The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-22
BEER GARDENS m JAPAN.
Mild Beverages Not Likely to Les
to InfemuePauee.

/ to InfempeFance.
Nfom the San Francisco Post.)
The old romantic giories that cling to the
tea gardens Of Japan are engaged In q Sc
rious struggle for popular favor with the
[ new-fangled 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
smooth road that forms probably the
most beautiful tinricksha run In Japan
you reach one Of these beer groves, the
first that was established In the country.
The surrounding district consists OF . pic
turesque succession Of native villas and
| gardens. and has long been q favorite Wis
iting place for tourists on account of it,
possession Of picturesque waterfall ami
1 two OF the largest tcahouses In that part
Il Japan
Immediately across the road from the
entrance to one Of these teahouses and 100
yards from the waterfall is the home Of
the foaming glass; as they call It. sign
board over gate skilifully made Of gnarl-
ed trunks OF trees hears the following in
scription:
ITO English and Generally Foreign: Tho
beer Of this establishment IL made with
most purest spring waters that flow. It
will be satisfied to the tastes In all respect,
and our proprietors guarantee politeness
to each and every one. Inside within We
present samples Of this purest truth and
can be tested at all times" :
The interior. being Japanese, was. Of
course. spotlessiy clean and was beautiful
with dozens Of artistic little touches 60
characteristic Of everything that these
quaint people do. Take an old fashioned
German beer garden, strip it Of everything
but the open air idea and its little tables.
and then all up the whole space with
graceful arbors covered with clepatis,
paths Of neat mating running in all di-
rections over the ground. cunning colored
lanterns hanging from every trellis corner
and in place Of bulky. white bosomed wal
tiers, with heavy tread and wilted collars,
imagine black-eyed. demure little women
clad in the brightest colored komonos ever
printed In the Yamatara factories. and you
have some idea OF a Japanese beer garden.
Back Of lovely esasssr CT idagua creep
ers that covered the further end of tho
treII.s. where the mattresses OF the resort
disappeared every few moments to fill their
orders, we. could see small shed almost
hidden in its turn with great punches OF
wistcria. Here they kept the barrels, ole
Amontillado sherry casks doing new duty
far away from their native Europe. In
little openings through the trellis you
could catch glimoses Of the foothills In
the background. looking so close in the
wonderfully clear air that they seemed
to be only few miles from the tables.
what will you have-large or small
glasses? No difference in the price
One Of the partners Of the establish
ment asked US this. while the others stood
smiling just behind him. Half Of the fun
in visiting strange land is los. il you
don't .'take a chance once in a while.
We ordered the largest. WEer they came.
served in a lacquered tray by one Of the
barmaids, or rather gardenmaids. Of this
saloon. we found that they
were not glasses at all. but large blue
and white bowls on the breakfast mush
order. but with handles on both sides.
And the beer itself proved rather sur
prise too. 1t looked like the palest kind
Of lager and the taste reminded one dimly
very dimly-of extremely fat ale.
Truly. these enterprising proprietors
might advertise: Not headache in a
earrel.'' Strength 1t had none, and what
1t lacked in that essential is made up
in sugar and water. The Japanese are not
an Incorporate people, but II any of them
ever get desire to stray from the straight
path they must have an interesting time
trying to accomplish their aim by patroniz-
ing home industry.
A bumblebee couldn't work up a decent
stupor On hogshead Of II.