The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-07-16
MYRIAD BABES OF THE MIKADO'S EMPIRE
Vow Ages Are Reck-
outlying Fish for
Birthdays--Boys Pre-
ferred to Girls--Jap.
anese Children Cry.

TOKIO-When I began to outline
the topics 1 would include in my Sc
rs.ies from Japan a lady said to me,
e"Why don't you write story about
she babies? There is no subject that
appeals to women more than children;
there could not be more entertaining
reading than an account Of the Curl
Gus juvenile customs Of the japanese"
After all the babies of this country
really are it's main attraction. The
cherry blossoms appear at times and
the temples may be seen in places, but
the youngsters are everywhere on all
occasions. What delights the tourist
more than the hosts of gaily attired
tots who, no matter where he may
come upon them, seem always to be
grouped in unconscious grace as if
posing for a picture.
Y The japanese have queer way of
reckoning the age of their young. AS
soon as baby is born it is said to be
a year old. 1t is regarded as such
until it's first anniversary when it be-
comes two years old, this deception
continuing throughout it's life. Amer
lean women beginning to mellow with
age would doubtless look with disfavor
upon this custom of asserting to an
extra year--it even being charged that
some of them, like May Irwin in Mrs.
Black is Back" delibera tely shorten
their lives by discarding a few years
now and then-but here in Japan,
where time does not seem to lay heavy
upon anyone, there is no disadvantage
to the individual because the deceit is
universal. This, odd practice doubt
less had its origin in the Oriental hab-
it of adding one for every fraction.
When you stop to consider the matter
seriously it really is quite an economy
in bookkeeping to credit yourself
with a year rather than to bother with
trif1es like months and days.
THE NATIONAL BIRTHDAY.
Some of the japanese parents reckon
the age Of their male children from
the first national birthday occurring
after their advent. This general an
niversary for boys is another custom
distinctly japanese. Instead of each
boy being permitted to celebrate in
his own way on the actual day Of his
birth, he must needs deny himself the
pleasure Of an individual demonstra-
ton and make common joy with the
throng on the fifth day of the fifth
month. Should his first glimpse of
the world chance to occur on this par
ocular day. he is just in time to cele-
Hfate, but if he misses this date by a
few days or weeks or months, he has
to worry along until the next annual,
when he car. ratify to his hearts con-
tent in CON- any with all his fellows.
If this restrictive idea, tending as it
does to the concentration of celebra-
tive inclination, should spread to the
United States and be applied to that
portion Of our population which leans
to convivial Indulgence, there would
be an outburst of much pent-up en-
thusiasm when, on the morning Of the
annual American Drinking Day, the
band begins to play "There'll be a
Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight"
On the morning Of the boys birth
day in Japan tall pole is mounted in
front Of each home wherein g. male
child has been born during the year.
The top of this pole is ornamented by
a fancy piece of basket work. In adj
dftion to this wicker ball there is sus-
pended, in the same manner that a
flag is attached to staff, a large pa
per or cloth fish. This figure is SYM
bolic. 1t represents the carp which
has the strength and endurance to
contend against the current Of the
stream for many years. By the same
sign the boy is to become sturdy and
long-lived An iron ring OF wooden
hook is placed in the mouth Of the fish
so that the air can fill it. AS the
breeze plays with it the motion Is as
natural as if it were alive and SWIM
ming in the water. If there are a
number Of boys in a family a fish is
added to the string for every one. In
some places the lads are so numerous
that. the air is brilliant with a whole |
Hfhool of immense flying carp.