Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-23
G2LLNzzE AAZZl23
Aristocratic Women
Of Japan.

The glamor of Japan lies in Its cute
little women and the diminutive bits of
childhood that live in the picturesque,
doll-like houses Of the Mikado's country
where even the Jap grandees have nova
days three and sometimes four storieh
brick mansions that would not look out
of place in some busting American city
And these mansions are now coming 10
be fitted up with electric lights, nre-
places, telephones and artificial gas But
the strangest part of all this new Japan
ese life is that only the Jap nobieman
lives in the new kind of houses
His dainty little wife still inhabits his
old, original japanese home, which lies
behind the big brick mansion and IN
which the Japanese nobility still live the
old kind of Japanese existence. The home
life of the Jap Is the old style of house.
He entertains English and American Wis
itors of Importance in the new brick man.
sion. but his wife lives and his children
are born just as their ancestors were-iD
a doll-like house in which the partitions
are made of paper and one sits on the
floor to eat or reclines on hard mat
when 1t is time to go to bed.
The Western woman who is allowed TO
pass through the brick mansion to the
real home of the Japanese nobleman is
very intimate, indeed. Every Japanese
woman of social Importance has her
"day" on which Europeans are invited to
the brick mansion. where they are enter
tanned Just as If they were in New York
or Paris. Real friends are asked TO visit
nv Lady Japanese in her Japanese house,
kaI an hnP
old oriental style and where tea Is drunk
sitting on the mats.
When the Marquis This or Count no
and So visits Europeans on formal occa-
sions he follows his wife into the dining
room. but on friendly visits his lordship
walks in front in true Japanese style and
his little wife follows him In her HI
mona. But the Jap lady loves fine clothes
perhaps even more than the belle OF
Newnort or New York. While the dresses
are simply made as to their cut and
fashions change little, still the expense
is terrific. for the material Is always
woven after the design of some special
artist, with the picture of some favorite
artist woven on the bottom and her
family crest woven on the shoulders,
neck and sleeves,
silver literally, does the little Japanese
Iadv Of noble birth, and her obj will
cost from one to two hundred dollars In
most cases.
There are in Japan also fixed standards
of dress for the different ages. This
standard is fixed mostly by the colors
worn. A child from. babyhood until 1t
is 10 or ~ years Of age wears gay-coi-
ored kimonos, having big designs In flow
ers. The color used mostly for this Pc
Rod is bright red, used in big masses of
coloring, From II to % years the Japa-
nese lady decks herself in pale gray or
pale blue kimonos. with pink or other
colored flowers, and many use views
taken from famous Japanese paintings,
which form an embroidered border
around the bottom Of the kimono. The
rest of the costume is in the plain blue
or gray coloring.
the Japanese noblewoman lays aside
bright coiors and brilliant effects and
wears a dark brown or dark blue kimono.
This is always of the richest material,
however and always the family crest Is
embroidered on neck, shoulders and
sleeves. Sometimes during this period
simple design of storks or cranes or
mountain with clouds around it will be
embroidered around the bottom of the
kimono.
Bright colors are absolutely forbidden
to the Jap lady of quality after passing
her twenty fifth birthday. Since she is
usually a grandmother about this time, or
very shortly afterward. the deprivation
is not as great as a Westerner would
think. Red is used among the upper
classes for children only. Among the
lower classes the women often make up
for cheap material by glaring colors.
Too Rad.
Our servant girls gone. She left us In