AN EVENING IN A JAPANESE HOME.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2158, 14 August 1907, Page 4

AN EVENING IN A JAPANESE HOME.

SOME QUAINT CUSTOMS. (By “Coo-oo” in the Canterbury Times.) It is not » difficult thing to grow weary of hotels, however palatial, nor can n traveller in a foreign country content himself for many dnys at a stretch with silk shops anil curio stores. Thoro comes a moment when he feels ho almost hates tho curious dress anil quaint business methods of those who differ from him in habitnnil speech, while with too long indulgence in picturesquo scenery even tho lovo of tho boautiful becomes sutiuted anil jaded. At this stage what tho healthy tourist needs iS a tonic, anil tho best tonic to bo found is to spend an evening in a puro, refined anil I educated liomo. This is a tonic that may readily be procured if the tourist boars with him propor credentials, for with hie innate politeness tho Japanese looks upon a visit from a European gontleman as a high honor bostowed, oven as wo may regard it as I a great mark of favor shown. AnI nually, tho largo seaports of Japan aro rLsitod by many thousands of seaI men and officers of all nations; the I custom of such men is to speak of I such and such a placo as being “xot--1 ten.” Thoy see only one sido of JapI nneso life, and that not necessarily

the more desirable side. Many of .those men come from good homes themselves, and they never stop to think that there are amongst tho Japanese people homos as pure, as delightful and as simple in their innocent gaiety as any that can he found in European countries. Lot

mo tell of how I proved this thing to ho true.

Through a chance advertisement, read in Australia, which I answered, I became acquainted (through the medium of correspondence) with a Japanese gentleman connected with the silk trade; that acquaintance has since ripened into' friendship •through my good fortune of being able to see him in his own country. Through his instrumentality Wo started out ono evening to see some friends of his who dwell in the suburbs of Yokohama. Arrived at the house, I found that our host for the evening was a chemist, and that liis dwelling-house adjoined the shop where liis business was came'd on. At the threshold I had my first experience of

TAKING OFF MY BOOTS TO

ENTER A HOUSE

AVhilo this is in process ono cannot help feeling that tho kind little people about you are laughing inwardly. It is an almost impossible tiling for a man who weighs 13st, and is nearly Oft high, to get down on a mat and take off his laceil boots in a graceful manner; the feeling of bigness adds to one’s embarrassment and you feel sorry that you had not practised this kind of thing before leaving homo. Upon being conducted to a dainty little room at tho roar tho real work of introduction commenced. But prior

to this I was exceedingly impressed with the very respectful salutation which passed between my friend and our hosts; bending low upon their mats, they touched the matting with their foreheads, and murmured something which, while unintelligible to me, produced an atmosphere of respectful and tender friendship. During this time there were no curious glances cast at me; but as my friends proceeded to explain the object of our visit, my personality, and mission, I could seo a glow of pleasurable interest creeping over the faceß of the listeners. So soon as my friend ceased I was greeted with such a chorus of welcomes and salutations that I was literally (not swept off my feet, for I was sitting on a mat), but almost raised from the floor. I was assured of the honor which my visit did the home; I was assured that if they had known of our intended visit hoiv delighted they would have been to make fitting preparation. In an incredibly short space of tim e tea appeared, which was served to os in tiny cups, and oven while I was trying to estimate the flavor of the tea, sake was brought in in tiny bottles, and our glasses were filled, and after chinking the glasses and hearing more murmured salutations, we DRANK TO EACH OTHER’S HAPPINESS

and long life. In ten minutes I felit as -much at home with these gentle people as if I had known tlie-m for many years. The female members of the family were not present, nor did they take any part in the proceedings save to attend to our refreshments ; but the young men and older listened with intense interest as we talked of countries, customs, and peoples. It did not strike me as odd that there was no furniture after our ideas in the room. The floor was covered with very thick matting, in the centre of tho room -stood a' stove, containing a dainty litlo fire of Charcoal. At one end of the room stood a little recess liko a fireplaco without

a stove. The beams which supported this were of wood gnarled and brown with ago, and. of great value, as my friend informed mo. In this recess hung a picture of ancient heroes or gods, also of great value, being the work of one of tho old Japanese -masters. Arranged in a large vase, as if they were growing, wore placed large twigs of cherry just bursting into rich blossoms; such an arrangement being a work of art, and one only acquired by practice and skill. There was but one pisture in tlio room, and that in harmony with the season. Tho Japanese do not belie-vo in hanging up at ono time all the pictures that they possess, for they argue that if you are looking at them all tlio time you grow tired of them, and besido, it is more sensible to have one picture to represent each season of the year, or

