Evening star., 1900-05-26
A JAPANESE BEER GARDEN.
The Beverage Is Quite Unlike Our
Own Product.

The Beverage Is Quite Unlike our
Own Product.
From the Chicago Times Herald
In the mikado's Kingdom to the north
part of the price they pay for the benefits
and advantages of civilization is con-
stantly increasing and plebeian taste for
beer. Whisky, rum. gin and like beverages
they care little for. A very good illustra-
ton Of the difference between the way the
Chinese and the Japanese are accepting for
Ign ideas is found in this fact, and it is en-
phasized when one realizes that the little
brown man Is not content to take direct
what foreigners have brought him, but has
started out to make his beer for himself
And the old romantic glories that cling to
the tea gardens of Japan are engaged In
serious struggle for popular favor with the
newfangled beer groves" that are spring.
ing up by dozens and invading the very
localities where tea has reigned supreme
for centuries.
Two miles out of the City of Kobe. along
a smooth road that forms probably the
most beautiful jinricksha run in Japan, you
reach of these beer groves, the first
that was established in the country. The
surrounding district consists of a pictur-
esque succession of native villas and gar
dens and has long been favorite visiting
place for tourists on account of it's possess
sion of a picturesque waterfall and two Of
the largest teahouses in that part of Japan
Immediately across the road from the en-
trance of one of these teahouses. and 100
yards from the waterfall. is the home of
the foaming glass; as they call it. A sign
board over a gate skillfully made of gnarled
trunks of trees bears the following inscrip-
ton.
ITO English and generally foreign: The
beer of this establishment is made with
most pureSt spring waters that flow. 1t will
be satisfied to the tastes in all respect and
our proprietors guarantee politeness to each
every one. Inside within we present sam
pies of this purest truth. and can be tested
all times.
The interior being Japanese. was of
course. SpotleSsly clean, and was beautiful
with dozens of artistic little touches so
characteristic of everything that these
quaint people do. Take old-fashioned
German beer garden. strip it of everything
but the oDen-ar idea and its little tables.
and then fill up the whole space with grace
full arbors covered with clematis. paths of
neat mating running in all directions over
the ground, cunning colored lanterns hang
ing from every trelis corner, and in place
of bulky white bosomed walters with heavy
tread and wited collars imagine black
eyed, demure little women clad in the
brightest colored k0monos ever printed in
the Yamatara factories-and you have some
idea of a Japanese beer garden.
Back of a lovely cluster of idagua creep
ers that covered the farther end of the trel-
lis where the Mattresses of the resort dis
apparel every few moments to fill their or
ders we could see small shed almost hid
den in Its turn with great punches of wis
terra. Here they Kept the barrels, old
Amontilado sherry casks doing new duty
far away from their native Europe In lit
tie openings through the trelis you could
catch glimpses of the foothills in the back
ground looking so close in the wonderfully
clear air that they seemed to be only few
yards from the tables.
What will you have-largest or small
glasses? No difference the price"
One of the two partners of the establish
ment asked US this, while the other stood
smiling just behind him. Half of the fun
in visiting strange land Is lost If you don't
take chance once in a while. We or
dered the largest. When they came served
on lacquered tray by of the barmaids,
or rather gardenmaids of this etherealized
saloon, we found that they were not glasses
at all. but large blue and white bowls on
the breakfast mush order but with ham
dies on both sides. And the beer itself
proved rather a surprise. too. 1t looked
like the palest kind of lager. and the taste
reminded one dimly. very dimly, of ex-
tremely flat ale
Truly these enterprising proprietors
might advertise. Not headache in a bar
rel" Strength 1t had none and what it
lacked in that essential 1t made up in sugar
and water. The Japanese are not an in
temperate people, but If any Of them ever
get desire to stray from the straight path
they must have an interesting time trying
to accomplish their aim by patronizinR
home industry.
bumblebee couldn't work up a decent
stupor on hogshead of it.