The Coolidge examiner., 1933-12-15

Prepared by National Geographic Society.
Washington, d. C.-WNU Service.
XX TITH motor cars multiplying
wv in Japan, the Nipponese are
becoming increasingly inter-
ested in good roads. A few years
ago travellers scanned railway maps
planning to tour Japan. Now new
roads linking great cities with re-
gions of historic and scenic inter
est on the larger islands are d.
verting the attention Of visitors to
automobiles and improved high
ways.
1t Is possible, although it must
be confessed, sometimes slightly un-
comfortable, to go by automobile
throughout the length and breadth
of Japan. To be sure, many of the
roads are true sunshine roads,"
which means woe to him who at
tempts to travel them during the
rainy seasons, when light bridges
across flooding streams often be-
come unsafe for heavy traffic or
float away entirely; yet motoring at
proper times presents only minor
difficulties.
Drive along the historic Takaido
road from Yedo (Tokyo) to Kyoto,
past HakOne lake, sacred Full, and
the east seacoast. With the sharp
autumn air bringing red blood
tingling to your cheeks, spiral up to
Chuzenji from Nikko along the zig
gag road carved on the steep noun
tain side. Behold there the ex-
quisite panorama of multihued ma
pies. Climb to the mountains that
grid the blue waters of Lake To-
wada, lush In the greenery of sum-
mer or aflame with riotous Colds
and reds of frost-tinted October.
Drive your car out into the country
byways when summer rice planting
or autumn harvest makes evident
the patience and ceaseless indus
try of rural life. Discover for your
self charming places along the In
land sea, the Fuji lake district, and
elsewhere. If you take one such
trip, you will agree that motoring is
well worth the effort even when the
roads are in poor repair.
Today, in Japan. automobile traf-
60 ;c CT opa Nv
poets the innumerable motor cycles
and three-wheeled delivery autobi-
cycles that dart about everywhere,
and includes only the tiny fyweight
cars. the raucOus taXicabs that
cruise the city streets for 50-sen
fares (normally about % cents) :;
the public and private automobiles,
the numbering trucks. and the long,
low 1S-passenger busses that over
fill the narrow roadways, there are
now about 10000 motorized vehicles
on Honshu island alone, and on
the four main islands a total of
more than 100000.
Better Roads tor motorists.
The number of cars already in
operation, together with those arriv-
ing daily at the docks or taking
final shape in locally established as
sembly plants, is ever a pressing
argument for better roads. In the
first eleven months of 1882 the
United States exported to Japan
2,S2S busses and trucks and 2,736
passenger automobiles. The value
of automobile parts exported in this
same period was 50, ,34S,665.
Every day motors are widening
their sphere Of activity. Treaded
pneumatic tires are leaving pat
terms in paths which for ages knew
no prints save those of bare or
sandal-clad feet. Gasoline fumes
mingle with the dust that rises from
roadbeds heretofore powdered and
rutted only by the wheels of dog,
bullock, or man-drawn carts.
The roads are rapidly changing,
even the historic old Tokaido from
Tokyo to Kyoto, which served Japan
as the Via Appia served ancient
Rome
Although tie old roadbed that
echoed to the hoofs of horses in
the grand days of chivalry has been
altered, until only cobbled spots be-
tween the weathered gnarled pines
and stately cryptomerias identify it,
the panoramas are as delightful as
ever.
Mount Fuji still stands supreme
in her winter-whitened mantle or in
the blue haze and shroud of cumu-
lus clouds; the rivers still rush
down from the purple hills, and the
inrolling waves of the Pacific still
break along the East seacoast as in
bygone years.
There is the music of the harp
in the pine trees and the sound of
the timbrel in the waves; the pant
ing of the carriers is like the sound
of flutes and the stamp Of the