Add to ali this the charm Of her elegant
dress:
Satin, Grape and brocade
Here contribute their aid