unbeaten tracks in japan-第13章

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terminate　at　the　entrance　of　the　town。　　They　are　said　to　have　been
planted　as　an　offering　to　the　buried　Shoguns　by　a　man　who　was　too
poor　to　place　a　bronze　lantern　at　their　shrines。　　A　grander
monument　could　not　have　been　devised；　and　they　are　probably　the
grandest　things　of　their　kind　in　the　world。　　The　avenue　of　the
Reiheishi…kaido　is　a　good　carriage　road　with　sloping　banks　eight
feet　high；　covered　with　grass　and　ferns。　　At　the　top　of　these　are
the　cryptomeria；　then　two　grassy　walks；　and　between　these　and　the
cultivation　a　screen　of　saplings　and　brushwood。　　A　great　many　of
the　trees　become　two　at　four　feet　from　the　ground。　　Many　of　the
stems　are　twenty…seven　feet　in　girth；　they　do　not　diminish　or
branch　till　they　have　reached　a　height　of　from　50　to　60　feet；　and
the　appearance　of　altitude　is　aided　by　the　longitudinal　splitting
of　the　reddish　coloured　bark　into　strips　about　two　inches　wide。
The　trees　are　pyramidal；　and　at　a　little　distance　resemble　cedars。
There　is　a　deep　solemnity　about　this　glorious　avenue　with　its　broad
shade　and　dancing　lights；　and　the　rare　glimpses　of　high　mountains。
Instinct　alone　would　tell　one　that　it　leads　to　something　which　must
be　grand　and　beautiful　like　itself。　　It　is　broken　occasionally　by
small　villages　with　big　bells　suspended　between　double　poles；　by
wayside　shrines　with　offerings　of　rags　and　flowers；　by　stone
effigies　of　Buddha　and　his　disciples；　mostly　defaced　or　overthrown；
all　wearing　the　same　expression　of　beatified　rest　and　indifference
to　mundane　affairs；　and　by　temples　of　lacquered　wood　falling　to
decay；　whose　bells　sent　their　surpassingly　sweet　tones　far　on　the
evening　air。

Imaichi；　where　the　two　stately　aisles　unite；　is　a　long　uphill
street；　with　a　clear　mountain　stream　enclosed　in　a　stone　channel；
and　crossed　by　hewn　stone　slabs　running　down　the　middle。　　In　a　room
built　over　the　stream；　and　commanding　a　view　up　and　down　the
street；　two　policemen　sat　writing。　　It　looks　a　dull　place　without
much　traffic；　as　if　oppressed　by　the　stateliness　of　the　avenues
below　it　and　the　shrines　above　it；　but　it　has　a　quiet　yadoya；　where
I　had　a　good　night's　rest；　although　my　canvas　bed　was　nearly　on　the
ground。　　We　left　early　this　morning　in　drizzling　rain；　and　went
straight　up　hill　under　the　cryptomeria　for　eight　miles。　　The
vegetation　is　as　profuse　as　one　would　expect　in　so　damp　and　hot　a
summer　climate；　and　from　the　prodigious　rainfall　of　the　mountains；
every　stone　is　covered　with　moss；　and　the　road…sides　are　green　with
the　Protococcus　viridis　and　several　species　of　Marchantia。　　We　were
among　the　foothills　of　the　Nantaizan　mountains　at　a　height　of　1000
feet；　abrupt　in　their　forms；　wooded　to　their　summits；　and　noisy
with　the　dash　and　tumble　of　a　thousand　streams。　　The　long　street　of
Hachiishi；　with　its　steep…roofed；　deep…eaved　houses；　its　warm
colouring；　and　its　steep　roadway　with　steps　at　intervals；　has　a
sort　of　Swiss　picturesqueness　as　you　enter　it；　as　you　must；　on
foot；　while　your　kurumas　are　hauled　and　lifted　up　the　steps；　nor　is
the　resemblance　given　by　steep　roofs；　pines；　and　mountains　patched
with　coniferae；　altogether　lost　as　you　ascend　the　steep　street；　and
see　wood　carvings　and　quaint　baskets　of　wood　and　grass　offered
everywhere　for　sale。　　It　is　a　truly　dull；　quaint　street；　and　the
people　come　out　to　stare　at　a　foreigner　as　if　foreigners　had　not
become　common　events　since　1870；　when　Sir　H。　and　Lady　Parkes；　the
first　Europeans　who　were　permitted　to　visit　Nikko；　took　up　their
abode　in　the　Imperial　Hombo。　　It　is　a　doll's　street　with　small　low
houses；　so　finely　matted；　so　exquisitely　clean；　so　finically　neat；
so　light　and　delicate；　that　even　when　I　entered　them　without　my
boots　I　felt　like　a　〃bull　in　a　china　shop；〃　as　if　my　mere　weight
must　smash　through　and　destroy。　　The　street　is　so　painfully　clean
that　I　should　no　more　think　of　walking　over　it　in　muddy　boots　than
over　a　drawing…room　carpet。　　It　has　a　silent　mountain　look；　and
most　of　its　shops　sell　specialties；　lacquer　work；　boxes　of
sweetmeats　made　of　black　beans　and　sugar；　all　sorts　of　boxes；
trays；　cups；　and　stands；　made　of　plain；　polished　wood；　and　more
grotesque　articles　made　from　the　roots　of　trees。

