Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-09
A JAPANESE MAGAZINE
WHERE THE TWO EXTREMES OF
EAST AND WEST MEET.
Ideas Accepted, but the
Original Manner of Making Books
Is Still Studied.

c. NJ. Salwey in the Asiatic Quarterly.
OF the many ideas that have been Dor
rowed from western sources. that of pre-
pairing daily papers. magazines and other
general literature for the public is already
conspicuous in Japan. Where the two ex-
tremes of east and west meet, as in the
case Of the magazine the "Fuzoku Gaho."
our attention is drawn toward the efforts
that have been made to form an interesting
addition to literature and art.
This magazine is hybrid between an
cient and recent work, of which many ex-
amples are now issued to the Japanese pub
lie. The system upon which 1t Is got up
shows that although western Ideas have
been accepted. In many respects the origi-
nal manner of making books is still studied.
The title page and frontiSpiece will be
found at the end of the journal, and the
pages numbered, according to our idea,
backwards. The text Is given in usual
oriental style. running halfway down the
page from top to bottom. commencing from
the right-hand side. All matter for read
ing. either explanations of pictures, news,
advertisements, and so forth. Is printed
In Chinese characters. with the exception
of the last page. which is in Japanese.
The Illustrations show the influence OF
western ideas. The ''Fuzoku Gaho' is pro-
fusely illustrated in various ways-double-
PACED pictures confined to single subjects.
or made up of many sketches as we find
them in weekly numbers of the Graphic.
etc. This system is most frequently re-
sorted to where several classes of the COM
munity are engaged in the same occupation.
when the old and new version of ex-
listing things are set off against each other
by way of contrast. Single-paged pictures
in black and white or colOrs and also small
sketches interSperSed in the text, are COM
prsed within the covers of this monthly.
The "Fuzoku Gaho" embraces variety of
subjects of historic worth and present in
tereSt-ancient manners and customs that
are rapidly disappearing. such as the secret
forging of swords, the cutting of stone i'm
PIGMENTS, the celebration Of old-esta blished
festivals. down to the latest incidents in
Corea and Formosa, thus insurinS many
readers by the wide range of subjects It
embraces. Occasionally advertisements of
English goods appear in a cloud of Chinese
ideOgraphs. for instance, the figure of an
English watch, printed on colored paper to
arrest attention; and Japanese articles of
manufacture are recommended in the same
European method.
Owing to the use of Chinese ideographs,
In which most printed matter is given. the
editing Of journal or newspaper in Japan
is no light task. Mr.. Henry Norman tells
US that the staff employed on daily
amounts to nearly hundred and fifty per
sons. AS the Japanese equivalent for the
Chinese characters employed requires to be
kept continually in the ears of those who
pick out the ideographs for the printer. the
press room is one murmur OF sing song
from the lpS OF the boys whose business
1t is to hunt out the types from the tall
cases that line the walls. The sounds must
be uttered or they cannot be recognized
among the many thousand types that need
be overlooked for the compilation of a
printed book. The lower classes in Japan
cannot understand their Journal unless
they can read them aloud.
Too much credit must not be placed as
yet upon daily intelligence. If news that
will interest the public is not to be gained
through the days events 1t must be forth
coming from the brains of the reporters.
The absence of a general telegraphc sys-
TEN. any other quick way of disseminat-
ing news from one town to another. rem
ders reliable Information difficult to collect
at a given time. Besides. editors must not
give too much to the public. and the large
staff necessary is partly owing to indiscre-
lions of this kind. There must always De
one or more editors to spare. If injudicious
liberality of informa ton has enforced the
temporary residence of an editor in a place
of silence. safety and police supervision.
another must be ready to take UP the
work