Daimio behaved in a manner which was considered by
another Daimio as disrespectful to his Majesty. The latter
drew his sword, which is an unpardonable offence when in
presence of the Tycoon, and he was therefore ordered to
perform hari-kari. Forty-seven of his followers, by whom
he was much beloved, were so distressed, that they
formed themselves into a body, and took a vow of re-
venge, after the fulfilment of wliich they were to follow
the example of their lamented cliief It was, I tliink,
seventeen who were killed in the afiray, in which the
Daiaiio, who was the original offender, lost his hfe, but
the remainder of the band fulfilled their oath. Models of
their figures, in various attitudes expressive of rage and
defiance, now stand, surrounding that of their master, in
one of the side biuldings of the temple, in the grounds of
which then- bodies and the body of the Daimio are buried.
I could not learn whether the name Roonin or Loonin (it
is the same word, but some Japanese, like the Chinese,
TEMPLE OF THE ROONINS. 453
are unable to pronounce the r) originated on this occasion,
or whether then, as now, it signified outlaws, or those
followers of a daimio who have been disgraced and banished
from his service. We climbed up the steps behind the
temple to the grave-yard, kept as usual in perfect order
and neatness. There was good carving on some of the
stones. One might almost imagine that certain of the
representations were rehcs and corruptions of what the
Jesuits had brought into the country. There were saints
with halos round their heads, angels appearing among the
clouds, and similar subjects, bearing, both in design and
execution, a strong resemblance to ancient carvings in
European churches and monasteries. There was one
wliicli might be an admirable ' brazen serpent.' The re-
presentation of snakes is one of the strongest points of
Japanese carvers and draftsmen.
The distance to Yokohama by the Tokaido is twenty-
one or twenty-two miles, a pleasant afternoon's ride, and
the road very good ; but I was not allowed to ride more
than half that distance, so drove as far as Kavasaki, a
large town, on the Yokohama side of the Biver Loga.
Here, at the ' Inn of Ten Thousand Centuries,' we were
to lunch, and then ride into Yokohama. Just before
crossing the river we turned off the Tokaido to see a small
temple, almost hidden among the surrounding trees, in
which is kept a square shrine, said to be carried before
the Tycoon on great occasions. The Loga is crossed by a
ferry-boat, the plying of wliich was incessant.
The Tokaido is m some places very pretty, with
avenues of trees and gravelled walks, like the entrance to
a well-cared-for park. There is scarcely any piece of the
454 JAPAN.
Tokaido between Yedo and Yokohama where houses are
not within sight of each other. Sometimes they only dot
the roadside at intervals. At other times there is a group
of a dozen or so together, and there are two or three large
villages, or small towns, as the case may be, such as
Kavasaki and Kanagawa. Passers-by of all classes are
numerous, from the followers of Daimios and officials to
beggars and coolies. Some of the appendages of a Daimio's
procession are curious. Led horses, with their long tails
tied up in bags of bright-coloured silk or chintz, present-
ing the drollest appearance. Men carrying boxes of
luggage, one of which seems always to follow very close
after the norimon in which the Daimio is being carried.
Perhaps the reason of this is the same as in China, where
a mandarin always, wherever he may be going and for
whatever purpose, ought to have a trunk following him,
that at a moment's notice he might, whether travelling
or at his official work, be ready to put on mourning
should he hear of the Emperor's death. The trunk is
supposed to contain a suit of mourning for that purpose.
Many of the groups and single figures on the road were
most picturesque, and all seemingly cheerful, industrious,
and contented. The natives always shoe their horses
with straw shoes. Their shape is like the leathern shoes
donkeys have on when mowing an English lawn. A large
bunch of these shoes is hung from the saddle, and as soon
as a set is worn out it is thrown away. A much fre-
quented road is quite strewn with old shoes.
On the 3rd of October we left Yokohama to make
an excursion into the silk districts, some distance inland.
