Japan its architecture, art, and art manufactures Christopher Dresser 1882 by thebombilla

JAPAN ITS

ARCHITECTURE, ART, AND

ART MANUFACTURES

JAPAN ITS

ARCHITECTURE, ART, AND

ART MANUFACTURES BY

CHRISTOPHER DRESSER 'I

Ph.D., F.L.S., etc.

LONDON LONGMANS, GREEN, AND 1882

CO.

Printed ^^ R.

R. Clark, Edinburgh.

PREFACE. An

apology

Japan.

needed

adding to the number of our books on

for

have heard of the ways of the Japanese, of the

pecuHarities of their manners, of their feasts and festivals, of the

food they eat, and of the aspect of the country in which they

excuse for writing

architect

and

a simple one

ornamentist

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

a specialist.

and

profession,

knowledge of many manufacturing processes,

live.

went

having

Japan

observe what an ordinary visitor would naturally pass unnoticed.

a specialist, and a specialist only,

When

public notice.

grapher that

Japan

submit

edifices,

;

but also architectural

engaged the best ornamentist

volume to

engaged the best native photo-

could find to take views for

only architectural

this

thus

got not

details.

also

Kioto to make coloured drawings

of temple decorations for me.

Many public

will

be surprised when

know almost

say that as yet the English

nothing, and even our architects very

little,

Coloured illustrations are needed to

of Japanese architecture.

give anything like a complete idea of the glories of Buddhistic art

;

yet

hope that

book may throw some

little

light

Japanese building, and do something towards revealing the

fact that

history, although I

have no

Japan has had a great architectural chromatic

illustrations.

Ornament

springs from architecture.

250718

PREFACE.

have therefore endeavoured and

trace

for the first time, so far as

ventional ornament

Drawings of to us

but

;

it is

brought before the English reader.

flowers, of birds, of fish, of insects, are all familiar

not generally

tional forms, so the ;

known

that just as the Greeks, Moors,

the

To me

case.

to the time that

my book

the

fact

was almost

the country, although

visited

had been an earnest student of Oriental In

conven-

their architecture certain

Japanese have a national style of conventional

yet this

unknown up

;

know, the growth of native con-

and other peoples associated with

ornament

and development

origin

its

art for nearly thirty years.

attempt to explain how the architecture resulted

from climatic and religious

influences,

and how the ornaments

with which domestic objects arc figured, and the very

finish

the objects themselves, are traceable to religious teachings.

a guest of the nation,

was not only permitted

to enter

sacred edifices (some of which had never before been trodden

European

feet),

of art industry.

but

had also opportunities

For the privileges enjoyed

all

forms

shall ever feel

under

studying

for

a debt of gratitude to the members of the Japanese Government. I

had

also the

honour of presentation to His Majesty the Mikado,

who

himself ordered that

what

facility for

seeing

wished.

While and

should have every

Japan

made

a daily record of what

record was roughly

this

taken for

illustrated.

either

saw and did

;

bought or had

about a thousand photographs, some being

fifteen

inches by eighteen, the others about nine inches by twelve.

had a multitude of small coloured drawings made of temple ornaments.

visited

sixty -eight

manufacturers engaged

other industries.

mens of work from most of the

to the temples

and

finest in the countiy, to

potteries,

and I

some

scores

also brought speci-

factories visited.

shrines, I

saw about a hundred of the

say nothing of the crowd of temples

PREFACE. nestled together on the top of I

studied minutely.

thousand miles

Mount Koya-zan, manj'

In seeing these things

but

;

vii

of which

travelled about

two

stay was short, being limited to four

months. I

mention these

that the reader

facts so

opportunities of study, and

now

may

must leave

judge of

book

my his

hands. I

am much

indebted to the painstaking care of Mr. Hundley,

who has drawn

the illustrations on

Pearson, the well-known

wood

engraver,

for

me, and to Mr. G.

who has

cut the blocks.

Both these gentlemen have exerted themselves

manner I

the kindest

to render the illustrations such as I wished.

have also to acknowledge the services of

acted as

book

amanuenses, and thus rendered

to be written during a long

most of the

suffered while

willing assistance

Tower NoTTiNG

Hii.L,

and painful

letter -press

was of great value

Cressy,

London, W.

October 1881.

to mc.

my it

daughters,

who

possible for the

illness

from which

was prepared.

Their

—8

CONTENTS. PART

CHAPTER

— The Grand Hotel — — — Sachi— Yedo, Tokio — Letter-writing— The

Yokohama

Sights in the Streets

of Shiba

— Tombs of the Shoguns

—A — Eating

fire

— Temple

Pages

i - 1

....

—The Hamagoten palace

Preparation for long journey

—

l!y

Awadji, Sanda, Arima, Nara

feast night

— Kioto — The

19-62

HI.

water Kobe — Entrance —The Mikado's

antiquities

CHAPTER —A

in Ja]ian

— A Japanese banquet —Japanese dancing-girls — Music — Hara-kiri —The Mikado — The New Year — Tokio firemen

CHAPTER

The sacred dance

— Winter

the hotel

a live fish

Japanese matting

— Japanese hospitality

.....

CHAPTER Yokohama

Jiniikishas

Castle

tlie .

Mikado .

Kobe

into .

63-ioj

IV.

royal collections

— Osaka

104-1

— CONTENTS.

CHAPTER The Japanese Calendar— Wakayania — -JaiJanesc zan

— Splendouv

Return

of shrines and of scenery

— Feast of the god of

Osaka

culil

of Kioto

ami

Jaii.incse vegelalion

— Sakai — News of

riclies

CHAPTER Temple

revoU .

— Koya-

Sats^una

Pages 124-140

VI.

—^Japanese estimate of Christianity — Picnics — Honest workmanship — Vahie of Corean ware —Tea-drinking ceremony— Otsu — P'utami-

Lacquer-work gaura

— Kamiji-yama

CHAPTER Tidings ofreljellion

141-170

Vn.

— — VokUaiclii — Manufactures of Nagoya — Comparative estimates — Castle of Nagoya — Sidsuoka— Fujiyama— Return Yokohama Ise

of wealtli and skill

171-196

CHAPTER A

Shinto festival

......

— Nikko — The

and police supervision

VHI.

great Sanctuary

— Arrival

CHAPTER A

Japanese blue-book carpets, etc.

Tokio

—Japanese reports

IX.

.......

— Object

visit

197-213

— Exportation

of ginger

— Manufacture

214-224

CONTENTS.

PART

II.

CHAPTER

321-344

HI.

.....

The Lacquer Man'ufactures

CHAPTER

Minor Manufactures of Japan

415-430

VI.

BY WHICH Fabrics receive Pattern

CHAPTER

368-414

.....

The Metal Manufactures.

345-36/

IV.

.....

The Pottery Manufactures

Pages 225-320

...... CHAPTER

On the means

.....

Religion and Architecture

Analogies and Symbols

431-449

VII.

.....

450-466

JAPAN ITS

ARCHITECTURE, ART, AND ART MANUFACTURES.

PART

CHAPTER

— The Grand Hotel —Sights the Streets —Jinrikishas —Japanese hospitality — Sachi — Yedo, or Tokio— Letter-writing— The Castle —Winter Japan —Temple of Shiba — Tombs of the Shogims.

Yokohama

It was on the 26th day of I

first

saw Japan.

December

6.30

the morning that

yet this strange country was enveloped in

a soft mist above which the sun was only just the mist dispersed

we could

undulating and richly wooded

and gorges nestled

little

see that ;

that in

the

plumous

but as

land w£is pleasantly

some of the

picturesque villages

spots palm-trees, with their

rising,

;

valleys, fissures,

that in sheltered

tops, rose

high above the

houses that found shelter beneath them, and that junks of quaint aspect ploughed the shallow waters of the coast.

cry arises from the Japanese passengers,

looking to the I

left

(for

we have

several

who

on board)

are earnestlj'

— Fujiyama

look in the direction in which they gaze, but see no mountain.

The undulating land

in front is

perfectly distinct,

and

out on a background of gray-and-white cloud which

behind

;

but

see

of Japanese friends,

no mountain. I

thrown

rises

high

Under the guidance, however,

look above these clouds, and there, at a

vast height, shines the immaculate

summit of Japan's

peerless

JAPAhJ: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

c6he.'

peak

have's'ddri alihost c\cr\' alpine

the land of Tell

Como

have viewed Monte Rosa from Zermat, Aosta, and

have gloried

of the

the wild beaut)-

cipitous heights of the Matterhorn

mountain so pure impressive

imposing

form, so

its

beauty, as

its

not wonder at the Japanese endowing I

do not wonder

storm,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

home

mountain

for surely this

Rounding

grancWI^ so do

with marvellous powers

of the dragon

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the

demon

;

of the

one of nature's grandest works

promontory wc soon enter the

its

cone around which clouds love to

at this vast

sleep being regarded as the

did^^^

which wc now gaze.

tliat

;

Jungfrau and the pre-

but never before

;

baj' of

Yokohama,

two cannon, and drop our anchor.

fire

In a few minutes

ship

certain

officials

come on

board, and the

Some belong

surrounded by a score of native boats.

some seek to take passengers or merchandise on shore, some bring out servants of the company to which our ship hotels,

belongs, and others a variety of things which

describe.

scene of

impossible to

and activity thus springs up around us

life

of a character so novel as to be both interesting and amusing.

small steam-launch

now moored

to the side of our great vessel,

and General Saigo, the commander-in-chief of the Japanese army,

who

on board,

him on shore

invites

the launch

to step into the launch is

Government boat which has been Accepting the kind invitation

sent to convey the General to land.^ I

soon seated

who

in the boat,

where we

with that

warm

affection

towards their children

unknown

for his child his due,

son of the General,

and

launch

;

fellow than he caresses

little

which the Japanese but there

show

at all times

kissing,

him

for kissing

the East, and while the General manifests his love 1 I

yet

feel

that the

little

fellow has not received

almost long to kiss him myself

soon

motion, and

San Francisco by arrangement, so that we might

The screw

few minutes

General .Saigo was ictiuning from America, where

missioner for Japan at the Philadelphia exhibition. at

find the

a cheerful smiling-faced urchin about two years old.

sooner does the father see the

little

and accompanj-

all

of our

stand on

he had acted as the com-

met General Saigo and

liis

travel together to his country.

party

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, a

land which, as a decorative

intense

desire

who

admire, and amidst a people

m^^^which

hotel

old

shafts

slender

extremities.

tie

near their

piece

drawn by a man who gets between the

It is

the

hood that

cab, only with a

together by a

united

With

civilisation.

two somewhat large wheels,

lighth' built, has

shuts back.

years had an

get into a jinrikisha, a vehicle

somewhat resembling a small hansom and

for

have already learned to

are saturated with the refine-

now

have

only from an

spring

viewW" reaching

artist,

whose works

see,

shafts

and most ably acts the part of the best of ponies, or sometimes by two, or even three men.

adopted, and the leaders are attached to

As soon

enough to

my carriage, which is scarcely large my somewhat cumbrous body, my tandem

seated in

contain

coolies (for

have two)

astonishing,

not alarming, and

to the

tandem principle is the vehicle by thin ropes.

In the latter cases the

Grand Hotel

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

off with a

set

speed which

European house

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;where

secure

(terms three and a half dollars or fourteen shillings a e\-er)'thing save fire

Breakfast

certainly

da)',

my room including

and wine).

morning was

this

soon find myself at the entrance

somewhat

neglected,

for

the

excitement of nearing land after a twenty-one days' sea-voyage

had lessened our for

appetites.

seemed impossible

to spare time

a hearty meal when, with the movement of our vessel through

the water, shifting scenes both strange and beautiful were constantly

presenting themselves

exhilarating shine,

our sight.

The

keen, fresh,

the cloudless sky, the bright and cheering sun-

air,

and the gallop through the wind

caused nature to assert

itself

tiny carriage

had

and demand some refreshment

for

the inner man. Sitting

hurried

down

meal.

to table at

Fish, entrees,

sequence, as though while grouped

potted

were

the hotel

and

joint

sitting in

on dishes were

meats, and Keiller's

tins

partook of a somewhat

were presented

the Grand Hotel of

Crosse

due

at Paris

;

and Blackwell's

Dundee marmalade and jam.

confess that while these luxuries were in the most perfect state of preservation,

and

every sense enjoyable,

was disappointed

JAPAN: ITS ARCniTECTURE,

seeing such familiar forms of food instead of

ilic

tentacle of an

fin

of a shark, or

octopus, the succulent shoot of a bamboo, the

some other such Having

who

to act

natives dainties as

finished

meal,

looked

secretary while

for.

gcii^^nn

by a

joined

the count^^bj-

Montenuovo

Prince Henri of Liechtenstein, and by Prince Alfred

(two Austrian princes with

whom

from San Francisco), and we

start for a walk, the secretary

guide.

pass through the European settlement of

where beautiful

—

nestle

all

villas

—

being our

Yokohama,

character half English and half Japanese

Here

gardens, and on to the native town.

lo\-el}-

strange and quaint be}'ond

have been a fellow-passenger

The shops

description.

are

without fronts and their floors are raised above the ground by one high

step

they

;

are

matted, and

Strange

of food,

articles

strange

goods are displayed on

the

stands which resemble the so-called

stage

strange

people,

greenhouse.

meet

objects

we admire, we We are looked at smiles of amusement at the wonder. interest which is taken in things, to them common, meet us on

eye

the

every

side.

stop,

look,

;

every turn.

and turns round while the

ball

ground

for

;

her

hit

through a

tunnelled float

watch children play,

enter

must take our boots

home by

crossing

hill,

the

ball

again.

—

ascending from

little

pass by a

girl

canal

bounces

which

the is

and on which the strangest of boats

precincts

off before

of a

Buddhist Temple, but we

cross the threshold.

the bluffs," from which

view of the town and the

we have

return

a glorious

and by a road which, bordered

ba}-,

by curious fences (Figs, i to 15), winds its way through nurseries I need scarcely say that we have where strange trees abound. Indeed it would enjoyed our walk more than words can tell. be almost impossible to describe the impression of novelty

our

minds

;

but

strange aspect of things

give I

the

may

and

risen

be more strange."

some notion of

left

the

made b)' one Had we died," he

repeat a remark

of the Austrian princes during the said,

reader

stroll.

from the dead the scene presented could not

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, The

me, and at 8.30 we set out again

princes dine with

time

this

bears a lantern, as

pc^^W

me^ffhe bobbing

dark, and

a race-horse.

drawn

each

jinrikishas,

alight

we go

oft"

almost

;

now the

of the lanterns, the shaking of the vehicles,

front of a

by one man, who

laugh heartily at the shouts of the

and the excitement of the furious

In about fifteen minutes

run.

room

large house, into one

of which

enter.

Here our conductor orders

for us a native repast, to

which

are to

be added the pleasures of music and the dance.

The

room

plain

but there

square,

European

glass

windows, and the doors have European fasteners. the

and on the mats stand

floor,

each containing a few

hibachi),

which a Japanese room

and two small

to serve the

of ignited

bits

these primitive and insignificant

chairs

two brazen

fires

warmed.

tables, while

kneel in front of us on the

who

shortly

brought

in,

being arranged

much

come

now been

and placed

centre of the group of kneeling female attendants.

all

and

;

means by

music and dancing,

their

rests a dish of sliced raw, unsalted fish, with

kinds,

(called

charcoal

Preparations having

floor.

completed, a large lacquer tray

the

are favoured with Chinese

the natives,

amuse us by

repast, or to

vessels

afford the only

Mats cover

the

this tray

condiments of various

French dish of Tcte de

like the

tastefully garnished

with leaves. European compliment to us strangers, but chop-sticks We taste the dish after are supplied instead of knives and forks.

veau vinaigrette

plates are used out of

many

unsuccessful attempts at getting the food to our

mouths by

the aid of the chop-sticks, but strange to say, the \iands have the flavours,

and the condiments are almost

comes

fish

fried fish,

Sachi, although is

reality a

and with

much

made from in quality

;

in rice.

our port and other wines. is

and

not

made

in this

It is

England Like

it is

now

spirit,

alcoholic

all

qualities,

we do

drunk both cold and warm, but

hot by admixture with water, but

condition

After the raw

and the Japanese estimate

excellence by flavour, aroma, and other

its

tasteless.

hot sachi.

generally regarded

white beer

drinks, sachi varies

offered to us.

is itself

warmed

;

Native Drawings of the Fences which uolnd Gardens.

Native Drawings uf the Fences \\hilh lolnu Gardens

jA'PAn: its architecture,

g.,.,.. .......

cups are usually small earthen vessels of about two

Sachi inches

much resembling in character shallow teaThey are without handle, and are offered empty after being placed in hot water for^Bfcw

diameter,

cups, or deep saucers. to

the guest

moments cups

serving- maid

second

Into these ^B^ty

the sachi warm.

to drink

pours

warm

the

from

sachi

delicately-formed china bottle.

Following the

and sea-weed

and

fish

and the wine a dish of sea-slugs with herbs

served, but the mollusc

as tough as leather,

powers of mastication are altogether overcome.

the repast, music begins with the samasin

(the

the taiko), while girls dance to the weird sounds

This over, there

being graceful but strange.

we all leave, take our drawn home at almost lightning

songs, after which

and are

On some

the following morning

care.

tsudzumu and

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

motions

their

singing of native

places in the jinrikishas, speed.

make

begin to

and the coto

(banjo),

drums

(horizontal harp), together with certain

After

observations with

Yesterday everything was so new that impressions

resulted chiefly from general effects, or curious incidents, while details

were passed almost unnoticed.

now, however, seem to

be more able to mark accurately what comes before me. ing on the steps of our hotel,

noticing the nature of the building in which

taken

To my

abode.

Stand-

glance upwards with the view of I

have

for the present

astonishment what

yesterday

regarded as a solid stone edifice turns out to be a mere wooden

framework bearing on is

This hotel

its

surface thin slabs of stone, each of which

through and

drilled partially

hung on two common

beautifully situated, having

looking the sea, from which

made road. On its As I stand on these deepest blue, an

right

steps

ocean

reflecting the azure

is I

its

separated by a broad and well-

a canal which here meets the ocean.

have above

rippled

a cloudless sky of the

by the smallest of waves, and

The

of the heavens above.

white

picturesque boats reflect the rays of the sun, hidden

view by the house crispness,

in front

due to the slight

nails.

chief face over-

of which

stand

frost of the

;

night,

sails

from

while the air has a

which makes

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

the highest degree exhilarating.

and

though

tea, as

instead of being

thjjj^ps and

were

passed

" field

to join

irresistible,

5.15

day

and

walk

many

curios

a truly

fear, in

tired,

having

amidst the shops.

him and Prince Montenuovo

second day

view

set out to

find

buy,

London,

table in

home somewhat

return

room and Thus

at dinner.

Japan.

the following scraps noted

find

own

ro}-

was dressing. Prince Henri came into

asked

During

their contents.

reckless fashion.

While

sitting

ham, eggs,

fish,

2,000 miles from home, and then

thaBrre to me quite had a perfect

breakfast off

mj'

under date

diar\-

December 27th. It is customary here to go to a shop to select number of goods, and then to ask the owner to send all the objects selected to your house, or hotel, for you to look over and a

decide upon at your leisure.

The people here are most polite and charming while we were making purchases tea was served to

one place

;

The

us.

tea

by no means strong, is pale yellow (almost amber) in colour, It is served in small cups and is drunk without milk or sugar.

without handles or saucers.

The

native

town of Yokohama

European quarter has

at night

dark

with gas, while the

lit

The

streets.

foreign

settler

objects to a gas rate.

The next morning the northern

Yokohama length,

Japan

;

capital)

go by appointment to Yedo (Tokio, or

by 9.34

The

train.

(the port of Tokio) with Tokio

well built,

and

eighteen

miles

one of two railways now existing

the other railway connects

southern capital).

railway connecting

The Yokohama

Hiogo (Kobe) with Kioto railway

(the

of specially narrow

gauge, and the carriages are m.ore like omnibuses than any to be

found on our lines

train leaves

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;being

Yokohama

every hour of every day mails

;

hence, while

apart, there

every day.

small in size and entered at the end. for Tokio, in

the

and Tokio

j'car,

for

and every

Yedo and Yokohama

are

Yokohama,

train

eighteen

carries

miles

a delivery of letters in both places every hour of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JAPAN

These

and

places,

ARCJ-UTKCTLRE,

ri'S

intlced

connected by telegrai)h

towns of Japan, are tiow

the

all

by the agency of which messages

wires,

character or in most of the

can be sent

in the native

languages

but for conveying a message

;

extra fee

The

European

a strange ton<a|^an

very reasonably demanded.

line

from

Yokohama

the greater portion of

length

its

Yedo

^^^ the

skirts

bay throughout

and the scenery along the

;

though curious, presents few features of marked

The

interest.

who happen

female peasantry

dresses, however, of the

route,

to be

holiday attire are quaint and pleasing, while the flowing robes of

men contrast favourably with our set and inartistic dress. At Tokio, I am met by General Saigo and Mr. Sekisawa, the latter being a gentleman who was one of our party from San General Saigo has with him his carriage, Francisco to Japan. the

which â&#x20AC;˘'

runner

of European

make, and

precedes the carriage on foot, as was

more early dajs.

England

rendered necessary by the fact that

have but

horse carriages

common

but a

;

This practice of employing a running groom

precede the carriage

drawn by a horse

recently been

introduced

For centuries the inhabitants of towns have been walking

in the

member

has properly

middle of the

made

streets, for

Japan.

into

the habit of

no Japanese town that

footpaths at the sides of the roads

re-

and

;

wells imperfectly protected are often situated in front of the shops.

General Saigo

man

handsome appearance, and

bearing, of about thirty-seven years of age

by no means small of

reach,

the

room

carpet,

which

and

many

stately

southerners,^

The

the English style.

received

covered with a

floor of

tapestry

stands an American stove, which can scarcely be

regarded as beautiful, though is

His house, which we soon

stature.

wooden building

;

it is

probably

The

useful.

furniture

of European character, but surely of American make, and

pattern resembles English furniture prior to 1862.

As we It

on European

sat

had been arranged that

ministers

;

chairs, tea I

should

but Japanese etiquette '

jt'iieral

Saigo

was served

visit

demands

Mr. Sano that

nati\c

stj'le.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one of

the

note be sent

a native of the province of .Satsuma.

AND ART MANUFACTURES

ART,

immediately before the reception

which

to ask

visit,

things are ready for the

all

General Saigo therefore writes the

;

Japanese

first

letter

have seen written.

â&#x20AC;˘s writing-box

about

inches in width,

mches deep, and contains a

inches long,

somewhat

of fibrous paper

roll

bibulous in character, a stick of Indian ink, a slab on which to

mix the

small water vessel, and a few brushes formed of

ink, a

From

vegetable hairs.

the box he takes the

of paper, an

roll

inch or two of which he unrolls and arranges as flatly as possible.

next mixes a small quantity of ink, and then holding the

of paper in

his

left

hand, begins to write with

viously dipped in the Indian

The

the paper.

first

a vertical column

and so on at the top

the

left

character

made

at the

bottom of the

of the previously written columns.

roll,

and folded, and the

box, round which the writer

box

box the

to the letter

answer comes

on,

till

written,

sheet,

and being

When

the letter

by the writing

completed, the portion of the paper occupied

the

and so

formed, then a second column

and finished

torn from the

upper right-hand it,

each case the new line of writing being commenced

;

roll

pre-

upon the spread out portion of

ink,

second follows immediately under-

corner, the

a brush,

letter

a silk cord.^

ties

house of the receiver,

who

placed in a lacquer

servant carries

himself takes from the

which has not been touched by the messenger. in like

form saying that

Mr. Sano's house, which

Japanese residence are

all is

ready, so

drive to

a fine old Japanese building near the

Two rooms

outskirts of the city.

furnished

least

of this

thoroughl)-

Euroj^ean fashion, and of

the residences belonging to Japanese ministers, or high officials,

which ing,

happened

to see, this, as a

was one of the most

specimen of European furnish-

successful.

Mr. Sano was the commissioner representing the Japanese

Government

at the

Vienna International Exhibition

1873, and during his

visit to

Europe

have studied most carefully the the

nature of our '

manufactures

These boxes are sokl

art ;

for

England

this period

the year

he seems to

industries of the west,

and

the suggestions which he as -'glove-boxes.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

made

own people upon

to his

return appear to have proved

his

\ery vahiable to the industries of Japan.

Vienna he was requested by make purchases of such manufactured .^^^ts

During Mr. Sano's residence

government

his

as he thought Hkely to have an

the view of their being placed

be established

much

Tokio,

Japanes^^Fith

interest for the

in a

museum which was about

South Ken-

after the plan of our

Museum. Unfortunately the goods selected were lost in Yedo Bay by the foundering there of the vessel which was charIn spite of this dire calamity, an tered to convey them to Japan.

sington

museum

excellent

has been established in Tokio, of which Mr.

Sano was the head and

chief,

although he has

the post in favour of Mr. Machida, a gentleman in

now relinquished who has travelled

Europe, and who both speaks and writes English Mr. Sano

man

well.

of aristocratic bearing, and decidedly of

large stature for a Japanese.

interests himself especially in

the advancement of the art industries of his countr}' which have in

saved

a large degree been

European

taste through his exertions.

After

old

Sir Philip) suggested to

had determined to leave England

friend Mr. Philip Cunliffe

that

from the corrupting influences of

should do what

Owen (now

for Japan,

could to repair the loss sustained by the

Japanese-through the wreck of the vessel containing the specimens of

European manufactures. ing friends

and the

;

therefore appealed to

was that

result

took with

manufactur-

a collection of objects such as could only prove valuable

Imperial his

Museum.

Sir

Owen gave me

the

introductions to

Excellency Mr. Sano, General Saigo, and other Japanese min-

isters,

friends

and

whom

The

is I

him that

still

retain

visit to

among

indebted for the the leading

men

many

valuable

of Japan.

Japanese Government was the object of

Mr. Sano.

Mr. Sano received (which

presentation of this gift from our manufacturers to the

representatives of the

Philip

Tokio to

me most

kindl}'.

carried on through the kind

of Mr. Sckisawa^ tea was served

During our conversation and

careful

native fashion.

interpretation

After a sump-

''I

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

luncheon, serv-ed

tuous

European

wines, General Saigo takes

Mr^^po

and with European

style

where Mr. Sano and

to the Castle,

Mr. Asami (another of our American party,

who

engaged under

European works pertaining

translating

manufac-

turSWto

the Japanese language) met us. The Castle, which dates from the year A.D. 1355, was former!}' an immense building enclosing gardens. It now stands in the centre of the more modern town of Tokio, which was founded in the 3'ear a.d.

600, and was ultimately built around

much

recent civil wars have destroyed

Although

it.

some

of this ancient castle,

huge towers and immense battlements, formed of stones of extra-

The

ordinary size remain.

Castle enclosure

broad moat, on the inner side of which

and

fortress:

liurope

we may judge

a pleasure ground

officials ficial

during the

of the Government.

lakes

bridges,

surrounded by a

the vast walls of the

appearance, no castle of the

moat

broad,

on the outer side considerably above

Inside the walls there

its level.

rise

its

The water

more impregnable.

and the roadway skirting

frorn

a charming garden, used

summer months by

now

the high

In this garden there are small arti-

and streams of water, which are crossed by picturesque

and are

in part sheltered

by greatly contorted

here also are one or two charming the Castle grounds are not year, General

trees

and

Although

tea-houses.

little

;

usually open at this period of the

Saigo has not only had the gates unlocked for

us,

but has also had the tea-houses opened, and tea prepared for our refreshment. It

the 2Sth day of

December

looking as fresh as

were summer.

}-et

;

we saunter through

see trees laden with camellia blossoms

these beautiful grounds

General Saigo gathers a

bunch of these beautiful flowers and presents them which m}- companions return British

their

Embassy, where Mr. Mounsej^

Legation) presents

staying to dine with him.

Sir I

homes and

to mc, after

the

(the First Secretary of the

Harry Parkes, and return to

insists

Yokohama

by the ten

o'clock train.

The morning

clear,

bright,

and

slightl)'

frosty,

while the

JAI'AX: ITS AKCHfTECTURE,

14 air

pure and bracintj.

singularl}-

i.s

and Prince Montenuovo Mounse}-,

Mrs: the

Two

capital.

Temple of the

part

and

trees,

fields,

upon leaving a densely-populated

fields

or gardens as

Shiba

lies

we approach

town,

outer side

its

spreads

city

wooded ^rourb

district

vegetation,

while

huge

itself

journey from one side of Tokio to the other

ring, a for

richl)'-

kinds

\-arious

the

district

rural

this

I-J^B^iist

the centre of the

bordered on

the great

the Castle stands in

and the moat surrounding

beyond

we meet Mr. and we were to-day to visit

situated

Liechtcn-stcin

Tokio, where

invitation

carriages convey us

of Shiba, which city.

start for

whose

With Prince

curious,

come upon

often

the centre of the town.

the north-east quarter of Tokio.

reached

by a pleasant short drive from the railway station. The impression which I now receive upon first beholding the magnificent temples and carriage beautiful

Buildings

delightful.

detail,

standing before

shrines

most

striking

step

rich

symbolism,

Had

before seen, or even dreamt of

from our colour,

have

a Gibbons been

never

employed

on the wood -carvings, had the colourist of the Alhambra done his

utmost to add to forms, which

new charm through

themselves arc almost perfect,

the addition

of pigments, and were the

whole of such details subordinated to architectural

worthy

places

fitting

a vast

no more

architects of the Parthenon,

edifice b}* the

could be produced than that of the buildings on

effect

my eyes now rest. The Temple of Shiba,

which

to the service of

which

may

another

same

aries,

all

relation

and

Buddhism, consisted of seven buildings, one of

be regarded as more

Christian church.

has been

most of the large temples dedicated

lateljI

strictly in itself

cases a pagoda,

the

Buddhist

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

tJte

Temple, while

much

the pagoda bearing

edifice

a spire

that

does

the

to, a

Unfortunately the chief building of the seven burnt by,

believed, revolutionary

incendi-

informed that this building was more beautiful

than any

now remaining

beautiful

than those which

;

yet

how any

have

building could be more

escaped,

loss

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ART. understand.

(Fig.

AXD ART MANUFACTURES. 1

6 gives the water-tank

the court}'ard of

this temple.)

walk through the courtyard inspecting the long rows of

stoj^fcnterns, and viewing the

'â&#x20AC;˘'

FtG. 16.

With

its

monnlith coUirmis. on

on which

\\e find

tlie

of the various buildings

e.-vteriors

The Water-Tank at

Shiba,

tops of which festooned drnpery in colours and gold

birds, flowers, water,

painted.

and clouds carved with

tenderness and boldness scared}' to be surpassed, and so coloured that each object retains

parts

ment

combine

its

produce an

of the natural objects

individual effect is

beauty, while the various

almost perfect.

The

art treat-

semi-conventional, the carving

of the crispest, and the subjects are chosen with the view of symbolising the

Shiba

power of the Buddhist's god over

all

not only a Buddhist shrine, but,

minster Abbey,

a resting-place for the

created things. like

mighty dead.

our West-

Here

five

of Japan's great Shoguns (also called Tycoons) were buried, and the

Shogun (who was

practically

the temporal

ruler

of Japan)

JAPAN: ITS ARCHJTECTURE,

was of the described

Ikiddhist

the

Shoguns found

Mikado (whom wc have

while the

faith,

spiritual

was

rulerj

their resting-place in

Shinto

of the

tombs of great

mounds of^|g:h.

over the ashes of the Mikados are heaped mere

are looking and wondering at

when

before us us

all

the loveliness

comes forward

a shaven-headed priest

the largest of the edifices which

into

entering

we should

we have

to put off our shoes.

were

do,

onl)'

The

polished black lacquer.

ouH^cad

to conduct

now

remain.

This

Before

was right that

because the balcony to which the

and the

steps before us lead,

religion.

beaut}-, while

floor

of the temple

surface of these floors

are

itself,

may

be com-

pared with that of the best papier-mache tray that Wolverhampton ever made.

There

little

the

Japanese temples or houses ings

will

way ;

but of the structure of their build-

be said when we come to consider their architecture.

However, the building before us

by a massive

a large enclosed space, covered

supported on uprights, between which are what

roof,

we may regard

movable shutters

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

;

extends about six

being

and

bright

and

not

visible.

decorated all

joists

;

The

roof

the

floor

of the temple

enclosed

part as a

have just mentioned as temple

overhangs

the

from the weather, while the constructive

which support

we have a

Internally

The

black.

central

balcony which

this

balcony and protects rafters

beyond the

feet

the columns and shutters

The

forming the boundary of the building.

balcon)',

connexion with either

of wall in

ceiling of

ceiling

are

left fully

exposed to view.

which the structural features are

panelled out into small squares, and

red, blue, green, white,

and gold being applied

their intensity.

might be thought that such a system of colouring as

could only produce a coarse and vulgar effect for the

;

but this

not

overhanging roof which approaches within about four

this so,

feet

of the railing of the surrounding balcony does not permit the

entrance of any excessive amount of Kght ultimately reaches the

black

floor.

ceiling

all

;

and the

reflected,

light

which

and that from a

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

now taken by our shaven-headed priest to see the the Shdguns. In front of each tomb stands a square

are

tombs of

building or shrine, one of which by his orders

bacl^fcd

front, that

mRi

we may look on

much

kindled,

at both

behind.

that

desire

officials

building contains the

can

have

of these

interior

but

;

these

enter

Sacred name

the

see

now

that

each

deified

Shogun the holy

believe that

told

sanctuaries,

of the

whose remains are entombed behind.

enthusiasm has been ah'eady

art

sacred shrines becomes almost irresistible

none but great

opened

monument

pleased with the one temple which

been permitted to enter, and so fully

the

enthusiastic

admiration of the art of the

edifice for religious enthusiasm, as

he somewhat excitedly exclaims,

mistakes

father

You

great

are

which few,

Shogun," and allows

enter

building

any, Europeans have up to this time been permitted

to inspect.

These shrines are as beautiful as the larger temples which we have already seen, and their details are as perfectly wrought. as yet

fail

the sacred

name

comprehend the object of these

Ultimate inquiry led is

Shogun may

of a deceased

strange confusion of

see

that

buildings, for

incarnate of the

what

do not understand.

throughout Japan there

in its purity,

Shinto Church,

;

for while

does nothing of

Nevertheless, as the Mikado, while yet

the kind.

God

Buddhism and Shintoism

Shintoism deifies heroes. Buddhism,

the

be,

But

offers

regarded as in

public

certain days of the year prayers for his people at certain Buddhist shrines,

not to be wondered at that the leading sanctuaries of

Japan should betray a blending so inconsistent.

Upon

the death of a famous Japanese, be he daimio (baron),

Shogun, he

hero, benefactor, or

when

his

name

sacred and unpronounceable tablet

of about

two

feet

exalted to the rank of a god,

the god world

allotted to him.

by mortal

lips,

This name,

inscribed

on a

length by four inches in breadth,

bordered by a richly carved margin

;

and

it is

this

god name which

the shrines in front of the Shoguns' tombs are intended to encase

and preserve.

Every precaution C

taken to insure the safety of

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

these tablets, as in the beHef of the Japanese the gravest calamities

might

befall the nation if

On day"

this

any should be

memorable day, which history,

learnt

many

have certainly beheld, enshrined

will

lost or destroyed.

always be a "red

facts of

letter

deep interest^^ad

and othflWone-

in crj'ptomerias

bearing trees of vast proportions, an amount of architectural beauty

such as evidence

have never before seen of the

liberality

;

the

and

may

here mention as

Buddhists, that

when Lady

Parkes applied to the high priest of Shiba for permission to have the Church of England service performed in one of the chapels

connected with

Hence

this great shrine,

Christian worship

of Buddhist temples.

her request was at once granted.

offered

every Sunday

in this

greatest

— ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

CHAPTER —A — Eating a

Yokohama

fire

Japanese matting

II.

— A Japanese banquet —^Japanese dancing-girls — Music Mikado — The New Year — Tokio firemen

the hotel

live fish

— Hara-kiri — The

— The Hamagoten

palace.

This 30th of December was spent sent director of the

personages minister.

in I

Tokio Museum,

Tokio, and

sleep

by the cry of

the door of off in his

its

calHng upon important

Yokohama

hotel at

excitement.

" fire."

chamber,

dining with Sir Harr)- Parkes, our

returned to

was not to pass without

Upon

saw the manager of the

that our hotel

the floor above me.

showed that the

was on

Dressing fire

large hole in the skirting-board

position,

was

shouted

for

water, I

in all

was

and wall

not truly a wall

ablaze.

all

Japanese servants could bring the buckets,

bedroom and

head outside hotel huriying

and that the

interior of the partition (which

but a lath and plaster " studding

danger of our

fire

but the night

;

was awakened from

putting

nightshirt in search of a fire-engine.

haste, I found

nearest

receiving official

chiefly in

arranging for an interview with Mr. Machida, the pre-

visits, in

and

Seeing the before

rushed

into

the the

seized the poker, to the consternation of a

who had just stepped out of bed. With this poker I hacked down the wall as high as I could reach, and found all the joists in flames. Water was now plentifully thrown on the burning

lady

timbers,

and a ladder enabled me to climb

passage in which the

fire

hard work we succeeded incident

to the ceiling of the

was rapidly spreading, but in

was struck by the

overcoming our enemy. fact,

that while

after

some

no engine came

this till

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

fire was out not one visitor in the hotel, whether EngHsh, American, German, or French, offered any help, while a great

the

whom

gaping lubber, of the

hotel,

day

was thanked

found to be the proprietor

afterwards

stood calmly

During the

looking on.

fQJfc|ving

th^^otel for the service I had rendered, and even the lady whose composure I had so much disturbed complimented me on my energy yet I was informed that our landlord considered it no I

of the inmates

several

;

part of

duty to put out

fires

his premises,

and that he was

well insured.

The

fire

being out,

market, for I

saw

piles of octopuses

inspect the native fish

forth to

sallied

was now seven

o'clock

the

Here

morning.

some heaps being of reddish

;

hue, while

others were of leaden aspect, but the tentacles of these strange creatures

say the

gave the heaps a look of motion and

least,

was strange.

inches in length, which

and

a tub live

stalls are

saw offered

fish,

some

ten feet in length,

including the royal tai ; while on tables

ranged some of the oddest monsters which

for

the entrance to the market, through which

whom

get

and paper currency A.M.

ever

left

for

after the

return, sits

some picturesque

obsolete, the former coinage having been

At 9

food in any land.

a money-changer, from

a silver

which, to

can only regard as over-grown mussels,

large creatures of the shark character,

and

life,

Here are also bivalve molluscs, ten

coins,

now

entirely superseded

modern American

fashion.

Tokio, having been invited to partake

of a native banquet to be given by certain foreign secretaries of

Each of our

legation to the Austrian princes.

was

to invite

one

friend,

Hon. James Saumarez.

and

hosts,

understood,

was the honoured guest of the

The luncheon

was- served in the most

fashionable of Japanese tea-houses, being that in which the ministers

have state dinners, and

every respect according to the

highest rules of Japanese taste and etiquette.

the Yashiki (spread out houses) of those accomplished

linguists, is

the

brothers

as familiar as

Siebold,

whom

any European language,

the I

Japanese tongue

met Prince Henri of

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

Liechtenstein and Prince Montenuovo, Baron Rosen, Baron Gold-

schmidt, and Dr. Roritz, to

European

from

reiT^fed

owe

when

far

Our party being formed,

to the tea-house, where, taking stairs (for

this

house

two

off

stories

the banquet-

thing unusual in Japan), and entered

in height, a

a vast debt

afterwards received

civilisation.

we ^companied our hosts our shoes, we ascended the

whom

tlie latter

of gratitude for kindness which

room.

banquet was

this

attempt to describe feasted, so far villa that

of the

characteristic

The room,

it.

nation,

will

we a London

or rather rooms, in which

resembled the front and back parlours of

they were formed into one for our use by the removal of

certain " slides,"

of small English

may be said to represent the " double doors " houses. As we entered the room, we saw, attached

which

to the right-hand wall, a slightly-raised dais,

more or

less

shut off

from the main portion of the room with a sort of enclosed

on which rice-ears rested as an offering to the gods. sure

arranged with scrupulous care

wood stands

as an upright at

its

;

an unbarked stem of cherry

outermost corner, the dimensions

of each plank, upright, or other piece being determined

This

the

" (or

sacred niche

altar,

This enclo-

rule.

enclosure) which the Mikado, as the

god incarnate of the Shinto Church, would occupy were he ever to visit this hotel, and through an opening at the end of the partially-enclosed

could

dais his

food would be served by those

who

through the smallness and position of the opening,

not,

see his face.

The

greater portion of the wall facing us as

window

cupied by a

of about

the floor of the room, but

which

intended, as

collected together for chair, table,

it is

all

enter

oc-

height, resting on

high enough to serve the purpose for

Japanese kneel upon the

any entertainment

The

;

indeed, there

floor is

when

neither

left-hand side of the apartment

by a continuous series of windows, outside of and these windows are so high that we the balcony when they are open. The walk on to

entirely occupied

can readily

nor anything that we can regard as furniture in any

native Japanese room.

which there

three feet

a balcony

;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

other sides of the room consist of plastered walls, the plaster being of agreeable texture and colour.

But although

rooms

these

European rooms, there

bear a certain

resemblance to

nothing European about them

i^leed,

;

they are not only of purely Japanese character, but ar^^on-

most

structed according to the

The windows

rigid laws

frames

consist of light

of Japanese etiquette.

filled

with a delicate

and beautiful wood lattice-work covered with thin paper it

sashes

but as

;

window-sashes

all

one can

slide past

matter.

The

floor

window-sashes,

room has an

window

Japan are so arranged that

horizontally,

this

covered with matting

not a difficult

the ceiling, like the

;

entirely of unpainted wood,

and altogether the

and beauty which

air of cleanness

When we all

another is

most pleasing.

entered the room the window-sashes were almost

removed, but the sun shone brightly although the

cold.

cushion about one inch

square was placed object

hence

;

impossible to look out without moving one of the

for

air

that

was

thickness and fourteen inches

each of us to kneel upon, but the

cushions

of these

indicating

real

positions,

the

place of honour being that next to the Mikado's dais, and from

These cushions

this position the seats gradually decrease in value.

were covered with a cotton material of indigo-blue contrasted the

very pleasantly with

(or

which was

this

lined

with

fire-holders)

case

Each

metal.

wood-ash, of course

soft

which

tint

yellow of the mats,

and the green-gray of the

the wood,

gray-buff" of

Four Hibachi

the

were placed on the

walls.

each of

floor,

square vessel formed of dark wood

was half

Hibachi

incombustible, and

full

ash rested two or three small pieces of ignited charcoal.

Hibachi gives out but

little

heat,

the temperature of a Japanese

In an English

and certainly

room

heavy

the centre of this

fails

The alter

any perceptible degree.

room such a contrivance would be highly dangerous,

as the carbonic acid gas resulting from the union of the burning

oxygen of the

charcoal with the

almost poisonous

owing

;

air

would render the atmosphere

but a Japanese room

to the slight

manner

which

so perfectly ventilated,

its

sides are constructed.

AXD ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

that no such danger

may be

to be apprehended.

said almost to Hve an

Indeed, the Japanese

out-of-door

the house being

X\{g.,

the ground with a substantial S'

rather a floor raised above

thangk series of rooms properly enclosed by substantial side

Wlien we were in

walls.

on our cushions

seated, or rather arranged,

a kneeling posture, a female attendant placed beside each of us

bamboo

a smoking-bo.x containing a small of which

was a

Intended

water, and

little

small,

two

charged.

whiffs,

yet

from

being

not

The tobacco

cut

and

after the

tion

the very

of here

work

tea

and

round,

the

exceedingly

the

richest

shreds

finest

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; metal manner. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; much

stem

the

finer

emptied out and the opera-

This process

repeated.

and the

the tobacco-pipes are charged

second whiff the ash

filling

With pipes

tion.

Damascened

into

know

pipe). lid

most exquisitely made with a

bowl and mouthpiece and a bamboo unfrequently

tobacco for more than

metal

than anything we

the the

passed

sufficient

generally

bamboo cup

Japanese tobacco-pipe

bowl not holding

the

was

rim,

bottom

cup, in the

pipe (the

with both

lacquer,

finest

body bordered by a metal pipes were

emptied

ash

the

receive

tobacco-box of the

was

continued at discre-

first

served, the cups being

blue-and-white porcelain of about two and a half inches

diameter

;

serving- maid

on a

the guest, but

remaining

being

cup,

filled

the guest

their

artistic

which flat

drunk

in its

general here

cosmetic.

The

hair

firm is

by the

offered

the

stand

sugar or milk

pure condition.

enter,

and passing to the

on their knees and prostrate themselves

fall

of dresses, and their hair is

bamboo

resembling

simply takes the cup

heads nearly touch the

bows rendered

placed

stand

stand the cup

this

gorgeous apparel

centre of the room, till

was

tea,

hand of the serving- maid.

the

girls

foot.

used, the beverage being

Two

with

tea-kettle with

on a small maroon lacquer

saucer elevated to

Banko

the tea was in a small

The

handle.

roof

stiff"

by a

floor.

They wear

braided

the

most

the quaint fashion

and smooth, being formed into

lavish

jet-black, and

use

strange-smelling

two hair-pins form the

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

Powder

ornaments of each peruke. but no attempt

made

the

disguise

freely used

on the

powder

the

for

fact,

face,

down bd^tcst

ends with a regular and well-defined line which extends the back

being

red,

of the

part

gold bronze

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; happily

;

most

of the

are

lips

pigment,

potent

the

while

by lustrous touches of a green-

accented

are

portions

central

with

painted

The

cheeks.

kissing

unknown

Japan

One

the girls wears a broad green sash of the richest and most mellow colour

;

this

a charming art work, and over

of the gourd,

worked

of this spray

beauty of the living plant, while

Two more

The drawing

lustrous plumbago-black.

perfectly marvellous, having

of the surface which

spreads a spray

all

the vigour and

yet a consistent ornament

decorates.

same way and kneeling behind the first two) make their obeisance, and now a third pair enter and prostrate themselves. These last, dressed more plainly,

are

(dressed

girls

servers

of food,

the

and give

each guest a square

black lacquer salver about fourteen inches serving-girl food,

which

enters is

bearing a large tray

now

leave

the room, and

girls

a taiko

drum beaten with two

small

drums beaten with the

samasin

(or banjo),

The music now

and a coto

sticks),

fingers),

at the left

;

another

with saucers of

The

four

soon re-enter with

two tsudzumu

a yokobuye (or

(or

flute),

(or horizontal harp).

begins, all the instruments being played but

the coto, the musicians kneeling on the

and two

diameter

placed on the floor of the room.

gaily-attired (or

filled

of the door.

the

two at the right same time viands are

floor,

handed round, one saucer being placed on each of our These saucers each contain a lump of covered with a fine bright-green

flour,

soft,

trays.

dough-like substance

a circular piece of semi-

transparent plastic matter like a sectional portion of fancy sugarstick

having a red exterior and a white flower

in its centre,

a piece of white gelatinous matter of oblong shape.

and

Immediately

after the distribution of these luxuries a serving-maid enters bear-

ing

another oblong tray

other articles

of food

filled

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an

with saucers of confections and

orange preserved

syrup, a small

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

opened and spread on a

fresh fish (Hke a sprat)

fashion, an

and

colour,

oblong object about three inches

andjft semicircular

cren^ed margin.

that

of food

;

of white gelatinous matter with

slice

how

but on seeing

red

with the chop-sticks which

failed signally at first

they were used,

soon found

but Japanese etiquette allows a bowl or saucer to be

;

mouth

raised to the

convenience of the person eating.

for the

try to eat the putty-like

compound with green

in attempting to bite a piece from the mass

that in removing

my mouth

saucer from

exterior, but

encounter a serious

of being wholly successful in

difficulty, for instead

find

black

could pick up single grains of rice as well as larger pieces

of rice saddle

in length,

with white seed-like specks (exceedingly hard),

filled

were given to

roll

attempt

drawing

out an attenuated string of the ductile dainty, and that the portion in

my mouth

on the

the

The more

difficulty

try to

increases,

but even then

itself:

and

which binds

at last, in

on the

to the dish

verily believe

into a

swallow the mass,

can break the thread

Being

floor.

satisfied

mouthful of

this dainty, I try the gelatinous rice-cake

effort

part consume.

being so pretty that but

try the

must take a

The the lady

first

The

do not think

red it

inviting confections,

that one

thread which would

agony,

seems an age before

resting

separate this connecting cord

mass of such food could be drawn span the Pacific

now

connected with the larger mass

still

floor.

morsel

with one

which with

passed over,

right to venture

upon

place.

strangely weird, but somewhat exciting, music being over,

who had performed on

which she held on the

left

the small

hand-drums (one of

knee and the other on the right shoulder)

lays aside these instruments for the coto or horizontal harp,

four

it,

amongst which the orange

more musicians

each with a

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

who can sing as well as play The music now began

girls

samasin or banjo.

accompanied with singing

;

and

enter,

again

and the singing was even more strange

and weird than the music.

Two

basins of clean

warm water were now

slightly-raised lacquer stand,

and placed on the

brought, each on a floor in the centre

— 26

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

of the guests.

With them came two

warm

bottles of

sachi,

one

being dry and the other sweet, while the sachi-bottles were, Hke the bowls, of bluc-and-white porcelain, and each rested in a

lacquer frame. are

now

Small porcelain sachi cups, such as we

familiar with, were then brought

little

England

and one of the^was

in,

placed on the tray belonging to each of the more important visitors,

who dips It

in the

warm

water, and holds

expected that the guests

who

are thus

filled

with sachi.

served

first

swallow the contents of their cups quickly, rinse them

shall

in the basins

of water, and throw them across the room to the friends with

whom

they wish to take wine.

sachi

cups are frequently covered with basket-work, especially

when they

are

made

owing

custom that

to this

of egg-shell china, for this covering prevents

their being readily broken.

Music

now being performed and

the sachi cups are

quently passing across the room when soup

being brought cover,

little

soup

soups, but in

clear,

float a

number of

what resembling the mushroom, but different in flavour.

The

the chop -sticks

fungi

the

basin

pale

brown

distinct in

are got

bowl

from the

instruments

rise

over,

will

the

samasin players

four

for the

and we rearrange ourselves so that begin

and with I

observe

we should

After each sip they return the bowl to

and prepare

smaller room, which

some-

aspect and very

raised to the mouth,

the tray and replace the cover so as to keep

The music being

The

common fungi,

that the Japanese sip their soup slowly and carefully as

a wine of rare vintage.

fre-

the soup

placed on each of our trays.

but with a sediment not unlike that it

—

black lacquer bowls, each of which has a

and one of which

game

served

dance

moment all may

plaintive lay

girls :

warm.

who

first

brought

they move into the call

the back parlour,

see them.

The

four

which they accompany

with their instruments, and the dancers begin the dance.

Measured rhythm and pantomimic gestures characterise their movements, and the motions of the eye, which are very singular and conspicuous, play a large part in the art of the performers.

Now

comes the viand of viands

—

the most dainty of morsels

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, the bit that turtle

what the green

the Japanese epicure

to the city alderman, a dish that

living fish.

of the

fat

none other than a

Resting on a large Cutane dish

mat formed of

rounds of glass held together by plaited threads, on which living fish with

bank of white shreds resembling damp

rises

reality a

green

algae.

with

nished

and mouth moving regularly

gills

colourless sea -weed, while

In front a

the

radiating

now placed on

with the

rest, till

tuft

isinglass,

but

itself rests

bamboo

variegated

front of

fish,

which

all,

creature's

raised the skin

body.

There

;

nay, even the

a refinement of barbaric cruelty in

consummate

of the Japanese, for with

all

the fish has been so

skill

carved that no vital part has been touched the

liver,

and the stomach

on which the

intact,

left

;

the heart, the

gills,

damp

algae

while the

keep the lungs

fish rests suffices to

sume

its

own body

and rarely

;

a living presence at

given to any creature to put

own entombment

its

pleasure actually enjoyed is

;

but, if being eaten

most miserable of victims to man's sensual

to be buried, this

cruelty

practised only

(.')

rich. ;

living fish ever

who appear

may

As an

illustration

self-

to regard neither pain nor

of Japanese hardihood,

say that over seventy persons, two of

committed hara-kiri

makes

but the infliction of such

suffering on one of the lower creatures causes, probably,

reproach amongst a people

This

that rarest of opportunities.

by the

appearance on the poor man's table

death with dread.

The we con-

in action.

miserable object with lustrous eye looks upon us while

loose,

which contrasts strangely with the geniality and loving nature

this

its

and so

disgust, the

of flesh already served consisted of the lower half of the

pile

living

from the living creature,

which, although alive, had been already carved

leaves.

the

now saw was already

after slice

slice

Then, to

consumed.

serving-maid, not having enough in the pile for of the upper side of the

back

its

a saucer and passed to one guest,

the pile

and simply picked up

a pile of small slices of raw fish gar-

portion of the raw fish from the pile

victim

fish

whom

only six weeks prior to the date of which

Hara-kiri does not consist, as

many

England suppose,

were women, I

opening the abdomen,

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

28 write,

because they had been defeated

in a

small insurrectionary

movement.

With the

living

came on another

fish

Cutane ware.

also of

large saucer-like dish,

were two kinds of

this

browned, the other white, but both baked.

portion of each

was served on a large saucer simultaneously with the ing flesh

but the living

;

fish

tasting

flavour

and delicacy

added no pang

music, were a

fit

to the victim,

this surpassed

The slow and solemn

live quiver-

the luxury, and each morsel

Feeling that by

soy and swallowed like an oyster.

dipped

the one

fish,

ate,

and certainly

any of the preceding

dishes.

dance, and the weird strains of tremulous

accompaniment of a dish so ghastly

as that of

which we were partaking.

But what have the Japanese swallowing

live

oysters

say,

We may

creature of low organisation, and that

What

such a creature suffers

to suppose that feeling

more simple

;

becomes

there

receive at our hands,

The music which now

followed was more

The

character.

girls

lively,

danced more

pantomimic motions simulated lovers busy

while boiled slices of

These

bamboo

slices

inflict

pain

much

all.

same weird

but

briskly,

still

and

of in

at love-making,

shoots were served as a course of

were strung on

little sticks,

they were eaten, the sticks serving the purpose of our

came more

reason

acute as the organisation

less

cannot suffer much pain.

So, perhaps, the Japanese are not

worse than ourselves after

vegetables.

yet that by eating live molluscs, and by the treat-

there can be no doubt.

their

wonder, about our

we do not know, and

ment which some crustaceans

the

argue that an oyster

soup, with deer flesh in

it,

from which fork.

Then

as well as fungi, served

covered earthen bowls with pattern in blue and white.

the fungus employed in the flavouring of Japanese soups

but in thrusting a sword

through tlie neck behind the windpipe with the edge outwards, and then in grasping the sword with both hands, pushing it forward till the throat is entirely severed and falling upon it. The misunderstanding has arisen from

Japanese custom of making certain scratches over the region of the bowels before committing the fatal act, in order to symbolise the reason for their death. A large volume of some hundreds of pages has been written on the etiquette of the " happy despatch." tlie

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

the characteristic odour of

In England,

butable.

of Japanese

soups a

Japanese things seems to be

all

and

fabrics.

could scarcely convince myself that

compound

attri-

must now be familiar with the smell

all

boxes, fans,

trays,

taking these

was not sipping

Hakone

consisting of a small stewed cabinet, a

tray,

and a length of Kioto fabric to which a little packing material But had been added, with the view of giving body to the liquid. of food, all nations have prejudices, and question the John on Bull

among

not

the

bigoted in

least

his

views on dietary

matters.

Now

our music results from two samasins, but one

with a heavy performer. edification,

lash, the

fife

bottom of which

held to the

and a large drum are

and now we have more

something

strips of

for the

This bow much resembles a whip

time played with a bow.

first

bow by

also brought

for

the

our

Duck with

lively dancing.

Yorkshire pudding are now served, and

the diminutive tobacco-pipes are

filled

and smoked, while

ever}'

now and again one of the waitresses charges a pipe, the bowl of which would not hold an ordinary pea, and hands

who takes one may be made ready for the

tunes to one of the singing puts

down

so that

were now told that

girls,

would be

them the

sachi cups

;

between the

ne.xt performer.

polite of us

small bits of food with our chop-sticks in the to throw

whiff and then

place

mouths, and

girls'

and accordingly we did

so.

Our

trays were now again changed, and we received two black-andgold covered lacquer bowls, one containing soup, and one rice. It

at a

may

here be remarked that

Japanese

feast

article of food,

vulgar to eat

the upper middle classes use

but to the poor rice

much

rice

as a chief

a luxury almost unknown,

Following the rice came buckwheat and millet taking its place. a saucer of powdered fish-roe, over which was sprinkled finely cut and delicate looking vegetable stems, like small attenuated celery, but without flavour

viands being it

still left.

lively,

our saucers of

Now

a large light dumpling,

becomes more

;

live fish

and other heavy

followed another bowl of soup, and in

and some green vegetables.

The music

the dancing more brisk, strange innuendoes not

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

admissible in English society were indulged

yet without coarse-

in,

and while the dance and the repast (which have lasted four hours) were drawing to a close, we were receiving assurances that ness

;

the highest virtue was maintained by our lady performers.

Our

were soon bearing us swiftly away to Mr. Mounsey's

jinrikishas

residence in the

Embassy compound. Mounsey to

see the New Year in, I went Honourable James Saumarez, which is also within the Embassy enclosure, and spent this, the first day of

After staying with Mr.

to the house of the

the

New

sallied

Year, in seeing some of the sights of Tokio.

forth

cortege on

its

way

down about

six

weeks

were consumed by

since,

fire).

Sir

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

shops,

see

the

British

palace was

old

(the

Ha\ing burnt

when about fifteen thousand houses Harry Parkes, Mr. Mounsey, and Mr.

pay

nobles of Japan pay their ;

palace

the

Saumarez being about of the year

of the

the direction

emperor on the

to the

The

Mikado.

their respects to the

homage

first

day

the ministers and persons of higher order having

access to his Majesty, while those of lower rank simply leave their cards.

The

dress in which these ceremonial visits are paid

ordinary English evening attire ridiculous appearance of

cut of their

mittens,

folds,

One

much too long as which was much too large

stances,

between

many

his forehead

other

articles of clothing

The

visible.

for

his head,

rim.

greatly

owing to the changes which have

ball,

while in its

and care-

This youth was

reduced

arisen

;

was kept

circum-

from the over-

throw of the baronial system, hence he had ordered suit

legs of his

the sleeves of his coat

and the

nobles,

somewhat

elbows

his

place by a handkerchief rolled into the form of a fully placed

met

his coat were was only by a judicious

and by keeping

trousers were as

probably,

have been very

and the sleeves of

not to be hidden from view, were kept

hat,

the

to the strange

nobleman

little

akimbo, that the mittens, which were evidently

his

indeed absurd to see the

a costume which must

inches too long, hence

arrangement

some of the nobles owing

He wore

uncomfortable. least six

and

European habiliments.

walking to the palace

;

his

with due regard to his possible corporal development

Court in

the

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, future.

a truly pitiable sight, to see fine

our miserable dress, and that looking

costume

Every

so graceful, and will

artist

grieve

worst,

its

men

arrayed

when the

native

lends great dignity to the wearer.

such a change having taken place,

may

Court has thus achieved what we

for the

almost term the

national degradation of dress.

This being holiday season, tellers,

for

one of whom

saw

a time to watch him and his hearers,

plot of his yarn

;

some

the streets

but soon

all

uproarious laughter ensued.

I tried

tale-

Stopping

seemed to enjoy special popularity.

to gather the

eyes were turned towards me, and

was

clear that

had now become

much amuseis bliss 'tis folly ignorance to be wise." Farther Where ment. on I came across acrobats, who were certainly clever, ^jugglers of great skill, top-spinners who perform wonderful feats, and men

the butt of his remarks and the unwitting cause of "

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

with peep-shows for the children.

The morning of the day had been cold, j-ct bright but later warmed the atmosphere, and the scene became more and more gay. From every house hung two or three white flags with ;

the sun

the red ball in the centre, and the people flocked into the streets

Many made

in holiday attire.

Asakusa with

its

the reception

for

their

vast red gateway,

of offerings,

way

its

to the great

Temple of

various shrines, huge coffer

tanks for ablutions, odd-looking

I followed in their train, and from and dignified pagoda. summit of the pagoda got a fine view of Tokio. Beneath us was a space caused by the burning of five thousand houses, only two

belfry,

the

nights since, the

ing

;

Godowns

(fire-proof storehouses) only remain-

and yonder rose proud Fujiyama with

priests

its

unsullied cone.

The

seemed to be muttering incantations, boys were beating

great drums,

fires

blazed in the centre of the building, incense was

burning, and small coins were thrown by handfuls into the sacred enclosure, while the grounds of the edifice were filled with stalls,

on which nick-nacks,

prints,

offered

now

Temple

for sale.

sweetmeats, and toys of every sort were

visit

one of the shrines around the great

of Asakusa, where, one after the other, the worshippers

take hold of the knotted rope hanging in front of the gong, and

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

make

gong produce a booming sound which is supposed god to the prayer about to be offered.

the

to call the attention of the

Most stand outside

man

the shrine to perform their devotions, but one

with shoeless feet prostrates himself just within the Temple

and remains motionless

few minutes, with his knees, his

for a

hands, and his forehead on the the

streets

mother,

father,

and brothers,

sisters,

from one to the other,

The

great

game played

one

till

fails

will

knock the shuttlecock it, when all rush at

to hit

him, or her, and give a slap with the bat as a punishment. is

the form of birds the

alike.

The

kites

sound.

hissing

are often in

These humming

always hollow, and are not unfrequently cylindrical

but the strangest are those which, while high

;

make

air,

Ball

the children, while kite-flying

by old and young

sport enjoyed

game with

also a favourite

and shuttlecock, and a whole family,

battledore

floor.

kites

are

in form.

moat outside the Castle hundreds of wild ducks were The artillery were practising, and when their guns were

the

floating.

In the moat I saw leaves fired the ducks rose almost in clouds. and bent seed capsules of the beautiful Nelumbium, or Buddhist water-lily (Buddha is always represented as sitting on the flower of this plant).

summer

gay flowers and broad

not bigger than a cherry are

Going

moat must be covered with the

the

foliage of this beautiful plant.

common

to the railway station

Oranges

here.

noticed beside the road a baby

boy, certainly not more than two years of age, smoking his pipe. I

reach

Yokohama

was overclouded by ten

brightly,

By two

at six.

the following morning the sun, which had been shining

the

fall

o'clock, then

was considerable, but

all

snow

fell

heavily.

had now become bright

as before.

The

princes are to-night to leave for Siam, after visiting which

country they are to return to China, where

about three months hence evening

;

Japan, with me.

making

meet them

so they dine and spend this, their last

During our short intimacy,

only on the journey from San Francisco to the honour of

Yokohama

their acquaintance, they

for

was

that

had

have shown

the

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

Both of them have undoubted

most friendly courtesy.

art taste.

Both are well informed on even some of the recondite questions connected with Eastern ornaments, and Prince Liechtenstein has

made

most elaborate and careful record of what he has seen

during his travels.

make such

indeed a pleasure in a foreign land to

friends.

ten o'clock the

hotel

little

gay

boat,

with lanterns in honour of our illustrious guests, was ready to take

them

The

off.

oars were plied, fireworks sparkled in the

was soon

the boat

the successor of Mr.

are housed

show

Nara

Mr. Sekisawa.

wonderful

collection

the building which has contained

over a thousand years.

him

offered

which are the private property of the Mikado, and

antiquities

for

Mr. Tanaka Yoshio, the curator, and

Machida

Mr.

and

Yokohama to receive Mr. Sano, Mr. first is what we should call the surname), Sano as the director of the Imperial Museum

Next day I stayed Machida Hisi-Nari (the at Tokio,

air,

lost to view.

was arranged that

Nara on about the 26th of

that the

Mikado

will

give

month.

this

them

should meet

an audience before

also told

leave this

part of Japan.

At given

the incoming of the

cottage

and

feasting

the native town

rejoicing.

place in

about twelve

all.

feet

feet apart, \vhile

a branch of the fir-tree.

Two in

entirely

Every house, shop, and but the

bamboo

bamboos, with richly

foliated

decorated in some fashion or other

fir-tree find

tops and about twenty

the

New Year

and

;

height, are planted

immediately

in front

the earth

of each stands

the height of eight or ten feet from

ground these bamboos are connected by a deep fringe of

plaited rice-straw, in the centre of

which

a curious group con-

sisting of a crawfish, an orange, fronds of a fern, a plait of straw

having the form of a twisted a stick, paper.

loaf,

a row of dried percimmons on

and a piece of charcoal and a chestnut each wrapped

Grouped

a picturesque manner, these are attached to

the upper margin of the straw fringe, from which are also pendent certain religion.

pieces of white cut paper

Some

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the

emblems of the Shinto

rich persons place at either side of the

door simply

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

bamboo stems with

three thicic

piece of a fir-trcc in front.

about three three

feet,

six inches

feet

while the

New Year

These

the tops cut off slant-wise, with a

In these cases the central in

feet three inches in height.

devices vary, however,

character, but even

bamboo

the poorest of the people seem to crave after a piece of

and of

fir,

the sides about

height, those at

about two

fir is

bamboo

ever so small, as eagerly as our poor look for a

spray of holly and a bit of mistletoe at Christmas.

The next day

hear at Tokio that the firemen arc exer-

and that the sight

cising,

The

the ground.

worth seeing, so

make my way

exercises consist mainly in causing ladders to

stand in a vertical position by the aid of hooks which grasp the "

rounds," and are driven into the earth, and in the performance of

strange acrobatic

an inverted

One man ascends

feats.

position, with

his

a ladder, and stands in

head on one of the side uprights

;

another ascends and, grasping one of the side supports with both hands, maintains himself in a horizontal position

on by

his

feet,

and while

support brandishes is

his

body extends fire is

spreading.

the Japanese acrobat, did

a lantern.

emblem,

for

which being hollow acts as

a sort of badge of the corps as well as a religious

from each hang pendent the cut papers which sym-

bolise the Shinto religion. in

In short,

men doing all that Little Alright," when in London. Before each corps

carried a peculiar device,

It is

its

the exercise consists in the

from

laterally

both hands a chopping instrument such as

used for destroying walls when a

of firemen

another holds

;

their construction,

and

Much ingenuity has am almost as much

been displayed interested with

these ornamental contrivances as with the exercises themselves. I

noticed that

many

of the coolies had

mentioning the matter to a Japanese

who can

possibly afford

buy

new

friend, I

clothes for

New

clothing, but

was

told

upon

that

Year's Day.

all

The

poor, however, are but scantily clad at best, yet they appear a

hardy and strong

race.

Pantaloons formed of a sort of calico

of indigo colour form the only covering to their loose blue jacket, on which

or a badge a foot

ife

legs,

while a

either a strongly-defined

pattern,

diameter, constitutes the dress.

The

feet

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

naked or are protected underneath by straw sandals,

are either

but these are far from being durable pairs

worn out

sant

men wear

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

indeed,

;

one day, during a long

leather coats of buff

Some

run.

and

have known three of the pea-

rich golden-syrup colour

the lighter tint being that of the pattern with which they are

These coats are both picturesque and durable garments.

figured.

While we boast of the convenience of our

attire, I

notice that

the Japanese dress has an advantage over mine, in one particular

The

at least.

matting, for the matting inch or

shops are covered rather with mats than

floors of the

padded underneath

to the thickness of an

more with straws which are regularly arranged.

pean steps upon

Hence the European has

penetrate and spoil the mats.

on the edge of the raised

floor

who wear wooden

Japanese,

If a

Euro-

high heels of his boots

a floor thus covered, the

and take

to sit

down

off his boots, while the

them

clogs, can slip

moment

off in a

without the use of his hands, as they are held on only by a sort of thong which passes between the great toe

and

its

four lesser

neighbours, and by a strap which passes over the fore part of the foot.

When who,

was

out shopping,

was sometimes surprised

were English merchants, walk

told,

boots on, and stamp over the floor as though

The anxiety

destroy the mats.

common

men

to see

with their great

were their purpose to

poor shopkeepers under

of the

such circumstances was quite distressing, and drugget, a

have seen a

bit of

blanket, and other things hastily brought

and

spread over the mats, to prevent their being ruined by these un-

gainly visitors.

the heartlessness of

none are worse

one,

many

fear,

can

Japan without perceiving

visit

of the so-called foreign merchants, and

in this respect

than

appear to find special enjoyment

my own

inferior creatures

;

and

harm

able

make

they were altogether

of low class they sometimes treat

and not men.

to the country

For-

annoying the Japanese.

eigners often speak to the Japanese as

as though they were dogs

Some

countrymen.

Such persons do

from which they

hail, as it is

them

incalcul-

they

who

the stranger odious.

