Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-08-13


Occidental Traveier-heaIs Served in
Guests' Rooms, bat Bashs and WASH
in9 Convenienccs Are Pubiic.
The native inns Of Japan offer sur |
prises to the Occidental traveller. The |
inn building is of japanese architec-
ture, Of two stories, and generally
for a house which has been
at all prosperous will have had addi-
tions made from time to time to ac-
the increased patronage.
The front door Is In the day time mere
ly a panel with paper windows, which
is pushed aside to admit guests. Mine
host stands smiling in the aperture,
and II 1t Is winter q large brazier> is
placed In the midst Of the first apart
ment, which would correspond to the
office or exchange Of one Of our hotels.
The brazier contains small sticks of
charcoal, and gives forth little heat.
Several newly arrived Japanese trav-
elers will generally be sitting about 1t
on cushions on the floor, chatting and
rubbing their hands over the tiny blaze.
Before entering you must sit down on
the step and take your shoes on, no
matter how cold the weather, for the
''tatami' (mats) of Japanese inn and
the polished floor are kept as imma-
culately clean as private house. When
the shoes are off and delivered to an
attendant, little ''amah," or maid.
leads you through the room on which
the front door opens, along passages
and by several twists and turns, and
along corridors, possibly up fight of
stairs, to the room which is assigned
to you. 1t is entirely empty Of any
furniture. At one side is tiny dais,
or wooden platform, on which may be
a carved stand, perhaps Of teak wood,
and on it a vase with some plum bios
SONS or green boughs, arranged ac-
cording to the japanese conventional
style of flower arrangement. The only
other ornamentation in the room will
consist Of "kakemono'' or two, with
pictures or writing on them. These
are the hanging scrolls that take the
place in Japan that our framed pic
lures do with US.
The walls of the room are finished
in soft green or brown, and the wood
work is left the natural color. First of
all the ''amah" brings out some fat
cushions for the guests to sit on; then
she brings a ''hibachi" from down
stairs. and puts In 1t lighted Goals and
some fresh sticks of charcoal. The
| next thing Is tea, and this Is daintily
served in little cups on bronze stands,
| and with 1t some delicious cakes of
bean paste, or else waters which fair
ly melt in your mouth. Now, If you
have arrived late, comes the question
of supper. The meals in these inns
are always served in your apartment
There Is no such thing as general
dining room. in this or in a private
house.
during which the room may be slightly
warmed by the heat from the brazier
but when supper is brought and the
screen is thrust aside by the little maid
the cold comes rushing in again. The
Japanese pay no attention to cold all
and draughts, even In the dead of win
ter. The maid kneels in the doorway
when she opens the screen, for it would
not be considered etiquette for any one
to enter room standing. The meal Ii
placed on tiny wooden stand, otter
beautifully lacquered, one stand fol
each person, and all the courses art
placed on 1t together in beautiful littl,
dishes. Nothing is ever served will
more exquisite taste in the most luxu
rious American hotel than in the poor
est Japanese hostelry, just as the mos
poverty stricken Japanese often live Ii
more aesthetic surroundings than man,
of our rich people.
When 1t becomes dark the room i
lit by square paper lantern on a higl
wooden stand. By the light the Japa
nese read and sew in the evenings
though they are gradually importin,
and using many Of our kerosene lamps
which give better light At bedtim
the "amah" goes to a sort of clothe
press or chest Of drawers set in th
, side Of the wall, and produces the bed
which is simply series Of soft quilt
called "futons," and which are laid o.
the floor, one on top Of the other. Dow
coverings are placed over these. and Il
between the sleeper crawls. Sheets an
. pillows such as we use must be brough
!. by the guest who requires them.
While the guests at q Japanese In
eat In the seclusion Of their rooms, th
bath and washing arrangements ar
= ! public, and here one may encounte
: any of the other guests Of the house q
: either sex while performing ones abb,
: : tions To say the least, this is e,
tremely awkward, but 1t. is accordin
to japanese custom, and the same thin
is found in the private Japanes