Our party consisted of Capt. G. J., of H. M. S. ' Princess
WANT OF COURTESY. 455
Royal,' Capt. A., Mr. M. (Consul at Yokohama), my father
and myself, two Japanese officers of rank, and an inter-
preter. We had pack-horses to carry our goods, rough
ponies for the servants, and horses for ourselves. Our
first march was to Haramachida, a distance of seventeen
miles. Our way lay through beautiful scenery combining
dense wood and cultivated land, with hills, and valleys,
and distant ocean, all looking lovely in the golden sun-
light which shone upon our start,
Haramacliida is rather a large village, consisting mainly
of one long stragghng street of picturesque, thatched
houses, standing among fine trees. When we arrived at
the tea-house which had been selected as our abode for the
night, we discovered that the two Japanese officials, who
had been despatched before us, in order to prepare the
master of the house for the arrival of 'distinguished foreign-
ers,' had calmly appropriated to themselves the best rooms
in the house. When we had chmbed the wooden steps
leading to the upper story, we found them giving orders
for their own supper to the master of the house, who,
squatted on his heels at the threshold, was bowing his
forehead to the ground every half minute, wliile he kept
rubbing liis knees with his hands, and uttering the pecu-
liar sort of wliistling sound, made by drawing the breath
in through the teeth, wliich noise and attitude are in Japan
considered as expressive of the greatest deference and sub-
mission. I do not know whether the same forms were
continued after these fine gentlemen were turned out of the
' best parlour ' and made to busy themselves in our interests,
but our host spent a considerable time in repeating Ms wel-
come for our benefit when we were installed in their place.
456 JAPAN.
The ' tea-houses ' in Japan are very far superior to
Chinese ' inns.' As a rule, there is no furniture whatever
in the rooms, exceptmg the beautifully clean, soft, white
mats laid on the floor, and now and then an uncomfort-
able substitute for chairs in the form of a wooden bench,
or small square stools. There are seldom tables, and then
only the height convenient for persons sitting on the floor.
Ours used to be manufactured impromptu on our arrival,
and were often ricketty erections formed out of boards
laid upon a couple of tubs turned topsy-turvy. One
great luxury in travelling in Japan is being always able,
at a few minutes' notice, to have a bath and plenty of
hot water. There is also a public bath (hot) attached to
almost every tea-house, where the servants used to be-
take themselves as soon as possible after their arrival
The disadvantages of sliding panels and paper windows
are quite as great here as in China. Often and often,
in the course of my toilette, I would hear a whisper, or
giggle, and on turnuig round find that an assemblage
of ladies outside my room were busily watching every
movement through a chink m the panel, which had
been noiselessly shpped aside while my back was turned,
or through holes as noiselessly made in the paper, by
wetting their fingers and poking them through the
softened spot. I did not so much mind the panel being
moved, but it gave one a horrid feeling to turn round
suddenly and see half-a-dozen eyes, and eyes only, fixed
intently upon one. In spite of the scrupulous cleanliness
of the mats, fleas abounded ; but this was, in most cases,
the only thmg to quarrel with.
There had been a great feast at one of the temples
SLIDING PANELS. 457
at Haramachida the day of our arrival, and every house
down the long, straggling street was in consequence
decorated. A frame, Hke the skeleton of a gigantic
umbrella, stood in the ground before each doorway, with
alternate red and white caHco roses studding every spine,
and a Japanese lantern underneath. The effect, looking
down the street, was very pecuhar and pretty, particularly
on our first arrival, when those who had been celebrating
the birthday of the god were still crowding the street,
dressed in their holiday garb. The women's dresses, con-
sisting of the usual somewhat narrow petticoat and loose
body, with long hanging sleeves, were mostly of a dark,
indigo-coloured cloth. The waistband, and a sort of bag
or bundle, which at the back is passed through the
waistband, was of a bright scarlet or cerise colour. Their
hair was dressed and ornamented with combs, pins, and
etceteras of all kinds, in tortoiseshell, ivory, lacquered
wood, gold or gilt, and silver. The rose umbrellas were
less effective by night than by day, for the Japanese
lantern only threw sufficient light to show the wreaths as
streamers of something, but what they were it was im-
possible to discern by such a faint- ghmmer.
After dinner, when our morrow's route was being
discussed with the officials who were to precede us, there
was some question about choice of roads, and to settle it
one of the servants belonging to the house was sent for.
After trying to explain the relative positions of roads and
villages viva voce, and finding that there was still a
doubt in the mind of his interlocutor, he prodviced paper
and ink-horn, and, without a moment's hesitation, set to
work to draw a rough plan, or ratlier map, of the country.
458 JAPAN.
with its roads, villages, &c. I doubt whether there are
many waiters or ostlers at inns in any other part of the
world who could do as much.
