Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1901-08-27

about the clothes | didn't have on. |
also forgot about the rice washers, and
that they could see me. / forgot every
thing, in fact, except that / was boiled
almost to death. AS jumped l slipped
backward on the edge of the tub, rolled
around on the back OF my neck exactly
one minute by the clock, then rushed
into the house Just in time to meet two
American missionary ladies who, like
me, had called. not knowing that the
professor was out of town.
''They didn't seem to be shocked. !
had sense enough left to notice that,
but l waNawfully embarrassed"
Now II you fellows want to get at
the real Japan-naturaI Japan, be sure
and take plenty of baths while here"
continued Gardner. The bath is the
best point of view from which to study
human nature that you can find. Don't
listen to what any one tells you in the
treaty ports; not, at least. until you
have made tour OF the country and
have taken at least 1000 baths Then,
If you like. you may let the Kobeites
and the Yokohamaites and the Maya
sakites tell you all they know, and you
will be able to separate the chaff from
the grain.
Some of the foreign residents can
give you many points, but the majority
will fiji you up with transformation
Wait till you've had your baths before
you listen. Japan, as seen from the
bath tub. is the real Japan, and Henry
Norman will admit there's something
in that. IL you don't know enough to
write book when you come back it
will be because you were struck blind
early in the visit. You'll have chances
for your camera, too, and you must
work your sketch book for all it's
worth. Take notes and come back ripe
for fame
1T is remarkable that no one has yet
written up Japan from the bath tub
side. Even Lafcadio Hearn, who is
more sympathetic than any one else so
far, among the men who write, pays
small attention to the tub. Basil Hall
Chamberlain. who is wonderfully well
posted ON the history of the country.
says the japanese possess only two
things they haven't borrowed from
other countries The first is their poetry
| and the second is their hot baths.
1T hardly would be worth your while
to go in for the poetry to any extent.
1t would take you five years to learn
to read ii. and twice as long to learn
to compose it yourself But with hot
, baths ii is different. You can learn to
! take them in few weeks, if you Will
: profit by my experience and do not be-
sin too hard and are not shy. As said
/ before. your native friends are likely
to be in water at 115 degrees to 100 de-
grees that would take the hide right
OH beginner. L got so tough after a
few months practice that l could sit
still in water at 125 degrees. / couldn't
move around of course, and had to. be
mighty slow getting in and out. bu; I
could stand the heat even on my face.
IF | were you I'd get a student from
the university TO act as guide. They
are fairly trustworthy and good COM
pany. Don, have anything to do with
the professional guides at the treaty
ports. They'll pull your leg. When
you've found a student that speaks
English well, and most of them do,
though in an amusingly formal way,
start off for the west coast. Travel the
unfrequented routes as much as pos
sible, that is, routes that foreigners do
not take You can find hundreds of
charming places that few foreigners
have seen. And in many of these places
there are hot springs and mineral
baths.
Take 'em all and watch the people
about you. You'll see every one in the
neighborhood every day--villagers and
the visitors alike, men and women.
young and old, large and small. every
morning and evening. All come into
the village square, disrobe and let
themselves down gently into the huge
tank of running water.
"lhen the news Of the day and the
gossip of the neighborhood are dis
cussed from every view point Listen
hard and have your guide mix up in
the talk as much as possible. Get him
10 repeat to you all that he remembers
after the bath is over. Don't talk to
him in the bath. or the neighbors will
crowd around to hear the queer sounds
you make. They will quit talking OF
their own doings. which are what Won
wish to become familiar with, and will
/ talk about your skin and hair and eyes,
how large you are and all that sort Of
| thing.
so keep your mouth shut while
you're in the bath and use your eyes
and ears. When you go back to your
/ hotel you can have a lesson in japanese
from your guide. and Incidentally teach
him little English, which is what
he's really after.
"One reason why these baths are
good places to study native life is that
they are the only places where the
sexes come together for general CONVEX
sation. Men and women have bathed
together naked in Japan from time i'm
! memorial The government saws that
the presence of women keeps the men
from talking politics too much and
though missionaries say that the GUS
! tom IS shocking, the government does
| not Interfere. We have beer bathing
this way for 1000 years without scan
dal. why should we changer the ma
| tives say; there is no evil in the custom
to those whose minds are free from
evil. So they ignored the pleadings of
the SKY plots, and the children of
( Japan continue bathing in just the sort
OF suits they wore when they were
born.'-From Tales from Toxic" by
| Clarence Ludlow BrownelI. copyright
Inv OuoiI aud Nvor,,,