feetingirthat3feetfromtheground，theytakeoneprisonerbytheirbeauty，indefianceofallrulesofwesternart，andcompelonetoacknowledgethebeautyofformsandcombinationsofcolourhithertounknown，andthatlacqueredwoodiscapableoflendingitselftotheexpressionofaveryhighideainart。Goldhasbeenusedinprofusion，andblack，dullred，andwhite，withabreadthandlavishnessquiteunique。Thebronzefret-workaloneisastudy，andthewood-carvingneedsweeksofearnestworkforthemasteryofitsideasanddetails。Onescreenorrailingonlyhassixtypanels，each4feetlong，carvedwithmarvellousboldnessanddepthinopenwork，representingpeacocks，pheasants，storks，lotuses，peonies，bamboos，andfoliage。Thefidelitytoformandcolourinthebirds，andthereproductionofthegloryofmotion，couldnotbeexcelled。
Yettheflowerspleasemeevenbetter。Trulytheartisthasrevelledinhiswork，andhascarvedandpaintedwithjoy。Thelotusleafretainsitsdewybloom，thepeonyitsshadesofcreamywhite，thebambooleafstilltremblesonitsgracefulstem，incontrasttotherigidneedlesofthepine，andcountlesscorollas，inalltheperfectcolouringofpassionatelife，unfoldthemselvesamidsttheleafageofthegorgeoustracery。Thesecarvingsarefrom10to15inchesdeep，andsinglefeathersinthetailsofthepheasantsstandoutfully6inchesinfrontofpeoniesnearlyasdeep。
ThedetailsfadefrommymemorydailyasIleavetheshrines，andintheirplacearepicturesquemassesofblackandredlacquerandgold，gildeddoorsopeningwithoutnoise，hallslaidwithmattingsosoftthatnotafootfallsounds，acrosswhosetwilightthesunbeamsfallaslantonrichlyarabesquedwallsandpanelscarvedwithbirdsandflowers，andonceilingspanelledandwroughtwithelaborateart，ofinnershrinesofgold，andgoldenliliessixfeethigh，andcurtainsofgoldbrocade，andincensefumes，andcolossalbellsandgoldenridgepoles；ofthemythicalfauna，kirin，dragon，andhowo，ofelephants，apes，andtigers，strangelymingledwithflowersandtrees，andgoldentracery，anddiaperworkonagoldground，andlacquerscreens，andpagodas，andgrovesofbronzelanterns，andshavenpriestsingoldbrocade，andShintoattendantsinblacklacquercaps，andgleamsofsunlitgoldhereandthere，andsimplemonumentalurns，andamountain-sidecoveredwithacryptomeriaforest，withroseazaleaslightingupitssolemnshade。
To-dayIhavemadeanexperimentaljourneyonhorseback，havedonefifteenmilesineighthoursofcontinuoustravelling，andhaveencounteredforthefirsttimetheJapanesepack-horse——ananimalofwhichmanyunpleasingstoriesaretold，andwhichhashithertobeenasmythicaltomeasthekirin，ordragon。Ihaveneitherbeenkicked，bitten，norpitchedoff，however，formaresareusedexclusivelyinthisdistrict，gentlecreaturesaboutfourteenhandshigh，withweakhind-quarters，andheadsnearlyconcealedbyshaggymanesandforelocks。Theyareledbyaroperoundthenose，andgobarefoot，exceptonstonyground，whenthemago，ormanwholeadsthem，tiesstrawsandalsontheirfeet。Thepack-saddleiscomposedoftwopacksofstraweightinchesthick，facedwithred，andconnectedbeforeandbehindbystrongoakarchesgailypaintedorlacquered。Thereisforagirtharopelooselytiedunderthebody，andthesecurityoftheloaddependsonacrupper，usuallyapieceofbambooattachedtothesaddlebyropesstrungwithwoodencounters，andanotherroperoundtheneck，intowhichyouputyourfootasyouscrambleoverthehighfrontuponthetopoftheerection。Theloadmustbecarefullybalancedoritcomestogrief，andthemagohandlesitalloverfirst，and，ifanaccuratedivisionofweightisimpossible，addsastonetoonesideortheother。Here，womenwhowearenormousrainhatsandgirdtheirkimonosovertightbluetrousers，bothloadthehorsesandleadthem。Idroppeduponmyloadedhorsefromthetopofawall，theridges，bars，tags，andknottedriggingofthesaddlebeingsmoothedoverbyafoldedfuton，orwaddedcottonquilt，andIwasthenfourteeninchesabovetheanimal’sback，withmyfeethangingoverhisneck。Youmustbalanceyourselfcarefully，oryoubringthewholeerectionover；butbalancingsoonbecomesamatterofhabit。Ifthehorsedoesnotstumble，thepack-saddleistolerableonlevelground，butmostsevereonthespineingoinguphill，andsointolerableingoingdownthatIwasrelievedwhenIfoundthatIhadslidoverthehorse’sheadintoamud-hole；andyouarequitehelpless，ashedoesnotunderstandabridle，ifyouhaveone，andblindlyfollowshisleader，whotrudgesonsixfeetinfrontofhim。
