The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-15
Japan S National Exposition

the exposition will be only cents 70,
| everybody.
The japanese common people are
great travellers when the acconmoda-
! lions are brought within their means,
and the cost of everything in connec-
ton with the exposition will be fixed
in accordance with their ability to
! pay. OF course, the benefit OF these
cheap rates Will extend to the foreign
visitor as well. The Japanese Gus
! tom of making pilgrimages to the
various temples in the country is a
great educational factor on account oil
the knowledge the travellers aocumu-
/, late in their migrations. These trips
iare taken each year just after the
/ rice planting in June. and after the
| harvest OF the rice crop in September.
Japan has already held five small In
ternal cxpositions. and they were all
well patronized The Osaka Exposition
! lasted five months and the attendance
| was over $4,000 u day, a number more
! than twice as large as the showing
made at jamestown last summer. The
! Tokyo Exposition VIII last for seven
months and on account of Its size
| cheapness and International character.
\ the attendance VIII exceed all prcvlout
! records.
/ The exposition Will occupy 200 acres
| of ground. which Will lie in two tracts
/ Of about equal size. one OF these T.
AN army parade ground and the othei
I Is Il part Of the Emperor's estate. fiieS
/
apart, and will be connected by a bouIc-
ward about 40 feet in width. on THIS
/ thoroughfare there Will be operated
a belt railway to provide rapid trans
! portation free to all
| Among the features never seen at
iany other exposition Will be n teudai
| tournament like those given by the
| famed samurai warriors OF Japan som
| 600 years ago. This VIII consist OF
contests in strength and skill by the
courticrs, fox-hunting, falconry arch-
/ cry and the elaborate Moo dance, which
! is somewhat similar to the ancient
Greek musical dramas. Special eXhi-
billions of all the principal Oriental
games and sports will be provided, and
the period of the exposition has been
arranged to include the cherry bios
som and chrysnnthemum seasons, so
| that visitors may see the country at
holiday moods.
In order that the Japanese people
may have an object lesson in the kinds
of houses foreigners live in, the expo
sition management has requested all
the governments which intend to erect
special buildings to follow the style
of architecture of their own countries.
1t was at first proposed TO have cafes
CONSTRUCTED and equipped after the
/ fashion of each country. but this sug-
gestion had to be abandoned because
the Japanese could not, afford the eN-
pensive food to which foreigners are
accustomed. The matter of providing
foreign amusements is also a problem
on account of the consideration or
expense. Up to this time only two
foreign amusement enterprises have
appeared at any of the Japanese IN
ternal fairs. At osaka there was
small Russian circus, which charged
u IL cents, and Carmencita, the Span
ish dancer. who gave performances
for 5-cent admission. Although these
prices were absurdly low these attrac-
lions played to Capacity from carly
until late. The curious Japanese
swarmed to see the strange foreign
doings, and the spirit of Carmencita's
flying heels is stun the subject of en-
thusiastic "Reminiscences among the
yokels of inland Japan. Such Ameri
can attractions as negro jubilee sing
ers and dancers, vaudeville and circus
acts, in which there is no talking, and
the unique devices that have been so
popular in the amusement parks in
America undoubtedly would prove great
drawing cards on the Tokyo Fike.,
The Japanese exposition must also
be looked upon by the foreign en-
hibitor from a different point of view
There are many kinds of goods that
have proved popular in other countries
that could not BIO used here at all. For
instance, it would be useless en-
pense. to send certain kinds of heavy
machinery such a great distance when
there is no market awaiting it. The
poverty of the Japanese masses Is so
great that their purchases must he con-
fined almost exclusively to cheap
necessities. Every prospective exhib-
tor should keep this in mind.
After the Osaka Exposition there
was much complaint from foreign cN
hibitors whose trademarks We're stolen
and initiated by the Japanese. TO pre-
vent a recurrence of this dishonesty
law will be passed making the in
fringement of trademarks punishable
by fine and imprisonment. This law
will he binding from the moment the
exhibitor files his application at the
patent office, without regard to the
date OF that bureaus Endorsement
However, in the light of past expert
ence and the present difficulty in get
ting satisfaction from Japanese courts
for even the most fragrant infringe
ments. the exposition officials need not
he surprised If foreign exhibitors de-
mand more than fair promises of pro,
tection The most certain means OF
Japan's convincing outsiders of her
good intentions in this regard is to
make an example of some of its cti-
aens who may be easily pointed out
as offenders at this time. There is no
need to wait until 1912 for reform
Copyright, 1908, by Frederic j. HAS!
llin,)
Speaking English in ia,
pan, ~