The Republican journal., 1901-10-24
JAPAN.


graphs includes the points of interest
to the tourist in the country of the
yankees of the East" and illustrates
the manners and customs of the Japa-
nese, their principal occupations, their
art, architecture and scenery.
The first landmark that meets the
eye of the tourist is Fujiyama, the
sacred mountain of Japan, whose snow
capped summit rises up from the sea-
line to height of 1856 feet and is re-
Elected in the clear water. This is not
far from Yokohama, the usual point of
departure for a journey through Japan.
This town is of especial interest to
Americans as being the spot where the
first treaty of commerce was concluded
by Commodore Perry between the Unit
ed States and Japan, which paved the
way to further intercourse between the
Japanese and the civilized nations of
Europe. There is fine view Of Mis-
sissippi bay, near Yokohama, and one
representing the Feast of Lanterns.
Not far distant is the city of Toxic
(Yeddo.) the seat of government, where
the Emperor has his residence. There
are many fine views of this city:
Cherry Park; Tea-house, surrounded by
cherry trees in full bloom; Wistaria,
with its long dropping racemes of purple
blossoms, trained as the japanese love
to see it; the Mikado's summer palace,
overlooking beautiful sheet of water;
and the canal which supplies Toxic
with water, the banks on either side
lined with cherry trees pink with bios
SONS.
About eighteen miles north from To
kio is Nikko, one of the most sacred
mountains of Japan, where repose in
their beautifully decorated tombs Iyey-
asu and his grandson Iyemitsu; the
former connected with the rise of feu-
dalism in Japan in the 18th century,
the golden age of Japan; and the lat
ter with the expulsion Of the Christians.
Both of these men are WorShipped al
most as gods, and the temples erected
in their honor are noted for their deli
cate and elaborate carving. There are
quite number of views of the Nikko
region, among the finest of which are
Imaichi, on the road to Nikko, an ave-
nue. bordered by stately trees; and the
Sacred Bridge to the shrine of the Sho-
guns, built in 1888, and now used only
by the Emperor. The Pagoda, the tomb
of lyeyasu, and several views of the
Great Gate at the entrance of the shrine
of the Shoguns, illustrate the peculiar
character of japanese architecture,
which very much resembles that of the
Chinese.
Toward the center of Japan proper are
the cities of kioto and Osaka. The for
mer was once the home of the Emperor
/ The views of kioto include the Higashi
Honganji Temple, the oldest in Japan,
the popular temple of the people; and a
part of the 80, 1873 brass images of
k"annon, Goddess of Mercy, in the
Sanjiyusan Temple founded in 1882
The photograph of a tree trained to
grow in the form of a junk, illustrates
the Japanese passion for the fantastic.
Osaka, the great commercial city of
the empire, sometimes called the Jap
anese Venice, contains the celebrated
Osaka castle, which, although in ruins.
presents quite an imposing appearance
with its foundation walls of solid ma
sonry, composed of stones forty-six feet
long.
OF pictures showing the occupations
of the people, one series represents the
culture of rice from the first stage, that
Of preparing the ground for planting,
to the cleaning and packing. Another
series shows the. various stages of silk
culture from the care of the silk worms
to the manufacture of the most delicate
| silken fabrics. Men and women are
alike employed in these labors. Minor
! employments are illustrated in the fig
ures Of the farmer with straw rain
cloak, the carpenters the vegetable
peddler, the flower seller, the umbrella
maker, etc.
The japanese excel as painters of
flowers, as they also excel in their cult
walton. Among the beautiful flower
pictures are the lotus, cherry blossoms,
the almond, the peony, chrysanthe-
NUNS, and an iris garden.
Other views represent japanese home
life; the wedding ceremony; funeral
/ procession with the mourners clothed
! in white; modes of traveling-the jim
/ rikisha and the travelling chair; and
their festivals, most interesting of
/ which is the doll festival, devoted to
girls and doll festivities.
Naturally the tourist ends his trip by
a visit to Nagasaki on the western coast
of the westernmost island of the en-
pire, kiushiu. Views are shown of the
harbor and town, of the entrance to the
j harbor II narrow inlet three miles
| long, and one of an arched bridge, its
image mirrored in the clear water be
| MEATH