LETTER I.
First View of Japan—A Vision of Fujisan—Japanese Pages 1–7
_Sampans_—“Pullman Cars”—Undignified Locomotion—Paper
Money—The Drawbacks of Japanese Travelling
LETTER II.
Sir Harry Parkes—An “Ambassador’s Carriage”—Cart 8–9
Coolies
LETTER III.
Yedo and Tôkiyô—The Yokohama Railroad—The Effect of 10–14
Misfits—The Plain of Yedo—Personal Peculiarities—First
Impressions of Tôkiyô—H. B. M.’s Legation—An English
Home
LETTER IV.
“John Chinaman”—Engaging a Servant—First Impressions 15–20
of Ito—A Solemn Contract—The Food Question
LETTER V.
Kwan-non Temple—Uniformity of Temple Architecture—A 21–31
_Kuruma_ Expedition—A Perpetual Festival—The
_Ni-ô_—The Limbo of Vanity—Heathen Prayers—Binzuru—A
Group of Devils—Archery Galleries—New Japan—An
_Élégante_
LETTER VI.
Fears—Travelling Equipments—Passports—Coolie Costume—A 32–42
Yedo Diorama—Rice—Fields—Tea-Houses—A Traveller’s
Reception—The Inn at Kasukabé—Lack of Privacy—A
Concourse of Noises—A Nocturnal Alarm—A Vision of
Policemen—A Budget from Yedo
LETTER VI.—(_Continued_.)
A Coolie falls ill—Peasant Costume—Varieties in 43–50
Threshing—The Tochigi _Yadoya_—Farming Villages—A
Beautiful Region—An _In Memoriam_ Avenue—A Doll’s
Street—Nikkô—The Journey’s End—Coolie Kindliness
LETTER VII.
A Japanese Idyll—Musical Stillness—My Rooms—Floral 51–53
Decorations—Kanaya and his Household—Table Equipments
LETTER VIII
The Beauties of Nikkô—The Burial of Iyéyasn—The 54–61
Approach to the Great Shrines—The Yomei Gate—Gorgeous
Decorations—Simplicity of the Mausoleum—The Shrine of
Iyémitsu—Religious Art of Japan and India—An
Earthquake—Beauties of Wood-carving
LETTER IX.
A Japanese Pack-Horse and Pack-Saddle—_Yadoya_ and 62–65
Attendant—A Native Watering-Place—The Sulphur Baths—A
“Squeeze”
LETTER X.
Peaceful Monotony—A Japanese School—A Dismal 66–72
Ditty—Punishment—A Children’s Party—A Juvenile
Belle—Female Names—A Juvenile
Drama—Needlework—Caligraphy—Arranging
Flowers—Kanaya—Daily Routine—An Evening’s
Entertainment—Planning Routes—The God-shelf
LETTER X.—(_Continued_.)
Darkness visible—Nikkô Shops—Girls and Matrons—Night 73–76
and Sleep—Parental Love—Childish
Docility—Hair-dressing—Skin Diseases
LETTER X.—(_Completed_.)
Shops and Shopping—The Barber’s Shop—A Paper 77–79
Waterproof—Ito’s Vanity—Preparations for the
Journey—Transport and Prices—Money and Measurements
LETTER XI.
Comfort disappears—Fine Scenery—An Alarm—A 80–91
Farm-house—An unusual Costume—Bridling a Horse—Female
Dress and Ugliness—Babies—My _Mago_—Beauties of the
Kinugawa—Fujihara—My Servant—Horse-shoes—An absurd
Mistake
LETTER XII.
A Fantastic Jumble—The “Quiver” of Poverty—The 92–95
Water-shed—From Bad to Worse—The Rice Planter’s
Holiday—A Diseased Crowd—Amateur Doctoring—Want of
Cleanliness—Rapid Eating—Premature Old Age
LETTER XII.—(_Concluded_.)
A Japanese Ferry—A Corrugated Road—The Pass of 96–98
Sanno—Various Vegetation—An Unattractive
Undergrowth—Preponderance of Men
LETTER XIII.
The Plain of Wakamatsu—Light Costume—The Takata 99–105
Crowd—A Congress of Schoolmasters—Timidity of a
Crowd—Bad Roads—Vicious Horses—Mountain Scenery—A
Picturesque Inn—Swallowing a Fish-bone—Poverty and
Suicide—An Inn-kitchen—England Unknown!—My Breakfast
Disappears
LETTER XIV.
An Infamous Road—Monotonous Greenery—Abysmal Dirt—Low 106–108
Lives—The Tsugawa _Yadoya_—Politeness—A Shipping
Port—A “Barbarian Devil”
LETTER XV.
A Hurry—The Tsugawa Packet-boat—Running the 109–112
Rapids—Fantastic Scenery—The
River-life—Vineyards—Drying Barley—Summer Silence—The
Outskirts of Niigata—The Church Mission House
LETTER XVI.
