Fine Weather—Cremation in Japan—The Governor of Tôkiyô—An Awkward
Question—An Insignificant Building—Economy in Funeral Expenses—Simplicity
of the Cremation Process—The Last of Japan.
H. B. M.’s LEGATION, YEDO, _December_ 18.
I HAVE spent the last ten days here, in settled fine weather, such as
should have begun two months ago if the climate had behaved as it ought.
The time has flown by in excursions, shopping, select little
dinner-parties, farewell calls, and visits made with Mr. Chamberlain to
the famous groves and temples of Ikegami, where the Buddhist bishop and
priests entertained us in one of the guest-rooms, and to Enoshima and
Kamakura, “vulgar” resorts which nothing can vulgarise so long as Fujisan
towers above them.
I will mention but one “sight,” which is so far out of the beaten track
that it was only after prolonged inquiry that its whereabouts was
ascertained. Among Buddhists, specially of the Monto sect, cremation was
largely practised till it was forbidden five years ago, as some suppose
in deference to European prejudices. Three years ago, however, the
prohibition was withdrawn, and in this short space of time the number of
bodies burned has reached nearly nine thousand annually. Sir H. Parkes
applied for permission for me to visit the Kirigaya ground, one of five,
and after a few delays it was granted by the Governor of Tôkiyô at Mr.
Mori’s request, so yesterday, attended by the Legation linguist, I
presented myself at the fine _yashiki_ of the Tôkiyô _Fu_, and quite
unexpectedly was admitted to an audience of the Governor. Mr. Kusamoto
is a well-bred gentleman, and his face expresses the energy and ability
which he has given proof of possessing. He wears his European clothes
becomingly, and in attitude, as well as manner, is easy and dignified.
After asking me a great deal about my northern tour and the Ainos, he
expressed a wish for candid criticism; but as this in the East must not
be taken literally, I merely ventured to say that the roads lag behind
the progress made in other directions, upon which he entered upon
explanations which doubtless apply to the past road-history of the
country. He spoke of cremation and its “necessity” in large cities, and
terminated the interview by requesting me to dismiss my interpreter and
_kuruma_, as he was going to send me to Meguro in his own carriage with
one of the Government interpreters, adding very courteously that it gave
him pleasure to show this attention to a guest of the British Minister,
“for whose character and important services to Japan he has a high
value.”
[Picture: Fujisan, from a Village on the Tokaido]
An hour’s drive, with an extra amount of yelling from the _bettos_, took
us to a suburb of little hills and valleys, where red camellias and
feathery bamboo against backgrounds of cryptomeria contrast with the grey
monotone of British winters, and, alighting at a farm road too rough for
a carriage, we passed through fields and hedgerows to an erection which
looks too insignificant for such solemn use. Don’t expect any ghastly
details. A longish building of “wattle and dab,” much like the northern
farmhouses, a high roof, and chimneys resembling those of the “oast
houses” in Kent, combine with the rural surroundings to suggest “farm
buildings” rather than the “funeral pyre,” and all that is horrible is
left to the imagination.
The end nearest the road is a little temple, much crowded with images,
and small, red, earthenware urns and tongs for sale to the relatives of
deceased persons, and beyond this are four rooms with earthen floors and
mud walls; nothing noticeable about them except the height of the peaked
roof and the dark colour of the plaster. In the middle of the largest
are several pairs of granite supports at equal distances from each other,
and in the smallest there is a solitary pair. This was literally all
that was to be seen. In the large room several bodies are burned at one
time, and the charge is only one _yen_, about 3s. 8d., solitary cremation
costing five _yen_. Faggots are used, and 1s. worth ordinarily suffices
to reduce a human form to ashes. After the funeral service in the house
the body is brought to the cremation ground, and is left in charge of the
attendant, a melancholy, smoked-looking man, as well he may be. The
richer people sometimes pay priests to be present during the burning, but
this is not usual. There were five “quick-tubs” of pine hooped with
bamboo in the larger room, containing the remains of coolies, and a few
oblong pine chests in the small rooms containing those of middle-class
people. At 8 p.m. each “coffin” is placed on the stone trestles, the
faggots are lighted underneath, the fires are replenished during the
night, and by 6 a.m. that which was a human being is a small heap of
ashes, which is placed in an urn by the relatives and is honourably
interred. In some cases the priests accompany the relations on this last
mournful errand. Thirteen bodies were burned the night before my visit,
but there was not the slightest odour in or about the building, and the
interpreter told me that, owing to the height of the chimneys, the people
of the neighbourhood never experience the least annoyance, even while the
process is going on. The simplicity of the arrangement is very
remarkable, and there can be no reasonable doubt that it serves the
purpose of the innocuous and complete destruction of the corpse as well
as any complicated apparatus (if not better), while its cheapness places
it within the reach of the class which is most heavily burdened by
ordinary funeral expenses. {328} This morning the Governor sent his
secretary to present me with a translation of an interesting account of
the practice of cremation and its introduction into Japan.
_S.S._ “_Volga_,” Christmas Eve, 1878.—The snowy dome of Fujisan
reddening in the sunrise rose above the violet woodlands of Mississippi
Bay as we steamed out of Yokohama Harbour on the 19th, and three days
later I saw the last of Japan—a rugged coast, lashed by a wintry sea.