The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-01-30

IL
Customs of the Japanese Which arc
Exactly the Reverse OF Ours-Winc
served Hot and Soup Cold-Whitc
For Mourning-Quccr Funeral Gus
toms - Baron Komura's Arrival
from Amcrica-The Monster Re
ception Of Admiral Togo-Nr. Bry-
ans Embarrassing" Experience in
the Great IroccSeion-'Ihc Official
Ccrcmonies-Imprc of Atin,i-
.aI Toeo-Nr Bryan's Audience
With the MiI<adO-The Popular Tea
ceremonial - The Theatre and
Gcisha Girls-Thc Inisnitablc jap
ancsc Hospitality. Japanese Farm
cr's Friend. d."-E,ntertained by Mr..
Yamashita-Banzais from School
Childrcn-Good VIII for America.
Every nation has its customs. its
way OF doing things and a nations
customs and ways are likely to be
pccuIldr i'll proportion as the nation
is Isolated. In Japan therefore, one
would expect to see many strange
things, and the expectation is more
than realized. In some things their
customs are exactly the opposite of
ours. In writing they place their
characters in vertical lines and move
from right to left, while our letters
are arranged in horizontal lines and
read from left to right. Their books
begin where ours end and end where
ours begin. The japanese carpenters
pun the saw and plane toward thcm,
while ours push them from them.
The Japanese mounts his steed from
the right, while the American nouns
from the left; Japanese turn to the
left Americans to the right. Japanese
write it Smith John Mr.. while we say
MI John Smith. At dinners in Japan
wine is served hot and soup cold and
tho yard is generally at the back of
the house instead of the front
The Japanese wear white for mourn
ing and often bury their dead in a sit
ting posture. The death is sometimes
announced as occurring at the house,
when il actually occurred elsewhere,
and the date of the death is fix
cd to suit the convenience of the fam
NY, ThiS is partly due to the fact that
the Japanese like to have the doafh
appear as occurring at home.
Sometimes funeral services are held
over a part of the body. An Amer
while attending her mistress in the
United states, reports an incident
worth relating. The lady cabled her
husband asking instructions in regard
to the disposition of the body. He
conferred with the family of the de-
ceased and cabled back directing the
Wife to bring a lock of the hair and
The false teeth of the departed. The
Instructions We're followed and upon
tn" delivery of these precious relics
they We're inferred with the usual
ceremonies.
The handshake is uncommon evea
among Japanese politicians, except in
their Intercourse with foreigners.
When Baron kOmura returned from
the Peace Conference in which b
played so important a part, [ was anX-
ious to be present at his arrival. part
~ out of respect to the man and part
~ out of curiosity TO see whether the
threatened manifestations of disap-
prevail would be made by the pOpulace
1t having been rumOred that thOus-
ands of death lanterns were being pre-
pared for hostile parade. CIT is need
less to say that the threats did not ma
tcrialize and that no expressions of
disapprOVal were heard after his ar
IiVaI) | found it impossible to learn
either the hour or the landing place and !
dcspairins Of being present, started !
to visit a furniture factory to inspect /
some wood carving. Consul General /
Jones. of Dalney (near Port Arthur, !
then Visiting in Yokohama. was my
escort and, as good fortune would !
have it, we passed near the Detached /
palace. Dr. Jones hearing that the
landing might be made there, obtain
ed permission for us to await +he
Peace Commissioners coming. We
found there Marquis Ito and half
dozen other officials. AS Baron i<o-
mura did not arrive for half an hour.
il save me the best opportunity That
] could have had to become acQuaiut-
ed with the MARQUIS. who is the most
Influential man in Japan at present.
lie is President of the PriVy Council
Of Elder Statesmen and is credited
with being the most potent factor i'll
the shaping of Japan's demands at
Portsmouth,
Nhcn Baron KOmura stepped from
Use launch upon the soil of his native
j"HI. he was met by Marquis Ito and
each greeted the other with a low
h.". The Baron then saluted the
o'n@r officials in the same manner
"'' turning. bowed to a group of Jap
Ia+S" 3 ladies' representing the Woman s
Iau2ouc Association. DR. Jones ard
STOOD some feet in the rear of tie
"iilcI&Is aHG were greeted by the
I|@f"n after he had saIuted his own
l"uhuEmen. He extended his hand
&" us. The incident is mentioned az
i''>'i oliiig me d1ILcftiIce Ill lIle Hid1-
h'F Of greeting. For who would be |
more apt TO clasp hands. if that were
customary. than these two dstin-
@uished statesmen whose personalities
arc indissOlubly linked together in the
conclusion of the world renowned
treaty?
4 brier account Of the reception Of
ADMIRAL TOGO may be interesting to
hose who read this article. While at
okiO / visited the city hall. at the
invitation of the MavOr and Ciiy