The Washington herald., 1911-11-09

girdle the globe at the expense Of The
Washington Herald land in Japan, they
will have reached a land Of matchless
beauty and houndless hospitality.
A traveller who made the same tour last
year on the steamship Cleveland that
The Herald guests are going to enjoy
mas written the following article OF the
welcome that they received at the hands
Of the little brown brothers OF the East:
Japan received US royalty. On enter
ing Yokohama harbor the mayor and the
president of the chamber of commerce
came on board and conferred upon US the
freedom OF the city and presented US each
with solid silver badges bearing the
words Of welcome. Our trip across the
island empire was like a triumphal prog
ress. From Emperor to peasant all
1oined in contributing to the pleasure of
our visit There were smiles, Ohios, ban
zais, arches, flags, balls, bands, and en-
tertainments everywhere.
ours was the largest civilian party
that had ever visited Japan. Our visit
was considered as an international event
Of Importance, and in welcoming us the
japanese felt that they were showing
their good will to all America. There
Japan than I have seen in our own
land. Usually the Stars and Stripes and
the rising sun were crossed and waved
together.
In return for this royal welcome we
left a trail Of gold across the empire and
carried home with US such friendly
feeling for these energetic, progressive
little people that our visit will probably
prove a potential influence In maintaining
cordial relations between the United
States and Japan. Only imbecile states
manship at Washington and Tokyo can
ever set the Japanese and American boys
20 killing one another, l am sure.
Yokohama is a modern and prosperous
city. Its sea front around the deep har-
Dor has a solid European appearance.
The city is a product Of the last fifty
years. Yokohama is one Of the most in
teresting and attractive cities IN the
world. To get an idea Of Yokohama as
a whole two or three jinrikisha rides
usually are taken. One is through the
Japanese quarter, the temples. tea
house, and monuments. Another attrac-
tive ride is down the Bund or water
front, past the foreign hotels and resi-
dences Of foreigners. A delightful after
noon ride is over the BLUM and past the
well-known tea house Of hundred steps,
for its beautiful view.
The most interesting features or these
rides are not, however, the views, but
the curious things Japanese seem. When
we mounted our jinrikisha the first time
we felt as seIf-conscious as II we were
riding in a baby carriage down Broad
way.
The shops next concentrate the atten-
ton OF the visitor. Shopping in Japan
Is poetry. In Yokohama, 1t soon becomes
a mania. Yokohama is the most fasci-
mating shopping city in the world. partly
on account of the delicate, artistic beau
ty and cheapness of the goods and part
Iy on account of the ceremonial polite
ness Of the shopkeepers- In stores less
freduented by foreigners, the old custom
of removing ones shoes at the door, of
being served with tea from daintily
painted cups and drinking 1t with girl
clerks before examining the goods, Is still
After this hypnotic cere-
mony the customer Is ready to buy any
thing at any price.
Japanese children are well worth OBJ
serving. The babies are the best babies
IN the world. They never cry. What
4 disturbance would an American baby
with lusty lungs create In a Japanese
house, where the inside walls are all
made of paper screens! The goodness
of the Japanese baby makes life bear
able in a country as densely inhabited
Is Japan, for Japan has a population half
rs great as that Of the United States
into a space not as large as
hat of the single State Of California.
Tokyo, the capital Of japan, is one
of the largest cities of the world. At
he hotel a brilliant ball was given In |
,ur honor by the owners Of six leading |
Japanese newspapers The prime minis |
.er sent his son to represent the gov
,rnment. The center Of Tokyo Is occu- |
,ied by the Mikado's palace. A great |
urea surrounding the palace has been
,onverted into parks and public grounds, |
md about them has been erected large |
lumber of government buildings. In this /
central governmental district Is very /
EXCELLENT foreign hotel
ITO see the extremes OF life In q Jap
Lnese city few of US visited the slums /
4 Tokyo. Show US the worst place In
Tokyo we said to the guide. The guide
quickly Strengthened up and exclaimed:
Pride OF my country forbids.' Finally
he led US for about half an /
iour through the lower quarter OF the
ity, until. we reached the real slums.
Here the streets were too narrow to ad-
nit our jInrilriehas. In this labyrinth
he houses are frsras and one story