, 1913-10-18
:.
THE AVIS.
Ghcigtiaasted, st, &retK.
Saturday, 18th October, 1913.

Under the title "In the streets Of Tokyo"
by Hamilton W. Mabie, "rhe Outlook" of 9th
Sept. gives an extremely interesting sketch
of that famous city. He tells us that 1t did
not begin as a city, which of course is true
of most great cities. "For many centuries the
marshy ground on which it stands was the
seat Of a group of thirteen or 6tteen fishing
villages, separated by considerable distau-
ces." These are now merged into one city,
which, AIR. Mabie tells us, is out of all pro-
portion in its area to the number of people
it contains, being fifteen miles in one direc-
ton and ten or twelve in the other, with a
population small in proportion. though
we'll beyond two millions, There are a
few broad t~horougbfares and there are
many localities which are marked by tenn
pies or parks, but the mass of the city
is made up of narrow streets in which one
can easily lose ones way. The houses and
shops are of one story. 1t will be q surprise
to most people to read that this great city
is of the most orderly character. This is
what Mr.. Mable says about il: Of the visitor
has formed that most necessary habit to one
who wants to know places or people in the
world, the habit of walking, it viii not
trouble him that he cannot read Il sign nor
understand q word that is written or spok-
en-. He is in a city which is not only order
ly but friendly; a city across which a woman
can ride in q iinrikisha at night Unattended
and unmolested." The article contains sew
eral photographs, among them one which
depicts a iinrlkisha, the vehicle above men
toned. 1t is like a very small and light
gig, and indeed it must be both small and
light, for it is always drawn by a man instead
of a horse.
Nh hoIIn OIUoa nc q HIImnEp OT n I0nQ-
nese garden, the portraits Of II boy and girl
startling for school and two pictures of
shops, one for the sale Of lanterns and um-
brelIas, the other for wooden articles of
many kinds. About the shops in general
he says $50 many nre the shops that one
wonders how they are supported. Ii every
family keeps a shop, where do the customers
come from? This. however, ~ in the parts
of the city in which the poorer people live,
aud in the majority of the shops only articles
in daily use are found. A shop is often a
klnd of by-indu5trY; the MAJ of The family
has some occupation which supports, or
largely supports, the family. This gives
the shops Il friendly domestic atmosphere,
often more conducive to conversation than
to BUSINESS; indeed, sales seem a matter of
small interest to many shop-keepers; and
save in the neighbourhood of foreign hotels,
Japan is delightfully."- free from that pressure
to buy which becomes almost Intoleruble III
some countries.
Mr.. AIabie treats of many other subjects
and alwDy+ III an interesting manner. About
japanese funerals he says: The funeral
procession is pictorial and often impressive.
Flower standards, lanterns, and gteat masses
of flowers give the moving line Of figures,
many of them in white, colour and bright
ness; for a JAPAN death is largely robbed
of its Z o6my associations. Cages are often
carried aud op ned during the ceremonies,
and tho birds fly away singing-a very
beautiful piece Of symbolism. Japanese life
is saturated with symbolism; if one UNDER
stood all that lies back of the sights and
sounds seen and heard in the streets OF Tokyo,
he would uncover many of the secrets of
the japanese spirit