It　was　not　part　of　my　plan　to　stay　at　the　beautiful　yadoya　which
receives　foreigners　in　Hachiishi；　and　I　sent　Ito　half　a　mile
farther　with　a　note　in　Japanese　to　the　owner　of　the　house　where　I
now　am；　while　I　sat　on　a　rocky　eminence　at　the　top　of　the　street；
unmolested　by　anybody；　looking　over　to　the　solemn　groves　upon　the
mountains；　where　the　two　greatest　of　the　Shoguns　〃sleep　in　glory。〃
Below；　the　rushing　Daiyagawa；　swollen　by　the　night's　rain；
thundered　through　a　narrow　gorge。　　Beyond；　colossal　flights　of
stone　stairs　stretch　mysteriously　away　among　cryptomeria　groves；
above　which　tower　the　Nikkosan　mountains。　　Just　where　the　torrent
finds　its　impetuosity　checked　by　two　stone　walls；　it　is　spanned　by
a　bridge；　84　feet　long　by　18　wide；　of　dull　red　lacquer；　resting　on
two　stone　piers　on　either　side；　connected　by　two　transverse　stone
beams。　　A　welcome　bit　of　colour　it　is　amidst　the　masses　of　dark
greens　and　soft　greys；　though　there　is　nothing　imposing　in　its
structure；　and　its　interest　consists　in　being　the　Mihashi；　or
Sacred　Bridge；　built　in　1636；　formerly　open　only　to　the　Shoguns；
the　envoy　of　the　Mikado；　and　to　pilgrims　twice　a　year。　　Both　its
gates　are　locked。　　Grand　and　lonely　Nikko　looks；　the　home　of　rain
and　mist。　　Kuruma　roads　end　here；　and　if　you　wish　to　go　any
farther；　you　must　either　walk；　ride；　or　be　carried。

Ito　was　long　away；　and　the　coolies　kept　addressing　me　in　Japanese；
which　made　me　feel　helpless　and　solitary；　and　eventually　they
shouldered　my　baggage；　and；　descending　a　flight　of　steps；　we
crossed　the　river　by　the　secular　bridge；　and　shortly　met　my　host；
Kanaya；　a　very　bright；　pleasant…looking　man；　who　bowed　nearly　to
the　earth。　　Terraced　roads　in　every　direction　lead　through
cryptomerias　to　the　shrines；　and　this　one　passes　many　a　stately
enclosure；　but　leads　away　from　the　temples；　and　though　it　is　the
highway　to　Chiuzenjii；　a　place　of　popular　pilgrimage；　Yumoto；　a
place　of　popular　resort；　and　several　other　villages；　it　is　very
rugged；　and；　having　flights　of　stone　steps　at　intervals；　is　only
practicable　for　horses　and　pedestrians。

At　the　house；　with　the　appearance　of　which　I　was　at　once　delighted；
I　regretfully　parted　with　my　coolies；　who　had　served　me　kindly　and
faithfully。　　They　had　paid　me　many　little　attentions；　such　as
always　beating　the　dust　out　of　my　dress；　inflating　my　air…pillow；
and　bringing　me　flowers；　and　were　always　grateful　when　I　walked　up
hills；　and　just　now；　after　going　for　a　frolic　to　the　mountains；
they　called　to　wish　me　good…bye；　bringing　branches　of　azaleas。　　I。
L。　B。



LETTER　VII



A　Japanese　IdyllMusical　Stillness　　…My　RoomsFloral　Decorations…
…Kanaya　and　his　HouseholdTable　Equipments。

KANAYA'S；　NIKKO；　June　15。

I　don't　know　what　to　write　about　my　house。　　It　is　a　Japanese　idyll；
there　is　nothing　within　or　without　which　does　not　please　the　eye；
and；　after　the　din　of　yadoyas；　its　silence；　musical　with　the　dash
of　waters　and　the　twitter　of　birds；　is　truly　refreshing。　　It　is　a
simple　but　irregular　two…storied　pavilion；　standing　on　a　stone…
faced　terrace　approached　by　a　flight　of　stone　steps。　　The　garden　is
well　laid　out；　and；　as　peonies；　irises；　and　azaleas　are　now　in
blossom；　it　is　very　bright。　　The　mountain；　with　its　lower　part
covered　with　red　azaleas；　rises　just　behind；　and　a　stream　which
tumbles　down　it　supplies　the　house　with　water；　both　cold　and　pure；
and　another；　after　forming　a　miniature　cascade；　passes　under　the
house　and　through　a　fish…pond　with　rocky　islets　into　the　river
below。　　The　grey　village　of　Irimichi　lies　on　the　other　side　of　the
road；　shut　in　with　the　rushing　Daiya；　and　beyond　it　are　high；
broken　hills；　richly　wooded；　and　slashed　with　ravines　and
waterfalls。

Kanaya's　sister；　a　very　sweet；　refined…looking　woman；　met　me　at　the
door　and　divested　me　of　my　boots。　　The　two　verandahs　are　highly
polished；　so　are　the　entrance　and　the　stairs　which　lead　to　my　room；
and　the　mats　are　so　fine　and　white　that　I　almost　fear　to　walk　over
them；　even　in　my　stocki