The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-03-17

4 Among the beautiful pictures Mr..
Borine took there. one was peculiarly
illustrative OF my idea. lchikO, q
gsiSha girl. stood under a japanese
nag and TSurus. also gsisha. under
an American nag. these flags being
crossed over the entrance 20 Japa-
rsSs tea-house near by. Let US unite
/ our EFFORT as in this picture. with
American friends 10 make this land as
near as its name. the Paradise OF the
Pacific,
Jack" Atkinson also has pet site
! for the erection OF a japanese tea
/ house. and on the afternoon he es-
corted the editor and the writer 70
I the upper Nuuanu Valley. where the
old Pacific Heights trolley line di-
verged from the avenue. Here Jack
would locate a tea house on govern
ment property and create a resort.
Burton Holmes. however. enthuses
over the possibilities Of the river above
School street. Speaking on the sub
jest. he said:
Ford dragged me down into the
river and up the stream. The eScur-
sion ruined new suit OF clothes for
me. but il was worth it. Nowhere
outside OF Japan is there so perfect q
bit Of park-liks natural beauty. II is
Japan. We wandered up the stream.
picking our way over the rocks and
under the arcf&nS trees. TO the two
waterfalls. and every foot of the way
was beautiful in the extreme. When
think what the artistic japanese
would make OF such a spot in Japan.
marvel that they do not seize upon
it here, erect their beautiful little tenn
pies and tea houses thar blend in with
the scenery and make il the garden
OF Honolulu. In fact. I was so much
impressed that I backed Ford and
Shsba in their plan TO have number
Of japanese in costume meet US in
this place They did so. and I viii
defy any audience in the world to dis
cover that the motion picture we made
Of the little cavalCade of daintily-
dressed men and women is not a bit
Of real Japan. l urge most sincerely
any movement that viii induce the Jap
10 keep 10 his own style of dress and
architecture in Hawaii; both are inf
uitely more beautiful and becoming
than our own. and there is a certain
COurtlinsSs that goes with the Japa-
nsse dress which, alas. is too often
discarded when the gentleman from
Japan dOnS our hideous overallS. I
have seen how the japanese live here,
and I know how they live in Japan
the japanese way is better, more beau
tifuI and more hygienic. 1 only wish
that the lower Nuuanu could be park
ed. and turned over 10 the japanese,
with the proviso that only japanese
houses could be erected near the banks
that is. a street on either side. say
one hundred feet back. of japanese
baZaars. private residences, tea
houses and temples. Hawaii would
then learn that Japan has much 10
teach Us in the esthstic, and America
would send its tourists TO see Japan
in America. If We must have the
JapS-and that seems inevita ble-then
let Us have the best they can give
US Their art is unapproachable; let
Us encourage it. II is a pity that
ninsty-fvs per cent of the Japs in |
Hawaii are Of the coolie class. but /
even they are artistic in Japan and |
live in tiny palaces. Editor Sheba /
tells me that art descended 10 the l
masses from the classes; then why not /
all work with the japanese gentlemen /
in Honolulu 70 give Us q little dream !
land and 10 SET a most Iaudable ex-
ample 10 all our brown citizens, who |
can, if they will. make Honolulu the
worlds beauty spot"
Editor Shsba states that Holmes will /
send back photos from Japan iIlustrat-
ing small, inexpensive. but artistically-
beautiful styles OF japanese architec-
ture. He is now at work with Jap
artists here making up designs for
reasonably cheap Jap houses, modelled
after those in the F1owery Kingdom.
II Is proposed TO give a japanese
garden party al an early date in the
upper Nuuanu, and a display Of Ian
termed sampans in the lower river
where the rocks do not appear above
the water An effort is being made TO
get the japanese school teachers in
terested in a plan 70 have the Japa-
uese children spend on hour a day,
under proper instruction, building a
simple path OF rocks and stones along
either side Of the stream, on the prin-
cipIs that many hands make light
work \ ricksha route around and
about the proposed park is also con-
tempIated. and leading white citizens
have volunteered TO act as rickshamen
for q day If the japanese viii then
follow their example, and introduce
jinricksha travel in Hawaii.
Honolulu is often tediously dull TO
our visitors after dark Few tourists
know that there is a Chinese theater
and two japanese pIayhouses in Ho-
uOIulu, besides a number OF Jap club
houses and dainty geisha girls who /
perform only the delightful and mod
est dances OF Japan. Certainly these
and other beautiful but innocent at
fractions centered in and about a bit
Of real old Japan in the heart OF H0-
noIuIu would prove not only a delight
70 the tourist, but a never-ending |
pleasure to the artistically-inc Of /
our own citizens
Other tourists have also found in |
tsrest in exploiting the possible adOrn- !
menr % Hawaiian scenery By the Jap
anese. 3Ir P J. Baker OF Eureka, |
California, fs making some photo !
graphic studies in this line. and now
that BOnine and Burton Holmes, back !
ed bv lack Atkinson and J. ?. Cooke