The next morning we were delayed by the coolies, who
were to carry part of the baggage, refusing to go the
whole distance required before lunch, which caused a
change of plans, so that it was half-past ten before we
set off for a dehghtfid twelve miles ride to Hatchoji. It
was a cool, fresh, breezy morning, bright and sunny as a
May morning in England. Our road lay, now across open
common, bordered by woods ; now in the woods them-
selves ; now through villages, with their neatly-thatched,
picturesque farm-houses ; now by mulberry orchards, or a
piece of ground Hke a deer-park, with a Daimio's house on
the hill-side near, and sloping down from it a bank of
close-shaven, emerald turf, as green and smooth as the
most carefully kept lawn of some ' show place ' in Eng-
land. Wliile passing through this rich, cultivated country,
where everytliing seemed so tranquil, calm, and peaceful,
so far from the bustle and excitement of steam-engines
and machinery, and the hot haste of raih-oads, it seemed
almost as if one of such pictures as those in Walter
Scott's novels of England during the feudal times had
received life. And wliile looking back at our train of
followers and animals, wandering leisurely along a good
unmade road, through a wood carpeted with mosses, ferns,
and wild flowers, and with trees arching in a leafy canopy
overhead, one felt that had a score of Sherwood foresters,
with Robin Hood and Little John among them, suddenly
made their appearance from beliind some bushy screen, it
would hardly have caused surprise, and one would have
HATCHOJI. 459
been perfectly prepared for a rencontre with those gentle-
manly and chivalrous highwaymen !
Hatch oji, our lunching-place, is a large town, where
the people, it was reported, were likely to be uncivil.
They were, however, quite the contrary, perhaps owing to
our high yaconins. They were perfectly courteous and
civil, though collecting in crowds round the door of the
very comfortable, clean tea-house, in the upper story
of wliich we took up oirr quarters. While we were
here a procession passed by to one of the temples
near. The priests were clad in grand vestments of
various colours, and followed by music and many assis-
tants. We could not learn the reason ; but as there was
a man bearing every appearance of being a layman in the
midst of the priests, Mr. M., who was the only one of the
party who knew anytliing about what it was likely to be,
suggested that it might be a layman gomg with the
whole assemblage of officiating priests to make or pay
some vow, bringmg considerable wealth to their temple.
After luncheon we had between ten and twelve miles of
beautiful country to pass through before reacliing Kozawa,
our restiQg-place for the night. Captain A. had brought
a dog and gun with him, intending to keep us in game.
It had been suggested that there would be no need to
take any provisions with us, so sure were we of always
finding more than we could want on our road. But,
fortunately, we had a reserve, for only one pheasant was
the first day's bag. We had to cross a river (the Sagami)
before reaching Kozawa, and to descend a rather steep,
winding ghat to arrive at it. From the top of the hill
the view was enchanting, with mountams in the distance.
460 JAPAN.
a river brawling over rocks and stones at our feet, and
the wood-covered hills sloping steeply down to the very
edge of the water, with the first symptom of approaching
winter visible in the rich, mellow tints of maples and
creepers, upon wliich autumn had already laid a warning
finger. Half-hidden among the trees on the other bank
of the Sagami was Kozawa, and the picturesque tea-
house, with civil, but intensely ciuious people belonging
to it, in which we found our servants and goods. Wliile
I was dressing, in the twihght, I suddenly heard one of
the panels of the outer wall of the room shde back, and
turning round beheld an old gentleman, of a decidedly
unaristocratic cast of feature, who had squatted himself
on his heels in the verandah (a narrow httle passage
leading to other rooms beyond), with the intention of
calmly surveying the progress of my toilet. In the most
infuriated voice, and the nearest approach to ' Begone —
you hideous being 1 ' in the vernacular that I could muster,
I addressed him, but he sat there tranquil and bland, and
snuHngly responded by holding up a dirty great thumb,
and declaring himself to be a ' number one yaconin ! '
Finding, however, that his assumed rank did not prevent
the panel being closed in his face, he took his departure.
I heard him a minute after going tlirough the same scene
with my father, whose room opened Hke mine on to the
passage verandah, and who, in even less gentle terms
than I had used, scorned the idea of his rank, and ad-
monished him that the sooner he took his number one
yaconinship off the better.
