The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-08-08
ODD HOTELS OF JAPAN
THEYARE VERY plFFERENrFRoM
THOSE OF AMERICA

Some Surprises They Coatain for the
Occidental Travslsr-Aeals Served In
Guests' Rosms, bat Baths and wash-
Ing Cenveniences Are Public.
The native inns Of japan 0ffer SUR
prises to the Occidental traveller. The
inn building Is Of japanese architec-
ture, Of two stories, and generally
rambling, for q house which has been
at all prosperous will have had addi-
tions made from time to time to ac-
cOmmOdate the increased patronage.
The front door il In the day time mere
Iy 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 ID
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 a private house. When
the shoes are of and delivered to an
attendant q 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 a tiny dais,
or wooden platform, on which may be
carved stand, perhaps Of teak wood,
and on it vase with some plum bios
SONS or green b0ughs, arranged &C.
cOrding to the Japanese conventional
style Of flower arrangement. The only
other Ornamentation in the room will
consist Of a ''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 a 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 it 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, II 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 a general
dining-roOm, in this or In a private
house.
There will be another long pause,
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 air
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 is
placed on a tiny wooden stand, often
beautifully lacquered, one stand for
each person, and all the courses are
placed on it together in beautiful little
dishes. Nothing Is ever served with
more exquisite taste In the most luxu-
riOus American hotel than in the poor
est Japanese hostelry, just as the most
poverty-stricken japanese often live In
more aesthetic surroundings than many
Of our rich people.
When 1t becomes dark the room Is
lit by a square paper lantern on a high
wooden stand. BY the light the Japa-
nese read and sew in the evenings.
though they are gradually importing
and using many Of our kerosene lamps,
which give better light. At bedtime
the "amah" goes to sort of clothes
press or chest Of drawers set In the
side Of the wall, and produces the bed,
which Is simply series Of soft quilts
called "futons," and which are laid on
the floor, one on top Of the other Down
coverings are placed over these, and In
between the sleeper crawls. Sheets and
pillows such as we use must be brought
by the guest who requires them.
While the guests at japanese inn
eat in the seclusion Of their rooms, the
bath and washing arrangements are
public, and here one may encounter
any Of the other guests Of the house Of
either sex while performing ones ablu-
lions. To say the least, this 10 ex-
tremely awkward, but 1t 10 according
to japanese custom, and the same thing
Is found In the private japanese