The Washington herald., 1907-04-21

and IN any shape He accomplishes Won
ders with the cherry tree. He does every
thing with Il. in fact, but make it grow
good fruit. The japanese cherry is quite
unimportant in most cases tasteless and
small, but no one cares. The cherry tree
is only called on to furnish the blooms
for the japanese Easter. Let other trees
produce the food.
With deft mastery, the japanese gar
dener shapes the cherry trees into groves
that overhang the road. so that in season,
when the blossoms are out, the people
walk under a bower Of pink glory Moth
Ing could be fresher and more springlike
than the dainty petals Of the aTching
trees. and as soon as the first shoots APP
pear, ana the trees begin to put on their
pink coats. Japan takes a holiday
EVERYBODY Celebrates.
Out from their homes come the people.
The tiny, doll-fike girls. with their silks,
their parasols. fans. and mincing graces,
mount their 5inrickishas and go from place
TO place to make their calls. Everywhere
in the train come the young men OF the
nation. paying assiduous, IL respectful,
court.
SONS as Uyeno Park, the bazaar Of MukO-
jima, Noge I'm, in Yokohama, and the
Cherry Banks at K0ganei are filled with
the merrymakers. Joyousness is in the
very air. The famous japanese mounte-
banks show their skin. at every corner
Is "a little theater, all over the public
squares are the famed japanese Wres-
tiers. Along the roadways, an inch deep
with the fallen petals, children draw
their movable temples, a queer toy from
the Occidental viewpoint but one which
seems eminently the proper one for the
Jap youngster- Sometimes In one long
line can be seen perhaps a hundred little
girls. dressed IN all the gOrgeousness Of
the japanese silks, pulling or ropes at
tached 10 miniature chariots on which
are seated little boys playing on musical
instruments
Then comes another form of procession,
In which the most beautiful young wo-
man Of the town Is crowned with cherry
blooms, drawn by retainers, covered with
the blooms Even the ropes by which the
chariot is drawn are concealed by sprays
Of cherry blossoms. Nature itself seems
70 harmonic and take mute part IN this
beautiful parade by every now and then
sending a gentle breeze that starts a
shower If petals from the trees along
the avenues.
Perfection I'm Tokyo.
Cherry blossom rejoicing probably at
tains its perfection al the capital. Tokyo.
and it is worthy OF mention that while
the recent successes in warfare and state
craft have impressively demonstrated 10
the world the ability Of the Jap to meet
his Caucasian rivals on equal terms, they
have not had the unfortunate effect Of
changing his simplicity Of temperament.
On the battlefield, I'm his business or in
stateeraft. be may be a cold, calculating.
keen, daring man, but at home in his
holidays he is a child
To Uyeno Park. on Cherry Blossom
Sunday. the whole population repairs
The avenue Of cherry trees going up from
the town forms a perfect arch Of pink
boughs under which the people throng
The teahouses have spread their best
red blankets on the matted platforms
Under the trees are cherry picnic par
ties. laughing from the very joy OF life
in the open, with the air scented and the
eye charmed by the most beautiful Of
springtime blooms.
a group Of young men. each carrying a
bough Of cherry blossoms thrown across
the shoulder, at their belts sakl bottles
which they stop every now and then 10
have Tlled drink and laugh, confident
that should the joyfulness Of the 0cca-
sion make them overstep the bounds Of
prOpriety-a rare thing for "A Jap-some
good friend VIII remember that il is holi-
day time, put them on a kuruma. and
send them home TO resolve that such
thing viii never happen till another cher
~ blossom time comes around again.
Effects of saISi Painful.
This sak bottle Is as near as the jap
3nese Easter comes TO one OF the great
essentials Of the American celebration Of
the holiday esgnog. and those who have
tried both say that the innocent looking
saki can have quite as painful effects if
kept tilted too long.
At Mukojima is a double avenue Of
cherry trees, stretching along She banks
Of the sumida. This IS perhaps the fin
est display of the blossoms IN all Japan.
and Mukojima is the great gathering
place Of the mummers.
In their costume. pink and white the
,olors Of the cherry blossoms predOmi-
nate. and in performing their tricks these
1ToWn-skinned kellars and Hermanus de- /
light especially in drawing from tiny re-
an endless procession Of cherry
blossoms.
What religious observance comes into
he Cherry Blossom Festival Is the result 1
IF coincidence with the festival of Higon. /
This marks the anniversary Of the happy
lay when Buddha. the japanese deity. /
passed over from the turmoil Of life into /
he bliSsful fOrgctfulness Of the Nirvana. /
This festival causes religious and secular /
celebrations TO join with most incOngru- /
Jus result The widest of reveIs mark a /
line that is supposed to be more sacred 4
han any which comes in the calendar OF /
3uddha.
Statue OF Budda the Mecca.
The Mecca Of the faithful is the great 1
tatue of Buddha at Kamakura, just out
ide the great seaport of Yokohama. This
s the Colossus Of japanese idols. It Is
fty-four feet in height, made Of bronze,
nd weighs 450 tons. The fiat thumbnal
lone is large enough TO afford a seat fer
weary pilgrim, and by means Of a stair
ase inside. one can mount to tiny
brine IN the idols nose. Even into this
Worship comes the cherry blossom. While
{ the teahouses. scarlet ROBBED girls are
CRYING tea made Of cherry blossoms.
evout men and women are putting gar
lnds made OF the blooms at the feet of
he great idol
1t is cherry blossom time in religion as
yell as pleasure
GINS or F,rvvz ryvrv-r