On January

6th

left

Yokohama

become

for a

few days

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

the guest of Sir Harry Parkcs at Tokio.

and Mr. Asami met me

Mr. Sano, Mr. Sekisawa,

two carriages in order show me some of the places of interest in the city. I now learn that Mr. Sekisawa is to Japan what poor Frank Buckland was to at the station with

us,

and that he

engaged

a regular system of

establishing for the

In America he had arranged

culture.

fish

Japan of the ova of salmon and other

for the transport to

which he has now just received, and these

and

place

Government

native

in .the

it is

The Hamagoten,

streams.

fish,

intended to hatch palace

standing in beautiful grounds which border the Bay of Yedo, was the

first

residence

now

Having been formerly

place visited.

it is

building

a Daimio's (baron's)

became the summer palace of the empress, while

used for the entertainment of illustrious strangers. is

The

old and of purely Japanese construction, but the rooms

and corridors are covered with European carpets with patterns of little

merit.

the European

the rooms appear to be scantily

ej-e

furnished, as they contain but chairs chairs are of black

pattern which was

common

as a dining-room and

and

tables,

lacquer they are of the

and while the

old round -backed

with us some twenty years since both

bedroom

chair.

In the garden surrounding the palace

a lake of the greatest

purity, a

running stream, and a small waterfall, while over the

stream

a most curious bridge, for

the

bridge

continues at

turns

when

half across the water

angle to the

right

left,

and then again

former direction, while a railing which

its

one side of the bridge

then continues on the other

bay of Yedo

series of

mounds on which stand

and from the top of every

in full view.

One

Such

trees

mound

the

old and gnarled pine-tree, the

branches of which descend and wind amidst rocks, like in its character.

only placed

side.

Surrounding the lake are a diminutive, yet old, trees,

on the right hand up to the bend, and

are particularly

almost snake-

admired by the

Japanese, as they remind them of the drawings of the dragon

winding

its

way amidst

been familiar since their

stones and rocks, with which they have earliest infancy.

Stretching far over the lake, and supported on a light

bamboo

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART. trellis, is

a westeria

perfectly

charming

fact

when

creeper, which

blossom

must

but what interests the Japanese most

;

grounds

that the whole

represent a

look is

Chinese landscape

the in

miniature.

next visited the beautiful temple of Uyeno, where, as at

main

Shiba, the

remains are in

building has been destroyed by

indeed splendid

some

;

What

fire.

but while the buildings

standing

left

respects not quite so fine as those of Shiba, the rows

of great lanterns (each pair of which has been given by some Prince or Daimio) are

finer.

Having described one of the great Buddhist I

will

shrines of Tolvio,

not attempt here to give any details respecting that of

Uyeno, as

shall ha\-e to notice

of the country.

Its

two ceilings shown

when speaking of the

architecture

character may, however, be judged of from the in Figs.

17, 18.

In the evening there was a party at the Embassy, for

Christmas

Day

—

The Prime

the 6th of January.

Sanjo Saneyoshi, with his wife and his deputy

was old

Minister

— Mr.

Iwakura,

were present, and other great personages, ladies and children,— the latter being entirely in Japanese dress.

For the ladies and children, presents were arranged on a large Christmas tree which

filled

amused

gentlemen were

the centre of the hall a

b\-

;

the Japanese

magic lantern having views of

The European guests danced. The Japanese never themselves dance, as the)' can hire others The Court ladies who were present in their to dance for them. European

native in

and buildings.

cities

costumes looked very gay and interesting

particular

robe than what

thought peculiarly beautiful.

we know

the surface were strewed

as a dress little

of varying pinks, with here

;

its

Japanese ladies

had like

dressed

dress

was more of a

ground was white, but over

summer-like flowers

the softest

and there a speck of tender green,

while the whole was rendered lustrous with gold. all

one

jet-black,

and most of them

Court fashion, spread into a large

The

hair of

this

evening

flat

butterfly-

bow of less than an eighth of an inch in thickness. The next few daj-s I spent in wandering about Tokio, looking

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

at shops, picking

the people

Fig.

;

17.

was

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;A

tlic

art objects, i

and watching the amusements of

we had

a shght shock of earthquake.

Ceiling in the Shrine of the Sh6gun

Tokugawa Ivemitsu

connexion with the Buddhist temple at Uyeno. A. gives the section of crossing members. B. gives the ornament at the crossings complete. It

built in the year 1681 in

At one

o'clock on

this

day Sir Harry

Parkes was to take

that

the

mail was

Mr. Okubo,

the minister of the interior

;

but finding

leaving he got the

appointment deferred

till

the following

we viewed a small Shinto temple, erected to the memory of the Mikado's soldiers who fell in the day.

In the afternoon

revolution

1868:

building

formed of plain uncoloured wood,

in the

slightly raised dais bearing a large

European mirror and a small

centre

of which

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

vase formed of a joint of floor

temple

of the

bamboo and

covered

with a

Brussels carpet of large panel pattern

more hideous European white

filled

;

The

with flowers.

white ground

common

on the dais

spread a

felt carpet.

Besides the mirror the

temple contains about eighteen caned European arm-chairs.

18. Part of the lf-iling of the Iemtle of U^ eno in Tokio. From a model presented to the Author by the Japanese Government.

l-'iG.

This temple course,

situated on high

from the bottom of which we

with the bay beyond.

The

ground close

the

race-

get a splendid view of Tokio

aspect of the city

very remarkable,

The

as the Castle rises conspicuously in the centre of the town. streets

being broad, and the majority of the houses only one

high, the space occupied

houses,

when seen

by Tokio

very large.

stor}'

All Japanese

masses from above, have rather the aspect

of hovels or a thatched Irish village, than of English towns. is

only when we view them

and

many

cases

in detail

the interior which

rather than the external aspect. carriage,

see proud

that

Fujiyama

we is

see their beauties,

calculated to

charm

Turning round to re-enter our rising as a rich purple

cone drawn

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

on a glowing sky, although

some

distant

sixty or eight}'

miles.

the next day

went with Sir Harry Parkes to pay our

Okubo

Mr.

Minister of the Interior.

to the

visit

unusual stature even for a southern Japanese, and

head

than the average Tokio man.

taller

and

his

manners are

now

a European building, like those

Government

The room

officials.

dignified,

Here the servants do not

His house

genial.

fashionable with the higher

into

which we were shown was

and was carpeted and furnished

upstairs,

more than a

His bearing

most homely and

than those of some of the ministers,

less set

while his conversation

man

European

style.

themselves

prostrate

the

before

Minister as Japanese servants usually do, but behave as Europeans.

Mr. Okubo

European

and so are both Mr. Sano and

dress,

Mr. Asami.

Our factures

conversation ;

turned

chiefly

and the Minister requested

on the native

art

may

the

fact

Japanese commerce with Europe, and the means by which

During

be increased.

visit

attention

called

manu-

draw up a report on to

that

much might be done

fires

with which Tokio

so frequently visited, by compelling

way

the

of preventing the disastrous

owners of houses to saturate the wood used tion,

and

of which the windows

paper

the

tungstate of soda, or

Tokio are most

of houses equal

some

formed,

are

Indeed,

said that

number with those forming the

destroyed every ten years by

entire city are

Mr. Okubo, although the Minister of the Interior,

revolution of 1868, in which the

Okubo

and restored

fought his

way

took

an active

holds,

Mr.

duction of a

to power,

primaril}'

European

in reality, in

the government of his people.

the his

Mr.

and when the Mikado assumed

and which he justly won by

Okubo

is,

part

Mikado was brought from

the reigns of government was raised to the high

now

with

The fires a number

fire.

the leading spirit of Japan.

seclusion

all

their construc-

chemical substance.

allied

disastrous.

his

due what we

civilisation

into

ofifice

prowess

may

Japan.

which he

in the field. call

the intro-

And no man

— AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

have been more alive to the value of certain European

could

Japan now boasts any European country

contrivances than this accomplished minister. a telegraphic sj'stem as perfect as that of

coast

its

system

rendered safe by numerous lighthouses

being rapidly developed

towns are already place of useless

by gas

lit

;

are being made,

and excellent bridges

due

Mr. Okubo.

mention here certain did not occur

till

sion to refer to

after

;

return to England.

received

letter the

I shall

friend Mr.

a copy, while

the report which he requested

iiioitlh

will year Meiji.

Ur. Dresser.

"Sir

—

sent

articles

January of last loth year Meiji, you ha\e brought the by Mr. Owen to our museum, and I am much obliged that you

have taken the trouble

arrange them.

April the articles have been exhibited to

After your

returning

the people, and

all

through the countiy your valuable informations regarding of industry, which

points

during your

kindness that

visit to I

could

you have given

the officer

several industrial establishments.

make

all

were obscure heretofore, and "

have occa-

now dead. from Mr. Okubo

following

" idlh of y1

make

may be

all this

extract the passages which relate to Mr.

Okubo's sad end, and

all

good roads

rarely in this book, he being

Of Mr. Okubo's

from Mr. Mounsey's

and

;

perhaps be permitted to

which was shortly followed by another from

Mounsey.

write

built

may

After m)- return to England letter

larger

its

respecting Mr. Okubo, although they

facts

him but

postal

its

system of police has

a regular

two railways have been constructed

;

to be

;

some of

steam fire-engines have taken the

;

pumps

little

the streets of

;

been established

said

;

industrial

men

home

last

have notified important

to the

who attended you

must be

for

your

understand the points which

can assure you that in the future time they

will

a progress and bring that interest upon the commerce.

During your

visit

you have requested our museum

of ornamental ceiling of several temples at Tokio, and

to make the models now they have been

finished.

" Although they are very trifling and not enough to compensate your service,

present them to you through Mr. C.

accept them as the token of

highest regard.

will

last

please

— With compliments, "

Strome, and you

Okubo Toshimichi,

Minister of Interior Department. "

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

" Vedo,

Dear Dr. Dresser

letter of the

May,

7th

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

have

as well as for

most interesting enclosure

its

You

which you have addressed to Mr. Okubo. that that

/:i/_y 9,

gentleman was brutally assassinated on the

six

men armed

who had been

well,

lying in

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the

4th of the

same month His carriage

know

with the sharp deadly swords you

ambush

for

They

him.

report

have learnt by the papers

will

as he was driving to a Cabinet Council at the Mikado's palace.

was stopped by

1S78.

thank you very cordially for your kind

hamstrung the

first

Poor Okubo tried to get out of his brougham men with drawn swords at the door, he tried the other side there were as many there too. A fearful moment the poor man must have had when he thus saw death on all sides. They pulled him out and hacked horses and killed the coachman.

there were two

him

to pieces,

and then went and delivered themselves up

the Palace, pro-

claiming that they were actuated by purely patriotic motives. the ministers are accompanied by escorts of

Since then

mounted men, who

all

ride with

drawn swords. Ito has succeeded Okubo, and he told me the other night that he had just received your report, but had not yet had time to digest it. "... I must now congratulate you on having so clearly pointed out to the Japanese Government the sort of way in which they can augment their exports. With regard to the articles which you instance as certain to sell

our markets, they ought to be most grateful to you for the care you

have taken

their

description.

...

think and hope that the Japs will

your information so valuable that they

find

will

ask your advice again before

Harry Parkes begs me thank you for having sent it to the Legation, Saumarez read it with great and thinks its contents most useful and valuable. interest, and agrees with me in admiring your story and the way you tell it, long.

Sir

and

may add

that

Mrs.

Mounsey perused

with

much

Mrs. Mounsey desires to be kindly remembered to you, and

pleasure. I

remain, yours

Aug. H. Mounsey."

truly,

This was indeed a sad ending to a

gi'eat life,

and the

effect

of his removal from the work which he had in hand cannot yet

be accurately estimated.

The

receipt of

successor,

report was acknowledged by Mr. Okubo's

who warmly thanked me

for the

trouble

had taken

in its preparation.

time during the next few days was occupied chiefly

paying necessary of these

Russian

visits

was

and

studying the manufactures.

Madame

Ambassador (now,

One

de Struve, the wife of the

regret

say,

deceased).

This

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

lady was an assiduous

of teapots, of which

collector

she had

more than seven hundred specimens, no two being alike.

morning of the i6th Januar\- General Saigo and

the

Mr. Asami

called to take

Mr. Asami kindly acted as interpreter.

other important places.

The

arsenal occupies a portion of a garden arranged

hundred years ago by a family from which the In the buildings of the arsenal for the

first

time

Japan, and

and industry can only thereby small arms altered, but first

and

last

Shogun sprang.

hum

heard the

two or three

of machinery

cannot help feeling that while

the arts of peace

its aid,

charms which they have

lose the

In the factory guns were being

hitherto possessed.

the

war may be encouraged by

the art of

place, there

and some

to the arsenal, the mint,

had but

all this

was no

made and

interest for me.

little

merit in the things produced

art

the second, the processes employed were

;

European.

all

The garden surrounding the factories is, however, very beautiful, and, like many of the most celebrated in Japan, represents In the garden are some lovely in miniature a Chinese scene. their little lattice windows being most charming summer pavilions, in

Yet these are

design.

perishing for

all

while the lattices are falling, bit by is

indeed lamentable that such

to ruin, yet fatal to it

some of the

should be so

away with in

that

fear

its

cannot divine.

ancient monuments.

should

structures is

likely to

of the country

prove

but

why

nation can afford to do

If they are of great excellence

design they tend to uphold the character of national manufac-

tures

;

and by attracting

visitors

to a country the

they spend in the land contributes to if

of attention, It

civilisation

monuments

lack

upon the ground.

exquisite

European

finest

bit,

the magnificence of

some of

its

wealth.

are beautiful

apparent

From which, up

beyond

almost

the

;

many would journey

but while some of the temples

description signs of decay are but

too

all.

the arsenal to

all

sure that

the great temples and shrines of

which Japan can boast were widely known, even from Europe to see them

money which

I feel

we went

time of the

to the great

revolution

Confucian Temple, in

1S6S,

was the

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

Japanese university where 4000 students

and daimios

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; were

Confucianism, it

need scarcely say,

has no concern for a future

he knew nothing.

man

relation

provides only for the

of Japan, as taught in

express

Now

from all

its

nature,

and

This great Confucian

and the university

resulted, as the

Japanese

being dedicated to learning.

The

things are changed. is

no more.

of mathematics, and of fucianism, and

Japan what a university such as that of Oxford

and the glory of the building it,

The Japanese had

observers

great

knowledge of mathematics was small.

to us,

men

classics

Confucian writings.

all

although

natural sciences

;

of which Confucius said that

life,

The

Temple was

the sons of nobles

no way a rehgion

a system of ethics

with man.

the universities, were

their

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

educated.

students are dispersed

The study

languages, has

of the natural sciences,

of Con-

replaced that

European professors have supplanted the learned

of the nation

;

but the wheel of fortune

again moving, and

Japanese professors are teaching the natural sciences which

the\'

have learned from Europeans.

As wood is

Temple

a building the great Confucian

sombre,

internally

consisting

nothing

but

a high degree

black

lacquered

the columns are black, the walls are black, and the ceiling

black

;

and the only

relief

which

given to this monotony

afforded by the bronze sockets which encase the bases of the

columns

;

yet even these are dark in colour.

however, this edifice differs from in

Japan, for

its

roof

all

In one particular,

others that

have yet seen

of open structure (no ceiling), while in the

carving (though this exists in but small quantities) representations

much more common than those of plants. This edifice is now the great national library of Japan, and

of animals are

here are already collected

some thousands of volumes,

of which was kindly given to

Leaving the which pleased

seems with

universitj-

the

rooms, and sweet

have

but

almost little

b}'

building

few

a catalogue

the worthy librarian.

visited

worshippers

;

large

temple

but here

was

interminable passages, the numerous

gardens connected with the building.

AND ART MAXUFACTURES.

ART,

the altar stands a pierced earthen vessel of celadon ware, which is

and contains the ashes of burnt incense and a carved branch of the Nelumbium (the Buddhist

lined with brass

here also rests

;

Eg)-ptian in character (Fig. 19).

lotus), strikingly

carved

KiG. 19.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Object

Buddha

imitation of a spray of the Buddhist Lotus.

said to hold this in his

the likeness

hand when he prays

for his

mother.

subsisting between the arts of the ancient Egyptians and that of

Japan

shall

now

have frequently to

call attention.

of the mint in

that portion

visit

bank notes are printed

;

which Japanese

but here the subtleties of electric etching

and European methods of printing are practised.

the arsenal,

the mint, and at one weaving factory in Kioto which

some weeks

European mechanism was employed

later,

no other instance did

see

;

visited

but

any indication of the native methods

being superseded by European appliances.

The next morning was occupied unpacked which

Museum.

The sky

took

Nearly

all,

out

happil}-,

morning was

this

chiefly in seeing the things

England

from

proved to be

the

National

sound condition.

and by eleven snow

overcast,

fell

;

but at five in the afternoon the heavens were once more cloudless, while, later, there

and

cold,

was a glorious

sunset.

The

night was bright,

starlight.

January

18.

Yokohama by

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; This

the 8.15

morning train,

went with Mr. Mounsey

where we engaged jinrikishas to

take us to Kamakura, a town about seventeen miles distant on the

other side of the

promontory which

boundary of Yedo Bay. acter, it

and

lies

The road

through a long valley of

passes over a high

bluff.

forms

the

southern

of a very imperfect char-

rice-fields,

while

In Japan the rice-fields in

one place

some

cases

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

extend of the

for

many

miles together, and are even terraced on

tlie

sides

This terracing of nearly empty mud-ponds, for such

hills.

the rice-fields look at this season of the year, as the fields are

all

sunk below the banks which separate them, and the water has run off from the soil, gives to the landscape, a strange aspect.

Rising from the valley as we approach

head,

its

we come

the bluffs or sandbanks which seem to separate the land at the

north side of the promontory from that of the south.

This bluff

resembles the sandbanks with which we are familiar at Scheveningen, Ostend, and

Deal

and

of the carex or sandgrass.

these

may

Japan has no true grass which

with the roots

filled

be worthy of remark that

will serve as

fodder for sheep.

The rough carex covers much of the country but as this dies down to the ground in winter many hills become bare during the ;

months of the

cold

Japan

and give an uninteresting character

The absence

the landscape.

dear

year,

(it

about

of grass causes mutton to be very

per pound in the open ports

2s. 6d.

where alone meat of any kind can be had, save the largest towns in which

the sheep have to be fed

however,

in one or two of European ideas are being adopted), for in China and taken to Japan. Beef,

only 5d. per pound, as oxen

In order to ease our coolies follow with our tiny carriages

;

over the

till

and they

disappears altogether.

by-path traversing a bank which separates

rice-fields

bluff,

but after passing the summit the

road becomes narrower and narrower

will eat the coarser food.

we walk

two groups of

the highway over which our jinrikishas carry us

but as this road

by two stones the

cut ride

;

by many watercourses bridged over only becomes

exciting, for

we have

often

consider whether the space between the wheels of our jinrikishas is

greater than the width of the bridge.

These

little

difficulties

once a great city little

time.

more than It is

surmounted, we come upon what was

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the town of

village,

Kamakura.

although

larger

Yedo

now

one

situated on a lovely island-studded bay, the sands

of which are rich in shells, and reminds

Here

This town than

a temple recently restored

of Bantry in Ireland.

and somewhat vulgarh-

re-

ART,

AXD ART MANUFACTURES.

decorated which boasts of presents received by the

from the Crown as is

Buddha

to the Great

We ing

far

back as the year

i i

bronze,

Shogun

first

but our pilgrimage

;

or Dal-butz.

soon approached richly wooded land, and through an openThis Dai-butz, formed of

the trees beheld the colossal figure.

forty-seven feet in height, although in a sitting posture.

has been formed of parts of about six feet square, which have

been brazed together, and thus the whole figure now consists Figures of Dai-butz rest usually of one huge mass of metal. on a is

Nelumbium)

(the flower of the

lily

;

but

case the base

in this

represented by only two petals of the flower which lean against

the wall to the right and

The

completed.

figure

left sits

of the figure, for

From

light

our Scriptures

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

" I

being downwards,

backs

position.

only the altar,

the

for

two bronze

rest

assume a

stands

feet

height, while

are even higher

still

;

the

right

the

brazen

yet the altar with

when compared with the

lilies

and to the

left

inspected this figure externally hollow, and

fitted

table -like

and two

The

cast.

altar

with their vases

flowers looks small

its

vast figure against which they are seen.

of the figure there

we walk

up within

Having

pedestal-lantern, of about ten feet in height.

Nelumbium), which

have been beautifully modelled and charmingl)six

vertical

vases each contain a group of

leaves and flowers of the Buddhist lotus (the

manner, leaving

graceful

vases, a bronze censer,

The bronze

flowers.

The hands

at their points, the

fingers

The figure is draped in a bosom exposed. In front

on which

vessels

thumbs meet

while

supposed to

the light of the world."

the figure are so placed that the

most

to that expressed in

and which symbolises an idea similar

flow,

forehead protrudes

its

which

jewel from

a boss representing

repose with

dignified

placid expression of countenance.

has never been

into

a bronze carefully

interior, for

its

a shrine or chapel.

approaching the altar we see the results of an act of snobbery

which

the highest degree contemptible

of one of the figures which stands or

American

cad

has written

his

for

;

upon the

name

on the forehead

altar

some English

ultramarine

blue.

JAPAX:

act

ARCHITECTURE,

rrs

cannot be too strongly condemned.

disgraceful

cannot help feeling that only a snob of a very low type would

name on any work

write his

at a cart-tail

when

but

art,

desecrated the offender would be

a sacred altar

thus

punished by being dragged

fitly

and whipped through the town.

Climbing the ladder, we ascend to a platform within can

the

from which a view of the surrounding country and bay

figure,

be had

through

descend to luncheon

With other,

opening

the open

and afterwards

the head,

air.

the back of a grouse in one hand, and bread

wander around the

the

and notice over the shoulder-

figure,

blades two large metal loops, the nature and object of which fail

The

question

but

shine,"

how

spelt,

for

the

answered

when

the

their use. " for

words

the

and with

shine,"

the

we ask Varying

s-h-i-n-e.

we only arrive at the one we are obliged to be

the question in eveiy possible way,

answer,

and asks

interpreter

throws no light upon the matter,

this

the word

once

much puzzled with them

Mr. Mounsey, as

to understand.

as myself, appeals to his native

this

content.

To find

priest

the right of the

who

Japan â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and other sacred

stall

figure,

of Daikoku

pictures

evil,

such as

little stall

This

Japan.

drawings of the sacred

sells

charms against

trifling,

Buddha

religious places in

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

maps

while the figures sold

Christianity.

The

evils

common

four inches in length

from which immunity can

be purchased by the charms are of almost every kind

charms appear

god of

The cost of these things is but are in some cases of great interest

prints.

as they reveal the origin of certain symbols which are

Buddhism and

often

of the district,

favourite

attended by a

;

but the

to be simply folded bits of paper of about

and one inch

breadth so

gummed up

that

they cannot be opened, and bearing an inscription which specifies the evil guarded against, and a red stamp, which

be the sacred

seal

of the temple.

One

may

be said to

of the charms which

bought was against smallpox, another against the dangers of travel,

another against

evil generally,

and so on

;

but the ailments

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, be

by a

averted

smalt- expenditure at this holy spot

are

legion.

visited a

the

our homeward journey

adorned

ance,

Buddha

with images

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

temple of great import-

hundred

five

disciples

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

strange indeed they look as well as by three wood -carvings by one of the greatest carvers that Japan has ever seen, and some beautiful lattice-work. We were on the point of leaving this edifice when our interpreter, with beaming countenance and excited manner, pointed to an image straight before us, and exclaimed " The shine the shine!" We now understand what he attempted to explain when ^\'e were viewing the great Dai-butz, for the head of this figure is encircled by a Nimbus, and what we saw on the shoulders

magnificent

of the great figure were the

scarcely re-entered our jinrikishas

upon our alighting at a tea-house,

insisted

tions

this

we had

that

appendage

the

Kamakura.

colossal figure at

We had

fixings for

just

interpreter

in spite of our protesta-

sumptuously.

fared

when our

Although he had

shared what to us had been an ample meal, he seemed dissatisfied with the cake and tea

now

and ordered three raw

offered to him,

eggs, which were speedily brought in a saucer, together with

soy to serve as a sauce. placed them on the

floor,

some

Taking the eggs from the saucer he and breaking the

its

contents on the dish, adding a

his

little

shell of

soy,

one he poured

and putting the saucer

mouth, swallowed the morsel as we should an oyster.

Having treated the others in the same wa}-, he drank sundry cups of tea, and then said calmly that he was ready for the journey. This

little

freak of our worthy interpreter

able as the Japanese eat often and but

Japan

generally

land

little

a tobacco pouch

and

the is

littles.

was the more remark-

little at

a time

air

indeed,

Their most beautiful objects are

knob of a

stick or the button

(netsuki)

often an artwork of the highest elaboration,

their dainty foods are served in small portions.

country

;

Possibly the

gave our guide an unusually good appetite.

our

asking what should be paid, the interpreter explained that to ask for a

bill

would give the greatest possible offence to a Japanese

—

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

You

hotclkeeper.

never pay, you simply give

and the present

;

hght refreshment of tea and cake would be about two-

for the

pence or twopence-halfpenny

return to

our money.

Yokohama by

road,

and reach Tokio by a

late

train.

message respecting

brought to

Mikado was

presentation to the

next day by Mr. Sakata, an old friend

had the pleasure of entertaining some years ago

whom I had my house in

The meeting was a pleasure and a surprise to both, as when he came to make his official call he had not the slightest expectation of seeing his old London friend, thinking it was London.

some one

same name, nor I of seeing him. His message was that the Mikado would give me audience at two o'clock on the following day. He said that it was to be a the

else

private interview, and gave

Emperor was

reply.

a copy of the speech which the

make, asking

speech

this

ready with a

asked Sir Harry Parkes to

short

me have

let

a translation.

January 20.

— Morning

as fine as ever, sky almost cloudless,

sun bright and warm.

The following is the English of the address which the Mikado make this afternoon Speech of His Majest}', the Tenno (ten-Heaven, no-Emperor also called Tenshi, Ten and Shi-child), to Dr. Dresser, Januarj' "We shall long preserve in our memory the remem20, 1877.

;

—

brance of a collection of articles manufactured other

countries,

Museum Museum

England and

South Kensington

your country, and presented thereby to the Japanese

in ;

been made at the

having

and also of your own kindness

coming

Japan to

display to the eyes of our people the nature and appearance of articles

the

manufactured

road

trust that

visit

;

and

to point out to their

advance and improvement of

leading to

your

Europe

Japan may be

free

arts.

minds

from accident, and a

pleasant one."

To of the

this speech,

which

Mikado usually

are,

is I

said to be longer than the speeches

prepared the following reply

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, " I

Majesty has done "

The

London. Co.,

who gave

Nephew,

Messrs.

Lewis,

all

have been the bearer, to your

Messrs.

Doulton,

Green and

and Mr.

Elkington,

Jno.

and Co. of Kidder-

to Messrs. Jno. Brinton

;

Museum

South Kensington

indebted to Messrs. Londos

the greater number, to Messrs.

London

Imperial

got together at the suggestion

director of the

For the objects

your

which

a personal reception.

Museum was

Owen, the

of Mr. P. C.

and

giving

small present, of which

Majesty's National

honour

the

appreciate

feelingly

and to Messrs. Ward and Cope of Nottingham. For years past I have been an admirer and collector of

minster, "

Japanese objects, and the greatest desire of ised in visiting "

that your Majesty

now

real-

may

be pleased to order

as will preserve to your Majesty's

means

national arts

their

life

your Majesty's most charming country.

humbly beg

the adoption of such

people

form unpolluted by European

influences, for the ornamentists of our western countries feel it

humbly

their privilege

that

to follow the great artists of your

Majest\''s dominions. " If

will

your Majesty

from

time

Museum specimens

allow

will

time

forward

the honour of so doing,

your

Majesty's

National

of our most recent manufactures, and

can

be of any service to your Majesty's industries, or be the means of

promoting the commerce of your Majesty's country, either during

stay here in Japan, or

beg that your Majesty services at " I

when

will

allow

have returned to England,

the honour of placing

your Majesty's disposal.

thank your Majesty most humbly and sincerely

great honour

About

you now do me." o'clock this morning Mr. Sakata called

I I

answer, so that

Arrayed

might be translated

for the

for this

Mikado.

evening dress according to

instructions,

was taken by Mr. Tanaka, the vice-president of the museum, and Mr. Sakata, who the palace, which

was ten

also

minutes'

English drive

evening dress, to

from the Embassy.

the outer gate sentinels gave us the European royal salute.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

and driving througli a garden, we passed

drew up under the

Here

portico.

second gate and

large low doors stood open,

and four servants conducted us along the corridors of the house, at

one side of which

and the other window-

a boundary-wall

like " slides."

The temporary

down)

recently burnt

Mikado

palace of the

the old palace was

(for

a large Japanese house (yashiki) of the

The

usual simple construction and one story in height.

and such rooms carpets

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;some

pattern

room

as I saw,

have

tapestiy and

some

Brussels, but in

we should consider we were shown had which

such as

into

passages,

European

their floors covered with

most cases the

artistically bad.

ante-

a black slate chimney-piece

decorated with coloured ornament and an open European grate.

The

wall slides, although of Japanese character, were covered with

a cheap French wall-paper, and the ceiling had a paper of similar character with an elongated geometrical pattern.

of the room was

a table over which

fell,

In the centre

ample

folds, a cloth

of soft low-toned green-yellow colour enriched with the figures

The

of dragons arranged as circular devices.

circles,

about six

inches in diameter, were irregularly distributed over the surface

of the cloth, so that, in some cases, they

came nearly

while in others they were four inches apart.

The

table stood a cigar-box.

Around

together,

the centre of the

was of miserable pattern. European chairs with carved

carpet

the table was arranged six

ogee legs and curved and open backs.

The

were covered with terry

purple colour, and figured

silk of imperial

seats of these chairs

with a pattern in velvet or plush, and when

was looked upon from above gold was

of the

the side

stood

table

hibachi

simple character, the stand of which, worked

velvet

this

visible (or in

its

figure

ground.

fire-holder)

plain pine-wood,

consisted of a hoop about three inches wide (resembling the hoop

of a sieve) at the top, three legs, which were attached to circular disc

fixed,

about two inches below hibachi,

The

while

stand

it,

and a

the hoop, between the three legs, but it.

encircling

the

rim,

the

hibachi was

disc

this

it,

of such

rested

prevented

the brazen its

falling.

a height that the

fire

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, was brought

almost the same level as the table, and through

the legs spreading in setting the

downward

was diminished.

fire

the danger of up-

direction

This was the entire furniture

of the room.

Two

gentlemen

Having been presented

more gold

little

who

monies, I

am now

room, having

two

its

the minister of

throne -room,

the

by the Mikado.

formed of paper

sides

the master of cere-

by them

conducted

to be received

enter our room,

lace than the other.

who

to the latter,

first

the household, then to the former,

where

now

gorgeous Court dresses

one being favoured with a

a long, narrow the end at

slides,

which we enter open, and the opposite end closed by a

partition.

instructions are that

spot at the centre of the open end and

advance one step and bow again four steps

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

that

;

advance three yards

piece of furniture in this

room

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and

bow

that

;

and covered with the same material. of

the

distant

then to

then to take about

bow

again.

belonging to the same suite as the small chairs

centre

solid

to a certain

The only

European arm-chair, evidently

come

the anteroom,

This throne stands

end of the room

front of

the

the solid

partition.

now

return to the anteroom, when, in about two minutes,

who had remained behind, enters Mr. Tanaka walks first, that the Mikado will see us. Mr. Tanaka does not, however, enter the Sakata last.

the minister of the household,

and says I

second,

royal

little

right,

nearer the

instructions

myself about eight

I find

On my

Following

presence.

advancing,

and close

left,

as to

bowing and

from the Mikado.

the wall (or wall slides), and a

Emperor than

emonies, while on

feet

am, stands the master of cere-

and opposite

to the master of cere-

both have bowed we have done, and both, having taken their places, stand with bowed heads. The Mikado looks to me to be about twenty-seven years of age, is of medium height for a Japanese (short for us), wears a monies, stands the minister of the household

three times as

solemn expression, and stands, as

see him, in

a slightly stoop-

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE.

ing posture.

gold

wears a European military dress, bright with

lace.

When we

entered the throne-room he was standing with his

face towards us in front of his throne.

bent his head slightly

but did not bow, and at once began to read his address (Fig. 20), audibly, distinctly, and apparently with feeling.

Knowing

that

could not understand the language in which he was speaking, he

^ -fe

t i^

^'^T

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

When we

had re-entered our carriage, and departed

royal salute from the guards, Mr. Sakata informed me,

them the honour of driving

of Mr. Tanaka, that to

door

personal friend of the Emperor, are

to the palace

very great, for no Japanese, save a minister of

permitted

not

may do

enter

this

;

door,

after a

by request state, or

and even then they which

reserved

expressly for honoured strangers.

Thus, then,

have gazed on a man who

is still in

the eyes of his

Gods

subjects the son of the

and the Emperor of Heaven. Things are strangely changed, for

only a few years back the

subject, to say nothing of a

foreigner,

would have paid

this sight

with his

for

life.

next outing

Japanese theatre, but, unfortunately for me, the three chief theatres

of Tokio have been

burnt

the

lately

fires

which have

wrought so much de-

struction in the city

and as

;

the great actors never act in

one of the minor theatres of the capital I have to judge of the Japanese

drama

second-class house, and from a second-rate

theatre

company.

the exterior of which

difficult

bears but

The

a curious building,

to describe

little

would as

21.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ground-Plan of Theatre at Tokio. Showing Circular Revolving Stage, a A a, Stalls where tickets are sold.

Fig.

resemblance to

and the entrance is overhung by pictures Internally and flags arranged somewhat in the mannerof a canopy. a galler>% the building is a parallelogram, with a ground floor and any European

much

edifice,

English the fashion of a Methodist chapel in a small

—

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

town.

ascend the

stairs

and enter a box.

But

no one

let

for

one moment suppose that the box of a Japanese theatre has any Both the floor and likeness to that of a European opera-house. the gallery of the Japanese

theatre

may

be said to consist of

boxes, which yet are rather pits than boxes.

arrangement

stood

if I

Their character and be better under-

will

compare them

to a series

of regularly arranged "pens" in one of our cattle markets.

_£ Fig.

There are two entrances to the

Section of Box or Pit of

22.

The

Theatre.

tops of the partitions

theatre,

(a a) form the Aisles.

the

and

as their floors,

are

and the

left,

level with

visitor

left

one to the right and one to of the street face, with earth

the road.

purchases his ticket.

Here the native clogs

platform, running

across the whole width of

the

theatre,

downwards

extended

throughout

• the length of the building

two

aisles,

their turn

platform

verse

inner end

aisle,

•

the right

left,

may

and

be,

the

a series of boxes,

pits,

may

call

regarded

or to the

as the case

arranged wall,

the

extension of the

stage.

the

of the house,

which may be as

which

meet a trans-

cells,

whichever we

them, and square

shape.

These boxes Fig.

are

separated

from

one

23.— Plan of Gallery of Theatre at Yedo.

Behind the bamboo screen (a a) the "gods" stand.

another by narrow branch aisles,

and have

their floors level with the street

;

thus

said that the places assigned to visitors are seats in

may

square pits

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, about )-ou

inches below the level of the aisles, and into which

fifteen

jump when you take your

place, rather than

boxes such as

we have in our theatres. At the opposite side of the theatre is a similar row of boxes, and between the two principal longitudinal aisles are arranged in rows a considerable number of these square boxes, while the gallery

portioned out

a like

manner

(Figs. 2

22, 23). It is curious to see

the visitors walking along the broad aisles

and then balancing themselves on the narrow planks which are only the is

tops of the partitions separating the boxes

flat

;

and

equally strange to see the people kneeling on the matted floors

of their

little cells

family groups sipping tea, eating sweets, or

even boiling water in a kettle.

The

stage

seen from the auditorium almost precisely as m

our own, but

its

back

formed of a plain curtain, and

scenery consists of actual models of the objects required

;

all

the

houses

nearly as large as ordinary dwellings, and trees and other things

be changed,

swung on

in front.

while the play

and that as much of

is is

a vast circle

behind the

This arrangement has one advantage, for

going on new scenery

distant half of the stage

necessary

the scenery has,

becomes apparent that the stage

a central pivot,

curtain as

When

being placed on the stage.

in proportion,

;

being arranged on the

and to change the scene

all

that

the pulling up of the curtain and the twisting round

There

of the stage.

this

theatre, that the actors enter

further

peculiarity in

a Japanese

behind the audience, coming through

black curtains with white figures, near the doors where the public

remembered that no women are employed on the Japanese stage, men taking women's parts as well as-

enter.

must

also be

own.

their

Having

entered, the actors

acting during their progress,

till

advance along the main

platform and the adjoining stage. this

aisle,

stage

saw a horse brought along

which was a make-up exactly

stage horses.

Behind those boxes

a screen

formed

aisles,

they reach the inner end of the

after the

in the

of vertical

fashion of our

gallery which face the

and

horizontal

pieces

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

AND ART AIANUFACTURES.

ART, are

artist

small

piece

porte-crayon, about

fourteen

charcoal

held

bamboo

light

inches long and very slender

flat

;

brushes formed of decrs' hair, varying in width from three inches to

one inch and three-quarters, while the hairs protrude from the

socket about three-quarters or seven -eighths of an inch, round

brushes

bamboo, and formed of white vegetable

about half an inch

Indian ink with

accompanying

There

much

its

indigo,

gamboge, crimson

artists includes in his

The

who

artist

ese fashion,

full

seems as great as

whom

colours.

ultimately

become

of innocent humour, and his ability

His colours are Indian

his fun.

lake,

and red

One

earth.

ink,

of the other

pigments a kind of dragon's-blood colour. to paint first

and takes

elderly gentleman,

and a few

slab,

one old flower-painter

interested, for he

as an artist

and

fibres,

diameter, plenty of water in a large bowl,

comes forward, bows

his place in front of the

and

after

Japan-

paper.

having looked thoughtfully

at the

Taking the porte-

paper for a minute or two, begins his work.

crayon, he touches the paper with the charcoal point at four or five places, so as just

his

flat

leave a perceptible dot

brush three inches

broad,

charged

and then with

;

Indian

with

ink,

makes on the paper, by an almost instantaneous dash, a large irregular mass of gray-black colour. With a smaller brush he

now

close proximity to the gray mass,

indicates, in

to be a few feathers, ne.xt, at a little distance, the

branch.

end of a pendent

Then, beginning at the top of the paper, he works the

branch downwards drawn.

Now

till

an eye

of colour, and

is in

the line of the end which was

drawn, then a

see completed

bill,

less

then

than

come

tree,

a great portion of the white body of the hen

than drawn

;

for as the

this colour

the white hen

body of the cock

which was

first

and, curiously,

rather indicated

gray (being the large

placed upon the paper), and as

seen against the black cock, the stopping of the

black gives the form of a great portion of the hen's bod}'. interesting sketch

The same

first

a few bits

minutes, a

fifteen

cock and hen pecking in front of a branch of a

mass of

what appear

was kindly presented

artist

next drew a small

me by

This

Mr. Sano.

landscape

;

but

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

scarcely necessary to say that Japanese landscapes lack the

of their drawings of birds,

The

and

fishes, insects,

whom

old flower-painter, of

have before spoken, now

took his place before the paper, and after looking at

he were picturing

own mind

his

painted, made, like the former

artist,

charcoal upon the paper, and

filling

charm

flowers.

as though

a group of flowers already-

two or three dots with the a brush with some green

pigment, began by forming here and there certain preony leaves

one

a touch

leaflet at

;

but although from time to time he some-

what varied the colour differed

leaflet

pasony flower, little

With another brush he formed a

tint.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;shading

same

the brush, no two parts of the

red

each leaf by a dexterous application of a

water to the paper before the red was wholly absorbed.

Rolling up the paper at the bottom

practice which

all

the

artists

adopt when they wish to work at the upper part of the

sheet),

he draws petals of an unfolded bud.

Now

with faint

Indian ink he forms both flowers and buds of the magnolia, then

he arranges pink petals into groups, resembling the flowers of the

almond, and afterwards forms clusters of red masses, so that they ultimately appear as the peeping petals of red flower buds.

The masses

of colour being thus carefully distributed with

due regard to the laws of composition tribution of masses which

may

regard

commended

for the

to the authorities

of the art schools at South Kensington), the stalks are so that

drawn

the isolated parts are brought together with marvellous

all

skill.

dis-

Then

the calyces are

added, after which comes a

little

touching-up, as the formation of veins in a few leaves, the addition

of certain bits of pure colour, and a spot of dark here and there.

Judging from

knowledge of European

artists, I

doubt whether

any one could produce a sketch of such excellence time

which our Japanese

produced

anything

work and although I myself am a trained draughtsman, and was as a young man engaged exclusively in studying plants and drawing like the

flowers, I

own my

young

his

;

utter inability to produce so rapidly a sketch

comparable with that which

artist

lady,

who

is,

is I

now

before us.

understand, a flower-painter to the

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

Empress, now made a sketch of a our winter aconite, but market, for the root

yellow flower allied to

little

appears as though just bought

tied

the

This sketch

a bit of paper.

She was followed by a young man, who made a drawing of a flying duck, which but the is " worked " much in the manner of the first sketch skill with which the body, with its light, shade, and outline, was

took the lady about ten minutes to complete.

;

managed, was truly marvellous.

was dipped till

water and drawn between the fingers of the

nearly dry. the

ink,

brush of considerable breadth

was then dipped of the brush

portion

central

that the hairs of the brush

artist

a thin wash of Indian

being bent outwards, so

The

assumed a crescent-like form.

convex or centre portion was now hastily dipped into dark Indian and the brush was allowed to straighten

ink,

now

three hairs were

Two

itself.

separated from one side and dipped into

dark ink, but these remained detached from the other part of the

brush.

movement

a dexterous

the artist produced with one

stroke the shaded body of the duck and an hairs

making the

latter,

outline, the

few separate

while the shading resulted from the darker

ink of the centre not having fully spread to the sides of the brush.

A eye

bill is

now drawn,

then' feet,

added, then follows a neck,

when an admirable sketch

and

legs,

then

of a flying duck

After two or three other drawings are

man, who painted the domestic baize,

and begins what we

drawing simply

man produces same method.

all

Indian ink.

tail-feathers.

and a few finishing touches is

before us.

made

the middle-aged

fowls, kneels again in front of the

take to be a sea-piece, which he

Like the

last artist, this

gentle-

a tint and an outline at the same time, and by the

After what

when we expect the

we take

to be

artist to place in

waves are

the water

finished, and,

fish,

upon

junks, he simply adds a few dots and dark touches, and signs his

name. sketch

It is is

now

held up to view, when, to our astonishment, the

that of a train of rats, with one or

party straying from the others.

What we

two members of the

took to be waves prove

only to be a background, against which the rounded white rats appear

;

backs of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the uncoloured paper forming the animals.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

Fans were now offered

to the various

and on these

artists,

sketches were soon placed, the crenated character of the surface

apparently

no way

increasing- the difficult)' of the work.

Having had tea in an adjoining room, we returned to see an amusement in which Japanese artists often indulge. A sheet of paper being spread on the baize one of the company goes forward, and dipping a brush in Indian ink makes some simple device. In this case a cross was formed

two

feet in height

called to the paper

the middle of the paper about

fifteen inches

told to

width.

One

draw a lady so that

become an unobtrusive portion of

With a few

drawing.

the

of the artists

this cross shall

dexterous strokes, and in three brief minutes, he finished his work in

a very admirable

visible,

manner

somewhat marred

ment had been intended,

;

but the cross, being

a very excellent sketch. I

learnt, for the

slightly

still

The

entertain-

whole evening.

tunately an engagement to dine with some friends forced

Unfor-

away at 6.30, very greatly to my regret. While in Mr. Sano contributed much to my enjoyment, but nothing Japan tear myself

that he did gave

tainment provided

for

the pleasure that

this afternoon.

derived from the enter-

— AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

CHAPTER Preparation for long journey

— By water

two

—

days

three

III.

—

Kobe Entrance of the Mikado The Mikado's antiquities.

Awadji, Sanda, Arima, Nara

The

were

spent

into

Kobe

Yokohama

arranging for a long journey into the interior, for through the

kindness of the authorities

permitted to travel

any part

of Japan, and the ministers insist that during the rest of I

shall consider

Before starting on the

journey

favours and the inestimable advantages which

manufacturers of the town

me, and

had an

interesting either in the

which

opportunity of

way

was

for

and well-being by the Japanese Government. before

stay

very imperfectly appreciated

through the preparations so thoughtfully made

the

myself the guest of the nation.

reap

enjoyment

Wherever

went,

stayed were brought seeing whatever was

of architecture, antiquities, or

manu-

factures.

Mr. Tanaka of the Tokio Mr. Ishida and Mr. Sakata,

future journeyings in

Museum

who

the

country, Ishida

may

hotel with

escort during

undertaking the

finance and official duties, while Sakata acts as interpreter.

arrived at

are to form

guide and

here say that no two gentlemen could have

acted with more kindness and consideration than they did through-

out the whole of our travels, nor could any have more faithfully served the Government in whose service they were. is

now

and

dead, or

as for Sakata,

Poor Ishida

should wish him every advancement possible I

can only hope that he will

that will reward his faithfulness.

;

rise to a position

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

At 2.30 we stepped

into a boat at the custom-house pier,

with Mr. James Saumarez,

who

will

accompany

us during the few

Bidding adieu to Mr. Tanaka, we pulled to the ship on which we have taken passage for Kobe. This steamer, which belongs ta the Japanese Government, must days of our

first

be considered as

travels.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;he

stay

passing

occupant must

between

A a

the lower

but his differs

;

through

such

manner

that

its

on his back with the rod passing upwards

lie

his legs.

evening than

finer

glorious

breeze

have a cabin between

being some inches narrower and having an iron

or rod

on the plan of

built

Saumarez and

having the upper berth and

from mine, "

and

fairly comfortable,

an American river-boat.

setting

of most

sun,

refreshing

never was.

this

sky steeped

few fleecy clouds,

and Fujiyama

air,

hues,

liquid

rising

a all

cool its

grandeur above the horizontal belt of cloud which so generally envelops

its

combine to give the waning day a charm

base,

quite inexpressible.

The now

glory fades and darkness comes on apace, but the moon,

two-thirds

night sky

first.

on which

8.30

are opposite a round undulating

an active volcano is

;

but the

by no means

in its side, issue

portion

conical),

From (which as we

changing

its

mountain.

of the island

and also from a small

a few flickering flames, such as might

Somewhat higher

bonfires.

the

air

its

fissure

come from

cloud

constantly

form, and which, fiery and glowing, hangs over the

the

flames

rise

and

fall,

extinguished or

are

rekindled, so does the cloud brighten or darken.

coursing

burning moun-

calculated to cast to the

preconceived notions of a volcano in eruption.

all

the centre of the highest see

from being awe-inspiring,

tain," far

winds

gives brightness to the deep azure of the clear

thus one glory succeeds another, the second being but

softer than the island,

full,

way down fitful

see no lava

precipitous declivities, and no vomiting

forth of surging matter, nor

the changing and

glare,

any noise

audible.

Nothing but

such as one of our own blast furnaces

produces, characterises this burning mountain

;

in fact,

the effect

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, is

inferior to that

many

as lovely as the evening which preceded

ran near the land, and there Fujiyama, as immaculate

as ever, rose to divide

but above

above the horizontal stratum of cloud which appears

Below the cloud

two. is

Mr. Saumarez introduces

matters.

the sea

cool,

to Mr. Samishima, a Japanese

well,

and who

both respecting

information,

air

on.

gentleman who speaks English of great

has the colours of earth,

The

pure as heaven.

we go merrily

calm, and

district.

The next morning was it.

Lowmoor

produced by the blast furnaces of

Cleveland

in the

and

;

certainly possessed

Japanese and

European

commerce of Japan, and of how

talked long of the

can be extended to Europe

struck with the sound-

ness of his views concerning the future of his country.

In the year

1878, while I

minister to dine with

him

at his residence in the

Champs

was most graciously received, and the face seemed

where

could have met

dinner was half over with \\hom to

Paris as a juror at the

Kobe.

this

The day wore

When my host was Mr. Samishima while on my way from Yokohama

host

could not remember.

time up to his death we w'ere friends.

on,

but

glory was not dimmed, and the

its

Japanese coast near which we are running was as of the

good

strange

that

upon

which

\^^e

results

have here, as only

from

some

fine as

Alps,

the

atmosphere

smoke and unsullied by the vapours of factories here we have rugged heights, deep ravines, hills piled

untainted indeed,

Swiss scenery. effect

Elysees.

familiar, but

recollected that

so long conversed

From

Inter-

received an invitation from the Japanese

national Exhibition,

hills,

b)'

mountains upon mountains, and valleys sunk

with that play of

light,

in valleys,

shade, and shadow, which only such a

country under a bright sun and cloudless sky can give.

no town during the

da}',

but the

hills

are in

some

cases

pass

wooded

to the very sea.

6.30 the next morning

had anchored

at 2 A.M. in

was on deck, and found that we

Kobe

harbour, which

and sixty nautical miles from Yokohama. F

three hundred

Cannon were

firing,

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

way through

rockets of various kinds were ploughing their air,

and the ships and junks were gay with All this excitement

due to the

hourly expected, for the Mikado

way connecting Kobe with

Kioto.

fact that the royal

coming

have

watch these fireworks, which

somewhat

special

appointment

we smoke which they generate

Europe, and the

assumes

certainly

rail-

take them to be the day fireworks of which

heard

yacht

open the new

are being discharged in rapid succession, with interest,

the

fluttering flags.

strange

learn

that

and

forms.

fantastic

these

are

day

not

To my

dis-

fireworks,

and

that the Japanese like letting off ordinary fireworks in sunshine. is almost worth letting some off in sunshine, for smoke formed by some, Hke the rings of phosphuretted hydrogen that we used to make when playing with

If this

so,

the circles of

chemistry as boys, are very curious.

the custom-house the officers searched

Mr. Saumarez and Mr. Sakata, but passed mine. searching baggage

when brought from one

same country seems

strange,

and

the luggage

The

port to another of the

certainly attended with

practice of

much

inconvenience to passengers.

foreigner travelling in Japan

the journey

must have a passport

;

and

be anything more than a brief excursion to some

town not distant from a treaty port (where alone a foreigner can reside) he must apply to the minister of the countr}' to which he belongs for the necessary permission.

But the

way

of a stranger visiting the country

the passport he must not only

name

difficulty in

the provinces through which

he wishes to pass but the towns that he wishes to roads along which he intends to travel.

purpose of his

make

visit

;

and when

must

visit,

danger of their being confiscated. difficult

neither a

the interior he can neither

These

for the stranger to

Murray nor a Baedeker

restrictions

travel tell

render

Japan.

him what

There

to see, and

he can form no idea as to the roads along which he must hence,

and the

also state the

valid agreements with natives, nor purchase goods without

extremely is

the

In order to get

this.

travel

;

resolved on seeing the country he must be content

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, at the

wait

ports

treat)-

he can gather from European

till

him

residents sufficient information to enable

to arrange a route

after this the getting of the necessary permission

only a matter

of time.

The

agreements and the

restrictions respecting the validity of

who

purchasing of goods are met by Europeans

travel

the

servant

by taking with them a confidential Japanese who makes purchases and enters into contracts

interior

(called a banto)

behalf

practically of

Hence,

European.

the

inconvenience

little

trade, the necessity of

yet

;

even a passport

these as

limit

restrictions

all

are

restrictions

to be regretted.

Harry Parkes has kindly procured for me a passport possible, being unaware that the Japanese

Sir

worded as broadly as

Government have made every provision ministers have, in fact, granted I

and

please,

to see

whatever

The

journey.

permission to travel wherever

choose to inspect

;

and to

few,

railway station the procession.

;

and we hear that

some

of soldiers placed

wherever there

unoccupied

;

orders

shown

to him. is

still,

the Japanese

six

feet apart.

kept clear by lines

seems strange that

an upstairs window, or an elevated position,

but

upon the Mikado Japan,

a short

so we seek a place from which we can view The roads are densely lined with people eager

Majesty, and the central space

to see his

All

arrives;

ministers, will proceed in state to the

time the Mikado, with his

learn that no

;

man

were

given

for the in the

see walking in the

black-faced European

that

Rlikado

this

same

respect

highest degree respectful

;

fifty

should

but immediately

yards

most slouching manner two

workmen

visited

The conduct

approaching.

and only about

Japan may look down

and when the Duke of Edinburgh

in front of the procession, I

any other than myself, has such a privilege been granted.

The Mikado's yacht now

me I

for

filthily

advance, dressed,

afraid English) with torn

caps hanging half over their eyes, short pipes in their mouths,

and hands irritating

their

pockets.

and disgusting.

The

sight

While such

is,

confess,

both

strange conduct might,

JAPAN

68 a case like

be accounted for by ignorance, another act

tliis,

of disrespect whicli

stood an

witnessed cannot be thus excused.

EngHsh missionary with

worn by many of our

who had

ITS ARCHITECTURE,

hats

felt

hat

the arrival of the Mikado,

all

of the male natives do not wear head

uncovered and

coverings)

clergy.

many

(for

Beside

the broad-brimmed

lowered

But

heads.

their

himself conspicuous, and

nodding

head

his

defiantly,

one

this

Christian gentleman availed himself .of a step in order to

make

declared

audibly that he would not acknowledge the heathen sovereign. I

had always thought that royalty was

ever

was

standing

and

seen,

can

to respect wher-

that

a Japanese

passing,

and loudly

think

royalty was

our streets while

entitled

scarcely

averring that he would not uncover to a Christian

infidel,

would

get off without reproof, for even our street roughs, ill-behaved as

they

would

are,

that such an

feel

to royalty should

insult

not

pass unnoticed, and even the cloth would have failed to protect

mob

from

Although not of combative

law.

disposition,

felt

almost irresistibly impelled to give that missionary a lesson

manners such as he would not respect for the feelings of

that prevented

way

the

living

so doing

of revealing

easily forget,

and

was only

honourable friend from the Legation but

;

could do anything in

looks

contempt

for

this

individual

who was

on the charity of those who desired that he should teach

the doctrines of kindness and love,

must have smitten him

the very quick, for a look of most sincere contempt must have

characterised

features

when he thus

sovereign of high gentlemanly feelings and

ment. I

If this

the

manner

confess that while in Japan

condemn,

wonder

or ill-bred If

answer

those with

illiterate

little

came

men who may be

workmen, acting

in defiance

why

insulted

contact),

we cannot

of right and order.

should be asked

that in the open ports of Japan foreigners have territorial

stokers on board a vessel,

such things are permitted, the

right

;

that

is,

what

the Japanese have

opened a certain number of ports called treaty ports

much

to admire, but

termed an extra

the greatest refine-

which our missionaries act (and

saw

whom

publicly

which

ART,

may

foreigners

reside without being placed under the jurisdiction

of Japanese law.

here

AND ART MANUFACTURES. In

other words, the foreigner while resident

subject to the courts of his

own country

thus

;

of Japanese law he can do no wrong, and the judge by tried is his own consul. The English complain bitterly

the eyes

whom

travel

must be

that

they cannot

Japan without a passport, while the Japanese can

any part of England without

restriction.

commerce of any country

that restrictions to travel injure the

yet

when speaking

through

travel

cannot help thinking

;

Japanese ministers respecting the open-

to the

ing up of the country, they invariably said that \vith the class of settlers

them up

which are now

the treaty ports,

claim

their

reasonable.

If a

extra

territorial

;

and

rights,

sure that no

and has that regard

man who

Europeans give this is

seems but

free

amenable

at all times

impossible for

Japanese comes to England he

wherever he pleases, but he law

to allow travelling in the interior unless the

to travel

English

conducts himself rightly,

which

for the feelings of others

all

gentlemen

should have, need fear any molestation from the Japanese.

The

procession having passed, Mr. Ishida went to the govern-

ment house

to report our arrival, Mr.

Saumarez

to the

English

consulate to try and get a steam yacht for an excursion which

wished to

make

the next day, while Mr. Sakata and

the mountains to see two waterfalls, the one called the

walked up

Male

Fall

and the other the Female.

Kobe

one of the treaty

ports,

and

occupies a strip of

and the

ground lying between a range of rocky

hills

and the sea-shore being

was intended that Hiogo

parallel.

should be open to foreigners the

purposes of foreign

erect their

town

;

sea, the hills

but as this town was not suited to

commerce, Europeans were allowed to

at the north side of a river

which now separates

Hiogo from Kobe, Kobe being the new town, and Hiogo the

The same

thing occurred at

Yokohama, where

old.

new town

has been built at the distance of about two miles from the port originally

opened up, the new town being Yokohama, the old

town Canagawa.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

From

of Kobe, of the

beyond

and

;

of the island of Awaji, and of the ocean

baj-,

was

a charming view

we ascended we had

the hills which

to the island

which lay yonder before us that

make our excursion on the morrow. the evening Kobe is beautifully illuminated in honour Mikado's visit. As the illuminations consist wholly of

intended to In

of the

coloured lanterns, which are here used with great lavishness, the effect

very charming

myriads, as

and

mingling

Japan

by the

interest

now being

bobbing,

These are the lanterns in

and the

;

heightened by the

appeares to me, of moving lights which are inter-

carried

visible,

by the

fact that

a feast

day

effect

one

also heightened

one of the great temples at

Here we have blazing beacons, the burning of

Kobe.

eclipsed.

sight-seers, for every

The

carries a lantern after dark.

now

and

incense, the

sound of music, the throngs of worshippers, and much that

The whole

calculated to add interest to the scene.

manifestation

worship, and

life,

a brilliant

enjoyment, such as

could,

probably, be seen in no other country.

The steam launch having been A.M.

dawn, and the morning

just

which we are bound

that of

and we propose landing

told,

know

shall

secured,

Awaji

reach in three hours.

are astir at 6.15

The island for Ken (province), Sumoto, which, we are may be interesting to

fine.

the Hiogo

town,

at the chief

1868 Awaji belonged

that before the revolution of

Daimio of Owa, and that the ex-Daimio was educated and now resides

London.

to the

Oxford,

the island there are

30,000

houses, distributed in five towns and numerous villages, of which

3000 belong

Sumoto.

While cotton and

this small

bamboo which to

stuffs

tract is

and cotton thread are made on the

of land can boast a

found

no other

see certain potteries, of which

" fluted "

district, I

shall

island,

variety of the

our chief purpose was

speak more

detail

hereafter. It

gone yet

was 7.30 before we were fairly under way, and we had not when the sky became overcast and the clouds lowering,

far

we steamed on

grandly.

The scenery was

verj- beautiful

;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

indeed, as seen from the sea the island to which

looked almost Alpine

in its

we were

steering

grandeur.

we had not yet even reached the island, and the town of Sumoto is situated almost at its other side. At twelve we had luncheon (tiffin), so as to economise time, for we were told that after we reached Sumoto we should have seven English miles to traverse in jinrikishas before we could got to the potteries. It was one o'clock when we reached Sumoto. The landing of Columbus could not have produced a greater effect upon the Americans than our landing in Sumoto did upon half-past ten

these islanders. old, flocked

Judy show

had come to

to see the strange creatures that

They followed

shores.

Adults and children, rich and poor, young' and

Even

London.

their

Punch and

us as the street arabs follow a

Tokio a foreigner cannot make

purchase without a score or more persons gathering around

him

but here the whole town was astir with excitement.

;

Entering the post-office, we waited for jinrikishas

may

here remark that

hotel, the post-office has to

make such arrangements

the accommodation of visitors.

portion of our journey

;

first

very good,

but the potteries, which

The

abound.

hillsides

lies

can for

we were

told

fifteen.

The

along a valley where paddy

fields

wooded with camellias and dwarf

are

bamboos, but ferns are abundant

we see a palm-tree. At a tea-house about

soon started on the inland

were seven miles distant from Sumoto, proved road, at

and

;

Japanese towns where there

in all

shady spots, and here and

in the

there

eight miles along the road

minutes to

five

by the mistress of the house.

usual,

difficult

we advanced.

now being made

into a

rest,

What was

The road became more

Some

and they are

jinrikisha.

through the fields,

there

rice-fields, is

now

leave the

and as the path

some excitement

new

of the

sufficiently

cart to cross them, while the old bridges were

than

men to us,

formerly a mere track

good highway.

are in every sense excellent,

the

and tea was politely offered

stopped for

little, if

bridges

broad

for a

any, broader

main road for a path above the muddy

raised

the thought that

one wheel

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

of the jinrikisha sliould slip over the edge of the narrow bank

Nor

the occupant would find himself in the sludge below.

matters rendered pleasanter by the fact that the bank

are

cut by

frequent streams spanned by two planks or two narrow stones.

While crossing one of these primitive bridges one wheel of my carriage slipped from the plank on which it rested, but owing

my men

promptness of one of

to the

Hence some of the

slush. less

fortunate than

and

all.

accident

was saved a ducking

who

party,

fear that they

may

was, are lifted over these bridges, carriage

now happened which might have been serious, The man in the shafts let go his

but turned out only laughable.

and

hold,

weight being behind the wheels, the jinrikisha was

overbalanced backwards.

are

two

about

moment my head was on righted, and we went on

many windings we

After

way.

But the vehicle was soon

ground.

potteries,

the

our

reach the village of Igano, where

one of which was founded by Kashiu Mimpe,

years since, for imitating the Dutch ware of Delft.

fifty

The

present potteries belong, one to the son of the founder, whose

real

name

Mimpe, but who has assumed the trade name of

Mimpe

Rikita, instead of the second

the

nephew of

the

first

Awadji

;

the other belongs to Sanpe.

potter.

During our inspection of the potteries heavy fall,

and

boiled eggs.

and a

now

slice or

unknown

six o'clock

those

who little

two of bread-and-butter

make

confess, to in

begins to

a hearty meal

have a

addition

;

little salt

but bread

Japan, save at the open ports and at one or two of

think that

rice

become the

partly Europeanised

common

of Japan, for to the poor, as

an almost unknown

like the

;

and

food of the people

have already

said, rice

luxur)-.

W^hen we re-entered our and close

should have been glad,

the large towns which have

know

P.xM.

rain

jinrikishas,

the hoods, which open

hoods of our Victorias, were spread, and over

our laps a sheet of oiled paper was placed as an apron.

must

not be supposed that the Japanese oiled paper bears any close

resemblance to a sheet of English paper which has been greased.

ART, for

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

has pliability, toughness, and a fibrous character, while the

which has been applied to

oil

making

The hood

greasy.

European proportions, and

renders

waterproof without

of the carriage was too low for

had to

sit

a cramped posture.

This, with the cutting wind and the driving rain, rendered the

journey back to Sumoto anything but pleasant.

we had

during our homeward ride

also,

mountain streams which, containing but boulder stones.

These river-beds

Occasionally,

to cross the beds of large little

usuall}- lie at

water, are rich in

consider-

a level

ably below that of the country which they traverse

;

and, although

impassable during the rainy season, are readily crossed at other

The

times by the aid of stepping-stones. the crossing of one of these streams

remarkable, especially when

Descending the

takes place in the darkness of the night.

this

defile,

than

moment.

the jinrikisha acquires an impetus increasing each

Hence the men who draw its

are rather servants of the vehicle

The boulder

guides and masters.

sensation produced

unpleasant jolting, and further

difficulties

stones also cause an arc

presented by the

stony bottom and the upward ascent.

With the view of turning the descent, the

man

good use the speed gained during

who is now alone in charge of rush down at an alarming pace,

in the shafts,

the vehicle, lets the carriage

aiming at the stepping-stones, across which he runs, while the wheels of the vehicle are on either side of these stones trundling across the bed of the stream,

moment in

find

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

the occupant expecting every

the bottom of the carriage torn off b}-

coming

contact with a stepping-stone, or to have a ducking in the

water through the upsetting of the vehicle.

Our journey

is,

however, completed by 9.30

;

but as

too

steam to Kobe, we take supper on the launch and return

late to

to the post-office to sleep.

We may

be,

are

now shown

one room

contain enough beds on I

are

to our rooms.

However

considered sufficient in Japan its floor

favoured with a room

occupy another apartment.

;

but

in this

ourselves,

large a party if

will

but

case Saumarez and

while

the

Japanese

Our beds arc now prepared, that

is^

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

upon the

are spread

and each of these consists of what

floor,

wadded

we might term

three

tliree feet wide,

and one inch

blue -and -white

coverlets, each about six feet long,

These are covered

thiclv.

cotton fabric.

figured

witli

In consideration

of the

wants of us foreigners, a fourth coverlet, rolled into the form of a pillow,

produced.

a stand beside the bed was placed a

lamp, the feeble light of which proceeds from a small rush wick

hanging over the side of a saucer suspended

This,

in its centre.

with the beds, forms the whole furniture of the room. It

now 10.30, but although a bed know what to do with it. Which

exactly

the covering

coverlets over

Or am

uncovered

make

on the

lie

After

who only

partially

pleased.

do not is

and have the three

floor

on one and have two as covering?

to lie

over

puzzling

Hence

removed

telling

when

arises, for

bed a new trouble

bed and two

friend

bed and

and the

cold

seem

Sakata,

do exactly

determine, as the night

until

difficulty

call for

damp, that one should be are each of the

the bed and which

of the three a soft bed and spend the night

threatened with abject despondency,

before

air

But

covering.

bed-clothes

same narrow dimensions, hence it is impossible to and owing to their want of pliability, I

tuck in the coverings

;

only succeed in keeping the cold wind, which howls through our

room, from one side of

my body

soundly

difficulties,

somewhat

stiff

slept

and

sore,

but this

at a time. till

dawn.

due

Still, in

spite of all

rising

we were

part to our

cramped

posture during oUr journey yesterday, and only

part to the

hardness of our beds.

The shutters being removed from the outside of the balcony, we open the paper slides which form the front boundary-wall or window surface (for it is both) of our room. Here is a lovely little

garden, over the end of which hangs a tree

golden oranges.

laden with

the balcony stand two chairs, each bearing

a copper pan of about twelve inches in diameter and three inches in

depth, with water for us to wash

Japan.

Pendent from

the

eaves

in.

the

Soap roof

unknown

hangs

little

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

trapeze-like contrivance, which

Japan carry

for travellers in

of water

hand

the towel horse

which concerns

itself

Some

houses.

but this

;

empty,

own towels. A further supply wooden bucket which rests on a

their

a large

huge boulder-stone and has a ladle lying across

During our ramble

after breakfast

only with the

it.

we soon come upon making and selling

a shop of Jos

of these are very interesting, and they are

Then we

marvellously cheap.

all

see a cabinet manufactorj', where

such cabinets as the Japanese must use for the storing of their clothes (although

never saw one

are so absurdly cheap that

The

sent to England.

home was I

bought

any house) are made.

purchased one, which

These

afterwards

cabinet cost thirty shillings, but the freight

seven pounds

;

hence what was absurdly cheap where

was absurdly dear when

reached

its

destination.

Having made the circuit of the town, we returned to our boat. The sun was bright and the sky clear, but there was a strong cold breeze blowing.

were soon under way.

After

tiffin I

went on deck, and surely scenery never was more loveK' than that which

now

on the skies which

and the scene was It

There was that

beheld. I

soft

drawing of mountains

have never before seen out of Switzerland,

in truth enchanting.

must not be supposed that our steam launch

vessel.

although

A it

little

paint would have improved

it,

and the cabin

for while there

cabin, appears as a hole

and

nor

rail

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x201D; any

around

means you please, deck when the which, you are in the

reached by

a hole in

;

a stoke-hole, and

it,

engine-room, the deck has neither seats upon

a model

appearance

its

has a deck with a cabin beneath

its

well

ceiling,

there are

no steps by

which either the descent or the ascent can be made

;

therefore

getting from the deck to the cabin, or from the cabin to the deck, involves the performance of acrobatic feats of no

The

mean

order.

stoke-hole and engine-room are reached from the cabin

through an aperture about two

feet

thirteen inches.

Windows,

which should have consisted of twenty-four panes of glass ranged in

longitudinal series, form the sides of the cabin

;

but of the

twelve panes at one side six are broken, five being entire!)- out.

JAPAX: ITS ARCHFTECTURE,

This, although of

importance had the craft been nestling

little

on the bosom of a small inland lake or of some placid

might prove serious

and

it is

caught by breakers from the broad

on the fringe of

this

ocean that we

Lounging on the deck of our tion of the lovely scenery as

sun

by the

Pacific,

float.

little craft, I lit

river,

admira-

lost in

last ra)'s of the setting

but while comparing our speed with that of a Japanese junk

;

which we overtake and reverie

pass,

by a sharp and curious

suddenly aroused from

noise,

which

followed by clouds

Our

of ashes and steam rising from the entrance of the cabin.

boat stops, for the boiler has burst put out the

fire.

any

sailing gear of

are

now

the fire-chamber, and has

perfectly helpless, for

Perceiving that the night

kind.

and that without assistance we must speedily

mighty ocean,

first

impulse

Saumarez

proceed to do.

which

come on is

coming

once

instinctively drops into the cabin

and

on,

out into the

finds to his

sorrow but

meat, half a pot of jam, and one or two biscuits.

a little tinned all

drift

to hail the junk, which

ascertain the nature of our food suppl}-,

we have no

deck, one having brought with

immediately held out as a signal of

him the

distress,

table-cloth,

while a verj-

The junk apnow only fifty yards off, but it passes Our Japanese friends shout that we will give much money for by. their help. This produces its effect. A rope is thrown, and we are made fast to the junk and towed towards the shore, but only chorus of shouts asks aid of the junk near by. proaches,

at snail's

pace, for the tide

ever, boats

gets nearer,

come from

against

us.

