The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-03
BATHS EXPOSED TO VIEW.
CUSTOMS THAT PRETAIL IN JAPAN
ESE HOsTELRIES.
A Merry Party Of Americas airis os 90
Overland Journey In Jinrihshsr ives
with Experiences Unusuai 20 Theuas
jrom ire san rranctsco Cal.

with Experiences Unusuai to Theus
IVAN ire Sun rranctsco Gail
A few years ago a party of four ladies, In
Guiding the writer, started on an overland LTD
from Kobe TO Oknyamn In jlnriEshas. We wers
a merry party rs the Iinrisisha men tucked
us into their baby carriages, and our two
legged horses wore also In the best OF spirits.
The iinrlksha men are very fond Of travelling
In companies. and on such occasions will some
times start Oft with y shout and with such
speed as to make the heart Of tho occupant OF
the little vehicle p%Glpi'ute with fear of being
tipped over-an experience not unknown.
rometimes people think II might bo unsafe
for women TO travel alone in u heather land,
but there We wcrc. -four unprotected females,
the eldest about 80. the youngest y airl of 10.
and by night wo were ~forty-lve miles away
from any other white person. sleeping IN =
Japanese country hotel, without the least
Thought Of fear. This was our first experience
In travelling any considerable distance In JIM
rikshas. and especially IN stopping at country
hotels. Tho first night we were fortunate
enough to find II rc.rl with u third sto"r, and
rs tho room was vacant, we itnrncdin,e'r cn-
gnged It. After sitting around IN The entry
way for Some time. II was announced that the
room was In readiness, SO. after taking oil our
shoes, according 10 custom. and nlRcin, item
on the step. we proceeded to drag oursclves-up
the ladder. for such may the steep s,air"ays
o. Japan well I've called. being butt thus to
economic stacc. on reaching tho room we
threw ourselves rpon the floor, there being
nothing else to reclif e upon. Our host soon
appeared and offered us the use Of the hoo
bath. To our inquiry 81 any one had Useh 10
befure Us we received an emphatic insurance
thar We were the first, But another question
had to he ectttei-could any one see va While
We batheh? Oh. certainly not, II was al! per
fectlv rrtvntc. So one OF cur party. taking
towel and soap, with great difficulty descended
tho stecr stairway TO the ground floor. Upon
being shown the bathroom what was lcr sur
vrise to nnd Tint the side cf the room wE'ch
was toward the way. whore people ~rro
constantly passing, was made of Stats with
spaces between an iHch or more vide. f.on
making this tsrovorv the "fpo.ish foreigner"
de,!d d 10 for, 90 the pleasure Of II bath tlab
night. much to the disappointment OF Our host
and his friends.
As supper was not forthcoming and we were
very faint. We %clapped our hands to call an
attendant. This brought forth "A prolonged
yell from bc,ov "1Ii-i"-and in n moment
our hostess appeared. After trying most ies-
~reratciy to make Ter understand what wo
wanted, VIC had ourselves worked mp INTO quite
n nervous, stare Of l%nuGhter. y few moments
later iavinE occasion 10 "lGp our hands nIrin
the eldest. son nu2ear.l, end thc next time
tie eldest dauvhte". md so on. until the ,whole
family had satisfied their curiosity. each rev
face THAT appeared sending Nc Into q fresh tt
of laulhtcr. despite our ctIor.s To preserve
our drCOrIm.
AT last dinner was ready. a white wooden
wns placed in tine mldl'c of The floor. \ small
tray containing two ho~ls wns placed on the
floor IN front &C each Of W.. one or the bowls
cortninine n s'nall hit of fish floating in the
water in which II wa. boiled isorp. If we may
So call H. the other howl lring empty to re-
ceiy" TIE rice which the mail gave to ear, ~
MS in turn. dippi"g Il out Of the bucket win n
large wooden lnGle. With our "hopsticks
We thrust the .i"" Gown our Threats. taking
n swallow Of the fish watcr now and then to
hplu II on ita wnV.
TITS delightful rrnast over. We called 40
once for our beds. which consisted Of great,
heavy cortnr,e's sp-rah O0 & . tor. I'll" sCn-
ferert from tbt, one cXu.ri"t ccd in sleeutnS
on boards. 10 SHOW how LarhUrsc IDEAS OF
cleanliness differ from ours. this comforter
Ind hcrn used for months with NJ being wnshca,
Int we had l"en warned and therefore hrouEhb
our s. ccts with ne. The lic'nrs' or the COM.
CIR weeks. ST. alyhomC', hurlcnei with their
weight. Inc cold Ch!I!s cree iDt Goy.n our
backs kept ia COmIanv all night. The adj
iOir.ing rocrl YVES ""parntr1 from ours hr Slid
Ing un"er doors. "v"" which was m opening
the full length OF tho room anil about Il foot
ior 7" the tuil thr ~tnlHcc" s:rrk" ar1 lovd ta'N-
ing of orr rei4hho' guests until. long "n"t
midnight. Soon after cvrrv.hi"" had ruir.",i
down q hcavv thcG IN toe noor near Our
beads nnnoui Ced Tia" rrrival nf n hugo rot
through !te o1rninC move 'hr doc. W"
were too tlorouChI" exhausted Nv th's ''m".
however. to srrrr:N. - We vo"" fn"llv lrli"t
or or crawling under our c"rfnrterS 10 ses
warn,