The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-21
MIR. Bryan'S Impressions of the
Venerated Mountain, Fuji
Yama - Evidences of Re-
markable Industry.


progress in the same length Of time,
and at no time in her history has
Japan enjoyed greater prestige than
she enjoys just now; and, it may be
added, at no time has she had to face
greater problems than those which now
confront her.
We were fortunate in the time Of
our arrival Baron Komura, the re-
turning peace commissioner, returned
two days later; the naval review cele-
brating the new AnglO-Japanese alli-
ance took place in Yokohama harbOr a
week afterward. and this was followed
next day by the reception of Admiral
Togo at Toxic. These were impor-
tant events, and they gave a visitor an
extraordinary opportunity to see the
people en- masse. In this article shall
deal in a general way with Japan and
her people, leaving for future articles
her history, her government, her poll
tics. her industries. her art, her edu-
cation and her religions. SER
The term Japan is q collective title
applied 10 four large Islands. that is,
Honshu. Kyushu, Shfkoku, Hokkaido,
and about 500 smaller ones. FormOsa
and the islands Immediately adjoining
it are not generally included, although
since the Chinese war they belong to
Japan -.
Japan extends in the shape OF
80 north latitude and 1856 east longitude
to q degrees north latitude and 119 east
longitude The area IS a little less than
100, 900 square miles, more than half Of
which is on the island of HOnShu. The
coast line is broken by numerous bays
furnishing commOdiOus harbOrs, the
most important Of which are at Yoko-
hamO Osaka, Kobe, Nagasak, KogO-
sIlima and HakOdate. The islands are
30 mountainous that only about one
twelfth the area is capable of cultiva-
ton. Although Formosa has a noun
tain, Mt Niitaka sometimes called
Mt. MOrrisOn) which is 1000 feet high
er. Fujiyama is the highest mountain
in japan proper. It reaches a height
Of 1866 feet.
Full CYama IS the japanese word for
mountain) is called the Sacred noun
tain, and is an object Of veneration
among the Japanese. And we'll it may
be, for IL IS doubtful II there is on
earth a more symmetrical mountain
approaching it in height. Rising in
the shape Of a perfect cone, with its
summit crowned with snow throughout
nearly the entire year, and visible from
sea level, it is one of the most sublime
of all the works Of nature. Mt. Rainier
as they say at Seattle, or Tacoma, as
Il IS called in the city of that name
and POpocatapetl, near MeXiCO'S cap
ital, are the nearest approach 10 Full
so far as the writer's observation goes
Pictures Of Full are to be found on
everything; they are printed on silk,
embroidered on screens, worked on vel
vet, carved in wood and wrought in
bronze and stone We saw 1t from
Lake Hakone. a beautiful sheet Of wa
ter some 1900 feet. above the ocean.
The foothills which surround the lake
seem to open at one point in order to
EyiN n ad lou Of 70
ing sides Of this sleeping giant.
And speaking of Hakone, it is one
Of the beauty spots of Japan On an
island In this lake is the summer home
OF the crown prince Hakone is reached
by a six-mile ride from Miyanoshita, a
picturesque little village some sixty
miles west of Yokohama. There are
here hot springs and all the delights
of q mountain retreat One Of the best
modern hotels in Japan, the Fujiya, is
located here, and one of the earliest
guests was General Grant when he
made his famous tour around the
world. The road from the hotel TO
Hakone leads by foaming mountain
streams, through closely cultivated val
leys and over a range from which the
coast line can be seen.
NikkO, about 100 miles north of To-
kio, and Nara about thirty miles from
KyOtO, are also noted for their natural
scenery, but as these places are even
more renowned because Of the temples
located there, they will be described
later. The inland sea which separates
the larger islands Of Japan, and is it.
self studded with smaller islands, adds
interest to the travel from port to port
Many Of these islands are inhabited
and the tiny fields which perch upon
their sides give evidence of an ever
present thrift. Some of the islands are
he ST. TO-
feet above the waves, while some are
so tiny as to look like haystacks in q
submerged meadow
All over japan one is impressed with
the patient industry of the people. II
the Hollanders have reclaimed the
ocean bed, the people Of Japan have
encrOached upon the mountains. They
have broadened the valleys and ter
raced the hillsideS. OFTEN the dirninu-
tive fields are held in place by stone
walls while the different levels are fur.
nished with an abundance Of water
from the short but numerous rivers
The climate IS very much diversified
ranging from almost tropical heat II
FOrnosa to arctic cold in the northern
islands; thus Japan can produce al
most every kind Of food. Her popula
ton in 1903 was estimated at nearly
a, 900. 900, an increase of about 1880,
900 since 1873 While Toxic has a popU
lation Of nearly 1, SOC. 900, Osaka a pop
ulation Of nearly 1000, 900; KyotO. $50.
600; Yokohama, 300 900, and Kobe ant
Nagoya about the same, besides man.
large cities of less size, still a Iarg
majority of the population is rural, ant
the farming communities have a de
cided prepOndeIance Of the federal con
greSs, or diet. The population, how
ever, is increasing more rapidly in tn
cities than in the country.
The stature of the japanese is below
that OF the citizen Of the Unitet
States and northern Europe. TIL
average height of the men in the arm,
is about five feet two inches, and tn
average weight between 12O and 13
pounds. It looks like burIesque oper
to see, as one does occasionally. two o
three little japanese soldiers guardinJ
a group Of big, burly Russian prison
ers.
The opinion is quite general that tn
habit which the Japanese form fror
infancy of sitting on the floor wit
their feet under them tends to shorte
the lower limbs. In all the schools tn
children are now required to sit uDo
benches and whether from this caus