Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-08-15

The partitions can all be taker
( out in summer so as TO be free fol
air circulation. Like all japanese
houses no heating except braisure
not even a chimney, as all this east
country is without chimneys.
Great Clyptomaria trees surround
the resort. The walk of about half a
mile to the temple follows the coast
and is lined with stone lanterns about
eight feet high, these stone lanterns
are found in all parks and pleasure
grounds in japan.
The tori to the temple is one of the
most sacred in Japan and shown on
all their advertising as is Mount Full.
At high tide We rode through this
tori in a boat but in low tide it is
open to footmel. Another tori of
granite nearer the temple is so feet
high, the main columns four feet in
diameter with the coss bars of gran
lite mortised through these main col
umns.
AS you enter the surroundings of
the temple you are impressed with
the superstition of these people. You
lare lead to the sacred horse, a very
common looking animal. in very
fine stable. 1t is thought by them
that the spirit of god rides on this
horse at night. 1t is considered a
favor for them to buy feed for it, this
feed is kept for sale at the stable. A
large bronze statue of a horse is near
by which is also sacred The main
temple is very large covering some
acres. Along the walks are many
relics Of the Chinese and Russian
wars, some immense cannon taken at
that time.
In its season this resort would COM
pare favorably with our American
resorts. the hotel meals were fair,
but we were out of season. The
strangest, and what most surprised
us when ready to pay our bill, they
would not accept god, bankers or
express checks, bat would let us go
on promise of sending Japanese ex-
change which we did some three
weeks later from Tokyo.
1t is 223 miles from Miyojama to
Osaka, the railroad like all il Japan,
very narrow gauge, the cars with
seats running round the car, the
japanese usually sitting on these
seats with their limbs curled under
them, it being more natural to sit on
their limbs than let them hang from
the seat.
We ride through a valley most OF
the way, the mountains on either side
reforested to the top. In the valley
: we ride through long stretches OF
marsh grass, made marsh that this
grass may be produced to make mats
for their floors, in some of the towns
the industry of making these car
> pets of grass has built up large fac
tories for it's manufacture.
About one-third of the cultivated
portion of the country is in rape
seed; from rape seed they make al
their oil for cooking and lighting, a:
: they have no animal oil this is theil
substitute, it was in blossom and tn
country looked like a flower bed will
: all this rape, yellow with its bios
SONS. You see the natives along the
way with their wooden foot gear o.
rice sandals, as they butcher no cat
tie and have no hides they are oblig
ed TO wear this kind of protection tt
their feet.
We arrive at Kobe at 1927, take
rickshas and a twenty minutes ride
and we are at the Oriental Hotel,
very fine place.
The following morning We taxi
the train for Kyoto, passing through
the great city of Osaka and arrivins
at 1880 at Kyoto, one of the great
est and most historic Clues VI ia
pan. with a population of over hal
million. Autos are awaiting US a
the depot, to take us to our hotel
two miles from the station.
Our hotel here native pace wa:
very comfortable, our beds good. III
. the afternoon the great Tayu process
sion took place and as we had before
secured seats for this native show We
were prepared for the novel affair. /
: was held at Shimabara, some miles
from our hotel, and was witnessed
by co, 600 people.
IT seemed very simple to US, no
understanding it's significance. 1t i
sufficient that a long procession o.
beautifully dressed women decorated
: TO an extreme with enameled races
, wearing great blocks on their feet fol
shoes about eight inches thick passe'
by for about two hours. moving 81
; slowly you could hardly observe mo
ton. That these women were OF
fvsnV w a