Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-18
Newspaper Delegation Entering Mi Shrine May

Toxic, May 10, 1929.
| Education, religion, athletics, ancient
! drama--Such has been the range OF
our survey of Japan during the past
! "a hours. We have seen a great, -four
| iShing university. have visited one of
the most cherished shrineS of Toxic,
| have attended base ball game and an
athletic field meet. and have witnessed
! two plays of the classic school. In adj
dition, we have been most delightfully."-
| entertained at luncheon by Marquis N.
! Okuma. president of the HoChi Shin
| bun, one of the leading newspapers of
Japan, and at dinner by Baron Kishi-
| chiro Okura, one of the wealthieSt Of
! the Japanese.
Waseda University, founded in 1881
| by the late Marquis Okuma, father of
| our host at luncheon yesterday, lies
about five or six miles from the hotel,
| which is in the center of Toxic. 1t
| is soon to celebrate its half century
| of existence. Thus its graduates have
| been for nearly two generations taking
| part in the active business and profess
| siOnal life of Japan. 1t now enrolls
about 1000 undergraduates, and its
| total enrolment, in graduate schools
| and extension work of all kinds, is
$4,000. A truly impressive figure of
! educational influence.
We were warmly greeted by the
faculty of the university and shown
through the buildings that were avail
able for inspection. First of all, how
ever, we were assembled in one of the
reception rooms of the administration
building and served with tea. while the
director of athletics proudly gave us
a brief explanation of the trophies
along f
ment. Some of these trophies have
| been donated by notable foreigners and
American institutions of learning. A
base ball team from Waseda has twice
visited the United States. on each oc-
casion winning a majority of its games
with its collegiate opponents.
Close Study Of Drama.
One of the most striking of the
buildings is that devoted to the study
of the drama Over its portal is a
effect that IAN the worlds a stage"
The building itself suggests somewhat
the sixteenth century. That Is APP
propriate, inaSmuch as the study of
Shakespeare is one of the chief features
of the course herein conducted.
That Japanese students should be
studying the Shakespearean drama is
not strange, but that they should be
writing and acting modern plays is
somewhat of surprise. The japanese
dramatic art is pitched in so different
key from that of the Western drama
that the bridging of this gap seems i'm
possible. Yet we were told yesterday
that the cultivation of an appreciation
of Western dramatic art has success
fully been effected through these
studies. Several of the students have
become professional performers of note.
and some have contributed plays of
merit in the modern form that have
had publication and production.
One of the most interesting features
of the dramatic building is museum
in which are displayed souvenirs of
costumes worn by famous Japanese
actors. In one case are portions of
the dress of a leading Nipponese
thespian who played the role of Christ
in a passion play, and also parts of
the outfit, including the false nose, of
the same actor in his rendition of
"Cyrano de Bergerac."
In the grounds were working a large
number of students at Typographical
problems, some with levels and theodol-
ties and some with rods. I spoke to
one of these young rodmen and asked
him If he knew that our President,
Herbert Hoover, was himself once a
humble bearer of such an instrument
He did not understand me in my own
tongue, but when my words were trans
lated for him he gave me one Of those
flashing smiles for which these delight
full people are famous, and manif ested
his great pleasure at the suggestion
that perhaps he. too, was destined to
high things in life. 1 took a snapshot
of this possible future Herbert Hoover
of Japan" which I hope will turn out
well.
After a visit to the library and a
bit of parading about in front of in
teresting backgrounds for the sake of
the motion picture men, who are pur-
suing US indefatigably, we went to
the Okuma KaikWan across the street.
This is the former home of the marquis,
the founder of the university. The
park in which the building stands is a
| Joy to the eye. a perfect example OF
the highest form of Japanese garden
ing.
Where War Was Declared.
The present Marquis Okuma, our
! host as president of the Hochi Shin
| bun. received us most graciously in the
| dwelling portion of the former home
! Of MS father. The luncheon, however
| was served in an adjoining structure
/ which is called the drawing room. II
! is a more strictly Japanese style of
! building, a gem of architecture. 1t
! gained for us an additional interest
when we were told, in the course of
| the luncheon, that it was i'll this room
! at 2 o'clock on the morning of August
! 8. 1914, after a four-hour cabinet meet
ing, that war was declared on Germany
| by Japan.
! After luncheon we were taken to an
adjoining building, in which the late
marquis slept during the latter part
of his life, particularly to see a collec-
/ ton of relics of that great liberal
| statesman, whose death few years
| ago saddened all Japan. In one room
were shown his cap and gown as re-
gent of the university which he found
ed and other souvenirs. In an adjoin-
! ing room where mementos OF another
! kind, tragic in significance, the cloth
ing which the marquis was wearing
! when a political fanatic hurled bomb
| which, exploding, so injured him that
| the amputation of leg was necessary
This happened some 25 years ago The
! bloOd-Stained cushions upon which the
marquis was sitting also appear In the
collection. which is preserved to keep
vivid in the minds Of the Japanese peo-
pie the services rendered by the grand
old man of Japan" even TO the point
of death, if need be.
Leaving Waseda, we were driven
quickly over to the Meiji Shrine, about
three miles distant. To the eye at first
this shrine appears merely as public
park. The park, however, is but the
setting for one of the hallowed places OF
Japan, dedicated to the memory of the
Emperor MeiJI one of the great forces
in the modernization of the nation
Leaving the cars at the shrine office, we
! STONED the yisitnrS' hook and then were
purified" by the LAYING of our hands