The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-28

sugar or. cream. The tea drinking hab-
il is universal here, the kettle Of hot
water sitting on the Goals in the bra
zier most of the time. At each rail-
road station the boys sing out, cha!
Cha" (thes Japanese word for tea) and
for less than 2 cents in our money they
will furnish the traveller with an earth
en- pot of hot tea, with pot and cup
thrown in.
The use of tea at social gatherings
dates back at least 500 years, when a
tea Eceremonial was instituted by a
Buddhist priest to soften the manners
of the warriors. 1t partOOk of re-
ligious character at first, but soon be
came a social form, and different
schools of tea drinkers Wed with each
other in suggesting rules and methods
OF procedure. About SEQ years ago
Hideyoshi, one of the greatest of the
military rulers of Japan, gave what is
described as the largest tea party on
record, the invitations being in the
form of an imperial edict. All lovers
of tea were summoned to assemble at
a given date in a pine grove near Ky
otto, and they seem to have done so
The tea party lasted ten days and the
emperor drank at every booth
According to Chamberlain, tea drink
ing had reached the luxurious stage
before the middle of the fourteenth
century. The lords took part in the
daily gatherings, reclining on tiger
skins, the walls of the guest chamber
being richly Ornamented. One of the
popular games Of that day was the
offering of a number of varieties of
tea, the guests being required to guess
where each variety was produced, the
best guess winning a handsome prize.
I 20, a6 at CT
cone useful purpose-it furnished an in
nocent way of killing time-and the
lords of that day seem to have had
an abundance of time on their hands.
The daughters of the upper classes
We're trained to perform the ceremony
| and displayed much skill therein Even
/ to this day it is regarded as one of the
| accomplishments and young ladies
perfect themselves in it much as our
! daughters learn music and singing. AT
Kogoshina Governor Chikani, one OF
| the most SCHOLARLY men whom I have
met here, had his daughter perform
| for my instruction a part of the cere-
mony, time not permitting more. With
charming grace she prepared, poured
and served this Japanese nectar, each
motion being according to the rules Of
the most approved sect, for there are
sects among tea drinkers
The theatre is an ancient institution
here, although until recently the actors
were considered beneath even the mer-
! camille class Their social standing
has. been somewhat improved since the
advent of western ideas. The theatre
building is very plain as compared witt
ours or even with the better class q
homes here. They are always on the
ground floor and have a circular, re
Ia CT
which makes it possible to change the
scores instantly.
The plays are divided into twt
kinds, historical ones reproducing OLE
Japan. and modern plays. The per
Torrance often lasts through the entir'
day and evening, some of the audience
bringing their tea kettles and food
Lunches, fruit, cigarettes and tea ar
also on sale in the theatre. The peopl
sit on the floor as they do in thei
homes and at public meetings One o
the side ais1es is raised to the level o
the stage, and the actors use it 70
entrance and exit.
In this connection word should b
said in regard to the geisha girls VIII
| have furnished such ample materia
for the artist and the decorator. The
are selected for their beauty an
trained in what is called dance, al
though it differs so much from tn
American dance as scarcely to be de
scribable by that term. 1t is rather
series Of graceful poses in which ga
costumes. dainty fans, flags, scarf
and sometimes parasols play a par
: The faces of the dancers are expires
sionless and there is mo exposure {
/ the limbs The geisha. girls are ofte
called in to entertain guests at a pr
: vate dinner, the performance being be
! fore. not after, the meal.
z Our first introduction to this natioT
al amusement was at the Maple clu
, dinner given at Toxic by a societ
composed Of Japanese men who ha
studied in the United States. tt
name of the society is a Japane:
phrase which means the Friends
y America" The Maple Club is the mo
famous restaurant in Japan, and IL
geisha girls employed there stand
the head of their profession. Durir
h the dancing there is music on strings
Instruments which reSen1 bile the haY