The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-21
JAPANESE TEMPLE LIFE
FEATURES OF WORSHIP UNDER
sHINTO AND BUDDHIST FAITHS.
Demons Warned Away from the Di-
vinities-Before Women Can
Acquire Merit.
of the indianapolis Journal.

falls overlooking miles of fertile valley. and
shaded roads fringed with wayside flowers,
appeal more strikingly TO travellers than in
other lands because nature, having none
too much room, was forced to compress
her material. But unlike the scenery the
tori is peculiar to Japan. and when one
becomes accustomed to il a view seems
strangely incomplete without it. One learns
early that the two wooden uprights and
crossbar of the original design were built
to provide a roosting place for the sacred
fowl. With the addition of extra cross
bar ii looks az first as if that use would be
suitable for II now. Having come to expect
it, the visitor sees in its simple outline a
certain charm, and is converted before long
to the belief that in dealing with nature
as well art, whatever Japanese taste
touches it usually adorns. The tori marks
always the approach to a place of worship
1t points to the humble shrine as we'll as
to the spacious temple of the Shinto faith
In the busy. narrow thoroughfares, along
the seashore or river bank in the fields
where the back of labor is bent, on noun
tain paths. and in the depths of the woods
1T is the unfailing sign of temple beyond.
Our local guide told us at N.kko the
we passed between the ranks of those
stately sentnels There we were entreated
to take a long look at their towering
height. for the trees had not thrived else
where in Japan. At Nikko they have
formed an avenue more than twenty miles
long for 800 years. We found a similar dis
play of them off the Tokaido, the highway
TO Tokyo, near the sacred mountain of
Full. Now, quite a journey further south,
we saw that we had not hidden them fare
we'll, the new guide explaining that cut
tings had been transplanted in various
places. The .Nikko story was that when
the Japanese put up the telegraph poles
they were so proud of them that they were
unwilling that anything in the shape of
tree should overtop them.
A MISPLACED ZEAL.
In their zeal for new civilization they
proceeded energetically to cut down the
cryptomerias, and did not desist until
vigorous protest from the foreign press at
Yokohama led the imperial authorities to
order them to stop. The destruction of
these trees would be specially unfortunate,
since they stand almost alone as examples
of the extraordinary growth in this land of
little things.
This attack upon the cryptomeria was
one of the most remarkable developments
of the modern movement in Japan, since
reverence for the tree had been strong
enough in all other years to exempt Ii from
demonstrations of human passion. Before
this temple, where the cryptomeria -four
ished in unmarried splendor, even the earth
around its buttressed roots, free from pro-
fame disturbance. were remnants of sacred
trees goaded to death to satisfy the re-
venges of baffled love and jealousy De-
serted maidens had come at the hour of the
OK e in the morning), bearing straw eff
gies of faithless lovers, to implore the god
to curse and kill the destroyers of their
peace. With hammer and nails the girls
had fastened the figures to the tree, prom
Using that IL their prayers were needed they
would withdraw the nails that wounded the
mystic tree and offended its protecting
spirit. Nightly thereafter they visited the
tree, driving other nails through the eff
gies. believing that in order to save the
| tree the god would strike dead the unfaith-
full ones. Scars and rust yet stand, me-
| mentoes of these visits. Near by also was
tree which the guide pointed out as a
favorite with suicides by hanging, and
which is commonly believed to charm men
to that end when they permit themselves
to fall under its spell.
OF the lanterned pathway to the temple
we stopped in front of box stall in which
stood the sacred horse of that temple Else
where we had seen that animal so fastened
that he could barely thrust his nose
through the bars and prelude his lips for
the beans. which visitors fed into a fat
tened trough. The animal here was free.
and had been taught to pay for his food
by nodding his head irH thanks or taking a
turn or two around the stall as visitors
| said, 20 mawari'' to him; and at a motion
from the girls then feeding him, who ap-
| parently had called at the stall often
enough to get well acquainted, he would
hold his mouth sideways, lightly closed be-
| low, but with aperture above into
which handful of beans could be easily
emptied.
GAUNTLET OF SAVAGE DOGS.
Protection for the sun goddess, the GEN.
| trail deity at every Shinto temple is fur
nished by two dogs, of granite or bronze
standing at the immediate approach to the
temple. There can be no doubt why they
are there, for the art of the sculptor has
been taxed to throw into their attitudes
and expressions so much ferocity that dis
turbipg spirits would be bold indeed to dare
modest their charge. They sit on guard
| but this does not betray a needless watch
for their arching backs, upcured tails. and
their bullying necks fortify well their shag.
gy heads. One of them has its jaws open
revealing a capacious and ravenous mouth
the fangs of the other project from it,
clenched jaws, and the eyes of both chal-
lenge the most riotous approach and speak
for the gloating pleasure with which the,
await the time when they may crunch and
| devour
There were devotees at the temple porch
bowling to the round mirror within, which
| represents the soul of Amaterasu, the pre-
siding goddess, and calling attention t
their petitions by Juggling at rope which
dangled over the entrance. and to the upper
end of which was attached a metallic
globe, resembling an exaggerated sleigh
bell. The prayers that accompanied thi.
demonstration were brief and silent. a.
though the deity petitioned understood
what was wanted and utterance might thu,
be as well spared. Lest they should not b,
overlooked. however. when they wen
away each devotee tied in a conspicuou
place. some Of them to the legs of the dogs
slip of paper containing the wishes 1,
writing. In this proceeding nothing ma,
be taken for granted. The paper must b
tied by holding the ends between the thumb
| Re- aro Of oat, ha