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for half nn hour, It gave mo the best opportunity
Unit I could have had to become acquainted with
tlio marquis, who 13 the moat influential man in
Japan at proHGnt. Ho is president of the privy
council of older statesmen and is credited with
being tlio most potent factor in tho shaping of
Japan's demands at Portsmouth.
When Huron Komura stepped from the launch
upon tho soil of his native land, he was met by
Marquis I to and each greeted tlio other with
a low how. The baron then saluted tho other
officials In tho same manner and, turning, bowed
to a group of Japancso ladies representing tho
Womnn'8 Patriotic association. Dr. Jones and I
stood some feet in the rear of tho officials and
woro greeted by tlio baron after ho had saluted
hln own countrymen. Ho extended his hand to
us. Tho Incident is mentioned as illustrating tho
difference in the manner of greeting. For who
would bo moro apt to clasp hands, if that were
customary, than those two distinguished states-
'men whoso personalities are indlssolubly linked
togethor In the conclusion of a world renowned
treaty?
A brief account of tho reception of Admiral
Togo may bo interesting to those who read this
article While at Toklo I visited tho city hall,
at tho Invitation of tho mayor and city council.
Whilo thcro Mayor Ozakl informed me that he, in
company with the mayors of the other cities,
would ten dor Admiral Togo a reception on the
following Tuesday, and Invited me to bo present.
Of course I accepted, becauso It afforded a raro
opportunity to observe Japanese customs as well
as to seo a largo concourse of people. As I
witnessed the naval review In Yokohama the day
before and the illumination at night, I did not
"roach Toklo until tho morning of the reception
'and this led mo into considerable embarrassment.
'On tho train 1 mot a Japanese gentleman who
could spoak English. Ho was kind enough to
find me a 'rikisha with a pusher and to instruct
them to take me at onco to Uyeno Park. Ho then
loft me and (ho 'rikisha men followed his instruc
tions to the lettor. They had not proceeded far
when I discovered that Admiral Togo had arrived
on the same train and that a long procession had
fprmod to conduct him to tho park. Before I
know it, I was wliiskcd past an escort of dis
tinguished citizens who, clad in Prince Alberts
and silk hats, followed the carriages, and then
I found my 'rikisha drawn into an open space
between two carriages. Grabbing the 'rikisha
man iu'front of mo, I told him by word and ges
turo to get out of tho lino of tho procession. He
could not understand English, and evidently
thinking that I wanted to get nearer tho front,
ho ran past a fow carriages and then dropped
into another opening. Again I got him out of
the lino, omploylng moro emphasis than before,
only to bo carried still nearer tho front. After
repeated ohangos of position, all tho time em
ploying such sign language as I could command
and attempting to convey by different tones of
voice suggestions that I could not translate into
iangungo, I at last reached the head of tho pro
cession. And tho 'rikisha men, as if satisfied
with the success of their efforts, paused to await
the starting of the line. I tried to Inform them
that I was not a part of the procession; that I
wanted to get on another street; that they should
take mo to tho park by some other route and do
tso at once. They at last comprehended sufficient.
, ly to leave the carriages and take up a rapid
gait, but get off of tho streot they would not. For
threo miles they drew mo between two rows of
expectant people, wIiobo eyes peered down tho
street to catch a glimpse of tho great admiral,
oiix u, million people; tliey represented every
. class, age ami condition. I saw more people than
I ever saw before in a single day. Old men and
old women, feeble, but strengthened by the?r en
in!!?TV yii(111 aged ,non ana women whow
iimphs of tho navy; students from the bovs'
schools and students from the girls' schools with
nffjr1 b,rlIV!ers' littlG cWW clressed in a
tho colors of tho rainbowall were there -Ami
could imagine that each one ofThem S d'enotg
to think, was wondering why a foreigner was
intruding upon a streot which tho police bad
cleared for a triumphal procession "if1 some one
bad angrily caught my 'rikisha men and thrust
them through the crowd to a side street I shJiTd
not have complained-I would even have felt -e-Moved
but no one molested thorn or me and I
reached tho park some minutes ahead of the
miral How glad I was to alight, and how wut
ingy I rewarded the smiles of tho rikisha men
with a bonus-for had they not done thel? duty
as thoy understood it? Ami wi ," . (mty
given me, in spito of my protests, such a view
The Commoner.
of the people of Toklo as I could have obtained in
no other way?