Abominable Weather—Insect Pests—Absence of Foreign 114–119
Trade—A Refractory River—Progress—The Japanese
City—Water Highways—Niigata Gardens—Ruth Fyson—The
Winter Climate—A Population in Wadding
LETTER XVII.
The Canal-side at Niigata—Awful 120–127
Loneliness—Courtesy—Dr. Palm’s Tandem—A Noisy
_Matsuri_—A Jolting Journey—The Mountain
Villages—Winter Dismalness—An Out-of-the-world
Hamlet—Crowded Dwellings—Riding a Cow—“Drunk and
Disorderly”—An Enforced Rest—Local
Discouragements—Heavy Loads—Absence of Beggary—Slow
Travelling
LETTER XVIII.
Comely Kine—Japanese Criticism on a Foreign Usage—A 128–136
Pleasant Halt—Renewed Courtesies—The Plain of
Yonezawa—A Curious Mistake—The Mother’s
Memorial—Arrival at Komatsu—Stately Accommodation—A
Vicious Horse—An Asiatic Arcadia—A Fashionable
Watering-place—A Belle—“Godowns”
LETTER XIX.
Prosperity—Convict Labour—A New 137–142
Bridge—Yamagata—Intoxicating Forgeries—The Government
Buildings—Bad Manners—Snow Mountains—A Wretched Town
LETTER XX.
The Effect of a Chicken—Poor Fare—Slow 143–145
Travelling—Objects of Interest—_Kak’ké_—The Fatal
Close—A Great Fire—Security of the _Kuras_
LETTER XX.—(_Continued_.)
Lunch in Public—A Grotesque Accident—Police 146–151
Inquiries—Man or Woman?—A Melancholy Stare—A Vicious
Horse—An Ill-favoured Town—A Disappointment—A _Torii_
LETTER XX.—(_Concluded_.)
A Casual Invitation—A Ludicrous Incident—Politeness of 152–154
a Policeman—A Comfortless Sunday—An Outrageous
Irruption—A Privileged Stare
LETTER XXI.
The Necessity of Firmness—Perplexing 155–158
Misrepresentations—Gliding with the Stream—Suburban
Residences—The Kubota Hospital—A Formal Reception—The
Normal School
LETTER XXII.
A Silk Factory—Employment for Women—A Police 159–160
Escort—The Japanese Police Force
LETTER XXIII.
“A Plague of Immoderate Rain”—A Confidential 161–164
Servant—Ito’s Diary—Ito’s Excellences—Ito’s Faults—A
Prophecy of the Future of Japan—Curious
Queries—Superfine English—Economical Travelling—The
Japanese Pack-horse again
LETTER XXIV.
The Symbolism of Seaweed—Afternoon Visitors—An Infant 165–169
Prodigy—A Feat in Caligraphy—Child Worship—A Borrowed
Dress—A _Trousseau_—House Furniture—The Marriage
Ceremony
LETTER XXV.
A Holiday Scene—A _Matsuri_—Attractions of the 170–174
Revel—_Matsuri_ Cars—Gods and Demons—A Possible
Harbour—A Village Forge—Prosperity of _Saké_ Brewers—A
“Great Sight”
LETTER XXVI.
The Fatigues of Travelling—Torrents and Mud—Ito’s 175–182
Surliness—The Blind Shampooers—A Supposed Monkey
Theatre—A Suspended Ferry—A Difficult Transit—Perils
on the Yonetsurugawa—A Boatman Drowned—Nocturnal
Disturbances—A Noisy _Yadoya_—Storm-bound
Travellers—_Hai_! _Hai_!—More Nocturnal Disturbances
LETTER XXVII.
Good-tempered Intoxication—The Effect of Sunshine—A 183–186
tedious Altercation—Evening Occupations—Noisy
Talk—Social Gatherings—Unfair Comparisons
LETTER XXVIII.
Torrents of Rain—An unpleasant Detention—Devastations 187–192
produced by Floods—The Yadate Pass—The Force of
Water—Difficulties thicken—A Primitive _Yadoya_—The
Water rises
LETTER XXVIII.—(_Continued_.)
Scanty Resources—Japanese Children—Children’s Games—A 193–196
Sagacious Example—A Kite Competition—Personal
Privations
LETTER XXIX.
Hope deferred—Effects of the Flood—Activity of the 197–199
Police—A Ramble in Disguise—The _Tanabata_
Festival—Mr. Satow’s Reputation
LETTER XXX.
A Lady’s Toilet—Hair-dressing—Paint and 200–202
Cosmetics—Afternoon Visitors—Christian Converts
LETTER XXXI.
A Travel Curiosity—Rude Dwellings—Primitive 203–205
Simplicity—The Public Bath-house
LETTER XXXII.
