The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-05-01
JAPANESE
EXPOSITION
advertiser Correspondence, Copyright
by Frederic j. Haskin.)

by Frederic J. Haskin)
TOXIC, April 3.-The great exposi
ton to be held in the capital of Japan
in 1912 will be distinctive in many
ways. 1t will be the first international
affair of the kind ever held in the Far
East, and this fact alone will cause
the introduction of innumerable fea-
lures hitherto unknown in similar ex-
positions that have been given in the
Western Hemisphere. The exposition
is the growth of over century of ex-
perience among the Western nations,
but owing to the peculiarities of local
conditions much of this experience
will be useless to the japanese.
Foremost among the problems con-
fronting the promoters of the big en-
terprise in Toxic is the question of liv-
ing accommodations for any consider
able number of foreign visitors. Toxic
has nearly two million inhabitants, but
it has only three hotels equipped for
the entertainment of Europeans and
Americans The service in all of these
places is very ordinary, and their COM
bined' facilities are not equal to the
entertainment of more than two or
three hundred guests.
The plan for overcoming this serious
handicap will not only be unique, but
effective. On the hills surrounding the
site of the exposition are scores of
Buddhist and Shinto temples with at
tractive and commodious grounds. The
exposition management proposes to
erect large numbers of neat little Jap
anese cottages in these parks, furnish
them in the style of the country, and
install in them capable native ser
wants. These coy dwellings will be
rented for any length of time desired,
and at a rate so low that the entire
cost of living will be less than most
foreigners ever dreamed of. The
weather in Japan in the summer sea-
son is mild enough to permit of camp
ing out with comfort, and the plan of
quartering visitors in the temple
grounds will include the furnishing of
army tents for bachelors or others who
desire still more economical living.
Those Americans to whom the mystic
East has appealed through the pages
of prose and rhyme will find this ar
rangement not only cheap and COM
Portable, but it will afford them the
opportunity to live within the sound
of the temple bells a-tinkling "some-
where's east of Suez" The exposi-
ton management will also construct
an immense "Inside Inn,'' similar to
the one of unpleasant memory at st.
Louis.
This exposition will be different from
the poorest of the japanese, the gov
eminent affair. Instead of being or
ganized and carried on by a private
corporation, the government provides
the money and directs everything. On
account of this many things can be
done which otherwise would be impos-
sible. Extortion for living accOmmo-
dations will be prevented by the gov
ernment's providing most of the quar-
tiers, and arbitrarily fixing the price
that all others shall charge. This is
the way they do things in Japan.
The matter of transportation will
also be under government control. The
steamers operating under Japanese sub
sides will be concentrated in fast pas
senger schedules to American and Eu-
ropean ports, available ships will be
from other lines, and the
ocean rate reduced to such a low figure
as to practically eliminate distance.
One of the purposes of giving this ex-
position is Ito afford the foreigner a
chance to see for himself what the
japanese are doing at home, and the
government proposes to make induce
ments in the way of extremely low
rates.
To bring the educational benefits of
the big fair within the easy reach of
the poorest of the japanese, tn gov
will observe the same hber-
atty as that shown in the plans for in
ducing foreign travel. The japanese
people are so Door that the price of
everything must be extremely cheap. |
Third-class fare on the government
owned railroads of Japan is at present |
about half cent mile, but during the
exposition this rate will be reduced
50 per cent. If a similar rate was
charged in the United States, the fare
rom New York to Chicago would be
1925 instead of 500. The cost of liv-
ng for the provincial japanese who
yisit Toxic will come inside of twenty
i've cents day for lodging and three
meals, and the price of admission to
he exposition will be only five cents
or everybody.
The japanese common people are
,reat travellers when the accommo-
ations are brought within their
means, and the cost of everything in
Connection with the exposition will be
xed in accordance with their ability
heap rates will extend to the foreign
isitor as well. The Japanese custom
f making pilgrimages to the various
emples in the country is a great edu-
ational factor on account of the
the travellers accumulate
l their migrations. These trips are
aiken each year just after the rice
lanting in June, and after the har-
est of the rice crop in September.
apan has already held five small in
ernal expositions, and they were all
ell patroniZed. The Osaka EXPOSE
ion lasted five months and the at
enhance was over $4,000 a day, a num- /
er more than twice as large as the
howing made at jamestown last sum- !
Ter The Toxic exposition will last i
Dr. seven months, and on account of ;
S size. cheapness and international
naracter, the attendance will exceed {
II previous records.
The exposition will occupy three |
undred acres of ground, which will '