event of the homo or nation as jit conics round. In a Japancso homo a

room is never found littered as with Europeans. There is no chance of putting band-boxes and so forth under the lied, for there is no bed to put it under during tlio day time, it

being rolled up or put out for an airing in tlie sunlight. As there are no chairs to throw them over, or hooks to bang them to, all clothes are folded up and put away in drawers, and so have a freshness for their wearers when brought out again. In the course of the evening I was asked if I would like to see

THE YOUNG PEOPLE AT THEII

PLAY. I was joyfully willing though somewhat stiff on rising, and was conducted to ail upper apartment furnished with tlio same dainty simplicity of the apartment which we had just vacated, and having the same sliding

panels, and walls made of bamboo and tiny paper frames. In this room 1 found, O ye gods tell it not in Gath, Japanese boys and girls playing pingpong on the floor. The ping-pong table was raised about three or four inches, and on mats at either side squatted tho ping-pong players. And bow did they play 1 1 have seen more energetic play both in New Zealand and in Australia, with corresponding noise, and racing from one side of the room to the other; but never have I seen more dexterous play than that exhibited by those Japanese youngsters as they quietly sat on their mats. All the points of the game were noted, each stroke and foil received by a murmur of applause, and now anil again an enthusiastic and united “Banzai,” but nobody moved across t-lie floor, it was ping-pong on cushions.

The only European element in the room was the deportment of one of tho girls when ASKED TO PLAY HER KOTO. Sho pouted when the instrument was

brought out, anil demanded that it should bo returned to ifs place; then sho would play and then sho would not. And at length when nobody asked lior, and tho matter seemed to have dropped, of her own lreo will sho camu and played an instrument about five foot in length, a foot wide at tho widest point ,and having long strings strotchod Horn end to ond, liko a harp. From this sho brought forth music in tone like a rich piano, and bail I understood tho theme, I doubt not but it would liavo been most enjoynblo. Returning to tlio rocoptiou room, thoro was further indulgence iu cako, confectionory, and light boor. By this time I bogan to fool quite at homo sitting on my logs, and so vonturod to movo them a littlo, when, 10, over wont a glass of lager across tho clean white mat, whilo I burned with sliamo at my awkwardness, but beforo I could get my handkerchief out to wipe it up, a musmo appeared with a clotli, and with deft fingers soon removed tho liquid, whilo my hosts in kindly spoech niailo me feel comfortablo, regarding it as a more detail.

In conversation I found that tlieso kindly people were vory much interested in all that pertains to Australia; a littlo information concerning our oustoms, food, houses, business, interested them very much, and when I assured them that wo Australians had been all in sympathy with them in their struggle with Russia, tlieir delight was very manifest. So closely has this war touched the homes of Japan that all present had had some relativo or dear frienif engaged in that terrible conflict. After some more expressions of regret at not being ablo-to entertain mo more fittinbly, and assurances on my part of complete satisfaction, I rose to take my leave qf this hospitable home. Tho ivliolo of tho household fairly

BOWED ME OUT OF THE HOUSE, and at the door gathered round to see me put on my boots, while quite an audience lined up in the street as well. At longfch all was complete, and amidst more bows, and ories of Sayonara, and come again soon, as I moved away there was put into my hands a small parcel, which my friend explained was the “visitor’s present.” Arrived at. my hotel,’ I found tho present to consist of a bottle of scent, done up in a dainty case. Around tho neck of the bottlo is a small slip bearing Japanese characters, which I conclude is an innocent repetition of what I had had with the confectionory in the evening. The Japanese equivalent for “conversation lollies” is tho drawing of .fortune slips from the confectionery; mine proved to he an intimation from u young lady stating that sho was ready to go away with me, as she loved me. My fortune caused great merriment, and when I inquired where the young lady was to be found tho mirth became uproarious. So ended one of tho pleasantest evenings I have ever spout in my life. The tilings that we would count necessary were all absent, and yet there was no lack. Tho chief things in a homo are cleanliness, simplicity, mirth, and affection, and in a Japanese home these abound.