unbeaten tracks in japan-第5部分

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the　skill　and　capacity　of　the　servant。　　Three　gentlemen　who　have
travelled　extensively　have　given　me　lists　of　the　prices　which　I
ought　to　pay；　varying　in　different　districts；　and　largely　increased
on　the　beaten　track　of　tourists；　and　Mr。　Wilkinson　has　read　these
to　Ito；　who　offered　an　occasional　remonstrance。　　Mr。　W。　remarked
after　the　conversation；　which　was　in　Japanese；　that　he　thought　I
should　have　to　〃look　sharp　after　money　matters〃a　painful
prospect；　as　I　have　never　been　able　to　manage　anybody　in　my　life；
and　shall　surely　have　no　control　over　this　clever；　cunning　Japanese
youth；　who　on　most　points　will　be　able　to　deceive　me　as　he　pleases。

On　returning　here　I　found　that　Lady　Parkes　had　made　most　of　the
necessary　preparations　for　me；　and　that　they　include　two　light
baskets　with　covers　of　oiled　paper；　a　travelling　bed　or　stretcher；
a　folding…chair；　and　an　india…rubber　bath；　all　which　she　considers
as　necessaries　for　a　person　in　feeble　health　on　a　journey　of　such
long　duration。　　This　week　has　been　spent　in　making　acquaintances　in
Tokiyo；　seeing　some　characteristic　sights；　and　in　trying　to　get
light　on　my　tour；　but　little　seems　known　by　foreigners　of　northern
Japan；　and　a　Government　department；　on　being　applied　to；　returned
an　itinerary；　leaving　out　140　miles　of　the　route　that　I　dream　of
taking；　on　the　ground　of　〃insufficient　information；〃　on　which　Sir
Harry　cheerily　remarked；　〃You　will　have　to　get　your　information　as
you　go　along；　and　that　will　be　all　the　more　interesting。〃　　Ah！　but
how？　　I。　L。　B。



LETTER　V



Kwan…non　TempleUniformity　of　Temple　ArchitectureA　Kuruma
ExpeditionA　Perpetual　FestivalThe　Ni…oThe　Limbo　of　Vanity
Heathen　PrayersBinzuruA　Group　of　DevilsArchery　GalleriesNew
JapanAn　Elegante。

H。B。M。's　LEGATION；　YEDO；
June　9。

Once　for　all　I　will　describe　a　Buddhist　temple；　and　it　shall　be　the
popular　temple　of　Asakusa；　which　keeps　fair　and　festival　the　whole
year　round；　and　is　dedicated　to　the　〃thousand…armed〃　Kwan…non；　the
goddess　of　mercy。　　Writing　generally；　it　may　be　said　that　in
design；　roof；　and　general　aspect；　Japanese　Buddhist　temples　are　all
alike。　　The　sacred　architectural　idea　expresses　itself　in　nearly
the　same　form　always。　　There　is　a　single　or　double…roofed　gateway；
with　highly…coloured　figures　in　niches　on　either　side；　the　paved
temple…court；　with　more　or　fewer　stone　or　bronze　lanterns；　amainu；
or　heavenly　dogs；　in　stone　on　stone　pedestals；　stone　sarcophagi；
roofed　over　or　not；　for　holy　water；　a　flight　of　steps；　a　portico；
continued　as　a　verandah　all　round　the　temple；　a　roof　of
tremendously　disproportionate　size　and　weight；　with　a　peculiar
curve；　a　square　or　oblong　hall　divided　by　a　railing　from　a
〃chancel〃　with　a　high　and　low　altar；　and　a　shrine　containing
Buddha；　or　the　divinity　to　whom　the　chapel　is　dedicated；　an
incense…burner；　and　a　few　ecclesiastical　ornaments。　　The　symbols；
idols；　and　adornments　depend　upon　the　sect　to　which　the　temple
belongs；　or　the　wealth　of　its　votaries；　or　the　fancy　of　the
priests。　　Some　temples　are　packed　full　of　gods；　shrines；　banners；
bronzes；　brasses；　tablets；　and　ornaments；　and　others；　like　those　of
the　Monto　sect；　are　so　severely　simple；　that　with　scarcely　an
alteration　they　might　be　used　for　Christian　worship　to…morrow。