In a short time, how-

the land to our aid, and stepping into one

leave the steamer in charge of our sailors, and row straight for

the lights of Kobe.

Our next excursion is to the Sanda pottery district, where much Celadon ware is made a district which I have a special desire to visit. Little is yet known of the Celadon wares of ;

Japan, and at

which

two

I it

am is

informed no European has yet visited the potteries

made.

The Awadji

potteries

which we

visited

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

by two Europeans one Englishman and one Frenchman, but these were in the employ of da}^s

since have only been visited

ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, A^^D

the Japanese Government, and,

understand, were not interested

wares.

in potter's

Jaiuiary 31.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; At 6.30 we

by 7.30 we have started

are astir; at 7

breakfast

our jinrikishas for Shidewara

the centre of the district in which the Celadon ware

and

;

Sanda,

made.

our journey, we are told, will take about four and a half hours

calculate that

night

men

may are

we have an easy

be spent

engaged

day's

work before

and that

us,

our comfortable beds at Kobe.

Three

each jinrikisha so as to economise time.

for

For several miles the road ascends and borders a rocky

The

the bottom of which flows a mountain stream.

defile, in

highest point

being gained, the road becomes easier, winding through paddy fields

Our men gallop

and amidst well-cultivated gardens.

on,

me the work of pulling us up the long incline stretchKobe to the summit of the pass seemed killing, the men

but while to ing from

and with occasional cheery shouts

are yet as jocular as schoolbo)^s,

run as though they could never

Shidewara I

at twelve o'clock,

have brought with

Still,

tire.

we do not reach

instead of being at it

four.

till

Japan a pedometer with the view

of roughly ascertaining the distance traversed in out-of-the-way districts is

and on unknown tracks

;

but an imperfect instrument,

utterly useless,

long

the

for

but, while the in this

strides

pedometer

particular case

at best

proved

which these coolies

took

during their wild and joyous gallops were most unfairly recorded as so

many

make

a mile

how many The coolie in

ordinary steps, and I

have no

idea.

of their giant strides the shafts carried the

instrument, which, at the end of the day, recorded twenty-three miles as the distance run

toilsome pull up the

;

hill,

but

at the

persuaded that the long and

commencement

being considered, the speed did not average

of the journey,

less

than

miles

five

an hour.

At Shidewara we

learnt that here,

be the case.

assistants, appears district.

A to

and

villages near by,

are small,

and

master with his son, or

witli

there are five potteries, but that

all

be the entire

staff of

this

find

one or two

each pottery

the

In Shidewara itself there are two potteries, one of which

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

78 is

exceedingly small

interest,

;

make wares

but as neither

leave the town

any

special

a track or road, which leads to a

plateau of moorland on the ridge of a high mountainous

little

hill.

have traversed about a mile and a half of ascending

road when we come to three small potteries near to each other,

Here we

and owned by various branches of one family.

rest for

a time and inspect the wares of the different manufacturers the shades of return

evening seem to hint that

viewing the scenery around the hills and in the dells

on the one

and

side,

us,

which

time

grand and

for

lovely.

to in

get shadows mingling with vapours

of roseate light on the other, while

tips

across j'onder valley rises a vast range of hills

now

we cannot go without spending a few minutes

but

;

till

whose summits are

of glowing pink as the last rays of the setting sun

fall

their snow-clad peaks.

Our

coolies start on the return journey with an elasticity of

by the bracing

tread, induced

air

and a descending road, which

soon brings us to Shidewara, where we

find

Mr. Ishida (who had

stayed behind somewhere on the way), and, to our surprise, the

Government

who had accompanied us to Awadji seated in Where the Government official can have sprung

official

a tea-house.

from we cannot imagine,

we must

that

for this

his first

returning, as

stay the night here

arc in no

;

but Saumarez and

way prepared

and have not even a tooth-brush with the dangers of the

and worse bridges,

staying

the

night

beautiful town,

as best

insist

his pleading that

carried on

we can

thus

near, that the village in

very beautiful, and that by

see

another

industry and

consent to remain and to get through the night

can.

front

of every Japanese hotel,

greater portion of little

us.

a two-days' journey,

;

industry

this

for

way are considerable, owing to the bad roads we turn a deaf ear but when we are told that

the chief seat of the basket manufacture

which

appearance amongst

Ishida informs us that he has secured us rooms, and

us to-day.

its

length, there

and

running along the

a sort of seat which, although

more than a continuation of the

floor

beyond the

sliding

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

partitions, constitutes the

place,

windows.

This

and here we have our dinner

;

the travellers' resting-

but to our sorrow most of

we brought with us have disappeared, and what remains in the way of provisions is chiefly a pot of jam. It was a happy thought of Saumarez putting that jam in the basket, for in most places rice can be got for money and although poor the sandwiches which

;

water scarcely forms of

rice boiled in

gives

and makes

a relish

since the time of which

only jam and a

rice,

and

monument ought

it,

jam

a satisfactory meal,

Very

at least, palatable.

often,

now write, have I made my meal of soon came to the solemn conclusion that I

Saumarez for first introducing jam when on an inland journey

to be erected to

the practice of carrying English in

itself

Japan.

The wayside place,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

hostelry or rural inn of Japan

an interesting

scrupulously clean rooms separated only by sliding

its

paper partitions,

Mikado would

raised dais, on which the

its

sit

should he ever select this apartment as his resting-place, the side-

opening

the

which

partition

rails

off this

domestic throne,

through which his food would be passed, the balcony outside the

room with the garden beyond, and the

bath, which

for the refreshment of the traveller, give

cannot

fail

within

hotel look slides

courtyard or garden,

necessar)' that the process of unrobing

its

are

supplied

enclosed in a separate room, which generally

within sight of the central

deemed

a character which

to please.

While the bath lies

damp

precincts

;

and

here,

where

all

may

all

the rooms,

not

be conducted

the rooms of the

upon the one enclosure, and where the

removed from

front

window-

observe two of the

newly-arrived occupants of opposite rooms undress, and wearing literally

nothing but a smile, walk along the balconies

in front

neither noticing, nor being noticed,

manner possible and, save by the rude foreigner,

the public rooms in the most unconcerned

;

proceed towards the bath-room, which the one enters while the other remains on the balcony awaiting his turn. tainly a

There

charming simplicity about the Japanese, who,

condition he ma\' be, has never

\'et

cer-

whatever

discovered that under anj-

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

circumstances he

naked.

were indeed strange

have seen

siglits

but

;

many

what

hotels

never saw a lustful look,

a lewd act, nor any manifestation of ill-advised emotion, incon-

may seem

ceivable as this

European mind.

to the

After our meal, which consisted chiefly of rice and jam, we a

a.sk for

brandy or wine, as we thereby hope to encourage

little

but nothing of the kind

digestion

;

heard of

in this

clap our hands,

manner

this is the

foi^

Our beds

called in Japan.

are soon ready

Saumarez and three

lets for

known

happy and innocent town.

for

or has ever been

Being ready

for bed,

the servant

in -which

there are three cover-

me, and to each

allotted a

bag

of rice husks for a pillow.

are scarcely in bed

when

a girl enters our

walls of most rooms consist of movable slides, readily be pushed aside, one

entrance of a servant

nothing

a Japanese

of entrance,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; people

room

to take

In these strange houses where three

a pillow out of a cupboard.

any of which can

always being surprised by the

some unexpected corner, for there is room that represents a door or fixed place in

enter

most convenient to

the

point

we we

rise,

and on pushing aside the

themselves.

At seven

window-slides

the morning

in front

us,

a small tub has

perceive that

been placed on the open balcony

front of our room, while

beside this stands a large vessel of water covered with a towel hangs from the

explained that

pendent towel-horse,

we were unprepared

home.

Hot water

and

added to the cold serves

this

shiver

is,

oui^selves

should be remembered,

Mr. Sakata has

for

least to

and that

spending the night from

however, brought us

and wash, and dry

Japanese towel,

for

ice,

well is

little "

melt the as

piggin,"

ice.

can,

We for

only a piece of thin

blue-and-white cotton cloth, of three feet in length and ten inches in

width,

pattern,

purpose

and while

adorned with an

often

interesting

appears to the European but imperfectly to serve the

for

and on two

which little

Our beds

intended.

are cleared

away,

trays about twelve inches square and supported

on legs three inches

height,

borne our breakfast, which

â&#x20AC;˘

AXD ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

consists of tea, boiled

large

eggs,

The

tea

frame over a hibachi

eggs are

rice

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

being brought

the rice

covered wooden vessel \\hich stands

of the room. iron

and in

a teapot supported

(iire-holder) resting

on the

centre

the

by a small

The

floor.

one of which occupies a corner of each of

saucers,

our trays, and with the exception of an empty bowl, a diminu-

and a pair of new chop-sticks which

tive cup,

fill

three other

corners of our trays, they constitute the entire settings of our breakfast-table.

serving

girl,

who

brings with her a small

behind the rice-box, and holds out other her tray in order that

flat

we may

wooden spoon, she hands

place on

now

kneels

and then to the

our rice bowls,

for.

owner, her duty being

its

and to bring anything that a guest

solely to ser\^e the rice

choose to ask

traj',

to one

Putting into the bowl a portion of rice by the aid

one at a time. of a

first

have some

little difficulty in

may

eating our

breakfast, for as there are neither egg-cups nor egg-spoons,

have to adopt a method of peeling and sucking and sucking and

which would scarcely seem elegant

peeling,

European breakfast-table

eight o'clock

;

and worse than

are there, for the morning, which

and

frostj%

little

practised

we can

get no

salt.

are on our road for Arima, the seat of the

basket-manufactures, and a lovely road

all

hence our coolies run

travel.

is fine

and

Arima

well.

In two hours

clear, is still cold

a most charming

Swiss-like village, beautifully situated on the side of a vallej-

where a mountain torrent dances between moss-growTi stones and winds beneath the shade of rich overhanging street of the

foliage.

The

chief

town consists almost wholly of basket-manufactories,

bathing establishments, and charming tea-houses, and here nearly all

the buildings are t\vo storeys in height

esqueness of

beautiful its

town than

themselves render

most

attractive

scener)^ lichen-covered crags,

and

withal,

indeed

this I

never saw, for the pictur-

buildings and their delightful cleanliness would of

the

rushing

Arima, that

;

but here

moss-grown

find

plumose

lovely ferns,

waters. So beautiful weeks could be spent here most

of impetuous

feel as if

stones,

;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

After

happily.

room

tiffin,

which was prepared

the chief tea-liouse of the town,

principal street

for

us in

upstairs

we walked through

the

and inspected the basket manufactories, the chief

Here we

industry of the town.

many

see baskets of

kinds and

shapes, baskets both large and small, baskets so dainty that the

any land might give

highest lady

boudoir, be

ever so carefully arranged.

tion of beautiful baskets

them a place

Japan

the land of baskets, and while up to the time of

Arima work had found

common

of a

all

kind

its ;

way

and

her

Indeed, such a collec-

never before met with.

London market,

was not

until

much

visit

into the

truly

was

pointed out to

the Japanese that the better kinds would find a ready sale in

Europe that they were introduced

now

discover that

Arima

into England.

one of the most fashionable

watering-places of Japan, and that

possesses mineral springs

which have a great reputation

for healing virtues.

one of the bath-houses, which

Lukerbad

some

look into

respects resembles those of

Switzerland, and here ladies are enjoying themselves

but they have dispensed with even the most simple apology for

They

a bathing costume.

however,

are,

no way abashed by

our presence, and, to our astonishment step from the water to hear particulars of the foreign visitors.

Much is

beautiful straw-work

indeed so abundant that

But

here.

about

that

offered for sale in

thought

all

Arima.

must be manufactured

brought from Tagima, a town

miles distant and directly inland.

fifty

Time

find

now

return journey.

so far spent that

reluctantly, to take once

the road

are obliged, though

to our jinrikishas,

and

Sakata stopped our

start

little

most

on our

caravan

we are approaching much made from waste paper which

to explain that at the village which

paper of an inferior character has

been

collected

Upon

wetting.

paper-mill

;

but,

first

feeling

and reduced

pulp

entering the village

we stopped

little

at the

more than door of

on being told that there are two much larger

manufactories farther

Our

down

the village,

was of wonder.

we went

If this

one of

these.

be one of the largest

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

what must the smaller

mills

here there

be, for

but one

and that no larger than an ordinaiy washing-tub, one hand

vat,

frame on which the paper

made, and

this

only seventeen inches

by twelve, while one woman and a boy constitute the

entire staff

of the establishment.

The frame which the woman uses has a margin of wood, while a layer of bamboo threads, about as thick as the shank of an ordinary pin covered by a sheet of hard silk forms its centre. She was

which was

sitting in front of the vat,

ogram, and inches deep

size

in ;

shape a parallel-

by two, and about eighteen

three feet six

was the pulp.

in this vat

She had the

frame

" in

her hand, and by her side rested a pile of the wet paper which

had just been formed

;

one from the other by

Having

stirred

but here the sheets were not separated the laj'ers

of flannel or any other substance. of the vat, she simply dipped her

the contents

frame into the pulp and collected as a dexterous

movement caused

of the frame.

Allowing

the water to drain pile

placed,

and by

to flow evenly over the silk surface

to rest for a few minutes to give time for

she added this newly-formed sheet to the wet

and upon

this a

by the great length of the

amount of

this

used

crushing

fact that

the other must be explained

The

manufacture.

size

employed

obtained from a small conical root

do not know the name, the glutinous matter being

by soaking

extracted

and the

;

of Japanese paper, and by the

fibre

in its

paper manufactory

of which

size

few large stones, thus a quantity of water

squeezed out from the newly-formed sheets

small

after

the top of the pile of wet sheets of paper a board

these sheets do not adhere the one

as she wanted,

by inverting the frame, and thus went on making sheet

sheet.

off,

much

for

long

time in

water

and

then

it.

sufficient quantity of

paper, the

water having been pressed from the

boy brings a plank of wood of about

and thirteen or fourteen inches

in width,

six feet in leffgth

and then removes the

boulder stones and the board from the newly-formed paper, then separating from the heap the uppermost sheet, and placing this

on the plank, he presses

down

so that

adheres by

its

own

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

moisture to the board on which

and a

and leans planks

operation

In one instance

and so with

placed,

disposed of

this primitive

air

manner.

observed that an economy of space was secured

six sheets of paper being stuck to the one board

each side

a second

continued with other sheets and other

the whole pile

till

in a slanting direction against the side of the house.

The same

This done, he takes the board to the open

tliird sheet.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

three on

but this board was outside one of the small factories of

;

The paper

the village, which probably was not so rich in boards.

being dry,

simply peeled from the boards and arranged

bundles for the market.

We after a

now go on our way, and our men

run well.

twenty-five miles' gallop they scamper

through the town, and appear as fresh as

At Kobe wild Arabs

they were beginning

instead of ending their hard day's work.

Our next whole of

journey, one of the most interesting during the travels

Japan, was to the ancient city of Nara,

where Mr. Okubo invited antiquities

to inspect the rare

collection of

which have been the private property of the reigning

Mikado from very remote ages. The time at which it was formed is unknown, but the collection probably consists of presents given to the early emperors by the envoys of foreign potentates, and of the spoils of war. Whatever its origin may be this is certain, that an inventory of the main body of the collection was made more than a thousand years since, and that this inventory still exists with the objects therein catalogued.

are astir early, for

now saying by

train for

we have our packing At ten

adieu for the time to Kobe.

Osaka

from Osaka we

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an

hour's run

rail

start in jinrikishas for Nara,

thirty-three and a half English miles.

half an hour on the road our

they began

it.

go through the suffering fatigue.

To me toil

do as we are

o'clock

leave

on the way to Kioto

which

With but one stoppage

men end

;

distant about

the journey better than

perfectly astounding

how

the coolies

which they do, and that without apparently

Fancy a heavy man

about thirteen stones), wrapped

in thick

(for

weight was then

coats and a fur rug, seated

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, in

a carriage with a large liea\y dressing-bag at his

dragged by the same men

between

rate of

thirty minutes

As though already,

at the

and six miles an hour, with only stopping

five

The

on the journey.

shall often

exertion necessary for the

superhuman

fulfilment of this task seems almost

of endurance

being

feet,

and a half miles

for thirty-three

have to record during

these feats

}'ct

;

inland journey.

our poor coolies had not dragged us far enough

we were

Nara that the hotel was half a mile on Having reached and inspected it, was not a good hotel, and that we must go

told

the other side of the town.

Sakata said that back to another

the town

but

suspicion

prietor has an aversion to foreigners, for in

way

that the pro-

some of the

out-of-the

where a foreigner has never or rarely been seen the

districts

Japanese seem afraid of him, and Sakata himself brought up to believe that

tells

that he

was

ever a foreigner caught a

Japanese alone he killed and ate him

and when he was nine

;

years of age he had the firmest conviction that the belief was literally

borne out by

While the hotel

fact.

for

distant, the coolies start

from a long

rest,

as cheerfully as

people that

Japanese

said

must say that although we were often

know

rage.

The Japanese

most

off at a

as I

of are as

most trying positions

never

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

heard a child cry save when actually

was frequently almost in

life

bodily pain.

never

because

the Japanese are almost exclusively a herbivorous race while are largely carnivorous

six o'clock, having run

and a half hours, we

and

before saw

so cheerful, so merry. in

never but once saw

are said never to scold,

never to punish their children, yet

such happy, well-behaved children,

good mile

never to be angry, and

the smallest degree angry, while

boiling with

happy

never once saw Ishida out of temper, and

Sakata

they were just fresh

and with shouts and laughter bolt

astonishing speed. the Japanese.

which we have to make

are

thirty-four

housed

and a half miles

in six

our hotel, a grandlj' quaint

building of true Japanese character, with the kitchen open to the street,

and a courtyard with a gallery

all

round.

We dine

in true

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

Japanese fashion on the a recumbent position, for

Nara country. I

and

floor,

we have

writing has to be done

neither chairs nor tabic.

one of the oldest and most interesting

Prior to the revolution of

have already

said,

868 Kioto

means southern

signifies northern capital)

was

for

of the

cities

word Kioto, as word Tokio

(the

capital, while the

seven hundred years the capital

of Japan, and for some years previous to this the Mikado's

dence was at Nara, which was then the imperial during the imperial residence antiquities

was placed

Nara

Okubo but many The city

brought together

;

Nara.

was

remains, and

still

has kindly obtained for

to inspect this collection Mr.

the Mikado's permission

resi-

city.

that the rare collection of

the house where

when

objects were old even also

of antiquities of

is full

the greatest interest.

two years since these

antiquities of the

Mikado had

never been seen save by those immediately connected with the

emperor himself; but then in

great temples

of the

people by

for a short

what we might

were exposed,

railings.

town, in

This

call

glass

the

first

time some of the treasures the cloisters of one of the cases

protected

time,

from the on which

believe,

they have been shown to any foreigner, save when they were

open

to public exhibition

two years

since,

and

certainly the

only occasion on which the foreigner has been allowed minutely to inspect

and

handle them.

Hearing that they were to be

opened, Mr. Saumarez asked that he might see them at the same

time with me, and this permission was readily granted.

The following interesting Mail of June 12, 1875

extracts are from the Japan Weekly

Nara was the residence of

after this date the

remained down

four were females.

and

A.D.

70S

our

own

Their

times. rule,

Seven sovereigns reigned

with

some

Shortly

until 782.

slight interruptions,

has since

Nara, of

whom

was a prosperous

glorious one, distinguished by the cultivation of the arts, literature, and

religion.

was

Mikados from

the

Imperial residence was fixed at Kioto, where

first

In the reign of the empress

found

in Japan.

Gemmio Tenno

(a.d.

708

to 7

copper

In 718, under the succeeding empress, a collection

of laws in ten volumes was made, and shortly after a history of Japan in

volumes was composed.

The Mikado, Shomu Tenno

(a.d.

724

to 74S),

fifty

had

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

and in his eighth year two Buddhist priests arrived, one from Southern India, the other from Siam. About the fifteenth year of his relations with China,

reign a colossal in

Buddha

of copper, overlaid with gold, was erected at Sitaraki,

the province of Omi, by the exertions of a priest

named

Kioghi,

over the whole kingdom to collect funds for the purpose. this statue

was transported

there to this day.

known Dai-butz

better it

will

Nara, and

Kamakura.

thus be readily understood

the famous Dai-butz which exists

high, being three feet higher than the

is fifty-three feet

who went

In the year 745

how

was

cast in a

number

of pieces,

and

such a colossus could be transported

to Nara. The Little of the gilding anywhere is now visible. head also of the statue is of more modern date than the rest. The temple having been burned in the sixteenth century, the head was so injured that it

from Sitaraki

the present face is much coarser and sterner than Kamakura Dai-butz, and is probably not an exact reproduction of the original. The religion of Buddha was making great progress in Japan at this time. In 746 died a priest named Gen-bo, who had brought from China

required to be replaced

;

that of the

five

many

thousand volumes of Buddhist books, and

images.

749 an

imperial edict was issued forbidding the slaughter of any animals in Japan.

Poetry was also

much

cultivated,

and some compositions of

this class are still

extant.

The

Kwonin Tenno, died

sovereign of the seven,

last

782, and his

successor determined to remove the seat of Government to another place.

was some time before a to

locality

Kioto did not take place

till

was permanently 794.

fixed upon,

and property of

all

transfer

Previously to the Court quitting Nara

an immense wooden magazine had been erected there, furniture

and the

which the imperial

kinds was disposed.

" This building exists to this day in complete integrity. It is made of massive timbers laid horizontally, being raised from the ground on pillars of It is said to have been examined solid trunks of trees eight or ten feet high.

every

sixty-first

year since

its

building, that

is,

at the

beginning of each cycle,

and repaired when necessary. What is more astonishing is that the objects deposited there by the Mikados have been kept in perfect safety from the eighth century down to the present time, having escaped the danger of fire, robbery, and turbulent times, those destroying agencies which in no other part of the world, probably, less

wooden

one, to

have ever allowed any building of importance, much

remain intact

for so long a period.

Some

fresh objects

have in the course of centuries been added to the original collection, but those deposit are

named

an inventory made

which belong to the

first

eighth century which

was deposited with them, and they can thus be

all

and distinguished from recent additions. " This being the age of exhibitions and popular the head of some antiquary that it was time to bring

the

came

to light the long

into

hidden

Nara repository. Hence the Nara exhibition, which has been by many foreigners during the present summer, although we suspect

treasures of the visited

instruction,

identified

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

had any idea of the extraordinary character of the objects

that very few have

exposed

their view.

of the antiquities of

all

have,

Europe marvellous

true, in

collections

ages, which have been lirought together piecemeal.

The genuineness and exact date of some of these objects can be ascertained, but how many of them are damaged and mutilated from the vicissitudes they have undergone, and of how many is the history and origin more or less open to question 1 What would the antiquarians of Europe say if an ancient building containing the household furniture and effects of Charlemagne, with a catalogue

same made under

of the

opened

for the first time,

preservation

direction,'

and the contents announced

But of such a kind

immediate

that monarch's

now

the exhibition

were now

be on view,

all in fine

offered to the eyes of

Japanese antiquaries. "

The temple The

of Dai-butz affords a convenient locale for the display of these objects brought from the royal magazine are arrayed in the

curiosities.

area immediately round the great statue, on each side and behind outer galleries or cloisters which form the exterior of the temple

In the

it.

still

extensive collection of antiquities, contributed by various temples or by private possessors.

To some

of these objects a

that of the contents of the

still

higher antiquity

Nara magazine, and

attributed than

the very remarkable character

we have inspected induces us to think that this belief is well we do not know e.xactly what external evidence of their age

of several which

founded, although exists.

Amongst

century

may

which there

Nara Mikados of the eighth

the curiosities belonging to the

mentioned

screens,

pictures,

books, sculptures, masks, of

a very large collection, pottery, and glass, copper bowls and

dishes, spoons, soap

(!) in

large round cakes the size of quoits, tortoise-shell back-

bells, weapons and utensils of various kinds, Probably the larger part of these things and nondescript articles. The eighth century was the are of foreign origin, and principally Chinese. middle period of the great Tang dynasty (a.d. 620-907) and the books and

scratchers, beads

and ornaments,

dresses, hats,

pictures here collected

a rich

are

Some

literature during that time.

likely to

for

field

the study of Chinese art and

poetry which

be Indian or Persian than Chinese.

we saw struck

us as

jug or ewer of white glass,

about a foot high, excited some incredulity as an object of the eighth century. We were told by one informant that it was not to be found in the original inventory, while another antiquary',

assured us that

it is

there.

able for the freshness of

its

him

engaged

studying the collection,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

mill.

The

miscellaneous collection in the outer

embraces objects of various ages, from some alleged

Charlemagne of the

specimen of Chinese writing paper was remarkappearance smooth and unstained, it might have

been just produced from the cloisters

who

number

said to

have been so particular that he had an exact

of eggs which the hens laid

upon

his property.

be one

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AND ART MAXUFACTURES.

ART,

five hundred years old, down to those of the time of Taiko-sama. The most antique of these curiosities are certain bronzes which have an Indian character, and some statuettes of clay (?) which remind one of Greek work more than anything else. Some wooden statues, of nondescript physiognomy

thousand

may perhaps be

Corean.

of remarkable

artist,

saw one picture ascribed

The

merit.

best

to a celebrated

Corean

on the whole, are those

pictures,

The Japanese

attributed to Chinese artists, or copies from such.

are great

and there were many specimens of this class of relic notably writings by Yoritoma, Taikosama, and lyeyasu. It would be impossible from two days' cursory inspection of the Nara exhibition to give more lovers of autographs,

than the faintest idea of the value and curiosity of

its

contents.

that here are the materials for the study of Indian, Chinese, antiquities,

such as are not likely to be congregated anywhere

know

satisfactoiy to in cataloguing

We of the

gold was

first

and

may

found

Japan

made

of Nara, which was

Shomu Tenno,

for the sights

be worth while to mention that while in the )-ear

749, the great Dai-butz

the fifteenth year of the reign of

was covered with

or in the year 739,

hence the gold employed

metal,

and

collection.

have been reading and preparing ourselves ;

else,

that Japanese antiquaries of high attainments are engaged

and describing the

morrow

evident

It is

and Japanese

work had been

vast

this

this precious

entirely brought from foreign countries.

Saturday the 3d of February great da)' in

with one of the

start

history.

are

Museum

1877

officials

always remain a

will

at seven,

and

after breakfast

from Tokio, who has been

sent to conduct us to the treasury and the sights of the town. First,

here, as fire.

say,

see

temple

everywhere

else

consisting in

Japan,

much

buildings

several

but

;

has been destroj-ed by

Originally the garan or complete temple

(or,

we should

group of temples) consisted of a number of buildings, one

of which was the main temple or kon-do, one a pagoda or to,

one the eating-house or shioku-do, one the saidono, and one the bath-house or yuya.

been destroyed by

fire,

or nanyen-do, has been

have been added, and

while

eastern

Some

southern

From time to whole were now

rebuilt. if

the

would consist of a pagoda or nanyen-do, an

one, the

golden

lecture -room

to,

a southern

temple

of these have

round temple time, buildings

standing,

they

round temple or

tokin-do,

western

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

golden temple or saikin-do, a chief temple or kon-do, a lecture-

room

or ko-do, a northern round temple or hokuyen-do, a bath-

house or yuya, a building termed an anteroom or hosodono, and a

refreshment -house called shioku-do

now remain

;

but

pagoda, the eastern

the

are

these

golden

round temple, and the southern round temple which

northern

has been rebuilt, but the three old buildings which

have been

Under each of the main temples

of this

;

The

materials prescribed for this purpose are pearls,

and a kind of

shell

Japanese shako, which appears to be that

Squilla

new or southern round temple is a great Buddha Buddha of which we read last night), but although

proportions are colossal, a large

and

ill-lit

it is

building,

curtains partly drawn.

not very visible, being enshrined

where

seen only through white

In front of this colossal figure are

sacred vessels, indeed, so many, that with the image and

roundings the temple is

called

of the

In the

(not the great

of one of these groups of

indeed, the Buddhist scriptures enjoin the performance

rite.

tnantis.

its

remain

customary to bury seven pieces of precious

gold, silver, agate, coral, amber,

the

still

existence about twelve hundred years.

sacred buildings material

that

all

temple, the

filled

many

its

sur-

almost to the door, and no one

allowed to enter the building save the

The

priest.

disappoint-

ment to me caused by this arrangement was great. The northern temple of this group contains another Buddha and a number of other idols, besides an immense pile of blocks used for printing the Buddhist scriptures, but this

The blocks used

comparatively small.

are about twenty inches

and a half

thickness.

for printing the scriptures

long, nine inches

The

Dai-butz

grain of the

broad, and an inch

wood

runs through-

out the length, and they are engraved on both sides, the engraving,

however, only extending within two inches of each end.

These

blocks

are

print wall papers, that

is,

left

with which

to receive the ink

standing, while

is cut away to the depth The unengraved end -portions

vening wood

those

the portion which

and produce the impression inch.

much

engraved

all

the inter-

of about one-eighth of an of the block arc reduced

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

to the thickness of about three-quarters

of an

inch,

and serve

only as handles.

may

It I

be thought that

speaking of these printing-blocks,

ought to have compared them with the blocks from which we

woodcut

print our

illustrations

but the reader will better under-

;

stand their nature by the parallel which

woodcuts are engraved upon wood with a

vertical

the

blocks of which

but

are

little

grain,

for

below

fineness,

general

the

surface

our

whereas

speak have a longitudinal grain.

woodcuts also are engraved with great parts

have drawn,

Our

and the sunk of

the block,

both our wall paper blocks and the Japanese blocks

whereas of which

speak are cut more deeply and

a more simple

manner.

many

In this temple are also there

indeed,

are

piles

small gods formed of

wood

;

of such, they being

the remains of a thousand figures, which were

formerly arranged together in the manner of the

members

concerts

;

of the chorus at one of our great

and of the old arrangement of these

gods they show us a model.

struck with

the simplicity of treatment which these figures present,

and with the crispness and beauty of

their folded drapery, indeed, the treatment of

the drapery reminds

me by

its

simple excel-

lence of the best sculptured works of our

mediaeval times

own

and between some of these

and those with which we are familiar

figures in

;

own

our

cathedrals there

a striking re-

Small God, ok Statue, carver in

Fig. 25.

semblance

(Fig.

25).

Seeing

these works, the priest presents

They

interest

Wood.

with two.

are about eight inches in height,

perfect the other has in part

and while one

tolerably

crumbled away through the

effects

of time.

In the eastern golden temple there

many

curious idols,

some of

life size,

another Buddha, and

some larger, which evidently The priest now tells us,

represent peoples of various nations.

JAPAN: TTS ARCHITECTURE.

that

some of

these idols were presents from China, others from

and that

India,

of this description

This

much

the

out of repair

deca}-.

Japan

and resembling

since,

here stored

served (only in

often

enter,

all

falling

made about

of coarse earthen vessels

form a modern tea-cup

on which the

of the country, with a particular form of stand

cup

presents

to find

we were permitted

last

indeed, what

;

number

hundred years

the great Buddliist temples.

temple,

uncommon

not

cup and the stand

the

this case,

are larger than those of the present day and are united together), are

well

here,

one of those curious

consisting of a bent stem of the

saw

Tokio

mace-like censers,

Nelumbium

This censer has a flower and

such as

leaf at

the end, the flower ascending and the

(Fig. 19).

while in the centre of the stem there

This object was made about a hundred

while

Buddha holds

and that incense Seeing priest

presents

in is

his

left

upon an

leaf descending,

young and unexpanded

leaf

have only seen

Buddhist lotus)

(or

altar,

}-ears

hand when he prays

sometimes burnt upon

for his

mother,

it.

admiration for both the cups and this censer, the

one of the former and the

latter

to me, and

have no compunctions of conscience about taking them, is

here perishing

will

and

ago,

informed that

;

and soon, unless things greatly change,

be ruin and desolation.

Under the Shogunate

rule

for all all

these

monuments of antiquity were carefully preserved but the present Government seem to consider it no part of their duty to guard ;

from destruction these ancient buildings and their contents.

remarkably

visit

the pagoda, which

fine proportions.

There

a splendid structure of

a great difference between

While the

the pagodas of Japan and of China.

always uninteresting and possessed of

little

latter are nearly

beauty, those of the

former are invariably both graceful and beautiful. ever, the pagodas are

Our

In China, how-

varied in form than in Japan.

priest-guide opens for us the door of the pagoda,

entering,

much more

find a

few idols arranged

its

and upon

basement

climbing, scrambling, and squeezing through

spaces

floor.

which

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

are almost too small

for

to pass,

reach the upper

from which we have a magnificent view of Nara and roundings.

am now

informed that

who has been permitted the

first

whom

the

to ascend

eastern

this

the

gallerj-,

sur-

its

European

first

pagoda, and that

golden

temple has ever been

opened.

Time temples

hence we

passing,

we must not

but

;

cannot tarry longer

leave

without

these

inspecting an

old

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Lions of Corean workmanship, gi'arding the gateway of the great Temple of Todaiji in Kioto. It is impossible to view these without the thought

Fig. 26.

of the lion

coniferous

and the unicorn being awakened

tree

the

grounds, the

horizontally with great grandeur.

fond

old

trees,

cone-bearing plants

especially ;

in the

mind.

branches of which spread

The Japanese

of the

species

are particularly fir

and other

propping up their branches with great care

and securing them so that neither storm nor tempest

them

off.

From

tip to

tip

shall lop

the horizontal branches of the tree

before us measure one hundred and

fort)--cight feet.

now

give a subscription to the temple, bid adieu to the priest, and leave.

of is

Walking nearly a quarter of a mile we arrive at the temple Buddha (Dai-butz), the largest in Japan. This

the Great

the

years

temple of Todaiji, since.

built

eleven hundred

At the gateway stand two

and

thirty- one

stone lions (Fig. 26}

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

supposed to be of Corcan workmanship.

In the porch, at the

gateway, are two colossal standing gods or niwo

common

with a club of a form

name

mitsshaku kongo

Fijian

first

kings, one

weapons, and whose

the other bearing a brazen mace, such

;

hand while praying, and named

as a Buddhist priest holds in his

narayen kongo.

This porch, in which these deities have for so

many

years stood,

(or pillars)

of vast proportions,

being one hundred feet

Having passed

circumference.

its

chief

colossal

this

wooden uprights

height by twelve feet

gateway

through a second of similar proportions, then across the courtyard to the

temple

Buddha, for

itself,

wherein the great Buddha

fifty-three feet in height,

almost

has a nimbus eighty-seven feet

sixteen images, each eight feet high.

by nine

feet six inches

broad

;

fills

the

This

enshrined.

enormous temple,

diameter, on which rest

Its face is sixteen feet

long

shoulders are twenty-eight feet

its

seven and a half inches broad, while nine hundred and sixty-six curls

adorn

its

head.

The temple

posture) has been

which

great

this

destroyed

twice

figure

fire.

rests

(in

sitting

During the

last

much injured and loosened, and shortly afterwards it was thrown down by an earthquake, when The head of this figure I do not like a new head was cast. nearly so well as that of the Great Dai-butz at Kamakura and indeed it is much inferior to that of the other parts of the The new head was cast in the sixteenth centur}^ figure. Our visit to this temple is necessarily short, while there is fire

the head of the figure was

;

enough met with here to he be

interest

artist or antiquarian, for

destination

days

not weeks

first

Buddha.

past,

whether

but as we are

and renewed our acquaintance with him, we begin our

inspection of the collection of ancient objects in

the

;

show us the great collection we must hurry on. Having reached our

keeping Mr. Machida (who of antiquities) waiting,

any student of the

part

The

in corridors

surrounding this temple of the great

objects here displayed are arrayed chiefly in plain

pine-wood glass-fronted the contents

Nara, and find

may

cases, so fastened that

any tampering with

easily be detected, for, instead of being furnished

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

with locks which, as

made

may

Japan,

be easily picked, they

simply fastened by twisted strips of tough

are

paper

strung

through two clasps and knotted together, while a red stamp

The stamp used

impressed upon the folds of the knot.

purpose somewhat resembles our old-fashioned

formed of wood, and the part which

and not sunk.

raised

This seal

to yield the impression

charged with a kind of red

paint,

and then pressed upon the knot of the

obvious that a contrivance of this kind

the

way

of keeping out a

thief;

but

of adjustment to bring

soft paper-string.

do nothing cannot fail to show

whether the case has been tampered with or has once been untied

only

seals,

for this

will

not, for

the knot

would be quite impossible by any amount all

the parts of the impressed seal again

together in proper relation to one another.

Through the kindness of Mr. Machida these seals are broken I wish to investigate any object, and I feel it to be indeed a privilege to handle and examine these rarest of antiquities. Here are sword blades one thousand three hundred years whenever

which are made of copper, but these belonged to the gods

old,

(idols),

and came from a temple called Horiu-zi

There

wa\'

a large iron shield about six feet

wrought

well

known

Persian-like

good.

;

but

its

age

peacock, wrought

height, in every

unknown.

be about one thousand years

means church).

(zi

old,

repousse brass,

saddle,

a conventional

which

Chinese vase, which has been here preserved

for

very

over a

thousand years, and has a black ground, with a spray of bamboo

and certain rocks wrought upon are

wood

gray,

but the ages of which are

unknown

one thousand three hundred

)'ears

thousand years of age.

There

;

two old,

sceptres, the

ings of

one being is

one

bowl most beautifully ;

this

a thousand

such vessels were formerly carried through the streets

;

priests,

There

" feeling,"

while the other

a thin iron

shaped, the bottom of which has been patched years old

interesting.

carvings of lions executed with great spirit and

who

held them out for the purpose of receiving offer-

rice.

One

piece of bronze-casting, which has been preserved in the

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

Mikado's collection ever since the inventoiy was made a thousand years since, ever seen.

as perfect a work, of

any that

kind, as

its

have

the frame of a sacred gong, and consists of

two dragons entwined together and standing on the back of a In another work a lotus flower cast

griffin.

bronze springs

from an ornament consisting of flames superposed on water water and the heat producing vegetation spirit or

god (Buddha) that

work

on the

sits

the

reaching up to the

The age

flower.

unknown.

—

Another

age, in which the petals are

of this

lotus of great

tipped with

all

27), and a small clay

a crystal drop (Fig.

figure with the hair so arranged as to resemble

exactly what

we know

occur

ass's ears,

as the jester's cap with

which have been added ^°'''' ^™?~K^^''tF'"''' (Nelumbium) Flowei;, preserved in the Imperial treastiry, with crystal drop in metal socket hanging from its apex. Each of the outer petals of the flower had '''''"'^'

the collection.

things

in later years there

a tunic, evidently of Chinese workmanship,

-^yith

•'

-i

and colours

loug slioc-like stirrups onnvhich

;

thc foot would TCst, and which superseded,

about

five

hundred years

since,

the earlier

form of stirrup where the front part of the foot was incased

There are one or two simple pieces of

truncated cone.

a richly-cmbroidered collarette in gold

being chairs and a small cabinet, six hundred years

old,

in a

furniture,

both used

on ceremonial occasions, and several pieces of armour which belonged to that warrior to whose

Kobe

(Hiojo),

and

in front of

memory

which

a temple

saw the beacon

was

built

fires

during

the time of the illuminations a few days since.

There was also an entire row of Chinese Celadon vases (each of about twenty-two inches in height),

some having the

glaze on white, and others on red, earth.

sea-green

Certain of these bear

bands of Chinese ornament or sprays of foliage wrought upon them, while the ornament on others

But the most curious object singular formation (Fig. 28).

a rat which

sits

obviously Indian

in the collection

Here the

upon the top of a

oil is

perhaps a lamp of

stored in the

body of

Half way down the pole

pole.

and resting on a projecting bracket

in character.

saucer, in the centre of

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, which

a pin that connects

saucer,

this

saucer

filled

we have

qualities

till

with

most of the replenish

suiifices

the

is lit

lamp which exhibits no peculiar oil

has been con-

stream, which

Then suddenly

sumed.

rests

When

a wick.

side, is

its

and the wick

oil

bracket on which

witli the

and leaning over

now

the

ex-

nearly

hausted saucer, issues from the mouth of the

The

rat.

saucer being

discharged from

the

when

again nearly empty, sitting "

and so on

The manner curious, for

store of

which

this

the

effect

oil

exhausted.

achieved

cannot run from a vessel unless

admitted to take rises

to the support on ^ ^

which

terminates in a knob or cap IS

hollow and

the rat

The peg which

place.

its

air

Fig.

The

;

but the peg

-is

by the

detail, a.

The lamp

about two feet in height.

by a tube which runs along the bracket and then ascends

pin which stands in the centre of the saucer,

perforated immediately below

its

above the bottom of the saucer. the oil sinks to a point at

and thus allow the this

body and

connected with the body of

through the stand to the upper portion of the

construction of the lamp

'^e upper pan of the stem on which the rat rests, as well 'Â°

the

indicated in the rat's

rests

Lamp, preNara lreasur>-.

28.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Cl kiols

served

the centre of the saucer and at-

taches

whereby

principle of the vent-peg or pipct fluid

produced

only an application of the

the kind creature

its

although

simple,

oil is

a further supply,

aloft " yields

till

no more mouth till

full,

rat's

hole

therefore

From

oil

again covered by

no more this

oil

part of

The inch

when

this hole

exposed

rat's

air will enter

mouth

no further air

the collection distant,

body.

obvious, then, that

out of the oil,

rat's

should be noticed,

cap, or about half an It is

can run from the

some two hundred yards

much more

which

to run

;

but when

admitted, and

mouth.

we walked

to a

building

which contains a second and

interesting series of objects.

This portion

arranged

a kind of entrance-hall and in one

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE.

and Mr. Machida informs us that everything

large room,

room

known

to be at

hundred years old

least twelve

in tlic

but

;

all

is he able to say whence many Some, however, arc obviously Chinese, and

the objects are not Japanese, nor

of them have come.

some

while

Indian,

Indian

and half

which are half Chinese

several,

character, are perhaps from

Tibet, Yarkand, or other

inland country lying near to India and China.

room we have a magnificent

In this

which have found But what

years.

their

home

me most

interests

for these, while of

Japan

collection

perhaps

and are thoroughly mediaeval and

their

patterns.

Had

not

known

but a cursory examination,

Museum had been

that

Ken-

here, while others

fabrics

reminded

strongly

which a

magnificent work I'Art Arabe,

portrayed (see plate entitled Etoffe dc

similar fabric

XlI.e

In the specimen here at

siecle).

in character.

of the Arabian-looking

plate

the South

for exhibition

lent

and had

should have supposed that

sington

of a

fabrics,

the style of

to the contrary, I

specimens from the Bock collection

One

Italian

certain

were more Arabian

hundred

the woven

great antiquit)', arc in perfect preserva-

this

tion,

made

of art objects,

for at least twelve

Nara the pattern

teiitiirc,

consists

of circles regularly distributed, both horizontally and vertically,

and separated from one another by a distance equal to about These circles are fringed by a sort of Arabian half their diameter. ornament, of such width that these fringings of the various

In each circle are two conventional lions, face to

almost meet. face,

circles

while in the spaces intervening between the circles are other

Red and

small animals.

dull yellow

not an

uncommon com-

bination of colour in these Arabian-looking fabrics here.

There are printed cotton the figure

the

colour of

the ground

colour -discharging

pattern

fabrics

usually white, on

the

while

portion

" resist."

Belonging to

this

others

of the

tected from the action of the Ay& a

plain coloured

ground

;

having, obviously, been removed by

agent,

figured

of this period also, where

some

appear to

fabric

by what

owe

their

having been protechnically termed

remote age, there

also

a very

ART,

by two

piece of leather, about fifteen inches

fine in

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

six inches

feet

of pleasant yellow-brown colour, and with a pattern con-

size,

of white lines arranged

sisting

the form of well considered

scrollwork, and a cloisonne enamel dish, with the wires projecting

from the body about one-sixteenth of an in

the cells

The enamel

inch.

however, concave, for the surface has never been

is,

ground down.

same age

the

most excellent

certain

are

metal mirrors, some being circular, and one being square

some of these (probably

The one

that

all

certainly Japanese

inches in diameter, and the pattern on

now

those which are

circular, its

but

and about

fifteen

back closely resembles

One from

found on similar objects.

to be

;

but one) are of Chinese manufacture.

China has

its

character

but the Japanese mirror has a case covered with a

fabric

silk

red

;

back figured with a geometrical pattern of Celtic

mixed

colours,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

gray-white, yellow, blue, and dull

of which are outlined with black, and

all

The

ground.

pattern

Persian and that kind of

this

flat

background of pre-Raphaelite

fabric

on a green

fall

character

ornament which

There are some grand

pictures.

pieces of Indian embroidery, in which the simplicity

of the ornament

delightful.

between

general as the

and purity

These certainly surpass

in tender-

ness of line, precision of form, and just distribution of the parts,

anything that

have before seen of the kind

;

and they have

twelve hundred years.

in Japan There are vases of various kinds, some Greek in form, others One Arabian in character, some Chinese, and some Japanese.

been

for

with black ground and bands of incised red lines might be a work of the best Athenian age, were it not for certain nondescript There is a characters with which its surface is in part covered. glass ewer with a well-formed

lip,

and somewhat elaborate handle

of very pale blue-green colour, and rather rough texture (like some of our pickle bottles), but the Japanese do not

came

;

they only

know

that

has been

know whence

possession of their

one thousand two hundred years.

To me

emperors

for

obviously

an Arabian work, and the appearance of the glass

closely resembles that of the pendent

enamelled lamps which

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE, have during the purchased

There

few years been brought from Egypt and

last

European museums

for the various is

a metal jug of

having around

its

body

row of

(Fig. 29).

proportions and Persian shape,

tall

animals with engraved

gilt

Japanese metal water-bottle with

outline, a

by a

low and curious spout covered

and

may

lid

;

here add that a spout rising to

the level of the orifice of a vessel seems

be a late invention

not

observable,

Japan

far as

;

see,

for

any

native vessel in this collection.

There tied

are

leather bags, such as were

around the wrists of archers to prevent

the arrows cutting them, a double-headed trident used in ancient times for the catch-

Rough Sketch of a Glass EwEn, preserved in the

Fig. 29.

ing of

Mikado's treasury at Nara. It is undoubtedly an early Arabian work.

madmen, a box covered with basket-

work and

in part lacquered,

a repousse brass

tray of sixteen inches in diameter, with a

stag in high relief in

its

centre,

two very wonderful basso-relievo

carvings in white marble, and as perfect and sharp as the day they

were

cut.

The

subject of these

and conventional clouds.

and of great excellence. in

These are undoubtedly Indian works, There are two plates (each

yellow, and an earthen bowl, the

top of which

green and the sides striated, the stripes being due to the run-

ning

down

of the marginal green glaze over the white ware of

which the bowl

There

formed.

brown pattern printed upon in

fifteen inches

diameter) of white biscuit-ware, with pattern consisting of goose

and flowers is

a snake, mythological animals,

number of

but

;

a coarse white fabric with I

was specially interested

pieces of thick felt each four to five feet square,

which are well made and have most charming and simple patterns of true Indian character wrought upon

them by the entangling

of woollen yarns with the hairy surface of the fabric. fabrics are

now made

Persia

;

Similar

but the patterns of these old

works are simple and pure, while those now manufactured are figured with ornaments indistinct and of

complex

character.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

the process by which these

been practised, so it

we here

find

far as I

a floor

kind that

made has never

may

briefly describe

have ever

made

felted, or

seen.

generally that of

hair,

unwoven

into an

being sprinkled with water to which a

and then

cloths are

Japan,

spread a quantity of short

camel, which

the

felt

specimens which, although twelve hundred years

old, are the best of the

know,

loi

cloth, b}-

acid has been added,

little

rolled with a stone roller or beaten with stones or clubs.

This beating or

rolling,

when continued

for a sufficient time, achieves

the close intermingling of the hairs, or the felting of the fabric.

But before the

felting

quite complete, coloured woollen yarns

but imperfectly spun are arranged loosely upon the surface of the

now

thumb and

nearly formed fabric, and by manipulation of the

finger (which

part a twisting process) are so united with the

protruding hairs of the process, a

by the completion of the felting formed with figured surface.

felt that,

homogeneous

fabric

Leaving the large room, we now go to the

where the

hall,

exhibition consists wholly of fabrics, believed to be from five to

hundred years of age.

eight

There are here also many cloths

of old European and Persian types, but where they quite I

examined the

dared not leave

us,

and

was

no museum of antiquities

half so instructive to the

Where

else could

and, although as on the

who

him

more than a thousand years

Persia, Central Asia, China,

first

left

know,

as this rare collection at Nara.

and

see fabrics printed, embroidered,

day when they

There

out.

world, so far as

the

European

charge of them,

afraid of tiring

under

possible

carefully as

collections

the circumstances, for Mr. Machida,

came from

unknown.

old,

their makers'

and Japan

Where

felted,

almost as fresh

hands

in India,

else could

see

these strange connecting links between the arts of Egypt, India,

China, and Japan, that

find here

We are

now taken

massive structure which has sheltered and preserved this of wealth for over a thousand years, and, strange to say,

to see the little

world

mere

large oblong building formed of triangular logs of ivood (Fig. 30).

These logs are arranged

like those of a

Russian timber house.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE.

!o:

and

and ends

after crossing at the corners protrude like the sides "

of an

on a

The

Oxford picture-frame."

series of circular

Fig. 30.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;The

old

Wooden

building thus formed stands

wooden columns of about

height

five feet in

Building in Nara in which the Mikado's treasures have been The roof has been renewed from time to time, but

preserved for twelve hundred years.

the other parts of the building remain as

wooden building

and two

feet

upon a stone building

in ;

first

erected.

diameter, and

the roof

upon the building when second, and

this, in

its

tiles,

one hundred and

fifty

was

turn,

hundred years back, and a portion of a

probably, the oldest

but that which

The

this

first

with the fact that

covers the

roof which was placed

erected was replaced by a five

was replaced by the present about

years since.

Mr. Machida kindly gives

from each of the two

tile

now

looselj-

gave place to a third about

wood which has

latter roofs.

In looking at this ancient building one

years,

is,

each one of these rests

comparatively modern.

This

in the world.

perhaps most struck

existed for a thousand or

and has been exposed to an atmosphere

as trying

least

as that of Great Britain, should have endured to the present time;

and, it

more surprising

was when

was

still,

first

the

wood

placed here.

at this

worn by the action of the weather, indeed, a log

was e.xposed

moment

some I

cases

was three or four inches

less

than where hidden, yet the wood was not decayed

;

but what

much

observed that where

Japanese seem to have an almost imperishable wood. of our oak

sound as

;

diameter but the

boast

oak when compared with wood that has

AXD ART MANUFACTURES.

ART. actuall}- resisted the

and

storm and the blast

as sound as

is still

Mr. Machida

now

find

with

ever was.

Upon

divided into three compartments,

large

over twelve centuries,

for

orders the large and curious padlocks to be

taken from the doors of the storehouse.

103

wooden chests

and

;

of which are

all

many

Mikado's antiquities have been preserved for so

To my astonishment

only

that

find

centuries.

one -third

Mikado's rare treasures at Nara have been unpacked. vast

number of great trunks may contain

in all probability there are

now

man}' subjects

filled

these chests that the

passing the entrance

the

What

this

cannot possibly say, but

here objects which would throw light on

imperfectly understood, and would do

much

towards perfecting a history now unknown to the world.

were about to bid our host adieu, when he begged us to

we saw

return to the building where as here there

This he terms a pagoda, but

wood, some six inches

in height,

reality

little

object

lies

wooden

closed by a pear-shaped

its

desires

to accept.

a turned piece of

with a base and discs protruding

horizontally one above the other.

of this

the oldest of the treasures,

was a small object which he

hollow, and the orifice

stopper, but the great interest

containing a specimen of the

first

printing ever effected in Japan.

When first

the art of printing was introduced to the country the

work performed was the reproducing of one passage of the

The

Buddhist scriptures. these

million of

copies of this passage were incased in

pagodas and deposited

little

them were placed

in the

when

number of these at Nara,

patience and

and

this

much

language and

inspected

only sixteen of these appendages.

temple

It is said

was once shown a god which was

of a thousand arms, but

vast

temple.

here, but there

numbers, owing to peculiarities translation.

in a

toil,

and

little I

However,

pagodas did

that a

difficult}-

said to be the

found that it

with

difficulties

god had

certain that a

one time exist

the

could believe anything respecting Japanese

but unfortunately theyhave nearly all disappeared;

most interesting

gift is

worm-eaten and decayed.

Yet the

letters on the little enclosed roll of paper arc readable to this da}'.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

I04

CHAPTER The

saered dance

—A

feast night

IV.

— Kioto — The royal

collections

— Osaka.

Having hotel

visited one or two other temples, we return to our and to a native dinner, after which we go by invitation

of Mr.

Machida

and dancing

—

pany us

ceremony the performance of which

us,

to the temple.

It is the night of a sacred festival,

are also decorated, as the

streets

purchased

—but our

good host has had everything and has sent some Government officials to accom-

expense

at considerable

prepared for

ceremony consisting of music

to see a religious

town within the next day or two.

and

all

Nara

The

is astir.

Mikado is expected to visit the Bamboos stand at either side

of the streets at distances of about twelve feet apart, and these are connected

by festooned straw bands which hang

of six feet from the ground.

From

a height

these straw bands

hang the

cut papers symbolising the Shinto religion.

an avenue of gigantic cryptomeria

have ever seen

which are sold

—where

colossal

Here

coniferous

to ten

feet,

are

and other

right,

now

gay with

turn into

lanterns,

Leaving

trifles.

we behold a

with

innumerable

These lanterns vary

and nearly every one

two thousand

lit

two hundred

Every now and again we come to for

the grandest avenue

sight which

this

shall

one of the most lovely of groves, formed of

trees,

lanterns at either side.

there

—

are stalls rendered

toys, sweet stuffs,

by an avenue turning on the never forget.

trees,

stone

height from four

afterwards learnt that

lanterns

little

monumental

flights

the avenue ascends the slope of a rounded

this

grove.)

of rude steps,

hill.

This rising

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, ground, the flocks

gaily dressed

105

who

people

going

are

the temple to pray, and the strange aspect of this vast forest of

stone lanterns, produce a scene in the highest degree surprising.

the top of this beautiful grove, amidst a vast crowd of

lanterns, rises the its

temple called Wakamiya.

It is

celebrated for

thatched roof, the thatch being very thick and regular, and con-

sisting of layers of the inner bark of a

most perfect of

kind

its

containing a god, which enter

service

what

;

so sacred that even

called a " priest's house."

which we have come to see

This house

The room

that

the

a shrine

may

a priest

not

In this the religious

to be performed.

long building with

This roof

fir-tree.

and near the temple

this shrine, but at the opposite side of

Facing

abode.

its

the road,

Japan

enter

its

a parallelogram.

side Its

the

road.

windows, which

form the entire road-side of the room, are heavy frames with coarse lattice-work, over which no paper frames, hinged at the top, open inwards, and

when open

filled

These

strained.

are sup-

ported in a horizontal position by hooks from the ceiling.

this

the

evening of our

visit

the whole

of these

side

windows are open, hence whatever takes place within the room is

visible

those

the performance

and thousands congregate to

outside,

of a

service

which they evidently

all

see

take

interest.

the distant end of the room, as

enter, four priests are

kneeling on the floor behind small deal tables or front of a

has a

flute,

large folding-screen, on

altars,

which deer are painted.

and

One

another a small hourglass-shaped drum, another small

cymbals, and the fourth curiously shaped pieces of wood, which are

knocked together Facing the

priestesses

and

street, five

the

and

manner

of our

at the

side

bones."

of the

room, are three

female children, while along the open side,

or facing the priestesses, are five small tables, like those in front

of the priests

;

these tables bear the rattles, or sistrums, from the

handles of which streaming ribbons are pendent.

The

priestesses

beauty, which

wear red under

chiefly white

;

dresses,

and a robe of great

but here and there

dispersed

JAPAX: FTS ARCHITECTURE.

io6

over

surface

its

little

with a touch of colour,

spray of the westcria creeper

—

green

the green contrasting most pleasantly

with the red of the under of about

Each spray occupies

skirt.

a space

or eight inches of space

four inches square, while six

u -

Fig. 31.—

Back view

Fig.

Fjg. 33.— Hair of priestess

32.— Front view oT

dress of priestess nf

dress of priestess of

Kara.

Nara.

of Nara.

When

intervene between the groups.

seen from the back, and

when the arms are held at right angles has much the form of the letter T (Fig.

to the body, the dress

31); but what

we may

term the shank part does not surround the body, but merely falls

as a broad sort of streamer, which, were

to rest on the ground,

would form a

In front, the shank portion of the

down

is split

and the two parts are crossed over the chest as a sort of habit-shirt, there are fabrics

(Fig. 32).

colours employed

The whole in

;

the centre,

while, arranged

of red, white, and

folds

dress

are the

sufficiently long

train.

lilac

most charming, and the

Court colours

;

for the

Mikado

wearers

the head

like that of all

Japanese,

are priestesses of a Shinto temple, and the

of the Shinto Church.

The

hair of the priestesses

intensely black. flows loosely

down

long and,

not plaited or braided

any way, but

the back, only being bound together at the top

by a curious flat gold band (Fig. tufts of red and white flowers which pins take the position of horns.

33).

the front two

stick out at the ends

little

of long

Close to the priestesses, as they

ART.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

two hexagonal

kneel against the side wall of the room, stand

boxes of about eighteen inches

height and eleven inches in

diameter, which appear to contain fans.

The boxes

oil

tall

lamps which

iron

is lit

on small brackets projecting from the

rest

enter the

building together with others

rows across the end

and range ourselves

most distant from the

priests, leaving a large clear

Now all

ourselves.

that the

god

midst.

The

priests strike

esses

space between

prostrate themselves, for

it is

supposed

leaving the shrine opposite and coming into our

and two children

their music,

when

room with slow and

the three priest-

The music is who walk across the

and begin the dance.

rise

very slow and solemn, and the priestesses,

stately step, yet with a slight dancing gesture,

prostrate themselves to the very floor in front of the

They now

walls.

who have been

invited to the service,

them and

arc covered

by candles candlesticks standing on the ground, and by

with leather-paper of golden hue, and the room

supported on

107

rise, lifting

grace and dignity,

tables,

little

much

the sistrums from the table, and, with

move

a rhythmical, yet most solemn and

impressive, manner.

For about ten minutes these beautiful motions are alternated with prostration before the

little

tables on which the rattles are,

while at other times the rattles are employed in the dance.

After

prostrating themselves with the deepest humility before these tables or altars,

where they remain

with the rattles places on

still

as death for a few minutes,

their hands, they return

the tables, rise

little

and again kneel

the rattles to their the positions which

they originally occupied by the wall.

The next dance in

entirely

no important respect from that

dances, for there are five in tions

of the

The dances

all,

five

children

just described,

;

but

differs

and the following

are merely slightly varied repeti-

All are equally solemn, equally impressive,

first.

and alike beautiful

the highest and purest sense of the word.

over, all

prostrate themselves

not to rise from our places. in

by the

;

A priest now comes

but

are told

forward, bearing

one hand a small tray of clean unpolished and undecorated

pine-wood on which are a

few rough, unglazed, small

earthen

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

io8

and

saucers,

the

other

brazen

containing

vessel

sachi

(Japanese wine), and of the size of a small saucepan, but having

two semicircular small

quantity

spouts,

and a long wooden handle

the sacred wine (about a

poured into a saucer by the

whom

of those for

at the Shinto

The

drinks.

Br.azen Vessel with

Fig. 34.

Used

second portion,

we have

The

in his

turn,

priest then

at our

bows and

Holy Communion.

when

the recipient of

and so on,

drinks,

partaken of this Shinto sacrament.

all

that the dance

supposed to have

recipient

passes to

Wooden Handle.

Sacrament as we use the flagon

the next, pours wine into another saucer, this

dessert-spoonful),

taken from the tray by one

the dance has been performed.

now bows and

of this wine

priest, is

(Fig. 34).

spiritual efficacy,

till

was aware

and that the

wealthy have such dances performed as a means of grace, but

was not aware that Shinto had

We been so

its

now return home from the sacred house in which we have much interested, by the lantern-lit grove, but on our way

diverge a

little

from our path to see the chief Shinto temple

of Nara, that at the top of the grove being only the second

importance

in this

Here we

find eight

a large raised

this

hundred metal lanterns pendent from the

all

ablaze with light.

wooden platform which

lit

And by

there, opposite,

scores of lanterns

the playground for the children, and from

sound of the tramping of many voices.

feet

comes the

Amidst the

do not hear one cry of sorrow, nor see one

crowd of children

unkind look,

arc thoroughly happ}-.

all

and the ringing of cheerful

All seems brightness and joy and mirth.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

town.

eaves of the roof, and is

sacrament.

;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

Much

we have

that

seen to-day has been of

possible interest, and never within

the greatest

much

experience has so

been crowded into a few brief hours as on visit to

109

this

day of our

first

Nara.

have learnt that more than a thousand years since fabrics

were made which so closely resemble the during the

two or three

last

be told from the other

finest

centuries, that the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;That from some

works of Arabia one can scarcely

part of Asia cloths were

derived, so similar to those of Italy immediately preceding the

time of Raphael, that the one would pass for the other.

found that Chinese embroidery was as perfect years since as

were

in style

the

only

fifty

now, and that the patterns on Indian fabrics

same

as those produced in the

purer

years since, but

beautiful

pattern

colour

that the art of

;

Saracens were conquering Spain than

Thus we have the strange centuries

fact

it is

greatest purity of design,

and giving

felting

the

time when the

at the present

moment.

brought before us that twelve

produced fabrics bearing

ago India

same country

form, better in design and

was better understood

felt

have

twelve hundred

and without any

patterns

of the

Hindoo orna-

taint of

ment, and that the art of India was at that period better than is

now.

know

what time Indian ornament as we now highest development ? for it would seem as

ask, then, at

had

its

though a decline, however gradual, has been taking place from

day

that

to this.

have also learnt that a thousand years ago,

and Japan, the as

it is

at this

art of

day

;

back as

was then formed into ewers by some Asiatic people

could be

advanced

now ;

;

was that

that iron

hammered into the most beautiful and thinnest of bowls made metal peacocks with spreading tails that

that the Persians

;

wood-carving was as well understood

years since as at almost any later period

;

were as perfect then as now in

both China

far

that the art of forming cloisonne &v\^vne\s

as perfectly understood twelve centuries

glass

manufacturing metals was as

;

Japan twelve hundred that sculptures in marble

and that the manufacture of porcelain

China was as thoroughly understood and as successfully practised

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

then as that

Thus

reccntlj'.

\vc find

from the collection here at Nara

hundred years have passed over the Eastern world

t\vel\-c

without bringing about any great improvement manufactures, while is

some

most of the

retrogression, rather than

advancement,

painfully apparent.

The

fact

brought before us that but few new manu-

also

factures have been invented during the time that these things have

been hidden

the Mikado's treasury, for

we here

find

illustra-

tions of weaving, felting, embroidery, porcelain, glass, metal-work,

hammering, damascening,

chasing,

casting,

and

engraving,

lacquer-work, wood-carving, inlaying, stone-cutting, block-printing,

of leather- making and leather-stamping, and of

which time does not permit of

recording

many

other arts

and beyond these

;

but few manufactures have been invented even to this day.

There which

one specimen

mc much,

interests

the collection of antiquities at Nara

although

have not even mentioned

to this time.

We which

are

familiar with

all

Bombay sandalwood boxes

those

are inlaid with tessera; of white metal, ivory, either white or

These boxes,

stained green, and sometimes with deep red wood. Sir

George Birdwood

tells us,

are but copies of works produced in

Yet the Persian work

Persia.

from that of

Bombay

differs, in

one essential particular,

for while in the latter

;

the inlaid tessera;

are brought close together, they are invariably separated in Persian

work by a surface.

fine

brass ribbon, the edge of which appears on the

not aware of ever having seen a specimen of this

Bombay work which modern

;

happen

could be regarded as anything more than

but of the Persian work to possess,

hundred years

;

an example which

have not only seen, but

may

and beyond some such date as

aware that we can trace the history of however,

find in

Nara

hundred years of age knows.

this

;

date back some two

this

a coarse specimen

this

manufacture. of this

not

Here,

work twelve

but where the specimen came from no one

example the

tessera;

are

form

elongated

hexagons of about one and a half inches from point to point in the longest direction, and seven-eighths of an inch in width, and a

AR1\

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

metal line separates the hexagons.

Here, then,

iii

we have evidence

of the existence of a manufacture, though, in this case, in a crude

which, so far as

state,

know, we have only been able to trace back

for two or three centuries at the most

reveals the ancient origin of

art,

collection in the

and

;

its

on boxes

common

bamboo used which

the\- are

may make

was formed of

reference strips

precisely as porcupines' quills are disposed

India to this

manufacture of

in the

this art

development.

the collections at Nara, as

bamboo arranged

the

modern

open to our inspection, they would exhibit to us

more advanced stages of

box

specimen

as a

possible that were the other two-thirds of the Mikado's

While speaking of Indian manufactures, to a

just as this

what we have regarded

The narrow strips and the manner

da}-.

this object,

placed together, render

formed the original of the porcupine

of in

probable that either this

boxes of India, or that

quill

making of such The latter is by far

these Indian boxes suggested to the Japanese the as

we now

the

find in the

more probable,

Mikado's collection.

for while

most of the

arts

which have been

practised in Japan are traceable to the Asiatic Continent,

have

not yet succeeded in tracing any Japanese influence on the arts of China,

India,

Asiatic

Persia,

Turkey, or any other Eastern

country.

Inspection of the

Nara

also reveals this fact

collections

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

brought prominently into notice during a long journey

fact

Japan

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

that while the Japanese are the most subtle and delicate

of workmen, the most accomplished of handicraftsmen, the most

conscientious of race.

There

artists,

they are jet by no means inventive as a

good deal of truth

the statement

that the

Japanese have originated nothing, but have improved upon everything which they have seen.

Throughout Japan

traces of Indian

while Chinese objects of better class

most of the nobles

the land

;

art arc constant!}- found,

may

and

be seen

of Persian, Egyptian, and even Celtic character on

but of these things

will

the houses of

have also found patterns native

work

;

speak hereafter.

must always remember that

an early period of

its

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

112

was

history Japan

Corea

and

;

this

successful

certain, that

invasion and

the

many

conquest

of the arts of Japan, as

some of its best architectural features, were derived from Through this peninsula many objects of Chinese manuas well as some from the more central parts of Asia, came

well as

Corea. facture,

hands of the Japanese.

into the

collection which, like

Indeed, there

Nara,

that at

Kioto a

property of the

the

also

Mikado, consisting largely of things brought to Japan from Corea

by the conquerors of the country. the

relations

Nara

this

mention

collection

now only

this

that

manufactures of

the

may

Japan, as well as to the industries of the world,

be better

understood.

To-day has

mony

also brought us face to face with a religious cere-

of special interest, and a

We have here,

Japan.

a sacrament which

ceremony peculiar

in itself a fact of

little

most striking circumstance connected with the to-night

its

interest

number of

to in an old

dance of

made

Japan Weekly Mail

will

article

ceremony.

to this

Speaking of Nara, the writer says said to be second in antiquity

by the

As, however, this matter

the

from that excellent journal a portion of an

extract

which reference

but the

;

religious

likeness to the rites formerly performed

priestesses of Isis in ancient Egypt.

referred

Nara

connection with an early form of religion,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Here

a Shinto shrine,

and importance only

to that of Ise.

In a building not far from this shrine, and probably connected

with

it,

we witnessed

religious

a posture-dance performed as a species of

The performers were

ceremony.

three

young

girls,

handsomely dressed, but perhaps less showily than the ordinary Their movements were of a very solemn Geysha (dancing girls). kind,

and

their use of the sistrum or rattle recalled the

priestesses of Isis, of

unfailing

whose performances

accompaniment.

another a drum, and

the

Three third

occasionally beating time on

accompanied the dancers. of this kind were paid for

priests

this

Egyptian

instrument was the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;one

playing

the two simple pieces of

flute,

chanting with his voice, and

wood

were informed that performances

by devout persons much

as masses are

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES. There are

paid for by Catholics.

attached to the temple. respectable inhabitants,

dancers or priestesses

eiglit

They are the daughters of and, we presume, the office

priests or of is

considered

a highly honourable one."

