Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-06-20
Visit to Yokohama and Tokyo, the
Capital of Japan and Largest
City in Asia Most Vividly
Described.
RIKSHA RIDING PROVED
A GREAT ENJOYMENT
Labor of Raising All Crops in Japan
Is Done by Man Power. Flows
Almost Unknown.


anything seen in our ports, the ho-
tel supplied with servants at every
turn, the pretty little Japanese
waiter girls with their odd dress with
the obj so prominent that for weeks
I could not believe they would
carry such an impeachment on their
back except it had some use other
than to deform them. Their gentecl
low and pleasant smile helped TO
make one feel that he had not fall
len in the most uncomfortable sur
roIndings.
it was from the porch of this hotel
we saw the funeral procession of our
minister Guthrie few days later. In
this procession were all the royalty
and diplomats of Japan.
We arrived at Yokohama Satur-
day and we found invitations to
drink Ceremonial tea and take after
noon lunch with Mr.. Asi1o the
president Of the Logo Kisen Kaisha
line on Sunday, we had come over
on. Mr.. Asino having one Of the fi1-
est homes in Japan and one of the
wealthiest and most influential men
OF the country, made 1t of great in
eoiOoI " 10 " iooih VI tncT GUS
toms.
His home in Tokyo is seventeen
miles from our hotel. There are no
Sundays in Japan. They have two
days as holidays each month and
all business progresses the same as
other days except the European
banks, which close. We had been
riksha riding in the forenoon and af-
ter tffin (the II o'clock meal in all
Asia is called Tiffin) we went to the
railroad station and at three, the
time of our invitation were met at
the sation by Rikshas and driven to
the Asino home. The surroundings
Of the place were most pleasing, the
grounds lain off with a landscape
showing fine perception of the beau
tiful. The place of opr reception, a
five story house of full Japanese ar
chitecture.
We were met at the entrance by
interpreters and servants. shown ov-
er the place, which to describe would
require entirely too much space, but
will say that the teak, camphor,
ebony and other wood surfaces were
rubbed to perfect natural finish
and the wall decorations were of
the most perfect Japanese type.
After viewing the place and sur
roundings, the home being on the
heigth just back from the once
great forts that protected the city
now overgrown with grass, we were
ushered into the room where cere-
monial tea was served, this. tea, to
those who may never have seen or
read description, is a finely ground
powder of tea leaves on which some
water Is poured making a green
looking soup out of 1t. 1t is served
in bowls. On this occasion the
daughters and granddaughters of our
host served, and surely they did it
in oriental form, pausing, bowling
with many courtesy. Candies Of
many forms were served with the tea
and while this took place a moving
picture was being taken of the scene.
We were now invited into the recep-
ton room where we shook the
hands of Mr.. and Mrs. Asino, shak-
ing of hands is not common in ia
pan and never practiced among
their own people, neither is kissing
ever INDUCED in, the natives speak
ing of it as nasty.
We were now served with after
noon lunch. The room was beau
tiful room and we were furnished
chairs, a thing not known in the or
binary home of the Japanese, as they
all sit on the floor and have no fur
nishings in their homes but single.
bralsure with few embers Of char
coal. In this room was gas rang
es warming the room to a comforta-
BILE degree. First was served tea
and cake, peculiar ones, decorated
with chocolate; also at this course
was served sandwiches. The cake
had filling much like whipped
cream. To each person was served
two packages looking the form Of
chickens legs. These were done up
in lotus leaves and tied with bam-
boo, on opening they were filled with
clear jelatine appearing prepare
tiol very pleasantly favored, with
this was served glass of fine wine.
The next course was something OF
custard preparation. After this
different kinds Of liquors were serv-
ed, cigars passed, also small cakes
in lacquer trays.
We then passed out through dou-
BILE doors and into the yard while a
moving picture was again taken. We
then returned to the entertainment
room where we were entertained by
very clever magicians, during which
native music, IL we may call it mu-
sic, (the writer heard much Of what
they call music in Japan but his ear
is not tuned to receive the many
weird sounds with no harmony. A
native girl gave US two selections In
vocal at this entertainment the best
of anything we heard ON our stay
in Japan.
The expense of this entertainment
must have been considerable, as the
writer saw a check given to the one
taking the pictures in amount
$4,000. These pictures were shown
in Tokyo and we saw them on ship
board at an evening entertainment
On our return to our hotel Of those
passing Views we got from the train
one was an immense crematory. On
inquiry we learned that the Japan
Iese cremate most of their dead.
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