Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1906-07-28
HUMOROUS JAPANESE ATTEMPTS
AT ENGLISH SIGNS.
Rev. F. Il. Hill i'm His Concluding
Letter of Travel Tells of Con-
ditions In Japan-Two Views of
Japan-The National Spirit-The
Y. NJ. G. A. in Japan-The
Future of Japan ReligiousIy.
Concluded from last week

pronounced by all to be the finest IN
the Orient we came to spend three
days and remained ten. The village
is nestled in the valley with beautiful
hills on every side. The air is pure
and cool and one may here rest peace
fully and forget that he is "tripper."
There is little to do from blase
tourists point of view but one likes
to spend his time doing it. The only
excursion of note was to lake Hakone.
We were carried in chairs borne by
four coolies each. The coolies sho"
wonderful strength and patience and
so must the passenger. Lake Hakone
is noted in Japan because from GER
tain points grand view OF Fugl Is
obtained and when the water is calm
the reflection of the snow capped
peak is said to be perfect. But as the
clouds hung heavy, we failed to get
the view. We returned to Mlyano-
shita by way of "Big He'll" as cele-
brated sulphur beds are called. lt Is
quite certain that the region suggests
illustration for the orthodox view OF
the Internal regions. 1t is desolate
and vile smelling place. we were
warned not to step out of the beaten
track least we should sink into nell
again suggestion for sermon
One day assayed to climb noun
tain. When I suggested my plan TO
Kaid szu- san (the ''san" is the same
as our 'sMr.") / was surprised al MS
WILLINGNESS to take the walk Tor as a
rule he doesn't care for heavy work
Later when we had reached polnb
which I considered to be but the be-
ginning of the climb and ne salo'
s.now we will return by short path
to the hotel" understood that MS
early eagerness was based on lalse
ideas as to the intention OF MS com
panion. l urged him tiguratively' up
another thousand feet and then ne
sat down to rest while finished the
ascent in company with young
farmer who volunteered to show the
way.
After the good rest in the hill coun-
try we felt quite able to finish our
+our of Japan and we were OF Tor
Tokvo. the capital of the empire. A
CITY of nearly two million, it is the
center of official and social life OF the
emnire, It is a grotesque combln-
alton of the old and the new in Japan
The city is spread out so far that IL
+okas an increditable time to ricklsha
across it. The government buildings
are all built in European style and
the Mikado's palace $50 we were IN
formed) is "half and hail. lha6
4shaIf and half" expresses very aptly
present conditions in Japan. 1t re-
presents the state of civilization ana
modernization as we'll as the manner
of living on the part of the leading
Japanese.
As a place for tourists who have no
entree into court or diplomatic So
ciety, Tokyo is decided failure. The
chief sight for us was the display OF
snoils of war captured by the Japan
csc from Russia. One of the public
marks in front of the palace grounds
is literally filled up with cannon and
ammunition and all sorts of imple-
ments of war, and museum con-
4ains thousands of d fferent relics.
One is impressed with the vastness of
the victory and the awfulness of the
struggle when he sees these relics.
We visited one park where western
influences were reflected most decid-
edlv. It was sort of Coney Island,
Midway and Pike all huddled to-
gether. You felt yourself carried
awav to a western land where such
things are to the manor born,--ex-
cept for the music, that alone kept
you in Japan.
After three days in Tokyo, we visit
ed Nikko farther to the north. Per-
haps no place in Japan is more often
spoken of and eulogized than Nikko.
We were unfortunate in that the
weather conditions we're bad and |
suppose this fact colored my whole
impression, but I was distinctly dis
appointed. The temples too were
under repair and SO they could not
speak their whole worth, but | am
still loyal to the stately edifices in
Kyoto rather than the mighty color
ed ones of Nikko. The one feature OF
Nikko which was not a disappoint-
ment, was the great number of cryptic
meria trees. One avenue is about
twenty miles long. The story is that
when the temples were building, each
daimio contributed great sums OF
money for buildings and decorations.
One poor fellow had no money and SO
II ESQ Ia fn