The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1907-06-01
JAPAN EXCITED OVER
FIRST BEAUTY CONTEST

The beauty contest, now the rage in
America and England, has reached
Japan.
This hitherto distinctively Occiden-
tai comparison of woman's charms,
conducted by publication of photo
graphs, which has always been popu-
lar in the United States. thus COM
pletes an international triumph.
England had contest in which the
nOblest ladies of the realm were voted
on. Lady Pole Carew. eventually won.
France, ItalYsand Germany have also.
known this sorm of contest, but the
leap which took it all the way to the
mikados land is startling proof of
how Japan Is getting into touch with
the ways of the West.
Not SO many years ago, say dec
ade, such test would have been out
Of question in the Far East. The
photographers art had hardly reached
the point in Japan where in every
town there would be camera experts
to take pictures of the local beauties:
no publication existed which would
have had the enterprise to attempt
such contest, and peculiarly ORR
entail reserve in the matter of display
ing a woman's features promiscuously
would have foredoomed the expert
ment to defeat.
AS an example of changed condi-
tons the beauty contest now being
conducted by Toxic weekly paper is
astonishing.
Photographs are being sent to the
publication from all parts of Nippon.
The fine oval faces, the small hands
and feet, the delicious, soft skin of the
Japanese women are being posed be-
fore hundreds of cameras, and the in
terest is keen all over the country
The contest is not yet decided. 1t has
several months to run, for the wise ed
itor was not foolish enough to put a
short time limit on the most success
full venture he has ever attempted.
In only one particular does this con-
test differ from those held in the West
Entries are confined entirely to the
lower classes. The mikado nobility,
daimos, are not represented in the
competition. The noble head of one
OF these conservative families would
consider his honor seriously aggrieved
should any of his women folk permit
their features to be shown aside those
of women Of the lower classes.
The middle class Of farmers, arti-
sans and merchants have beer less
reserved, and have not hesitated to let
wives and daughters, blessed with
more than normal share of pulchri-
tude, be numbered among the contest
ants.
But the greater number of entries
come from among the frankly lower
classes, the Geisha girls Of the tea
houses. The child-like joy Of the Jap
anese girl at being beautiful and at
knowing how to enhance her charms
by the proper kinds Of silks, the right
fan in her hair, and uowers appropri-
ate to her complexion has been in
tensified by. the prospect of winning
valuable prize.
Never was such decorating and
dressing as progresses now. From tea
houses all over the realm of the mika-
do photographs are pouring into
Toxic, and though the type may be
different, the collection presents beau
ties who would be recognized as such
even in the far off United States.
The names signed to the pictures
are almost as interesting and pictur-
esQue as the contestants tthemselves
The Japs love pretty names, titles that
bring them close to nature. Cherry
Blossom, Jassamine, Fairy Smile,
Rosy Dawn, Hollyhock, Wistaria
Scent, Smiling Sun are the kind of
names that occur again and again, and
" make the recall, the habit of:
the Indian of his own country to suit