Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-04-29
Hawaii PARTY
ATTAINED N|KKO,
COLD BUT HAPPY
CONTINUED from page oneJ

the south began to give way to the
conifers. bespeaking a chillier eli
mate. At length We saw the noble
forms Of the giant CrytOmeries, a
great tree closely akin to the sequoia
Of California. An immense avenue OF
these trees. ~ miles in length,
marks the approach to NikkO in an
unforgettabe manner. The trees
were planted 300 years ago as part OF
the tremendous work Of construction
in connection with the shrine. tenn
pie and tomb, building at Nikko that
hegan when Iyeyasu, founder of the
Tokugawa ShOgunate, was here bur
led. Here and there the trees have
fallen or been destroyed but enough
remain to make this one of the most
remarkable roads in the world.
It was after o'clock of a brisk.
chilly evening when the party reach
ed Nikko, was transferred to waiting
rikshas and trotted through the little
city's one long, ascending street to
the Kanaya hotel Here was a hos
pitable surprise, Up in this noun
tain region, home Of ancient forest
temples and dedicated to the mem
cries of an almost mythical past, is
gem of a hotel Il is not the purpose
of this or any other letter to the Star
Bulletin to boost the hotel business in
Japan. But there are features at
Nikko that might we'll be transplanted
to Hawaii for the entertainment OF
tourists. found a pretty room await
ing me with all modern conveniences
and beyond this a thousand little spa
cial attentions speaking of old Japan.
A bright fire blazed in my CRATE, a
handsome kimono and slippers we're
at hand, a quaint Japanese maid was
ready to assist in unpacking bags
and making everything comfortable.
The hotel is managed by Japanese and
combines the Orient and the
Occident
Nikko and its environs have charm
ed and enchanted the Hawaiian party.
Across a gorge and lovely river are
the groves of great cryptomerias I'M
der which have been built, decade
after decade since 766 A. D., the most
temples in all Japan.
They must be seen to be appreciated.
The dark green of the towering cryp-
tomerias above, and below the most
gorgeous coloring, the most graceful
as well as the most grotesque carving,
in pagoda and tower, in roof and gable
in pillar and wall. Century after GEN.
fury the wonders of these Shinto and
Buddhist temples have grown, added
20 by religious or patriotic-minded
and shoguns, by devout alb
bots and priests, by cunning artificers
and patient artists and inspired archi-
tects.
Easter Sunday at the Temples.
The Hawaiian party spent all day
amid the relics of the mast
For 1t is largely of the past, although
the glories of Nikko will remain. No
longer, If observation is to be relied !
upon, are these temples held in molly
awe and reverence alone They are
the mecca not of devotees, but of tour
lists, not Of disciples but of sight seers.
Even the crowds of Japanese peas
ants had more of curiosity than of
worship in their eager eyes as they
climbed the great stone flights of
steps or clattered through the inner
streets of the little city of temples. !
The priests of Nikko are holy men,
no doubt, but they are also quite rea-
dy to receive the kind OF contribution
that in the Orient goes by the name
Of ''sumshaw"-in plain English, a |
tip. The incomes of the temples
must be large, for most of the tour.
lists give rather literally, buy just
as literally the various souvenirs of.
Tered for sale, and thousands upon
thousands of native visitors fling be- |
fore each shrine the big copper coin
that is called sen and is equivalent |
to about half cent. There are other |
too, that suggest a pos
5ible donation from persons interest |
ed in seeing the tourist business at
Nikko flourish and the hotels and /
shops prosper thereby.