The

morning we rose early and

ne.Kt

had not got

when our

far

strolled

through the town.

attention was attracted

by a

care-

roofed wall, the lower portion

fully

of which was built of a black ragstone,

and the upper and major part

of plaster tinted to a pleasant yellow-

ochre colour, along which were drawn

white

parallel

five

lines

(Fig.

35).

our asking whether this wall sur-

any

rounded

building,

special

whether tinting

and ruling white

lines is a

mere caprice of the owner,

we were

told

with out

the

yellow wall

white lines running through-

five

length denotes that the build-

its

belongs

ing

that

nected

to,

with, the

directly

con-

Mikado, and that

none but those of royal blood can have

a j^ellow wall

upon

it,

while the

with any lines

number of

lines

Fig. 35.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The Wall

This colour, and the parallel while lines, indicate that a

five

employed indicates the relationship

End of Wall.

yellow-ochre colour.

person of royal blood owns or administers this property.

Emperor.

to the

Some

few years back, when about to send an assistant to

Spain and Morocco to make sketches of

good

Spain

friend

Mr. George

the land of nails."

all

kinds of art objects,

Augustus Sala

said,

assistant sent me,

Remember from

this

I had ever seen, and some of the nails themselves which he had managed to pick up at curiosity shops. But Mr. Sala was but imperfectly informed on this matter, for Japan is the land of nails and not

country, sketches of the grandest nails that

even

Spain

and

walked with

this

he would have been the

first

around the old city of Nara

to admit

this

morning.

had he

Here

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE.

114

the temple doors arc positively bestudded with such nails as are in

the truest sense ornaments, Fig. 36.

huge hinge

here sometimes attached to a temple door

with nails having heads from half an inch to an inch and a half

Old Nails from Temple-dooks

36.

t'"i(,.

Naka.

diameter, while every available part of the door itself

cases occupied

With

while thus engaged

know

positively delighted,

that

But here we have not only

And

know

glorious

art student

weeks

;

and

sketch-book

;

yet

companions.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; grand

hinges

besides hinges

with material for in

con-

feel

we have

no town

in the

stud)',

and

world that

much that is interesting in this way be found. are many bell-pulls, knockers, and door-handles,

In Troyes there

some

of can so

which are place,

for

In Nara the old metal-

metal plates and bindings on the doors.

examples to copy,

a drag on

but hinges

nails

hinges two to three feet in length.

work would supply the

heads three and a half inches across.

nails with

these nails

strained to stay and note their forms in

Andermatt on the

interesting.

rich

in art

metal-work

;

and

specimens of hammered -iron

mediaeval times

;

but

Nara you

the riches possessed by the town in

St.

Gothard, for a small

Frankfort on the Main,

still

remain to us

from

are everywhere impressed with its

metal-work.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

We with

now have another

lost in

look at the great temple of Dai-butz,

more we look

vast gates, and the

its

The columns

wonder.

115

the

more we are

we noticed

of the gates, as

yester-

day, are one hundred feet in height by twelve feet in circumference,

while each consists of but one piece of wood, and the building

was erected eleven hundred and thirty-one years year

750

to conceive of

difficult

since, or in the

A.D.

hundred years of wood, and

any building existing

a perfect state, especially

exposed to the atmosphere

here before me, although

it,

when ;

for eleven

formed only

yet such a building

unlike the old treasury, has doubtless

been at times restored.

When

such facts as these are considered

why we

understand

should

seems

now be persuading

difficult to

the Japanese to

and not of wood, especially when

erect buildings of stone

remembered that Japan is a land of earthquakes. What buildcan we show in England which have existed since the

ings

when

eighth century and are yet almost as perfect as

and yet our buildings which

rest

on a

first

built

and not on earth

solid foundation,

constantly rocked by natural convulsions.

Besides

this

Japanese have, by the medium of wood,

the

produced a characteristic and beautiful architecture.

In the great

temple of Shiba we have a development of architecture perhaps equal to anything that has been produced by any people in

Why

age.

then should

lead a nation, which

adopt new methods by which

can only be

made

Moreover, when a nation that has erected

any simple manner, has begun to build invariablj' appears

retain

traditions of the past.

the

to appear small

its

any

in itself great, to ?

habitations in

solid material,

new method of

Thus the Egyptians formed

building the the columns

of their stone-built temples in the form of bundles of Papyrus

reeds

;

centre,

the roofs of

many Chinese

and thus perpetuate

buildings

sway down

the

form the bent pole which formed

the ridge of the original tent- dwelling, while

the walls of the

Alhambra

Granada are mere Arab shawl patterns with borders

complete,

for,

while yet nomads, the Arabs formed their primitive

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

ii6

dwellings of the rich tissues which they wove.

find the

solid building

all

cases, then,

embodying the thought

or idea of

the original abode of the people.

more remarkable instance stone of an earlier method of construction,

But history supplies us with a of the perpetuation for

many

still

of the rock-cut temples of India are simply copies of

works or of a

While

style of

it is

mere copy,

work which had pre-existed

wood.

not desirable that any stone building should be a

either actually or in

spirit,

of a

wooden

structure, a

nation which would produce a noble architecture must erect such buildings as express the sentiments,

and wants of

faith,

its

people,

and the buildings erected must be adapted to the particular conditions of climate, and

result

from a legitimate use of the

We, however, have

material most suited to their erection.

duced

specimens of

work-house architecture

expected to

are

pro-

Tokio, the capital of Japan, one or two of the worst

wrongly and

" ;

and these the natives

In this matter we have acted both Can we show the Japanese how to erect

imitate.

foolishly.

buildings one hundred and

fifty feet

they will withstand the earthquake

high, on small bases, so that

Can we teach them how

raise vast gateways and huge temples in stone so that at the end

of eleven hundred years they will find

Hence

fear not. refrain

gaiety and

life

;

standing?

onh' right that

still

do.

avenue, which we saw

Here we

the deer

night is

such

formed are

see deer running about, and almost as

women offer to sell us little balls we make a purchase and then, at The deer have out of our hands.

Poor

as dogs are with us.

of food, such as the deer call,

last

the noble cryptomerias of which

gigantic indeed.

our

from obtruding our ad\-ice upon a people who know their

own wants better than we We now walked to the

tame

them

cannot help thinking

like,

come and

eat

the free run of the town, and wander wherever the}'

like.

Little

images of these deer are the popular toy of the place, just as the bear

dominant

We now little

visit

in Berne.

a temple for the purpose of purchasing certain

netsukies which are peculiar to the town.

Many

of these

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, are

form of the deer

the

others

grotesques, while

peculiarity consists

their "

clean

their

the

some

are

crawfish, but

lobster

;

being formed by a number of

cuts, the little carving consisting thus of a series of facets

and not of rounded

surfaces.

After our return to the hotel, a

Nara

recumbent posture

represent in

117

fans,

man brought

which we eagerly bought.

old

some

priest

beautiful

from the

temple to which we yesterday gave a small subscription also and, after greeting us with every

mark of

called,

and kindness,

respect

begged our acceptance of some beautiful oranges arranged on a most charming tray.

The

cloth with which the oranges were

covered was a thing to be coveted.

must

oranges

the

common

basket.

certainly It

Presented better

such a manner

than

served

from a

interesting to notice the beautiful objects

which a Japanese, when he wishes to show either

In's

own

wealth,

or respect to another, will bring from a house that appears to

contain nothing but a few domestic utensils.

Mr. Machida

and promised nails,

which

now wished us adieu and a pleasant journej-, get copies made for me of some of the grand old

had to-day seen

The Japanese

in the

temple doors.

own sake and

love antiquities for their

for

the sake of the objects with which they have been associated, and there

much

the Shinto religion which

calculated to stimu-

late this veneration.

My old

;

admiration of the art was mistaken for veneration of the

hence Mr.

Machida, instead of

by getting nails made expense and trouble,

in imitation in

fulfilling

his

engagement,

of those at Nara, went to great

order to procure genuine pieces of old

metal-work from some ancient building of especial interest after

return to England,

from

letter

of language,

my "

heads, used in irons

irons

to "

you."

old

and

friend, I

received a

;

which he says

the quaintest

present two ornamental coverings of nail-

Rashomon and Congoshuin, and twenty-one

proved to be

thus

box with a charming

our great amusement, the literally " old

irons," so

with the exception of one or two only.

But

far I

old

twenty-one old

we could

see,

value them for the

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

sake of the giver, and the day

knowledge present

As we

may

discover in

may

them points of

town

ment

Nara

left

in a

for

;

wayside

inn,

little

for

his

for

bitterly cold,

falling.

on his way from new room has been preThis room is of clean, unvar-

consists

of mattress -like pads, also

and the

slides,

Near one end

with matting.

circulation

top of the room as a

pattern of the lattice

There

this

feet

In this case the

In the garden

peculiarly simple.

four

diameter, which

tops of

provision for the

the slides be closed.

small fish-pond of about

stocked with

rooms there

all

covered with matting.

runs along the

of air should

floor

a raised dais, which

of frieze, intervening between the ceiling and the

the paper slides, for in

rice

to stop

nished pine-wood with the usual paper

sort

to visit

reception a

covered

lattice

was

some time

pared at the back of the house.

simple openwork

The road

where the inevitable eggs and

Mikado

hotel the

Kioto to Nara, and

who

the Mikado,

for

now welcome,

but they were

this

our journe}' we stopped for refresh-

and half melted snow had been

which

interest

Kioto the sky became heavy.

few days.

at a little

appeared

increased

unable to perceive.

was new, having been prepared this

come when, by

yet

well

any of which you may select for your dinner. a charming simplicity about all this. No costly

fish,

preparations have been

made

for

the visit of the emperor, no

elaborately fitted rooms have been prepared, no expensive furniture

purchased. at

little

The Mikado comes wayside

But that room

formed are of the there

inn,

perfect in best,

as one of the people,

its

way

the materials of which

and the workmanship

a look of cleanliness about

which

any country, and impossible Looking at this room and admiring

to equal in

faultless,

would be

it is

while

difficult

to surpass. its

beauty,

our surprise at the simple taste of the Mikado. that the food which he will partake of

that prepared for the guests at the hotel.

that a

and stays

with only one small room as his abode.

we expressed

were told

exactly the same as us

seemed strange

monarch should content himself with such simple surround-

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

and such common

ings,

fare

must have a marked

this

119

but on a people like the Japanese

;

effect.

Farther on the road we find a bridge two hundred and

yards in length, which has been built in twenty-seven

Mikado

to be ready for the

fifty

daj-s, so as

to pass over.

the end of a seven hours' journey

we reach

Kioto, cold and

wearied with the cramped position in which we have been obliged to

sit,

foreigners

make

their

European Hotel, jet it

Mariyama Hotel

at the

home it is

were spread.

the hoods of the jinrikishas

up our abode

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

take

the house at which most

while in Kioto.

It is often called

the

a thoroughly Japanese building, although

possesses tables and chairs, bedsteads and washstands.

After a

semi- English dinner, Mr. Saumarez leaves us to join Sir Harry

Parkes and the other foreign ministers palace, in

morrow

the reader

months

make

order to

in state at

the

a Yashiki, or

Daimio

preparations for their appearance

official

may have

to-

opening of the railway, on which, as

some

gathered, trains have been running for

past.

While

this

hotel

no means small,

b\'

uncomfortabl}-

of visitors, owing to the influx of people desiring to see the

full

ceremony. justified in

have a bed, however, but

saying that

have a bedroom,

for

should scarcely be

bed

a strip

of a room, divided off from another portion which

by six-fold draught-screens, such as we use

own rooms.

our

also occupied

Early the next morning, on pushing aside the window-slides,

was more than surprised

The

spread before me.

wooded

hill,

From

base.

and

at the magnificence of the

faced the plain which extends at

the balcony surrounding the building

slope, while

fir-tree,

looked

its

down

a lovely garden, and a richly-

yonder lay stretched

Here and there rose pagodas of

city.

la}-

hotel stands high on the side of a richly-

my room

on a grand old spreading

wooded

view which

far over the plain a vast

beautiful proportion

elegant shape, while beyond the plain were snow-clad

and

mountains,

mingled with cloud and mist.

As there

looked from

balcony,

a likeness between

could not help feeling that

the lovely view before

me and

that

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

I20

may

which

be obtained behind the Salt Lake City

But while the town case,

of the highest interest

presents but

itself

The

the other.

America.

one

interest in the

little

Lake

Salt

City has a half finished appearance, and consists largely of insig-

wooden houses, while Kioto

nificant

greater

vastly

Both

size.

rounded by mountains

much

same

of the

;

most picturesque and of

however, stand on plains sur-

cities,

both cases the mountains seem to be

and

height,

both cases the city

much

nearer the one side of the plain than the other.

This

day here

a gala

the shops are closed, business

suspended, and the streets are decorated, while people

So dense

crowd the chief thoroughfares.

attire

the railway station, that

holiday

the throng near

compelled to give up the notion of

getting within view of the pageant, and to content myself with

being a general sight-seer. In her Voyage in the Sunbeam,

opening o/ festivities,

this railway.

Lady Brassey speaks

curious that

It is

that, while

we were both almost

of the railway,

each other's foot-

we should never have met during our sojourn

steps,

Finding that

little

was

to be

done

spare time, beyond the sight-seeing,

day

Thomas and Lady

Kobe end

treading

to Osaka,

which

The

two hours.

Kioto

in I

for

moved on

Japan.

which

than

less

forty miles, but the trains in

could

the following

reached after a railway journey of

distance

of the

should see the Kioto

while Mr. and Mrs. Brassey (now Sir

Brassey) were observing those at the

and

Japan

run slowly.

Osaka towns

and

probably the most important of the manufacturing

in the country.

has, for this

there

very

rather regard

Here

reason, been

little it

take up

It is intersected in all directions

called

Amsterdam than

abode

Yet

the Venice of Japan.

likeness between the two places, and

as the

canals,

should

the Venice of the country.

at the Jiyutei Hotel, in

the quarter of

the town called Kawakuchi, a building two stories in height, and called

the

European house

are furnished floor

much

like the

;

but although the rooms upstairs

Mariyama Hotel

without furniture, as

i,s

customary

at Kioto, the

ground-

Japanese houses.

ART.

AXD ART MAXUFACTURES. of Osaka

The manufactures bamboo-work is made and lattice wood-work

and

here,

are

121

many kinds. many sorts,

Much pierced

also toys of

(Fig. 37), vase-stands

and cabinets

hard

Fig. 37.

wood,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;P.\RT OF A Window.

those of China, tea-trays, bronze

many

kettles, carved lac -work, and

and white

metal

other things.

After studying the manufactures of Osaka for about ten days, I

left

jinrikisha

Wakayama,

for

the chief town

of the

province of Kishiu, distant about forty-two English miles. start

A.M.,

and

two hours (twelve miles) reach Sakai,

one of the two towns of Japan

visit

a temple reached

without them

would be impossible to cross

Carpets were formerly

made by

it is

it,

and

even with the

furnished.

the Prince of Hiezen, but this private manufacture

ceased at the time of the revolution in with.

Here

to be cut for the feet to rest in,

help of the handrail with which '

which carpets are made.'

a bridge, the road over which

b}-

convex that notches have

868, as the Daimio system wis then done away

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

122

Soon

after leaving

a distance of four or

Sakai wc approached the sea, and saw, at miles, a glorious

five

range of mountains,

which must cither be an island or a promontory. about the same distance,

go through a

left,

not unlike that of Linton

defile,

Devon, and following a stream a scene which

its

background

upon the

and lakes

are

North

when

Here a

view.

like silver mirrors

green surface, has a range of snow-clad mountains as ;

and yonder a

little

turn to

to its source, cross the ridge,

truly wonderful bursts

vast plain, having rivers traversing

breaking

In thirty miles

left,

another mountain chain, and

running towards the end of this ridge. the

our

its

We now

village nestles beneath us.

begin a rapid, zigzag descent by following a sort of Saint Gothard

The moon

road on a small scale, and reach the plain at twilight. is

new, but

its

entire circle

clouds flecking

There

it,

and the

stars

the sky has a few

come out with

Our road

for the

common.

next mile

lies

across a vast river-bed, con-

sand and innumerable boulders

form mighty torrents.

other time

of the year

become contracted the river-beds,

these

fall,

there

or, in

some

but

across the stream at the

;

dry up.

suit,

the

any

gradually

;

In the middle

we have been most

This carries us and owx five jinrikisltas

same

indeed

time.

In this valley the cold seems

never before

felt

cold at

seems almost to stop the action of the

thick tweed

rain

which we cross by means

to the river,

preparation for a thoroughly cold drive,

silk

little

rapidly-running rivers

cases, entirely

we come

of a flat-bottomed boat.

almost unbearable

the late

and, collecting in

of this strange, stony valley, over which

such valleys are

to small streams, which flow in the centres of

unmercifully jolted,

ing

During the rainy season (which occurs

spring time) vast quantities of water valleys,

fleecy

little

great brilliancy.

a fine "afterglow," but this beautiful light soon passes away.

sisting of a little

here

visible,

all

approachYet, in

heart.

had dressed myself

dressing-gown, and a very stout topcoat, while over

had a large wadded possum skin

But with

in a

wadded

thick underclothing, a flannel over-shirt, a

knees

had one of our coolies a blanket which he was not to borrow from using to wrap my head in. I

rug.

all this

ART, At

little

AND ART MANUFACTURES. we reach Wakayama.

eight

before

123

Here

excellent Japanese hotel, where, after a good meal, in part Japanese

and

write

have already spoken

in part English, I

difficulty of difficulty, in

keeping

warm

this failed to

vails in this part of

underclothing, wear

to take with to

have now overcome the

;

my wadded in

good

friend

while travelling a

night-dress.

as a

terrible cold

which now preretain mj' thick

dressing-gown, and

then wrap

the fur rug.

to keep out the cold.

wear

was obliged to

keep out the

Japan

myself round and round

manage

Japanese beds and of the

the

them, but

wadded dressing-gown and

But even

and go to bed.

most cases, through a suggestion of

Saumarez, who advised thick

diarj'

these

means

just

— JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

124

CHAPTER The Japanese Calendar zan

— Splendour

Return to Osaka

To-DAV

— Wakayama — Japanese cold and Japanese vegetation — Koya— Sakai — News of Satsuma

of shrines and of scenery

— Feast of the god of

being the

Japan according

revolt in

riches.

February

15th of

to the old Calendar.

The

New

Year's

system of dates was only adopted a short time since

now keep both

Most of the shops

days.

;

is,

according

Japanese

beginning of their empire.

Wakayama

2537, from

strange that there like a

Sabbath

has

the

never

;

far this

proclamation has affected only the Government

shops are open and business

for

chronology,

have

This year,

Japan until year, when one was proclaimed by the Government but thus

been, as far as last

known, anything

hence some

been closed to-day, and general holiday has been kept. 1S77,

Day

Julian year and our

transacted on

all

officials,

days of

the year, save on the great holidays and on the feast days of

th.eir

favourite gods.

Under

the

arose, for the

any

old

system of recording time

many

difficulties

same year was constantly recurring, and to specify had to be made to the reigning

particular year reference

Mikado

as well as to the

name

of the year

;

and, curiously, the

hours of the day bore the same names as the years

The Japanese

a cycle.

day, however, from midnight to midnight, was only

divided into twelve hours, each as long as two of ours.

Their

clock also differed essentially from ours, time being here marked

a small horizontal hand, which slid

that of our thermometers.

down

a scale, resembling

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ART, The names to

which

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

125

of the years in a cycle and the hours in the day,

latter are

Ne, mouse

added the hours of our time indicated, are

JAPAN.- ITS ARCHITECTURE,

126

here and there a pahn-trce

experienced It is

morning

a sheltered spot, while the cold

sometimes almost Polar.

very cold, and

the sky

;

ice is

almost cloudless, but the weather

we perform our

everywhere, yet

ablutions

on the open balcony.

Our a

business to-day

to see the lacquer manufactures at

town ten miles distant called

little

Estuaiy

village,

The

medium

wares here made are cheap and of

lacquer

Some have

quality.

Kuroye-mura, or Black

which we reach about mid-day. patterns given to

them by

This

scratching.

work is, however, very inferior to that formerly made in the dominion of the Prince of Kaga. Since the overthrow of the

scraffito

baronial system that beautiful manufacture, in

and the

ceased,

inferior

unimportant places, I

the

work of

is all

that replaces

so far as

it,

European that has ever

first

better form, has

its

and of a few other

this village

know.

this town,

visited

and

the whole of the inhabitants turn out to see the wild beast.

Awaji the excitement caused by the appearance of the foreigner was indeed great

but here

two policemen

join

us at

Wakayama

Kuroye-Mura

are certainly useful in clearing our

way back we saw one

our

knows no bounds.

has accompanied us from

official

They

;

for

Government

for the

safety,

way through

the crowd.

of the thirty-three Japanese

temples of note belonging to a particular sect of Buddhists.^ stands high on a mountain-side, and

The

steps.

building in itself

splendid camphor- wood tree

mountain, plain, bay,

sea,

and

same purpose.

reached by three hundred

not very remarkable, but the

front

islands,

which

it,

and

the view

commands

are

lovely than words can express.

beginning

the

descent

utterly

felt

terrified

the

appearance of the steps by which we had reached the temple, although accustomed to heights three

the

hundred steep steps

same

size, is

This

is '

something

;

for a

staircase

an unbroken

line,

consisting of all

of exactly

fearful to look upon.

no peculiarity of the temple of Kimee-Tera.

The

great temple of

AsaUusa

Tokio

one of

tlie tliirty-tliree.

Many

ART, temples

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

Japan stand on rocky eminences, or wooded

high above the road, and almost

and beautiful

On I

situations.

our return to

Wakayama

preferred to

go and see

round the town, where

strolled

but hearing that a pottery

;

which the well-known Kishiu ware

away

slopes,

temples have commanding

all

found large cabinet manufactories

127

it.

made

only two miles

the manufactures

shall

have to speak hereafter.

for

the hotel

inspection

found specimens of the native industries sent

what we might describe

these are

Amongst

by order of the governor of the town.

as cotton flannels both plain

and

chequered, bed-tickings, a kind of arrowroot, Japanese isinglass, preserved oranges,

and tanned

manufacture resulting

European

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

new and

first

by the natives the which a

time,

Hand

saw the

of Buddha."

series of finger-like

fingered orange," called

This

a peculiar variety

members protrude from the upper Apart

parts of the fruit to the length of three or four inches.

from

smal"

from the introduction of the beef-eating

into the countr}'.

Here, for the

hides

o.x

strange

this

variation

form

differs

little

from the

ordinary orange.

Our next excursion was terest in

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

to a city of the greatest possible in-

a city consisting almost wholly of temples, and nestling

a slight depression on the summit of a vast mountain.

Koya-Zan

city, called

only by a long day's road by 7.1

;

a.m.

Our way

This

High Field Mountain, can be reached work we were therefore actually on our

for the first

few miles lay

but instead of leaving the river as

in the direction of

we should do

town we followed the bank of the stream

for

Osaka

to regain

;

this

twenty-seven or

twenty-eight miles, crossing and re-crossing the water from time

to time.

were now at the small town of Miozi-Mura, where

we were told that we must take kagos, as jinrikishas cannot proceed farther. prepared five

;

here have

tiffin

but after an hour's delay

while the kagos are being

are told

go four or

miles farther and then get them, and that jinrikishas can go

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

.28

though with

on,

little

difficulty.

but soon find our carriages

start,

wc run

use: the road, or bank, on which

narrower than

we walk. Kamuro-Mura may be

the vehicles, so they are carried, while

The kagos described.

supplied

Each has

raised rim suspended

wood about twelve three inches in

thus

a circular disc of basket-work with a slightly

by four ropes from the centre of a pole of

feet

length, six or eight inches deep, and

E.xtending from the centre of this

thickness.

pole to the right and

left is

little roof,

while a board ascends as

a back rest from the basket to the hindmost part of the canopy.

take a seat

a much more difficult matter The Japanese are chiefly small men

in this vehicle is

than might be supposed.

;

and through being accustomed to squat on the infancy their joints have a pliability

companions double themselves up perfectly happy.

feet will

After

hang

out,

many

and

efforts

from being cut by the raised edge of

two of

suffice for

mine

and appear only

partial.

legs,

and save them

seat.

to carry the burly foreigner, while

each of the other members of the party

;

thus one

always resting while two are at work.

now

enormous

Hence

to ours.

success

earliest

obliged to get the coolies to

form two stirrups of string to support

Three men are engaged

from

into a sort of ball

unknown

floor

start

pole,

man

on our march, a

bearing each end of the

from the centre of which the scale-like contrivance

depends with one of us seated

it.

The men walk

steadily and

with firm step, stopping to rest about once every hundred yards

man

but when about to stop each

places under his

pole a strong stick which he carries for this purpose.

stoppage one of

my men

am, the

so tired

from the exertions of the

asleep.

When we

hill

started

on the right bank of the

me up

At every

released, the spare coolie taking his

Uncomfortable though

place.

;

end of the

air

so cold, and

last {z\v days, that I

.soon fall

we were ascending a high and how the poor men carried

the kago river,

Yet they talked and laughed as though simply amusing themselves. When I awake in about they were I

do not know.

half an hour the scene

iJL

simply wonderful.

are on a

little

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

down some

path skirting a mountain slope, and feet

beneath

little

village

us,

wrapped

dell, nestles

palm-trees and bamboos.

the village in

hundred

fifteen

a strange and most precipitous

129

hollow we descend, and here every

this

house appears to be engaged in the manufacture of paper, for the boards on which

dried lean against every wall.

now begin the ascent of a much higher hill than that we have just passed. The path soon becomes so that I get out and walk. The peeps into the valleys deep

over which steep

down below numerous

views of mountain peaks, which are here as

us, the

the trees in a forest, and the river that

repeatedly crossed winding vast stony bed,

its

Sometimes we look down a defile that seems bottomless,

between the trunks of trees into while

around are crj^ptomerias of huge proportions.

all

we have

the centre of

never forget.

shall

way through

tortuous

its

now

gain the edge of another picturesque valley, at the

other side of which

a village, which

mountain and making but a

reach by skirting a

This

slight descent.

the village of

Kamiya-tsuji, and as there are no hotels in the sacred city to which

we should have been

are journeying,

for the night

obliged to remain here

had not the governor of the province

despatched a policeman to give notice of our preparation might be

my kago

once again, but

becomes perfectly

;

our sojourn

for

fearful

than

less

fifteen

arrival,

the city.

so that

now

try

minutes the ascent

again alight, to the great joy of

coolies.

This mountain for,

made

goodness

in his

while

differs

much from any

towers to a great height,

with immense timber trees to

its

that is

have before seen,

most richly covered

very summit.

Here are

also

great vine-like stems, rising from the ground to the lower branches

of the trees, and then in a hundred festoons leaping from to

bow,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

a thoroughly tropical habit.

Westeria-creeper plant

its

here thoroughlj' tropical,

which at

this height cover the

The snow

gets

native abodes

;

told that this

bow the

yet while in growth this

are getting to ice

and snow,

ground to a considerable thickness.

slippery, the path

steep, the ravines

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

130

deeper,

have

they surpass anything that

till

looked down to such a depth between immense trunks of

trees as

now

do.

The bottoms of

feet, fill

pushes

my mouth

snow, and stars of

from behind.

thirst

with snow.

toil,

exceeding brightness above our

left

woman had

so steep that

so great that

us,

we reach

more a few

the top.

a small temple, and on the right a Dai-butz.

years,

and

until the revolution of ten

Harry Parkes being one of the

are

city,

set foot

and but few all cities.

sacred

this

soil.

Sir

five.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and

now met by two more policemen,

private (the one with us

years back,

For ten centuries no female

passed this spot.

Englishman that has

fifth

gladly

views,

foreigners have yet visited this most remarkable of

the

moon and

more lovely

had entered the hallowed precincts of the sacred

so a coolie, having straw sandals on his

;

the late twilight, with the crescent

For a thousand no

plumous vegeta-

rich

its

The path now becomes

towers far above.

can scarcely climb

many hundreds

valleys are

of feet below us, yet the mountain, with tion,

Never

have before seen.

a corporal),

a sergeant

and a

a priest, and, by

the lights of lanterns, are conducted to a great Buddhist temple,

where we are to lodge It

up our abode or at

for the night.

must not be supposed that

its

in the sacred

edifice

lodging itself.

a temple

Around

back, yet immediately connected with

it,

we take

the building, are arranged

living-rooms, which are to the Buddhist priest what the parsonage-

house

The

to an English clergyman.

living

The ceilings woodwork of

rooms placed

our service are most charming.

are in square panels of plain, clean wood, and the

the walls

also without paint or varnish.

The

slides

forming the partitions between adjacent rooms have landscapes

drawn upon them in a heavy horizontal clouds in

solid

beautiful,

though conventional manner

;

cross the mountains, but these clouds are

gold, with a raised outline

and diaper-work upon them,

the diaper and the outline being rendered visible only through their surface being raised

excellent meal

above that of the ground.

now

prepared, but no eggs, no

fish,

and

ART,

may

no meat

has, however,

One

be sold on the mountain.

131

profane policeman

brought with him ten eggs, of which he gives

Being exceedingly hungry,

four.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

eat without scruple, enjoying

meal, and drinking freely of the hot Japanese tea.

Although everything European

Japanese,

so pure, so clean, and

influence

thoroughly

invaded

nevertheless,

has,

precincts of this city of temples, for in the late evening a paraffin

lamp of the

brought to me.

felt

wretched specimen of

common

make was

and commonest

form

ugliest

the

that the place was desecrated

Brumagem

art

by this and apart from the question

;

of taste, the danger of introducing paraffin into such an inflam-

mable building as a Japanese house

very great.

the town of Koya-zan, a town consisting chiefly of

temples, of which four hundred and forty tain,

now

exist on the

moun-

while formerly a thousand such buildings nestled amidst the

which here surrounds

rich foliage

In the town there arc one

us.

hundred and ninet\--nine houses and shops not connected with the temples, and the population

whom

three hundred

one thousand and ninety-five, of

and eighty-five are

Here

priests.

the

largest university for the rearing of priests in Japan.

February

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; By

seven

are

astir,

and by eight have

breakfasted, and are ready to see the temples. bitterly cold,

my this

and the night has been intensely

bed was the largest Hibachi that

The morning

have yet seen

contained a pile of glowing charcoal, such as

seen before in this countr}-. towel,

which

Yet,

had spread beside

when it

the town.

awoke

to dry,

buckram, while a bottle of water near

With

little

shops, where

in I

Japan, and

have never

the morning a

was frozen as

head was

the chief priest of the temple as guide,

Passing the

Placed near

so.

stiff as

solid ice.

started to see

purchased a few old

and interesting things, and trudging through the snow, under the

shadow of cryptomeria

trees a hundred and fifty feet in height, we entered a vast grove where gigantic coniferous trees spanning the roadway and meeting together form one vast cathedral nave,

under which monuments to ten thousand of the great dead find shelter.

JAPAN: ITS ARCIIITECTURE,

â&#x20AC;˘32

magnificent beyond

Under the richest of foliage are arranged thousands of monuments, from ten to twenty feet in height. All the larger monuments are similar in form, and are made of the same number of stones. The topThis grove

most stone

description.

all

of the form of an onion, the next of a cup, the

third

square and has four ear- like corners, the

fourth

a compressed sphere, the

Then comes ing,

and a slab or

(Fig. 38).

plinth,

^TTTTTTntv.

IN THE Sacred Grove at koya-

hambra

sons,

;

and here and there

These shrines are as

richly orna-

elaborately coloured

as the Al-

at Granada.

All of thesc erected

mouuments and

relatives

slirmes have been

or friends of deceased per-

and the larger structures commemorate almost exclusiveh-

great

warriors.

little

boy runs before the

priest,

and

singing voice cries out the names of the chief celebrities to

monuments have been erected. We saw the first monument here

the

rests

shrine of superb architecture gives variety

little

mented and

38.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Monument

FiG.

cube.

There are hundreds of these monuments

to the scene.

on which the whole

at either side of the grove

fifth

the base, consisting of a lotus mould-

raised,

whom

having being built

during the lifetime of the founder of this grove, Kobo-Daishi,

who

died A.D. 843.

see

the grove

snow, several inches trees

;

depth

very charming.

is ;

the sun

just peeping through the

white masses of the crystallised water, like so

doves, keep falling from the branches

the ground

high above

many us,

spotless

while the

thousands of monuments, and the richly coloured shrines, make up a scene altogether indescribable. Traversing the grove for about a mile, and crossing one or

two streams, which are spanned by bridges, we come to a temple directly facing us, and which, with its associated buildings, terminates the grove.

This temple

the Toro-do.

Into this temple

look, but are not permitted to enter.

About

hundred lamps arc burning

it,

and the

priests are

ART, engaged

melting the frozen

over charcoal

oil

133

order to

fires, in

lamps, and replenish those already burning.

kindle

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

our

eye becomes more accustomed to the dim light of the sacred edifice

see that

filled

with lanterns

somewhat

indeed, stands

;

resembling those used at our railway stations for the lamps of the train are

crowded together, and while each of these contains three

numerous

layers of lamps, the stands are so fill

as almost entirely to

the temple.

Our

now informs

priest-guide

us that there are eight thousand

of these lamps in the building, that on ordinary days about one

hundred and fifteen

kept burning, that on feast-days about

are

fifty

hundred are

lit,

on the

while

26th day of April

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the

anniversary of the death of the founder of the grove, and of that sect of Buddhists to

which

the temples on this

all

nearly the whole eight thousand are

with smoke and greasy with

on our

of earth with stone

see

monuments

of great simplicity

here be noted, that while the

Shogun found his resting-place Mikado was always a

a magnificent tomb, the grave of the

simple is

black

These are the monuments of Mikados, and

crowning them.

may

The temple

face the temple

a small piece of enclosed ground, containing a few

left

mounds

plain

lit.

As we

oil.

belong,â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

hill

mound

of earth

not a cemetery.

;

but no one

buried in this grove, for

simply a vast collection of monuments

raised to the illustrious dead.

Behind

this

temple, which

building almost hidden by trees.

wood, and has on

its

here

man.

This

ball

a small built

which repre-

the shrine of the founder,

died one thousand and forty-four years prior to

visit,

and

poor coolies who dragged our jinrikishas from Kamuro-Mura performing their devotions. Although

the

see

Wakayama

thatched, and

summit that onion-shaped

sents the soul, or spirit, of

who

so rich in lanterns,

they had dragged us twenty-five miles, they follow us throughout the remainder of our journey (twelve miles) and climb this great

mountain as though they were actually

We to a

now

need of exercise.

return through the grove, and, passing the shops,

pagoda of peculiar construction.

Near

is.

come

a temple, differ-

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

134

ing widely from that at the end of the grove, for (it

was

years

eighteen

built

This

beautifully decorated.

now

visit

by three

received

nearly

new is

the Gokoo-Shio.

another temple near at hand, where we are

who show

priests,

These consist

edifice.

exceedingly clean, and

since), is

us the treasures of the sacred

chiefly of swords, but

there

much

prized manuscript by the founder of the grove, one tliousand and fifty

years old, and yet

excellent preservation, and a manuscript

by a Mikado who reigned some temple

the

which

these

centuries

since.

antiquities

rare

The name

preserved

are

Kongoho-Zi. Visiting a house containing a thousand gods,

drawings of their favourite

bought two

a piece of blessed rice cake,

divinities,

and two pieces of a kind of moss that

said never to die.

After continuing our round as long as time will permit, return to our temple, and are not a

pared

for

which

this

Our

us.

host

tells

that

mountain belongs forbids

to eat beast, bird,

fish,

or eggs.

neither create nor destroy

Upon

little

the sect of Buddhists to

its priests

Thus

to marr}^

and also

supposed that they

life.

thinking matters over,

a loss to understand

where the four hundred and forty temples which are said to on

this

mountain-top are

the four hundred

Through each ings,

and

understand

vista in the

this

be necessary

;

have seen some twenty or

odd have not come within

of these,

all

;

\vc

glad to find a meal pre-

wood

see, indeed,

told, are

temples.

thirty,

rest

but

observation.

the roofs of build-

But

order to

mysterious city properly a sojourn of weeks would

and even then but

little

would be known of the

innumerable shrines, monuments, and temples which make up

Koya-Zan. In the midst of fast-falling snow journey.

The

priest brings

start

on our return

us to the end of the buildings, and a

policeman sees us to that Dai-butz which marks the entrance of the town.

None

of us enter our kagos, for the road

and the path so slippery that we are

Soon

so steep

afraid to be carried.

boots become as slippery as the ice-covered ground

ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, AiYD on which to get

Two

tread.

come

coolies

135

and

help,

manage

on only by putting an arm round the neck of each.

Seeing that the Japanese can walk sandals,

ask the coolies to

have a stock in reserve

boot

straw

their

they

soles, as

but as no amount of tying secures them

;

forced to take off

in this position

native shoe.

find that

safety in

a pair on

tie

can

boots and adopt the

now walk with

ease.

goes

all

melting. till wc reach a warm hollow in which the snow is Here the discomfort reaches its acme, as I might as well be wading through iced water with naked feet as walking in sludge with well

simple sandals on.

continue our journey along the winding path and

such descents as

never remember

wear neither topcoat nor

snow Never did

now

ostrich feathers

the

are almost melting with heat.

Trees bending over with snow, palm-trees

strangest

bamboos

of aspects,

down

while

;

down

Switzerland.

more weird and grand than those which

see effects

before us.

presenting the

ourselves from

hat, sheltering

with a native umbrella, yet

are

seeing, even

yonder, far beneath

huge white

us, is

a dimly-

drawn distance which might belong to another world, as

has no

features familiar to us in this.

We cold,

night

journey on, and

The evening

becomes dark.

hence we are not sorry to reach the to be spent

The

as usual.

my room

hotel in which

certainly

there

little

and to have a meal, though

little

comfortable, and of

bitterly

town where the consists of eggs

are lodged

clean and

well ventilated, for around the top

an open-work frieze of eight inches in depth

Snow and ice without communicating directly with the open air. and no fire within, while the wind courses through the chamber just as

do not add to comfort

pleases,

dressing-gown and

from the

rug,

sleep soundly

are on our road.

them

and

yet,

wrapped

and

suffer

no harm

early and

by seven

cold.

have a long day before

get

;

on,

keep

hence

feet

us,

boots are so

damp

rise

that

impossible to

resolve to try Japanese socks and

dry and well wrapped

in fur

;

but

sandals,

how

vain

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

136

are man's hopes

have not got two miles on the road when

the path becomes narrower than the vehicle

hence

;

trudge through the snow, while the jinrikisha road

Reeds

us.

ground, and

feet

at the side of this elevated path look like solid

many

parts the path

but

Throughout the whole of

the jinrikisha. there

Our

carried

along a path, skirting a river often forty to sixty

lies

below

have to

broader than

little

our ride

this portion of

constant excitement, for the danger of our slipping over

the precipice

not slight, and once

was saved only by making

my men

a sudden lurch in the opposite direction, while

gave a

sudden bounce.

A is

you is

cold bath

not pleasant at this season of the year, and

when

likely to be peculiarly distasteful

the carriage accompanies

your descent, and the water which you reach

forty feet

but one foot deep.

The road

gets

but the snow gets

better,

eleven o'clock half our journey

the sun shines

fitfully,

The snow becomes

now go

find

we had been making, with

to the

streets

beads

(the

glass

—

Government House a building of great and see samples of the manufac-

—

which have been collected here

There are cotton

inspection.

a crude

for

crapes, earthen vessels,

fabrics, silk

being

state,

imported from

Europe), with other things, but nothing that strikes

as specially

European wants.

Bidding adieu to the governor, we

visit

first

manufactory, a very small establishment, carried

fall,

sludgy, then less in quantity, and

tures of the province,

suited to

b}-

still

hail.

beauty, and formerly a temple

glass

;

ceases to

were an August day.

if it

thicker

The snow

over.

and then come showers of cutting

Sakai, the town for which

dry as

in the

most simple and rude manner

shops which here abound

—

for

Sakai

the chief carpet

which weaving ;

then the cutlery

the seat of the steel

manufactures of Japan,— and afterwards a potteiy, where only coarse wares are made.

were just going to take our seats

Mr. Sakata,

whom we

had missed

for

our jinrikLshas, when

some time

past,

came

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, excitedly with

news that a revokition had broken out

the

an army was on

Satsiima, and that

Sakata himself

rebellion.'

137

its

way

thither to quell the

from the south.

start,

however,

for

Osaka, and after a pleasant run reach our old hotel, where

glad to find a comfortable European bed awaiting me.

The next two days

are spent in Osaka, with the exception of

a few hours devoted to visiting a pottery near Hiogo, where Kishiu

ware

made.

several provinces,

that

may

now

learn that the insurrection has spread

and Mr. Saumarez writes from Tokio

to say

be serious, as most of the army consists of Satsuma

men.

The weather now two days

since, for

Yonder, however,

and

I fear

winter

that were all

visiting the at

gloriously fine, and as

pottery,

as spring.

we on

the higher ground,

Upon

we found

to pass

we should

still

find

from Kobe, after

our return

that to leave the railway station

between two rows of policemen.

excitement was caused by one of our party being seized, but

he was allowed to join us again,

after explanation

he was accused of being a Satsuma man, and this

warm

the distance are the snow-clad mountains,

severity.

its

Osaka we had

little

presents a striking contrast with that

all

province unless in Government employ, being

insurgents, are cast into prison It is a feast-day

till

tranquillity

of one of the gods of riches

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the fact

is,

the natives of

regarded

restored.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the god Yebisu

receiving homage, and both here, at stations on the road, and

Kobe, hundreds of people are out '

holiday attire worshipping

This rebellion ultimately became very serious, ami

route in Japan.

The

rebellion of

1868 A.D. which ended

materially circumscribetl

in the

overthrow of the Shogun

and the restoration of the Mikado, was headed by General Saigo, who, being victorious, was ultimately made the Commander-in-Chief of the Mikado's troops. This General

who

became a general in the royal army, and it is at the commencement of this work. The senior Saigo has now himself become the arch-rebel, and is warring against the powers The younger brother has recently been made Commander-inwhich he himself set up. chief of the royal troops, hence we have the strange spectacle of two brothers heading After months of warfare the rebellion was ended by the Royalists contending armies. proving victorious, and the rebel chief committing hara-kiri. Tlie younger brother is now the Japanese Minister of War, but those who are interested in this matter should read that admirable book, T/ie Saisiima Rebellion, by Mounsey. Saigo had a younger brother

this

brother of

whom

also

have so often spoken

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

138

Ycbisu

their god.

one of the seven gods of

with one leg up and one down, (the red tai)

under

arm, and

his left

Near the temples where stalls,

where you may purchase on

sits

fish

fond of sachi.

worshipped are numerous

his feast-day, toy fishes of red

This god and another, Daikoku, seem

colour and sachi tubs.

may

always associated, and they

Charms

of small images.

god

this

plcnt}-.

ahvays laughing, has a

both be purchased

the form

are sold on this feast day, each bundle

of which contains a piece of gold paper (supposed to be an old gold coin), a model ingot of

bag of

ingots, a

silver,

bags for money, a large bag

hammer

an account-book, a

rice,

for

hammer

(the

of the god Daikoku), a key of a warehouse, a measure of quantity,

This bunch secures

a pair of scales, and ribbon-like streamers.

good luck

to the possessor,

and

in its

may

simplest form

be pro-

cured for one halfpenn)'.

The seven gods described in

;

one hand, and

with his

who

of riches are, Yebisu'

— Daikoku, who also

hammer money

on two

sits

whom

have already

hammer

rice bags, holds a

always laughing

;

this

appears wherever the blow

god

falls

;

strikes

—

Hotel,

who sits beside a Jiuro, who has a very

has a very large stomach, large ears, and

very large bag containing valuable things

high forehead,

;

—

very old, has a long beard, holds a staff

hand (generally a deer

gets riches through his

his

represented as following this god), and

wisdom

;

—

Ben-ten, a goddess,

musical instrument and snakes following her

;

who

— Bishiamon,

has a

who

by conquest, has a spear, and bears a hand and Fukuroku, who wears a cap

wears armour and gets rich small pagoda in his

left

;

resembling that of our brewers' men, with the top falling over,

and has a beard, but his wealth.

The

to every one

Osaka

cannot learn

Japan

how

this

gentleman acquires

three and the female appear to be

first ;

known

but the latter three are not well known.

rich in temples,

some of which

are most elaborately

and beautifully carved.

One pagoda and temple

special note, as even the

under surfaces of the over-hanging roofs

are most richly modelled and coloured. '

ir.iiiy

one laughs inordinately

are worthy of

But a description of the

said that he laughs like Vebisu.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

numerous temples of beautiful is

city

this

though some of them

Here

of an

visit

chanting

English pleasure

wood

a priest with two thick shavings of

in a belfry is

hand, each being beautifully cut, and about ten inches in

his

length by one inch and a half in breadth

name in

In one that

going on and music which reminds

fair.

only appear monotonous,

could

are.

139

Behind the

of a dead child.

the chant, and

Around

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

they

who have

written the

two women joining

lost their infant children.

the interior of this belfrj- runs a small gallery, the

lattice railing

children

on each

;

priest are

of which

is literally

covered with the belongings of

and on the

frocks, hats, sandals, dolls, etc.,

floor of the

These have all belonged to many similar things. children now dead, and have been brought by the mothers to this The chant being over, the priest strikes the great sacred spot. are

edifice

times with a heavy rope which dangles by

bell three

causes

to give forth its

pit

take to a sunken

some twelve

feet

tank situated

long by eight

The tank

always running.

filled

which seems to be climbing over water the

women

side

then gives

These shavings the in

the

bottom of a

width; into which water

from the mouth of a tortoise its

edge.

Into this running

bamboo bowls and handles

of great length.

once these shavings are free and are immersed

water, the mothers

and

introduce these shavings by placing them in

ladles with cylindrical

When

grand booming sound.

the shavings to the mothers, one to each.

women

its

seem perfectly

satisfied

;

the utmost complacency for a few brief

moments and

happy, having, as they think) done

that they can for the

all

the

they watch them with

home

return

little

departed ones.

There

particular

stands in front of consists of

Here

kind of gateway called

Shinto, and

many

They

are

counted a

which

top,

and a tie-beam.

are hundreds in the grounds of one temple all

Fox, and arranged

painted red, as the temple in

groups without order.

hundred of these curious

temple, which, like so

torii,

Buddhist, temples, which

two uprights, a cross-piece on the

Osaka there

(Fig. 39).

to the

all

many

Japan,

structures.

dedicated

In one group

From

this

on high ground, a view

JAPAN: ITS ARCTITTECTURE,

[40

of the town, surrounding countr\', and ba}' can be got, which, under

the effects of sunset as

At 8.30 we

saw

it,

was most splendid and charming.

leave for Kioto, where

find

two long rows of

policemen guarding the exit from the railway station, each with

Fig. 39-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Temple

Showing a few of the Torri in the Temple Grounds. in Osaka. Here the Fox is worshipped as the God of Agriculture.

The

a paper lantern.

each of

calls

escort

by name.

communicated our coming as

one, reading from a scroll of paper,

first

lest

The Governor

Osaka has

any of the party should be arrested

Satsuma men. I

now begin

danger during

wonder whether

journeyings, and

have been exposed to

whether the police escort

which has accompanied us from town to town has been needed for

our safety.

Thus

far

had looked on them

obtrusive adjunct to the part)', but after

safety

all it

may

rather an

be regard for

which has induced the authorities to act as they have take up

quarters at a tea-house called

done.

on the

plain, thus saving the

hotel on the

hill.

fatiguing ascent to the

Nakamura,

Mariyama

— AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

CHAPTER Temple of Kioto

—Japanese

Lacquer-work gaura

— Value

days at

temples

Kioto

the least,

VI.

— Picnics — Honest workmanship — Tea-drinking ceremony— Otsu — Futami-

estimate of Christianity of Corcan ware

— Kaniiji-yama.

see

141

tiic

most cursory manner ten

would be needed.

told,

visit

first

temple called Kiyomidsu, beautifully situated above the Marij'ama hotel.

one of the thirty-three temples of which we have

Leaving the temple, we proceed along the

already spoken.

to a Buddhist cemetery

—

hill

All the tombs, which are

Nishi-otani.

very closely packed together, are pyramids of stones, the only

any being that the top stone of the

variation in

times a mere cube with a

domed

top,

pile

some-

sometimes a cube with a

square mushroom-like cap, and sometiines a cube with panelled sides. I

told that poor persons

when dead

are placed

a bo.x

a sitting posture, and are carried to the grave in a kago, while

the rich

lie in

person here field,

by a

a coffin

roadside, or under a tree

ground

that he purchase the

ing a lovely prospect

now come

and thence

and are dragged

to a

a kind of horse-car.

Japan can be buried wherever he pleases

that

for his sepulture.

site

commandobject,

the head and shoulders of an

are covered with gold paper, but as every join

whole

needed being

gateway of Otani, a beautiful which

enormous Dai-butz, formed of planks of wood. visible, the

generally preferred.

to the

temple

;

all

—

effect is so coarse as to

These planks in

the

wood

be almost horrid.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

142

we saw

After this

form ahnost exactly

which

zan.

When

monument " resembles the monuments "

Corean

the

ear

(Fig. 40),

of Koya-

the Japanese went to battle in former days,

customary

them

for

was, however, found too

;

was

back the heads of

bring

the slain as trophies

great a task to bring back the heads of those slain at the conquest of Corea,

secured as

hence the ears only were

had

After these

trophies.

Next we Fig.

monu-

stands.

see the Sanji-sanken-do or temple of

This temple

thirty-three divisions.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; CoKEAN

40.

'Ear

monument

ex-

mound, on

hibited in Japan, they were buried in a

the top of which this

been

and two yards

length,

one hundred

divided into thirty-

..lENT."

three

absolutely

spaces

pillars,

with life-size figures.

filled

hence It

name, and

its

popularly believed

there are in this temple thirty-three thousand three hundred

that

and thirty-three

but

idols,

Some

and one.

are only a thousand

reality there

of the idols, however, have forty hands

;

others

have nimbi on which small figures occur, and some are sheltered

by canopies crowded with

little

Hence

deities.

although erroneously, that the larger number

These

figures are arranged

rising gallery,

These

and

lines are,

all

supposed,

reached.

straight rows on

a gradually

face one of the long sides of the temple.

however, broken

in the centre

by a Dai-butz, and

twenty-eight figures, which arc of special interest, as they are a

thousand years

old,

and were brought from Nara.

front

these stands an idol with a nimbus and a vesica piscis on which

There

are a thousand small gods, each with a nimbus.

popular belief that the ridge of this temple-roof piece of in

it,

wood

(willow),

and that the whole of the

save those from Nara, were

also a

formed of one idols contained

made from branches

of the same

tree.

now saw

the largest pagoda

Japan, the Tozi-no-to, or

that connected with the temple of Toki. portions, but

on the pagoda

It is

of splendid pro-

without any of that rich carving which we observed at

Osaka.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, At

we see people, both old and young, bamboo on which the name of the temple is

the temple of Tozi

with slips of

split

written, running

Fig. 41.

143

stick

that this

round one of the temple buildings, and throwing

East Gateway of the Temple, Nishi-hongwan-ji, Kioto.

box each time they get round to it. I understand considered to confer some religious advantage upon

the performers.

The gateways as the

of the temple Nishi-hongwan-ji are as beautiful

temple to which they

lead,

and that

saying

much

(Figs.

41, 42, 43, and 44). Here we are received by a priest who speaks English well, and who shows us through the main building, the many rooms connected with the temple, the garden, and a house in

which a peculiar

From

the priest

revolution of

1868

tea I

takes place.

learnt a fact of peculiar interest.

the

a certain extent, both

ceremony

After the

newly-formed Government adopted, to

European manners and customs, and

set

;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

144 itself

establish

manufactures on

with a desire to utilise for their

European

own good

Filled

basis.

the experiences of other nations, they serious-

whether

ly considered

European

progress

was not traceable to the

influence of

Christian

the

religion

upon the people, and whether they should not adopt the Christian

together

faith,

with

European With the studying

civilisation.

view

Christianity

and

porting on

the high

it,

re-

priest of Nishi-hong-

and priest Akamatz, who has wan-ji,

been our guide around this

beautiful

edifice,

were sent to England

and with that object Fig. 42.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; DooK,

or Gate, in the E.ast Gateway of the Temple, Nishi-hongwan-ji, Kioto.

remained for

In sending these particular priests the for they

sect

their sojourn in

Christianity professed,

was

idols,

and allows the

London they reported inferior

and that

our

drunkenness were much more

London

eighteen months.

Government had a motive,

belong to the most spiritual of

which has no

all

the Buddhist sects,

priests to

marry

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

but after

;

that as a civilising agent

the religion which they themselves Christian

common

country crime,

vice,

and

than in their country, where

Shinto and Buddhism prevails.

The next temple

that

nificent structure, built b)' the

visit,

that of Chion-in,

most celebrated carpenter

a mag(builder)

ART, that

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

Japan ever knew, and a man who

Fig.

43.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Carved Panel in East

idolised

145

by the

craft of

Gateway of the Temple, Nishi-hongwan-ji, Kioto.

The

the present day.

tention

at-

the visitor

here directed to a portion

which

of an umbrella visible in the

This

roof

was the umbrella of the carpenter -builder, and it is

said

there,

that

order

left

that

part of his belongings, as well as his work, should

remain to posterity. In a building connected

with this

temple

largest bell in Japan.

the It is

nine and a half feet in di-

ameter at the mouth, eleven inches thick at the rim, and -Details of East Gateway of the Temple, NiSHi-HONGWAN-;i, Kioto.

diVteen ICCL feet in height SlXlCCn 111 UClgUL.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

146

The

other temples which

those already seen, and there

visited

renders any description unnecessary see several with the yellow walls

;

and

the high priest of the temple

that

are of less interest than

a sameness about

them which

but during our rambles five

white

lines,

which indicate

of royal blood (Fig. 45).

Here

may

none

notice, that

of the children of the Mikado,

save

the

succeed to

marry priests

must be

the boys

;

and the

throne, can

the

girls nuns.

Japanese companions

now arranged

that

dance

should

room of the

see in the large hotel

who

eldest,

peculiar

Kioto, in which the costumes are

those of the characters

dance

Wall

Fig. 45.

Kioto.

The

white a person

five parallel

lines indicate that the building belongs to

this

strange rather than

and

beautiful,

ciently

personated.

familiar

not

suffi-

with

the

represented

characters

of royal blood.

catch

This

representations.

combination

the

meaning

of dancing

and

which the motions are slow, gentle, and graceful, had seven

hundred

years

back,

and

much

the

acting, in its

appreciated

origin

by the

Japanese.

The weather talk of picnics arrived.

The

;

now

warm

that people are beginning to

but unfortunately the picnic season has not yet favourite excursion for the

merry-making people

of Kioto, during the time of the cherry blossoming,

yama, a

buy

hill

famous

olive stems, so at

Each of these

for its cherry-trees.

objects of arbutus wood,

and

to Arashi-

Killarney you

at Jerusalem trinkets

formed of

Kioto you buy boxes formed of cherry wood.

objects

inscribed with

which the cherry-tree has grown.

the

name

of the

hill

ART. Picnicing richest art

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

much enjoyed by

the Japanese, and

most careful workmanship

and

147

some of

expended

their-

the

production of cases, boxes, and various contrivances, in which they

Some

carry their picnic to the country.

of these contain vessels

of the most minutely figured lacquer-work, bottles formed of silver

with golden sprays, and sachi cups perfectly delicious in

inlaid

character.

the ninth day of January (old Calendar) the Japanese go

out and gather seven kinds of grass, taking their picnic with

own

each person carries his

supply of sachi

hedge

The

stick.

;

taken home, boiled, mixed with

grasses are salad.

have already engaged the best photographer

them

most have a separate

bottle-gourd slung over the shoulder on a

in a

and eaten as a

rice,

picnic-case, while

Kioto to

make photographs of architectural details and rare objects, and I now engage the best decorative artist in the city to make coloured drawings of temple decorations as

examples of true Japanese

art that

The next days we spent and manufacturers, and but on the 28th

I I

we arranged

pendent from the ceiling of

(Fig.

46).

the

figures, figure,

bus,

a covered

Here

central

measuring

and a vesica

the

our road

its

band stand

called

in full relief

next at a temple

bridge resembling those at Lucerne

main building (Butsu-den) are three

being a Dai-butz

fifty feet in

sitting

on a

lily.

The

height without the base, has a nim-

piscis of vast

(Fig.

;

to visit certain celebrated temples

dimensions.

Both the temples

Next we see a Buddhist 47) founded by a priest who came from Ingen,

and the gods are six hundred years temple at Uji*

the

visiting potters, metal-workers,

at a Shinto temple, which has a huge dragon

where there

all

searching the curio shops for treasures

ten miles distant from our present home. first

anxious to get

can.^

old.

Accompanying the drawings which I ultimately received from this latter artist was model of a complicated bracket of which I wished to have a drawing. To my owing to his imperfect knowquestion why this model was made, the answer came that ledge of perspective he could not draw this elaborate work, and that he had consequently - This is the temple Takinoo-no-yashiro. made a model instead (see Fig. 72). * This is Obakuzan Manpuku-ji. ^ This is Hodo of T5fuku-ji (Fig. 46). '

a coloured

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

148

in the district of

Annan (now

of the column.s with him.

who brought over

Saigon), and

forty

In the courtyard of this temple are

immense

stacks of blocks, used

for printing the

tures

they are tied together in

;

bundles of be

Buddhist scrip-

ten,

and there must

many thousands

of them.

Crossing a river which flows

from Biwa Lake, and

the sur-

roundings of which are highly picturesque,

tea-house Wall

Fig. 46.

Formed

structure,

and

enter a charming

which the empress

stayed a week or two since,

of the Temtlk Tofuki'-ji, of wood, with bracketed

Kioto.

when

on her way to Kioto from Nara.

plaster.

We are now

at the village of Uji,

on the highroad from Nara to Kioto, and the tea-house where we is

the Kiku-ya (Kiku =:

Chrysanthemum

;

Ya = house).

rest

Uji

the best tea in

Japan

grown

(Fig. 48 gives part of a tea-

making

estab-

and

lishment),

every

nearly house

here

engaged tea

the

industry.

Here sold

also

are

netsukies,

tea scoops,

and

other

trifles,

formed

the Fig. 47.

Interior of Roof of Obaku Temple.

hard and closegrained

wood

of the tea plant.

art

works there

in these productions, for they are

made

rather than to please true lovers of

art.

is little

merit

to gratify excursionists

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ART, After luncheon

piles,

AND ART MANUFACTURES. we go

style,

Fig. 43.

details

used, is

Tea MANrFAcTORV at

are all seen to be Japanese.

to be

regretted as

open the building

for

description.

handle

Its

mere bent piece of is

the

no longer

the priest brings to

so remarkable as to deserve

wood an

inch and a half

about half an

inch

two inches

diameter, the bent metal portion being introduced

this

key

till

being caught the bolt

opened

The

he has found a is

priest

now

feels

slot in a large

thrown up by an

effort

This

square.

inserted through a hole in the door of about

this colossal

This

one of the most

length, while the lower portion

then a portion of the handle.

constructive

their terrible work.

has been

a rod of in

iron

its

glance

near KfOTO.

The key which

first

This temple

our inspection

diameter and two feet

key

Uji,

and neglect and decay are doing

the

but upon closer observation

splendid temples in Japan.

more temple which stands

to see one

or supports, rising out of water.

appears Indian in

149

and

first

about with

wooden

bolt

;

and the door

(Fig. 49).

This temple

eight hundred

and eighteen years

most of the internal decorations which remain are as pure

old,

and

in style

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

'5Â°

as the

ornament found on the old

The

character.

when

first

Nara, and arc Indian

felts at

building must have been of extraordinary beauty

members

erected, for all the structural

of the roof are

elaborately inlaid with pearl, and a piece which has dropped from

the ceiling shows that the inlaying has

been of a most finished character.

Be-

tween the structural members the ceiling is

painted

with

flat

ornament, rich

design and beautiful in

colour, while a

stand on which a Dai-butz elaborately inlaid as

temple

rests

Howo-do (howo

the

and peahen

= house).

;

were intended

most minute inspection.

the

for

This

= peacock It

in-

teresting fact that in these great temples

work

the

all

of the most honest and

Whether seen from

exquisite description. a distance or near finished,

all

equally well

and even those parts of a temple

which are never seen are as carefully treated as those which are always visible.

Upon my

return to Kioto

find

elaborate English dinner prepared at the 49.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Inside of Entrancedoor OF ISURIDONS, Ujl, NEAR Kioto. The end of the key

hotel where

Fig.

seen protruding through the door and feeling for the slot in the bolt. Leaning on the floor and the bottom bar of the door is a padlock its key being on

Governor of Kioto, and two other are also present, as well as

the floor.

friends Ishida is

title

the " large secretary

of the

interior

head of the board of commerce.

Mikado and Nagasaki. is

his

ministers, but will

Mr. Machida,

also a Ju-Goi (Ju

wise

Goi

Kawase

department as well as the is

here in Kioto with the

leave in

who opened

officials

Japanese

and Sakata.

conferred by the Mikado, and Mr. "

Kawase Hideharu; but Shio-Rokui Makimura Masanao, the

Ju-Goi

staying and that

the guest of Ju-Goi

a day or two for

for us the treasury at Nara,

and is a large secretary of the interior department, as well as head of the imperial museum. ;

fifth)

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

151

Both of these gentlemen are under Mr. Okubo, the minister of the interior,

who

Ju-Sanmi (Ju = wise Sanmi = third) and a while the two other gentlemen, as well as the ;

" first-class " officer

;

Governor of Kioto, are each

sub-large

secretary,

secretary.

commerce and

fourth-class " officers.

Government departments are ranked

Secretaries in

small

secretary,

and

secretary,

as large

sub- small

have a pleasant evening and a long chat on the industries of Japan.

In the morning the chief manufacturers of Kioto meet at the "

House of Commerce," where I am received by the Governor and After some time spent in considering the works

Mr. Kawase. offered for to an

by the manufacturers,

inspection

This over,

elaborate luncheon.

was welcomed

examined the works of

several artists, certain kinds of lacquer ware, sachi cups

many

orange rinds, and

looms weaving figured

fabrics

;

and

in a building close

formed of

saw

damasks, and cloths of various

silks, rich

descriptions.

Here on the top of each native loom a boy the prototype of our

together threads, raises

perched,

them so that the weaver, by passing the

we employed

our fabrics that trolled

way

draw boy."

who

thus con-

This method of

advance of the more primi-

over certain threads as necessary.

the agency of the I

now

inspect

draw boy

Japan

some of the most

producing

the

artistic fabrics that

makes and were it not that the Lyons weavers can some of these fabrics when once they have the pattern them, and produce them at a much lower price than the

the world

before

here see before me, and the lad

of working each weft thread across the warp by dipping

looms which

imitate

to the time

same method of giving pattern

must be remembered,

under or passing

the

the pattern was called the

weaving, tive

Jacquard apparatus," and who, gathering

shuttle beneath them, gives figure to the fabric.

of Jacquard

who

;

Japanese can, those

European

countries.

beautiful fabrics of

now being woven would be There

is,

highly saleable in

however, another drawback to these

Japan becoming popular

Europe, for while

most of them contain gold the thread with which

woven

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

from durable, as

far

and not a string

a strip of gilt paper,

This want of durability has created a prejudice against

of metal.

these Japanese fabrics which

take a

will

little

time to overcome.

we have

just

machinery producing

silk

Side by side with the primitive looms which noticed

the

see

finest

French

brocades, and the newest of card-stamping machines for supply-

newest of looms with

ing the jacquard of this curiously, the

our markets

highly

;

while those produced

five o'clock

museum

so,

bid adieu to Mr.

now be shown

the native looms are

to-morrow morning.

Close by the House of hall, in

Commerce

possible

highest

unknown

number

are a

name

of the

interest,

and

here

soon

Here

our markets

;

but

its

of the

discover

see for the

objects

first

time

This beautiful ware

a specimen of Japanese translucent enamel.

bringing with

maker of each

me, as a stranger, this display

European commerce.

now common

of covered

which specimens of the manufactures

of the district are arranged, with the

specimen attached.

Kawase and Mr. Makimura,

promise to meet the former at the Mikado's

at nine o'clock

booths and a large

but

artistic.

but before doing

;

woven by the new French machinery bear

silks

patterns of a bad European style, such as could not in

cards

its

introduction was due to

the specimen which

saw here displayed

with the other manufactures of Kioto.

To me a

district,

the idea of collecting together

all

seems one which might well be adopted business might be increased

mens of

the manufactures of

name

and attaching to each specimen the

all

by the

of the maker,

England.

Surely

foreign merchant seeing speci-

our manufactures, and learning where he could get

whatever he needed, without the long and laborious process of visiting all

the manufactories in a district.

might be provided ford,

hall

Manchester, Birmingham,

of this kind

Shefifield,

Brad-

Stoke -upon -Trent, and other large manufacturing towns;

while in

London

a central hall might be arranged for the display

of the chief manufactures of the country.

Here merchants and

shippers would see at a glance where the particular wares which

;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

they sought could be obtained

and

;

153

neither the State nor the

MunicipaUty would bear the cost of the necessarj' buildings, a space would suffice to meet

trifling rental for

With the display and from

pleased,

it I

would take weeks to accumulate.

does the district good

am much

gather an amount of information, which, but

for the collective exhibition

That

necessary charges.

all

of the manufactures of Kioto

certain.

translucent enamels

some thousands of pounds of European money have been spent in Japan, which would not have gone there had I not seen alone,

the one specimen amidst the articles of Kioto manufacture.

There

another curious fact connected with the open

The people

in large letters.

are requested to produce excellent

works, as the position of a nation character of

its

In the evening

handicraftsmen.

its

noticed

side a Shinto temple, of

The next morning

museum

beacon-pans, arranged out-

the feast-day

it is

fire is

also there

;

and

was

told

an ancient one.

go to the museum

Governor of Kioto

meet Mr. Kawase receive

The

us.

not a place open to the public, but a royal palace

containing

large

collection

Mikado, and prepared visit.

fires

which

that this practice of burning

the

greatly dependent upon the

manufactures, and upon the nature of the work

produced by each of

but

air

Here are boards bearing addresses printed

part of this display.

for his

antiquities

belonging

inspection, as he

now

the

here on a

In interest the objects here collected are second only to

those preserved

Nara.

have thus the opportunity of

in-

specting and handling a second large collection of Japanese antiquities, is

such as even the natives themselves do not know.

intended, however, to exhibit these treasures

some

future time,

and a building

.to

the public at

now being prepared

for their

reception.

In this collection, nothing pleases

specimens of lacquer-work, as these

manufacture

various

curator of the collection as regards

ages, tells

me more

than the various

illustrate

the state of the

and bear authentic

that

dates.

The

the finest gold lacquer,

workmanship, was made during a period of two hundred

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

years, beginning about three centuries since artistic

work was done

lacquer-worker and

its

the

were

artist

making the box,

lacquer -worker

but that the most

;

In olden times the

prior to this time.

separate

tray,

individuals

beautiful surface, while the artist painted

decoration as might be required.

"touchy" and

About

the best work of later times.

however, the

artist

the

upon

such

period the drawing was

this

but lacked that finish which

clever,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

bowl, and giving

characterises

three hundred years ago,

and the lacquer-worker became one, and then

was produced work of the highest mechanical excellence.

Ranged five

side

side,

we have specimens

old,

which are of a peculiarly

hundred years

of lacquer-work over artistic

and

interesting character, others four hundred, others three hundred,

and specimens made only immediately before the revolution 1

Those that are

868.

five

hundred years

old, or

more, are chiefly

works with black grounds, and low -toned polychromatic ornaments

dull

colours

;

burnt

red,

and with a

sienna,

broken

raw sienna, and sage green

gold outline.

After carefully considering these works for some time possible readily to

Thus

great periods.

that which

than one hundred years old)

find

between lacquer-work of certain

distinguish

we may

call

modern (being

easily distinguishable from

less

that

belonging to the middle period (which ranged from one to three

hundred years

since), while

characteristics from that

made

again

older

is ;

separated by obvious

and even between that

hundred years back and that of

four

since there

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a

a specimen of

what

long been

hear that a violet lacquer was once produced the secret of

Since

its

manufacture

;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but lost.

the art I

also

Japan, but that

now unknown.

return from Japan I have given

lacquer industries, and

called vpllum

lacquer having the colour of parchment

of producing this particular lacquer has

the

hundred years

five

a manifest difference.

In this collection there lacquer

this

which

much thought

have been enabled to send out

material which has again brought about the production of purple

lacquer

;

thus a lost art has been revived.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ART, Here are in

fine

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

specimens of an object which closely resembles

character the " monstrance " of the

50 and

(Figs.

One

5 i).

Buddhist Monstrance.

