The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-24
VIRGINIA L,ADY'S 3
VISIT TO JAPAN

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ri Written for the SUI
NJ We ,wope so fortunate as 70 visit ia pan
during o l1istory-nnking epoch--the V nti-
tumt, Of 1906 when the whole II &C ufltry
was rejoicing over the conclusions OF the
RUSSO Japanese War. We crossed tho
5Paoino WITT, the Peace Commission and
fafterS two weeks acquaintance with them
on the ship we got Their into tho spirit
OF things Japanese before wo landed f'lt ts
Following n tho conventional track I've ~ !,
landed In okohanla, the most important
open port. and now quite Etropea n i,e
ana next we went to r okio, I he capithl,
q shybred, with European court and large
mature city, and lastly we went to 1kyo't t,
1.-The heart Of old Japan, stopp Ing be tween wee
times In tho provinccs, and maxim s e1-
|4cursions into the country. N i, IN
Could Only Say Yes: 5235s
We were met In q kohaina by friends len q
ex-Lyncliburgers who drove up to the u
/ hotel In their tarrage, and things looked
80 entirely natural we did not think Il
could be Japan However, when Wo went
to our rooms, and a procession OF a raped
figures came prostrntlng Themselves be-
fore us, offering us guides, maids, tailors.
and everything elae, we liked, IT began 70
Slook more like the Orient. 5s
,s'e decided to go right out In rick
shows to got first Impression. and went
into the court to call two boys. a dozen
surrounded n us at once. We asked one
whose looks we liked. II he spoke En- e
lIsh. Yes he replied easily q common
delusion among them. What IS your
og ctynS n
again, and this was ali he could say
though his running capacity proved ex X
$celent 5553, z8tsss ;.s
80 Our first Impression was not very JaEsal- pa.
|inese. for the Standard OIL palace met
@our eye at ono corner, and the singer
sewing machine at another. Returning
sto our hotel tins disgust, we found 10 large
band playing rag-time music, and the
dining full of compatriots.
Still we found Yokohama attractive.
Many travellers settle here, In the Grand
Hotel, and never SO anywhe else. t !,
8llfo Is SO gny.nnd amusing. SfS We would
lssit for hours on the terrace, watching
|&the $juggers, dancers and musicians, and
Hooking first at glorious Fujiyama, with
|$ita snow cap in the backgrounds ana
then out over tho harbor. where the ships
OF all nations were Mt anchor. 81
Peace was ratified. O few days after
we landed, & ana Togo brought the whole
victorious fleet In port to BIO rcyie wed by
the AIlkado, There were six lines 81
ships. two miles lone. wit the capt " g
Zones, and they made q magnlfi cent asiioW
| Though many were battered by the war.
! X okohama was decorated with the sun
nag, red and white. bunting. 'wreaths,
arches and lanterns, and looked Y Ike
,fairyland, especially when the lights
| were III, Z; the ships Illuminated, and the
searchlights over the bay. s
Tokyo Quite Gay. 58
Wo next proceeded to Tokyo, f1ich we
made our headquarters. and we found Nll
Lac very brilliant, h,aing the seat OF the
court OF the center OF the ational life.
The officers Of the army and navy had
lust returned from tho front, us well as
The foreign attaches, and many Russian
officers and many splendid entertain
ments wero being given for them me
evening of our arrival, q we went to Il
reception given to Togo, and found him
shy and retiring with very bright eyes
and dark skin, like all the. fighting men
of the Satsumn province. The japanese q.
officers were In very fine uniforms, Win
many orders, but tho ladies looked alb
surd. In French ball dresses, with tiaras
as diamonds
At a great banquet given to the fleet,
we saw the first CSisha dancing on q
stage. erected In the garden for the pur-
pose Tho Geisha girls OF fourteen or
sixteen were gorgeously dressed IN rich
~ embroidered kmonos. but their stir
nostlrIng did mot appeal to pe, except
az l,sing curious. Older girls played tho
l$rleintive sannsln, and still Offices fitted
|.amongst the guests like gay butter
| flies,
Celebrate Emperor's Birthday.
We cele. rated tho Emperor's birthday
BY going to the theater with a Japanese
ofrlcer to see an old historical play which
began at ten In the morning and lasted
TIL midnight We could not understand
the play, nor our friends explnnat ion OF
III, hut 1t was fun to watch the people.
| While we sat In n box, reserved sfor
foreigners, with chairs in It, tho natives
all sat on the floor In large family groups
and had their meals served to them from
outside. Tho characters were all taken
| bys men, as women are not allowed on
| the stage, and part of tho play is spoken.
while the inner thoughts of the actors
1 arc sung by the chorus Once when they
| all howled Mt once. our friend said They
were speaking q little fun" but no.
4 ticed that the Japs Wept over u. Be
tween acts, we We're asked to the green
room. where wo met the actors and
other interesting people. We We're rather
exhausted at the end of an hour, and
! went to the Maple Club for ten. This IS
/ the most fashionable club house In ia
4 pan, yet typical OF all their uninterest-
Ing architecture. It Is built with tiled
roof and sliding screen walls The floors
IRE covered with flne,6 soft mattngs, and
the furnishings Of the rooms nre bright
4 pillows to sit on. with an occasional scroll
!, on the wall, and q vase OF flowers, The
rooms nro heated only by braaiers o.
4 coal, and are very uncomfortable In cold
4 weather, when the people pile on more
clothes to keep warm, The garden of the
i Manila Z Cluh has no flowers, but has