The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-05-08
PROFESSOR HART
DESCRIBES JAPAN
Beautiful Views Are Shown OF
Gardens. Shrines and
Temples.

Royal School on Emma street yesteI
day evening to hear Professor Har
lecture on Japan. Long before the ap
! pointed hour, a great crowd of impa
tient children had assembled, waiting
expectantly for the doors to open
With the children, were a representa-
ton of their elders, and all, both ole
and young, were delightfully."- enter
tanned. 1t was practically a journey
through that land of surprising beau
ty, easily and conveniently made.
It's forests and mountain slopes, its
streams and smooth highways, the
gardens and the people, all were placed
before one as they really exist, by day
and by night, in the freshness of the
morning, and in the light of the sun
set.
The lecturer, after having shown a
number of enchanting views by way of
| who often seems to be endowed with
peculiar perception of what is inner
emily picturesque, explained that the
| photographs which had been seen by
thousands and universally admired,
were the work of Mr.. and Mrs. Gay
of Kauai. They should be an encour-
| agement to others, revealing the pos
sibilities of amateur photography.
The first pictures shown were of the
Emperor and Empress with Admiral
Togo and other heroes of the recent
war, these were conventional portraits.
While these were being exhibited a
brief outline of the early history of
Japan was given, from the mythology
cal period, when gods and heroes were
on friendly terms, through the rise and
fall of the Shogunate, the opening Of
its sealed ports by Commodore Perry,
and it's steady advance toward western
civilization The speaker deprecated
the dissatisfaction of the white races
who could see no merit in any art but
their own, and thought that those
present would be able to realize that |
other nations, as well, had distinguish
ed themselves in their love for, and |
their creation of, beautiful things.
In Europe it was not unusual to see
travellers in great cathedrals, laughing
and talking, with no reverence for that
which had been reverenced by thou
sands. The same attitude had been
shown toward those objects which
we've canrad RI tho Tapopoca and he I
hoped when such views were presented,
proper respect would be given them.
The ethnology was touched upon--the
real origin of the race, obscured in an
-iquity, the traces of an aboriginal
.ype in dwarf cave dwellers, with those
who gave evidence of Malayan origin.
rhe religion was also reviewed, the
ancient Shinto, the many sects of
3uddhists, Japanese Confucianism,
which, in it's regard for authority diff
cred from that of China with its wor-
hip of ancestors.
The first views were of Yokohama
he canal with it's still waters reflect {
ng the sky, and myriads of boats lin
ng either shore. One charming view
If the public gardens, with two beau ,
iful girls in the foreground, showed
he cherry blossoms in bloom-not
White. but rose pink, the trees bearing
10 fruit, but valued for its flowers ,
Llone. This avenue, it was explained,
s some two miles in length, the time s
# poisoning, the latter part of April,
icing season of festivals.
The Stone bridge, and the great Dai
3utsu of kaWakura, once the capital
If Eastern Japan, with its million in
Ia bitants, were next in order. The
representation of the great Buddha,
It whose shrine more prayers are Of
cred than anywhere on the globe. was
most faithful reproduction, placid
md inscrutable seated on his lotus
hrone.
The moat and bridge approaching the 5
imperial palace were amongst the views ,
# Toxic. with lovely tea gardens and
plendid beds of iris. This flower, the
ecturer said. represented the Japanese v
owe for simplicity, those natural Q
orms of which the iris was an exam +.
-
The mountain scenery in the vicinity "
f Miyanoshita, peak beyond peak, I
With gradations of forests, We're as q
early a reproduction of that marvel p,
us region as the art of man could 8
ompass. The views of Fujfyama
rought back its ethereal lines with F
ivid reality to those who have seen b
and cherish it as a memory of per- C
ect beauty O.
The wonders of Nikko were present. OF
d with equal fidelity-the red LACQUER tt
ridge sacred to the Shotgun. now it
pened twice a year to the pilgrims: is
he sacred horse of the gods: the mon al
eys that adorn the facade of the lit al
lie Shinto temple with their lesson, 81
See no evil. speak no evil. hear no OF
VIII: great temples, themselves. with
heir gorgeous color and their marvel ds
us carving: the avenues of crypto> til
1eria all Were shown just as they to
resent themselves to the eye of an ii;
bservant traveller. Space would not cl
erTnlt even the briefest mention of the co
ntlre series of views, not one of Sc
'hich was commonplace or inferior. fir
The collection, with the brief clear ef