Fig. 50.

while

cremated

This was presented

priest.

and

The will

Catholic Church

a stable.

a temple in Japan by Prince Mamayado, The name Mamayado means "door of a

A shows the

side view of the upper part.

another are small metallic lumps found

been wise there burnt,

was born

Roman

of these contains the tooth of a bishop,

the son of a Chinese emperor, in the year a.d. 622. stable," as this prince

superstitious believe that

many

in the if

the

such lumps found when

not that there will be but few.

ashes of a

man

his

has

body

The monstrance

some cases formed almost entirely of gold, and

is is

of exquisite

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

156

design and workmanship (and of these gold objects there are fine

specimens

museum), and

the

significance from which

much

have a symbolical

parts

their

ma)- be learned

but of this

;

shall

treat hereafter.

Here

an ink slab resting on a massive stand of pale blue

glass which

assured

of Japanese manufacture and

hundred

years

interesting

found

which

felt,

the

most is

room, where dresses,

crown, a

formed of

but

;

of the collection

in a small

rude

old

part

one

pair

of top-boots

and a few other things,

by the

were brought

great

General Taiko from Corea, when he re-conquered that country about three

hundred years

since, are collected.

dresses there are in this col-

lection

about twelve, some of which

are formed

of brocaded

terials.

made One or two

while

silk,

of embroidered ma-

others are

of these

should

certainly regard as Chinese, while one is

of a character which

have hitherto

regarded as purely Japanese, the fabric

being hard and appearing to consist

The

of parts joined together.

on Fig. 51.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; BUUDHIST

Whether

clouds.

not

and

know it

MuNSlKANCli.

;

this

latter dress

and consists

large

pattern

and bold,

dragons and

chiefly of

these dresses were manufactured in Corea

we do

but under any circumstances they are of great interest; certain

that Japan

received

many

its

manufactures

from Corea, while some Japanese are of opinion that the Coreans also furnished

boots

the

formed of

of figured

felt,

Chinese with most of their felt,

such as

as I

gold threads woven into

and

this

have just

saw it,

at Nara.

said,

One

There are

arts.

and several squares of the dresses has

many modern Japanese

gold consists of gilt paper, while the pattern

fabrics,

of scrolls

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

and anthemions such as now form the

i57

many

figure " of

native

fabrics.

From crapes,

this

collection

and with what

have to describe the fact of

The

the process of printing

to see

saw was much

interested

process hereafter,

this

seeing

went

but as

;

shall

now mention

can only

it.

Chinese

curio shops in Kioto deal almost exclusively in

objects and Corean wares, but for these they ask such prices that I

could purchase nothing.

Chinese manufacture no

less

for

sum than

But what astonishes

demanded.

Corean cup

small

dollars, while

worth two hundred

inlaid

hundred pounds

six

me most

said to be

bronze vase of

the price of a

little

teapot of dark red earth, in which are small specks of yellow-ochre colour.

The specimen shown me has a

may have

hundred

for four

shillings,

fractured handle, hence

were perfect

while

if it

Specimens

could not be sold for less than four times this sum.

having the j-ellow specks

pounds each, the

latter

somewhat

being an imitation

secret of production has been

In the evening to a

tea-ceremony

prepared

went

temple garden,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

larger are worth

known

of.

the former

man

to but one

b}- invitation

order to see what

about six

but the

of the Governor of Kioto is

called the "tea-service"

the cha-no-yu, which the Governor has had

a building set apart for this purpose.

saw, however,

only that part of the service peculiar to the hours

five

In connexion with every large temple there

o'clock.

;

each case.

house appropriated to the performance of

one can engage the house

for this

this

and

six

a small

ceremony, and any

purpose.

similar house

attached to every large residence or yashiki.

Here, as

saw

it,

and as

paid professor of etiquette

performed at the temples, a

the host

;

but

friends are invited

by a man

of high rank, he himself performs the part which the

professor

now takes. Only four guests besides the master should The room in which the service is held is small, its floor

be present.

being covered by four and a half mats (each mat three). feet

The house

entered by a hole or

six feet

window opening, two

square, which, although level with the floor of the room,

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

iS8

about sixteen inches above the service,

and

host

continued

The in

tiie

one o'clock

till

the morning,

in the following night.

great peculiarity of this tea-drinking ceremony consists

the exactness with which everything

ladle,

Properly enacted,

outer ground.

me, begins at seven

tells

or whatever

particular way, set particular part

done.

handled, has to be taken

down

spoon, cup,

hold

a particular place, and touched in a

and everything

;

done with the same strange

precision.

What

saw was part of the ceremony of

thin tea-drinking,"

and part of the ceremony of "thick tea-drinking is

simply a lesson

but the whole

those laws of politeness, which were formerly

so rigidly exacted in every mansion and on every state occasion,

and which are aristocracy.

kept up

largely

still

of the old

Originally the ceremony was of a secret character,

and no servant entered the house master kindling the short,

the houses

doing everything

which

for the guests

;

took place

making the

boiling the water,

fire,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the

and, in

tea,

but in later years

has

become a mere ceremony of an extremely fashionable character. One or two things in this service struck me as especially strange.

Thus, both host and guests knelt from the time they

entered the building

the time they

till

the master had to go to a

little

left

;

and even when

back room to fetch water, cups,

or whatever he might require, he shuffled on his knees to the slide

which served as a door, and then, having opened through the opening rose to his feet

the guests.

he was well on the other

till

The

chief guest, moreover,

demands everything but the particular

ever so long.

a bowl, or the teapot. his

The

chief guest also

;

which each request has to be made

arranged by the code of etiquette.

the spokesman for the

thus he asks for tea, and for refreshments

moment

chief guest also asks

uttered save by the chief guest or the

host during the service, be

shuffles

shuffled

when he

but this he must not do while in the presence of

;

company, and no word

it,

side,

may

At opportune moments

the

look at the tea-caddy, a spoon,

Receiving the necessary permission, he

knees to the place where the object demanded

ART, takes

is,

his

bows

it,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

159

to the ground, then rising, touches

his forehead

forehead with the object received, and begins to examine

Looking

the teapot, he asks

then opening

pound

is silver,

and smelHng the

then

it.

who made

;

what the tea costs per

tea,

which inquiries he passes

it to the next guest and makes a remark to the host which should, if possible, be at the same time a compliment and a pun. After each of the guests

after

;

has duly inspected the object, the chief guest shuffles again across the floor and

returns

brought, examined, and returned in the

used

and

;

possession of

maker

same manner.

the

some

which a Japanese manifests

pride

little

tea-box

little

put

But many of the things most

and

;

in a similar

have seen

Europe.

a silk bag, and then in a box, and

then in another bag, and then preserved

the

by a celebrated

tea jar, a spoon, or a cup

something remarkable.

esteemed by the Japanese would be unappreciated

One

object

after

on these occasions that the rare things of the household

It is

are

Object

place.

its

little

another box,

order that

rough stone-ware jars encased

manner.

The two hours which

spent

observing the ceremony cha-

no-yu, were passed in the host making, and our sipping certain

kinds of as soot,

mixed

tea.

One

decoction, as thick as gruel, and

formed of tea-leaves reduced to the

into this batter-like condition.

This

finest

as bitter

powder, and

served as a loving

cup, all drinking from the same vessel in this case, politeness demands that each guest offer the cup to his neighbour in such a manner that he shall naturally drink from a different part of its ;

edge. I

learnt afterwards from

private matters

Mr. Sakata that at these meetings

are often discussed and secret plots concocted,

and that most of the revolutions of Japan have been planned at these secret gatherings.

In the of

much

way

of manufactures,

have seen

pottery, bronze-work, lacquer,

have also seen the weaving of

and

fabrics, the

Kioto the making

cloisonne on porcelain.

printing of crapes, the

working of embroidery, and many other industries

;

and

am now

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

i6o

getting a considerable

Japanese achieve

the

into

Having spent we pack up and start

results.

spare for one town,

Our road

insight

over the

means by which the as

much time

for

Otsu on Lake Biwa.

In half an hour

good road

can

the back of the hotel, and here

hills at

see several small potteries in which a kind

made.

we reach

Awata ware

a point at which an already

being improved, and here we have to walk while our

jinrikishas are carried, for although

we could

and

ride with ease,

although horses and oxen are passing with their burdens, a notice " carriages

saying that

are

not allowed to pass here

must be

obeyed.

are soon, however, on a normal road which, at the end of

and then commands a view of

four miles crosses an elevation beautiful Lake Biwa Lake of Geneva. At all

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

a sheet of water which reminds

this season the

of the

mountains surrounding

are

snow-clad.

we reach

After a journey of seven and a half miles,

town of Otsu, the only manufacture of which

From

teapots.

this

place

is,

the

little

told, silver

some two

we make an excursion

miles to a temple, from where a charming view of the lake

obtained, and here

Lake Biwa

From

may mention

are counted

this temple,

that eight celebrated views of

by Japanese, of which

perched high on a

hill,

this is one. this

end of the lake

appears to be about three miles in width, and in the clear atmosphere

can just sec the snow-clad mountains at the other end.

Although we had intended to take up our abode at Otsu, the

weather

so fine

and the

air

for the night

so bracing that

continue our journey to the town of Ishib, twenty-two miles from Kioto.

Soon

after

we resume our journey we

which every one seems to be occupied silk

cords as they attach to fans,

About

three miles farther on

where scarcely anything

bottle gourd

tie

reach a village in

the manufacture of such

around lacquer boxes,

etc.

named Kusatsu,

a small town

sold but bottle gourds.

simply the indurated skin of a

fruit allied to

our cucumber and melon, but having an hour-glass shape. vessels are generally called pilgrims' bottles.

The

Such

usual colour

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, of these gourds

i6i

a dark rich brown, but here are some which

with black

are yellow mottled

mottled

others orange

;

same manner, while some are almost

red.

the

these gourds

got

samples.

now

the evening

most pleasant

a crash, and is

broken

;

mishap

little

One

hurt this

jinrikisha

broken heartily joins

us.

;

Occupying

difficulties.

wish to write

paper on the chair when

upon a Japanese table (which four inches in length)

European which he

chair. tells

a hearty meal of

and

one

this

on the

floor, sit

overcome the

rice. it

pos-

seat,

while the

or putting the

upon,

difficulty

far

from

sitting

a small tray on legs of about

write Mr. Sakata indulges in a cigarette,

one of a hundred that he bought

also informs

but not being a smoker

;

little

and writing on the wooden seat of the

While

fourpence farthing.

good

a pretty

make

have nothing to

at last, however,

;

not

but this unexpected furniture rather increases

paper on which

comfortable

of the

the poor

part furnished in European style, for

is in

one chair

than removes

the laugh.

Liebig's extract of meat, boiled eggs, bread, jam,

sesses

Having brought a few European luxuries from

hotel.

Kioto, and being as hungry as a hunter,

This hotel

jinrikisha

come out

the linch-pin has

Arrived at Ishib, we take up our abode

Japanese

side

and

a jerk

only causes amusement, and

incident

little

whose

moment's investigation reveals the

wheel, and the wheel has rolled yards in front of

coolie

run well, and

coolies

but suddenly there

on the roadside.

pieces.

cause of

Our

re-enter our vehicles.

Kioto

for

that these cigarettes are

can form no opinion of their

merits.

Marcli

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;We

Kamiji-yama,

for

and is

rise

in Ise, a

town

universities are situated

by 8.15 are on our road which the great Shinto shrines

6.40, and

;

indeed,

much

some way connected with Shinto

express

it,

of the province of Is^ or,

we Europeans

Shintoism.

The morning

beautiful, snow-clad

fine,

and

for

some distance the road

mountains being

visible

on either

very

side.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

about "

miles

five

vine baskets

the

reach

\vc

These are

are made.

little

shoots of the westeria creeper, but there interest about

objects as

them.

baskets formed of the

nothing of special

Margate and Ramsgate than

the shops of

where

should rather have expected to find such

here see

Minakuchi,

village

in those of a Japanese town.

Crossing a ridge of mountains, and descending by

we soon

zigzags into a beautiful valley,

many

steep

leave the main road (the

great Tokaido), and turn to the right to run along the promontory

The scenery now becomes

of Ise.

less

and

less

interesting

ranges of mountains, while behind us are also snow-clad

1.30 P.M.

we have reached

but

hills.

the small town of Saka-no-shita,

where we have luncheon, and here we lose an hour

changing

Hundreds of soldiers are passing along the road

jinrikishas.

direction of Kioto,

and the

are found, but the

the road, hence a

hour

;

distance before us, and across the bay of Owari, are high

in the

men little

officers all drive.

in the

last fresh vehicles

only agree to take us four miles on

will

further delay occurs,

later a

and another

is lost.

6 P.M. we have reached Tsu or Anotsu, the chief town

come

of the province of Ise, having

During the

latter

forty-four miles in the day.

part of our journey nothing very particular

has happened save the coming out of a linch-pin of Mr. Ishida's

when he broke

carriage,

the jinrikisha and rolled out,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an

ex-

perience precisely similar to mine of yesterday.

cook was engaged

when

his

services

were

first

When

could not cook.

Kioto

wanted

intelligent-looking person) is

the very genius that

be found ready

made

sisted of five boiled

the

best

journey meals.

;

yet the

for

but

last

night

was discovered that he

the sad news he

could boil eggs and make beefsteaks."

we want,

some

rice

for beefsteaks are

rarely to

luncheon to-day con-

and jam, and

this

about

expect to have during most of

makes me thoroughly enjoy

ni)-

glorious air

wine and

tour,

that one of the jinrikisha-men (an

here in Japan. eggs,

of food which

this

Mr. Sakita gave

also brought the glad tidings

This

for

spirits, I

have neither seen nor tasted

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, them

engaged

of two

who

pushing up

The jinrikisha-man who can make

month.

for over a

steaks

pulled

go with us

me twenty

beef-

To-day he was one

to Tokio.

he ran twenty-four miles,

miles, then

and looking

hills

163

after everything,

and here he

fresh as a daisy.

In the evening Sakata presented relic, in

The

metal handle and a curved blade.

in warfare,

rise

ladies

being thrown at the victim while

attached to the owner by a chain. at seven

still

morning

In the

and are soon on our way.

two hours we reach the

town of

little

where

Inaki,

of Japan is made. As the best paper-leather ^ * ^ here manufactured this material (which is formed

^''G.

all

of a thick fibrous paper and an oxidisable certain

kinds of leather

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

oil)

s^-Crest of

[ai'.xxe.'^e

Prince.

so closely resembles

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

morocco and

damascened

crest, Fig. 52, consists of

This was used

four of these knives.

with a most interesting

the shape of a large curious knife, with bent

calf

as to deceive a

European expert, while other specimens bear but

a faint resem-

blance to a tanned skin. In Japan leather

sparingly used

;

but this paper-leather

most extensively employed where we should use the

The

made

stout solid quality

into the

our market to that

made

district

leather- like on leather-like

at Inaki rarely, if ever, finds its

The

European market.

chiefly in

to live

one

on both

and fibrous and only

thin

stout and generall}'

generally plain.

At Matsusaka, which we next down b}' insurrectionary

burned

reach,

many houses ha\e been who object to the

farmers,

taxation with which they are burdened, and

may

That of Tokio, however,

sides.

stamped, while that of Inaki

feared that the\-

continue their work of destruction, for they have declared

that unless their taxes are lowered they will destroy every in

way

Tokio by Ise men who have gone

whereas that here made

side,

hide.

paper-leather which comes into

but this

;

real

town

the country. In another hour

manufacture of which

we is

pass through a that of

common

large village, the

sole

Here we

rest

flutes.

JAPAN: rrS ARCHITECTURE,

few minutes

for a

hot water

;

in wliich

and

of the flavouring material has been

little

cannot distinguish any special flavour.

B)' 2.30 \\Q

coast,

have got

charming

to a

most lovely houses that

tiffin

one of the

Our room

have ever seen.

beyond the conception of even

panels of great beauty over the sliding partitions, and

have never before seen

possessed

and the balconies, gardens,

;

as the

room

sit.

While is

clean

a room the like

and entire belongings of the hotel are as lovely which we

Dutchman, has perforated

of an exquisitely beautiful bay window. I

on the sea-

village

little

Futamigaura, where we have

called

of which

are offered

pUmi have

pulverised red cabbage and salted

been sprinkled, but so

added that

here, as a substitute for tea,

tiffin is

being prepared we walk to the sea-shore, which

Here

about three hundred yards distant.

the sea are two

rocks about two or three hundred yards from the coast, the one rising to the height of about fifty feet, the other about

twenty

These rocks are connected together by large straw

ropes, from

which Shinto

tufts are

have been so joined,

ones.

certain

pendent

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; new

and

;

ropes

for

hundreds of years they times

replacing the

the year the sun

seasons of

exactly between these two rocks, and

feet.

old

seen to rise

under the Shinto bands

of straw.

When it,

the sun thus rises pilgrims

and even now, although

age,

see one

standing

or two

this

numbers

Japanese, with hands

which are hundreds of

little

coins (the coins are nearly

torii,

of the sacred

rocks,

their journey to

get

who

lives

the shore

and a small dais on

number of small

The

near at hand, and are

some of these

such as pilgrims buy

frogs, in

and drawings

remembrance

this sacred spot.

Here, under the Shinto symbol, in

tenth parts of a half-penny).

frogs are purchased from a priest offered to the rising sun.

or gateway,

earthen frogs and a all

to worship

pressed together,

devout adoration of the orb of day.

just opposite the rocks

sun, while

come

not the proper time for pilgrim-

we have

Kioto and Kobe pans of

fire

the worship of the

were being burned

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, Shinto churches

among

tenets

its

;

our

way

165

thus the fact that Shinto embraces

fire

worship

apparent.

we passed many booths

to the hotel

the sale of shells, shell necklets, etc.

erected for

These booths are situated

amidst pine-trees which reach from the near mountains almost to the sea.

we reached

After luncheon,

one hour the

prettiest

town, as regards the style and size of the houses, that

But

seen in Japan.

all

and

this

and best have yet

the towns in Ise are very superior to any

have hitherto noticed,

that

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

even to those of Tokio or Kioto,

appears to have more towns, and a greater

province

population, than most of the provinces of Japan.

This town, called (yet

Furuichi

(old

market),

pass

through

has temples and shrines of great moment), and go on to

Kamiji-yama, a town

which the Holy of Holies of the Shinto

church, and the great Shinto university are situated.

Although as a town Kamiji-yama as Furuichi,

escort

dissatisfied, as

But

houses.

a prosperous

not quite so interesting

and flourishing

place.

now select an hotel with which I am somewhat we have passed many much more beautiful tea-

my guide

tells

that those houses which

as hotels are really places set apart for the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

dances peculiar to the town,

the

regarded

performance of certain

amusement seems

be a

recompense for the fatigues of pilgrimage.

soon reach the entrance of a sacred grove where we are

met by a to

priest

and two laymen who are

the holy places

;

but

to be our conductors

are at once told that no one can

within the temple enclosure unless sent as a messenger from the

Mikado

of trees,

pray

for his people.

or rather

enter the magnificent grove

the broad well-kept

pathway which leads

through a small dense forest of immense cryptomerias. a tree which actually measures twelve feet six feet in circumference) right

this river a

way

at the other side

Thames

reminds

made, broad and with

Here

diameter (thirty-

from the ground.

a river two-thirds the width of the

and with a bank which

at six feet

steps.

our

Cookham,

of Cliefden.

Here we are

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

told

tlic

to wash,

priest

as no one can

shrines unless he has here performed

approach the sacred

his ablutions.

go to

the water, and after rinsing our hands are ordered to wash the

To do

mouth.

hand as a It

this,

five o'clock

we have

way

and the sky

soft,

two steps

by a

closed

The

with glory.

hills

blue and bright.

air

balmy

soon reach a gate-

simple yet beautiful, formed of pure clean pine-wood and

;

raised on is

by the

the rays of the sun pass brightly through

;

the trees, and tip the distant

and

to lade water from the river

This done, we go up the lovely avenue.

ladle.

but while the gates are open, the opening

;

large white curtain cut in

manner of

the

Shinto.

the steps are hundreds of small coins and papers in which

money

wrapped.

make our offering to made by most

the

larger than that

we may look

the curtain aside in order that

behind, but

see only closed

temple, and as

little

of the Japanese, the priest draws into the enclosure

pine-wood gates with strong brass

bindings.

now standing

are

greatest possible interest

of a scries of buildings of the

in front ;

and

'i&w shrines

the world have en-

joyed an unbroken celebrity equal with that of the temple before

Every building

in this

ground every twenty-one years Built eighteen

us.

enclosure has been absolutely razed to the

more than eighteen

for

hundred and eighty-one years

since,

centuries.

they have been

completely destroyed and rebuilt and destroyed and rebuilt during this

period, but

building

every block

and every

the exact counterpart of those

pillar

eighteen hundred and eighty-one years since

the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

this destroying

rebuilding securing a perpetual youth to the shrine (Fig.

The reflects

great symbol of Shinto

our image,

so,

a mirror

symbolically, Shinto

present

the building erected

;

and

5 3).

a mirror

for, just as

considered to reveal

our innermost actions, or to reveal our innermost heart.

told

that in the central buildings within the enclosure, at the entrance

of which

stand,

in order that

worshipped

preserved a mirror sent

man might

at this

down from heaven

therein sec himself, and that the

great shrine

the

first

man

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

god

the Japanese

ART, Adam. " first

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

But the educated classes now think that

167 this

so-called

man was either a Chinese or a Mongolian. now walk to the side of the temple enclosure and from "

i^f-^'

'I'HE

Fir.. 53.

ground get some idea of the nature of the

elevated

slightly

buildings,

S.\CRED S

and of the

railings, or walls,

by which they are enclosed.

The temple or shrines are by

enclosed

the

within

fence, or wall,

and

height,

horizontal

(Fig. 54), but

to see

courts,

other,

the

bounded

being

four

from

mound

by a wooden feet in

consisting

cliicfl}-

planks of wood the others

my present

immediately make.

fail

position.

of earth, and

high

for this I

Here

f '<=

walt. or fence of the great Shinto Shrine.

54â&#x20AC;&#x201D; outer

see

of a very open construction, consisting of short and long circular uprights, with two horizontal

that the second fence alternate

outer

about ten

however,

Yonder,

CiSi

one

members connecting them our ordinary wooden fence,

(Fig.

5 5)

;

that the third

consisting of square uprights, with two

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

i68

horizontal

members

(Fig. 56)

while the fourth, and last consists of uprights and staves

;

which square -topped

closely juxtaposed, the tops being

staves

are

nailed

somewhat narrowed, and thus r

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, about

from

feet

five

ground,

the

169

surrounded by a covered

balcony, approached by a central staircase.

of the Japanese these buildings are the

a large portion

and

most sacred

most

the

of any

interesting

Shinto was the religion of old Japan, and religion

the

world.

has always been the

now it is once again the declared To this shrine for nearly two of the country. and in this unmillions have made pilgrimages

of the Mikado, while

national religion

thousand years

;

interrupted succession of

glory there

its

something singularly

impressive.

Having

left

grove

the sacred

we walk through

bazaar

consisting of booths arranged under overhanging trees, where sorts of trifles to

an extent new to

Babel, where eloquence

their

lavishly

manner.

Amongst

upon

gods Daikoku and Yebisu

purchases

other small

a magnifying glass

After dinner

house.

three of

its

sallied is

forth to

celebrated,

here enter a large sides there

strips of white, red, light blue,

and upon

calico frieze of the crest of the

seen through

also procured.

see one of the dances for

and soon reached the dancing-

The

much

;

but around

lower than in the

more or less, hung with vertical

divide this part, walls are

dark blue, and green cotton

same width

it is

are asked to

sit,

cloth,

margined above

as the coloured strips,

form of a cart-wheel.

end of the room where there

this

enclosed in the

When

each strip being about ten inches wide, while

crosses that

bought a

bought the two

room almost square

and columns which support

and bearing a

a sort of passage, although not cut off

from the centre of the room.

by a white

it is

side.

height which

from the room, for here the roof centre,

with

they are almost as perfect as a pair of the

gods an inch and a half

which Kamiji-yama

sitting side

visitor,

here offered for sale.

In another husk

rice.

none are rude or offensive

us,

carving of the god Daikoku, so small that

husk of one grain of

all

are in a very

expended on every

buy what

press their wares

all

carried

Japanese experience. is

him

the view of inducing

But while

Here touting

are offered for sale.

long carpet

no passage-like space,

while running throughout the

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

I70

length of the central portion of the room at the ri^ht and

two long

on each of which

carpets,

and

instruments

who

three girls

pla)'

Lanterns hang from the ceiling of the

sing.

passage-like space, and candles on

commence

candlesticks stand here and

tall

there in the middle of the room.

the lanterns around

rest

are

left

the music and singing begin

to ascend, while the

floor of this

passage-like part also rises to the height of about one foot above

former

its

dais,

how

there, or

do not know,

for

low

how

but

railing,

away when

got

which surrounds three sides of

instantly bordered

railing got I

This raised

level.

the room,

that

the dance was over,

appeared both to come and to disappear

instantaneouslj'.

Before each of us as

sit,

and placed on a

which symbolises that in

cord of a particular sort

We may

a present.

Japan, every object which

intended as a

of the

slice gift

ear

The packet

fish."

contains the words of the song

also a pile of little cakes

shaped

;

and

device,

little

with

tied

piece of

little

a small

dried

front of us as a

but on each tray there

like the wheel-like

The

decorates the frieze around the room.

same

gift

attached

placed

bridge over which

device

little

here remark that

and furnished with a

coloured and folded paper, to which

stand,

little

a packet tied round with red string and bearing the

crest

bear the

lanterns

we had

which

to pass to

reach this dancing-room has a large half-wheel as the balcony.

The

lanterns

the platform with

having been raised nearly to the its

marginal

rail

being

enter almost behind us to the right and to the

slowly and solemnly facing us.

till

The dancing

they meet consists

ceiling,

in position, the

the

left,

and

dancers

and march

centre of the aisle

almost exclusively of graceful

motions of the hands, the body only assuming a slight swing, while the feet origin,

and

move but

little if

all.

This dance

not to be seen in any other town

of ancient

in the country.

After the dance has been continued for about

five

or seven

minutes, the dancing girls slowly march out as they entered, the

music is

over.

girls

leave,

the dais sinks, the lanterns descend

and

all

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

CHAPTER Tidings of rebellion

VII.

— —Yokkaichi — Manufactures of Nagoya— Comparative estimates — Castle of Seto — Sidsuoka— Fujiyama— Return Yokohama. Ise

of wealth and skill

now

that the province of

learn

Satsuma

open revolt

against the Government, while the neighbouring county of Hiego

has taken up arms with the view of expelling the hateful foreigner

from the countr}-, and that hard fighting from Hiego said

and

;

happy

perfectly

remember

much warmth,

with

This opinion with but small

and whose

and

all

were

an advantage over

noA\- a

Government

officer

great

The

have just been embittered by an

edict,

escort

been

has

baronial system.

feelings

left

seems,

would have been a samurai or fighting man

position,

happ}-."

through the destruction

both

came we were

perfectly), "

striving to get

sufferer

issued since

escort are,

foreigner

that of one who, while

pa\-,

of considerable

before the

going on

that a few days since Mr. Sakata

(emphasizing the word

and no one

the other,

now each

contented, while

classes

Both the gentlemen who form

districts.

father

of the

Tokio, which states that as the agricultural

have protested against the excessive taxation imposed

upon them, the Government have resolved to reduce the taxes on the land,

all

and have consequently determined

"Government

officials

to lower the salaries

one-third, so

render this

reduction of taxes possible.

While

sure

can trust both Ishida and Sakata, one

cannot help wondering what the country seems

may happen

ripe for rebellion

next.

certain

;

and

That much of I

confess that

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

172 I

have some sympathy with

Japanese companions

their

we have gained

dislike to the intrusion of the foreigner, for while

in the way of art knowledge by the opening of Japan to and although we have given telegraphs and a hundred other

much us,

useful things

return,

we have done much

make

a happy

people unhappy, a satisfied people dissatisfied, and a contented people avaricious

;

while

the

monuments which

beautiful

arc

everywhere going to decay would have been preserved and cared for

had not European ideas been spread throughout the country.

moment Japan

present

the

a trying position.

has overthrown a system which has worked while

time

well for centuries,

has not yet had time to reap the advantages which

new

accrue from the

will

people, unfortunately

state of things.

Besides

this,

the

themselves, have taken to luxuries of

for

which they knew nothing before the opening of the country to foreign visitors,

and that

to such an extent that their imports for

some years past have been greatly

Thus

the country

As an

come

before

Government what

excess of their exports.

my own

notice.

service tells

wealth.

its

change which many have experienced

illustration of the

through the altered state of things, has

being positively drained of

may mention a gentleman who

that his salary

now

would have been under the old feudal

case that is

the

one-eighth of while

.system,

things have increased amazingly in price since the opening of the

country to the foreigner.

When descending Mount Koya-zan I was compelled to abandon my boots, and adopt the Japanese straw shoes. This led me to ask the value of these sandals which use,

had constantly seen the

and the answer was that they cost eight-tenths of a

penny per

pair.

When

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;they

are very dear

;

they are not cheap

can remember when eighty pairs were

sold for a halfpenny," and then the matter

and

was put

These poor men get but threepence a day as they

evening

half-

expressed astonishment at the lowness

of the price one of the party exclaimed, "

way.

coolies

for

in this

dragging

us,

wear out two pairs of sandals between morning and

so doing, one-fourth of their entire income

expended

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, in

purchasing the necessary protection for their

should regard

our income in boots.

change which has

tal<en

and

old samurai

Assuredly we

feet.

we had to spend a quarter of We can now understand the enormous place in the circumstances of some of the

as very serious

i73

only have their incomes been

nobles, for not

money is so much lessened, money one-eighth of what it

materially reduced, but the value of that men whose income

now

formerly was are practically not a twentieth part as rich as they

would have been under the old state of things. In the morning at the opposite

which we

set out to see another great Shinto shrine

end of the town.

of enclosures

many

It is in

Both appear

saw yesterday.

respects like the one

have the same number

and the same form of palings bounding the courts, is different. Like the other,

but the arrangement of the buildings this

surrounded by beautiful

also

to the outer court,

and from

But

sacred enclosures beyond.

trees.

we can

this

admitted

are

see through to the

see nothing calling for special

notice.

Leaving Kamiji-yama, we retrace our steps along the great promontory of Ise, and in two hours reach the town where so

many

have been

houses

After a time

destroyed

pass through the village

and then another about a mile

are made,

the manufacture of paper leathers.

flutes

insurgents.

and whistles

long, devoted entirely to

request for permission to

was met by the rejoinder that

see the process of manufacture

would take fourteen months

agricultural

where

to see

any one sheet of leather-paper

made.

The

fact

that in these Japanese villages everything

on so

small a scale that the consecutive processes can rarely be seen at the

same

time.

who

the potter glazes

it,

Division of labour "

throws

the

but

little

understood, and

clay generally turns

and not unfrequently decorates

;

it,

bakes

it,

and other manufac-

tures are conducted in a like way.

While

this

method of working renders the study of Japanese

industries difficult,

who makes

his

yet secures

many

advantages, for the potter

wares entirely with his own hands has a pride and

JAPAN

174

an interest

who

ITS ARCHITECTURE,

stages

all its

character.

he has watched

;

he has nursed

;

that he could to give to

all

threw

produced entirely by the one man

of child that he loves

through

the clay,

Each

the biscuit, or decorated the ware, could have.

fired

piece of ware sort

who simply

them, which no one

him

development

beauty of form and perfection of

have viewed, with no

its

and he has done

tenderly,

little

interest, the satisfaction

depicted on the countenance of a manufacturer of this kind when

There

signing the completed work.

manifested by the maker

completing a

much

little

pride in Japan

cup, a lacquer box, if

the work

artists

contem-

a sheet of leather-paper, or even a pair of chop-sticks,

be but excellent, as there plating an

craftsman

Landseer, a Turner, or an

and by perfect work any handi-

;

Japan may attain

one of our great

painting

historical

to the celebrity enjo}'ed here

Owen

The next

place which

capes,

and rain

In the street

one

man

while a

reach

excellent.

a small

\illage for

which

wrappers,

and such as furnish the " aprons " of the jinare made the mushroom-like hats of the coolies

coats,

Here

rikisha.

still

made, such as the peasants use

Jones, and the fame supplies a

stimulus for the production of work

waterproof paper

also

carried

some mounted travellers, two women and by one horse,â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the man squatting on its back, see

woman was suspended

a sort of scale at each side.

Travellers here generall}' ride, while in

all

other parts that

have

visited they almost invariably walk.

seem prosperous. The houses are largeiany other part of Japan, and are usually of two, and some-

Here than in

Ise things

times three, stories

in height.

having the gables in I

have noticed

They

are also differently constructed,

all

cases directed towards the street.

this

province

some grand

formed wholly of wood, with lanterns three

tiles, if I

two cases the

may

so express myself (Fig.

effect of the

;

of small

but in one or

lamps has been marred by a second

rough roof being placed over the weather.

street-lamps,

across at their

made

and with roofs most carefully

broadest parts,

wooden

feet

first

protect

from

the

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

see nothing

to interest us

we reached Yokkaichi,

till

Our road

the town for which

way has been over

a sandy plain which, though

are making.

must

some

175

the

for nearly all

now paddy

fields,

time

have

recent

been reclaimed from the

sea.

mountains,

are snow-clad

our

left

but

owing to the dulness of the

day we can only

Fic;.

just

make

out

59.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Uanku Teai'ut.

the hills over the bay of Owari at the right.

We seat

arrive

the

Yokkaichi,

Ranko

the

potteries,

Fro. 58.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Lamp-post.

having come rather over who can " make beefsteaks " has run with us the whole distance that we have travelled from Kioto, and yet he appears in no way exhausted. 6.35

forty miles in

Yokkaichi

the

Our

da\'.

the

province of

features of the country are lost, for

another province. special

The

Ise,

but here the special

are close on the borders of

factories here are as usual small.

characteristic of the

made by

P.M.,

coolie

wares of

this

town

the pinching of the clay between the

Banko wares

are generally unglazed,

that they are

thumb and

and not by any process of "throwing" on the wheel

The finger,

(Fig. 59).

and the earth of which

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

176

made

they are

most commonly of a

Portland-stone colour

soft

yet objects of dull salmon-red, of white, and

of dark

brown, are

occasionally produced.

After a long round of the potteries, with which

interested,

started

When

Owari.

for

we came to a potteiy owned by a man whose father Banko ware, and in about three miles more we enter the town of Kuwana through a large bronze

number makes a

of potters

Kuwana

and a great many small perhaps

probably

sometimes

but one

;

pumice stone brought in

the form of slabs, and

form of pots, such as the Japanese grow flowers

in the

In this town of

ought

rather large

who make common Banko wares

This pumice stone

sometimes

re-invented

Here we see a

torii.

specialty of vitreous painting on

from Idsu.

was much

three miles on the road

ones, but all

add that the

in.

there are one or two leading potters

no way be comparable

make

largest size

same

the

wares.

would

here

pottery

with the smallest

Great Britain.

left

Kuwana by

boat, being

some delay

a river, and then after

rowed about

five miles. along

set off in jinrikishas for

Nagoya,

distant about seventeen miles from our landing-place.

Nagoya

Owari

one of the

towns of Japan, and besides

its

important manufacturing

manufactures

Here are made the low-toned

shops.

pilgrims carry their

little

has

many

prints

calico

luggage, and here also

of the cloisonne (or shippo) manufacture, both on porcelain with the cabinets, iron -like

interstices

much bronze surface

filled

the chief seat

metal, and on

Earthenware

with lacquer.

ware, that curious porcelain

and a gold

Damascened

metal -work, and that soft -baked crackle-ware which externally with chequered lacquer, are

made

here.

has an

\A-hich

resembling

pattern

curio

which

covered

Nagoya

also

stands in the centre of the great Owari pottery districts.

Near the curio shops thing

a temple with a gate richer than anj--

have hitherto seen (Figs. 60, 61).

Its uprights

and

cross-

beams, as well as the panels, are carved with elaborate ornament

and even on the two varies.

sides of each structural

member

;

the pattern

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ART, Before

had

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

177

the next morning the curio dealers had

risen

invaded the hotel, and spread their wares over the floors of each

unoccupied room. that

little is

This

common

practice here

and

;

are made,

a percentage to

of horizontal

of lattice

;

member.

men had been

found but

little

of interest.

received visits from the governor of Nagoya,

to dine with

Gateway of Nagoya.

could not well help inspecting their things, yet

amidst their collections I

in in

After these

forded.

poor such trouble,

for

the accommodation af-

60.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Details of Gateway to Temple in Nagoya. ;

when given

Portion of Carved

Panel Temple

Enlai^ed view of ornament on central upright

landlord

the

Fig. 61.

Fig.

believe

paid for the privilege of thus displaying goods, unless sales

(z,

him

the evening, and

who asked me

from Dr. Roretz,

whom

recognised as one of our party at the luncheon in Tokio given to the Austrian is

Princes

by the

secretaries of legation.

Dr. Roretz

physician to a large hospital established here for the cure of

He is the nephew of the by European treatment. During my stay in Nagoya he Austrian minister at Tokio. joined me in my excursions, and gave me much valuable aid. diseases

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

178

Having

some

potter}' of

Shippo company's works, and a

great

the

visited

we went

interest,

see bronze-makers, various

metal-workers, and one calico printer. In

evening Dr.

the

Roritz

takes

enormous

see

earthenware head of a Dai-butz, which stands on a waste piece of

made

ground near a temple.

This

join underneath the hair,

and another underneath the

There

three parts.

chin, but the

central part measures five feet in height.

The

governor's dinner was given in a suburban hotel where

the garden was

the

There

and

Roman umbra, Japan a

lanterns,

and most sumptuous

the governor and

Besides

vice-governor

the

friends,

latter, like

illuminated

dinner was.

the

two Japanese

are

present

simply listening to what

much

too

little

others

four

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the

is said.

of the spy system, for

can scarcely go anywhere without some officer being present to report

that

all

say and do.

have been sent ostensibly simply recorded

for

doings

Those Government

In the morning

ture

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one

start

who

some cases

protection have in

and when no Government

;

present Ishida's pocket-book does good service

Seto

officers

officer

in their stead.

on an excursion to the

little

town of

of the chief seats of the Owari porcelain manufac-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; where

met

are

governor.

the

Last

night

mentioned to the governor of Nagoya that the system of having

some one

agreeable

so he promised that no

district lost

;

record

all

should accompany

no time

in letting us

acts

and movements was scarcely

Government

officer

from his

to Seto, yet the governor of Seto

know

that he had been informed of our

coming by the governor of Nagoya.

This communication could

have been made only by a messenger being despatched before our leaving Nagoya

;

the governor of

Nagoya keeps

to the letter

of his promise, as he does not send any one with us to the pottery district,

but he takes care that some one shall do the spying.

Here we are

in the

manufactures of Japan

very midst of the blue-and-white porcelain ;

but

Seto

many wares

besides those which especially characterise the district.

are

made

Among

these are Celadon on white porcelain ground, dark rich purple-blue.

ART, the

roj-al

Satsuma

earth.

The

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

blue

inspection of these potteries

difficulties

and

Worcester,

undecorated

makes me

feel still

vases

more the

which beset the path of a student of Japanese manu-

factures, for the potters sell chiefly to dealers

attend at the opening of every fresh kiln. a

179

man produces To-day

who

Thus

all

are invited to

the wares which

are generally sold as soon as they are made.

found that some of the best potters

Seto had

not even one specimen of their work to show, while man\' had

and

those

difficulty, for

much

few

but

another

pieces,

chiefly

wasters."

There

of the best Seto ware

also

taken to

Nag03'a to be painted. It

one

district

Are we

made ture

common

practice to have wares which are

decorated

to regard

Such questions

Japanese Keramics

question

made

then

arises

;

Tokio as of Seto or Tokio manufac-

as these constantly perplex the student of

and as the decorator generally buys the

wares from the potter and

The

an elaborately painted vase which has been

Seto and painted

another.

sells

them

as of his

England frequently mistake the

own manufacture,

locality in

which the wares

are made.

But men who are merely makers, and decorators who are merely decorators, must

rather

be regarded as merchants, or

monej'-makers, than as potters such as the Japanese esteem I

may

here remark, that

though

whatever,

position.

skilled

and

Japan the merchant has no status

Money

he be rich as Croesus.

buys

alone

prince will spend hours in conversation with a

workman, and

will

receive

him

respectfully at his yashiki,

but the richest merchant would be beneath his notice.

Who

shall

say that the Japanese

when they thus pay homage to

wealth?

to learning

imperfectly civilised

are

and

skill,

and prefer these

not their civilisation, rather, higher than

Surely the)- here set an example to us which

ours?

we should do

well

Here we worship wealth, while we pass unnoticed the handicraftsman, however great his knowledge or subtle his work

to follow

;

yet too often the merchant employing the

handicraftsman has

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

i8o

secured

gains

his

and which can only

of which

acts

result

he ought to be ashamed,

the degradation of his nature.

cannot help thinking that the Japanese are right

man who

the

charming

make

can

best energies to

of goods

seller

pot,

lovely

regarding cabinet,

netsuki as a being superior to the

fabric, or a perfect

mere buyer and

beautiful

for while the

;

one devotes his

mere monej'-making, the other ennobles matter

by the impress of

his mind, love, intelligence,

the work results from intelligence,

skill,

and

skill

love,

;

for unless

cannot be

regarded as a noble production.

There

a vast difference between toil undergone for the sake

of mere money-making, and the production of the most perfect

works of which man

capable.

thought of gain enters the

mind of the great artist while he is engaged upon Much of the work done by the British workman is despicable, because his only thought has been

how

most monc)' with the least exertion of mind or body.

the

actually ennobling

workman

rises necessarily far

Here,

Seto are

positively

make

made

;

the

But the

many

which the Japanese bestow upon so

loving, painstaking toil

of their productions

work.

his

and by such labour

above the mere moneyed man. the shapes for the cloisomu' on

all

porcelain manufacture, certain imitations of Satsuma ware, buff lustre

large

wares, and man)' other things

number

for the export trade.

indeed, Seto produces a

;

home consumption,

of goods for

have to-day bought

sachi bottle, such as the peasantry would use, four rin

and eight mo.

half,

its

quarter,

and

its

;

new coinage

part of the old

and

for

paid

thus they have the dollar with

hundredth

part, or cent

being worth about a half-penny of our money. this

Seto a

For some time past the Japanese have

adopted the American coinage its

many common

as well as

;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; each

cent

But mixed with

thus elliptical coins worth

eight-tenths of a half-penny, and circular coins worth one-tenth of a half-penny, are this

country.

still

common

Japan

as half-pence are in

F"ormerly iron coins were in use of the value of

one-hundredth of the cent, although these are now withdrawn from circulation.

succeeded

in getting a

few pcnnysworth during

ART,

my in

journey

and

;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

i8i

day quotations are given for some goods our Manchester manufacturers quote eighths

to this

these coins, just as

and sixteenths of a penny. In this old rin

;

money

ten rin

make one

cent, ten

mo make

one

but there were also in use during the baronial age coins of

much

smaller value than even these, but such coins seem entirely

There were coins called shi, of which ten make one mo, and there were also kotsu, of which ten made one shi thus there was a coin worth a half-penn)-, another worth the to

have disappeared.

tenth part of a half-penny, another worth the hundredth of a half-

The

penny, and another worth the thousandth of a half-penny. sachi bottle which

purchased to-day

will

be seen to

have cost

something under a farthing.

the following morning

we had nothing but

delays.

was half-past nine before Mr. Ishida got back from the Government House, and I then learn that there was some difficult}' about our getting to see the castle, as military

under the control of a

commander, and not of the governor of the town, who

had invited us to see

it.

Mr. Ishida has brought the bad tidings that an insurrection has

now broken

out in the north of Japan, and that the Imperial

troops, Vvhile gaining the

mastery

fact

that the province of Suruga

we have

to pass

through

Satsuma, have to face new

But what concerns me most

troubles in other quarters.

most unsettled

the

state, as

order to continue our projected

To-morrow we are to have exact news from the governor, but should we not be able to proceed, we shall have to return to Kioto (from which we are ninety miles distant by the nearest road), going thence to Kobe by railwa}', and on to Yokoland journey.

We may, however, catch a steamer which occasionally only ten miles distant from here I can only hope town calls at a that things are not so bad as they are reported to be. On our return to the hotel, we found a Government officer hama by

sea.

;

waiting

reached

its

conduct us to the castle massive gates,

we had

;

to put

but

although we soon

up with most tedious

delays before we were allowed to pass them.

JAPAN: TTS ARCHITECTURE,

l82

last \vc arc inside the walls,

rooms which have Uyeno,

ceilings

when we

similar

the

are

shown

into

two

temple of

beautiful

Tokio, and which are said to be of Corean design.

There are here

also,

partitions between

Fig. 62.

above the movable

the rooms,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WooD-CAKViNG

which form the

some magnificent wood carvings

HlDAKi ZiNGOifo.

liv

slides

Preserved

in the C.i-stle at

Nagoya.

of flowers and birds, which are coloured in a subdued and delicate

manner

While these screens are pierced and carved

(Fig. 62j.

on both

both faces are yet essentially different

sides,

parts are arranged with such

consummate

skill,

and the

;

that those on one

of mar, the general effect of the other.

side help, instead

These

works are by one of the most celebrated wood-carvers that Japan ever had.

hundred

His name was Hidari Zingoro, and he lived about three years

Through the kindness of the

since.

governor of the

castle,

military

have since been able to procure photo-

graphs of these magnificent works.

The immense castles that

than

have seen

a Japanese

palace

tow^ers

Dresden

look. ;

of this in

Japan, have to

reminds

perhaps

castle, like

those of the other

also

a Chinese rather of

the

Japanese

onl)- the green roof that does

so,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

immense towers

for here the coverings of the

size of the towers I could

and they seem as strong could

183

are copper.

the

have formed no idea from a distance

Hundreds of

as they are great.

be accommodated on each

floor,

openings the entire surrounding country

;

soldiers

and from the window is

Curious

surveyed.

wooden

charts, fixed at the various openings, are so

arranged that

the eye

may

any place

follow lines indicating the position of

for

miles round.

From what

have seen

the last few days

that there are hindrances to an

countries

which Japan

remove.

It is

now

will,

increased

for

own

its

begin to think-

commerce with sake, have

pretty clear that out of the

foreign

shortly to

money which

have paid for certain objects four parties have had to be

feed.

The Japanese servant must have his percentage the Government officer who accompanies us demands his share of the spoil the gentleman who packs and forwards the goods, although paid for ;

;

work, must have something to encourage him to pack the

his

things safely

;

and

be a

profit

fair

gards the English

ment of

to a guild of merchants such a

on the transaction.

Japan cannot hope

them most

the goods have been bought direct from the

maker he must pay

Until

a great

this

all

would

removed

mercantile nation.

can positively say that such a method

objectionable, and

likely to cause

re-

serious curtail-

business.

Another great

difficulty lies

factories

little

country that

the fact that

and the time needed

are on a small scale,

ous

become

sum

all

things here

for visiting the

numer-

greater than any exporter can give.

aware of has ever become a great mercantile

nation until the manufacturer and the exporter have been brought together.

When cottages,

our broad-cloth and

what were

towns, and here

sum.

called

Piece

stuffs

Halls were built

were made in

stuff,

little

trifling

manufacturers brought their

and thus the merchant could by one

certain days (market days), see the

the larger

each cottager could hire a room for a

these piece halls the

few lengths of

our dress

whole produce of the

visit,

district,

JAPAN

ITS

ARCHITECTURE,

while the manufacturers ascertained the prices which goods were fetching.

Japanese would but establish,

If the

positions, such

markets

for the

produce of

central

in certain

districts, their

commerce

would be largely extended. It

to the

was 3.15

Mino

P.M. before

we could

on our excursion

start to-day

Potteries, a five hours' journey.

was dark before

we reached our resting-place at Tazimi. The next morning we were off by 7.30 to the potteries, taking Ichi-no-kura, where the better class of Mino wares are made, first This village

in order.

Tazimi by foot-road jinrikisha road to to drive, for

it,

situated on

two

a hard

The

;

reach Ichi-no-

This village

it.

extends up the all

its

fifty kilns.

first

mud

exteriors which rise

their

wares

public kilns.

kinds, Japanese tea-cups

and

nicel}'

decorated.

connected with any pottery,

may do, and who On the other make

The province

estimated

Mino alone

hill

dividing

Here we found potters making blue

and white wares, earthen teapots

many

up the

the one kiln.

inspected the potteries on the side of the

Ichi-no-kura from Tazimi.

finished

hills,

the potteries of

pottery district the extent of the manufactures

by the number of

like those

and other

Here we

who

of Banko, sachi cups

things,

some being

well

also found decorators, not

are paid for any work that they

often purchase plain wares to decorate side of the valley are

some excellent

and

sell.

potters

who

blue and white wares of great delicacy, and dishes in the

form of bent Nelumbium tricity in its

turns out that a

we can it

settle

these pottery districts are of strange form, and

has a hundred and

where

longer,

on sloping ground.

and many potters burn

;

us.

and indeed,

consist of a series of arches with hillside

but as there

;

little

spent in reaching

sides of a valley

to be situated

kilns in

day before

be rounded before

just as the potteries of Seto

Japan seem

mountains

said to be but

and a half

kura, and an hour is

about two and a half miles distant from

which

we have

mountain spur has

over the

shape

perforations

;

leaves.

One man's

specialty

eccen-

but he produces a perforated ware which has

filled

with t^ransparent glaze.

This potter

known

AND ART

ART, in

MAJS^UFACTURES.

185

by the name of Hechibei, which being interpreted Another manufactures wares that look funny fellow."

the district

means

rather like our

mingled together

mottled

brown, gray, and white

soap," being

in a tortuous

and

striated manner.

After completing our inspection of the Ichi-no-kura potteries

we walked over

the

hill

Fhe day was gloriously

Tazimi

mile and a

and a delightful walk we had.

yet there was a cool bracing air as

fine,

Ascending to the ridge and then

the frost last night was keen.

turning to the

;

we followed the crest of the hill for about a looking down on a most charming view, as a very

left,

half,

mountains extends to the horizon on

forest of

The

we reached Tazimi.

common

one of the dealers a

man

little

but

;

we found

Mino

times gone by,

the Baronial system had acquired from the

Starting at 4.1

Daimio of

wares.

on our return journey, we reached Nagoya

than four hours after having had a glorious drive.

The is

interest

of great importance

the province the sole right of selling

less

and so

;

potteries here produce nothing but

blue-and-white wares of

who under

sides

all

much woodwork

report that Suruga, the province where

made, and to which we are now going,

a disturbed state

turns out to be untrue.

Next morning,

therefore,

we bade adieu

Nagoya, and follow-

ing the great Tokaido (or main road) for about ten miles, to

two small towns almost joined together, the

and other up

fabrics,

first

of these being

Here are made the crape

Narumi, the second Arimatsu.

came

which have a texture resulting from the

scarves, "

tying

" of parts of the surface into tufts.

This manufacture

most

interesting

produces effects which cannot be got time

this

was a

American demand

flourishing

and most objectionable of

made

stuffs.

still

At one

cheaper

article

caused a

degenerate into the coarsest

Recently an

to revive the original manufacture, and,

success.

world

and

article to

any other way.

and

But the European and

industry.

for a cheaper

most delicate and delicious

character,

would be a calamity not

onl)' to

such a manufacture as this were

effort

has been

believe, with

some

Japan but to the

lost.

Fabrics of this

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

Narumi being the

character arc called Narumi-shibori, the word

town, and Shibori tied or knotted.

two

In these

villages

Japanese towel, as

common

common Japanese

printed

fabrics here arc only ten inches in width.

washing

in width,

indeed

;

all

In Japan there

nothing equivalent to our ironing and mangling processes, and

the only method of flattening a fabric after is

a piece

and ten inches

calico about three feet in length

on which a pattern of quaint character

towels are also made.

have already mentioned,

has been washed

that of sticking the cloth to a board while yet

there allowing

to dry

;

and as the poor

full

of water and

England each possess

a clothes-line, so do the poor of Japan each possess drying boards.

woman's dress has

If a

narrow

may

strips of

which

washed

to be it

run of twenty-five miles brought us to the town of Okazaki,

one potter who has come here from Kioto, and

whose wares are remarkable more has

left his

left

had been of reward

and

than for beauty.

for eccentricity

former business to his son.

and by 4.30 seven and a half miles As there remained yet twelve and a half between

Okazaki

run.

at 3.1 5,

us and our destination

order that these strips

be flattened on the drj'ing boards.

where there

ripped into the

first

has been made,

offered the

men something

way

the

they would run well for the rest of the distance.

surprise the twelve

and a half miles were completed

thirty-five minutes,

in one'

hour

although we had stopped on the road at

a village called Hozoji-mura to see the gourds, to the preparation of which the whole village

asked as

much

as eight dollars (thirty-two shillings) for a bottle

gourd holding about three half pints strength.

mence

Two

that

such gourds

skin

but

its

value

lies

its

be knocked together with a vehe-

One

them

half

and we are informed that when very old the

rind of a bottle-gourd its

may

astonishing without breaking.

an inch in thickness,

young

At Hozoji-mura we were

devoted.

thin.

becomes

thick, but that

when

the gourd

Mr. Sakata has a bottle-gourd which cost

thirty dollars, being large as well

thick.

do not

the

appearance of those sold here nearly so well as those which we

ART,

AND ART MAXUFACTURES.

saw on our road to

187

but the Japanese "colour" their gourds

Ise,

smokers here "colour" pipes: and the young Japanese

proud of a richly coloured gourd as an English j-outh

of a well-

coloured "meerschaum."

have now reached Toyohashi,

or Sanshiw, forty-five miles from to Tokio.

and Tokio the

;

Mikawa

the province of

Nagoya, on the great highroad

the largest town, save Nago}'a, between Kioto

Okazaki being the next

largest.

Our road has been across a valley most of the way, but for last five miles we have been near mountains. All the daj-

snow-clad peaks and long alpine ranges have been visible both on the right and the

but especially on the

left,

left

and owing

;

to the

we saw Fujiyama again for the on our way from Yokohama to Kobe b)-

clearness of the atmosphere

we passed it Since we started on our

time since

European

national dress, with the

dress,

Both, as

revolt,

and as

all

and

the

the street.

In the

evening put

day

on their

dressing-gown (borrowed generally from

hotelkeeper) over

this.

sea.

journey, neither Ishida nor Sakata

have ever worn their national costumes they wear

first

it.

have just discovered the reason of

have before

said, are

Samurai wear

their

from a province now

crests

their

robes, their

dress would reveal the fact of their being from a revolting province,

and they would be constantly is

over

them

;

liable to arrest

for while their position in the

immunity from

imprisonment,

till

the insurrection

Government

much

service gives

trouble

would

involved in securing their freedom.

Having had a good were on the road.

night's rest, we rose The morning was chill.

si.x,

and by seven

nine o'clock the

sun was struggling with a thin layer of cloud, but later in the day the heat

became actually scorching. At 9.30 we reached a shallow

bay nearly four miles eighteen inches.

width, with a uniform depth of about

This we crossed

more than a square mile of

this

rows jut out from the water

which entangles article of diet.

itself

in a

flat-bottomed boat.

bay bushes arranged

Over regular

these are to catch a kind of seaweed

amongst them, and which

a valuable

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

Having crossed

the bay, we arrive at a little village, where employment of the inhabitants consists in collecting and

the sole

drying

this

They spread

weed.

which we place

it upon straws, like those on Along the streets, and on the

cream-cheese."

edge of the bay are propped, easel-fashion, a number of large square straw pads, not unlike our targets straw mats

target-like slabs

seaweed partly

this

by wooden skewers, and

exfoliates,

village

foot,

when

we can

Mr. Sakata and

coolies.

removed

much

as thirty feet in height.

shrines.

little

and order a

Along

the

for packing.

and two

this

In the village

slow.

all

the houses have in

by well-trimmed hedges, some of which Orange-trees laden with

many

be seen everywhere, and beside

each,

these

till

therefore go on, while Ishida follows

of loose sand our progress

front gardens enclosed

lovely

the sun

only two jinrikishas

get

through which we are now passing nearly

may

left

little

with the baggage on a kind of hand cart or truck.

the road

are as

The

make.

being covered with seaweed, are pinned on

the next village

fruit

of the houses stand

get an extra coolie

jinrikisha to be in readiness for Mr. Ishida.

road the scenery

any

tropical than

that

have

before seen in Japan, and strikingly resembles that of Java, while the houses are also very similar to those in that island.

Soon we come

to a

town of considerable importance, which

has a look of prosperity about in

that

construction the houses differ from I

Here the gable ends do not

Isd

notice in the architecture during

all

have seen hitherto only front the

street,

others that

and

have seen.

travels varieties correspond-

Swiss Cantons. This town is Totomi or Yenshiw. After leaving this town we have nothing but bother with our coolies but although at very short intervals we have to change There is, howjinrikishas, by 6.30 we have got over fifty miles. more ahead, and five miles must mountain be traversed ever, a ing to those seen in the different

Hamamatsu

;

before

reach our resting-place.

Mr. Sakata and

set out to

walk, leaving Mr. Ishida to follow with the baggage by kago.

The

ascent

steeper than

any road that

remember

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

Darkness comes on, rain begins to

Switzerland.

nine o'clock when, tired and hungry,

and

fall,

we reach Kanaya

the

province of Totomi or Yenshiw.

Morning promise of a

men

rikisha

;

rained hard

But delay

fine day.

night, yet the

all

morning gave

after delay arose with the jin-

and, finally, Sakata and

set out

on our

journe}',

leaving Ishida and the servant to do as well as they could.

The day

turns out gloriously

and we seem

have got

Here the plum blossoms are

into thorough spring weather.

Some

fine,

fully out.

of these are, strange to say,

pink and double.

are in the

midst of the mountains, and lovely indeed they appear on this glorious

Fujiyama

day.

before us

—

for

a time cloudcapped, and then clear

again

— but

cone

rises

its

and peerless

vast

high above

surround-

all

Fig. 63.— Portion of Table-.mat,

ings.

formed

OF Stems of the Brake Fern.

By t\\elvc we reached the town of Okabe in Suruga, where mats (Fig. 6'^), trays, fan -holders, chop-sticks, and other things are made from stems of the brake fern.

Although the

coolies were

have certainly run Sidsuoka, which

made

;

refractory in

the

morning, they

by 1.30 we have reached the town of in Suruga. Here much woodwork is

well, for is

also

but only a few weeks since nearly one-third of the town

was destroyed by incendiary

agriculturists

;

now

largely

rebuilt.

Setting out to see the industries of the town,

man who makes inlaid.

;

Bethnal Green can beat

yet, the it

polish, hinges,

lock, or velvet, for

expenses of transit are such that

out of the English market.

next saw a manufacturer of bent bamboo

performed his work with great work, a

visited a

portable folding-desks of English pattern, partly

bought one without

eightpence halfpenny

man who

skill,

trays,

who

then a maker of inlaid wood-

forms bird-cages of vegetable wires, a

man

JAPAN: ITS ARCII[TECTURI':,

I90

who

lacquer bread-baskets, and porcelain sachi-cups, with

covers

basketvvork

but

;

productions are covered with coarse work,

all his

and not with that exquisitely

which we formerly

plaiting

fine

The reason why this coarser work This man has imbibed the and found it pay better to make com-

found on the thin porcelain. is

now produced was soon

English commercial

mon

things

character.

spirit,

given.

few of more delicate

numbers, than the

large

any one now

also doubts whether

common

could cover cups with the fine work

living in

ten

Suruga

years back.

Here we have another instance of the corrupting influence of European trade on the Japanese

The

Since

industries.

work has again been produced

ever, the fine old

made

bird-cages

What we may term

yet, for rigidity

;

visit,

how-

Sidsuoka are noteworthy as works of

great beauty and tenderness. of vegetable origin

in this district.

the wires are

and truth of form, they

vie

with any metal thread ever produced.

wooden

Plain

for offerings

made

Sidsuoka of

facture

Between

trays,

both circular and square, are here made

These the Japanese use

abundantly.

for

domestic purposes, and

to the gods.

an important town, engaged largely

inlaid

woodwork, but

and Yokohama

no vehicle can pass

lies

the manu-

unfortunately situated.

a high mountain range, over which

and, as nearly

;

all

Japanese exports leave the

men Hakone mountains, or must be sent back at least as far if not all the way to Kobe, Nagoya, before they can be

port of Yedo, the manufactures must either be carried by

over the as

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

shipped to Yokohama.

The next morning we were

astart early.

little fro^t

the ground, but the sun soon gained power, and the heat

almost oppressive. that of a July

day

It is in

only the

England.

left

across

above a horizontal

it,

range of

became

9th of March, but the heat

As we

passed under the shade of

richly-wooded mountains Fujiyama rose our

was on

the near distance on

layer of white clouds which stretched

while on the right lay a lovely bay, bounded by a low hills,

separating us from the great and sacred peak.

stop a short time at an hotel, the back of which hangs

ANB ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

191

commands a lovely view of the great mountain. As seen from the pretty little room in which we now are, Fujiyama can be surveyed only with feelings of inexpressible delight. Resuming our journey, we made our wa}' round the mountain from the giant mountain, when the sjuu- which separated us Here we cross one immaculate cone burst fully on our view. of those strange, broad river-beds, which are so common in over the bay, and

and from which the \ast mountain

this country,

and then increasing as

summit

the

its

slope

gentle

But of the vastness of the

neared.

rises, first

becoming more and more steep

;

slope,

even to the bottom of the snow -line, no accurate idea can formed, unless comparisons are carefully made.

appear as specks, extensive plantations as

Large

trees here

patches, cloud-

little

shadows no bigger than one's hand.

The

height of Fujiyama

sixteen thousand

have their bases

far

variously given as fourteen and as

Unlike the Swiss mountains, which

feet.

above the sea

level,

many

while

all

are seen only

from ground much elevated, the great Japanese mountain stretches its

base to the very ocean.

Monte Rosa

about

the sea level

hundred it

feet

;

seen, nestles in

above the

Thus, as seen from

sea.

its I

its

height, but also to

snow- line, which invest

know

Our road

with

its

But

base,

its

five

hundred

Fujiyama

sublimity

due

form, and the regularity of

beauty peculiarly

its

own.

in its

grandeur.

leads us under another high bank,

and here

notice

dandelions, potentillas, the ground ivy, and other plants in

bloom, for

in this low,

By 12.20 we have poor coolies fatigue,

Chamouni, from which

of no other mountain so perfect in shape, so immaculate

appearance, and so majestic

\iolets,

its

above

feet

thousand seven

a valley nearly three thousand

higher than any European mountain. not only to

rises fifteen

level of the ocean,

but

feet high,

about seven thousand

and while Mont Blanc above the

feet

thousand

fifteen

best seen from Zermat, which

but

faints. is

warm

district spring

has thoroughly set

in.

run thirty-five miles, and here one of our

is,

subject to fainting

assured, in fits

no way overcome by

which might seize him at any

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

192

This

period of the journey.

secured,

we have

appear ready to

We can

travel,

1.30

coolie

reach a

little

and some of the men who have pulled

;

which we have

this

morning

travelled,

start again.

and

for

twenty miles we must either walk or be carried

Coolies are engaged to bear our luggage, and two kagos

are hired, so that

path

new

soon reach the great Hakone pass, over which no vehicle

in kagos.

forest,

tiffin

the forty miles

for

trouble over and a

are soon on our road again.

town, where us

little

now

we may

ride

alternately

rapidly ascends, and

get lovely peeps of sea, bay,

and mountain, with Fujiyama high above

air begins to

get cooler

hollows, then

;

snow

patches of

we have snow

The

please.

all.

Now

are seen in the

the

shady

quantities, but partially melted,

we near the top, snow and ice abound. Having gained the summit of the pass we descend into a little hollow, where a strange till,

and picturesqe

village borders a lake of

length, entirely

bounded by mountains.

two or three miles

The

scene reminds

Loch Lomond, partly of Killarney, and partly of some of the lakes in Westmoreland and Cumberland but, as the lake at its distant end by Japan's greatest mountain, is bounded nothing in Great Britain, and nothing even on Lake Lucerne, is partly of

;

nearly so grand.

are soon at the hotel, which stands back from the road.

Here we have another evidence of the change which has come over this strange country during the last few years, for the gateway through which we have entered the court}'ard was opened only for Daimios and their retainers until after the revolution of eighteen hundred and sixty -eight, but now Japanese of ordinary rank, but

Our

hotel

declivity, its

situated on the

left

of the road, and in a slight

back rooms commanding the view of the lake and

surrounding mountains, and of a lovely hotel.

evening

opened, not simply for

for foreigners.

From light,

our rooms placid and

against the glowing sky

high above the nearer

;

little

its

garden adjoining the

we watch the lake glimmering in the still. The dark mountains stand out and almost

hills, rises

in the centre of the picture,

the vast white peak of Fujiyama.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

We gaze

on the changing

Hght as the reflected

effects of the fading

mountains disappear from the water darkness.

everything

till

193

lost in

the

hard to tear ourselves from this enchanted scene,

It is

but the window-slides are returned to their places, and the outer

world

shut out from sight.

March

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A more

beautiful

beyond

description.

blue of Italian skies, but to daily surpasses anything that

never

knew what

enough

and never did

;

than

in constitution,

snow on the is

snow with

Here inhale

more vigorous

to ride, as

told

mountain which we are about

make

and succeed

an' effort

in the horrible contrivance.

slowly carried by

men who

trudge through

a steady and firm step, as though they were carry-

ing a cage with a jackdaw in

Unalloyed enjoyment that the

never could

better health, or

side of the

For six miles

even

indeed,

;

Japan.

do.

thick and sludgy

partly packing myself

in Italy

with a crispness so

purit}-,

here see almost

I visited

till

7.10 kagos are at the door, and

descend

the

now

feel

about the matchless

the s"ky which

have ever seen

and bracing, that

refreshing

the

We talk

weather really was

fine

could not pos-

this

and of snow-clad Fuji-

lake,

an atmosphere of the greatest

find

morning than

lovely

and the view of the lovely

sibly be,

yama,

20.

Hakone

it,

rather than a burly Englishman.

out of question in a kago

Pass, for

;

but

beauty and grandeur, has few

feel

rivals

in Switzerland.

Four miles on the road, we come

little

town

the

The woodwork and making baskets fern-stem trays, such as we saw

province of Sacami or Soshiw, called Yumoto-Kawabata.

people are almost of special kinds in

bottles,

but a few of the

in the

here, as

well

much

inlaid

form of cabinets and boxes, wooden sachi-

paper knives, and other things

the hats and baskets (Fig. 64)

large pinnate fern, in

employed

Okabe, are also to be found

camphor-wood in

;

all

;

made

but

am most

interested

of the plaited fronds of a

which are both ingenious

make and

beautiful

appearance.

Having passed another

village called

Yumoto, where exactly

JAPAN: TTS ARCHITECTURE,

194

we leave the great Tokaido, and in two or three hundred yards come to the Hakone springs. Here, as at Arima, we have a fashionable inland watering-place A new hotel of considerable size has a with natural hot wells. the

arc carried on

same manufactures

series of

bath-rooms

;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

our leaving this

us with a

little

the whole being clean and beautiful.

new

presents each of

hotel the landlord

packet tied with the folded paper which denotes a

gift, and containing a thin wooden box, within which is a little The custom of giving sachi-cup bearing the nam6 of the hotel.

mon

houses is

present

small

guests,

Japan

the

com-

fashionable in

vogue also

seems,

tea-

and

;

Wies-

baden and other German watering-places, where a is

name

upon Fig. 64.

often

fan

the

-Basket formed of the Fronds of a Fern.

given

with

the

hotel

it.

now

find that a

new

a being a Midrib.

road has just been completed from these hot springs, along which a jinrikisha can travel,

and that one of these comfortable carriages can be got Seated

in this vehicle,

feel as

though

at the hotel.

had been transferred from

purgatory to paradise.

From the village to which the kagos had been engaged Yokohama is distant about forty miles but the coolie who has brought me from the wells agrees to run the rest of the distance, and by 2.30 we are all in jinrikishas and ready to start. In the evening we reach Yokohama, and I take up my old ;

quarters at the

Grand Hotel.

For the next few days

remained

arranging m\' purchases, looking over

Yokohama, writing

note-book, and making

myself more thoroughly acquainted with certain

the

morning

after

arrival

had

letters,

welcome

manufactures. visit

Saumarez, who had been the genial companion of the

from Mr.

first

part of

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

journey.

one of the days spent

195

Yokohama we had

steady downpour of rain

from morning to night, and

another day was also wet

but

wet season

by the

left

25, having

done

train for Tokio,

days, calling upon

matters which

The day

we must now look all

Yokohama,

that was needed in

where

remained

two or three

for

and inquiring into one or two

old friends

do not yet understand.

following

arrival

spend

Dining with Mr. Saumarez

of Shiba.

for rain, for the

approaching.

On March I

;

part of

Sato, the great Japanese scholar,

the evening,

who

studying the shrines

met Mr.

has got back safely from

Satsuma, where he was on a holiday when the rebellion broke

out.