At the park I luckily fel In with some o the
council men whom I had met before and they
took mo in hand. I saw the procession arrive,
heard the banzais (the Japanese cheers) as they
rolled along the street, keeping paco with Togo's
carriage, and I witnessed the earnest, yet always
orderly, rejoicing of the crowd that had congre
gated at the end of the route. When the pro
cession passed by us Into the park the members
of tho city council fell in behind the carriages,
and I with them. When we reached the stand,
a seat was tendered me on tho front row from
which the extraordinary ceremonies attending the
reception could be witnessed. Mayor Ozaki, the
presiding officer, escorted Admiral Togo to a
raised platform, and there the two took seats on
little camp stools some ten feet apart, facing
each other, with their sides to the audience and
to those on the stand. After a moment's delay,
a priest clad in his official robes, approached with
cake and a teacup on a tray and, kneeling, placed
them before the admiral. Tea was then brought
in a long handled pot and poured Into the cup.
After tho distinguished guest had partaken of
these refreshments, the mayor arose and read
an address of welcome. As he has the reputation
of being one of the best orators in the empire,
his part was doubly interesting to me. As he
confined himself to his manuscript, I could not
judge of his delivery, but his voice was pleasing
and his manner natural. The address recited
the exploits of Admiral Togo and gave expression
to the gratitude of the people. At its conclusion
the hero admiral arose and modestly acknowl
edged the compliment paid to him and to his
officers. Admiral Togo is short, even for the
Japanese, and has a scanty beard. Neither in
stature nor in countenance does he give evidence
of the stern courage and indomitable will which
have raised him to the pinnacle of fame.
When he sat down the mayor proposed three
times three banzais and they were given with a
will by the enormous crowd that stood in the
open place before the stand. While writing this
article, I am in receipt of information that Mayor
Ozaki has secured for me one of the little camp
stools above referred to and has had made- for
me a duplicate of the other. They will not only
bo interesting souvenirs of an historic occasion,
and prized as such, but they will be interesting
also because they contrast so sharply with the
large and richly upholstered chairs used in Amer
ica on similar occasions.
From this public meeting the admiral and
his officers were conducted to a neighboring hall
where an elaborate luncheon was served. With
the councllmen I went to this hall and was pre
sented to tho admiral and his associates, one of
whom had been a student at Annapolis.
By the courtesy of Hon. Lloyd Griscom, the
American minister, I had an audience with tho
emperor, these audiences being arranged .through
the minister representing the country from which
the caller comes. Our minister, to whom I am
indebted for much assistance and many kind
nesses during my stay at the capital, accompanied
me to the palace and instructed me, as they say
in the fraternities, "in the secret work of the
order." Except where the caller wears a uni
form, he is expected to appear in evening dress,
although the hour fixed is in the day time. At
the outer door stand men in livery, one of whom
conducts the callers through long halls, beauti
fully decorated on ceilings and walls, to a spa
cious reception room where a halt is made until
the summons comes from tho emperor's room
Ihe emperor stands in the middle of the receiv
ing room with an interpreter at his side. Tho
caller on reaching the, threshold bows, he then
advances half way 'to the emperor pauses and
bows again- ho then proceeds and 'bow a third
erolgn? " extended hand of the bov-
c mT1ig cowersation is brief -and formal, con
sisting of answers to the questions asked by his
majesty The emperor is 53 years old about
five feet six inches in height, well hull t and wears
a beard, although, as is the case with most Japa
nese, the growth is not heavy. On retiring tie
caller repeats tho threo bows ie"ng the
We were shown through the palace and hnv
inS Se,6U tb? old palace at Kyoto" which was the
capital until tho date of the restoration Afl
I was struck with the diflWno nSr i n 1868)-
be c
monial. One meets tea on Ws arrival !??"
constant companion during hia si I h 3
mingled with the farewells Zt i?1?, Ifc is
was Jaw KT:5 5
VOLUME 6, NUMBER 3
fused. This custom prevails in the larger stores
and is scrupulously observed, at public buildings
and colleges. The tea is served in dainty cups
and taken without sugar or cream. The tea
drinking habit is universal here, the kettle of
hot water sitting on the coals in tho brazier most
of tho time. At each railroad station the boys
sing out, "Cha! Cha!" (the Japanese word for
tea) and for less than two cents in our money
they will furnish the traveler with an earthen
pot of hot tea, with pot and cup thrown in.
