The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-16
OUT AND ABOUT.


mail steamship Empress of India"
under date of April &c, as follows: I'VE
had good voyage from Honolulu to
Yokohama, except a two days gale,
and landed in II days, on March %.
I stepped ashore in Japan among a
chattering crowd of coolies, bare-leg-
ged men and women in japanese dress,
and everything so strange and interest
ing. Pretty Japanese girls there were
with painted faces and glossy black
hair, their feet In high wooden clogs.
The chatter of those wooden clogs is
the prettiest sound and one entirely
different from any ever heard.
THE Grand Hotel at Yokohama is
splendid, but it is the only really first
class hotel in the east, and the only
one where we ate all the vegetables.
People stroll about under the trees,
looking exactly like the fans-every
other woman has a baby strapped on
her back. and every single child has
another smaller one on its back boy
or girl. They so on playing their
games, paying no attention TO the ba-
by which remains serene, its head
bobbing around, half the time fast
asleep.
The children are quite the most un-
pleasant thing in Japan; they all have
influenza and all have eczema They
live in mud and water, and I don't
wonder they suffer as they do from
rheumatism. Their houses are right
on the ground, always damp, and gen.
orally with water standing in front in
the gutter. They have only paper Win
dows and their legs are all bare under
the kimono, while II was so cold that l
was shivering.
After a weeks stay in Yokohama,
q weeks travel to Kobe, there TO take
the steamer for China. We first went
70 Shizuola, little Jap town with
horrid little Jap inn, then TO Nagoya, a
lovely place with a good, new hotel
kept by Japanese, but with six foreign
rooms We loved it and shall so again.
Then to KiOto, where We stayed
two days. 1t is like a Swiss town, in
q valley surrounded by high hills. The
county is beautiful. Kioto is a Ian sc
city,-very large.-and without a guide
we should have been at loss where
TO go in the little narrow streets. We
got there Saturday night and spent
that evening seeing the famous cherry
dance, which they give every year
at this season. We saw the geisha girls.
Ii was not a dance at all-they have
no dances, as we understand them
but simply pose gracefully and walk
The music is excruciating-just pound
ing drums, twanging samson Ga sort
OF banjO) and singing in high, nasal
voice, no tune a all. 1t sounded eX-
actly like our friends on the Midway.
Sunday morning we spent in shop
ping, for as they have no Sunday, they
do not keep it, and Sunday never
hangs heavily on ene's hands. For there
are always the shops; and what
shops Cunning little places with lit
tie gardens and ponds, about AS big
as a bath tub, and dwarf trees and
tall bronze lanterns. In the midst OF
your bargaining, some one will bring
in a tray with tea in tiny egg-sneI
cups, never with a handle and never
with q saucer. Sometimes they have
a silver saucer. shaped like l5af OF
flower.
THE tea is just family yellow and
consists Of only two swallows, but it
Is very good, indeed. They never pour
boiling water on the tea but cool the
water slightly before pouring it upon
the tea.
Then, sometimes they serve a dit
ferent kind made Of powdered greer
tea, beaten with a whisk until it is
all a light green froth. That IS thu
ceremonial tea and is called ska-no-yu
The making of 1t is a great accomplish
ment. studied diligently and carefully
There is a certain way to hold eacf
finger and to lift each dish, and II Is
attended with great etiquette and Dig
nifty. This tea is served in small bowls
which must be held between th(
hands. I have one of the $50 year olo
Ska-no-yu bowls.
Sunday afternoon, at Kioto We had
a. beautiful two hours ride in Jinriki-
Shas, through bamboo groves and flow
cry fields out TO place famous all over
Japan and the theme Of many poems
called Arashiyama- The river flows
between high and steep hills. On one
side of the road and on the opposite
bank of the. river, they have planted II
among the pines and forest trees nun
dreds of cherry trees all in bloom ane
they are the most exquisite things YOU
ever saw. The river was green anc
covered with boats filled with people
The river bank next the road was-rllec
with temporary tea houses, put up JUS
for that time. and on the other side OF
the road were the permanent les
houses. all full Of japanese and gay
with banners. The road itself was GOV
cred with pleasure seekers. and tht
whole scene was enchanting beyond
words.
blossoms in attraction. I suggested e
Yashida that he should charge fet
for exhibiting US. They tag US around
and I am forced to say that 1 am the
chief attraction presume, on account
Of ny height-they are al SO tiny.
Sunday evening we went out TO tins
mark TO see what they call the nigh
cherry tree-an immense tree spread
ing over 20 or so feet, and a solid mass
OF blossoms. with electric lights thrown
upon it. You have no idea how beau
tiful IL was.
Monday We went TO Kobe, a grea
port. and there we saw what is quit
the most japanese thing l expect L
see at all, and what consider we wer'
in great lu.k to strike-the famous
troupe Of Japanese wrestlers, who werl
exhibiting there for four days, in I
great place ike a circus tent. II wa
covered with mating and crowded
with 5000 or 1000 japanese. all kneelins
or sitting on their heels on mating. II
the centre was a slightly raised plat
form made Of earth about two Zee
square. and in a ring upon that th'
wrestlers. two ct a time, had their con
tests. They were the most superb spe
cfrneus. immense men, their skins q
the most beautiful warm brown color
they let their hair grow and do it VI
in a little knob on the top Of the head
A Judge sat solemnly at each pos
lthers were four holding up hrilliAn