A Hard Day’s Journey—An Overturn—Nearing the 206–209
Ocean—Joyful Excitement—Universal Greyness—Inopportune
Policemen—A Stormy Voyage—A Wild Welcome—A Windy
Landing—The Journey’s End
LETTER XXXIII.
Form and Colour—A Windy Capital—Eccentricities in 212–213
House Roof
LETTER XXXIV.
Ito’s Delinquency—“Missionary Manners”—A Predicted 214–215
Failure
LETTER XXXV.
A Lovely Sunset—An Official Letter—A “Front 216–230
Horse”—Japanese Courtesy—The Steam Ferry—Coolies
Abscond—A Team of Savages—A Drove of Horses—Floral
Beauties—An Unbeaten Track—A Ghostly Dwelling—Solitude
and Eeriness
LETTER XXXV.—(_Continued_.)
The Harmonies of Nature—A Good Horse—A Single 231–233
Discord—A Forest—Aino Ferrymen—“_Les Puces_! _Les
Puces_!”—Baffled Explorers—Ito’s Contempt for Ainos—An
Aino Introduction
LETTER XXXVI.
Savage Life—A Forest Track—Cleanly Villages—A 234–243
Hospitable Reception—The Chief’s Mother—The Evening
Meal—A Savage _Séance_—Libations to the Gods—Nocturnal
Silence—Aino Courtesy—The Chief’s Wife
LETTER XXXVI.—(_Continued_.)
A Supposed Act of Worship—Parental Tenderness—Morning 244–253
Visits.—Wretched Cultivation—Honesty and Generosity—A
“Dug-out”—Female Occupations—The Ancient Fate—A New
Arrival—A Perilous Prescription—The Shrine of
Yoshitsuné—The Chief’s Return
LETTER XXXVII.
Barrenness of Savage Life—Irreclaimable Savages—The 254–261
Aino Physique—Female Comeliness—Torture and
Ornament—Child Life—Docility and Obedience
LETTER XXXVII.—(_Continued_.)
Aino Clothing—Holiday Dress—Domestic 262–272
Architecture—Household Gods—Japanese Curios—The
Necessaries of Life—Clay Soup—Arrow Poison—Arrow
Traps—Female Occupations—Bark Cloth—The Art of Weaving
LETTER XXXVII.—(_Continued_.)
A Simple Nature-Worship—Aino Gods—A Festival 273–284
Song—Religious Intoxication—Bear-Worship—The Annual
Saturnalia—The Future State—Marriage and
Divorce—Musical Instruments—Etiquette—The
Chieftainship—Death and Burial—Old Age—Moral Qualities
LETTER XXXVIII.
A Parting Gift—A Delicacy—Generosity—A Seaside 285–288
Village—Pipichari’s Advice—A Drunken Revel—Ito’s
Prophecies—The _Kôckô’s_ Illness—Patent Medicines
LETTER XXXIX.
A Welcome Gift—Recent Changes—Volcanic 289–295
Phenomena—Interesting Tufa Cones—Semi-strangulation—A
Fall into a Bear-trap—The Shiraôi Ainos—Horsebreaking
and Cruelty
LETTER XXXIX.—(_Continued_.)
The Universal Language—The Yezo _Corrals_—A “Typhoon 296–298
Rain”—Difficult Tracks—An Unenviable Ride—Drying
Clothes—A Woman’s Remorse
LETTER XL.
“More than Peace”—Geographical 299–305
Difficulties—Usu-taki—Swimming the Osharu—A Dream of
Beauty—A Sunset Effect—A Nocturnal Alarm—The Coast
Ainos
LETTER XL.—(_Continued_.)
The Sea-shore—A “Hairy Aino”—A Horse Fight—The Horses 306–311
of Yezo—“Bad Mountains”—A Slight Accident—Magnificent
Scenery—A Bleached Halting-Place—A Musty Room—Aino
“Good-breeding”
LETTER XLI.
A Group of Fathers—The Lebungé Ainos—The _Salisburia 312–319
adiantifolia_—A Family Group—The Missing
Link—Oshamambé—Disorderly Horses—The River Yurapu—The
Seaside—Aino Canoes—The Last Morning—Dodging Europeans
LETTER XLII.
Pleasant Last Impressions—The Japanese Junk—Ito 320–321
Disappears—My Letter of Thanks
LETTER XLIII.
Pleasant Prospects—A Miserable Disappointment—Caught 322–324
in a Typhoon—A Dense Fog—Alarmist Rumours—A Welcome at
Tôkiyô—The Last of the Mutineers
LETTER XLIV.
Fine Weather—Cremation in Japan—The Governor of 325–328
Tôkiyô—An Awkward Question—An Insignificant
Building—Economy in Funeral Expenses—Simplicity of the
Cremation Process—The Last of Japan