The next day I spent in arranging in the glass-cases of the museum the objects which I brought out from England. Mr. Alounsey introduced me to Mr. Ninagawa Noritane, an antiquarian of great learning, who is publishing an archaeological work on the

pottery of Japan.

first

shows us some rude pottery from the

early tombs, which he regards as two thousand five hundred }-ears old,

then a piece of green ware nine hundred years old, which he

says was the

brown

jars,

first

that these were

made seven hundred

first

fifteenth centur}'.

a pattern scratched

which has

pot,

us, in

Japan

first

the

rough, black Corean earthenware, which has

upon

it,

he pronounced to be

fifteen

hundred Corean

border covered with lacquer-work, was

one thousand one hundred and red lacquer

The

years since.

tells

also tells us that a portion of a large, rude its

little

tea ceremon\-," he told

blue- and -white ware was made, so he

years old.

Bringing out some

glazed ware of Japan.

such as are used at the

fifty

years since

which looks almost

tea-cup,

\\e.\\,

;

made

that an orange-

and a piece of

avanturine lacquer, have been in existence nine hundred years

;

and that a piece of plain gold lacquer, which has flowers drawn

upon

in fine

black outline,

He now shows feathers,

seen

oxidised

silver

twelfth century work.

cabinet bearing

and gold

(like

the South Kensington Museum).

whose favourite pastime was hawking

pattern

box which may be

was made

for a prince

a fashionable

amusement

It :

formed

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

196

with Japanese nobles and since.

about three hundred years

courtiers

All the Japanese wares which are decorated with hawks'

feathers were

made

for this

prince or his friends.

The

crests of

this family consist of hawk's feathers variously arranged

;

some

bearing a very close resemblance to the three feathers of the Prince of Wales.

In the evening

was introduced

to Mr. Matsugata, the vice-

minister of finance and the president of the agricultural board, a

pleasant gentleman, shrewd and intelligent.

renewed the acquaintance now formed

Two

years later

Paris, as

Mr. Matsu-

gata was sent by the Japanese as their commissioner at the International Exhibition of 1878, where this I

also

was acting as a

juror.

After

had the pleasure of showing him some of the most

important manufactures of England.

— ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

CHAPTER A

Shinto festival

197

VIII.

— Nikko—The great Sanctuary— Arrival

Tokio

Japanese reports and police supervision.

March

28.

— At

we started for Nikko with Mr. Saumwhen some distance on the road, to see a

7 A.M.

arez, turning aside,

shrine which throws considerable light on the nature of Shinto.

About noon we crossed

a river,

enclosed

This,

bier.

came upon some

priests

with

bearing on their shoulders a kind of

their singular robes, and

we were

copy of the one preserved

told,

contained a sacred mirror

the great shrine at Kamiji-yama

in Ise.

At was

we reached

the next village which

and following an immense in India.

Shinto festival

a great

Thousands of people were laughing and shouting

being held.

this car

car,

something

like that of

Jaghanath

a platform surrounded by a low railing,

while in the centre rises a mast about thirty or forty feet in height,

from the top of which Shinto religion, white cloth

fly

the cut papers which symbolise the

while around

its

lower portion a tent of red and

suspended from a hoop.

musicians making rude music with gongs and actor,

whose gestures would not be tolerated

staff of this actor

unmistakably

appears alternately as a

dress in the tent of which

platform

are

and a masked

The

England.

phallic.

man and

we have spoken

a ;

woman,

— changing

and the car

by hundreds of men and boys, who delight numerous ropes attached to

the fifes,

pulling

his

dragged at

the

it.

are here brought face

to face w ith

what has long since

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

198

disappeared from the greater portion of the civilised earth

yet

;

the dragging of the car and the lewd symbolism are part of a religious service

which

moment

here regarded as of great

and

;

before the car the priests solemnly bear the sacred ark, which

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

emblem of Shinto made by the people to

contains that strange itself

an offering

now taking

seems

foreigners have been

permitted to enter

many

the country, such ceremonies have been shorn of :

symbols have been reduced

processions themselves are

now

interest, for

enables

this procession

Proceeding on

are again on our way, and

phallic shrine, over

at 3 P.M. arri\e

which the Shinto emblem

stones varying in height from ten inches to tv/o

diameter .from two inches to five:

cut,

the newer are

more simple

flies.

Around

a diminutive temple supported on a pedestal.

many

spent the night at Koganai.

8.30 A.M.

at a small is

has been a

to understand

things that have hitherto been incomprehensible.

of their

number, while the

of but rare occurrence.

me, the accidental meeting with

matter of great

our journey,

car

to the temple. that, since

characteristics

The

the mirror.

the gods, and they are

feet,

are

and

the older stones are well

At 5.30 we reach

in character.

Nikko, having run for forty miles through an avenue of coniferous trees.

For the

last ten

miles the avenue has

magnificent cryptomerias a hundred and

with overhanging branches locked together in a

Nikko

a small

town situated

has a mountain river leaping

down

a richly

on the sides of a tree-covered

hill,

formed of height,

and

\-ast vault.

wooded

dell.

shrines as glorious in colour as the

street.

Across the

are the great shrines

most important and the most beautiful of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

a rocky defile, and a stream of

delicious water flowing through the central river,

been

fifty feet

all

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the

the shrines of Japan

Alhambra

the days of

its

splendour, and yet with a thousand times the interest of that Here we have birds, flowers, water, clouds, beautiful building.

carved in a manner that could not be surpassed.

Following the road beyond the

mountain

river,

hotel,

we soon reached

the

over which are two bridges, the lower open and

ART, the upper closed.

locked gates at

its

AXD ART MAXUFACTURES. The

closed bridge

entrance.

painted red,

199

and has

These gates are opened only once

% Fig.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;I

65.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Plan of the Shkines of Nikko, .\fter a Native Chart dought on the spot.

a year (in August,

age to Nikko.

believe) at the time of the great pilgrim-

Turning to the

the river for a quarter of a mile,

left,

and following the bend of

we come

to a phallic shrine of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

200

But the Government has now passed an edict

vast proportions.

ordering the destruction of these emblems which for centuries have here found a

home

;

and throughout the country

are being dismantled.

we came of

figures ;,|3

such shrines

Continuing our course by the river for half

a mile, and re-crossing the water,

i'tri

all

life

some

scores of stone

sitting postures,

size,

which are said to be the disciples of

â&#x20AC;˘^^-y

Ascending the

Buddha.

these figures,

behind

hill

see a Buddhist grave-

yard, and near the water's edge a stone,

over which rises a canopy supported on four

columns.

stone

dentation incense

small

In a

at times

burnt

in-

for

;

on the face of an overhanging rock at the opposite side of the stream a Saninscription

scrit

of these characters

a glorious walk closed

in,

the

follow the

but, instead of continuing

;

main

hill

all

square there

stone

flat is

;

simple

Both the

wood

construction.

did last

opening at our right

by a strong stone

railing

but they are mere copies

column supported by four

so,

the river,

of steps, on the top of which

enclosure, surrounded

a gate.

To do

Japan.

street, cross left

cele-

on which the shrines and

temples of Nikko are built (Fig. 65). flight

early to

start

our course by the water, we soon

turn to the right and ascend the

soon displayed a short

After

returned, as night

and temples so

and then turn to the night

worshipped.

morning we

shrines

brated throughout Bronze Column or SoRiN-TO AT Nikko.

Fig. 66.

to our hotel.

the

In see

and the author

cut,

Within

railing, in

which

and the gate are of massive in

the harder

this enclosure

buttress-like

members

material

of a

a large bronze (Fig. 66).

the central column are stored copies of the Buddhist scriptures

and while the four supporting posts and the central column are here fixed, the whole structure

but a modification of the rotary

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

contrivance which holds copies of the scriptures, and the pious

cause to revolve as a religious duty, wheel, to = tower).

The

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the sorin-to (so =

all,

rin

of the sacred books contained in

titles

structure are written on the

this

upper parts

column

the

gold characters.

Continuing our walk up the

we soon

hill,

pagoda

(Fig.

and

These stand

closure

surrounded

which

are

many

conof

an en-

walls,

the

beautiful

These

walls,

Japan, are roofed, and

their lower

while

various

sanctuary

Nikko.

buildings.

beautiful

together

great

the

6"/^

which

buildings, stitute

reach

portion

of stone,

between

intervening

the

stone and the roof are uprights

connected

tie

carved

the

lies

which

panels,

The

beams.

beauty of the walls

the

fill

spaces between the uprights and the

Birds,

tie-pieces.

clouds, water,

and

flowers,

animals

are

here cut with a boldness which the

finest

European carvers

could scarcely equal.

doubt,

Fig. 67.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Pagoda at Nikko.

we have in Europe any artists who could arrange such compositions with

indeed,

whether

half the vigour exhibited in these panels (Fig. 69).

The temple within, or side of a

enclosure

hill,

which

divided into a series of courts, one

beyond the other

;

and as the shrine

situated on the

gradually ascends, each succeeding court

and the main building, being

higher than the one preceding

;

the last and most sacred enclosure,

on the highest ground.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

202

Here, on our

the stable

left, is

formed

which a sacred horse was

formerly kept, a building which strikes

carved and coloured with consummate tion of these enrichments

door of the

skill,

on our

left,

;

and,

situated in to

standing under a canopy, which it

and the

In this enclosure, and

are a series of buildings,

would make long journeys roof over

while the distribu-

black lacquer contrast with the plain wooden

finest

object to boast of

and

has a few panels

coloured carving and a bold lattice

structure in the most delicious manner. still

as judicious as the carving

The

colouring are clever.

as of great interest,

unvarnished timber.

chiefly of plain

rests

see is

any one of which

any part of Europe, thousands There

it.

the water tank

a mass of beautiful work.

The

on twelve monolith columns, the tops of which,

as well as parts of the horizontal tie-members, are encased in bronze

sockets, diapered with fine patterns,

Here and little

bits

Above

there,

and bearing the Shogun's arms.

extending beyond the bronze encasements, are

of polychromatic

ornament

most carefully disposed.

the horizontal member, and supported by a series of curious,

yet characteristic brackets,

a wonderful, massive, sweeping roof,

with rounded gables, borne on beams half enveloped

gilt

metal

figured with rich repmissd ornament.

Above roof, is

member and below the glorious sweeping hammered metal-work, Here we have which no English building can boast. the horizontal

a mass of carving, painting, and

the like of

water, almost lashed

into

tempest, with water-fowl riding on the

waves, and flowers treated with exquisite tenderness, while

all is

subordinated to a true architectural position.

But

dealing with a shrine like that of Nikko, words are

altogether inadequate

even the best photographs give but an

imperfect idea of buildings which -and half to form.

Without the

owe

half their beauty to colour,

aid of either,

and having

to satisfj'

myself with a few woodcuts, which are as far behind the great

photographs of Nikko now before fully-coloured drawings,

the reader any result in failure.

fit

feel that

as photographs are behind

attempt at conveying to

conception of the beauty of these shrines

must

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AXD ART MAXUFACTURES.

ART, Next

the water -tank, and a

building of great beautj^

little

but were

;

be}-ond

it,

another

attempt descriptions of

the various buildings here congregated

203

book would swell

unwicld}' bulk.

In the court

now

series of lanterns,

both

entered are several other buildings, and a stone and

are about six feet in height

Most of these

bronze.

around are vast coniferous trees crowded together, so as

almost impenetrable mass of green. the court

The lower in

portion

all

form an

pass without notice.

formed of triangular logs arranged

and resembling

zontally,

Nara

portion

the right, however, of

we must not

a building which

latter

and of the usual pagoda form, while

hori-

construction the old building at

its

which the Mikado's treasures are preserved.

Above

the

thus formed and below the great overhanging roof

have an amount of work

the highest degree beautiful.

Dealing with the gable end, which faces us as we walk up outer court,

we have

on which runs a

abo\-e the

this

V-shaped logs a horizontal member,

Greek key pattern

" in all its purity.

From

this

by another horizontal member, Greek key," while two of the panels

rise five circular uprights, crossed

on which again occurs the thus formed

are

filled

with lattice -work and two with

painted

decoration.

we have

Passing upwards,

tween the columns, and a

and projecting beam. ridge

of the

roof,

elephants at play.

be described,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

while nearly

series of brackets

Here

full

relief

two

There are other members here which cannot ties,

grand-headed

nails,

the parts are covered with diaper-work of the

and

the uprights

members

supporting a horizontal

and beside which stand,

cleverest construction.

Following the pathway, we torii,

the spaces be-

a king-post, which carries the

rises

carved pendants, metal

all

richest colour

a diaper pattern in

now

of which are

are of bronze, on which

pass through a magnificent

of stone, while the is

horizontal

repeated ten times the crest of

the Shogun.

This

which

torii

rest

has

on a

its

vertical

plinth

columns encased base,

bronze sockets,

and are perfectly Greek

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 2

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

Greek

character, the usual

which spreads from the

torii,

ornament enriching the moulding the

Passing under

base.

ascend twenty steps and enter the second court, in

which we have a

At one

leaf

column

the

side

and some magnificent

series of buildings

trees.

the belfry, at the other the music-house, together

with other small buildings, while distributed over the court are

huge candelabrum, and a monster bronze

brackets, a

lantern, these

latter being all of European (probably Dutch) manufacture. On some of the buildings which bound this court, and face us

enter

of these panels on the

hon

bird, or

with

its

the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;which

consists of the pseony

left

may

another of the

Mikado's domestic crest

supposed to

feed,

Leaving

flower, the

This

this court,

one

gatehouse

which

The

left

are

considerable

height, it

;

two colossal left (Fig.

68).

and has a massive

but both the gallery and

complex system of brackets, such

of detail

this

gatehouse

absolutely

There must be thousands of brackets supporting

indescribable.

roof

we ascend

of the central path,

be understood.

elaboration

the gallery

all

a long transverse strip of ground

the right and the other at the

the roof are supported on a

must be seen

birds,

skill.

while a large gallery surrounds

roof,

plant of which the

and on which the hon

formed,

of thirteen steps to a gateway in which

figures, the

the

consists of a grand treatment of

kikii

extending to the right and flight

and the sacred

and others of various flowers and

treated with masterly

first

be regarded as the Japanese phoeni.x

Another

three young.

fir-tree,

The

are carved panels of great magnificence.

it,

alone,

while as

many

Here we have dragons

are in

employed relief

full

sustaining

by the

score,

kylins in almost every attitude, carved flowers, groups of figures, clouds,

diaper

water,

wrought by the metal

;

chisel,

patterns,

and

ornamental

compositions

drawn by the brush, or hammered up

while the whole constitutes a mass, beautiful in

tions, pleasant

its

" quantities," correct

very world of colour- harmony. architectural

work that

This

its

the

its

propor-

structure,

and a

most marvellous

have ever seen, and days might well

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, be spent

considering

The

it.

illustration (Fig.

attempt at expressing the contour and detail of seen from the court which

Passing through this

which surrounds, on three

court, in is

now about to enter. gateway we come upon a

large court

are

sides, that enclosure in is

uprights

wall, in the centre of

The base

feet

above

These uprights,

about twelve

feet

The

pass.

first

member

the next horizontal

;

and of about the same width

member

;

horizontal

about

five

then comes another then

;

tiles.

we have immediately above

be seen that

some

is itself is

a distance of about sixteen inches

a regular roof-structure covered with It will

rise

apart.

distance

about sixteen inches above the wall, and

this,

which

by horizontal members thicker than the

the

inches broad

horizontal

of the wall

consists of massive blocks of stone, from

and through which the uprights

fifteen

which

almost more beautiful than the

(Fig. 69), if possible,

are connected

member

which the temple

separated from the innermost

one through which we have just passed. adjoining

a rude

gateway as

which the temple stands, by a

a gateway

69)

this

This enclosure

itself is situated.

205

the stone base

of this wall a series of elongated panels about sixteen

inches

depth, then above these a series of panels of about five feet in

depth, then another series of the of which are covered

The

same depth

by a substantial

tiled

as those below,

all

roof

lower range of narrow panels consists entirely of carved

representations of water and of water-fowl

;

thus on the

left

of the

entrance to the innermost court the panel consists of three ducks flying over water.

The next

passing flight of small birds

;

consists of water

the next of geese and water

next of ducks and water, and so with the rest of the gateway

we have

small birds and water on.

Above

these

;

and cloud, with a

;

storks standing in water

;

the

while to the right ;

next a

flight of

then a flight of ducks over water, and so

come the

horizontal connecting beams, which are

diapered with an hexagonal pattern, then the large panels inter-

vening between the two horizontal beams.

These are framed with

black lacquer margins, having rich metal corner plates, and these

framed panels

fill

the large spaces left between the uprights and

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Fig. 69.

Gateway at the Entranxe of the Inner Court of the Shrine

of Nikko.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

2o8

The panels themselves

the horizontal members.

work

and richly-painted floral compositions.

consist of pierced-

Now we come

the second horizontal members, which are again diapered with a

hexagonal pattern

but

;

should be noticed that this pattern laps

over on to the upper and the lower surface of this horizontal beam.

Above filled

comes the second

this

series of

narrow panels, which are

with flowers and land-birds.

In the whole of these panels the subjects are treated with great tenderness

carving which

yet there

;

most

a crispness

and decision about the

while both carving and diaper-

masterlj?-,

work are aglow with colours mingled

the most harmonious

manner. This court

surrounded by

with great simplicity, and

work the

cloisters,

manner

in a

and these are decorated

that reminds

of Greek

yet there are decorative details which at once show that

;

work

The Greek key

not Athenian.

used as a

string-course

pattern

is,

however,

on the walls as the Greeks used

it.

Five steps lead to the gateway which forms an opening through this beautiful wall is

;

at the same time

Round

in aspect ?

almost to

its

;

we have other,

;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

plants

possibly describe a work that

of detail, rich in colour, and most beautiful

outer columns entwine dragons which seem

brackets are tufts of chrysanthemum flowers, while above

a series of horizontal the

;

first

members superposed one above

giving us a very procession of gods filled

the

the next a

;

with charming arrangements of water-

the next (a tie-beam) profusely decorated with ornament,

and bound

roof,

can

architraves are covered with carved peach-trees

its

number of panels

above

full its

how

blossom, the branches extending from the uprights over the

in full lintel

live

but

all

at its

ends

elaborately treated metal sockets, and

the other decorations, yet underneath the curious arched

are figures

and animals and

trees

and water

all

grouped

together with a perfect understanding of the laws which govern the distribution of ornament.

Ascending the

we reach

five steps,

and passing through

the innermost court

pointing up

the

hill

where

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

this

a parallelogram with

stands the temple

itself:

gateway, its

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

length a

long

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

209

building of simple construction, but with carved panels of the richest character.

The temple

entered from a balcony surrounding

sides consist largely of well-formed,

its

and massive,

Above

hinged at the top, and opening outwards.

panels divided

squares,

;

and

these window-

Internally, the temple has a ceiling

find rich carving.

into

lattice panels

that

of Uyeno, with a deeply coved cornice lines

consisting

vertical

but the panels are

;

filled

with ornamental devices of appropriate

resembling

character

those of Shiba. I

am getting weary of beaut}-,

and can understand what Shake-

when

Sweet music makes

meant

speare "

surely

for

there

said,

sad

affinity

between beauty of form, beauty Fig. 70.

of colour, and beauty of sound. I

now

feel

that sweet forms

of colour are making beautiful, for

feel

me that

Small Gateway at Nikko.

and sweet colours and sweet harmonies

sad.

also wearj^ of writing of the

any words that

can use must

fail

convey any adequate idea of the conscientiousness of the work, the loveliness of the compositions, the harmoniousness of the colours,

and the beauty of the surroundings here before adjectives which

have

tried to

of conveying to the reader what

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

feel

and yet the

;

heap one upon another, I

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an

architect

when contemplating these matchless

the hope

and ornamentist

shrines

must appear,

afraid, altogether unreasonable.

now

leave the temple, and,

making our

quaint white gate (Fig. 70) proceed up the not less beautiful, shrine.

Here we

hill

exit through a to a smaller, but

find a strange

anomaly,

for

the cut paper of Shinto dangles in a building radiant with colour

and

rich in

ornaments.

Shinto enjoins the most perfect work, but employs neither P

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

2IO

colour nor carving in

its

temples

;

Buddhism symbolises by

while

carving and colour the power of the Buddhists' god over things,

and the loving protection which

all

created

all

that lives enjoys at his

The very essence of Shintoism is simplicity, and of Buddhism the tender perception of, and care for, all that lives. But the fact isâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; this shrine in which the Shinto emblem waves was

hands.

Buddhist, and

only since the revolution that

has been set

apart for Shinto worship.

Connected with

temple are two rooms the columns of

this

which are covered with gold with coloured decoration,

the form

of folded drapery, at the top of each shaft (very similar to that in

82 and

Figs.

The golden columns,

87).

together with horizontal

members, divide the wall into panels, which have a margin of dark

green diapered with gold.

diaper-work

this

falls

a black

lacquer frame pencilled with gold scrolls, while within the frame

carving in unpolished

When

wood

of a vulture with a rabbit in

looked at this carving

I first

thought that

of one piece of wood, in colour resembling

but

now

consisted

;

panels

these

then smaller panels,

The

ornaments. its

are

members

horizontal

The

wall consists

ceiling

differs.

diapered

;

divided into coffers, and every coffer

centre a carved group of flowers or ornaments in the

For a dining-room or library

imagine nothing more quiet or richer at

richly

which are coloured carvings or painted

natural colour of the wood.

room

;

but the two are so similar in colour that they

of a series of such panels, only in each one the subject

grasp.

its

American walnut

simply present two shades of one general hue.

has

see that the carved parts are of one wood, and the

ground of another

Above

Nikko

;

and

in this

can

than this beautiful

only hope that some millionaire

appreciate the beautiful will give

a similar room

in effect

who can

an opportunity of producing

country.

This entire group of buildings, built for the purposes of Buddhist worship, have been ceded to Shinto since

the

Mikado

the restoration of

They contrast strangely, I need wood structures which constitute the

to temporal power.

scarcely say, with the simple shrines of that strange faith.

There

is,

however, a smaller group

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, of temples

Buddhists in

;

211

close by which still remains in the hands of the and the buildings here congregated are as beautiful

their decoration,

and

rich in

their details, as those of the

larger series already described, while their situation

the better

of the two.

With much day and return

regret

leave these beautiful shrines in the fading

to our hotel.

The manufactures

Nikko

are here hollowed out as trays

;

are few.

Sections of tree stems

and are lacquered internally with

a mottled lacquer, while the outside remains in

its

natural state.

Trays are also made of a pliable bark, and sections of strange stems are prepared as kettle stands, very highly finished.

resolved, although

was

late,

get a few miles

our road towards Tokio before night.

snow began The snow soon gave place

started on our journey than

bitterly cold.

to drenching rain,

we were compelled

The next

fall

spend the night at the

Utsunomiya, having made very

little

But no sooner had we

and

little

became and

town of

distance.

we reached Tokio, having run one day. The weather has been fine

night at ten o'clock

eighty-three miles in the

but bitterly cold

and the wind has blown

;

a hurricane, overthrow-

ing even large trees.

One

thing only that

special note,

and that

This sign was hung out old inns

;

but

its

saw on the return journey

an apothecary's sign in

horizontal

member in a

worthy of

the town of Satte.

the roadway like those in front of our

character was most

marked and

was of the form of the old gallows, but the were carved

at the top,

tall

interesting.

upright shaft, the

and the bracket connecting the two

most perfect manner

indeed the carving on this

was almost as elaborate and as clever as some of the work we had seen in Nikko. The next day was spent at Yokohama in making preparations my homeward journey, and on the day following I was enter-

sign

that

for

tained at a banquet which the ministers kindly prepared for at

the

Hama

Shogun).

Goten (strand palace, or summer palace of the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

212

Going the next day I

took out

nicelj'

all

the South Kensington

to the

arranged

museum,

found the tlnngs which

in glass cases, similar

Museum, and here

(who

Sano,

Mr. Sameshima

Saigo,

became

afterwards

Japanese minister

many

Mr.

including

ministers,

General

to those at

met a number of the

the

and

Paris),

others.

After inspecting the objects the

museum, we drove

summer old

(fishing)

Shogun

palace

(Fig. 71),

to the

of the

where an

elaborate luncheon was prepared in

the purest French style.

Nay,

not only was the cooking purely

French, but on the table were

costume-crackers and other bonbons, including those enormous

which

contrivances

contain

full-sized dress.

Having bidden adieu Fig. 71.

End of Palace

the Hamagoten

Gardens, Tokio.

This Palace was formerly the residence of a Dainiio, then it became the summer Palace of the Empress, and now it is used for the entertainment of illustrious strangers.

Shoida

(of the

off;

Saumarez

and

one

accompanj'ing

seven

o'clock

Mr.

me.

Sano,

Mr.

At 9.30 Mr. Sano, Mr. Shoida, and Mr. came on board to

two

and Mr. Sakata came

while Mr. Saumarez and Mr. Sakata

and

five

Yokohama; Mr.

others

Ishida,

by the

started

o'clock train for

Tokio Museum), Mr.

dine with me. left,

friends,

Ishida see

astonishment General Saigo found time to

me slip

away from the war office, although the Satsuma rebellion was at its height, to come and wish me a safe journey and again to bid me farewell. I am now on the steamship Malacca, and before morning dawns I shall be on my way to China. Thus ends my "

journeyings

Japan, during which

one thousand seven hundred

miles.

have travelled a

little

over

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, The Japan.

following

But

let

first

list

English (the Japanese foot

and not twelve,

into ten,

of the distances that

me mention is

the

60 Kens

36 Chio

Musashi

Yoko-

hama Yokohama to Kobe in Settsu 145 Kobe to Sumoto in Awaji Sumoto to Iga mura and .

.... -

back

Sumoto to Kobe Kobe to Santa in Settsu Santa to Shibe-yama in Settsu

and back Santa to Arima

in Settsu

Arima to Kobe Kobe to Nara in Yamato Nara to Kioto in Yamashiro Kioto to Osaka in Settsu Osaka to Wakayama in Kii Wakayama to Kuroye-mura .

in Kii

and back

Wakayama

Ota-mura and

Koya-zan

back

\Vakayama Koya-zan

back

to .

Okunoin and .

Koya-zan to Hashimoto-mura

Hashimoto-mura to Osaka Osaka to Kobe Kobe to Hiogo and back Kobe to Tenno-ji in Osaka

Tenno-ji to Kioto

Carry foriuard

Chio

travelled in

shiaku equals

as ours, only

Ken. Chio. Ri.

about two and a half miles.) Ri

Tokio

same

parts).

6 Shiakus

that

213

it is

foot

divided

—

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

214

A Japanese

blue book

CHAPTER

IX.

— Object of my

— Expoitation of ginger

visit

Manufacture of carpets,

HAVE now

described

experiences while passing through

a strange and Interesting country

;

place to place

all

thought that

little

be published to the world

some months

manufacturing

districts

throw

portions

but while

but so

;

and

of Japan

journey

letter

runs as follows "

was to

After the lapse of

is.

from

travelled

said or did

sort

of blue

throughout

circulated

the

record seems to

this

well to give translations of also received about

English from poor Mr. Okubo,

brutally assassinated after

This

and as

think

of this curious document.

same time a

that

received in London, a copy of a

book which had been printed light

etc.

the

who was

return to England. :

Interior Department, Tokio, Japan, " 2(>st of 2,(1 month I itli year Meiji.

" Dr. Dresser. " Sir sent

— In January

our

of last

Museum, and

loth year Meiji, you have brought the articles

am much

obliged

trouble to arrange them.

After your returning

have been

all

exhibited

the people,

that

home

and

you have taken the last

April, the

have notified

all

articles

through

the country your valuable informations, regarding to the important points of industry,

which you have given

visit to several industrial

could

make

heretofore,

all

and

industrial I

to the officer

estabhshments.

men

who attended you during your

must be

for

your kindness that

understand the points which were obscure

can assure you that

the future time they will

make

progress and bring great interest upon the commerce. "

During your

visit

you have requested our

Museum

make

the models

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

of ornamental ceiling of several temples at Tokio,

215

and now they have been

finished.

" Although they are very trifling and not enough to compensate your last service,

them

present

to you,

you

will

them as the token

please accept

highest regard.

With compliment, "

Okubo Toshimichi,

" Minister of Interior Department.''^

thus appears that Mr. Ishida and

structed to note

all I

Mr. Sakata were

in-

did and said, and to furnisli a report of

doings to the Government exact

sum expended

and the amount of

and so minute

this report that the

the purchase of various objects

certain subscriptions

which

noted,

gave to temples

named.

The

report

first

The purpose

explains

Thus

ing the country. for

it is

who said

am and my

motives for

visit-

which Dr. Dresser came

to the

East was to inspect the

productions of Japan and China, and to find out their prime cost

;

moreover,

he wishes to collect paintings and drawings, patterns on woven and dyed goods, and pictures of decorative colourings and sculptures on the temples

and other

fine buildings in the interior of

Japan.

Hence,

in his travels in the

he collected porcelain and Japanned wares in which were preserved old patterns, woven goods both old and new, decorations of temples and other interior,

fine buildings.

" In his

task of collecting old

and new patterns and colourings, Dr.

Dresser gave special attention to the ancient works of Greece and Europe, and

Rome

Asia he did not even omit the interior of India, sending agents

where he could not go himself.

has now accomplished, after

much

labour

and great perseverance, the design of many years, setting apart a sum of He was especially 1 80,000 yen of his own money for this arduous undertaking. satisfied with Japan,

where he obtained many old and new patterns and

articles

of the highest interest.

" Having an extensive knowledge and fine taste in matters relating to the fine arts.

Dr. Dresser was extensively consulted as a very good authority by

various companies engaged in manufacturing porcelain wares, bronze articles,

woven goods, etc., about their patterns and colourings. The sums which Ire received by way of remuneration from these companies suffice to pay his The costs of his Oriental travels were also borne by various comexpenses. panies, so that he felt himself bound to find out something important by which these companies might be benefited

in their various industry."

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

2i6

This East

the Japanese notion of the object of

and while there

many

new

altogether

facts

position as "

good deal of truth

Art adviser"

has been misunderstood

it, it

visit

the

also contains

me. The manner in which my some of our leading manufacturers

to is

laughable, but

need not go through

the various statements and say which are true and which are not, as

readers can almost judge as to this themselves.

In this report

represented

Among

seventy different subjects. " " in

The

giving

these are

information

Exportation of Ginger.

quantity of ginger used in

London

very great indeed, being used

bread of higher quality, sponge-cakes, sweetmeats,

etc.,

and

also as medicine.

The people of the city are very fond of it, and it has now, like tea and coffee, become almost indispensable. Now ginger does not grow in England, but is imported every year from the West Indies. As the quantity of ginger grown in

Japan

very large,

tight,

and not

This

if its

liable to

founded arose

(fish)

would soon form an slices,

well

and

conversation on which this paragraph

in the following

Being present

ought to be cut into thin

illustration of the general character

The

nature of this report. is

spoilt."

an admirable

exportation were begun

For exportation

important staple.

manner.

a Japanese meal, with one course of which

shredded ginger was served as we serve horse-radish with

beef,

and noticing that the ginger was fresh from the ground, I asked if it grew abundantly in Japan, and was informed that it did. I then explained that

and that

was a valuable

article of

commerce

Europe,

might probably be advantageously included

the

exports of the country.

Being asked the uses to which ginger I

said that

and that a

was used

put in Great Britain,

medicine, as a flavouring in confectionery,

certain kind of cake, called ginger-bread, in the

of which this article was employed, was enjoyed

Now we come

can quite understand

bread

made

have been selected as rhizome, or

why

how

our term

of ginger;" but

illustrations

the city of

by our

making children.

ginger-bread

why sponge-cakes

has

should

of the use of this pungent

London should have

preference over

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

other places as the seat of

The notion

special consumption,

its

217

cannot say

of the cutting of ginger into thin slices must have

been suggested by a knowledge of the fact that the Americans apples in order to dry them.

slice

Now

for

description of the

Manufacture of Carpets

" The manufacture of carpets generally

manufactured

each manufactory makes

;

from treble

The

the pattern and texture. the stuff

The

" is

all

very large indeed.

carpet weaving warp

only the

that of velvet,

There are four kinds now manufactured

threads and wires are longer.

London, England

London.

one

the warp

and the quantity

kind,

treble in velvet, so

to quintuple, according to the fineness of

quintuple warp

used for very

and

fine pattern,

very thick. finest style is called the

Walton.'

In this

method the wire put

provided with a sharp knife-edge at one end, so that

taking

cuts

the threads put lengthwise, being like the velvet.

The

the

True Axminster,' and the method

manufacture of the highest quality

in the

Sakai Ken.

like that

In this

pursued

method each

thread of the warp consists of threads of proper length of various colours tied to

each other, so as to form the figure required, woofs being put in gradually.

But as the process takes a long time, only those of best quality and high price are manufactured.

The

inventor.

and over

third style

the Templeton Patent Axtninster, so called from the

In this the patterns are, like that of the wall paper, repeated over

Several breadths

again.

may

be put together so as to form a

continuous figure, according to the size of the room.

The

simple and good.

square yard. " The fourth differs

price

about

five

the Tapestry carpet.

The method

from the above three.

speedy.

This method

very

dollars (twenty shillings) for a

This method

very simple, and

of dying the warp and woof

very

Before they are put on the weaving machine the threads are placed

in the order in

which they are

which colours are put threads on the

first

be woven, and put round a large cylinder on

proper pattern.

As the

cylinders roll in contact the

cylinder are dyed in proper colours.

which the method, which

This

the point in

very quick and convenient, differs from the

first

three."

This

put forward as

factures of England.^ 1

First, the

description of the carpet seat of this industry

manusaid to

For a description of the carpet manufactures of England, see the section on by the author.

subject in British Manufacturing Industries,

this

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

2i8

be London, where,

until

Mr. Morris erected his few handlooms

on Chiswick Mall a short time

The

years existed.

no carpet loom has

since,

many-

for

description of the processes of manufacture,

and the kinds of carpets produced

Great Britain,

a strange

jumble indeed

Next comes

a paragraph entitled

The Carpets and Furnitures of European Manufactures

ARE unfit for A JAPANESE HOUSE.

" During

sojourn in Japan I observed the carpets, porcelain, and other European manufacture, in every house everywhere. All these articles are made for the use of the people of the lower class in England, and are never used in the houses of the middle class. Moreover, European articles all of

merchants, finding that they can get the largest profit on these cheap

send

goods to Japan.

inferior

very sorry to see

own

of the Japanese style spoilt and deprived of their

by the presence of these

many

made

articles,

perfect houses

excellent characteristics

Moreover, Japan

inferior articles.

Carpets are

country.

many is

a very productive

Osaka, Sakai, and some other places

and

and noted porcelain wares and furnitures are manufactured here. Therefore, if the houses are furnished and decorated with their home-manufactured articles, the admiration and wonder of Europeans who may enter these fine

houses

be much more deeply excited.

will

The people

unreasonably prejudiced in favour of the foreign

articles,

home productions. This feeling seems ingrained in the brain it may be justly said that the foreign merchants get profits themselves of

This

made

all

nations are

and care

little

of people.

for

And

only by availing

this feeling."

last

paragraph has arisen out of certain remarks which

respecting the furniture seen in the houses of one or two

Japanese

ministers,

for,

undoubtedly, these

had been considerably imposed upon by European description,

articles

and such

their

other articles of

as scarcely

effect that " I

make

Next we

most

for, I

are favoured with

way

their

into the resi-

England.

But how a

observe the carpets, porcelains, and

European manufacture

where," can be accounted

gentlemen

houses are of the very commonest

dences of the lower middle classes in statement to the

worthy

foreign traders, as

am my

every house, every-

at a loss to

know.

opinion on the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

Manufacture of Hardware

219

Osaka and Sakai Ken.

Now, in made in London such machine-made pieces of domestic furniture as have been manufactured in Europe, and are smooth and polished, are not regarded with favour. At present handmade wares, not highly finished, with hammer marks shown, " Very good hardwares are

Osaka and Sakai Ken.

are becoming generally popular.

Osaka and Sakai should export

one reason why

But the wares which can answer

people.

many

This

kinds

;

and as every house

to these

that

it is

important that

wants of the London

articles likely to suit the

wants are of course not of

has fireplaces, stove, with the

city

accompanying tongs and pokers, these tools should be made by hands without simply, without ornaments, and so using machinery, by the Japanese method as to show hammer marks it is certain that they will be generally esteemed

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

;

London.

Again,

the hardwares fixed on the doors in the temples of

hammer marks

Osaka, Kioto, and Nara, be imitated, with

same

the

colour, they will

be greatly

that although manufacturers in that city

may

furniture sent from Japan, yet, as they will

The composition It

for. I

no doubt

at a

of this paragraph

much

greater cost, articles

demand."

easily accounted

arose out of a conversation respecting hardware, in which

mentioned that persons of

hammered

black

attempt for a time to imitate the

work

of Japanese manufacture will be sure to be

apparent, and in

There

London.

in request in

fire-irons

taste in

artistic

England preferred

to the highly polished

productions of

Sheffield.

The next paragraph the report, as

that

sets forth, in a

select

way,

the most important in

appeal on behalf of the

temples and ancient monuments of Japan. "

It is

About the old Temples of Kasug.\ and Todaiji "

Yamoto

headed in

Nara, Yamoto.

the most noted province of Kinai (five provinces about Kioto).

In Nara, especially, as being the seat of the ancient capitals, there are

many may be

still

and works of art from which the splendour of ancient European antiquarians in treating of long imagined.

be seen

buildings

times

clearly

past ages always proceed on evidence furnished by what remains in ancient

towns, such as temples and other buildings, and are very careful to preserve the ruins as long as possible. relics

Now, Nara,

over one thousand years old,

the conditions of ancient times.

as a place

full

of old ruins and

all who study Government should

of highest importance to

It is

desirable that the

and preserve carefully an ancient place like Nara. The dance of Mikanks (a sort of priestess) at Kasuga Temple is worthy of praise as preserv-

protect

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

220

much

ing

Among

of the old simpHcity.

of Shozo-in not a single article

the old articles in the treasure-store

be seen that

not of the highest value

and interest, and which may not help us to realise the conditions of old times and the splendour and excellence of ancient workmanship. How happy I was to have the opportunity of seeing all these old and valuable articles In all !

life

shall

ne\er have another such joy."

Now we come

paragraph that shows some

to a

knowledge respecting the manner

may be

want of

altered.

That the Import Dutv on the Saki (Japanese Spirituous Liquor) ought to be Diminished.

" Since the opening of

London

into

little

which custom-house duties

;

Japan a certain amount of saki has been imported

but as the price there

very high

not sold in large

The high price is due to the heavy import duty charged in Now, the rule of the custom-house in England is to impose a very

quantities.

England.

heavy tax on the

only light duties on the others. upon the saki as obtained by distillation and therefore impose a heavy duty on it but I have now examined personally the method of brewing Japanese saki, and found out the mistake of the English

Now,

distilled spirit of alcohol, but

the custom-house officers look

;

custom-house

speak to the

Having some influence

officers.

about

officers

Home

this altered is for the

;

Department

explaining this matter, and have

will easily

says

course

;

and then the export of saki

The middle and lower

America.'

Dr. Dresser, struck by this

Americans

fact,

to Tiffiiny Store in

New York

has received

commercial

cannot be too highly admired."

This extract long before is

certainly choice in

visit to

the quality

fluid.

for

onl}',

It is therefore

Americans

" in

its

way.

and

knew spirit,

and not by

distillation of

not chargeable with the spirit

liking " volatile liquors,"

a high degree,"

(as I

and not a

Saki

Japan) a colourless beer,

produced by fermentation

a fermented duty.

this

has entered into contracts for the

Japanese saki from Dr. Dresser, whose sharpness and judgment

every

much demand

Tiffany Store has advertised already that

its sale.

Japanese saki has

sure to meet with

export of the Japanese saki, intending to send City, to try

classes of

States like " volatile liquors."

quality in a high degree, as that

ambassador

the English

be increased.

The author

affairs

will

then give proper orders to the

will

officers to alter their present

of the United

part

to write to

way of having

countersigned by him and sent to the

The Government

English Government.

custom-house

custom-house,

at the

but the quickest and the best

my making

and saki having

a contract for the

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

export of this exhilarating

York, I

fluid

221

can only say that only from this report did

had achieved

important business arrangement.

this

with the choice of any objects that

know

certainly

Co.

might think calculated to

aid in the development of their silversmith business

learn that

by Messrs. Tiffany and

had the honour of being intrusted

interesting to

New

to the great silversmith of

and most

that, after a careful

and

;

intelligent

consideration of these objects, Messrs. Tiffany and Co. produced

new works which secured to the firm the " grand prix " at the last Paris exhibition. Whether amongst the things sent there were one or two bottles the alpha and

with saki or not

filled

omega of my

the

cannot say

dealings in

;

but this alcoholic

this

beverage.

The

business astuteness with which

borne out by a small section of the report, sented as expressing "

That

opinion on

profitable not to gain

it is

credited

which

is,

perhaps,

repre-

Perseverance of Mind," and

much

interest

articles of sale."

Perseverance of Mind.

" Innumerable are the persons in every country' who, either as individuals or in companies, undertake to produce any articles in a large scale for extensive

and who

sale,

fail at

the outset of their career owing to the deficiency of profit

to balance the expenditure.

The cause may be explained

as follows

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Such

persons stop short too soon through fear of losing not only the capital but also of incurring fresh losses from the deficiency of profit to balance the outlay

needed

keep up the business.

never stop so soon.

They if it

They

Intelligent persons, however, in

management of

look after the

are careful to see whether unnecessary hands are employed at work, and,

so, to

have these extra hands got

production of articles

retj^uired

may be

succeed

producing good

Again, the materials for the

rid of.

too expensive, and in this case they

have them bought cheaper by some means.

may

such case

their undertakings.

articles

After

many

years' experience they

and gradually enlarging

their sale.

This success entirely depends on the endurance and energy of the persons concerned.

The

interests of all the traders in English

manufactures suffered

from these causes when the methods of modern manufactures were duced.

When

low price of

cheese was

five cents

first

manufactured

per pound.

expenses of production.

But

sold at twenty cents per pound.

its

It is

America

first

was sold

introat the

evident that this will not pay for the

is now so much improved that The cheese manufactured in Europe is

quality

sold

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

222

England increases year

many "

the

amount of American cheese imported

This success

after year.

That

articles,

the result of the

efTforts

profitable not to gain much Interest on Articles of Sale.

it is

what they

the

call

commission of Toi-ya (an establishment

articles of all kinds for sale are deposited

what

years in America."

" There

where

Hence

per pound.

at sixty-two cents

have heard of

and

it is

it,

the commission

exacted by toi-ya.

and

At present

only one-sixteenth part on the value of the articles.

being too costly,

its

price

According

distributed).

ten per cent on the value of the

China

this

commission

increased in proportion, and the consequence

diminution in the amount of exports.

The

The Japanese production is

on national

secret of carrying

articles at small profits, and in There was one trading company in England which dealt in carpets, but few were purchased on account of the The high price was charged to balance the expenses of the dearness of price.

manufactures at a profit largely increasing the

producing cheap exportation.

The company was going

establishment.

another course. without any

lies in

amount of

profit,

to dissolve

when one member urged

reformed the rules of the company, and sold carpets

but lessened the size of carpet by only three longitudinal

when compared with the arising the company worked

With the profit thus The lowering of the price brought an and the company not only exists still, but prospers. increase of customers The postage of England also differed proportionally with the distances. The carpets hitherto made.

lines

on.

;

postage for the most remote parts of the country was fixed

at one shilling, and Thereupon the Government changed the established regulations of postage, and determined that the

the people

felt it

inconvenient to pay so much.

postage within the English dominion, distant or near, should be a penny. that this

occasion there was one

change, would find

change the people doubled.

itself

felt its

who

protested that the Government, by

involved in unexpected expenses

;

making

but after the

convenience, and the number of postage stamps was

The revenue of the post-office increased manyfold. From these it may be seen clearly that cheapness insures an increase of Nor can it be doubted in trade generally that the interest of the

two instances profits.

trader lies in selling his commodities cheap and in large quantities."

These wonderfully erudite

disquisitions

govern the success of companies

will fully

on the principles that

account for the flattering

reinark contained at the end of the preceding paragraph.

Now we

have a

series

of paragraphs which profess to set forth

opinion of the various potters' wares and manufactures seen

during our journeyings.

One

finishes with this

passage

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

223

" In

London ladies and old ladies take great fancy to tea-cups and such Those above the middle class indulge in purchasing silver trays therefore, such trays manufactured in Japan as having gold and silver inlaid, and which are not easily defaced, might become the rage of old patronesses. things.

;

Beside

iron

this,

demand

frame of

This

concerns us

all,

and

silver,

might

suit the

On the

with only one more extract from this

give because the information contained

inasmuch as

happiness can be secured. "

inlaid with gold

will trouble m}' readers

curious document. in

fan,

of genteel class."

reveals the

means by which

It is entitled

Happiness of the People of the Interior P.\rts of Japan.

Japan for many months, and and everywhere they seem to be Accordcontented with their humble vocation, and show no signs of poverty. ing to what I have heard they live in their own houses, and it is very rare to "

have travelled about the

interior parts of

observed that the people's disposition

quiet,

This deserves find men and women beyond the age of twenty unmarried. much praise, for marriage is the most important aftair of one's life and one who succeeds in perfecting the union is sure to derive happiness. Therefore, I should say that when the Japanese people are compared with Europeans, their ;

happiness far e.xceeds that of the

latter.

middle class have no houses of their own cannot marry, even when they attain to

;

In England, the people below the and more than the half of this class old age. They work hard, yet they

cannot escape poverty, or even meet their daily wants.

In the eyes of such

people a country like Japan might well seem a land of happiness.

developing adapted.

all

But

for

their industries,

But for and making them a vast resource, the English are well encouraging so happy a people as the Japanese to improve

arts,

some

special

modes

must always be borne

of direction must be devised."

mind,

from one language to another, that

dealing with translations

difficulties

may

arise

through

the idiomatic form that expression takes in the different languages,

and that the translation of technical terms impossible.

sometimes almost

This would be especially the case where our manu-

factures were described, as a country like Japan,

without machinery, would not have our technical terms.

ceeded is

in its

which

almost

language equivalents of

But supposing the Japanese translator suc-

conveying to

his

countrymen the meaning intended,

almost certain that the translation re-translated into English

would be so changed as

be almost unintelligible.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

224

must say that

found m}' good friend Sakata, so

could judge, an excellent interpreter

and when

;

far as

explained the

make

nature of our manufacturing processes he ahvaj's seemed to the person to

whom

talked understand what was meant.

But

is one thing to explain a new process of weaving to a weaver, or a new process of printing to a printer, and a very different thing to make a person who knows nothing of a process understand its

nature.

Sakata had but

knowledge of manufacturing processes,

little

and both he and Ishida laboured under they could but seldom have recorded

some time

till

this great

disadvantage that

remarks and explanations

were given, even had they wished to do was evidently not intended that I should know that report was being prepared, the difficulty of making an exact

But as

so.

this

after they

of what

record

occurred

was greatly

Sakata, sometime after he had heard

them

who,

to Ishida,

Besides

increased.

this,

explanations, translated

the absence of the

little

drawings that

generally accompanied such explanations, would probably

fail

understand what was meant. This

will

account

Such a mistake as

for

as that

some of the

eccentricities of this report.

which describes

bread of high quality

made from ginger we can understand,

for

our term

bread" would be most misleading to a foreigner.

every excuse for a document such as the present

;

and

its

publication

to injure

likely to

reputation

;

Ginger-

must make but

rendering should fairly represent the Japanese document, that

this

fear

mislead the Japanese seriously,

for in

such explanations as that of

the carpet manufactures, any one having the most rudimentary

knowledge of the processes by which carpets are made, could only think that

to instruct them.

was trying

to deceive the

Japanese rather than

PA R T

II.

CHAPTER "

It has been said that

architecture

the material expression of

the wants, faculties, and the sentiments of the age in which "

and that

created,"

architecture

style in

the peculiar form that

expression takes under the influence of climate and materials at

command."

has also been asserted that

causes which act most the climate,

after

which a nation

powerfully on

the influence of the

the

genius of the Arts,

the manners, religion,

and the changes to

subject in

its

political state

during the course of

ages."

All

must out

who have

feel

studied the architecture of various

the truth of these statements.

most striking manner

architecture

marked by great

for

;

countries

In Japan they are borne

here

we have

form of

individuality of expression, manifest-

ing to a striking degree the nature of the material of which structures are built, and tions

under which

owing

exists,

its

special

its

features to the condi-

and the religions with which

associated.

Before tecture,

we can understand

and of the

arts

the true nature of Japanese archi-

which have sprung from

be said of the religion of the country from a study of the religion nature of

many

will

;

it,

something must

and the knowledge gained

enable us to comprehend the

ornaments, as well as the reason of

architectural features.

many

striking

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

226

There are

Japan two religions

The former was

Shinto.

Shogun, and the temporal

Buddhist and

the

now dethroned

the

Shogun was the

Mikado.

latter of the

and appeared

ruler,

—

rehgion

the

public,

which he

religion

professed had magnificent shrines and temples of great beauty.

But as the Mikado up to the

and never allowed

1868 was kept

j-ear

in seclusion,

to pass outside the walls of his simple palace,

somewhat number and small in

The

the religion of which he was chief was

neglected.

Shinto temples were few

their proportions

when compared with of the Shogun's

much puzzled

the magnificent shrines devoted to the service

faith.

The Shinto worship, and

religion

undoubtedly a very early form of

of most primitive character.

with

its

misunderstood them

;

Europeans have been

some

tenets,

and have

yet

cannot help thinking that

the m)'stery with which they surround

cases altogether

entirely of

much of their own

creating.

This religion was called

which means,

— way,

or doctrine of the

Chinese form of the same generally adopted

Shinto

centuries

has

by the Japanese Kami-no-michi, gods

—

Japan

ancient In

his

through

excellent

work on Japan,' is

Griffis

and earth (Japan) to obey him.

ha\-e

for

with

preserved

;

hence

then goes on to

tell

tells

that

Japan, while the Mikado

the descendant and representative of the gods

contact

purit)-.

Japanese mythology the universe

says

But

the national religion.

for

become modified

Buddhism, and but few temples now exist which its

The

theology.

Shinto, and this expression has been

who

in is

created heaven

the imperative duty of

all

us of the nature

Shinto,

Japanese

and

The

chief characteristics of Shinto are worship of ancestors

deification of emperors, heroes,

forces of Nature.

and

employs no

idols,

symbols are the mirror and the gohei, '

The Mikado

Empire, by

and the

scholars, also adoration of the personified

images, or effigies in

—

strips of

Gvilifis.

its

worship.

Its

notched white paper depend-

Harper Bros.,

New

York.

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

wand of wood.

ing from a

227

teaches no doctrine of the immortahty of the

soul.

The

natixe term for

man

Mikado's heir-apparent was

the

hito (hght-bearer)

—

and the ancient

;

Fire

light inheritor.'

and

title

sun)

light (the

have, from the earliest times, been objects of worship.

"The

leading principles of Shinto are, imitation of the illustrious deeds of

and

ancestors, It

life.

The

tion.

effort to

He must

priest

bind a

rites

and ceremonies

for bodily purifica-

must bathe and put on clean garments before strip of

pollute the offering

purified

prove themselves worthy of such descent by purity of

abhors uncleanness, and has

;

officiating.

paper over his mouth so that his breath

and the ground dedicated

to a religious

may

not

festival is first

Outside every Shinto temple are large troughs for washing,

salt.

the water being ladled from the trough and poured over the hands, and this

washing

enjoined before the offering of prayer.

and

••In olden times the emperors

people.

priests

performed ablutions

the

for

Later on, twice a year, at the festivals of purification, paper figures

symbolising the people were thrown into the river as an allegorical representation of the cleansing of the nation from the sins of the past year. '•

Later the Mikado deputed the minister of religion at Kioto to perform

the symbolical form for the people of the whole country. " Thanksgiving, supplication,

penance and

praise,

are

all

represented in

the prayers to the gods.

" Usually in prayer the hands are clapped twice, the head or the knees

bowed, and the petition made

The worshipper

silence.

enter the temple, but stands before

it,

first

often does not

pulling a rope, which dangles

down

over a gong, so as to call the attention of the Deity. •'

The kami, silence.

people.

or gods, hear the prayers before they are uttered,

The Mikado

daily offers

and prayer

prayers of special efficacy for his

Offerings are laid with great ceremony, by priests in white robes,

—

and vegetables, fish and venison at night they become Game and fowl are offered as an act of worship, but their lives are not sacrificed. They are hung up by the legs before the temple for some time and are then set free. Being now sacred they are exempt from harm. This practice of offering fowls now appears to ha'/e before the gods

as fruit

;

the property of the priests.

ceased.

"Before each temple stood a

torii

or bird rest" (Fig. 39).

"This was formed

of two upright tree-trunks, on the top of which rested horizontally another tree

with projecting ends this

;

underneath

this

was another smaller horizontal beam

daybreak.

In later times, as the practice of offering fowls has been discontinued,

the use of the

torii

has been almost forgotten.

always of plain wood and consisted of right painted or coppered

The

;

perched the fowls offered up to the gods as chanticleers to give notice of

torii is

its

posts, curved

a purely Japanese work.

its

lines.

top piece,

a Shinto erection,

was

The Buddhists, however, made it of stone or bronze

JAPAX: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

228

— constructed

" All the miyas, or Shinto temples, were rigidly simple pure wood

— thatched

were allowed

and no

adorn

(defile)

them.

" Within the temple, only the Gohei

and the

wood

'august

spirit

— or

notched white paper,

strips of

In a closet of purest

daily offerings are visible.

containing the

ornament

metal, nor

paint, lacquer, gilding,

wood

substance' or 'god seed.'

a case of

This

spirit

substance is usually a mirror, which in some temples is exposed to view. " The priests are of various ranks, some receiving titles from the emperor, officials. They dress some wearing white robes, however, when officiating, or court court. They marry, rear families, and do not shave the head.

the higher are court nobles and are strictly government as other people do,

dress when at " Virgin priestesses also minister at the shrines. " Many scholars doubt whether Shinto is a genuine product of Japan,

regarding

as closely allied to the ancient religion of China which existed

Many

before Confucius.

of China. " Motoori

of the Japanese myths are almost exactly like those

— the great modern

revivalist of Shinto, teaches that

morals were

invented by the Chinese because they were an immoral people, but in Japan there was no necessity for any system of morals, as eveiy Japanese acted rightly to

like the

The duty

he only consulted his own heart.

obey the Mikado

in all things

who presume

Chinese,

without question

This explanation of Shinto and

its

light on the true character of the religion, little

particulars in which

and even

Even the great in gilt

metal, used

gilt

only immoral people,

to discuss the character of their sovereigns.

same

the Japanese, government and religion are the

With

of a good Japanese is

;

wrong,

for

thing."

usages throws but

little

and there arc one or two

frequently find metal

connexion with Shinto buildings.

teinples in Ise ha\-e certain of their parts encased

metal sockets.

—

good evidence that Shinto resembles The sword and the ancient religion of China very closely. the dragon, the thyrsus staff and ivy, the staff of Esculapius, and

Satow says

There

snakes most probably had the same religious significance as the

Japanese gohei, and as Siebold has remarked, union of the two elements

The Rev. of the

S. R.

term a

Brown says

religion,

symbolised the

— male and female."

—

Shinto

no proper sense

but has rather the look of an original

Japanese invention," while Sir Harry Parkes agrees with Satow in

thinking that

reached Japan from the continent of Asia.

Sir

— ART, Harry says

— "The

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

229

practice of putting sticks with shavings or paper

attached in order to attract the attention of the spirits

among Yezo

certain

tribes of India, as well

hill

(the northern island of Japan)

among

observable

the Ainos of

the Hindoos, Burmese, and

Chinese, have converted these sticks into flags or streamers." I

had many conversations with Japanese of the Shinto

respecting their religion, and they invariably told for

help were never offered to their gods; and that

that prayers

was a

religion

intended, primarily, to keep alive the sense of gratitude.

—whether god waste ground — they

who was

a harbour, or the reclaimer of

maker

of war, or the

deified as the

who had

thanks to the deified individual

the

a warrior as

shrines dedicated to their great benefactors

Ojin the emperor,

faith

offered

benefited the country.

But upon being told that the immortality of the soul was not admitted by the believers time

Shinto,

whom

thanking an individual

extinct,

and who could

homage

offered.

was nice

question,

who

up, Shinto consists of

and phallic worship,

—

was informed that

the sense of gratitude, and that

alive

pleasant to offer thanks even to one

Summed

they wasted

they regarded as altogether

no way understand the nature of the

In reply to

keep

why

inquired

three of

was

could not hear.

hero worship,

worship,'

fire

mankind.

the early worships of

I cut the following paragraph from a recent issue of one of our daily papers " Relics of Fn<E Worshh-. On the last day of the year, old style, which falls on the I2th of January, the festival of 'The Clavie takes place at Hurghead, a fishing :

—

village near Forres.

called the 'Douro.' carried holloa.

On a headland On the evening

of January 12th a large tar-barrel

and places

gone with

on the Douro.

round the town, caiTies fuel

upwards are supposed to be witches and

and curse them

therefore, shout at

remains

;

with this light the

fire

collected

and put

in bits

coming into the house.

evil

and endeavour

to get

all

a very ancient

Roman

the

fire

and

up the chimney,

The Douro

[i.e.

the

sparks as they

town

When

a lighted

the rest of the year.

;

Roman upon

the burning tarbit of

wood from

once kindled, and

The

altar) is it.

it is

charcoal of the

and

evil

covered with a

Close to the Douro

well, and, close to the well, several rude but curious

sculptures can be seen let into a garden wall."

fly

the people,

to prevent the witches

thick layer of tar from the fires that are annually lighted is

to the top of the hill,

The

spirits leaving

on the cottage hearth

considered lucky to keep in this flame

Clavie

immediately added.

as they disappear in vacancy.

barrel falls in pieces, the fishwives rush in

spirits

altar, locally

is set

by one of the fishermen round the town, while the assembled folks shout an The man with the If the man who carries the barrel falls, it is an evil omen.

lighted barrel having

its

Roman

in that village stands an old

Roman

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

230

nights Shinto temples are

feast

seem

to constitute an

surrounded by

important element

Futamigaura we found pilgrims assembled sun,

between

seen

fire

and of the sun

and

;

by a straw band

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

worship

the latter being the

Hero

everywhere manifest, and temples are erected to the

The

time.

all

mystery of the origin of few years will

manifestation of life,

outward symbols of

all

phallic

worship

this

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

But

very conspicuous.

Government have ordered

element of Shinto

are,

their demolition.

mirror

Shinto temples at Kamiji-yama

the principal

preserved

the different Shinto churches.

we saw on

the road to

down from heaven and

while imitations of

;

Nikko

the most sacred of the buildings

the mirror having been brought

Amaterasii to Ninigi

faith

have seen that the great emblem of the Shinto religion

a mirror. Ise a

the

be destroyed, striking and marvellous though they yet

for the

Here, then,

great source of heat, and the giver of heat to the world.

great of

to worship the rising

two rocks connected

from which the Shinto symbols are pendent.

have the worship of

which

fires

the festival

It will

this

also be

;

given by

mirror occur in

remembered

that

priests carrying to a great festival

ark containing the mirror.

The

mirror

said to symbolise the

and thoughts should be open and

manner

which actions

visible; for as the mirror reveals

our image, so our acts and thoughts ought to be capable of being revealed without our being ashamed.

This

principle

rigidly carried

out

the construction

every Shinto temple.

Every part of the

edifice,

whether seen or unseen, manifests

an amount of honest workmanship which perfect

;

and

in its finish

however small or perfectly concealed the part may

be.

have the very essence of Shinto, and an embodiment that passage in our to do, all life.

society,

with

and

simply

no part of the building can we find slovenly work,

own

all is

Scriptures

thy might." carried out

Here we in spirit

Whatsoever thy hand findeth

In Japan the principle permeates by the work performed in daily

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

In Japan Shinto this

brought home to the people, be they of

For centuries the Mikado has

or be they Buddhists.

faitli

231

been regarded as the god incarnate of the Shinto Cliurch, and as a

human eye

being altogether too sacred for

house there

room, with a raised

to rest upon.

In every

from the principal

less cut off

and the end almost enclosed.

floor,

this

Mikado would sit should he ever visit the house niche has come to be associated in the Japanese mind

this

;

with their gods.

made

more or

dais the

raised

and

space,

little

niche that household offerings are

It is in this

New

and on

;

Year's

form of a cake, offered

Day

found a mass of dough,

the

Usually

each of these sacred enclosures.

a vase, containing a flower which

offered to the gods,

and a

censer, stand on the dais.

Were

Mikado

the

serving his

to visit the house, the person

food would not see him, but would pass the viands through the

opening

bottom of the side

at the

There

this

partition.

strange mingling of Shinto with the

Japanese people, whatever be their

faith

;

life

of the

and even the Mikado,

although the head of the Shinto church, offers prayers for the nation on certain occasions at a Buddhist shrine.

This

little altar-like

which characterises

all

enclosure which

constructed according to

rule,

and

Shinto altars

;

find in every

that finish

house

demanded

thus this royal enclosure

gives a sort of keynote with which the whole house

must be

harmony.

To extent,

me,

the

productions. it

we have

appears that

which

excellence

This

little altar

seasons of prosperit\".

arranged in this sacred niche.

here the cause, to a great

Offerings are

gets loved.

have learnt from their early childhood to

one can have

as well as

box which

carved

this

sample they

good Japanese works,

inferior, are as well finished in the parts

that are unseen as in the parts that are seen.

made on

revere.

failed to notice that all

most which are

Japanese

The flowers so much cherished are Thus the Japanese have constantly

them a sample of excellent work, and

before

most

characterises

all

over, yet the

have here before

best

work

on the

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

232

bottom.

Here

as carefully

drawn

a tray, on the under surface of which as the figures

on the upper surface

a spray

and here

;

a pot which has a pattern on the bottom as beautiful as that on the parts usually seen,

not more

exceptional instances

;

These

so.

but while

it is

are,

however, somewhat

not usual to find ornament

on the bottom of a Japanese work, we yet observe that the of the parts hidden

The decoration on origin

its

finish

equal to that of the parts exposed.

the bottom of an object would seem to

to the fact that

persons receive pleasure from an

all

common

agreeable surprise, and to the feeling,

gentlemen, that whatever

worn or whatever

owe

all

Japanese

used shall look

simple and unpretending, and yet be worthy of most minute examination.

minister to England

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; kindly gave me appears

a mere rude hedge-stick to

Yeno

walking-stick which Mr.

the late Japanese

at first sight to

but upon close examination

;

have most exquisitely cut metal insects creeping over

being half buried

in the bark,

and some running along

some crawling out of the

Wooden

the surface.

it,

seen

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;some holes,

little

netsukies, or large

button-like ornaments, hanging from the girdle are preferred to

those of ivory, because they are more quiet obtrusive.

the

But as gentlemen prefer the more

wooden carvings

colour and less

subdued

effects

are generally better than those in ivoiy.

same

writing -boxes on the

more lovely decoration

principle

inside the lid than

on the

top.

much

generally find a

But

the excellence of the work, whether seen or unseen, that springs

from the principles of Shinto, and not the surprises of which we

now

speak. Shinto, so far as

could learn, has but

love for nature.

It causes

the sun that the

warmth

growth and

life.

adoration of the sun is

;

and

producing it

from

derived which stimulates plants

Also, without

be sustained in the world.

little effect in

its

But

for that strange love of all created

genial rays no animal is

life

could

Buddhism we must look

things which characterises the

in such a marked manner Through the labours of Professor Max Miiller and others we have become more or less acquainted with the nature of Buddhism.

Japanese

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, I

will

233

content myself, therefore, with remarking that Buddhism

Japan consists of a number of

some of which

hundred and

sects (about a

fifty),

are almost wholly spiritual, while others are utterly

idolatrous.

Buddhist

The

of created things.

not harm

and

;

not destroy an insect or injure the smallest

will

child will play with the butterfly, but will

have seen

butterflies alight

on children's hands.

Birds are not afraid of man, for they have long since learnt to confide in a people that never hurt safe

them

and wild-fowl are as

;

on the moat of Tokio Castle, although they are

of a large

city, as

they could be

in the

centre

removed altogether from the

abodes of man.

To me insects,

the love which the Japanese seem to have for birds,

and

flowers,

There seems

most charming.

Japan a harmony between man and the lower creatures such as I

had never before seen

;

yet there are peculiarities respecting

Japanese affections which we ought not to pass unnoticed. they love

all

to look up,

flowers, the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

up adoringly favourite,

and

Japanese prefer those to which they have

as the flowers of trees

find in their illustrations

at for

them

also a favourite tree

with pleasant picnics

;

and

uncommon

not

it is

The almond -tree

has especial beauty

pliment ladies by speaking of their is

;

poets kneeling under trees and looking

blossoms.

the

While

but this

for,

almond

;

eyes."

associated in the

we have make

excursions which the Japanese

seen,

a special

thus they com-

The cherry

mind of many

some of the happiest

are to cherry-covered hills

where families congregate to enjoy a pleasant daj\

The almond

The sacred bean (Nelumbium) is the The chrysanthemum is the flower of autumn. We have just seen that the almond typifies beauty, and we may add that the Nelumbium is sacred. Buddha sits upon the flower, is

the flower of spring.

flower of summer.

and the Buddhist prays that he may have a come. tion to

The chrysanthemum

imperial,

lily in

the world to

and bears the same

Japan that the rose does to England.

It is also

rela-

the chief

of the seven favourite flowers of the country.

Such associations are common

man

in all parts

of the world.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

234

and they must not be confounded with that love of nature which owes

origin to the rehgion of

its

The two

great facts

of Japanese art are these,

now

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Buddha.

before us which concern our study

Shinto, which has influenced the

home

of eveiy Japanese for a long series of centuries, has stimulated

the people to the most conscientious work

created a love for a.::ount

many

for

must look

and Buddhism has will

of those qualities which characterise Japanese

works, be they temples, objects of Before

;

These two influences

natural objects.

all

utility,

or ornaments.

begin to consider Japanese architecture

itself

one or two of those circumstances which have always

modified the architecture of a nation, as the climate, the materials at

command

erection of edifices, and

for the

have consequently

the wants which

be met by the production of a building.

Although Japan has a considerable

rainfall,

the rain

almost

exclusively confined to one season of the year (about six weeks,

between the end of April and the early part of June), and

wet period This

followed

the same throughout the whole of Japan. cold

intense on

summer at the

;

In the central portion

some winter days, while the heat

great in

but the long and severe frosts of the north are

unknown

Satsuma end of the country.

The Japanese seek

shelter from the rain,

which give shade from which allow of the

the

freest

They

sun.

circulation

practicall)-

an outdoor

life.

and they desire houses also

require buildings

air. They are a hardy warmer season lead what

people, and can stand cold, and in the is

this

by a continuance of hot weather. a general statement, but the climate is by no means

period of the year, and

this

indeed through most of the winter days, the window-like surroundings of their houses are removed,

when

all

that remains

a roof

supported on uprights.

But although a Japanese house shelter from rain

by other

a building intended to afford

and sun, the nature of the building

influenced

causes.

Japan

a land of earthquakes.

And

this brings us to

one of

the most singular facts connected with the structure of Japanese

ART, buildings

;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

method adopted with the

235

special view of insuring

safety during these periods of the earth's vibration.

Japanese houses and temples are put together simple manner, each work being complete

upon foundations, or fixed

built

ground on which

to the

stands upon a series of legs, and these legs usually

rests.

on round-topped stones of such a height as

rest

and

and having an

Thus a Japanese house

altogether independent existence.

no way

in itself,

in a solid

will,

during

t'-e

rainy season, support the timber uprights above anj- water that

may

upon the ground^

lie

obvious that while an object fixed to the earth might,

It is

become

rocked, be broken off from the ground or

destroyed, that that which

would simply

loose

strained

oscillate

and

settle

down again after the cause of its vibration had ceased. For inwe may cause a chair or a table to rock by jolting it, but in a very short time it will become stationary and will be unin-

stance,

jured

;

whereas, were the legs fixed, the application of a small

amount of pressure on the upper

part (especially

the top was

heavy), or any upheaving of a portion of the ground on which rests, I

would be

likely to injure or destroy

aware that much damage has occurred through some of

the severe earthquakes

Yedo

across

it.

struction of property

Japanese

felt in

within the

memory

and

cities

loss of

life.

;

and one that passed

men caused

of living

great de-

confident that such

calamities as these are due simply to the fact that the Japanese

place

roofs

tile

shaken

loose,

upon

their houses, for these

The Japanese, as I have suffer much from fire, and it sparks led to the use of

dred years since. in

Japan.

tiles

can readily be

and are heavy and dangerous.

Thatch

said in an is

early part of this book,

probable that the dread of falling instead of thatch about five hun-

tiles

Yet thatched buildings are even now common in

Japan

formed of straw, certain fibrous

materials, or layers of the inner bark^of a kind of cone-bearing tree.

Some

looks well, but in

warm weather

of the prettiest roofs that

of what

might describe as

little

have seen

wooden

highly combustible. in

tiles.

