The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-09-06
Japanese and American flags cross

We were first invited to remove
our shoes as is required of all who
enter japanese houses Button hole
bouquets were given US made of pa
per, aBd the colors indicated the
committee, the guests of honor and
ordinary guests.
First thing We did was to be pho
tcgraphed with all the guests This
is always done at any gathering Of a
similar nature to preserve as a me-
mento of the occasion Each per.
son receives an envelope tied with
five strands of cord colored red,
white and gold, which are royal
colors.
This is modified form of the an.
cient custom which required all OF
the female attendants and household
of the emperor to tie their hair with
these colors This envelope con.
tanned an order on the Photographer
for one large picture. This has also
been modernized, as formerly the
guests received a whole baked fish
tied in this manner
Our places were at the head of the
room. I can't say table, because
there was none We sat on the floor
upon round mats and directly in front
of the takonoma. This is platform
in an alcove. raised about four inches,
and is found in the best room of
every house in japan. The idea of
it is very pretty and poetical They
believe at some time the emperor
may perchance visit them Though be
never does), and this seat is reserved
for him In this alcove on the plat
form can always be seen the most
precious possession of the household
and one can almost guage the wealth
of the man by the kakemono. &c, of
the platform. Kakemonos are wall
hangings of tapestry or picture paint.
ed on silk and fine paper, &c, and
are very valuable.
We as guests of honor were placed
directly in front of this alcove. Next
to us were our interpreters and head
ofcemen, on the sides of the room
were the merchants. We were the
only foreigners. Before anything is
eaten the chairman of the committee
explains the object of the meeting,
making apologies for the poor dinner,
to which one of the merchants renlies,
and makes a complimentary speech.
which modesty forbids me repeating;
but is as full of compliments as any
American after dinner speech could
be. We understood very little but
the translation was written and sent
to US next day.
Of course we had to reply to same
! through the interpreters. Then the
eating commenced-that is, all eat
ing except myself, have not been
able to acquire the taste for Japanese
food. The food consisted Of soup,
fish, shrimp, pickles and fruit. Eat
ing is small item, it is all drinking.
"Hot Sake" is the only dlink that
Japanese care for Like everything
else. upside down in Japan, the wine
is drunk hot instead Of cold. II is
considered poor breeding to drink it
cold. Only laborers end the poor
classes do it Sake is wine distill.
ed from rice and is quite mild.
We are then asked FOR our cups by
each merchant in turn which maid
sitting near washes each time and
then fills for him to drink from. We
then have to do the same with the
cup of each guest Fortunately the
cups are small. holding about one-half
gill, otherwise we would never
have survived. Then things begin
to get warm as the wine takes effect
Each person removes his top kinono
and has it slowed away. We also
removed our outer garments and felt
cooler in light cotton kinono. Then
we had Geisha dancing and jugglers,
and finally guests began to dance
and danced until the late hours
After most of the guests had depart
ed, the committee and some of the
merchants with whom we were bet
ter acquainted, remained and enter
tanned US with more Geisha dances,
&c +, until we retired We had to
spend the night there as it would
have been impolite to have returned
to our rooms after :his extra atten'
ton.
On our return to the Office next
day we found wooden box
6 inches by 6 inches and
D inches deep containing Japanese
food and sweets 1t is the custom to
send you what you don't eat, or more
correctly the custom is, the man takes
home all except the soap, to divide
with his family l have often seen