New-York tribune., 1906-01-04
JAPANESE GIRLS At HOME.
Their School Education Ended, Preparations
for Married Life Begin.

Miss Mitsu Okada, Of Toxic Japan writes this
of the home life Of Japanese girls of marriageable
age: '"The japanese girl Of seventeen to-day is
just of the high school. Physically she is well
developed and free from the weakness which used
TO characterize her through the overcarefuI pro-
lection Of her elders. But in affairs Of life she
is still ignorant and inexperienced. School educa-
ton is finished, however SO the girl must marry
the sooner the better Her life as daughter at
home stands as a period Of waiting and preparation
for the coming life of a homemaker.
within few months after the girl leaves school
she becomes an altogether altered being. No trace
OF school girlishness remains about her. Her
glossy, smooth hair done in maiden STYLE with
silver ornaments; her soft. low voice: her gentle
graceful movements-she IS miracle wrought by
the hand of her devoted mother. Girsh sim
plicity and artessness have given place maidenly
coyness and new charm. The parts which she
plays at home numerous and important. AS
grown-up sister she looks after the needs of her
younger brothers and sisters, presdes over their
home lessons and helps in their play. Overseer Of
the servants she is taught to give orders to food
dealers TO keep household accounts. to help in
cooking and housecleaning. As mothers deputy
she writes letters and entertains callers In add-
ton. she has the care of the parlors does more
less Of gardening, and great deal Instead
of studying textbooks now she spends her leisure
hours IN reading the daily papers. and often novels
This mothers helper and childrens companion
has however, but little outing pleasure. Invita-
tions TO social entertainments are seldom extended
to women and girls The highly cultured family is
carefully kept away from the theatre. Yose, or
concerts of native music considered undesir-
able places for a girl to frequent. Her pleasure
therefore, may be said to be confined to occasional
visits to her friends birthday parties garden par
ties and flower fetes Even upon these occurrences
she seldom has the company of young men TO
give variety and tone TO the converse ton
Yet every one in Japan-man and wonan-is ex-
pected TO marry. It is considered duty heaven
owed And the ordinary fate of girl is to go out
from early youth with the idea that the home
where she was born is a temporal one, and that
never to cherish the idea OF remaining unmarTiedD
this would be disgracing her family and herselr)
lead single life Is thought to be under the heavt-
est doom suffer. Hence follow tho
mothers anxiety and earnest effort to have her
daughter lose the chance of marriage.
The girl who has had hardly any acquaintance
with young men has no resources from which to
choose her husband. Even if she had opportunities
for Tnngling with young men the choice must not
be left TO her inexperienced mind. Her marriage
is of vital consequence to her whole famiy-not
alone TO her own future happiness Therefore. as
the girl reaches seventeen or eighteen her
parents begin to look around among their ac-
From here and there number of marriage pro-
posas fly into the home. People known and
one who most closely approaches the ideal is
singled out Then the daughter IS asked the
neither the parents nor the daughter have the
would-be bridegroom. but very likely they have his
lately taken picture. They may thus gain some
character past life, education and standing can be
Judged from what they have learned from
other people HOW the girl. although she is free
tive knowledge about the man? She usually admits
that her parents choice Is fautless, and assents
chances TO know her future husband personally,
and ayow her love for him from the beginning