Japan are formed

Now

there are

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

236

many

substances

will render

bustible

known

to chemists, as

both vegetable

have already

which

said,

and wood almost wholly incom-

fibres

hence wooden roofs treated with such substances might

;

be advantageously used, and thus the one objection which at present exists

to a

Japanese building, as a thing intended to

shock of an earthquake, would be removed. ing to

know whether

injury resulted to the inmates of

the

resist

would be

interest-

any thatched

buildings during recent earthquakes.

In an account of the destruction of Chios by earthquake given in the

Standard of April

2th

the correspondent says

last,

down upon more than a week ago stood one of the most prosperous cities of Asiatic Turkey. Out of three thousand houses which were standing there, not a hundred are now habitable. " Climbing over the hills which surrounded the town, one looks

a confused heap of ruins, where

little

descended a long, narrow

street leading to

most populous quarters of the

city.

heaps of debris from ten

fifteen

rent into

In doing so

Marina, through the once

had

to climb over successive

high, lying between tottering walls

feet

most fantastic shapes.

Some

of the houses

had been

bodily off their foundations.

lifted

Others

were crushed into shapeless heaps, with here and there a single wall or minaret left

standing above the chaos. " Right and

left

of the dii-ection

took were narrow streets, which are

now

Here and there I caught sight of a row of houses with window panes, doors, and balconies comparatively uninjured, whilst behind this deceptive framework the roof and every story had

so entirely blocked as to be undistinguishable.

*****

been torn from the

The

front walls.

bazaar, which

wooden, suffered

gradually being reopened.

They

little,

and the markets are now

are comparatively well stocked, owing to

provisions constantly pouring in from other parts of the island."

Here we have an instance of the value of wooden buildings a land subject to earthquakes

;

and certainly there

danger of being injured from a shock

and the roof in its place.

of a material which

Yet the Europeans

light

the building

but

little

wood

and can be held securely

Tokio are encouraging the

Japanese to build European houses with stones and bricks the

Government

that the

offices are

new Mikado's

of these materials, while

palace be

also

it is

of European

;

and

proposed character.

ART,

To me

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

237

nothing could be more absurd than this departure from

and the

architectural

custom which has had the sanction of ages

result of this

incongruous innovation will probably be a return to

the native style of building after the occurrence

;

some

dire

calamity. It

but

may

be argued that Japanese castles are built of stone

so arranged, one on the other, that each wall

of pyramidal

Egyptian

shape, slanting from the base to the apex in the old

These walls are also supported from within, and are

manner.

tied together with timbers of great size fair to

;

must be remembered that these are formed of vast blocks

;

indeed

would almost be

say that the castle towers are wooden buildings of immense

strength faced with slanting walls which consist of stones,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;each

stone being in some cases more than twenty feet in length. It

would obviously be impossible

to build ordinary houses of

vast masses of stone, or to give to their walls that thickness

slope which would render

of earthquake.

them

any degree

in their erection a risk is

notable

safe against shocks

But the new buildings erected

neither of these safeguards against injur}-

;

hence

many have

Tokio have

appears that

run which seems most unwise.

instance of

the Japanese understanding of the

conditions under which they exist occurs in the security

and

manner of giving

Pagodas are often of great height, yet

pagodas.

existed for seven hundred years, and have withstood

successfully the

many

vibrations of the ground, which

inevitably achieved their overthrow had they been

must have erections of

stone or brick.

When

I first

ascended a pagoda

of timber employed in

its

construction

feeling that the material here wasted

But what offended

enormous ascended

log of wood,

from

its

feelings in

and

;

could not help

was even absurdly excessive.

most was the presence of an

the centre

base to its apex.

timber was nearly two feet

was struck with the amount

of the structure, which

the top this mass of

diameter, and lower

down a

log

equally large was bolted to each of the four sides of this central

mass.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

238

was so surprised with

attention of

good

in}-

this

waste of timber that

Sakata to the matter

friend

To my

denounced the use of the centre block.

told

mass.

central

must be strong

that the structure

ignorance

was not supported by the

sides,

and when

had descended

;

to support the vast

replied that the centre

could,

retain

its

centre of gravity

its

clever construction

for

by the swinging of

kept within the base.

now understood

In the absence of

of this scientific

to a

enabled to

pendulum the

vast

this

useless

;

and

a method in Japanese construction which

appreciation.

and the

the reason for that lavish use of timber which

had so rashly pronounced to be

;

even during the continuance of earth-

vertical position

quake shocks

and by

;

a Buddhist temple what a spire

part

found

by lying on the ground, see

was an inch of space intervening between earth which formed the floor of the pagoda.

The pagoda

like the clapper of a bell

that there

Christian church

the

astonishment he

but upon reaching the top

monstrous central mass suspended,

this

called

and especially

method

see that there

worthy of high

any other instance the employment

of keeping the

pagoda upright shows how

carefully the Japanese have thought out the requirements to be met.

In a

work

like the present,

which treats of architecture some-

what incidentally and with the view of throwing the decorative arts which have arisen out of

light rather

upon

than of examining

the structural methods employed, I cannot afford to enter minutely

All

into Japanese construction. to offer a few

illustrations of the

can do in the present work principles

methods of construction and of certain

The drawing which

Nishi-hongwan-ji at Kioto

end consists of three square, tied together

carved panels. tie

the

The

pillars

uprights.

cornice,

of the east gate of

be taken as an example.

or uprights

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;one

by horizontal members.

circular

Above

is flat,

Each

and two

Between these are

central of the three horizontal

the uprights together

their

effects produced.

given (Fig. 41)

may

which govern

members

that

and protrudes considerably beyond

a system of

brackets which act as a

and by which a heavy thatched roof

sustained.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

our sketch (Fig. 41) will

glance at

beautiful

manner

which

this

work

stones which

form the bases of

the columns,

and on which the

shafts

loosely rest,

The

apparent. will

with

once show the

The

framed together.

once

gate as a whole as a

work con-

due

regard

be noticed

structed

are

239

strength as well as beauty.

gateway there

In this

amount

complication

upper

bracketwork

render

which

somewhat

the

Fig. 72.-

may

indistinct

LOMPOLND Bracket.

A, Sections of horizontal members carried by the brackets.

those not conversant with this method of building; but by reference to illustrations

architect

\\\\\

72, 73, and

74, the principle which guided the

be better understood.

In speaking of structure reference ought to be

Fig. 73.

bridges of Japan.

Entrance-gate of the

made

to the

'I'EMhLE of Dai-butz, Kioto.

These, some ha\e said, prove that the Japanese

have no true understanding of the principles of construction.

To me

seems

that

of structural knowledge

we might in

well

England, because

deny the existence in

certain

parts of

240

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE, ETC.

the country

find

planks spanning

rivers,

and other

ill

contrived

arrangements for the crossing of brooks, as deny to the Japanese a knowledge which they possess to a remarkable degree, because

find in their bridges instances of false construction.

Japanese bridges are of in character, others are of a

Fig. 74-

—

many

kinds: some are most primitive complex nature while some show an ;

— Bracketing supporting

Roof of Temple-gate, Chionijin, Kioto.

understanding of true structural

Figs. 75, ^6, Jj, 78,

qualities.

and 79 gfve native drawings of some common bridges of the country.

The most simple for the

bridge

—

bridge

passage of rivers where there

of two trunks of trees placed side

tremity fixed at one side of the

river,

but side,

(Fig. 80).

to a

But from

peg

this

some

be called

little

traffic

—used

consists

and having one ex-

while the other, which reaches

within jumping distance of the opposite side,

by a rope fastened

may

little

held in

its

position

distance up the stream.

they advance through every conceivable

degree of complexity.

There are bridges formed of are bridges

made

piles of fagots (Fig. 75).

There

of straight bamboos, resting on supports in the

river so that the bridge

is fiat

(Fig. y6).

There are others similarly

Native Bridges, from Blocks drawn and excraved

Japan.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

242

formed, only with the centre raised so that the bridge somewhat

There

resembles an inverted Vof stout planks, which

rest

;

while

;

water

—

Kioto we

Bridge.

8i.

find

what

— Arched

called

the " spectacle

Bridge.

two circular openings through which the But what has caused Europeans to regard the

a bridge with

flows.

— Simple

there are others consisting of semicircular

Fig.

bridge,"

Japan formed

There are bridges supported by a complicated

trees.

system of bracketing arches

also a bridge in

on the decapitated branching tops of

Fig. 8o.

two large

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

Japanese as devoid of a knowledge of structure

243 fact that

tlie

some of the bridges which have the arch form are yet propped by supports (Figs. TJ, 78, 79, and 81). As these supports come in contact with the under surface of the arch, such bridges reveal no

understanding of structural

qualities.

far as I

have seen, these

curved, and yet supported, bridges are invariably formed of

hence they

differ

wood

;

widely from arched structures formed of stone.

Yet if Japan contains many illustrations of false structure, these do not prove that Japan does not possess men who have perfect understanding of true structural principles.

The Japanese have never been

engineers, but

great

have, undoubtedly, been great architects. a

knowledge of

Architecture involves

engineering does not necessarily

structure, but

involve any knowledge of the beautiful, as

our dismay in England. so that

will

man may

stand securely, but he

erect a beautiful building.

they

so often discover to

be able to construct an edifice

may

be altogether unable to

one could look upon either the great

temples of Shiba or of Nikko without feeling that the architect of these glorious buildings understood perfectly the principles both

of construction and of beauty.

One of

great peculiarity of Japanese construction

bracketing which

carries to a

often

remarkable extent

employs

some

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

cases;

the system

a system which

and which

almost

invariably uses for the support of the overhanging roofs of richly

decorated temples.

system

elaborate

bracketing

frequently

intervenes

between the roof and the uprights, and acts as a sort of cornice (see Figs.

41 and 70).

some

cases this system

extent which seems altogether extravagant.

(In

carried to an Figs.

68 and

74 we have the most complicated arrangements of brackets that In many cases we have brackets emI saw while in Japan.) bedded

as in Figs.

common some

the wall where plaster intervenes between the timbers,

46 and

73,

and

internal

as on the exterior of buildings.

difficulty in

work they are almost

the reader

may

have

understanding the nature of these brackets, we

have given a separate view of one,

which two of the horizontal

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

244

members

shown

are

carried

on the uppermost supports This bracketing

while in some cases

construction

both useful and ornamental,

carried to an extent that

and charac-

distinctive

feature of the Japanese systems

teristic

most

certainly the

while others would rest

section,

(Fig. 72).

and

others

But while our

almost absurd.

simple and constructively correct,

Early English architecture

find in the Later Florid or

Decorated work much that

and worthy only of condemnation at

;

excessive

Henry the Seventh's chapel

when considered in relation to its structural more false than any building that I saw during my

Westminster

qualities,

is,

travels in Japan.

Internally the construction of buildings varies much.

cases

we have

structure

employed.

resembling our upright

from

which is

When

the

King-post

others

structure

often used

more or

In less

they

rise,

single,

Fig.

Fig. 73,

open

open, something

other

47.

while

some

but instead of one

;

generally find two standing on the horizontal

member

while

ceilings,

some

beam

cases

instances

this it

almost invariably arranged, as

dispensed with altogether.

When we

find a ceiling

the temples of Shiba,

Uyeno

and

(Figs. 17

18),

and Nikko, into

squares of from eighteen to twenty inches in diameter, and has a

somewhat decorated of which

In this case each coffer

coffered character. ;

these cases

may

be divided into a series of small

not more than one inch square (Fig. 18).

by perforated

find

the crossings of the framed

hammered metal

casings

In those instances in which each coffer small squares the ceiling

coving, traversed vertically

may

coffers,

each

In both of

structure tied

(Figs.

17 and

18).

divided into a, series of

connected with the walls by a large

raised bars similar to

those which

divide the coffers into squares (Fig. 18).

The Japanese affirm that all such ceilings we have just spoken, and all such covings tioned

are

inventions.

Corean

Thus

origin

have

;

and

another

that

as those of which as

that just

men-

they are not native

instance

the

strange

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

influence which Corea appears to have exercised

245

upon the

arts of

Japan.

To me

ings should

seemed strange that these simple and beautiful

owe

KiG. 82.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

for

referring

many

any way resembling them

to believe

that the

;

Chion-in, Kioto.

any other part of Asia that

almost led

ceil-

any portion of Continental Asia

Column and Tie-Beams from the

saw nothing

of China or

one

their origin to

have

the

temples

visited.

Japanese are

right

Yet in

of both their arts and those of the Chinese to the

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

246

Coreans,

and that

manufactures

doubted that

this

many

has at some time had arts and

nation

most

character.

artistic

employed by the Japanese, owe

their origin

such temples as that of H5w6-do

in Uji

circular

to Central Asia, for

art.

82 gives a portion of internal structure, where a decorated

column bears a horizontal beam placed

which strength

Fir.

cannot be

could only have been

decorated by one having experience of Indian Fig.

But

of the arts of Japan, as well as the ornaments

flat-wise,

and

83.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Plan of part of the Open Roof

the Gatehouse of the Temple Tofuku-zi.

the column rises a system of brackets supporting horizontal bers

;

given by a vertically placed timber. Over the top of

mem-

but a timber which would rest on the advancing bracket A,

Fig. 82, has been removed, as tration,

would hide that shown

and by which the uppermost horizontal member

Fig- 1^3

our

illus-

supported.

gives us a plan (as seen from below) of a portion of

open-roof structure where the brackets spreading from the tops of the columns

may

be observed, as well as the timbers which rest

upon them.

When we

consider Japanese buildings as structures adapted to

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

247

withstand the earthquake, the character of the windows, which are

Hght wooden frames covered only with paper, should not be overlooked (Figs. 37 and 84). glass

It will

be apparent to

all

that the use of

would be accompanied

by great danger

land

subject to earthquake shocks

and while paper has the

dis-

advantage of not being transparent,

Japanese

the

but

little

ity,

as during

the

always places

from

the day

window

removed ;

and

admission

some

fresh

Dnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

are

slides

from

their

an abundant

suffer

slight opac-

its

DnnnnnnnnDDnnnnn

the

air

Japanese make no objection. Indian are

windows

(Fig.

85)

only Japanese windows

cut in stone, and they clearly

show that they are copies of structures which ally

were origin-

formed of wood.

Enough

has, perhaps,

been

already said to show that the

Japanese have a knowledge

which enables them to produce buildings of a most enduring character,

and to

fulfil

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

and the materials

Although not

demanded by command.

strictly

which we ought to viewed

calculated to resist the shocks of earthquake,

the conditions

considerations of climate

belonging to the subject, there

notice, as

a feature

of considerable importance

in relation to the material of

Japanese buildings.

the metal sockets in which the ends of

Japanese buildings are incased.

The

all

when mean

timbers of elaborate

sockets are used to exclude

water from contact with the cross-grained portions of the wood.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

248

In Fig.

will

be noticed, as

have alread}' pointed out, that

the bases of the columns are of stone, and that upon these stone

bases rest loosely the vertical

columns which form the main supports of the gateway. will

be seen

also

the

that

portions of the columns resting on these bases are incased

bronze sockets, on which

ornaments are raised by hammering. horizontal

The ends members

the

are also

incased in a similar manner, as will be seen

Indian Lattice Window formed of PIERCED Stone.

Fig. 85.

the

the same

Fig.

illustration.

gives

same horizontal members

as the cut last referred

well as the whole of the pierced

but

and carved panel which we see

part in Fig. 44.

some few instances metal-work

effect,

to,

added

for the

sake of mere

and not with the view of serving any useful purpose.

the corners of the frame in which the carving occurs (Fig. 43)

have metal bindings which are useful

;

whereas

the centre of

each side an ornamental metallic plac occurs which only serves a decorative purpose.

rule,

however, the metal bindings are

used with the view of protecting the cross-grain ends of wood from

decay through contact with water.

Another method employed throughout the whole of Japan with the view of saving roofs

wood from decay

that of using

order to protect the end grain from moisture.

little

have

seen individual posts roofed, as well as palings around enclosed

Indeed, everything

land.

roofed in Japan

;

and

some

the complicated roofing of boardings, railings, posts, lamps, as curious as

it is

etc., is

interesting.

word may now be

liarities

cases

said on the

occur most frequently

methods of

in their walls

;

building.

Pecu-

for these, unlike their

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

houses, are often formed in

hewn

part

249

rag -stone,

while

the upper portion consists of a kind of lath and plaster-work, of tiles

placed horizontally with mortar between, or of various other

materials

but in

;

cases the wall

all

from the weather.

protected

carefully roofed,

Figs.

and thus

35,

45, and 86 give typical wall formations. One has a boulder-stone base and stone

whereas

corners,

bases formed of of

rectangular

other

hewn

stone,

arrangement),

have

and

five

horizontal lines running throughout entire

Whenever

length.

occur the wall

wooden

most charac-

the

(and this

teristic

one

the

other

have

latter

corners

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the

blocks,

These

" rag."

have

two

the

their

these

lines

of dull yellow colour

(yellow -ochre) and

the lines are white.

This arrangement of lines indicates, as

have before the

temple

said, that

the high priest of

near

relation

the

Mikado. It

are

will

more or

be noticed that these walls less conical

already pointed struction of a

the upper portion

out that wherever

building, or

system of building

Uji,

NEAR Kioto.

shape, being

broader at the base than

End of Wall at Kiku

Fig. 86.

stone

;

used

but we have in

the

any material other than wood,

employed

;

and that by

trous effects of earthquake shocks can

covering the water-tank at Shiba

conthis

alone the disas-

be averted.

The canopy

supported on monolith granite

columns, but these slant inwards at the top (see Fig.

6).

In the case of large temples and elaborate shrines, as those of

Nikko and Shiba, we

often find wall within wall, each enclosing a

The innermost

of these walls surrounds the central and most

court.

important of the temple buildings. differently constructed

These inner walls are generally

from those which form the outermost enclo-

sure of the temple buildings,

and are

some

cases very beautiful.

JAPAN ITS ARCHITECTURE,

2SO

Here we generally find a solid stone base, from which rise wooden members held together b)- horizontal ties. These

vertical

latter are so disposed, that

panel, while in the centre

above and below we get a long narrow

we have

a space of

much

larger size.

such a wall as this the horizontal tie-pieces are frequently decorated and the panels

filled in

with carved-work, the whole being

coloured and roofed over (Fig. 69).

which

here speak

particular carving

panel similar to those of

figured on page

182

somewhat

both

sides,

exists

;

but this

it is

situated

can be seen.

though on each surface the

pattern

is is

different.

In some cases the bases of walls are this occurs

62)

from the castle of Nagoya, where

between two rooms, from both of which carved on

(Fig.

we have no mere

pointed

but whenever

facing of the line of mortar which

between the stones with a harder and more durable material,

but the formation

mortar of some kind of semicircular, or semi-

and protruding to a consider-

eliptic ridge three inches in diameter,

able distance from the surface of the stone.

This curious method of

"pointing" gives a strange aspect to many Japanese walls the effect produced

now come

is,

eye,

more strange than

to the consideration of

or beautiful building

;

for architecture

but

;

beautiful.

Japanese architecture,

not mere building, but

the art of raising edifices which are beautiful as well as useful.

But before going into origin

and history

ment of Japanese said concerning

;

its aesthetic

qualities

we should glance

at its

yet the data necessary for tracing the developarchitecture are so imperfect that

little

can be

it.

Although the temples of

Ise have been rebuilt at the

end of

every third term of seven years, every plank and every post to be found in their construction

and of the same

size, as

that the present

may

have here, then, evidence

method of building was known

the time of Rome's ancient greatness

temple

now

of precisely the same shape,

those of the original structure which was

nineteen centuries since.

erected

;

to the

Japanese at

and while speaking of

this

say that the circular pieces of wood, which rest in a

horizontal series on the cresting of each roof, can be demonstrated

AND ART MANUFA CTVRES.

ART, to

owe

tlieir

origin

bundles of thatch, which were

circular

strapped over longitudinally placed reeds to form with them the cresting of the roof (Fig. 53).

The next

which

building, as to date, with

acquainted

that used for the reception of the Mikado's treasures at Nara.

was

built

more than a thousand years upon

the buildings of Ise, stands

since

;

and while

this, like

legs resting loosely on stones, its

formed of horizontally-placed triangular blocks of wood,

sides are

with their points outwards, arranged like the timbers of the log buildings in Russia (Fig. 30). I

unable to trace the history of Japanese building during

the

three

centuries

Buddhist shrines

advance

from

;

for,

seven

until

the erection

hundred

five

great

of the

years

since,

architecture seems to have taken place in the country.

But the development of Buddhism, and the patronage which

received from the Shogun, gave a marvellous impetus to archi-

and

tecture,

now

entered upon a florid and highly decorated

period.

Chinese buildings appear to owe their origin to a tent or a

The

junk.

tent obviously consisted

of a

which a fabric was thrown, supported at

The temples ner

of Ise

but there

;

here none of that swaying

Chinese edifices

horizontal pole

ends by crossed

show the crossed supports

which would indicate the tent acterises

its

horizontal pole, over

;

origin,

yet in

sticks.

a marked man-

down

of the

roof

and which especially char-

many Japanese

buildings the

most marked, while the crossed supports have

entirely disappeared.

In the water-tank of Shiba (Fig. 16) of this state of things

over of the roof as represent the

fall

that gatehouse of

some

;

we have an

illustration

and here we have that curious bending-

we approach

of drapery,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the gable end which

would

a peculiarity equally noticeable on

Nikko which we

figure

on page 209.

cases the architecture of a nation has been derived

from primitive buildings which are not of the tent character. This

the case with those edifices which the Egyptians raised

from two to three thousand years back

Dendera, Edfou, Thebes,

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

252

and other

places,

of papirii,

and

withes,

where we

find the

columns consisting of bundles

and other plants bound together with cords or

lotii,

some

cases partially enveloped in a cloth wrapper

on which hicrogl}-phs are painted.

Although these columns are formed of apparent as

we had

the original

stone, their origin

bundles of plants before us

;

thus the bundles of reeds or of flowers which were used to form the walls of the primitive Egyptian dwelling

became the prototype of

those massive columns which exist to this day on the banks of the Nile.

While the

Egyptian architecture

origin of

thus apparent,

must not be supposed that the stone columns of Egyptian temples were mere copies

permanent material of the objects which

formed their prototype have

been

all

members, and

become

for

;

subordinated

they are works

which the parts as

architectural

which the plants have been so idealised as to

consistent ornaments of a structural part of a building.

consideration of Japanese architecture

certain structural either on feast

members

cases decorated

them.

one

some

were, in

makes

clear that

edifices at least,

adorned

days or generally with drapery, decorated papers,

and the skins of animals

many

positions

their

;

case,

columns are

for the capitals of their

with

imitations of

that

the

these

draped around

temple of Chion-in

Kioto, a knotted cord, terminating in pendent tassels, appears to

show

that this drapery

was

originally tied

around the column

(see Fig. 82).

Immediately above rests

upon

folding

it, is

this

column, and enveloping the beam which

paper folded

an angular manner,

day

Japan

common

to this

which the paper-bound beam either represented as

which water (Fig. 87) the

decoration

;

flows.

rests

swimming

;

we have

a method of

the head of a monster,

in the water, or as

In another column

the source from

from the same temple

head of a monster forms the upper portion of

and

a curious

its

both instances the columns themselves are

entirely decorated with water, the crested

breaking

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

while on the tie-piece on

waves of which are

and conventional manner.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, It is difficult to

members

understand

why

we connect

common be

this

the columns and horizontal

of a building should be decorated with waves

column of water seems an absurd be

25:

its

by typhoons.

in a district visited

such columns

for a

y^M'M^XX

with the water-spout, which ma}-

origin,

;

idea, unless

may have some

mythical association, in the minds of the Japanese, with a strange natural

While

dread.

such

the case,

phenomenon which they

have no reason for saying that it

must be remembered that

all

Buddhistic art tends to remind the worshipper of the power of the Buddhist's god

created things

and that

works as man should I'ig.

over

all

images forth such adore,

love,

dread.

88 gives us the base of a column decorated

with water ornamentally treated.

Strange as

that a

decorated with water, scroll "

column should be

yet find the

wave-

used by the Egyptians, and then

the Greeks, on various parts of their buildings.

Certain

zigzag

arrangements

lines,

which

symbolised water, were also used on the walls Fig. 87.

and on the

ceilings of

Egyptian temples and

Column from

THE Chion-in,

Ki-

oto.

tombs

;

thus the use of water in strange and

unexpected positions

With

not peculiar to the Japanese.

Japanese the ventional,

rendering

however,

than

the

less

con-

with

the

Eg3'ptians and Grecians.

The

edifice

which covers the water-

tank of the temple of Shiba (Fig. 16) has monolith columns, the upper parts of which are decorated with coloured

conventional Fig,

the temples differ

drapery, in

of those of Chion-in at of

Shiba

the

manner Yet

Kioto.

and

Chion-in

widely from each other, and are separated geographically

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

254

by a distance of more than three hundred

when they were

erected,

from place to place

;

by imitation drapery in

neither case do

building

find this decoration

the days to get

difficult

of the columns

And, strange

both buildings.

columns thus treated

find

Shiba the decoration

for at

;

must have been very

yet

miles.

to say,

the main

seen on the columns of

the water-tank, and at Chion-in on the pillars in the gatehouse.

we have

Kioto, as

with water

Here, as

Tokio the

shafts are bare stone.

the case of the Egyptian columns,

vulgar imitation of drapery

subordinated

column are decorated

seen, the shafts of the

;

but idealised work, in which detail

architectural

fitness,

and

which

structural

by any mere imitative renderings

qualities are not interfered with

of folded tissues.

we have no

the score of conventionality there

there-

fore nothing incongruous in this peculiar decoration.

While there

little in

Japanese buildings, whether ancient or

modern, to convince us that they were

from the

tent, there

much which

any way derived

temples were suggested by Chinese buildings. temples

directly

tends to show that the Japanese

Yet these Japanese

art works, inexpressibly superior to the Chinese

are, as

models from which they were derived.

have seen that Chinese buildings owe their origin to a

particular form of tent or to the junk.

the nature of Arabian architecture,

of an Arabian house are plaster,

geous their

and

colour, of square

tissues.

looms

little

rich

fabrics,

to inquire into

find that the

more than representations

houses of the country

Japanese architecture

;

rooms

in stone,

and flat-topped tents formed of gorto

produce

as they used in the construction

such

their prototype in the reed

The temples

of ancient Egypt had

dwellings which were the primitive

hence,

we should

in the early

look for the origin of

abodes of the Japanese people.

with the view of discovering the nature of the original

dwellings of Japan,

consider the structures

Aino inhabitants of the northern the

we should

While yet nomads, the Arabs used

of their primitive dwellings.

If,

Were we

Aino temples

still

raised

island (called Yesso),

are of the rudest character.

by the see that

few slender up-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ART, on which

rights,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

rest horizontal

timbers of but small dimensions,

There are no

give support to a simple thatched roof.

The timbers

building.

would distinguish

seen in any part of an

Such reason

Aino

man

can be

structure (Fig. 89).

an Aino temple of the present day

sides to the

In short, nothing which

are unplaned.

from the works of uncivilised

255

;

and there

every

believe that the Ainos were the original inhabitants

The temples which

of Japan.

these half-civilised yet kindly

now

people

raise are surely

mere copies of those which for

many

centuries they have

in the habit of erecting.

been

But

Aino

simple

the

temple has

all

the

leading-

characteristics of a Japanese

building of the present day. It

consists

which

uprights,

somewhat mass-

rests a

Fig. 89.

An ArNO Temple.

ive roof

have already noticed that the sides of a Japanese house

and that the building consists of uprights,

are generally removable, a floor, and a roof as his floor

;

Primitive

among

Europe, makes no floor for

Aino buildings are

advancing

civilisation

necessary adjunct

from

damp

has always used the ground

and that strange nomadic

has so long been found

ner, the

man

its

primitive dwelling.

floorless

would

race, the

gipsies,

which

the various civilised peoples of

lead

In like man-

but the mere needs of an

;

the

construction

this

any building designed to give protection

as well as rain.

have, then, the prototype of the whole Japanese system

of building, in the rude temples of the Ainos.

But as time has

gone on, advances have been made, and influences have been brought to bear upon the primitive methods of building. the in

Roman Britain,

invasion and the so the

Norman

Chinese, the

Just as

conquest influenced building

Coreans, and

certain

Buddhist

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

2s6 missionaries

from Central Asia carried to Japan new styles of

architecture

which

that

rise

though

florid

find in the great shrines of

Normans came and

the

influenced later works

whereas

;

beautiful

There

Nikko.

however, between the two cases.

this difference,

Romans and

gave

architecture which

In Britain the

noble edifices which

built

Japan the influence could

most cases only have been derived from drawings received from the Asiatic continent and from the teachings of missionaries.

must not be overlooked

feature which

of Japanese architecture

and the manner

effects.

period, both

pitch

of the roof

the value of the gable in producing pic-

was found

England and

which gables are dealt with.

know

All architects

turesque

the consideration

the nature and

in in

most houses during the medieeval most countries of Europe

doubt whether any nation has used better effect, than the Japanese.

with more

Indeed,

skill,

;

but

or with

have some sketches of

Japan which are peculiarly picturesque through

their wealth of

gables (Fig. 48).

The

pitch of the roof in Japan, though not high, suffices to

give perfect protection from the weather.

which we

still

While the high

roofs

Nuremberg, Troyes, many of the Rhenish

see in

towns, and

on some of our own old buildings, are eminently

picturesque,

lower pitch

;

doubt whether they are as beautiful as those of

and certainly they occupy much space

which

only-

poor rooms can be arranged.

The

gable of

Nishi-hongwan-ji

idea of the pitch of a Japanese roof;

gables somewhat higher, in

which

here shown.

detail of roof

Japanese reference

which

those

Figs. 91

will

gables

relation

will

90)

give a fair

but some buildings have to their

width,

than

that

and 92 give another gable and

be of interest to the student.

are

(Fig.

generally

broken

Nishi-hongwan-ji

by ornaments,

(Fig.

90)

will

show.

That of the entrance gate of the great temple of Dai-butz at Kioto, of the gate Kanaman of the shrine at Nikko (Fig. 68), of the water-tank at Shiba (Fig. (Fig. 58), will

show the

scroll

6),

and that of the

street

lamp

ornaments which occur under most

ART, of

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

these gables, especially those which

and the similar ornaments lower down

Fig. 90.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Gable

fit

(see

257

the

upper angle,

Figs.

90 and 93);

end of Nishi-hong\van-ji.

these ornaments- are purely of Chinese origin.

Before passing

from a consideration of architecture to ornament, we should notice

Fig. 91.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Roof.

the forms of the tombs found in the cemeteries, for these have a

character which renders

them worthy of

special notice.

—

—.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

!58

Fig.

38 gives

tlie

tombstone most commonly met with

;

while

monument erected to commemorate the 40 Corean conquest. Each is similar, both in form and in character. In order to understand the nature of this structure we must represents the

Fig.

Fig. 92.

refer to India, China,

Portion of Roof.

and Tibet, where we commonly

find objects

similar to this in connection with ecclesiastical edifices.

The form used on

the continent of Asia

give in Fig. 40,

where the lower square stone represents the earth, the circular stone water, the triangle fire,

the crescent air or

wind, and the spear-head

im gre^

WW/

C';::^

ether or heaven. tells

Inman

us that in Egyptian

mythology the pyramid, ^ t-iG.

„ Ornament from Gable end of ^ Bio-do-in at Uji „

93.

—a

temple recently destroyed.

was carved

the year

1046 A.D.

fire

a Phallic sign, plays an jd ir j '

important It bcPart. v r longs to Siva the sun

life.

By one complex symbol,

very

common on

ancient

Hindoo monuments, the universe was thus represented. Notice the upward gradation first we have the earth, then water and :

these two constitute this globe.

;

Then comes

the creator

God,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, whose emblem

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; flame â&#x20AC;&#x201D; mounts upwards.

representative of

by the crescent

all

upon the

life

moon

wisdom

the author and

and he

globe,

The spear-head

with heaven.

of the divine source of

259

connected

is is

an emblem

and of the doctrine that

life

to be found only in the combination of the

perfect

male and

female principles in nature.

The manner modified

obvious.

which the Japanese monument has become

apparent from our illustrations is

but

;

its

origin

given here simply to illustrate the fact that certain

forms of an architectural character have a significance not to be

The

overlooked.

crescent

moon

introduced as a symbol

well

originally, the

remember, when speaking of Japanese

the crescent moon,

tomb

With the view

symbol was thus used by the

this

The more tomb

that

enabling

Fig.

saw

Japan.

readers

see

how

the erec-

give illustrations (Figs.

01 gives the tools which the carpenter em-

in his craft.

We temples

have

and

;

now the

must recognise the

with

deal

principles

ornament to buildings.

the

members

necessary degree shall

combine

its

;

and that

position, that each part shall

of prominence

and

that

all

the

form a harmonious whole.

Enrichment of an architectural extent

ornament should always be used

should be so subordinated to

have

decorations of Japanese

the outset of these considerations

that

fact

the

which govern the application of

enrichment of members structurally necessary

for the it

our

tion of a building perform their work,

general form of a Sho-

and other workmen engaged on the

plasterers, carpenters,

ploys

that

given in Fig. 94, the form being altogether differ-

ent from that of any other

to 100).

monument,

Yet

was inscribed with both the sun and

flag

and that

Japanese at an early time. gun's

this

but

;

the symbol has reached Japan from the continent of Asia.

edifice

may

be carried to any

provided that the constructive members are always duly

emphasised, and the whole of the parts combine to produce a

grand and complete concord

unduly conspicuous

;

but

illegitimate

ornament renders any part

and can only be condemned.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

26o

While some of the great temples of Japan are elaborately decorated, I do not remember one instance in which structure is falsified by enrichment and in all cases the leading structural ;

members are rendered prominent by colour or treatment. If we take either the gateway (Fig. 41) on page 143 or that figured on page 207 we shall see that the structural members have

KiG. 94.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;A

Shoguk's To.mu.

due importance, while the parts are richly ornamented the

members

;

and that

which ornament has

structurally necessary are those

must not be forgotten that these works are as and that gold, elaborately coloured as the Alhambra at Grenada

enriched.

But

;

white, red, blue,

emphasise colour,

and many other

colours,

How

their different parts.

can

in I,

their intensity,

all

without the aid of

convey to the reader any adequate idea of the nature of

such works, and of the manner in which dinated to their true positions

all

the parts are subor-

well might

try to explain

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

who was born deaf

to one

the nature

261

the richness of musical harmonies, as

and beauty of Nikko without the aid of

colour.

much of the ornament on the and more exposed members of a Japanese building is should be noticed that

work, while

painted

which is

leading flat

that

more protected

carved as well as col-

Sometimes, how-

oured.

carved work

ever, the

re-

mains uncoloured, while

other cases, as on certain

columns

at Nikko,

wood

dark

we have

basso-relievo

ornaments protruding from

wood of

lighter colour.

unfrequently happens

not that

this

work, which

carved and uncoloured, associated

with

members.

coloured

some

parts

of the Nikko buildings we have most welcome effects

produced

in this

manner.

the nature of those

carvings

which

form

the

Fig. 95.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Plasterers

at work.

After a native drawing.

panels in the various walls,

gateways, and buildings, both at Nikko and Shiba,

when writing of

visit to

these shrines.

have spoken,

For the most

part,

they consist of groups of plants, birds, water, clouds, animals, and, in

a few cases, of figures.

skill,

the

All are wrought with consummate

and are generally actually pierced, the entire substance of

wood out of which they are formed being cut through. The manner of the cutting is both bold and crisp. In

cases

all

manifests a perfect understanding of grouping, of the laws

of composition, and ever)' panel

of the distribution

has some poetic significance.

of parts

;

while nearly

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

262

One

of the special features of Japanese decoration

use of diaper patterns on horizontal

the

courses."

Fig. 96.

Plasterer and Stone-Mason at Wl'KK.

seen a diaper pattern so placed on a

by the

angle, or so that one, two, or

did not exactly

The

fit

and beautiful

in I

Yet

beam

no case have

that

was broken

more repeats of the pattern

on each side of the timber

figured.

character

;

and, considering their colour as well

should have been strangely puzzled to say what

country had produced them prior to

guessed their origin

After a native drawing.

diaper patterns thus employed are both varied in design

as their form,

Middle

seen in " string

never enrich beams and joists by small, repeating,

geometrical patterns, but the Japanese do. I

members and

Age

should have said

visit

to Japan.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they must

Had

be our own

work.

remember on one occasion the late Mr. Owen Jones assertnumber of gentlemen that the Japanese had no

ing before a

ornament,

strictly so called,

and that

their decorations consisted

wholly of conventional representations of natural forms

;

while the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

363

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

a Chinese had ornament which was both national and good have would he What exception. took statement to which I then said

could he have seen the numerous specimens of pure and

Fig. 97.

characteristic

Carpenters

Work.

.\t

ornament which

After a native drawing.

could

now show

Few

countries

have more characteristic or more carefully considered ornament than Japan should be

;

and

known

it is

strange that while this

respecting

a system of ornament

Europe even

the case so

to this hour.

little

It is

carefully considered, with parts well distri-

buted, points duly emphasised,

full

It includes

of careful thought.

diaper patterns, powderings, scroll-work, and symmetrical composi-

102 and 103).

of form and refinement of

line,

tions (Figs.

of classic

work and

;

art.

In power

maybe yet

behind the Greek

has

many

in purity

of the best qualities

equals the best of our

own

mediaeval

while in tenderness of expression, beauty of composition,

careful thought,

it is

even superior.

The

colour

equal to

that of the finest illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

264

In treating of Japanese architecture, sider the very important question of

Figs. 98,

planation of these rules

should have liked to con-

PROPORTION.

99.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Carpenters at Work.

relation to Japanese building

Everything

After native drawings.

determined by rule

but the ex-

;

would require more space than can be afforded in a work like the ^^-^ present To give some idea :

of the

plan

Japanese work, tion that

which

the

may men-

mats, such as are

all

used for floor coverings, are in size six feet I

by three

and

;

have before mentioned that

although

the floors

of their

rooms appear to be covered by matting, the Japanese use

padded

only thick this

Carpenter, who

FiG. 100.

HKs

Shed.

This being the case,

fatigued with

Work, resting on the Top of After a native drawing.

his

obvious that are,

some multiple

of a

yard

;

mats

but as

all

size as their floor cover-

both

all

their

rooms

length and width,

rooms appear

be of

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

one height, the relation

between

the area

265

and the

height

variable.

In the building of important Japanese houses there I

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Carpenters' Tools, i, Square and Measure: 2, Compass formed of bamboo stems, with a brush in one arm 6, Line, which runs out over blackened 5, Plane 3, 4, Chisels cotton-wool 7, 8, Files 10, 11, 12, Mallets 13, Awl 14, 15, 9, T-Square and Plummet Saws; 16. 17, Forms of Axe: 18, Hammer. After a native drawing.

Fig. ioi.

;

etiquette regulating

determines

tlic

;

its

construction

;

and the teacher of manners

plan of the mansion.

have named the teacher of etiquette,

under the old feudal system he was an for after a

;

youth had

fessor for general

etiquette of the

left

college he

instruction

officer of

may

say that

some importance

was apprenticed

manners, and especially

ceremony of tea-drinking

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

;

to this proin

the

the Cha-no-yu (see

page 157). The etiquette of Japan is most elaborate, and the volume setting forth the rules to be followed by a man of position

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

266

contains more tlian a thousand pages.

There

an etiquette

re-

specting the building of the house, respecting the reception of both friends

and

strangers,

yty^w^^^w^

and respecting everything pertaining

to one's

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

not so beautiful as that of one to three, and that this again so pleasant as three to this

the

difficult

five.

Indeed, the law of proportion

to detect the relation

the more beautiful the proportion

Fig.

267

not is

of part to part

is.

-Patterns of Japanese Fabrics.

In Japanese temples

always observed

this subtle relation ot

part to part, and the consequent beauty of the temples as regards their quantities ;

and

think that any fixed proportion between

the diameter and the height of the column could not be invari-

ably maintained, Japanese temples being seen under such different

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

268

conditions as to

make

a hard and fast rule of this kind imprac-

ticable.

Many

of the temples are situated on eminences, and are seen

Fig. 104.

Showing the manner

chiefly

from below

level

;

ground are

Diagram of Ornament in

which the proportion of

in Gable. its

parts

determined.

while the columns of those which are placed in part

hidden by overhanging

roofs.

Some,

Ml Fig. 105.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;ToRIl.

which are enclosed

Showing

the

manner

which

"set out."

by a series of courts (as the temple at Nikko) must be so closely viewed, owing to the proximity of

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

the surrounding walls, that the proportion

269

of part

part can

scarcely be perceived.

In Japanese buildings together by a system of

all

the parts of the structure are held

dovetailing,"

being used in their production, except

ornamental

ornament.

grand

with a

nail,

head three inches

di-

ameter (see Fig. 36), often placed in

nor screws

neither nails for

hori-

zontal timber, immediately over the

window

slides

of a house, but here

no structural pur-

serves pose.

Some

of the

plicated for

dove-

most com-

tail" joints are

and remarkable,

they have to bind the

parts,

coming

four directions, together.

Showing

Fig. 107.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Details.

simple

way

Fig. 106.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Japanese

in three or

With the view

the

manner

the construction

While there little

which objects

of showing in a very

which the parts are dovetailed together.

of Japanese houses,

working drawings from a native book generally a

Cupboard ok Cabinet.

no furniture

be placed.

and

10).

a Japanese room, there

arrangement of fixed shelves

may

copy some

(Figs. 108, 109,

The manner

a corner, on

which the parts

—

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

270

of such a structure are put together, will be understood from the

accompanying

now

io6 and

illustrations (Figs.

see that

107).

Japan has produced a system of architecture eminently suited to the wants

who have

of those forth,

the earthquakes

which Japan

We Gatepost and

its Support.

by the introduction of religion

its

sprung

primitive

dwelling

character

has been

features from

special

has played

part in determining

has

so subject. this

archi-

from

Showing

the manner in which parts are put together.

and that

also see that

tecture F'iG. 108.

Showing ihc which tic-beams are held together.

Top of a Bracket.

Fig. 109.

and peculiarly adapted

to withstand

manner

called

;

that

its

modified

Continental Asia

;

its

character.

further notice that out of the

architecture has

grown a system

of ornamentation, developed under

^¥A

the influence of Buddhism, while the perfect finish of

work

due

all

Japanese

to the influence of

Shinto upon the Japanese mind.

The ornament which in

association

with

has arisen

architecture

ho.— Top view of Circular Pillar. Showing the manner in which cross-beams

Fig.

has

been applied to objects of

are inserted into

domestic use, as works earthenware, fabrics,

it.

in lacquer,

etc.

But

liberties are

taken

in dealinsf

with

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

common

which would

wares

Yet

architectural edifices.

humorous manner, sitting there

resting

the case of

have seen a monkey, carved

upon a temple

and a cat modelled on the

;

we have quaintness

here

be permitted

not

271

roof, as tiles

though

of a house.

similar to that of the grotesque

were

But

European

gurgoyles of the Middle Ages.

we have

In the case of fabrics

Thus, before me, as

kinds.

brooms,

and

rakes,

leaves

are

that

gathered

Here

another

write,

a dress-cloth figured with

the

(Fig.

patterns of most extraordinary

1 1

1;.

formed

only of long-legged waterflies

;

only

another of

consisting

children

all

conceivable attitudes (Fig. 12).

Milestones, rabbits,

birds,

cobwebs, hats, and

all

sorts of

objects

ma)-

be found in the patterns of their fabrics

lady's

posts

and on

;

telegraph

scarf

and wires may be

seen conspicuously figured

I'lU. 111.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; i'AI rtu;.

OF A PHI.NTED DkLsj

I'AL.-lu, lO>..

THE LEAVES OF THE FIR-TREE, RAKES, BROOMS, AND DIAPER PATTERNS.

SISTING OF

(Fig. 188).

shall scarcely un-

derstand Japanese art unless

we remember that the Japanese are They enjoy a joke as much as a

a simple and humorous people. child,

and there

a simplicity about their manners which has

all

here the charm

the frankness of infancy.

Indeed,

we have

This being the case, we must humour in their art, whenever opporand humour and grotesqueness are closely allied.

childhood preserved in grown man. look for the expression of tunity occurs

;

During the year 18 So, The Fuiniture Gazette gave an tration of a

illus-

Japanese dish on which were figured octopii perform-

ing as acrobats.

ladder was one which stood out at right

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

272

angles, holding on

his

tentacles, while

two were performing

on musical instruments, and a fourth watched the performance fan in hand.

The whole was

possibly be (Fig. frogs,

and

Fig. 112.

fruits,

3).

owe

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Pattern

as comic

Teapots

and grotesque as

made

their origin to this sense of

of printed

F.\bkic,

The

could

humour

;

and a

consisting wholly of children at play.

thousand things might be named as illustrating this love of the comic.

the form of birds,

Japanese

art

battle of the frogs, the grasshoppers'

procession, and such subjects, are so well

known

that

we need not

here enumerate them.

Many

Japanese patterns have a significance to those

they are intended which is

the type of beauty, as

not apparent to

we have

us.

Thus

for

the

whom

almond

before said, and the stork (which

ART, is

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

said to live a thousand years) of long

stork

donkey

as rare as a dead

emblem

of longevity, for

another

it is

tortoise

another

hundred years ate

strange that, though they are so

It is

Fig. 113.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Dish

living

The

lived for nine

during the whole time of

saw but one

here.

and drawing them

fond of portraying storks

In Japan a dead

life.

said to have a thousand lives, and

man who

the peach, for a

this fruit as his chief food.

attitude,

273

made

specimen of this

every conceivable

sojourn in Japan

never

in Tokio.

bird.

Owing

to the

numberless

representations of them which we see on Japanese works, I used to think that storks must be almost as common in Japan as

sparrows are

The Japanese hen

;

England

;

but this proved to be a great mistake.

are also fond of portraying the domestic cock

and

but these, like the mandarin duck and drake, symbolise

connubial

felicity.

catacombs

Rome, two

an early Christian

tombstone

birds are represented

the

looking at one

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

274

To me

another, which are said to be cocks fighting.

most unHkely, and

two male

believe

birds, as

them

generally supposed

and inspection

;

seems

this

and hen, and not

to be cock

show

will

that the one bird only has hackles on the neck.

Another form which should be noticed which

The gods

a divine symbol.

two-edged swords

and from the

;

tail

of Japan wore and wielded of the dragon was born the

sword which the sun-goddess gave to the

the two-edged sword,

Emperor of Japan.

first

Here we have a symbol with which we ourselves are familiar. " These things Apocalypse we have the expression

the

which hath the sharp sword with two

saith he

edges;" and again the words:

"And

mouth goeth

and with

a sharp

sword,

should smite the nations."

Japanese myth, the sword a serpent-like creature

out of his

Curiously,

who gave

the

with

associated

birth, while

the sword in the Apocalypse proceeds from the

mouth of

the

King of kings and Lord of

Some Japanese

satire.

When

dangles a

the Japanese goes

the temple to pray he takes the rope in his

hands, and by giving to causes

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; P.\TTERN

a curious

while in front of

large pendent rope.

Fig. 114.

subtle

gong dropping from the eaves of

a temple roof;

lords.

exhibit

a figured towel there

bell-like

split

patterns

waved motion

a sharp

The sound

to strike against the gong.

thus made, he believes, calls the attention of the

OF A JaP.^NESE

Towel.

his

loose,

its

to the supplication about to be offered.

the

pattern

for the devotee,

prayer, has

from

god

support

an old

holding a long

hit ;

the

thus

Kioto

his

the towel before

falling to the

bottle rod,

the

gong

anxiety to secure attention to

gong with such

it is

bamboo

as to detach

force

ground

(Fig.

possession

on the end of which

14).

a skeleton is

a bird

;

while an almond-tree, the symbol of spring, of youth, of beauty, and of long

life,

occurs behind the rod to which the bird

attached.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

275

The satire of this design will be understood when it is remembered that the Japanese catch birds by darting at them a bamboo rod, on the end of which bird-lime has been placed. Those so-called fishing-rods, the

now

which are

much

sold

joints

of which blow out, and

England, are made by the Japanese as bird-catchers.

To be

caught

death to the bird, hence the skeleton holds bird

the time of

The

by which the

rod

the

its

youth, and

reference to long

Fig.

may

caught, although this

life is

mockery

a netsuki in

represents

spring.

its

which the thought of summer, or

abundant

life, is

given

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; both animal

'''Â°- ''5.

and vegetable.

great

number of the

good Japanese objects are

little " set "

crests, or

devices which

have a significance similar to our armorial bearings

But

impossible for

do more than

nature of Japanese ornament generally.

upon

see

and these

heraldic insignia,

(Fig.

116).

attention to the

call

detailed examination

would need a volume. If

painting,

consider Japanese

and decoration, we

broadly, and

art

as a pattern, a panel in

which

sprays of grass in front of large

autumn

full

to mind,

grows.

(Fig.

moon, with

a vase

we have ice,

have been pinched off by a

Many Japanese

"man

interest

see,

harvest moon, with a few

full i 1

its

carving,

a towel

And

7).

grass -sprays

on a cabinet the laden

with

autumn evening

and the softly-flowing stream beside which

which represents cracked

the

feeling.

In both cases the pleasant

dewdrops.

much

shall see that

due to the expression of poetical

include

silver

brought

this tall grass

the well-known hawthorn pattern,

with the plum blossoms upon

that

late frost.

The we speak of

Japanese designs are of a legendary character. speak of the in

the moon."

hare

They

the

moon

regard

the

dragon

"the

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

276

demon

of the storm," and picture the tempest both in air and in

water as the elements agitated by this monster.

a thunderstorm

In Fig.

Thunder and

represented, with the god of

his

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Japanese Crests. Those lettered from a to j are all formed from the leaf of the Maidenhair tree from the Go-he, or cut papers, used as the symbol of the .Shinto religion 7ÂŤ, from /, from a kind of gong the heads of a kind of arrow, used in warfare for cutting ropes ÂŤ, from five hammers, such as the god (J, Daikoku bears from three hawk's feathers /, from a cart-wheel q, from three of the folded papers which indicate that an object is a gift r, from three rabbits s, from five anchors t, from the wood-framing around a well and ;<, from two sails of a junk.

Fig. h6.

;

circular

drums

the

forked lightning and

air,

rain.

while from

the

Surely the

cloud

descends both

key pattern

did not

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES. which the people feared

originally signify the lightning

depict a fish leaping the

Fig. 117.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Pattern of

waterfall

Fig. 118.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The

A Japanese Towel.

ascending

before

Thunder God.

everlasting

bamboo

youth, the

The one

legs.

The

deep water, where the

man

tale goes

man

difficulty

pine signi-

;

no end.

men

quarrelling.

the other has long arms

with short legs could not stand.

arms, he cannot reach to the bottom and is

fish.

overcome by the long-legged man carrying the

The

long arms on his back.

catch

fish,

but neither can do so alone.

men

expression, "

quarrelling.

The man

The two together can thus Hence the absurdity of The same idea is conveyed in our

the

quarrelling with his bread."

Japanese carving varies is

The

that fish can only be caught in

with

the

with long legs can get into the deep water, but, owing to

his short

these

an ivory carving of two

has long legs and short arms

and short

They

uprightness and usefulness

but to the significance of their patterns there

Here before me

into

After a native drawing.

clouds as typifying ambition and perseverance. fies

277

intended to serve.

character according to the purpose

Those

little

button-like objects which

;

JAPAN.- ITS ARCHITECTURE,

27t

worn pendent from the

are

and are called netsukies, are

girdle,

Some

frequently delicious specimens of minute work.

examples

equalled)

others

have

cutting,

never been

by any other people, being almost of

are

some

hugely grotesque, while

of marvellous

excellence

but

;

imitative works

are

between

imitat-

conventional work must

not

The

may

sight

lost

even

(if

classic refinement

the distinction

and

ive

of these,

surpassed

of.

imitative

be influenced by the position

which

is placed, and by momentary expression which has

the object imitated the

been

seized

perpetuation

for

What we have

carved work.

works

sider in such

the

to con-

the excellence of

the imitation, the nature of the surfaces,

and those

bodied by the carver

Here snail, in

in his

work.

which the fleshy mollusc, having

shell,

top of

been em-

a netsuki in the form of a

stretched itself as its

of the

fleeting characteristics

imitated which have

object

far

can from

seems trying to climb to the

it.

The

horn-like pedicels, which

carry the eyes on their extremities, are fully Fig. 119.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Origin of

the Haw-

protruded and rest upon the

shell,

body of the

snail

which the

plastic

iHORN Pattern. The late frost nips the Plum blossoms,

appears to cling

and causes them to thin and cracked ice.

tion

fall

on the

;

while the hinder por-

slightly twisted so that its

and mucous under surface from above. the

little

carefully

In this work the texture of the shell

striae

indicating

marked

;

orifice of the shell

its

smooth exposed

perfectly given

;

successive stages of growth being

while the voluted form and slightly recurved are rendered with a fidelity

could not be surpassed.

embodied

and

feeling

which

But perhaps the most wonderful quality of

this carving lies in the expression of plasticity

the artist has

in his

work.

The

and mobility which

creature clings to the

ART, over which

shell,

AND ART MANUFACTURES. almost seems to

while

slide,

manner so life-like readily be mistaken for members of a living texture of the body is as good as that of the "

which makes

real.

appear

foot

the

while the

shell,

has that strange glabrous surface

a naturalistic carving this

danger of being broken

The

creature.

netsuki

little

almost perfect

member

yet the parts of the creature are so disposed that no in

horn-like

that they might

bodies are protruded in a

under portion of the

279

off.

the contrary,

all

it is

;

compact,

and forms but one mass without excrescences. This one illustration of naturalistic work must

though

would be easy to multiply

al-

suffice,

indefinitely.

illustrations

But to take an instance of a somewhat different character, we

may

consider

large

netsuki which

who wears

represents a child,

mask from which depends drapery, and who

sitting in a

crouching position, beating a small drum.

certain days of the year children

almost envelop the head) drapery

body

they beat while perambulating the

The

streets of

the masks (which

pendent, and

this

the

These children generally have drums, which

enveloped.

go about the

From

Japanese towns with hideous masks on.

netsuki before us

streets.

about one inch

diameter

;

and

mask the artist has had room for his fancy. clutched by the feet of the sitting child, and on it

the hideous beast-like

The drum rest the

two drum-sticks which are held

the hands.

But the

work is seen on looking through the open mouth of the grotesque mask you see a charmingly cut child's face, with little jewelled eyes inlaid yet no trace of any join in peculiarity of this

;

wood can be discovered in the work. The two illustrations given of detailed carving are of exquisite finish but another class of work for which Nara is celebrated

the

;

differs essentially

These

from one clean is

from those objects of which

consist of a cut.

number of small

have just spoken.

facets,

each resulting

These works would almost represent what

going to be a finished carving

One such

flat

netsuki of a

in its "

blocked out

" stage.

humorous character represents on one

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

28o

side the face of a Court lady, while

who

the face of a gentleman, small tusks, and who,

probably have a

The although

that

case

body were represented, would

one view she

a very

Between these two

little

severe on the Court ladies

when seen is

and

large ears

and cloven hoofs.

tail

this

in is

in the other she

for the

a lady, but

joke,

when

we have an intermediate

classes of carving

which we have great crispness of treatment and precision

of work, together with high is

turned round there

Japanese, like other people, will have their

inference

stage, in

entire

his

if it

furnished with

But

finish.

intermediate method

this

not so general as the other two. Purely ideal productions,

judged, not

which

imitative

their

decorative works.

qualities,

spotted

ideal beast

lion,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a

may

must be

take a ne^suki,

King of the Fauna. This work we have

grotesque.

mere decorative composition.

to regard as a

said,

but by their merits, as

an illustration we

the

represents

Here we have an

needs scarcely be

have to view

mane of the beast, and we have to consider the

the various curls of hair constituting the

the spots

which they terminate

;

arrangement of the limbs, the treatment of the

tail,

the expres-

and the decorative distribution of the

sion given to the creature,

parts in their relation to ornamental effect only.

This

little

netsuki

as a naturalistic

The queer

work

grin on

as interesting in

for

;

it is

its face,

its

way

as the snail

decorative, ferocious,

was

and grotesque.

the eyes which peep from under over-

hanging eyebrows, the curious arrangement of the mane, which surrounds the head almost like a grandmother's nightcap, and the beautiful hair-like texture of the body, give to

stamp

an excellent work.

should here be

made

As mere

characters which

achievements, mention

of microscopic carvings, which are

Thus, as we have already seen, you

may meet

common.

with two gods

carved in wood, and yet so small that both are contained

husk of one grain of found If

rice,

the shell of a

we now

while an entire celestial family

common

may

the

hazel nut.

pass to the larger carvings, such as are used in the

ART,

AND ART MANUFA CTURES.

decoration of temples and in positions which compel the observer

them from a

to view

distance,

shall find that

One

with masterly boldness and simplicity. given in Fig. 62

show the

they are treated

of these carvings

but the scale of our illustration

;

too small to

modern furniture we often fall into the error of producing carved work so fine that its decorative value is lost. The Japanese rarely make such a mistake, for they have hit upon the happy method of introducing just that amount of detail into the work which can be perfectly seen when it is in its proper position. They " generalise " with a skill which

are

true character of the work.

almost wonderful.

The temples of Shiba and Nikko, as we have already seen, adorned by many carvings of birds, flowers, and animals and ;

while these representations of objects are more or less natural, there

yet a simplicity and conventionality in their treatment

which shows how perfectly the Japanese can seize the salient qualities of an object

The tendency of plants

and can discard

all

most cases leaves with symmetrical

outward influences acting upon plants

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The

detail.

of those natural forces which result in the growth

to produce in

halves and flowers with radiating parts

heat

unnecessary

but the tendency of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

as wind, rain, light,

all

and

from the normal type.

to cause a departure pictorial artist

;

avails himself of the

utmost variety, but

the decorative artist has often to seek simple and symmetrical forms.

The Japanese well know the value of simplicity and even symmetry in decorative objects and the flowers which seem to be ;

pictorially

grouped

in their best carvings will

almost invariably be

found to have symmetrical halves or to consist of regular radiating

The same remark

parts.

will

apply to the leaves, while

cases the simplest expression of the object copied

From Japanese

architecture, ornament,

turn to their drawing, and seek

work

;

for there

results achieved

which the end

much worthy

by Japanese gained.

both

always given.

and carving, we must

understand their methods of

of our best consideration in the

artists, as well

To me

as in

the

means by

appears that Japanese child-

JAPAN: rrs ARCHITECTURE, ren

drawing

learn

al-

most without being aware that they are doing

While children

so.

learning

are

form

the letters of the alpha-

and the numerals

bet

they are also learning to draw. After a few weeks of school

acquired

making

life

they have

the

power of shapes

certain

(called

and

letters

Here

figures).

their edu-

cation in drawing ceases

with

they

unless

us,

should

some

future

time be taught to draw as a

separate accomp-

lishment.

The Japanese

not only employ a native alphabet, but they also

use a large

Chinese

number of

characters

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

number so great that Mr. Sato (the wellknown Japanesescholar), though acquainted with six thousand such characters,

had

that

said

never

seen

he a

native newspaper with-

out

finding

some

that he did not understand.

When we Fig.

that writing

consider

only a

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, means

for the

consumed

communication of

ideas, the vast

amount of time

acquiring such a power can only be deplored.

has a great advantage; for in imitating

day of

283

his school

life,

new

the Japanese child

Yet

constantly learning to

Again, the child never rests the paper on which

draw.

upon a desk or

table,

but holds

works and not the hand only.

Motion

the elbow, and the wrist alike.

Another feature

of the Japanese child which

got from the shoulder,

become an

the education

artist, is

and not with a pen or

paper on which he writes

writes

calculated to influence the character

of his work, should he ultimately his writing with a brush,

Thus the whole arm

the hand.

characters during every

more or

less

the fact of

Then

point.

the

bibulous, so that the

instant he touches the paper with his brush the ink (alwaj's Indian ink)

absorbed.

This writing with the brush, and

this

unrestrained use of the

arm, gives a freeness to Japanese drawing which can never be

got by practice with the point

while the absorbent quality of the

;

paper induces a precision of touch which our method

And

secure.

this

power of drawing,

this precision of touch, are all

that he

this freeness

fails

of motion, and

got without the child even knowing

acquiring the most valuable aids to a high drawing

power.

To me wrong.

our method

first

of teaching drawing seems altogether

give to a youth a hard point and teach

by the agency of

imitate forms

way

has got into the

this unpliable

of using this hard point

which he naturally uses as though unyielding.

acquired

its

the pencil.

should

free use

and the brush

;

first

use

give

him

After he

pencil.

him a brush,

were something hard and

the brush, and

when he has

he might then be trusted with the crayon or

means he would gain the whereas by our method the

this

free use of the point free

use of both

impaired.

Their method of writing leads the Japanese altogether with the maulstick

;

artists to

and however minute

his

dispense

work

and no people can draw more minutely or with greater tenderness than the Japanese

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the lines are

drawn with a brush, and the

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

284

hand has nothing

upon.

rest

Fig.

gives a copy used for

teaching the drawing of the bamboo.

The absorbent

character of the Japanese paper not only gives

of touch, but

precision

also

the simplest form

leads to

being

The Japanese thus

chosen for the expression of an object.

acquires knowledge of the value of touches, such as no other people But, in order to

possess.

to certain illustrations

make myself

understood,

must

which have been drawn by Japanese

and engraved by Japanese engravers

for I felt that

Through the indulgence of

have got a number of for these late

am much

illustrations

some of

sharp,

They

publishers, I

prepared in Tokio

London.

must

not, however,

supposed that these are altogether original works,

spirit of

and

indebted to the kindness of Mr. Yeno, the

Japanese minister

the case.

artists

no European

copy of their works would adequately represent the true their productions.

refer

are

copies,

by excellent

was thought better

artists,

the best Japanese books.

for

this

be not

of illustrations

insure

their

being

have them redrawn and re-engraved

rather than have cliches from old blocks.

As an

illustration

of free drawing,

may

refer to Fig. 133,

ART, which, artist

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

285

judgment, could never have been produced by an

who had

learnt to

draw with a

point.

And

here

we have a

feature which has never been admitted in our academic system,

namely,

tlie

admixture of

solid black with outline

drawing

;

yet

Fig.

must be admitted that the contrast between the

outline

very pleasant.

illustrations

treatment which the Japanese conditions induce, 120, 122, 123, and 124, where in one example

touched

and other two the

coltsfoot

in outline only.

(Fig. 122)

and

the

may

give Figs.

a plant

partly in

pink

and the

we have

shown Of these the most

Another

with solid black.

solid

of the simplicity of

(Fig.

black,

successful are

124);

for

the

286

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE, while

given,

perfectly

the

means

the

effect

both are

characters

most

by which achieved

The

simple.

rendering of the withering cotton plant

also

worthy of special commendation.

Another

merit

Japanese drawing crispness of touch

;

Rounded

angularity. lines, if

is its

used in a sketch,

generally produce feebleness of effect

angularity

126 I

a high degree

crispness

acter,

and

Figs.

The

grandly

cision of touch,

make

The and the render-

its

charming

to the artist

what

the pre-

line,

crispness of

and

lily

drawn.

sweep of

and the

of grass, which

little bits

mingle with destroy

char-

illustrate

will

mean.

ing,

life.

drawings

Japanese

this

drawing

and

gives vigour

have

whereas

that

leafage,

its

hardness

which the sketch,

in their

absence, would have.

Clever as the sketch of the

lily

is,

that of the

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

lVL-«rc^*'^

Flu. 1J5.

287

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

Fig. 126.

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

Fig. 127.

289

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JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

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JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

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ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

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JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

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JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

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ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.'

Fic. 133.

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ART,

AND ART MANUFACT^KE&\

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ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.'

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314

'J^PAN: TTS ARCHITECTURE,

Fig. 145.

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

Fig. 146,

315

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

3i6

wisteria creeper leaves, the

its

winding of

free

which the buds of

scarcely less meritorious

from the parent stem, gives an impression

jut out

illustrations have, so far,

vegetable kingdom

and human

but birds,

;

might be

figures

illustrate those art qualities of

how

the view of showing illustrations

which

which we are now

treating.

principles

these

apply,

With

have had

147 we have a

crisp

drawing of drapery

one who has seen a

of pride in her best clothes, going along the

girl, full

of Tokio, could

fail

be struck with the excellence of

important a personage

this slightly caricatured rendering of so

but we give

illustration of a

Although the

great merit.

would not be allowed it

animals,

which would equally well

selected,

both characteristic and good.

Japanese streets

been drawn exclusively from the

fishes, crustaceans, insects,

from other kingdoms of nature than the vegetable In Fig.

prepared.

the firmness with

which no other treatment could achieve.

life

that

angularity of

for the

;

stems, and

its

which

solid black

our schools of

art, I

here used as hair

cannot help thinking

tends to separate the head from the drapery

of value to the drawing.

Fig.

method of drawing which has

;

and that

146 gives a drawing of the god

of wisdom.

Various

crabs,

simple manner

13O

Fig-

^"<1

;

which we also

which natural objects

art,

show charmingly the

may

be expressed (see

o" pages 292 and 296 we give drawings of the

same simple character of In

figure,

birds.

nations are characterised

and of treatment.

peculiarities of

The peacock on page 289

so characteristic of Japan that no one need look at

order to say what people produced

and 306,

birds on pages 290, 302,

;

grouping

treated in a it

manner

twice in

and the grouping of the

equally characteristic.

But

there are other peculiarities of treatment, in which the Japanese indulge, which are well illustrated

black

Figs. 134, 135,

introduced in a strange and abnormal manner.

illustrations are so full of interesting ful

and 138, where

study, even

There

Yet these

work that they demand

we do not approve of

care-

the treatment here adopted.

yet another feature about some Japanese drawings

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, which

should

mean

Here

be obser\-ed that

will

front part

picture

the

which

143 gives good example. Fig.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the treatment of

foreground

the

not

unnoticed

passed

the

formed

primrose,

violet,

dandelion,

equisetum,

and other

plants, ren-

a conven-

with

dered

tionality

which reminds

us of our early stained

many

and

glass,

old

Whoever method

tapestries.

originated this

of treatment, that

tain

cer-

character-

Japan as much as does the works of

ises it

our own country.

have seen that

the drawings

of good

Japanese artists are simple crisp

expression,

and

character,

conventional in nature.

But there

a quality

which their works possess that transcends all

other though is

life

the

merits, they be

great this

;

expression

with

which

they Fig. 147.

317

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

3i8

endow

their delineations of plants, birds, insects,

no other people can make drawings

When we draw a

bird,

and

;

can the Japanese.

live as

are content to imitate

either to produce the general

fishes

its

form

;

and

of the object copied, or to

effect

The Japanese

portray laboriously every detail of the creature.

on the contrary, by a few simple strokes, produces a bird

artist,

which appears to

live

dignified repose, or

pecks (Fig. 137),

;

eyeing

flies,

There

prey.

its

rests

life

his

rendering of birds, while ours are inanimate objects bearing but little

human

relation

the

living

thing than waxworks do to

beings.

Their drawings of

fish,

crustaceans, and insects have equal

They can make an

with their representations of birds.

appear pleased, a crab look as though its tail

wag

with delight, or an octopus perform on a musical instru-

ment, and yet seem natural

ways of

their

feel as

know

they appear to

short,

;

and other things

birds, insects, fishes,

make themselves In

smiled, a herring

life

insect

and

;

the

to be able to

these creatures do.

of plants there

representations

also

manifested

that keen perception of individual qualities and subtleties of form

which we notice

love of both nature like

their delineations of other things.

and

Those who judge objects which are

shops

may

now

alone account for the

their art can

vigour which characterises so

many

windows of

to be seen in the

respecting the merits of Japanese art

patterns in advance of any that price,

;

book with native

art,

statements

but while some of these

European market) bear Birmingham or Wolverhampton would be almost as fair to judge

or papier-mache blotting-books, as

by such specimens. So much importance do

for the

of Flnglish art by the landscapes seen on our

drawings upon English

common many of our

remarks by reference to the

goods (produced by the thousand

art

life-

of their works.

be disposed to question the accuracy of

can produce at a similar

Intense

common

tea-trays,

would be to judge Japanese

attach to the influence of Japanese

that

illustrations, (see

led

crowd

this

part of

Figs. 130, 137, 138, 141,

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

142, 144, and 145), although I

cannot too strongly

some may seem superfluous. But our young ornamentists to

recommemd

consider these drawings, and to

and acquire the Japanese

try

power of delineating natural forms with simplicity

commend

strongly

3'9

him

nor can

;

too

the use of the brush in preference to

that of the pencil.

But

must not be misunderstood

our national

and substitute

art,

for

do not wish

to destroy

the Japanese style.

merely wish that we should avail ourselves of those methods which are in advance of our Art, to

own

not minding where they originated.