Thehardday’sjourneyendedinanexquisiteyadoya，beautifulwithinandwithout，andmorefitforfairiesthanfortravel-soiledmortals。Thefusumaarelightplanedwoodwithasweetscent，themattingnearlywhite，thebalconiespolishedpine。Onentering，asmilinggirlbroughtmesomeplum-flowerteawithadelicatealmondflavour，asweetmeatmadeofbeansandsugar，andalacquerbowloffrozensnow。Aftermakingadifficultmealfromafowlofmuchexperience，Ispenttheeveningoutofdoors，asaJapanesewatering-placeisaninterestingnovelty。
Thereisscarcelyroombetweenthelakeandthemountainsforthepicturesquevillagewithitstrimneathouses，oneaboveanother，builtofreddishcedarnewlyplaned。Thesnowliestenfeetdeephereinwinter，andonOctober10thepeoplewraptheirbeautifuldwellingsupincoarsematting，notevenleavingtheroofsuncovered，andgotothelowcountrytillMay10，leavingonemanincharge，whoisrelievedonceaweek。WerethehousesmineI
shouldbetemptedtowrapthemuponeveryrainyday！Ididquitethewrongthinginridinghere。Itispropertobecarriedupinakago，orcoveredbasket。
Thevillageconsistsoftwoshortstreets，8feetwidecomposedentirelyofyadoyasofvariousgrades，withapicturesquelyvariedfrontageofdeepeaves，gracefulbalconies，rowsofChineselanterns，andopenlowerfronts。Theplaceisfullofpeople，andthefourbathing-shedswerecrowded。Someenergeticinvalidsbathetwelvetimesaday！Everyonewhowaswalkingaboutcarriedabluetoweloverhisarm，andtherailsofthebalconieswerecoveredwithbluetowelshangingtodry。Therecanbeverylittleamusement。Themountainsriseatoncefromthevillage，andaresocoveredwithjunglethatonecanonlywalkintheshortstreetsoralongthetrackbywhichIcame。Thereisonecoveredboatforexcursionsonthelake，andafewgeishaswereplayingthesamisen；
but，asgamingisillegal，andthereisnoplaceofpublicresortexceptthebathing-sheds，peoplemustspendnearlyalltheirtimeinbathing，sleeping，smoking，andeating。Thegreatspringisbeyondthevillage，inasquaretankinamound。Itbubblesupwithmuchstrength，givingofffetidfumes。Therearebroadboardslaidatintervalsacrossit，andpeoplecrippledwithrheumatismgoandlieforhoursuponthemfortheadvantageofthesulphuroussteam。Thetemperatureofthespringis130degreesF。；butafterthewaterhastravelledtothevillage，alonganopenwoodenpipe，itisonly84degrees。Yumotoisover4000feethigh，andverycold。
IRIMICHI——BeforeleavingYumotoIsawthemodusoperandiofa“squeeze。“Iaskedforthebill，when，insteadofgivingittome，thehostranupstairsandaskedItohowmuchitshouldbe，thetwodividingtheovercharge。Yourservantgetsa“squeeze“oneverythingyoubuy，andonyourhotelexpenses，and，asitismanagedveryadroitly，andyoucannotpreventit，itisbestnottoworryaboutitsolongasitkeepswithinreasonablelimits。I。L。
Mypeacefullymonotonouslifehereisnearlyatanend。Thepeoplearesoquietandkindly，thoughalmosttoostill，andIhavelearnedtoknowsomethingoftheexternalsofvillagelife，andhavebecomequitefondoftheplace。
ThevillageofIrimichi，whichepitomisesformeatpresentthevillagelifeofJapan，consistsofaboutthreehundredhousesbuiltalongthreeroads，acrosswhichstepsinfoursandthreesareplacedatintervals。Downthemiddleofeacharapidstreamrunsinastonechannel，andthisgivesendlessamusementtothechildren，speciallytotheboys，whodevisemanyingeniousmodelsandmechanicaltoys，whichareputinmotionbywater-wheels。Butat7a。m。adrumbeatstosummonthechildrentoaschoolwhosebuildingswouldnotdiscreditanyschool-boardathome。ToomuchEuropeanisedIthoughtit，andthechildrenlookedveryuncomfortablesittingonhighbenchesinfrontofdesks，insteadofsquatting，nativefashion。Theschoolapparatusisverygood，andtherearefinemapsonthewalls。Theteacher，amanabouttwenty-