A rude wooden ladder led the way, in this tea-house,
from our bed-rooms, wliich were on the ground-floor, to a
INDUSTRY OF THE PEOPLE. 461
sort of loft, where we dined and sat, and from the window
of which a most charming landscape, in the form of a
narrow, paddy-grown valley, running up between wood-
clad lulls, was visible. Wherever we stopped at or near
a village, the industry and constant occupation of the
inhabitants were striking ; and here, while trying to
make a sketch of this scene, and looking out upon it for
more than an hour, I constantly saw, on the narrow
raised j)ath through the paddy-field, coohes trotting
along, or labourers with their hoes in theu* hands, or men
leading a pony, almost hidden beneath the burden of long
reeds, soon to be converted into thatch, which is here
made entirely of that material.
After an early breakfast the next morning, we again
set forward for Miangaslii, one of the places which pro-
duce the largest quantity of silk. Our road lay through
very beautiful country, densely wooded, with running
streams, good roads, and highly-cultivated valleys, inter-
spersed among which were patches of the most brilhant
scarlet lihes. I never saw a more lovely colour ; they
were growing m masses, with no leaves, and at a distance
were even brighter, if possible, than that eyesore to
farmers — a field of scarlet poppies. The scenery re-
minded us much of that about Nelson in New Zealand.
The dense woodmg of the hills, and the extraordinary
variety and great beauty of the trees, with the under-
growth of rare and lovely ferns, all helped to recall our
ride through the never-to-be-forgotten Maiti valley. We
observed among the trees many of the pine, called by the
Japanese ' Asnero ' — a very beautiful tree, growing to the
height of 90 or 100 feet, very straight, and smgidarly
462 JAPAN.
regular in its tapering form. * I believe Mr. Fortune
raised some in England, or sent some young plants home
when he was botanising in Japan. If they take kindly
to oiu- soil and climate, they will be a great addition to
the many elegant lawn trees which have of late years
been introduced. We joassed through smaU villages
rather frequently, also by detached farms, and many
temples in groves of beautiful trees. In Japan, as in
India, you are certain to find a temple wherever a clump
of particularly fine trees is to be seen, and at the en-
trance, and again just at the end, of the avenue, leading
up to the temple, stand portals, such as I mentioned be-
fore, in either stone or vermilion-painted wood. They
are generally either carved or inscribed with words, and
sometimes figures. Sometimes, on approachmg a small
temple or shrme, there is a whole avenue of these portals
in wood, generally of rude construction, of unequal heights,
and mostly so low as to necessitate stooping to pass under
them. These portals are most effective, as we saw more than
once on this day's march, when a very handsome one stands
at the foot of a flight of steps, leading through trees to the
temple at the top of a hill, and with two or three others,
also handsome and sohd, visible at the top of the steps.
Though we were told that our morning's ride was to
be of only ten or twelve miles we went on and on, and
seemed to be no nearer to Miangashi. Once or twice we
began to think that we should again find ourselves at
Yokohama, owing to the very eccentric conduct of Mr.
M.'s pony, who was possessed of the disagreeable propen-
* The Thiijopsis dolabrata : vide Fortune's ' Yedo and Peking.' I do
not know even whether I am right in calhng it a ' pine.'
A KICKING PONY. 463
sity of steadily refusing to move a yard on his road until
he had had a kicking-match with the first of his species
in whose vicinity he should find hun.sel£ Unfortunately
sometimes, when we stopped to gather persimons, this
pony came to the front, and when we were in process of
moving again, a cry was suddenly raised, ' Get out of the
way; here's M.'s pony coming,' which turned us back
on our road on one occasion for a long distance, as there
was no other means of avoiding this eccentric animal, a
bank being on one side and a paddy-field on the other.
The persimon, which caused these detentions, is a deH-
cioTis fruit, common to China and Japan. It is a bright
orange colour, and about the size of a mandarin orange,
has seeds inside hke a medlar, and in flavour and sub-
stance resembles a very rich, juicy plum.
