The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1910-08-12

vine When one ra selected some
strange flask 20 suit him. he buys |,
little gourd for q cup beautifully lac
ouered and adorned with gold ans
colors.
one reason why We wished 10 visit
kiyomizu-Dera was It's connection
with Ainu history. In its precincts
stands the figure OF Bishamon. the
god who In the ninth century gave the
Japanese leader Tamura Marc a
notable victory over my poor bearded
aboriginal friends. great picture
votiye-offering given Il commemora
tlon or the victory. hangs I'm the tenn
pie and represents the feats OF valor
achieved by the imperial forces. In
the same yotive hall there are quaint
pictures representing the coming OF
the early Dutch vessels to the shores
OF Japan.
One OF the most characteristic fea-
lures OF Japan are the picnic parties
OF school children with their teachers,
which are met with at all times and
everywhere. They go out to see bloom
ing flowers and REDEEMED maple
leaves: they so TO parks and mu-
seums: they go TO shrlnes and tenn
pies and the scenes OF national inter
est. famous in their history. We
rarely go to any place OF note with.
out encountering them So here. II
was no surprise to find schools OF
children tramping up the great stair.
way to the main temple. visiting the
votiye hall and the temples In the rear
and looking out over the ancient capt
tai and through the lovely gorge clad
In naples. which two weeks hence
will be fame Of glory.
The lesser shrines are often quite
as Interesting as the main temple.
Thus. behind Kiyomizu. Dera Is a little
shelter with its hundred stone figures
OF Jizo- Queer things they are. the
object OF popular love and devotion.
On the base OF many OF them stand
little heaps of pebbles which have
been piled up by kindly visitors. II
seems that children after death are
often robbed Of their clothing by a fe-
male demon who sets them TO work
at piling up stones on the bank OF the
death river. The task Is endless. but
the little ones are helped by all who
choose TO place pebbles at the feet OF
Jizo. Here. too. is a statue OF Bin.
zuru. worn smooth by the hands OF
poor sufferers. | never tire OF watch
Ing these figures. whether OF wood or
stone or bronze. makes no difference
their features and outlines are al
ways worn smooth by repeated rub
bling. You need not wait long to see
some poor old woman lettering along.
who stops and with a word OF prayer
upon her lips rubs her hand over the
head Of the loved figure and then
upon her own aching brow: a mother
brings her little one and strokes the
part OF the old god which corresponds
- the ailing member OF the child. and
then rubs the baby for healing; or
some helpless person. knotted with
rheumatism or crippled. is brought by
kindly hands TO rub the figure and
get relief from suffering.
From the platform OF the great tenn
pie. projecting far over the precipitous
bank and supported on its stately
crutches, the faithful il is said may
preclpitate themselves unframed. In
these days OF doubt and unbelief the
experiment is seldom tried. but not
many years ago one bold devotee
made the attempt II Is said that he
was not successful: no doubt his
faith was shallow We did not throw
ourselves from the platform. but took
The more DrOsaic means OF climbing
down the hack stairway. coming az
last into the little gorge famous for
rs maple trees II was scene of life
and action. Everywhere little plat
forms II bamboo were being erected
DIT repaired A few days from now.
and all OF them vii be occupied hv
groups and parties OF picnickers ont
will be unoccupied. and IL is worth
While 10 come here 70 see the ioyous
autumn foliage Not an available spot
10 inspect the famous beauty OF the
scene
But meantime we must not forget
he Jidai Matsurl II was really a
ine procession. The streets approach.
ing the Tai-Kyoku Den were crowded
With people v no desired 70 see the
pageant az IL approached its destina.
ion The procession consisted OF six
sections representing definite periods
0f time from the date OF the citv's
to the disappearance OF the
Tokugawa shogunate. Each section
was gotten up with careful reference
TO historic accuracy. marvellous cos
tunes. things almost Uncomfortable in
these present days were here 10 be
seen First came the civil officers OF
the Euryaku era on their way 10 the
imperial court This era extending
from 7s2 to SOC comedies with the
OF the city. The second sec.
ton represented military officers OF
the same era going 10 the front. The
third represented civil officers OF the
Fujiwara dynasty going to the I'm.
perial court. The fourth group repre.
sented officers on no, se back equipped
FOR shooting arrOws-one OF the moot