The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-30
BY M. Q. Med.

so great and wonderful Is the spectacle
that 1t has been named "Hotaru-Kas-
sen" or Firefly-battle. It has been more
accurately described by Lafoadio Hearn
than by any one else. THE swarming OF
flreflles in this valley during the sultry
season, was accounted one of the natural
marvels of the country. Every summer
special trains run from Kyoto and Osaka
to Ujb bringing thousands of visitors to
see the frefiies. But II Is ON the river at
point several miles from the town, that
the great spectacle is to be Witnessed.
the Hotaru- Kassen, or Firehy- Battle. The
stream there winds between hills covered
with vegetation, and miriads of frefiies
dart from either bank, to meet and cling
above the water. At moments they so
swarm as to form a luminous cloud, or
like a great ball of sparks. The elouo
soon scatters or the ball drops and breaks
upon the surface of the current, and the
fallen tirefiies drift glittering away; but
another swarm quickly collects in the
same locality. People wait all night in
boats upon the river to watch the phen-
omenon. After the Hotaru- Kassen is done,
the Ujikawa covered with the still spark
ling bodies of the drifting insects, is said
to appear like the milky way, or as the
Japanese more POLITICALLY call it, the River
of Heaven.
The homes of the great middle class in
Japan are constructed of light bamboo on
account of its great elactcity i'll time
of earthquake They are built a story and
a half high, with tiny balconies above
the roof is of tile in various colors, blue
predominatng. The walls are merely slid
ing screens of heavy paper working
somewhat on the principal of our sliding
DOORS On these are painted scenes in
which the pine tree, mountains and the
crane appear to be faYorite subjects with
the artist The back invariably opens
upon a garden, where the Japanese chill
dren spend much of their time playing
shuttle-cock, hop scotch, blind mans buff
and other games around the fountains
and among the flowers. The sitting room.
guest room and in fact the very best
rooms of the house are at the back,
opening on the garden. The floors are Gov
cred with mats three inches in thickness.
No other furniture is observable, as the
japanese sit, eat. and sleep upon the
floor Comforts spread upon the mats form
their beds at night, padded wooden blocks
serve as pillows. These are locked away
in wall cupboards during the day. The
homes are heated by iron brazers,
kind of charcoal stove which in the
homes of the Weather class are some
times of brass and even silver lined with
iron, in which scented wood is burned
with the charcoal The Japanese home,
though bare is indeed an artistic abode.
The woods are of the finest, highly pol
ished, oftmes sweet scented. The screens
in many cases are the painting of a mas
ter hand. Exqustely wrought bronze
lamps sometimes light the apartments.
The windows are fashioned of carved
grilling into which Is inserted trans
lucent paper which serves as glass. Even
the nails in the woodwork are carefully
concealed by bronze ornaments. Some
times one exquisite vase filleu with
spray of flowers forms the only orna-
ment of a whole apartment. Pretty
screens are seen, and an occasional low
table. Every home contains a household
shrine or a raised altar before which
the family pray. These are as rich in
design as the station or money OF the
householder will permit. or course there
are numerous modern buildings in ia
pan. Their public and government build
ings are of stone, some OF them very
handsome and imposing.
Streets in the foreign section OF Toxic
could not be told from an American or
European street, so many japanese men
and women have been educated in foreign
colleges and have imbibed foreign tastes,
habits and style of dress. Some homes
have rooms fitted in foreign furnishings
as we'll as others in japanese, that the
guest may make himself comtortaple IN
the way he chooses.
We have heard that the position or the
japanese woman is inferior to that or her
husband But we find this is in a great
measure untrue. The Japanese woman Is
happy and content She does not care
for woman's rights She is quite willing
to leave the affairs of her country to
her husband and son. But In her nome
she is loved and respected as is almost
any other woman in the world. jap
anese wag once said: american men
kiss their wives in public and beat them
in private; while Japanese men beat
theirs in public and kiss them in priv
ate" The high caste Japanese woman
is truly very dainty type of beauty.
Her hair is oiled, brushed and polished
to a high degree, and Is then built up
high around rats, and ornaments with
fancy pins of silver or tortoise shell. Her
nails are manicured to perfection and her
tiny mouth rouged. She is graceful and
gentle always, holding her emotions well
under control, never allowing either JOY
or sorrow to shake the polite serenity
of her beautiful manners.
The upper caste ladies OF Japan DO not
wear hats but ride about in their jim
rikshas with only bright hued parasol
held daintily above their heads. Their
gowns are very fine and beautiful, be-
ing oftimes of rare silk or SILK crepe IN
delicate shades of grey, or blue, with
bands of heiotrope and pink, and sash
or girdle embroidered In gold. More at
tentlon is paid to the decoration of the
girdles than to any other part Oh the
gown.
The same grace Oh anu Gun
teousness seem also instilled into men of
the country. In fact, Japan is noted Tor
the extreme politeness and gentle man
ners of her people--and yet, beneath this
polite serenity and courteous bearing, the
love of the beautiful and peace and re-
pose, there lies deep In the Japanese heart
an eager thirst for war and the noise
NJ hattie: a chance to test his stolid
bravery and prove to the world that he
Is at least worthy descendant OF his
heroic ancestors. The sword Is the most
sacred object In every Japanese house
hold.
The Samurai. or two sworded men or
japan, called so, / suppose. because they
wear two swords, are the aristocracy or
Japan They are the flower -of the Japa-
nese army The Samurai comes OF long
line of soldier ancestors, of which fact
he is very proud He is as fearless IS
he is intelligent and is born leader al |
ways
To see Japan in all its beauty one should
visit the country during one OF the four
transitions of fiowery fete days, which
come at four different seasons of the
year. At the blooming season OF the
cherry, chrysanthemum, wisteria and IRIS
When all Japanese take holiday, and HE
themselves to the gardens and public
parks, where they allow the nature wor-
shin inherited from long line of an
cestors to run riot in their souls Then
is the true spirit of Japan. the true char
acter of Its people revealedin all Its deli