Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-23

trasting with the brilliant coloration Of
the exteriors. Nor the endless success
sion of symbolic designs, susceptible Of
many speculations but explained by an
exact lore that has been preserved
through the centuries. Two Of the
carvings are world famous, the "three
monkeys" and the sleeping cat" They
are, however. the most trifiing Of incl
dentals, amid wealth Of cryptograms
in painted and lacquered wood.
Endless lines Of devotees filed into
and out Of the shrines, both the Shinto
/ and the Buddhist temples, which are
close neighbors. living in peace and
harmony. These people come from all
over Japan To them this is q Mecca,
and few miles farther up the noun
tain, on the shore of Lake Chuzenji, is
still more sacred place, to which they
go despite the painfully dificult way
there.
Some idea Of the magnitude Of these
shrines, and their beauty, Is given in
advance by the wonderful avenue Of
cryptomerias, or pine trees, planted in
1913 by Matsudaira Masatsuma, a
wealthy daimyo, one Of the general
commissioners in charge of the con-
an approach 10 this revered spot from
the east. It originally comprised 10000
trees, extending for about 2219 miles
from Utsonomiya to Nikko. Today,
despite the years and the storms and
fires and earthquakes, more than $4,000
Of these noble trees remain, giants,
towering for scores of feet, girthed like
monsters. In places are gaps in these
two walls of gray-brown trunks and
lacing branches, where tiny villages
have been established. But It may be
accepted that in every case no tree has
ever been sacrificed to make room for
building. It is only in the spaces
left by the death Of veterans that men
have erected their homes.
We left the train several miles to the
east Of Nikko in order to drive through
this avenue, narrow, worn deep below
the original level by the passage of
countless millions of pilgrim feet and
of military forces In the course Of near
" three centuries. This Is the best
way to approach Nikko It is really
well then to drive at once across the
Daiya River by the modern bridge, from
which the Mihashi, or red lacquered
sacred bridge is to be best observed, q
few yards distant. That structure is
now closed to all but imperial mes
sengers on ceremonial occasions and
the governor of the prefecture on his
osAAA00A sAoAes A~CoRAvC OAhAo PAOAhAUAbAOl
an impudent young American, on tour
with school mates. last year trespassed
upon the bridge to the horror of the
local authorities and public. He was
properly punished by being returned
home to the States by the director of
the party.
Right opposite the western end Of the
bridge is q broad. stone-paved ramp,
the long SLOPE" That is the proper
way to approach the shrines, leaving
motor cars at this point and entering
the precincts OF Nikkos great treasures
by the route taken by the devout pill
grtms, hundreds of whom are pouring
up and down the slope throughout the
daylight hours.
Voice Of the East.
Happy is the visitor who stands on
the balcony of the hotel at sunset and
hears the deep booming of the great
bell in the Buddhist temple up among
the giant pines. Below him rushes and
clatters the river. speeding down from
the mountain lake dozen miles away.