After what seemed much more than ten or twelve
miles we could not learn that we were any nearer to
Miangashi. We had crossed the river several times, some-
times by fords, sometimes over rickety wooden bridges,
with branches laid across them, and sods upon the
branches ; we had passed through many orchards of mul-
berry-trees, and met strings of ponies, laden with sacks
of cocoons ; we had stopped to watch the winding of silk
off the cocoons in one of the farm-houses, which was veiy
quickly and dexterously done by women, seated in front
of a stove, where stood a pan of water, with many cocoons
soaking in it. (They twisted the tliread round a wheel,
exactly like those on which cliildren wind silk-worms'
silk, and quickly and cleverly joined the threads, winding
on two skeins at a time, till they became hanks of soft,
flossy-looking gold, or maize-coloured raw silk, like a
464 JAPAN.
spider's web, for delicacy). We had passed between high
hills, and had seen many beautiful views ; but we had made
a light breakfast very early, and by 3 p.m. were growing
almost too ravenous to appreciate fully the beauty of the
scenery. Two of the party had chosen one ford at the cross-
ing of a certain river, and followed the road leading from
that. The rest of us had chosen another, wliich seemed easier,
and the road from which looked better. From inquiries
now and then made at houses on the way, this proved to
be a road to Miangashi, though when it would bring us
to that longed-for spot no one seemed able to tell. Our
horses were all tired, and our progress became slower and
slower, and still we saw no signs of either our friends or
servants. Tired and hungry, cross and silent, ' like a
string of camels going to Mecca ' at most unsociable dis-
tances, we pursued our way. At length, we joyfully
beheld in the distance a well-known, short, stout figure,
accompanied by another, tall and thin, advancing along
the road to meet us, and farther off a house, with animals
and servants standing about, which bore a strong resem-
blance to our own. The two who had chosen the straight
road had been there about three hours, and described
their ride as wonderful, from the grandeur and magni-
ficence of the views. But the road was a mere rocky
track, up one side and down the other of a mountain,
where it was impossible to ride, and which, being still
lame, I coidd not have accomplished. Alas ! for the
luncheon we had been so eagerly anticipating. The deH-
cate fowl, which our friends had amiably abstained from
wholly demoHshing, they had seen walked ofi* with by a
hungry cat. There was nothing else but a round of beef
NEITHER KNIVES NOR FORKS.
465
Not a bad substitute, it may be thought. No ; but all
the knives and forks had been left beliind, to follow at
leisure with the morning's cups and saucers. There were,
however, when the resources of the whole party had been
mustered, found to be one pocket-knife and one penknife,
at the end of a Mordan's pencil, among us. Neither of
them were very sharp, and one of them was a good deal
notched and otherwise ill-used, but it was no time to
wait for burnished steel-blades. We set to work at once
^/.^^/^>/^^^ X %^'^^ :;H.^"^^^X^-^
with the means at oui* disposal, and sawed off a mouthful
at a time, till the bright idea of the servant's sword
dawned upon some one. Accordingly, the long straight
sword was brought, and with it slices were quickly hewn
off, to be modified by the penknives, while a crowd of
natives, each with baby on back, surrounded the house,
staring with astonishment at the barbarous customs of
their uncivilised visitors.
After appeasing om- hunger we had time to reconnoitre
H H
466 JAPAN.
the place, and discovered that our abode was not a tea-
house, but a small, uncomfortable, and draughty farm, with
but little accommodation for man or beast. Moreover,
it was not in the village, but on the opposite banks of
the river. An exploring party, therefore, set forth, who
presently returned, having found the tea-house, about a
quarter of a mile off, with our high and mighty protectors,
the yaconins, comfortably installed in it, having sent on
to order the tea-house again for theu' own accommodation,
leaving us to do the best we could for ourselves. They
were soon turned out, and our things were removed into
their quarters. They also received an admonition re-
specting the report that would be sent to their lords and
masters, should they behave in the same way again, which
apparently had the desired effect, for they did not repeat
the offence.
These weighty matters settled, we had tune to look
about us ; and after wandering up and down the bank of
the winding river, to the other side of which we had
crossed by a long, narrow, pictiu-esque wooden bridge, we,
at length, found the spot where we might most enjoy the
beautiful scenery. We sat down, therefore, with a view
to so doing, being far too weary, after our long morning's
ride, to think of chmbing any of the steep hill-sides which
rose on either hand. The long bridge over the Miangashi
River is of the same construction as those we had crossed
on our way in the morning. Branches of a shrub resem-
bling broom are laid thickly across sohd wooden beams,
which connect the sohd wooden piers of the bridge. Sods
of close, root-woven turf form the smface. For walking
i hese bridges are good, but for riding they are too springy