Produced by David Starner Bill Flisand the Online Distributed Proofreading Team                     PEEPS AT MANY LANDS                           JAPAN                             BY                       JOHN FINNEMORE          WITH TWELVE FULLPAGE ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR                             BY                        ELLA DU CANECONTENTSCHAPTER    I THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN   II BOYS AND GIRLS IN JAPAN  III BOYS AND GIRLS IN JAPAN _continued_   IV THE JAPANESE BOY    V THE JAPANESE GIRL   VI IN THE HOUSE  VII IN THE HOUSE _continued_ VIII A JAPANESE DAY   IX A JAPANESE DAY _continued_    X JAPANESE GAMES   XI THE FEAST OF DOLLS AND THE FEAST OF FLAGS  XII A FARTHINGS WORTH OF FUN XIII KITEFLYING  XIV FAIRY STORIES   XV TEAHOUSES AND TEMPLES  XVI TEAHOUSES AND TEMPLES _continued_ XVII THE RICKSHAWMANXVIII IN THE COUNTRY  XIX IN THE COUNTRY _continued_   XX THE POLICEMAN AND THE SOLDIER  XXI TWO GREAT FESTIVALSLIST OF ILLUSTRATIONSBY ELLA DU CANEOUTSIDE A TEAHOUSE_SketchMap of Japan_THE LITTLE NURSETHE WRITING LESSONGOING TO THE TEMPLEA JAPANESE HOUSEOFFERING TEA TO A GUESTFIGHTING TOPSTHE TOY SHOPA BUDDHIST SHRINEPEACH TREES IN BLOSSOMTHE FEAST OF FLAGSTHE TORII OF THE TEMPLECHAPTER ITHE LAND OF THE RISING SUNFar away from our land on the other side of the world lies a group ofislands which form the kingdom of Japan The word Japan means the Landof the Rising Sun and it is certainly a good name for a country of theFar East the land of sunriseThe flag of Japan too is painted with a rising sun which sheds its beamson every hand and this flag is now for ever famous so great and wonderfulhave been the victories in which it has been borne triumphant over RussianarmsIn some ways the Japanese are fond of comparing themselves with theirEnglish friends and allies They point out that Japan is a cluster ofislands off the coast of Asia as Britain is a cluster of islands off thecoast of Europe They have proved themselves like the English brave andclever on the sea while their troops have fought as nobly as Britishsoldiers on the land They are fond of calling themselves the English ofthe East and say that their land is the Britain of the PacificThe rise of Japan in becoming one of the Great Powers of the world has beenvery sudden and wonderful Fifty years ago Japan lay hidden from the worldshe forbade strangers to visit the country and very little was known ofher people and her customsHer navy then consisted of a few wooden junks today she has a fleet ofsplendid ironclads handled by men who know their duties as well as Englishseamen Her army consisted of troops armed with two swords and carryingbows and arrows today her troops are the admiration of the world armedwith the most modern weapons and as foes to be dreaded by the mostpowerful nationsFifty years ago Japan was in the purely feudal stage Her great nativePrinces were called Daimios Each had a strong castle and a private armyof his own There were ceaseless feuds between these Princes and constantfighting between their armies of samurai as their followers were calledJapan was like England at the time of our War of the Roses family quarrelswere fought out in pitched battle All that has now gone The Daimios havebecome private gentlemen the armies of samurai have been disbanded andJapan is ruled and managed just like a European country with judges andpolicemen and lawcourts after the model of Western landsWhen the Japanese decided to come out and take their place among the greatnations of the world they did not adopt any halfmeasures they simplycame out once and for all They threw themselves into the stream of moderninventions and movements with a will They have built railways and set uptelegraph and telephone lines They have erected banks and warehousesmills and factories They have built bridges and improved roads They havelawcourts and a Parliament to which the members are elected by thepeople and newspapers flourish everywhereJapan is a very beautiful country It is full of fine mountains withrivers leaping down the steep slopes and dashing over the rocks in snowywaterfalls At the foot of the hills are rich plains and valleys wellwatered by the streams which rush down from the hills But the mountainsare so many and the plains are so few that only a small part of the landcan be used for growing crops and this makes Japan poor Its climate isnot unlike ours in Great Britain but the summer is hotter and the winteris in some parts very cold Many of the mountains are volcanoes Some ofthese are still active and earthquakes often take place Sometimes theseearthquakes do terrible harm The great earthquake of 1871 killed 10000people injured 20000 and destroyed 130000 housesThe highest mountain of Japan also is the most beautiful and it is greatlybeloved by the Japanese who regard it as a sacred height Its name isFujisan or FusiYama and it stands near the sea and the capital cityof Tokyo It is of most beautiful shape an almost perfect cone and