The times., 1899-03-05
JAPANESE ADJUSTMENTS.
A Days Pleasure With Some Mem
bers of the Fnst Set.

| (From the Forum.)
| To show how Japanese gentlemen
sometimes amuse themselves l may cite
| the following: While connected with the
| Third Highe Middle School. when it occu
| pied buildings near the Castle, in Osaka
/ was called on one afternoon by one o
my scholars. who had been sent by {
gentleman to invite me to spend the mex
| day with him and some of his friends IL
| the pursuit of pleasure after the japanese
| fashion. / was told that my host would
send for me about o'clock and that my
young pupil himself would be in attend.
ance to act as Interpreter, in case my
knowledge of the language was insufficient
to assure me that clear understanding OF
the conversation and of the p.ay-the
theatre was to be the scene of our fro iC
during much of the day-whch would BIZ
essential to my enjoyment The invita-
ton had been accompanied by one OF those
pretty boxes of sweets which the Japa-
nese so often send in such cases.
Next morning, promptly at the hour
named arrived a handsome jinrikisha
drawn by two men in livery and / was
taken to my entertainer town house
where met some of his friends. We were
served with cigarettes, tea, cakes, and q
tiny cup or two of the finest sake. AT II
we went TO fine restaurant, one of those
which, while retaining the native menu
have introduced many details 10 contrib
ute 20 the comfort of foreign guests
was, however, little disappointed We
were shown TO large apartment over.
looking pretty little garden. This room
was furnished more than one usually finds
such places, for there were hemp rugs on
the floor over the mats, the paintings or
the fusuma tthe sliding panels which serve
as partitions between the rcomsl were eX-
ceptionaily fine, and the ramma uhe
carved openwork dadoesl were beautiful
specimens of the cabinetmaker's art
Pretty lamps, with electric lights, hung
from the ceiling. We were seated on the
small fiat cushions which served in lieu
Of chairs; small. low tables of convenient
height were placed, one for each person
and the first course OF an elaborate meal
was served-a cup of sake and some COM
fits. Then the geisha or professional sing
ing and dancing girls and the samisen
players appeared. to add TO the enter
taInment. They did not devote themselves
exclusively TO their arts, for some of them
helped in serving the sake and engaged in
conversation with rs. ] found the young
woman who had been detailed especially
TO attend to me TO be remarkably bright
person, well able to make me understand
her conversation and, what was more sat
isfactory, able TO understand my japanese
fairly well. SO that while at the restaurant
l had little occasion tc cali in the aid OF
my interpreter.
These geisha constitute such an imDor-
tant factor in the amusements of Japa-
nese gentlemen that 4 few words concern
ing them may not be out of place. Like
the Greek hetaerae, they are usually sold
20 their trainers when quite young ioften
at hn nf f.,- roEF- s,,l, ,
parents, and are carefully educated in
music, conversation and dancing. They
are always handsomely dressed but in
snowy materials and in peculiar style
which distinguishes them from respecta-
BILE women, who invariably wear plain
clothes Of subdued colors. The life, once
entered upon, is difficult to escape from
but SO far as the girls are personally con-
ceTned no disgrace attaches to them. n
man ransom one and marry her she
takes his rank and station without any
stigma attaching TO her. / have met in
the highest japanese society women who
had been geisha for & time, but who we're
received as their husbands equals without
a question being asked as TO their ante
cedents. 1t is a curious phase of society.
At about p. IN. the bowl of plain boiled
rice and the cup of tea which mark the
end of feast in Japan. as In China, We're
served, and we were then asked to get
ready for the theatre. Unlike China,
buildings used expressly for Thespian pur-
poses are common in Japan, although out
ofdoor performances on a temporary stage
are also given. The theatres OF Osaka are
in the Datom bori district. and are sur
rounded by sideshows of every description
We went to the largest and best-a plain
wooden building not in any way attrac-
tive as regards its exterior nor ornamental
IN It's interior. The auditorium is a large
square room, the fiat floor being divided
into many small sections by low railings
each section accommodating six or eight
persons, and being equipped with mats. A
party may hire a section. or single tickets
may be bought, the holder taking his
chance of getting a place where he can
Cshers are in attendance, also peddlers OF
playbooks, fruit, and lunches for a the
atrcal day is a long one, lasting from early
morning until late al night. The fatness
Of the floor is no obstacle &c vision. as the
stage is high enough for ali to see well
Surrounding the pit is a gallery divided
into boxes. and one Of these had been re-
served for our party. a couple OF red
blankets had been spread to protect the
mats. and chairs were provided for our
cOmfort-a thoughtful concession to the
stiff joints Of the foreigner although tend
ing to make him unpleasaptly conspicuous.
The stage was a revolving one, and the
scenery and accessories, while decidedly
crude, were marked Improvement over
the bare theatres OF China.
The plays-for we saw q part of two
were amusing comedies. bordering on the
farce. Everybody smoked. women as well
as men, and at intervals tea and sweet
meats were served TO our party. Some of
the most effective entrances OF the per-
formers were made from the rear OF the
building along narrow aisles raised little
above the floor. and / noticed that some OF
the spectators sat along the edge Of the
stage, as they used to do in England in
Shakespeare's time.
AT about o'clock one piay ended The
actors suspended operations for supper. and
we went 10 n restaurant next door for ours
another elaborate meal at which
learned why l had been asked If / were
fond of cells a la Japonaisei
We returned to the theatre about 7:30
to find another play going on. | stayed
until 10, when / thought | had had enough
little disappointed at my early departure,
and expressed regret at his failure to af-
ford me enjoyment. l assured him that he
had been eminently successful. During
the entire day nothing was said or done
which could offend the eyes or ears of the
most refined: but when my student friend
informed me n day or two afterward that
they had kept It up until in the morning
/ concluded that after / had left the fun
l,,I