The　foundations　consist　of　square　stones　on　which　the　uprights
rest。　　These　are　of　elm；　and　are　united　at　intervals　by
longitudinal　pieces。　　The　great　size　and　enormous　weight　of　the
roofs　arise　from　the　trusses　being　formed　of　one　heavy　frame　being
built　upon　another　in　diminishing　squares　till　the　top　is　reached；
the　main　beams　being　formed　of　very　large　timbers　put　on　in　their
natural　state。　　They　are　either　very　heavily　and　ornamentally
tiled；　or　covered　with　sheet　copper　ornamented　with　gold；　or
thatched　to　a　depth　of　from　one　to　three　feet；　with　fine　shingles
or　bark。　　The　casing　of　the　walls　on　the　outside　is　usually　thick
elm　planking　either　lacquered　or　unpainted；　and　that　of　the　inside
is　of　thin；　finely…planed　and　bevelled　planking　of　the　beautiful
wood　of　the　Retinospora　obtusa。　　The　lining　of　the　roof　is　in　flat
panels；　and　where　it　is　supported　by　pillars　they　are　invariably
circular；　and　formed　of　the　straight；　finely…grained　stem　of　the
Retinospora　obtusa。　　The　projecting　ends　of　the　roof…beams　under
the　eaves　are　either　elaborately　carved；　lacquered　in　dull　red；　or
covered　with　copper；　as　are　the　joints　of　the　beams。　　Very　few
nails　are　used；　the　timbers　being　very　beautifully　joined　by
mortices　and　dovetails；　other　methods　of　junction　being　unknown。

Mr。　Chamberlain　and　I　went　in　a　kuruma　hurried　along　by　three
liveried　coolies；　through　the　three　miles　of　crowded　streets　which
lie　between　the　Legation　and　Asakusa；　once　a　village；　but　now
incorporated　with　this　monster　city；　to　the　broad　street　leading　to
the　Adzuma　Bridge　over　the　Sumida　river；　one　of　the　few　stone
bridges　in　Tokiyo；　which　connects　east　Tokiyo；　an　uninteresting
region；　containing　many　canals；　storehouses；　timber…yards；　and
inferior　yashikis；　with　the　rest　of　the　city。　　This　street；
marvellously　thronged　with　pedestrians　and　kurumas；　is　the　terminus
of　a　number　of　city　〃stage　lines；〃　and　twenty　wretched…looking
covered　waggons；　with　still　more　wretched　ponies；　were　drawn　up　in
the　middle；　waiting　for　passengers。　　Just　there　plenty　of　real
Tokiyo　life　is　to　be　seen；　for　near　a　shrine　of　popular　pilgrimage
there　are　always　numerous　places　of　amusement；　innocent　and
vicious；　and　the　vicinity　of　this　temple　is　full　of　restaurants；
tea…houses；　minor　theatres；　and　the　resorts　of　dancing　and　singing
girls。

A　broad…paved　avenue；　only　open　to　foot　passengers；　leads　from　this
street　to　the　grand　entrance；　a　colossal　two…storied　double…roofed
mon；　or　gate；　painted　a　rich　dull　red。　　On　either　side　of　this
avenue　are　lines　of　boothswhich　make　a　brilliant　and　lavish
display　of　their　contentstoy…shops；　shops　for　smoking　apparatus；
and　shops　for　the　sale　of　ornamental　hair…pins　predominating。
Nearer　the　gate　are　booths　for　the　sale　of　rosaries　for　prayer；
sleeve　and　bosom　idols　of　brass　and　wood　in　small　shrines；　amulet
bags；　representations　of　the　jolly…looking　Daikoku；　the　god　of
wealth；　the　most　popular　of　the　household　gods　of　Japan；　shrines；
memorial　tablets；　cheap　ex　votos；　sacred　bells；　candlesticks；　and
incense…burners；　and　all　the　endless　and　various　articles　connected
with　Buddhist　devotion；　public　and　private。　　Every　day　is　a
festival…day　at　Asakusa；　the　temple　is　dedicated　to　the　most
popular　of　the　great　divinities；　it　is　the　most　popular　of
religious　resorts；　and　whether　he　be　Buddhist；　Shintoist；　or
Christian；　no　stranger　comes　to　the　capital　without　making　a　visit
to　its　crowded　courts　or　a　purchase　at　its　tempting　booths。　　Not　to
be　an　exception；　I　invested　in　bouquets　of　firework　flowers；　fifty
flowers　for　2　sen；　or　1d。；　each　of　which；　as　it　slowly　consumes；
throws　off　fiery　coruscations；　shaped　like　the　most　beautiful　of
snow　crystals。　　I　was　also　tempted　by　small　boxes　at　2　sen　each；
containing　what　look　like　little　slips　of　withered　pith；　but　which；
on　being　dropped　into　water；　expand　into　trees　and　flowers。