five，madeveryfreeuseoftheblack-board，andquestionedhispupilswithmuchrapidity。Thebestanswermoveditsgivertotheheadoftheclass，aswithus。ObedienceisthefoundationoftheJapanesesocialorder，andwithchildrenaccustomedtounquestioningobedienceathometheteacherhasnotroubleinsecuringquietness，attention，anddocility。Therewasalmostapainfulearnestnessintheold-fashionedfaceswhichporedovertheschool-books；evensucharareeventastheentranceofaforeignerfailedtodistractthesechildishstudents。Theyoungerpupilsweretaughtchieflybyobjectlessons，andtheolderwereexercisedinreadinggeographicalandhistoricalbooksaloud，averyhighkeybeingadopted，andamostdisagreeabletone，bothwiththeChineseandJapanesepronunciation。Arithmeticandtheelementsofsomeofthebranchesofnaturalphilosophyarealsotaught。ThechildrenrecitedaverseofpoetrywhichIunderstoodcontainedthewholeofthesimplesyllabary。Ithasbeentranslatedthus:-
“Colourandperfumevanishaway。
Whatcanbelastinginthisworld？
To-daydisappearsintheabyssofnothingness；
Itisbutthepassingimageofadream，andcausesonlyaslighttrouble。“
Itistheechooftheweariedsensualist’scry，“Vanityofvanities，allisvanity，“andindicatesthesingularOrientaldistasteforlife，butisadismaldittyforyoungchildrentolearn。TheChineseclassics，formerlythebasisofJapaneseeducation，arenowmainlytaughtasavehicleforconveyingaknowledgeoftheChinesecharacter，inacquiringevenamoderateacquaintancewithwhichthechildrenundergoagreatdealofuselesstoil。
Thepenaltiesforbadconductusedtobeafewblowswithaswitchonthefrontoftheleg，oraslightburnwiththemoxaontheforefinger——stillacommonpunishmentinhouseholds；butI
understoodtheteachertosaythatdetentionintheschool-houseistheonlypunishmentnowresortedto，andheexpressedgreatdisapprobationofourplanofimposinganaddedtask。Whentwelveo’clockcamethechildrenmarchedinorderlyfashionoutoftheschoolgrounds，theboysinonedivisionandthegirlsinanother，afterwhichtheyquietlydispersed。
Ongoinghomethechildrendine，andintheeveninginnearlyeveryhouseyouhearthemonotonoushumofthepreparationoflessons。
Afterdinnertheyareliberatedforplay，butthegirlsoftenhangaboutthehousewithbabiesontheirbacksthewholeafternoonnursingdolls。OneeveningImetaprocessionofsixtyboysandgirls，allcarryingwhiteflagswithblackballs，excepttheleader，whocarriedawhiteflagwithagildedball，andtheysang，orratherhowled，astheywalked；buttheotheramusementshavebeenofamostsedentarykind。Themechanicaltoys，workedbywater-wheelsinthestream，aremostfascinating。
Formalchildren’spartieshavebeengiveninthishouse，forwhichformalinvitations，inthenameofthehouse-child，agirloftwelve，aresentout。About3p。m。theguestsarrive，frequentlyattendedbyservants；andthischild，Haru，receivesthematthetopofthestonesteps，andconductseachintothereceptionroom，wheretheyarearrangedaccordingtosomewell-understoodrulesofprecedence。Haru’shairisdrawnback，raisedinfront，andgatheredintoadoubleloop，inwhichsomescarletcrepeistwisted。Herfaceandthroataremuchwhitened，thepaintterminatinginthreepointsatthebackoftheneck，fromwhichalltheshorthairhasbeencarefullyextractedwithpincers。Herlipsareslightlytouchedwithredpaint，andherfacelookslikethatofacheapdoll。Shewearsablue，floweredsilkkimono，withsleevestouchingtheground，abluegirdlelinedwithscarlet，andafoldofscarletcrepeliesbetweenherpaintedneckandherkimono。Onherlittlefeetshewearswhitetabi，socksofcottoncloth，withaseparateplaceforthegreattoe，soastoallowthescarlet-coveredthongsofthefinelylacqueredclogs，whichsheputsonwhenshestandsonthestonestepstoreceiveherguests，topassbetweenitandthesmallertoes。Alltheotherlittleladiesweredressedinthesamestyle，andalllookedlikeill-
