The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-10-23
"Around the World" Tourists Write
The Review of Life in Jap
anese Hotel.
REMOVE SHOES WHEN ENTERING
Furniture Brouqt to Room As Needed
Guests Treated to Marshmai.
lows and Flowers.
Copyright Applied For.)


odor This, and much more that is
proclaimed of the Sunrise land should
be accepted in harmony with the
school boys definition of the SaliC
law, according to which, he said, ev
ery-thing must be taken with a grain
of salt. Already we have been awak
ened by the musical martins in the
trees, and in our room We now have
flowers whose fragrance is not to be
despised.
TO the latter fact hangs tale. We
are ensconced in Japanese hotel
Our approach was welcomed with
much graceful bowling in the presence
of which stiff ointed Americanisnl
must seem the thirty-second degree OF
,awkwardness. We were for march.
ing right in when, several genteel ges.
lures penetrated our rudeness with an
awakening to the idea that we were
expected to take off our shoes. Some
'flip.f1aps" (the word is not as Jap
anese as the foot-wear) were politely
handed us and with desperate effort
to stay in them We followed our escort
to one of the finest rooms in the house.
There was nothing to assure us OF this
except the mats on the floor and the
ability to count eight. Seven answer
for more ordinary quarters. These
floor coverings are always the same
size, x3 feet. On the mats were
two thin cushions where we were to
sit and let our feet hang off, since
we had not learned the native double
bow knot method of dispensing with
the lower eXtremities.
Soon a brightly gowned little girl
came carrying bureau. This is not
poetic license. A small child could
bring the furniture, because the two
We're in easy proportion. L. S. tots
would have jumped with JOY in antici-
patton of playing house, for the bu-
reau, with mirror is ~ feet high
and one foot wide. But it answers
the purpose as We are sitting on the
floor cushions when We make our
toilet. The landlords courtesy now
arrives in the shape of box OF excel
lent marshmallows and some flowers,
together with charcoal pot set in a
box of ashes, by which water is to
be kept boiling so we may make tea
as desired Kimonos are placed be-
fore us, with look limiting that Euro
peans are entitled to the prize for cum
bersome wearing apparel.
Presently the register is brought.
We observe thar some guests have in
dictated their age, but as this is deli
cate point with Americans, we pass
by that item partly to see If the pro-
prietor can discover the deficiency.
After a little the book is returned.
Some one has written: How much
age?" We respectfully comply. By
many motions securing some eggs and
toast, and becoming bit familiar
with our surroundings, night having
settled down we rest our heads in our
hands, by this sign indicating that we
would retire. Forthwith our beds ar
rive. Two thick mats for each are
laid upon the floor, very solid quilt
is placed above, and hard roll is
to serve for pillow.
Japanese ladies often use wooden
block that supports the neck, leaving
their elaborate head-dress undisturb-
ed. The couture of these women
would be an object of envy to many of
their foreign sisters. The most ex-
puisite coils and curves are piled in
various airy forms. Professionals
come to the house once in two or three
days to do the hair dressing and the
process consumes two hours at least
AS the hair is almost entirely black
the feminine heads look like dark
winged birds plumed for flight.
After repeated smiles and efforts to
establish a mutual admiration society
our friends withdraw, we open the
whole side of the room by sliding the
paper windows creep under the mos
quito net and resign ourselves to the
Morpheus of strange land. Early
in the morning the paper door gently
opens and tray of clean little cups
is at hand. In a few minutes more
our tea and charcoal fire are replen-
ished so that everything may be
ready for an eye-opener. Another box
of marsmallows accompanies.
While house furnishings are not ell
aborate, cleanliness is not only next
to goodness here, but it is going on
unto perfection. The Japanese are
noted for their oft repeated washings.
There are said to be 800 public baths
in Tokyo and that 100000 make use of