Down　a　paved　passage　on　the　right　there　is　an　artificial　river；　not
over　clean；　with　a　bridge　formed　of　one　curved　stone；　from　which　a
flight　of　steps　leads　up　to　a　small　temple　with　a　magnificent
bronze　bell。　　At　the　entrance　several　women　were　praying。　　In　the
same　direction　are　two　fine　bronze　Buddhas；　seated　figures；　one
with　clasped　hands；　the　other　holding　a　lotus；　both　with　〃The　light
of　the　world〃　upon　their　brows。　　The　grand　red　gateway　into　the
actual　temple　courts　has　an　extremely　imposing　effect；　and　besides；
it　is　the　portal　to　the　first　great　heathen　temple　that　I　have
seen；　and　it　made　me　think　of　another　temple　whose　courts　were
equally　crowded　with　buyers　and　sellers；　and　of　a　〃whip　of　small
cords〃　in　the　hand　of　One　who　claimed　both　the　temple　and　its
courts　as　His　〃Father's　House。〃　　Not　with　less　righteous　wrath
would　the　gentle　founder　of　Buddhism　purify　the　unsanctified　courts
of　Asakusa。　　Hundreds　of　men；　women；　and　children　passed　to　and　fro
through　the　gateway　in　incessant　streams；　and　so　they　are　passing
through　every　daylight　hour　of　every　day　in　the　year；　thousands
becoming　tens　of　thousands　on　the　great　matsuri　days；　when　the
mikoshi；　or　sacred　car；　containing　certain　symbols　of　the　god；　is
exhibited；　and　after　sacred　mimes　and　dances　have　been　performed；
is　carried　in　a　magnificent；　antique　procession　to　the　shore　and
back　again。　　Under　the　gateway　on　either　side　are　the　Ni…o；　or　two
kings；　gigantic　figures　in　flowing　robes；　one　red　and　with　an　open
mouth；　representing　the　Yo；　or　male　principle　of　Chinese
philosophy；　the　other　green　and　with　the　mouth　firmly　closed；
representing　the　In；　or　female　principle。　　They　are　hideous
creatures；　with　protruding　eyes；　and　faces　and　figures　distorted
and　corrupted　into　a　high　degree　of　exaggerated　and　convulsive
action。　　These　figures　guard　the　gates　of　most　of　the　larger
temples；　and　small　prints　of　them　are　pasted　over　the　doors　of
houses　to　protect　them　against　burglars。　　Attached　to　the　grating
in　front　were　a　number　of　straw　sandals；　hung　up　by　people　who　pray
that　their　limbs　may　be　as　muscular　as　those　of　the　Ni…o。

Passing　through　this　gate　we　were　in　the　temple　court　proper；　and
in　front　of　the　temple　itself；　a　building　of　imposing　height　and
size；　of　a　dull　red　colour；　with　a　grand　roof　of　heavy　iron　grey
tiles；　with　a　sweeping　curve　which　gives　grace　as　well　as　grandeur。
The　timbers　and　supports　are　solid　and　of　great　size；　but；　in
common　with　all　Japanese　temples；　whether　Buddhist　or　Shinto；　the
edifice　is　entirely　of　wood。　　A　broad　flight　of　narrow；　steep；
brass…bound　steps　lead　up　to　the　porch；　which　is　formed　by　a　number
of　circular　pillars　supporting　a　very　lofty　roof；　from　which　paper
lanterns　ten　feet　long　are　hanging。　　A　gallery　runs　from　this　round
the　temple；　under　cover　of　the　eaves。　　There　is　an　outer　temple；
unmatted；　and　an　inner　one　behind　a　grating；　into　which　those　who
choose　to　pay　for　the　privilege　of　praying　in　comparative　privacy；
or　of　having　prayers　said　for　them　by　the　priests；　can　pass。

In　the