Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-26

FUJI AS SEEN FROM TIKI
SHIZUOKA, Japan, May Is, 1929
AM trying an experiment, sitting
cross-legged at a Japanese table
about 10 inches from the floor, with
my typewriter resting where a charm
ing bronze figure has heretofore been
placed. This room is one of a suite
of two. opening, as do all the rooms in
japanese houses, public and private,
into large apartments by the sliding OF
partitions. The inn, the chief place OF
public entertainment in Shizuoka, is
called the Daitokan, and is famous
hereabouts for its commodious accom-
modations. 1t is certainly an amazing
place for intricacy of arrangements.
am anxiously wondering whether 1 can
ind my way to the office" and the
street when the time comes to make
connections with the party for the
days doings. know that I go down
hall for a short distance, turn to
the right-or perhaps the left-go down
flight Of stairs, turn again, turn once
more, go up flight of stairs, turn
once more, then go straight for few
yards, and go down the final flight to
the office That's simple in the telling,
perhaps, but the doing may be diff
f1cult.
My experiment consists in finding
out how long can sit in this posi-
ton and write. If my legs hold out
I may be able to finish this letter be-
fore the time comes for the days start.
Just now I was aware of darkening
of the light and looking up saw an
elderly Japanese standing in little
corridor which runs alongside the bal
cony rail just outside of my rooms,
looking intently upon my procedure.
I gave him the smiling salute, pointed
to my typewriter, made motions of in
vitation for him to enter, which he
He was just curious to find out what
this tap-tapping noise meant, and after
watching me q while, he has silently
slipped away.
View Snowy Gone Of Full.
Yesterday was Full day. We left
Miyanoshita at 10 o'clock in big
motor bus and drove over the mountain
road to Lake Hakone, by the same
route I had gone on Wednesday after
noon. AS we drove along the lake
shore We suddenly saw that for which
some of us had been vainly looking
ever since reaching Japan. view of
the snowy cone of the most famous
mountain in the world. The air was
perfectly clear and Full showed his
white cap brilliantly against a blue
sky. Hakone was, however, no mirror
for him, for the surface was ruffied
with the breeze left over from the
veritabie typhoon of the day before.
There is no discounting the tremen-
dous pull" of Full. He is, as his
name signified, unique. For that is
the true japanese meaning of "Fuji,"
something rare, exceptional, distinctive,
renowned. About this matter of Fuji's
name, some confusion prevails in the
minds Of foreigners In Japan and else
where. The suffix "yama," which
means mountain" is never attached
to Fuji's name by the Japanese them
selves. For 'yama" means any noun
tain, or mountain In general. Fuji
is the one and only mountain of that
name, and to say "Fujiyama" literally
means mountain-mountain. So the
Japanese almost always speak of
the great cone as "Fujisan," which is
equivalent to calling him mr.. Full"
or Dear Full" or what you will.
Well, there was Fujisan, glowing, be-
nign, isolated in the sky. And all day
long he was with us, persistently,
dominatingly, as If to atone for his
long seclusion. The afternoon before
had given signs of clearing, we
had driven out to Long Tail Pass"
to celebrated viewing point in
the hope Of seeing him, but all we saw
was desperate struggle between him
and the clouds, in which he was only
partially victorious, showing merely his
southern shoulder dimly for a few
minutes. Yesterday, however, he was
gloriously triumphant over the mists
and even last night, If we could have
gained the right viewpoint, we could
have seen him in the light of the full
moon, which is rated as one OF the
wonders Of Japan.
Divided by Boundary Line.
Full is SO precious a national posses
sion that he is divided by a boundary
line so as to give half of him to each
OF two procedures so that there Will
be no jealousy between them. Yester-
day the governor of the prefecture Of
which Shizuoka is the capital rode
with us on the train from Numadzu,
where We were entertained at luncheon,
and looking out of the car window,
told us proudly that half of Full was
under his jurisdiction.
AS we drove in our motor bus to-
ward the sea with Full cleaning off
We were suddenly aware that the road
ahead was crowded with motor cars
and with persons standing in the CEN
ter. Flags appeared on some Of the
cars. There were noises and motions
that indicated that we were being ire
ceived." Sure enough, the crowd in the
road proved to be welcoming COM
mittee from Numadzu, headed by the
mayor and leading members of the
business community. We halted and
our party alighted and there was a
formal reception in the highway. Then
we re-embarked and drove speedily to
the town. five miles away.
We have had many honors in Japan,
many notable attentions by eminent
personages and delightful entertain
ments, but nothing has touched US
more than the hearty welcome given
us by these people of the two lesser
cities which we reached yesterday,
Numadzu and Shizouka. The Numad-
Zu delegation led us through the streets
OF two villages before we reached the
city itself, going at q lively pace which
threatened death to hundreds In the
swarming communities. Out beyond
Numadzu We spun, to q restaurant or
nese name for which Is "the lying
cow" That was given to it because its
original formation looked like re-
cumbent bovine. But the enterprising
capitalist who bought 1t and used it
Tor building this resort cut down the
higher area and so destroyed the
COWS head" 1t juts into the sea at
a point at which views of great charm
are available. The snow-capped Nip
pom Alps show brightly In the sun at
distance of a hundred miles. Full
looms up close at hand. The curve OF
the bay suggests Naples. On the beach
are hundreds Of fishing boats awaiting
the subsistence OF the sea.
Entertained by Geishas.