Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-22
Poetess, Essayist and Dream
er, Talks of Her Hopes
and Ideals.
MOST DISCUSSED WOMAN
EXCEPT THE EMPRESS
Unafraid of Loss of Charm in the
Metamorphosis of Her Sex
in Orient.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
TOXIC, July 4-The woman most
talked of in Japan, excepting only the
empress, is Mrs. Akiko Yosano. poetess.
essayist, preacher to the common
people" and leader of the dramatic
Japanese movement to acquire great
err rights for womanhood. Both Mrs.
Yosano and her accomplished husband
are "dreamers" (they call it that them
selve }, but they are writing every day
about life in such simple and prac-
teal way that even 1.-THE least edu-
Gated and simplest minds understand.
Mrs Yosano's writings appear in news
papers and magazines through Japan.
Her extraordinary versatility is evil
denced by her writing classical verse
at one moment, insisting on woman's
freedom the next and following that
with an article on bad manners in
stree. cars.
In a tiny Japanese house tucked away
in the heart of the great oriental me-
tropolis, where this poeteSs and apostle
of womans rights carries on her work,
she received correspondent o. the
Associated Press. The tinkle of the
bell was answered by a young Japa-
nese maid, who Frustrated herself on
both knees, in Japanese fashion, TO
welcome the guest. Having removed
his shoes, the correspondent was es-
corted to small reception room up
stairs.
Mrs. Yosano came in, accompanied by
her husband and by Prof. K. Wada gaki.
of the Imperial University, who acted
as Interpreter. The poetess was dressed
in a simple blue kimono Her black
hair was coiled around her head: not
arranged in the classical japanese
style. She modestly. almost tinidly.
extended her hand in formal greeting
Partisan Atmosphere.
The impression of Partisan atmos-
phere in the pictures and furnishings
of the room was justified, for Mrs Yo-
sano explained that with her husband
she had spent some years in Paris and
had not only lived in the Latin quarter.
but also in the historic district of
Montmartre. Her husband had gone to
Paris to study new school of poetry
him there. With fervor they had flung
themselves into the art life of the great
French metropolis. She came back
hrst to Toxic and began to write. For
a considerable time she devoted herself
to writing of love and her Songs of
Love" were printed throughout Japan.
She quickly developed a taste for
writing upon the practical problems of
her fellow women and it is in this field
of effort particularly that she has come
to be known as a national figure, TAX
ing the lead in all this modern Japa-
nese movement which is inaugurated
for the betterment of the women of
Nippon.
The universities of Japan with one
exception are not opened to women and
the first practical step which should be
taken for the emancipation of women
In her country she believes is to open
q fno ~ rcit ;ae
and thus give to woman the opportu-
nifty for a higher education and self
Unafraid of Loss Of Charm.
Il have read somewhere that in Amer
lea and Europe the economic indtpend-
ence which I seek for our women has
caused a certain loss of charm and
feminine attractiveness." she said, ''but
do not fear such a thing here"
She recalled the doctrine OF, Confucius
which gives to women the inferior
place and alluded to the proverb on
almoct every Japanese schoolbook. 1t
concerns the old Chinese idea that
when woman becomes too active-lit-
orally. when the woman talks too much
the household falls. Man is the foun-
taln-head and man alone is responsible
The story is told in this way: Years
ago a Chinaman heard his hen crying
every morning in a most unusual way.
One day while returning from visit
to the emperor the man was killed
The neighbors noticed that the hen
stopped crying Immediately, SO the cry
ing hen became symbolic of peril When
the Japanese adopted this tale with the
thousands of other Chinese fables they
the crying. troubled and revolving
woman became the symbol of family
disorder and disaster.
Mrs. Yosano did not agree that the
predicted evil would follow greater
freedom for women. But she wanted
Japanese women to be given fighting
chance She wanted some sort of equal
tty. She scarcely believed that the
women were ready for suffrage. That
might come later. Meantime there
were so many other things that were
Just and must be had.
Seeks Western Dress.
want more European houses in
Japan for Japanese" she declared, land
j want western dress for women I
think we must come to it. I admit the
old court costume for women would
please me most, but since we can't have
that, let US follow the people of the
west.
II want our food changed. too. We
need to strengthen the stamina Of our
race. We must get into the habit of
eating meat. Eternal fish may give us
brains, but it will weaken our body
Our body must be made stronger We
are tired. sleepy race, and cannot
compare with western races in point of
energy or persistence in any undertak-
ing"
She became Immensely absorbed in
her topic. and continued:
Are we really lacking in the desire
70 live. as compared tc Europeans? '
She did not like to believe this to be
true. and would prefer to think that
the lack is Temporary suspension of
desire" The chief reason for this, She
believed. is the paucity of nourishment
in Japanese food, with the result that
the Japanese physique is inferior even
to that of the Korean or Chinese. I'VE
cannot expect energy to spring from a
bad physique, and 1T is quite reasonable
to assume that this singular lack of
desire to make the most of life on the
part of the Japanese is due to bad
nourishment of the body and deficient
Cd Of hn irif