The use of tea at social gatherings dates
back at least six hundred years, when a tea
ceremonial was instituted by a Buddhist priest
to soften the manners of the warriors. It par
took of a religious character at first, but soon be
came a social form, and different schools of tea
drinkers vied with each other in suggesting rules
and methods of procedure. About three hundred
years ago Hideyoshl, one of the greatest. of the
military rulers of Japan, gave what is described
as the largest tea party on record, the invitations
being in the form of an imperial edict. All lov
ers of tea were summoned to assemble at a given
date In a pine grove near Kyoto, and they seem
to have done so. The tea party lasted ten days
and the emperor drank at every booth.
According to Chamberlain, tea drinking' had
reached the luxurious stage before the middle
of the fourteenth century. The lords took part in
the daily gatherings, reclining- on tiger skins, the
walls of the guest chamber being richly orna
mented. One of the popular games of that day
was the offering of a number of varieties of tea,
the guests being required to guess where each
variety was produced, the best guess winning a
handsome prize. The tea ceremony answered at
least one useful purpose it furnished an inno
cent way of killing time, and 'the lords of that
day seem to have had an ahundance of time on
their hands. The daughters of the upper classes
were trained to perform the ceremony and dis
played much skill therein. Even to this day it
is regarded as one of the accomplishments, and
young ladies perfect themselves in it much as
our daughters learn music and singing. At Ko
goshima, Governor Chikami, one of the most
scholarly men -whom I have met here, had his
daughter perform for my instruction a part of
the ceremony, time not permitting more. With
charming grace she prepared, poured und served
this Japanese nectar, each motion. being.Mflccord
1 ing to the rules of the most .approved sect,- for
there are sects among tea drinkers. - -.
The theatre is an ancient institution here,
although until recently the actors were consid
ered beneath even the mercantile class. Their
social standing has been somewhat improved
since the advent of western ideas. The theatre
building is very plain as compared with ours or
even with the better class of homes here. They
are always on the ground floor and have a circular,
revolving stage within the larger stage which
makes it possible to change the scenes instantly.
The plays are divided into two kinds, his
torical ones reproducing old Japan and modern
plays. The performance often lasts through the
entire day and evening, some of the audience
bringing their tea kettles and food. Lunches,
fruit, cigarettes and tea are also on sale in the
theatre. The people sit on the floor as they do
in their homes and at public meetings. One of
the side aisles is raised to the level of the stage
and the actors use it for entrance and exit.
In this connection a word Bhould be said in
regard to the Geisha girls who have furnished,
such ample material for the artist and the deco
rator. They are selected for their beauty and
trained in what is called a dance, although it
differs so much from the American dance as
scarcely to be describable by that term. It is
rather a series of graceful poses in which gay
costumes, dainty fans, flags, scarfs and sometimes
parasols play a part. The faces of the dancers
are expressionless and there is no exposure of
the limbs. The Geisha girls are often called in
to entertain guests at a private dinner, the per
formance being before, not after the meal
pur first introduction to. this national amuse
ment was at the Maple club dinner given at
Tokio by a society composed of Japanese, men
who had studied in the United States. The name
of the society is a Japanese phrase which means
the "Friends of America." The Maple club is
the most famous restaurant in Japan, and the
Geisha girls employed thero stand at tho head of
their profession. During tho dancing there is
music on stringed instruments, which resemble
the banjo in tone, and sometimes singing. At the
Maple club the Geisha girls' displayed American
and Japaneso flags. We saw the dancing again
at an elaborate dinner given by Mr. Fukuzawa
editor of the Jiji Shimpo. Here also the flags of
J)oth nations ,w.ere .used.
Tn what words can I adequately describe" tho
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