Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-11-06
JAPAN HAS TIE SIMPLE LIFE
.oLLEGE PROFESSOR AND WIFE
CAN LIVE ON $3.50 A YEAR.

A land where d college professor
educated in America-can support
wife and save money on a salary OF
$500 a year may be said TO have
achieved the simple life.
The house in which the professor
lived in Kioto is described by
writer in the Craftsman as wooden
structure twenty-foar feet by twenty
FIVE on plot of land thirty feet front
and fifty feet deep. 1t was shut in
by an artistically made bamboo fence
five feet high. The fence was lodi,
SO no prying eyes might see in.
Stepping down from the rickshaws
we passed through the gate to the
vestibuie. There, leaving my shoes,
and my friend and the maid their
sandals, we entered the house in
stocking feet.
The first room, a six mat one, was
nine by twelve feet 1t was divided
by sliding screens from the one next
the garden, a corner room twelve
feet wide and at that time twenty
four feet long Through the centre
of this large room were the iron
grooves in the floor and overhead for
the sliding screens that at night
would divide it into two sleeping
rooms, but as the day was warm and
fair the screens had been lifted out
and stacked away, leaving an unbrok-
en- space.
Sinking to our knees on the soft
cushion laid on the floor We await
ed the arrival of our hostess. a pat
ter of light feet, the sliding of a
screen and she appeared. Resting
our outspread hands before US on the
straw mats we made deep reverences
in response to her bows of cordial
greeting.
Having brought with us as a gift
a box of sweets, tied with the red
and white gift string, and the slip
of paper folded like an arrows sheaf,
we Slid it gently toward the little
lady. She received it graciously but,
according to etiquette, neither touch
ed nor opened the box.
When formalities were over and we
were pleasantly chatting in walked
the husband and professor, just back
from college.
The little wife drew her tiny pipe
and took her three puffs from it, while
the professor smoked his native CT
gazette as we talked.
Il pay twenty yen (s10) a month
rent" said DR.. Magai THAT is high
rent for professor, but we are SO
near the college that can walk back
and forth, saving the cost of a rick
shaw and of getting my luncheon
away. To build such a house as this
would cost about 5000, and the land
is valued at $500.
Our one servant does all the work,
and we pay her thirty yen a year.
To be sure, my wife gives her a kim
ono now and again, but they cost
only a yen apiece. She lived with
she can make up ripped garments and
do all necessary sewing. When my
wife has guests she prepares and
serves the meal SO well we need only
but sweets"
Can she wash?" l asked.
"Our wash is so small she can
easily do it," he replied. with you
it would be necessary to send your
clothes to laundry, as | do my
foreign garments
Then | remembered that in a Jap
anese household there are no table
cloths, napkins, sheets, pillow cases or
curtains to be done up, for none OF
these are used. The meals are served
on individual lacquer trays, and eaca
person carries in his sleeve a paper
napkin that is destroyed when
soiled.
The bedding consisted of fulones,
heavy Wadded comfortables. One laid
on the floor served as a bed and a
second one furnished all the cover
ing necessary.
Pillows were curved wooden blocks
or hard rolls of rice husk, and over
these each night was tied a sheet
of fresh white paper The Japanese
take so many hot baths; two day
being the usual number, that
their garments do not become Soiled
as do ours When their kimonos are
dirty they either wash them intact in
tiny tubs before which they crouch
or rip them up and wash out the
pieces.
Their drying process takes the place
of our ironing, for they never use an
iron. The ripped pieces, very wet.
are spread smooth and flat on long
boards.
These boards are then stood against
the sides of the house in the sun and
cir. When dry the material is care
fully pulled off and will be as stiff
and smooth as if it had been starched
and ironed.
do tell me what your other ex-
penses are 1 asked.
Fuel" he answered, costs about
twenty-five yen year, light ten yen,
and ten yen l pay to the Government
for my house tax.
Then there is the item of clothes.
Mine are expensive, for 1 must have
both foreign and native, bat my wife
was so well provided at our marriage
that she has bought nothing since.
Last year ! spend fifty yen On clothes.
"Our food costs US about a hun
dred yen. You know there is never
any waste in a Japanese kitchen, and
every morsel cooked is eaten.
-Four hundred and sixty-five yen.
Yes. that is close to what we spent
last year, for my salary is 500 yen
a year, and paid off 200 yen of my
debt"
PLACING the Blame.