;

be of value, must be national.

sentiments of the people

who

create

;

must embody the

hence no foreign art can

be adopted by a country without the sacrifice of qualities which

make

noble.

may borrow

nation

art suggestions

from other

and as the

peoples, as the Greeks borrowed from the Egyptians,

Japanese have borrowed from the Chinese even with advantage.

But the suggestions adopted must be of the country that adopts as

They must be

them.

so modified

harmonise with the new conditions under which they

Broadly stated,

from

through the mind

filtered

peoples

all

;

position

but

this

we must

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we may borrow what that

distil all

exist.

good

we borrow through

our own minds.

Thus white,

we have only spoken of sketching

far

and have made no mention of painting

but Japan knows no art similar to that by which

The Japanese have no method

great pictures.

effect

of perfect

" finished."

are

black and

truer sense

;

we produce our up"

of "working

they cannot heap up labour upon a subject, and cover

a canvas with colour as consists

its

beyond

As all

sketches praise.

while the colour

understanding harmonies,

Indeed the best Japanese art

do.

sketches, and

which we

call

;

distributed with the greatest possible care

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; understanding

understanding

own

of works

some of the Japanese coloured drawings They are vigorous, simple, and life-like of

of the

drawings are at best but sketches lover of our

not

school of pictorial

quantities,

value ;

understanding shades.

but though

art, I

and of

Japanese a sincere

have yet seen works by

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

320

Japanese

artists

which

would prefer

many

an English picture

which has cost hundreds of pounds.

the narrative part of

book

have already spoken

work (see page 58), I need say no more about them for whether the works are in black and white, or in colour, we find that simplicity of treatment, that angularity of Japanese artists and their ;

of drawing, that quaintness of rendering, that exquisite grace (see Figs. 125, 139, 144),

makes

all

their better

and that

life-like

character (Fig. 130) which

works so charming

ciate high art qualities.

for those

who can

appre-

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

CHAPTER

32'

II.

ANALOGIES AND SYMBOLS.

By the agency of language something has been done in the way of tracing the wanderings of mankind and the affinities of races

but

;

not aware that decorative forms have been used,

any material extent, as a means of arriving

although to

at similar

knowledge,

they seem capable of yielding valuable aid

such inquiries.

That there have been national characteristic

almost a truism

and

styles of

ornament decisively

by whom they were produced

of the peoples

ornamental forms

belief that the

and the decorative system employed by a people are of greater ;

and

relationship

and

value, as ethnological tests, than peculiarities of architecture

they afford

that

means of determining the

the migrations of races, at least as satisfactory as

do the words

or construction of a language.

an illustration of what

On many

examples. Persia

mean

Chinese fashion.

amongst

may

take one or two

earthen plates which have reached us from

This, together with the fact that

marks," has been a cause of

collectors

made

;

and as the

evidently not

paste

Chinese,

Chinese potters had e.xercised

that

we have pure Chinese ornament arranged

bear Chinese

are

all

purely

these dishes

much controversy

of which these vessels

could

their

art

only be inferred in

some

foreign

country.

When made

evidence reached us of the fact that these vessels were Persia, there

was no longer any room v

for

doubt that

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

322

Chinese potters had settled potting

country and revived the art of

in that

Further inquiry has shown this and we can now trace much of the history of Persian

the land of the Shah.

to be a fact,

ceramics from the period when the art was reintroduced into the country. I have in my possession a blue-and-white jar decorated on the sides with the purest of Arabian ornament, while the ends are treated in a Chinese manner, but the

work

stamped with a

Chinese mark.

This

piece

was

made by the second or who settled in Persia and

probably

generation of the Chinese potters its

author had been instructed

fathers,

;

third

while

the traditional ornament of his

he had acquired a knowledge of the style of ornament

belonging to his adopted home.

But in later works we find the ornament becoming more and more Arabian in character, and the potter's mark changed to a Persian signature.

Another rugs,

what

illustration of

mean

Yarkand

afforded by

which bear patterns of a curious Semi-Tartar character, and

resemble the works of Persia and India on the one hand, and of

China on the

any one

that

district

So marked

other.

are the characters of these rugs

well acquainted with

ornament could say from what

they must have come.

Just as the later Persian pottery owes potters, so are the wares of

and the particular

to colonies of Persian potters

;

found on ceramic works

Syria,

bears conclusive testimony to this

The forms

class of

ornament

fact.

ages

;

assist us in building

but in such an investigation

up the

we must be

not to confound similarity of form resulting from

copying of natural objects similarity in

Chinese

of domestic vessels are also characteristic of nations,

history of past careful

and the Grecian Archipelago,

and the study of such would likewise

most

origin

its

both Damascus and of Rhodes due

common

various

shapes of wholly ideal origin.

common

countries,

with

Thus, because the

gourd form

Morocco,

does not necessarily follow that there was any inter-

the earthenware of Japan, China, and

communication between these countries dried skin of the bottle-gourd

;

common

for in

each country the

use as a domestic utensil.

ART, If

its

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

we now turn

Japan

323

order to ascertain the

decorative forms, and consider the

grations, the contact of races, their

way

origin

which past mi-

commercial intercourse, the

Fig.

of Orna149. — Unit ment FORMING Cresting AROUND A hanging LANTERN IN ToFUKUJI, NEAR Kioto. ball

(the

consists

sun)

of a

resting

clouds.

148.— Old Sceptre or the head in the form of a cloud.

Fig.

Baton, with

—

150. Persian Ornament, derived from cloud

forms.

visits

of missionaries, or other incidents, have

ence on

the

world,

we should

note

those

had

tlieir

ornaments

influ-

which

have been derived from clouds, and probably owe their origin to Central Asia.

The head

of the sceptre or baton

which has been

of antiquities

tion

character, the

(Fig.

148)

has a form

use from an early period, for in the collecat

Nara we

find

two objects of a similar

one being twelve and the other thirteen hundred

years old.

This particular shape staff,

but

may be

not only

common

as the

found as an ornament surrounding

head of a

many

Chinese

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

TAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

324

Yarkand

vases, as the border of certain

much

form, on

This

Persian work.

But to trace

derived from cloud.

its

a modified

rugs, and, in

one of the ornaments

origin

we should have

study

many examples

which cloud ornament oc-

X^J^

curs

(see Figs. 149, 150,

151, 152, 15 Persian

and 154).

ornament

its

various modifications furnishes

many examples

shapes, arising out of an

extreme in

conventionality representation

the

Ornament, which owes

Fig. 151.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Persian

origin

its

to cloud forms.

this

Ornaments

cloud-forms. kind,

believe,

spread from Central Asia

the one direction through China to Japan, and in the other

through India to Spain and

Cloud

Europe.

are

found

Italy,

and through these countries

ornaments

all

parts

of the Continent of Europe, as well as in

own

the early

work of our

country.

ornament of considerable

antiquity preserved in the collection

and

found

Ornament representing the Sun (the ball) resting on Cloud. From over the doonvay of a tomb in the

Fig. 152.

Nara the

burial-ground outside the wall of Canton.

crupper of a saddle belonging to a sacred horse (which for centuries was hidden in a temple so sacred that even a high priest could not enter

it')

of special interest.

Here we have forms derived from cloud and others from '

was got I

Nara

have seen the temple in which the horse out, or at

was added

under the impression that that

building.

said to

e.xist,

but

how

this

ornament

to the Mikado's collection, I cannot say

was told

b)'

one of the Goveinment

officers

;

but

when

was removed from the horse when the present roof was placed upon the The roof of this temple in which the sacred horse is preserved is the finest

specimen of thatch tree.

what time

flames,

Japan, and consists of thin layers of an inner bark of a cone-bearing

ART, while

the

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

centre

the

latter

shaped object so generally found

325

get that singular onion-

the grasp of the dragon,

forming the terminal ornament of certain forms of pagoda, and

^?-

ciSP^^'

Fig. 153.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Clouds and Moon.

occurring also in the monstrance, and

monumental stones found

a native

artist.

the great majority of

Buddhist cemeteries (see Figs. 38,

40, 50, 51.

This brings us to an important

which the world has known owes

fact. its

Much

of the ornament

origin to fire-worship.

the case of the monstrance (Fig. 50, see portion A), and in that of the ornament from the sacred horse,

rendered

we have both cloud and flame

a decorative manner, and while the ornament of the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

326

generally consists of

latter

pieces of brass, the

flat

jewel

emphasized by being formed of white metal. In a work like the present discuss fully the facts which

shall

impossible to illustrate or

have to state

visited

Fig. 154.

nearly

all

the

Carved Box, formed

joint of the

museums

but the con-

most careful study of

clusions arrived at have resulted from the

During

decorative art for nearly thirty years.

;

this

time

have

Europe, as well as

some

of a root-

bamboo, decorated with orna-

ment having the form of clouds. Fig. 155.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Branch

and Leaves,

countries of the East which are most likely to throw light on the

Yet

origin of early ornament.

inquiry will first

visit

the Indian

those

Museum

who

are interested in the

South Kensington and

observe the Indian gods with their flamboyant nimbi, and

then study Siamese ornament (which owes

its

to flames the very forms of which seem to

forms almost wholly

flicker),

and

will

then

pass downwards to the more modern examples of Indian work

metal and fabrics, they

the forms which were

both

first

flamboyant became gradually foliaceous, and that flowers

were introduced

at a

had been forgotten.

owe it

its

late

The

will see that

period,

when

the origin of ornament

cloud ornament certainly does

origin to the vegetable formation to

not

which some attribute

(Fig. 15 s).

Having argued this matter with that astute observer Dr. J. Lauder Brunton, whose knowledge of ethnology seems only surpassed by his acquaintance with medicine, and who opposed my

AR T, AND AR T MANUFA CTURES. theor)^ with

vehemence,

hours spent

in the

After two

went with him to Kensington.

observation of examples, Dr. Brunton pulled out

an old-fashioned gold watch with a richly-chased margin, and, after

remarking that

ment around for

this

deductions were right, said

watch owes

one moment say that

that

all

And

the orna-

origin to fire-worship."

do not

conventional ornamental forms have

all

sprung from fire-worship,

its

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

for this

assert

to the conclusion that

most

not the case

researches have led

but

;

Indian and some forms of European ornament, as well as forms

which are

common

use in Persia, Arabia, and Japan, are due

to the influence of this early religion.

Perhaps the

earliest religion

man

consisted in the worship

of those things which he feared and yet could not avert

wind, which, as trees

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

as the

tornado, overthrew his dwelling, uprooted the

which gave him

and destroyed

shelter,

his

crops

;

the rain,

when it fell in excessive quantities, produced floods and fire, which, when it got the mastery, became a veritable destroyer. With this we may compare the serpent worship of India and, to this day, Professor Owen tells us, the people of the Gaboon district in Western Africa pay a sort of homage to the ferocious gorilla which they all so much dread. In Japan we find a religion still existing which involves the which,

;

and the sun

worship of

fire

civilisation

and the most

;

and

this

accompanied by a high

perfect of arts.

Thus,

this strange

country we are brought into contact with ornamental forms of a

most

finished character,

which

ligion to

There

which are found associated with the

their origin

due.

no doubt about certain decorative forms having been

derived from flame and cloud (or cloud-like smoke) the flamboyant form a nimbus

re-

encircled the head of a

first

by no means

clear.

It is said that

;

but when

human Q^gy

the ancient Greeks

placed a sort of platter, or dish, over the heads of their figures in

order to protect them from the weather, and that this of the nimbus tive

;

but Mrs. Jameson referred

its

the origin

origin to the primi-

idea that luminous nebula emanate from, and surround, the

Divine

Essence (Homer,

II.

xxiii.

205), and gilded

rays were

—

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

328

placed by the

Romans round

nimbus

still

century

B.C.

come

existence which have

number of those Japanese

large

who

the heads of those

There arc one or two examples of

divine honours.

this

received

form of

to us from the fourth

which we

figures

find in

the Buddliist temples have a nimbus, that of the great Daibutz of Kioto (the

Buddha

largest

being seventy-eight feet this

but

;

a circular and linear nimbus, while

a large

number of

figures

boyant form, either the "Vesica Piscis

to throw

light

but

;

modifications

and

China

on the origin I find in

the

Nara some curious and

oldest temples of

One had

156).

Japan

of the circular nimbus

interesting

the form of

" (Fig.

researches in

have the flam-

behind the head or

behind the entire body,

enable

of Japan)

diameter

wheel -like

form.

this

character,

consisted of a peripherical margin, a central

and eight spokes connecting the

boss,

rim with the centre

;

but on the margin

were three tongues of flame, one occupying

an upper and central position, while the Fig. 156.

Figure with "Vesica

From

Piscis."

of the temple butsu, Osaka.

graveyard Sennichi - kanathe

othcr two terminated the horizontal spokes. •.•

^^-i

i/i

he position of a fourth (should such exist)

would be hidden by the

figure.

Another nimbus consisted of a ring enclosing a flower with eight petals, the tips

of which touched an enclosing hoop, and

from a central boss proceeded a number of stamens, and eight sets-of-three wires

of the circle

When flower,

and

blossom.

— the wires being

about three times the radius

in length.

I first it

saw

this

nimbus

was wonderfully

The arrangement

mistook

its

centre for a passion

some of our treatments of

that

of the rays so perfectly corresponds

with a form of nimbus with which

arc familiar that one

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

forced to the conclusion that those

employed

and those which are so general

art

329

our ecclesiastical

Japan have had a

common

origin.

Buddhism and

entire

human

According

to Griffis,

of the

centuries than the Christian Era,

six

wider than that of Christianity, being pro-

by nearly one-third

fessed

race.

older

diffusion

its

has a

per-

literature

haps larger than that of

com-

other religions

all

bined.

mention these

show the

facts

extent

Nimbus of a Buddhist Saint in one of THE OLD Temples of Nara. The flower is formed of hammered metal, and the rays of rigid wires.

Fig. 157.

the influence exercised by

the religion which has so

powerfully acted upon the arts of Japan

belief that

;

and here

may

state

most of the Christian symbols were derived from

some early time there has been a somewhat intimate association between countries now widely separated, older religions, and that at

and that

West

has resulted

this association

alike,

the use, through East and

of identical forms.

reasons for thinking that Buddhists used the nimbus and

the flamboyant

Vesica Piscis

symbolism are these

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

find

before they entered into Christian

them on the images

temples and

by the roadside wherever I travel and some of these images Buddhism was introduced into Japan in all probare very old. ;

ability

made

soon after

little

the

headway

beginning

rapidly throughout the land.

temples are

How

others,

from the Corea

Christian

era,

but

old the

mathematicians, astronomers,

A.D. 552, to live at the

Japanese Court,

and tradition says that with them they brought some of the

now

preserved at Nara and Kioto.

when it spread idols in some of the number of Buddhist

century,

impossible to say, but a

missionaries arrived, together with

and

of the

until the thirteenth

But whether these or

missionaries brought the oldest of the idols

(many of which

idols later

are

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

330

obviously of Indian workmanship), and whether the idols were old or

new when brought

to the country, this

Dai-butz at Nara was the

erected in the eighth century, although

first

work was destroyed through

original

recast in the twelfth century.

nimbus, and there

Buddha

Jesuits,

ended

who landed

Japan

into

Satsuma

certainly has a

that

believe

this

latter

existed.^

the sixteenth century

but their work was abruptly

;

1637 by the massacre

in A.D.

It is said

form

latter

its

every reason

was introduced

Christianity

and was

wars,

civil

mere copy of that which formerly

certain, that the great

of every Christian in the land.

that thirty-seven thousand then perished.

The nimbus Christianity

could not, then, have been

yet there

;

found their way through Central Asia

to China, and from China by Corea

most unlikely,

for

Yet

to Japan.

while the nimbus and Vesica Piscis alone, of

appear to have reached

There remains the everything that

seems

this

had such been the case we should surely

other traces besides the nimbus and flamboyant

to be found in

introduced with

the bare possibility that works of the

may have

early Christians

first

all

Vesica

find

Piscis,"

Christian symbols,

this country.

the words of

fact, in

Roman

distinctive in the

Buddhism

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Griffis,

that

almost

form of Christianity

images, pictures, lights, altars, incense,

vestments, masses, beads, wayside shrines, monasteries, nunneries, celibacy,

fastings,

pilgrimages,

retreats,

vigils,

mendicant vows,

shorn heads, orders, habits, uniforms, purgatoiy, saintly and priestly intercession, indulgences,

bishops."

It is

two, inherited

Griffis,

bell, or

and

who

that Buddhism, the older religion of the

pageantry, usages,

its

and the "Vesica

works of supererogation, pope and arch-

my belief Piscis,"

from a

ritual,

earlier

still

spent some time in Japan, says

festival,

finest results

can

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; " In media;val times the casting of a

and, for the purpose, the priests asked offerings of gold or

of these sacred offerings.

great Dai-butz at Nara]

was the seventh

The

personal are the

casting of the idol [referring to the

effort, si.\ failures

a bronze composed of gold, 500 pounds

pounds; and copper, 986,080 pounds.

silver,

At Nara and Kamakura there

thousand tons of charcoal were used in the operation. is

image, a lantern, or any great sacred object, was the occasion of a public holiday

adornments, mirrors, copper and other metals.

tons,

the rosary, the nimbus,

form of worship.

;

having been made, and three

The

metal, said to weigh

mercury, 1954 pounds

;

tin,

450

16,827

ART, bring but

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

evidence to support such a theory

little

fident that research will ultimately

has grown out of fire-worship, and that

than the sun

for in certain

;

but

;

show that the

331

nimbus

nothing more nor

Eastern drawings

which

outcome of

my own and

a red

This

fire-worship.

opinion

also the view of Mr. French, but

derived only from the study of Eastern religions

art.

nothing but a representation of the sun and an

ornament obtained

the

Nara we have

less

nimbus

find the

represented as the sun, and the Imperial ensign of Japan ball,

con-

I feel

circular

and Mrs. Jameson

jewel,"

from the

crupper of the horse

the centre of the flamboyant

members a

calls attention to the fact that

luminous

Now

nebulae were supposed to emanate from the Divine Essence.

the Japanese speak of the "jewel" as the pearl of great price

symbol of Divine Essence the idea set forth

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Hence

a type of the soul of man.

by Mrs. Jameson

as that of ancients

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

certainly

that of the Japanese. It

not

difficult

conceive an ignorant and superstitious

people picturing to themselves a centre or nucleus as the source

from which

fire

emanates, for they might easily think there was a

sort of spirit in flame

however of

this

many

may

be,

which gave to

ecclesiastical

consuming

qualities.

But

find this nucleus or "jewel " in the centre

flamboyant ornaments.

Figures 50 and 51 represent objects associated with the Buddhist

worship which closely resemble the monstrance of the

The one

Catholic Church.

(Fig. 50)

Roman

was brought by Mamayado,

a Chinese prince, in the early part of the sixth century from a

temple prince

China called Koriu as a present

who brought

this

while the other (Fig.

was born i

to the Japanese.

in a stable, as his

which belonged

to the

name

The

implies

temple Ishin

;

Kioto, was brought by a famous priest called Yenko-Daishi^ also as a present

upon the occasion of

his visit to Japan.

These objects are now preserved in the old palace of the Mikado at Kioto, and it was there I had the privilege of seeing them, and to Mr. Kawase, the Minister of Commerce, I am '

Daishi

name

given after death to priests of great celebrity.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

332

indebted for photographs of these and other objects of the highest interest.

These works were objects were

similar "

"jewel

and

in gold,

of this precious metal.

was formed of a hollow

many

the Kioto collections

the

cases

all

In one instance

ball of glass.

contained the tooth of a high priest, and in another metallic lumps

found

in the

But whatever

ashes after the cremation of a priest.

they contain their interest to us

great

for

;

ornament, together with clouds, surrounding

a work

But, besides the

works before us show

interest thus attaching to this object, the

anything produced

flamboyant

this jewel

dating from the early part of the seventh century.

that in the seventh

find

and the thirteenth centuries work equalling

in later

times could be done.

In the collections at Kioto there was one of those monstrances

which had their jewels pile,

this

here

the centre arranged as a

have the thought of a Trinity

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

arrangement does not seem to have been general

do not know the date of

it,

triangular

flat

the three sides ;

but

;

and as

must not comment further upon

In the heraldry of Japan, however,

a crest consisting of

find

three "jewels" with three tongues of flame surmounting them,

another formed of one "jewel

all

I it.

and

with the three flames.

Buddhist altars we find three

bells.

One

them has a

handle terminating

dent

tri-

another has the handle

;

ending

in five prongs,

lateral

being repeated

the two in

cruciform manner, while the other has but one (the central)

Instruments held in the Hand bv A Buddhist Priest when he prays in front OF A Censer.

prong.

There are

altars

three curious

objects,

each

Fig. 158.

about six inches

One trident, the

end

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

prongs being at both ends

the central prong

each end.

These the

;

of these

which

holds in his

five

length.

double

one has a spike

while the other has the

priest

also

on such

each

prongs at

hands while praying

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

333

near a censer, and they seem to typify the destructive power of the Deity (Fig. 158).

trace the history of these forms

remote ages,

only have

for not

are carried back to

such objects on the monstrance

from the thirteenth century, where the trident occurs on

(Fig. 51)

the lower portion of the stand, and the unident (or spear) on the

superposed base, but we have the trident also on the lower portion of the similar object from the seventh century (Fig

Nara

collection

find

straight prongs, the lateral

which has two barbs, while the

central of

have but one barb each.

an old sword

in the

In the

50).

actual object of this kind, only with

shape of

In the Kioto antiquities

find

double trident, only with one of

this

the central prongs elongated into a blade.

The

authorities

employed by

originally

at a later date

Nara

priests for the catching of

diabolical figures

find

was

that this instrument

madmen

while

;

for fighting

purposes

the clenched

hand of

seems to have been used

of knuckle dusters.

instead

some of those

told

which so often guard the gates of

Buddhist temples.

When

considering this double trident

the similarity between

we cannot help

noticing

and the form by which the Romans

represented Jupiter's thunderbolt

;

and there

probably some

connexion between them which we cannot explain. In the Kioto collection there were one or tridents arranged in the form of a cross.

two examples of

was told that these

were formerly associated with the worship of Buddha, but that their use silk

was long since abandoned.

a piece of embroidered

which formed part of a dress brought from China by a Bud-

dhist priest in the early part of the fourteenth century,

left

to the temple

arrangement

Nanzen

Kioto,

and which

get this cruciform

(Fig. 159).

In looking at this piece of embroidery and comparing other objects at this Kioto

mounted with a years old,

at Nara,

similar object, notably a bell

we could not

this trident

Museum, and

and the

fail

which are

with sur-

more than a thousand

to see a resemblance in form between

British crown.

In the specimen at Nara,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

334

not only have the five prongs (four of which appear as the bands

we have a

of our crown), but

prongs meet.

ball or

orb resting where the

not, of course, affirm

crown and

British

dhistic trident

mon may

origin,

be so

such

;

this

Bud-

have a com-

although

this

but the likeness to

justify

calling attention to

form

five

the form of the

that

may have

The

it.

originally

typified a monarch's

power

to destroy.

With after F,a.

159. -Embroidery

Priest's Dress. early

p.irt

wh.ch formed part of a was brought from China in the

of the 14th century.

he figure

called

common

to this

two Byzantine third

day

wooden

may j

spoon

Turkey, the handle of which consists of

This hand has the it

were the

by the agency of

the act of blessing the food to be partaken

the spoon.

meet we have a disc of glory-rays is

Turkish Spoon, decorated with Byzantine Lilies, Glory Rays, and THE Hand of the Deity in the act of blessing.

hand of the Deity

h^Ve long 01past away, j

surmounted by a hand.

lilies

which

influences

approximated to the thumb, as though

finger

Fig. 160.

the

persist,

^ave Called them into being

mention

To'''^"-

the view of show-

how forms may

ing

the point where the two

(Fig.

lilies

60).

curious to find a spoon of this kind in

common

use in

Turkey, for the symbols are Christian, and the character of the

work

many ated

Byzantine

centuries. in

old

;

yet Constantinople has been

Mahometan

for

This form of spoon must, however, have origin-

Byzantium or some

earlier

form of worship, and

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, its

335

significance being lost, the form has yet survived to the present

day.

Another instance which

show the

will

survival of an ornament,

strangely altered during the lapse of time, occurs in the embattled tops of certain Arabian

way

cences of the wall would in no origin

Not

flames.

traced back to

embattled form,

this

shape to trace I

to a

of these

excres-

suggest that they owe their

however,

only,

can

ornament be

this

the Moorish

original shape, but

its

flame

signifies fire or

The form

buildings.

name

for

;

had not the name suggested the origin of

should scarcely have been led by

symbol of

mere

its

fire-worship.

show that forms which have create them may survive

give these illustrations simply to

who

a special significance to a people in

a most unexpected manner, and be even characteristic objects

a country where

;

expect to find them.

hence reference should be made to another

when

the act of blessing,

upraised and the fingers

churches arrange the fingers differently.

many

arranged

manner of the two

the

idols, I

meaning of the arrangement of the the

fist

was clenched

tightl)'

an indication of the wrath which utterly.

If the

anger

indicated, but

not

fist

closed

In the old city of Nara,

Christian

fingers

;

asked the

informed

we have

destroy the transgressor

and the thumb extended, great

significance

but he said that they

displeasure.

When

with the thumb inside, will

and

churches,

digits, a priest

not utter destruction.

remember the exact

but the two

;

observed two with their fingers

others with their fingers differently disposed.

that

represented with a hand

a particular position

where there were in

fact

both the Greek and the Latin churches the

interest.

Saviour,

least

have been speaking of the trident as an instrument of

destruction

some

we should

all

The

priest

of each position

could of the

symbolised different degrees of

In the case of the clenched

fist

with the enclosed

thumb, reference was made to punishment with the sword

;

we have an idea similar to that presented in the Book of Genesis by the flaming sword guarding the gate of Eden. The question of the origin of forms found in Japanese art

here

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

336

connected

with

upon

especially

On many

heraldry.

their

and

fabrics

fine pieces of lacquer,

works,

their

find certain

decorative devices which might easily be mistaken for mere orna-

These are

ments.

or badges granted to families for

really crests

upon the country, as heraldic

heroic deeds or benefits conferred

bearings have been awarded to certain families in England.

know

book which contains a greater number of

of no

ornaments than the

beautiful illustrated

peerage of Japan

little

the crests, although simple in

for

;

volume which constitutes the and many of them furnish us

character, are beautifully designed,

with a variety of simple devices derived from an elementary form

which we should scarcely think capable of such various treatments.

\\6 a

Fig.

some of the

give

which have been

crests

derived from the leaf of the Maidenhair-tree, yet these are by no

means

owe

that

all

besides these

significance.

Fig.

origin

their

this

boat

Fig.

;

sails

;

a form of

1 1

6 J

Fig.

1 1

\\6

gong

a crest representing the wood-work

;

derived from k'xs,

Fig.

their

Ambassador

as also

was

of the

hammer

fishing

Fig.

;

emblem

Fig.

;

enemies

Hawking,

/ is

were

times

ancient

two

1 1

we have

the early part of the third century),

by cormorants

of Daikoku

Japan (having been introduced

favourite pastime in

a Corean

of a Japanese

consists of four knives, such

represents three hawk's feathers.

was a

seen,

orifice

anchors

five

the Gohei or Shinto

thrown by female warriors Fig.

but

;

give a few with the view of pointing out their

which stands upon the earth around the well

form

foliaceous

;

Fig. 116;/ gives five repetitions

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the god of

riches

;

Fig.

16 r gives

the back view of three sitting hares reduced to a most simple form

with their heads and ears showing over their backs gives us three of those

little

folded papers which

;

Fig.

\\6 q

we always

find

attached to anything intended as a present in Japan-^the Nosu Fig.

16/

a cart wheel

;

and

Fig.

\\6

111

;

represents the heads of

three arrows used for the cutting of ropes in ancient warfare

;

A curtain or Baku supported on cords surrounded the lieadquarters of a commanding general during battle. These arrows were especially intended to cut these cords and expose the commander. '

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but

besides

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

these

we have

crests

the form

337

of mile-stones,

mallets, fir-branches, pine-cones, ships, tops, fans of

all

kinds,

including that which the umpire at a wrestling match holds in his

hand,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

birds, flowers,

drums, roots, helmets,

umbrellas,

shells, hats,

the rudders of vessels, butterflies, horns, water, clouds, centipedes,

and a hundred other of the

crest

(the

Awoi

the

(a species of

The well-known Shogun's

things.

Tokugawa

family)

mallow) arranged

them are merely variations of one

Crests are

circle.

Thus

object.

in Fig.

many

get ten crests from the leaf of the Maidenhair-tree, as

j we

have just said

and the number might be largely increased.

;

me more

Nothing astonished to find that

from a multiplicity of objects, but

not only derived

crest

of three leaves of

consists

many

during

stay in Japan than

of the old works had a strong Egyptian feeling.

striking were these

Egyptian

characteristics, that

was

some cases almost tempted to think that the specimens before me were works by old Egyptian artists.

On ending

scales, a

to I

Buddhist altars we find a branch of the

certain in

lotus,

a flower and a leaf; while attached to the stem are

young

leaf,

and a bud

(Fig.

Such an object

9).

have been held out by Buddha, when he prayed

need scarcely point out the strange likeness which

There

bears to ancient Egyptian work.

said

for his mother. this

object

that rigidity about

parts, that simplicity, yet dignity, in its treatment,

its

and that stern

conventionality in the drawing of the flower, which would almost lead us to believe that

was produced under the Pharaohs.

the two forms of monstrance which we have figured on pages

and

we have

also conventional

rest

on a flower treated

5 5

representations of the lotus,

equally rigid in their treatment, while

Japan

In i

in the

many

of the

Buddhas of

same conventional manner.

In their temples they use as ornaments on the altars groups of five lily-buds

bound together

character.

with Buddhism

flower

61),

which are not

less

must, however, be noticed that the

the former a

(Fig.

lily

associated

not that of Egypt, the latter being a Nymphaea,

Nelumbium

growing

Egyptian

the

;

but each country has simply used the

land.

In z

both cases the particular

lily

—

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

338

which was famihar to the people was treated with the same conventionalism.

some Japanese forms of the

lotus

rigid

we have

two longitudinal convex ridges on the

Fig. 162.

Lotus

in cast Bronze,

preserved

THE Mikado's Treasury at Nara.

petals,

such as we find on Egyptian

and Greek leaf-mouldings

(Fig. 162).

While speaking of the

may

lotus

that a conventional

also notice

ornament, having to the scroll-work of

China a relation similar to that which "

the

Anthemion

to the its

of the Greeks bore

ornament of that country, owes

origin to this flower (see Fig. 163);

but the work of tracing

representation

and

Anthemion, must be

who may wish

all

the modifica-

between the natural

tions, intervening

the

conventional

left

to the student

go farther

into the

Again, we have as the

insignia

subject. Fig. 161.

Group of Lotus Buds used ON Buddhist Altars.

ground, or a red

ball

on a white ground,

representation of the sun.

device was used

;

Japan

a golden

—

occurs.

and on Plate V. of

Thus,

rests

red

other words, a

the ancient Egyptians a similiar

Owen

Jones'

Ornament we have examples of Egyptian work ball

ball

on a lotus

the

Grammar of

which

bow

this red

of a boat,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

surmounts a stern-post,

and

occasions,

placed

;

while

that

over everj' doorway and window-

Egypt we have the sun

Fig. 163.

occurs on a feather used on ceremonial

crowns the head of the asp

ornament which was opening

339

the central

figure,

and

Chinese Anthemion.

This ornament was derived from the flower of the Buddhist Lotus (Nelumbium), and the leafage surrounding it from Clouds.

wings and asps placed

laterally.

an old lantern, pendent

the Tofuku-ji near Kioto, for permission to photograph which

am much

indebted to the priests connected with the temple,

found as a cresting a series of (Fig.

149)

ment so

;

balls,

or suns, resting on cloud

and while the Egyptians never used the cloud

far as

know, the manner

which the

poised on the rounded masses of vapour cannot us of the

way

as orna-

ball fail

here

remind

which the ancient Egyptians both drew and

used their ornaments.

also found a similar

ornament crowning

the entrances to tombs in China (Fig. 152).

Further, "

find in old

wave -scroll," and drawn

see the key-pattern

Japanese works water rendered as the precisely as

many

was by the Egyptians;

varieties,

but especially in the

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

340

more simple ways

countries, while terises the is

which

found

old

Egyptian work.

have birds as a favourite ceiling ornament

also

both

each instance a rigid conventionality charac-

drawing

and

;

some of the renderings of

birds there

a striking similarity between the works of the two countries.

There

also the simple, yet dignified, portrayal of the figure, as

Buddhas of Japan, and the sculptured gods and kings of There is the use of lotus -leaves on mouldings, Egyptians. the and we have the slanting walls of the buildings (see Figs. 70 and While, again, the Nile god was supposed to dwell in the 45). Besides lotus-flower, Buddha sits on that blossom as a throne. in

all

the

this

Nara, while performing

the priestesses at

that

find

their sacred dance, used the sistrum or rattle in

the priestesses of

and

Isis,

manner of

the

both countries the sistrum

the

(like

yoni of the Hindus) symbolises the celestial virgin.

Then

the Japanese pillows bear a close resemblance to those

of ancient

Egypt

both nations, and

the use of the metallic mirror

;

Egyptians had the

ibis

countries the bird

common

the Japanese have the stork

;

sacred.

Thebes

lion at

and

;

both

drawn with

a circular ornament on the shoulder, similar to that which find

many

formed of

of the old mythical animals of Japan.

birds'

heads arranged

in either country.

In both

in linear series are

find

made by

resemblance to writing-desk.

common

little

And

both cases the

form of spoon

stick-like handle, while

man's arm as the handle. for carrying burdens,

Many

;

of the

little

boxes

and

are adjuncts to the

swings on a pivot.

lid

Egypt we

find a similar

bowl with a

Both countries have used the in

each case for the

was similar

;

and

form

;

each country

large gates were set in pivoted sockets of similar character.

managed

yoke

carrying of august person-

both have had the folding camp-stool

the hinging of doors was

Japan has a shell-shaped bowl with a

both have used the palanquin ages

Patterns

uncommon

the Egyptians for toilet purposes bear a

cases which in Japan

not

a sort of capital on granite

columns, formed by painted ornament.

such as were

The

each the circular form has prevailed.

the

same way

Thus

both coun-

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

and the people of both nations are characterised by that

tries,

we regard

peculiar obliquity of the eye which

as characteristic

Both peoples also believed

of the Japanese and Chinese races. in

341

astrology (the Japanese will never go to war unless the stars

which constitute the

of Ursa

tail

major point down upon the

enemy), and both acknowledge the mystic character of the numbers three and seven.

Then, again, the Japanese employ that system of carving "

which the

ground

around the bas-relief

left

standing, so that

the surface of the sculptured figure does not protrude surface in which

cut

it is

;

yet, so far as I

know,

this

beyond the

system of pro-

I may call sunk basso-relievo works has not been pracby any other peoples than the Egyptians and the Japanese.

ducing what tised

But while the carvings of the temples

Egypt

are of this character

the examples in Japan are found only on small objects.

should also be noticed that the religion of ancient Egypt

some analogy

bears

to the

Thus,

Shinto worship of Japan.

both countries we find the sun as an object of worship, and both the Phallic idea bore

much

the

same

apparent.

in in

In Egypt also the sovereign

relation to the church that the

Mikado does

Thus we find a group of two figures on one of the monuments (the one being that of the god Amun-Ra, and the other the Emperor Amunmai-Anemneb), while on the throne of these deified beings is written the King's name and titles " The Priest, the Lord of the World, the Son of the Sun, to Shinto.

ancient

Egyptian

Lord of

Battles,

Nor stress

this

Amunmai-Anemneb There

all.

than on any other.

remember

beloved by

In both nations there were

Giver of Life."

rightly,

many

Amun-Ra,

one coincidence on which

temple of

Philae,

have

little

pending from the upper portions of the inflorescence

Granunar of Ornament,

Plate V. of The peculiarity, while

Fig.

lay

Certain drawings of papyri found,

the

Fig. 9,

the

gods.

;

drops

and on

find the

same

occurs also on the capital of a column marked

of Plate VI. of the

same work.

The

nature of these

drops has never been satisfactorily explained. In a

little

work

entitled

The Egyptian Court, described by

—

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

342

Jones and Samuel Sharpe, and published by the Crystal Palace Company, we find amidst other sketches an illustration of a column {Fig. 50) and a wall decoration {Fig. 52) with this

Owen

peculiarity, it is

and the remarks

—

formed of several rows of

smaller as

Fig.

more complicated

yet

flowers, all full-blown,

approaches the bottom of the

each flower

The drops

capital.

hanging from the edge of the flowers are not easily explained."

..." Fig. 5 2

which

flowers are full-blown

edges

the

all

" (Fig.

a part of another view of a papyrus-field, in

and have drops from the

64).

a Lotus Flower on which buddh.\ sits, with a Jewel pendent from near its

Fig. 165.— Petal of

Egvi'TIan

Fig. 164.

Drawing of

Apex.

This Lotus

preserved in one

of the ancient temples of Nara, and

PART OF A PapVRUS-FIELD.

this

jewel hangs from

each

of the

outer petals of the flower.

While

Buddhas

sitting

pendent a

the old

visiting

little

preserved there

temples of Nara

on lotus-flowers, from every petal of which hung jewel, or drop I

;

and

in the collection of antiquities

found a lotus of great age with green petals

having recurved apices, while from the little

crystal

observed several

drop

set

in a brass

every petal hung a

tip of

socket (Fig. 165).

no doubt that whether these jewels are intended

There can be to represent

dewdrops, or to typify the water from which the flower

whether they are offerings of jewels to the

lily,

rises,

or whether they

have a significance of which we now know nothing, they are the

same thing represented by the Egyptian interesting that

Japan should open

the nature of forms

artists

to us a

;

and

it is

strangely

means of understanding

drawn by the Egyptians some thousands of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

From some

years since.

ornament depend

The

may

stated

the

Egypt

but there

;

feeling " with

show that the

suffice

Japanese have, at an early period, had course with

also observed a curious

(see Fig. i66).

already

facts

lotus petals

343

inter-

something

which certain works have

been executed that cannot be described, and

which yet proves more certainly than any mere the origin from which the

similarity of form

work has been

inspiration of the

how

mote came about

But

derived.

between countries so

this intercourse

cannot

re-

In the early

say.

centuries of the Christian era constant inter-

course was kept up between China and Japan

and many Buddhist

from

priests

;

Siam and

India also visited the latter country.

From

Fig. 166.

eighth to the twelfth century this intercourse

was frequent

nor must we forget that

;

the year 523 B.C.

Nara.

a Persian province

Whether communication with Egypt was

conducted through continental Asia or not is

pen-

Cam-

made Egypt

byses, the son of the great Cyrus,

Ornament

dent FROM EACH PETAL OF A Lotus Flower in AN OLD Temple at

the

cannot say

but

;

probable that this was the case.

There as

occurs

a form of cross to which reference ought to be made,

By some it is termed the Germans know it as the crux gamiiiata ;

frequently in

Buddhist cross

;

but the

Japan.

we, however, have christened

and gives

countries,

Syracuse

;

illustrations

Greek urn

;

and as

in the

found

form

this

from Asia Minor

from the dress of a figure

from an old

In the

the fylfot or szvastiku.

Ceramic Arts in Remote Ages Waring traces

;

in various

from a coin of

catacombs at in

India,

Rome

;

Denmark,

North Germany, and on old works from the American continent. Dr. early

Inman regards

this as

an archaic symbol derived from an

form of worship,^ and Waring

pattern as derived from this cross. '

Ancient, Pagan, and

Inman, M.D.

Modem

regards

Inman

the

Greek key-

tells us, further,

Christian Symbols e.vposed and explained by

that a

Thomas

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

344 particular kind

of key -pattern

symbolised

tlie

tortoise

both

Assyria and Greece.

the history of this form has been so carefully traced,

only

the prevalence of the

call attention to

swastika

need

Japan, where

occurs on

many

objects connected with Buddhist worship

and as the I

crest of a noble family.

may add

that

found on an

sword -handle of native work formed dark

alloy,

the

inlaying

pattern

of silver

seemingly of Celtic origin (Fig.

Many

167). nails

old

of the grand large-headed

which are found on the old temple-

gates of Japan are identical with those of

Moorish manufacture

still

be seen

Spain, and a form of pendent lamp, with

two or three trays superposed one above the other, and used by the Jews in Morocco, is

Sword-handle of OLD Japanese Work. The ornament is Damascened

also a form

much employed

in the

Bud-

Fig. 167.

work, and

of Celtic char-

acter.

dhist temples of Japan.

In this chapter a few facts with

have brought forward

the

simple

purpose

showing the probable origin of some of the features which characterise early

Japanese

art,

and of pointing out to the student

that research into the affinities

and migrations of races may be

aided by a consideration of ornament not of a language.

less

than by the study

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

CHAPTER

345

III.

THE LACQUER MANUFACTURES.

The

art of

working with lacquer

of great antiquity in Japan,

and, like most processes practised in the country, was probably

introduced from Corea or China

;

but the Japanese attribute the

invention of most of their manufacturing processes to the former.

The

assertion that

while the Japanese have invented nothing,

they have improved upon everything that has come before their notice "

borne out by the lacquer-work of the country.

fully

Chinese certainly make lacquered wares, but

been brought to a degree of perfectioi\ unknown elsewhere

some of

work

their low-relief

The

Japan the art has

;

indeed,

modelled with a tenderness and

delicacy quite equal to that of the best work of the great medalist,

Wyon. It is a pity that

that

assert

the

we know

little

Chinese as well as

of Corea, for the Japanese

themselves learned

many

know-

of their industries from the Coreans.

ledge

of the

what

little

very small, and

know has been gathered from

the collection of

saw

was a room

warrior

century

who

full

the of

re -conquered

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from

certain

curio dealers of Kioto

Mikado's palace at Kioto, where

treasures

brought

by Japan's great

Corea at the end of the sixteenth

articles

offered

for

sale

by the best

and Tokio, and from some few pieces of

pottery which have found their country.

confess that

Coreans and their industries

objects which

there

way

into

Europe from

this strange

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

346

far as

have seen, most of the objects brought from Corea

appear to be Chinese works which have been imported to that country, although this idea

quite inconsistent with the Japanese

behef that the Chinese have derived

and certain

However

styles of

may

this

many

of their methods of work

ornament from the people of be, the

inaccessibility of

peninsula.

this

Corea prevents our

tracing back the manufactures of Japan to this country

want a Commodore Perry This, however,

able

open

with Corea, and

intercourse

two

that

for

some hundreds of years

large

civilisation

but

;

commerce was

Indeed, Japan received

countries.

from or through Corea the

either

and we

;

Corea as he did Japan.'

to us

one time Japan enjoyed consider-

certain, that at

carried on between the

joyed

which

has en-

have never seen even

one piece of lacquer which could be regarded with certainty as of

Corean

origin.

In the Mikado's collection of antiquities at Nara there are certain pieces of lacquer-work

thousand years

works of

this

old,

and

in the

character with

hundred years back the

a crude state.

which are known to be more than a palace in Kioto are

known

dates

art could only this period

many

ancient

but until about six

;

be regarded as having been

able artists were employed to

paint the patterns upon lacquered objects, and low-toned colours

were somewhat freely used upon such productions.

The it

actual

became

workmanship was

at a later

date

at this time less meritorious than

but there was an art quality about the

;

work which has scarcely been equalled

since.

About

three

hundred years back the lacquer -workers themselves undertook the decoration of the objects formed, and then the highest manipulative excellence was attained

the best lacquer wares

terised

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an

down

excellence which

to about

charac-

one hundred years

back.

During in the

this period of

lacquer-work, but

kinds of work

which

two centuries

much gold was used "

clouded

colour was employed

little

gold

;

and those particular

effects, avanturines,

and

tesselated gold are introduced, as well as low-relief modelling of a '

While

this

work has been

in the press

Corea has been opened

to us.

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

most perfect kind, were invented and brought

347

to a high state of

perfection.

While the best work, as a material, centuries,

as regards the skilful treatment of lacquer

was made during the seventeenth and eighteenth

must not be supposed that a sudden decline

lacquer-worker's art took place at about the year

the

Men

800.

have since lived who must be regarded as great masters of their art

and

;

I believe that

works are now produced equal to the

finest

productions of the two great centuries of lacquer-working, although there was a decline in the art for a few years.

the

Paris

last

screen was

exhibited

which was

International

Exhibition a

large

folding

by a Yokohama dealer named Chogoro,

every sense a work

of the

greatest

excellence.

Besides the bold, magnificently-treated, foliage, which was of the

most tenderly-worked lacquer, lotus flowers were formed of pearl and

wisteria flowers of

conjunction with

small

polished mussel shells, which in

the lacquer-work vastly heightened

its

effect.

This work was one of the most marvellous that lacquer-workers

have ever made; and while was, as a

much I

work of

art,

sold for

some hundreds of pounds,

a thing to be loved and treasured quite as

by a master-hand. cannot help thinking that we in England over-estimate the as a painting

Many who

decorative value of pictures.

cover their walls with

costly paintings have scarcely an object in their houses besides

The

these which has any art merit.

vases on the chimney-piece,

the epergne on the table, the nick-nacks service for the afternoon

the cabinets, and the

tea-drinking, are

all

alike incongruous

and meretricious.

Surely persons whose houses are thus furnished

have but

love of the beautiful

little real

;

who admires what

pleasant in form and lovely in colour would regard the beauty of

each object around him and the tout ensemble.

Choice objects

lacquer

drawing-room ornaments, and the

bric-a-brac

now

collected.

perfectly worked, so rich

about the most reeherck^ of

are in art

merit exceed almost any of

Indeed, some specimens are so

decoration, so minute in detail, and

so tender in execution as to be

fit

for a place

any boudoir

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

348 the land

and the

;

smoothness of their surface

soft

most

perfect than that of the

But the choice works of which

any view

to their

money

almost more

speak were not made with

Like most of the beautiful objects

value.

which Japan formerly produced they were created

some Daimio

fragile porcelain.

for the use of

or as presents for his friends.

In the great Yashiki (spread-out house) of the Daimio were

number

lodged, beside the owner and his family, a

of retainers and

who were fed and clothed by the prince whom The handicraftsman thus provided for had no cares they served. His or anxieties, and sought no money in return for his work. wants were fully met by the provisions made for him in his master's handicraftsmen,

abode.

knew

was

that

and aim to please

his care

ambition would be gained.

mind

was that of producing the best work that man can

Works

achieve.

thus

made have an

inexpressible charm.

few years since, lacquer objects of the highest excellence

could be purchased at a trifling cost are so

much sought

by those

taste

becoming both

has old lacquer

now become

London, and returned

order to be sold again.

Yokohama,

for

me in

rare in

as well as

and

costly.

Indeed, so valuable

Japan, that pieces have been bought

to the country in

which they were made

a box about six inches square, and dating

one hundred pounds

was asked a sum equal English money, and Lady Parkes told

that a friend of hers gold.

these old works

England, France, and America,

from the end of the seventeenth century, to

now

but

;

by the Japanese themselves,

after

of advanced

that they are

his

thought of haste entered into his

no hurrying to make a showy day's work was thought of:

;

his only desire

and he well

his master,

by the production of excellent work the end of

The Japanese

had given

for

a fine specimen

appreciate not only those

its

weight

elaborately-

decorated wares, but also certain objects which exhibit a peculiar quality of lacquer

;

of this they judge chiefly by

the wonderful mountain

Koya-zan the

which we stayed presented quer.

To me

this

with a

its

hardness.

priest of the

little

temple

tray of old

was a somewhat imperfect work

;

its

red

On in

lac-

surface

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

was not very smooth were visible on

its

was rubbed

surface, while in parts the red

Upon

and black showed through.

who was an

wood and brush marks

the grain of the

;

349

off,

seeing this tray, Mr. Ishida,

excellent judge of lacquer, tapped

with the points

of his finger nails, and then spoke of the excellence of the lacquer.

Upon my was

asking what constituted

hardness.

its

common

that

lacquer would

be indented only

quality could

easily scratch, that of superior

with

merit, he told

its

also said that while

difficulty.

Soon

Mr.

this

after

statement was verified

Ishida's

manner for which I was scarcely prepared. After purchasing, amongst other things, a lacquer " spill " of great beauty, and made eighty years since by a most excellent man, whose ancestors had made similar work,

for eight generations

rare object with

treat this

when

beautiful

whose

tail

many

tenderly, felt for

how my

and disgust

and

should for a dog

British

saw

My lion

in the habit of displaying,

of abuse which

in I

voice and

lavishly censured, said calmly, "

commoner

but this

was

To my

You would

articles, for if

did

right,

and that

with

filled

and with

;

than

gestures

amount

When my

print.

whom me

not have

had so

put them

they would be scratched

the best lacquer and cannot scratch."

to say that he

to itself

hurled at the poor packer an see

the packing was

pot again

favourite

wrath was somewhat exhausted, the poor man,

into the

wrap

all

wrath knew no bounds

should not like to

a box

injunctions had been obeyed.

scrap-iron.

more of the

how

returned to see

mind

emptied the vessel of

;

thicknesses of soft paper, and give

proceeding, and

nails

state of

had been crushed, and ordered the packer

In an hour after this

surprise

with old nails and bits of

stormed and blustered

contents, wiped

its

saw

rough iron

" spill " filled

a packer to

told

Fancy

great care.

;

am bound

cannot now find any mark

lovely spill which tells of the rough usage to which

was

subjected.

As the

write

have before

me two

ages of which are accurately

or three pieces of lacquer,

known

;

so with the

view of

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

3 so

enabling

such works,

readers to judge, as far as possible, of the age of

them somewhat

describe

will

made about

a box

hundred years

five

since,

own

decorator.

bears a pattern drawn entirely with a "touchy" or

"broken"

became

the period at which the lacquer-worker It

Here

minutel}'.

and therefore before his

gold outline, and consisting of circular ornaments (one of which is

a conventionally-treated bird \vith a cloven tongue of

fire

upon

its

head), clouds, leaves with five leaflets, conventional pomegranates,

and

coral-like

ornaments, some of which are

scroll

The ground

small diaper patterns. in "

" filled

are

colours

;

colours do not quite meet is

inferior,

while this tray

and

circle,

which the

but there

of the period

ornaments on

and a half

with an overhanging

But

the painted ornament

covered

much the appearance of now being considered are

its side,

execution

which dates from the end

nine inches and a quarter in

in width,

It is of

lid.

with pearl dust.

off,

to perceive.

fail

century.

length, eight inches

in this instance is

while the marginal portion

will notice a writing-box,

of the sixteenth

but the work

a merit in both design and

cannot

artist

Now we

tillate

filling-in

This modelled work gives to the outer

Works

leather. ;

;

texture and character,

portion, both in

imperfect

and the

it.

square with corners cut

figures in low-relief

stamped

first,

evidently that of a different hand.

only occupies a central

drawn

dark olive-green

a tray belonging to the same period, and decorated

with the same class of ornament

somewhat

and the enrichments

with dull red, raw sienna, and

but the outline has been

Here

black,

with

filled

and two inches

depth,

black lacquer, with a few cloud-

while the bevelled edges of the the top of the

lid is

lid scin-

a device represent-

ing six strips of paper, strung on two threads knotted together

;

but

both the front and the back strip are represented as obliquely folded in the centre.

by about seven

length

yet formed of metal. clouds, while

its

Each

back

;

The

strip

one and a half inch

in width,

but while they represent paper, they are first

(as seen

has a silver surface, decorated with

where

this gold surface clouds are also

turned over)

drawn.

of gold.

The second and

the

AND AR T MANUFA CTURES.

ART,

each of pearl

are

strips

third

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the one being

decorated with

representations of water, and crests having the form of a cartfigured with broken

wheel, while the other

we have

the inside of the

here one

lid

of avanturine lacquer, while on two gold

formed of

figure consists of flowers

curious that while

It is

we have here

generally get a meretricious effect

work

last

but with the Japanese the

;

This object

exquisitely made,

and

over

dispersed

diaper-work

the

constitute the Shogun's arms.

of gold, while in others

old,

and

extremely is

fair

perfect.

which wholly

and certain portions of

crests,

the diaper, have a raised gold outline

whole

devices,

cases the crest

part silver, for colour plays no

These

part in Japanese heraldry.

Here and there

heraldic

some

we do on

covered with a

small diaper pattern in gold on a black ground. are

decorates.

a beautifully-finished box, such as Japanese

of high rank support their heads on during sleep, as pillow.

so skilfully used as to produce

repose, rather than garishness, in the object which

The

as a finish,

use gold freely

and by the inlaying of pearl

;

invariably secure vulgarity

lustrous surface of mother-o'-pearl

the

strips

the elements of gaudi-

effect, as well

which few Europeans' works possess.

we almost

patterns.

pearl.

work presents a refinement of

ness, this

diaper

a similar bunch of papers, only

This bo.x

specimen of the

;

while the finish of the

about one hundred years

late

work of the eighteenth

century.

On some

of the examples from this particular period, and also

from a somewhat earlier date, relief I

find

sprays of flowers in low

modelled with the tenderness of the image on a shilling

must not attempt

to describe such works, for

;

no description

but will

convey an accurate idea of modelled ornament.

kind of lacquer formerly

made

province of Noto) under the powerful valued.

It is

the fact that

Japan

generally black in colour; but is

which gold

made under

this

(at

Wajima

its

peculiarity

lies in

scrafifito,

have here before

me two

Daimio, and decorated

this

the

much

ornamented by scratched, or

rubbed.

of Kaga,

prince

work, into old

manner.

boxes

They

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

352

are very beautiful,

and are figured with a most

called

grass

graceful

siisiiki,

educated Japanese, and

one of the

careful

drawing of

much admired by

plant

seven

celebrated

the

autumn

flowers of the country.

this particular lacquer

the country.

Indeed,

ware

are,

gold

however,

the

besides the two which

still

made

Japan, both with and without

scratched work, one of the

altogether

Inferior imitations of this

seats

of this

modern

Wakayama but the Some similar ware is

manufacture being Kuroye-Mura, near here

specimens

not sure of having seen any specimens

myself possess.

ware there are but

inartistic.

ware

;

also

at Osaka.

There was another kind of lacquer made by a man called Ritsuo,

whose work became most celebrated, and who

two hundred years ago. raised ornaments, the

of old Chinese lac-work. in

lived

This ware was an imitation

in jet.

Before

a specimen of the Chinese

the year I573, A.D.

Ritsuo also placed raised figures on fan-holders, and

which he gave an appearance of

shell-like vessels, to

also incrusted cups

and vases with lacquer, and gave

an iron-like surface.

produced

at a period earlier

not aware that

than

this,

inventor of this particular ware or not

Some works country.

about

lacquer boxes with

whole being black and bearing a striking

resemblance to objects carved

work made

man made

This

" iron

made

iron.

to these also

lacquer

was

but whether Ritsuo was the I

cannot

say.

of this great manufacturer have

come

into

this

But the majority of the pieces which reach England are

made by Ikede

Zeshin, a

man who

lives,

still

and who has not

only adopted the style of his predecessor, but makes deceptive imitations of the older

work

even the cracks and chips of the

;

old specimens being counterfeited.

Another ware, much prized

Japan,

characterised by heavy

pieces of lead so inlaid that they protrude from the surface of the lacquer.

Generally such works have a

amount of gold

certain

decoration as well as this raised lead-work, while

some

portions

of the lead

are covered with

a few pieces

a thick layer of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ART, burnished gold.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

the beautiful surface with which

common

metal with

usually associated.

Mr. Kawase, the Japanese Minister of Commerce, visited

England a short time this particular

since,

he sent

a magnificent specimen of

work, with the following kind

" The accompanying

which

trifle,

letter

have brought with me,

of respect to you, whose intelligent suggestions have done so

simply a mark

much

promote

and manufactures of Japan."

the arts

Another kind of lacquer which has great

marked

characteristics

may

of Chinese manufactures

resembling

amongst the most

been applied to

lacquer has

the

less

but this Japanese ware

;

interesting

not carved

Yet many existing

it.

specimens made by a great master of the art who lived

ground of

are very charming, for while the

and

excellence

be described as more or

the carved red lac boxes, which are

after

353

the English eye this lead-work appears crude

but the Japanese admire the contrast of the

When

;

his

works

Tokio

either

covered with a minute geometrical diaper or a morocco-leather the

texture,

little

clouds,

medallions placed upon

and

some of

feeling,

conventional

birds,

are generally wrought with great care

medallions being exquisitely rendered

the

and with parts almost as sharp as the cut In

work

all

specimens of

slightly " dead,"

dusted with

however

this

ware that

are black

lac of China.

while

;

we now speak has a diapered or tooled of powdery character, whereas "

surfaces

bears raised ornaments, so

much more

far

all

the

raised

parts,

This ware to some extent

and polished.

resembles that by the celebrated Ritsuo

ground, and

have seen the ground

and has the appearance of being carefully

Vandyke -brown powder,

fine,

and

scroll-work,

but the work of which "

ground with the sunk

that

of Ritsuo

which

know, always has a smooth

nearly resembles simple jet-work

than

any other form of lacquer ware.

How

this old

ware was made

manufacture, as carried on

great accuracy, and then giving to this

pattern cut upon

itj

not certain, but the present

Tokio, consists

carving

wood (however minute

one or more coatings of lacquer. 2

wood with the

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

354 I

have also found inferior work of

this

made by

description

cutting devices in a thick, leather-Hke paper, and sticking these on

and by affixing impressed ornaments

to wood,

boxes and

and then giving

trays,

such works have

or no art value, and

little

to the surfaces of

them a coat of

But

lacquer.

comparatively

are

without interest.

many kinds of lacquer-work besides those already mentioned, and many men have lived who have produced characteristic kinds of work. It is impossible for me There are

enumerate

Japan

all

these,

there

for

scarcely a

maker whose works have not been imitated by the untrained eye cannot distinguish original

works

others

and

;

these imitations from the

certainly without the opportunity of

originals with imitations,

celebrated

no one can learn

comparing

to separate

one from

the other.

There

much lacquer-work of varying merit made throughout A man named Shunsai, of Kioto, is now

the whole of Japan.

celebrated for the manufacture of black lacquer sachi kettles and

such things as are used for the

tea

ceremony

(Cha-no-yu).

black lacquer-ware with bold vermilion ornaments Kioto, while a kind of

work

also

which consecutive layers of

made

A in

different-

coloured

lacquers are

superposed one on the other, while the

whole

incised with

convoluted but deeply-cut V-sinkings by

is made at Osaka. wood covered with fine basket-

which the various-coloured layers are exposed, Interesting boxes, formed of

work

(like that

which encloses

many

of the eggshell sachi cups)

and decorated with good raised lacquer-work, are sometimes made in

Suruga

the

but the fine specimens appear to owe their origin to

;

Loochoo

Islands.

careful modelling

grounds.

It is surprising

what

beautiful

drawing and

produced by the agency of lacquer on rough

have seen specimens of

wrought upon them but

little

this

inferior to

ware with ornaments

any work that

have

ever met with. Little

trays,

formed of a wood dug from bogs and closely

resembling the bog-yew of Ireland, are everywhere to be seen.

These have

little

flowers in gold

lacquer upon them.

All such

AR T, AND ART MANUFA CTURES. works

are,

believe, comparatively

mens have

merit, but those

market are

common and

While works the finest were

produced

earlier

5 5

speci-

the English

uninteresting.

in lacquer

made

The

modern.

which are now found

were produced

Kioto

many

parts of Japan,

but excellent specimens were also

;

Since the removal of the Court from Kioto

Tokio.

the manufacture of artistic works in this beautiful material has

been chiefly centred

present capital.

in the

In speaking of Japanese lacquer-work

the fact that lacquer

country

in this

know

applied to

many

absolutely nothing.

we must not overlook purposes of which we Thus the floors of the

great temples are covered with lacquer, and

any tea-tray

bright as that of

;

and while these great temples are

Alhambra

as highly coloured as the

have a surface as

Grenada, their polychro-

matic effects are due to the admixture of lacquer with pigments.

Some

of the lacquered panels in the temples are of vast size,

and the carvings which are so frequently seen on the temple enclosures are large and bold the utmost care.

unknown

;

yet every portion

lacquered with

These large masses of lacquer-work are quite

to us in England.

regards the places in which lacquer wares are made,

have already said that the best are produced

in*

Tokio and Kioto,

but the districts of Aidzu and Yechizen are almost given up to this

manufacture, while

the province of

Dewa

yellow lacquer

goods are made.

The manufacture houses, and not in

of lacquer wares

any

special

lacquer-workers kneel upon matted resting in

living

industry

special is

the

made

carried on

floors, just as

the

The

though they were

apartment and were not engaged

while,

ordinary

work

good, the room

any

which

exquisitely clean and perfectly free from dust.

Lacquer paper, as

;

building or manufactory.

almost invariably placed upon wood, and not upon

often supposed.

Indeed, lacquered papier-mache work

known in Japan, and is made in but one small district. Trays thus made are usually decorated with figures, and are invariably common in quality. I know of but one consignment of such is

but

little

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

356

goods having reached England from Japan,

;

and out of some scores despatched

believe only three or four reached

country

this

whole, the material of which they are formed being of a brittle character.

There are a few very small and delicate

of but a few inches in diameter,

pasted together

;

made

but broadly speaking,

waiters,"

Tokio of sheets of paper

all

good Japanese lacquer-

work has a wood foundation. If

may

we take

be,

the formation of a cup or bowl, however thin

it is first

Fig. i6

wood.

It is

-Lathe.

then placed in the lathe and turned

has not a continuous rotary motion, as

its

one direction and then

the

drill" (Fig.

When

rudely formed from a piece of perfectly dry, soft

in the other, in

;

but the lathe

spindle revolves

first in

manner of our

bow-

68).

the object has been formed in the lathe, the lacquer-

worker carefully examines

which he now uses as a

;

glue,

and, sticks

by the

aid of

lacquer,

his

over each faulty or weak

place, should there be any, a piece of thin fibrous paper, or entirely

covers the object with this material. in

The next

process consists

giving the vessel a coat of raw lacquer, but

into

this

first

some earthy powder is generally introduced view of giving it hardness. Another coat is now added

coating clay-dust or

with the

but between the

;

several

coats the article

carefully

rubbed

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, down

with a

worked up

much

to be

excellent quality,

the

same

our carriage bodies,

If the object

be of

have received eleven coats of lacquer

will

for after

;

surface of lacquer goods

same manner

much ground down.

before any decoration all

The

stone.

the

powder being used with the lacquer whenever

clay-dust or stone

the surface

cutting

357

placed upon

But the coats are not

it.

two or three layers of lacquer containing

earthy matter have been applied, other coatings are given with an

which colour

inferior quality of lacquer, in

present, but which has

may

not be

none of the earthy matter used

the

earlier coats.

After the application of the latter coatings the surface

ground with hard charcoal.

This charcoal

are constantly dipped in water

have

best lacquer each being carefully ground to a

producing the

final surface

like the hard, are

final

surface

pro-

work) by three or four layers of the

to be a fine

(if it is

used in lumps which

and, after several coats of lacquer

;

been applied, and rubbed down, the

duced

lumps of

For

surface.

soft charcoal are used, which,

The work

kept wet.

smooth

now

polished with ash

of deer's horns.

The

pattern

which

drawn upon a sheet of the drawing

This drawing

made now

upon

formed

fibrous,

and somewhat

the

elastic,

paper

outline with lacquer used as a paint.

in fine

arranged that

simple pressure of the hand

paper

now

paper

fits

sufifices

the

make

curved

When

it.

surface,

the transfer.

gently separated from the bowl, or whatever

to be decorated.

and

;

transferred to the object to be decorated

bringing the surface of the drawing in contact with the

object

paper

The about

But to insure that the lacquer thus leaves the

must have been previously warmed.

This process of transferring closely resembles the method by

which we

" print "

patterns

upon earthenware

;

and

all

know some method

of patterns for our manufactures

designs from one paper to another.

Thus

far there

designers

of getting

no novelty

to us in the process.

The

transfer

being made,

the pattern

to have a gold

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

358

outline, the transfer line

followed by a fine hair pencil contain-

When

ing lacquer, which acts as a gold-size.

has become sufficiently dry,

Some

a spoon.

but what gold it

fine

shaken on

returned to a saucer in which the

This gold powder has a gray hue, but

kept.

from

of this powder adheres to the tackey surface,

not thus fixed

gold dust

lacquer line

this

b}^

burnishing

assumes the yellow colour. be noticed that on most fine pieces of lacquer-work

It will

there

Sometimes we have masses

gold of two or three kinds.

of great solidity and

while more

frequently

see

gold always results from the adhesion of

brilliant

less

gold powder to the surface of half-dry lacquer

and the

glinting from gold of a less brilliant character.

little tesserae

The

brilliancy,

but the tesserae,

;

masses of which we have spoken, are produced by

solid

the use of gold leaf of the thickness of writing paper.

Upon my work

workman

asking a

show me how

this tesselated

produced, he took a small sheet of gold about an inch

length and a third of an inch

width (Fig. 169,

This

A.)

he placed horizontally upon a curved piece of bamboo, which

had been previously blacked (Fig. in

He bound

170, A). its

position

ctP

over

Fig. 169.

by placing

a piece of semi-trans-

parent paper which he tied to the curved

bamboo with

(Fig. 170, c,

a string (Fig.

shows part of

its

70,

b).

With a

curious knife

blade) having the shape of a chisel,

and with the

sides sharpened as well as the end, he cut the little

leaf of gold

into

strips

;

but as the extreme end

of the

leaf

was folded over the edge of the bamboo, these strips were still attached at one end (Fig. 169, B). In order to cut the sheet of gold the paper was also cut through.

now

cut in strips,

strapped.

thumb and

now

finger in

liberated

This

little

sheet of gold, being

from the bamboo to which

held on the curved piece of

any convenient

position,

bamboo by

and

was the

strips are cut

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

359

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

36o

three -sixteenths of an inch in width.

each eighth of an inch

of these flower-heads, there are about one hundred and twenty distinct pieces of gold ficial

head as having a super-

thus, taking each

;

area of five square eighths of an inch (not five-eighths of an

inch square), there are about six hundred tesserae in each of these heads, or over thirty-five thousand on the box.

But

this

with these

not

little

all

cubes

the

;

heads of Susuki grass are tipped

little

hence the number of these small

tesserae

(which have been applied one by one to the medicine case) must

For

be very large.

this

interesting

little

work

Mr. Wakai, a gentleman whose acquaintance

have had the opportunity of renewing visited

some

When I

little

made

indebted to

Japan, and

watching the process of lacquer manufacture

man producing

observed an old

that promised

which he

in this country,

time back. in

Japan,

cloud-like effects on a cabinet

be of great beauty when finished.

his side

was a sheet of paper about eighteen inches square, on which were a

number

of small saucers

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;perhaps

twelve or more.

In each of

There was gold of

these saucers was a gold or pearl powder. different

colours and different

degrees

Across

fineness.

each saucer rested a reed, hav-

PiQ, ,^,

ing

internal

diameter

Each of these reeds was cut the bottom, and over the diagonal orifice was glued

about three-sixteenths of an inch. diagonally at

a small piece of fabric.

To me

this

appeared to be

silk (Fig.

I/OThis

fabric acted as a

so the powder that

and

sieve,

dust, pearl powder, or colour.

came through

the tubes

the fabric

was

fine or coarse.

Some

when alone were

the fabrics were so fine that only atoms, which

came through them. any part of an object was to be clouded,

were gold

finer or coarser,

imperceptible, If

with a

fabric,

was held

both thick and

the hand of the

vibrating motion was

now

fine,

a reed

fastened over

workman much given to

its

was taken end.

we hold

This a pen.

by a tapping with the

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, fourth finger

thus the finest of dust

;

Now

formed the edge of the cloud.

was used from another reed

—

the colour being used

Over the lacquer

The

sort.

ticles

powder

a slightly coarser

then perhaps a sprinkle of colour,

;

a tint were required with the gold.

work

unless the

coatings

latter

on the sticky lacquer and

however applied, one coating,

gold,

spread,

fell

361

fill

of the very

least,

commonest

the interstices between

the par-

of gold or pearl, or whatever has been used in the forma-

After the application of the

tion of the pattern.

coating of

last

woman, who rubbed it down kept flat by frequent grinding on

lacquer the object was passed to a

with a small piece of charcoal, a stone.

This charcoal

degrees of hardness

and a

finer

for

made from

—

various woods, and

a rough kind being used for the

each consecutive surface.

rubbing down effected, when the work that such lacquer as the gold only remain

of varying

fills

—

first

carefully

coat, this

of the finest quality,

the interstices between the particles of

all else

being most carefully removed. This

being done, the surface received one or two thin coats of lacquer,

each of which was ground down by charcoal, when a

was given by

the ash of deer's

horn applied by

final polish

soft leather.

Raised work results from the use of lacquer mixed with red oxide of first

iron.

If the "relief"

to be great, this

mixture

crudely applied by the agency of a spatula and brush.

repeated painting the relief figure

something of the form desired. duced by the most

skilful

brought gradually to assume

Delicacies of form are

now

pro-

grinding with small strips of charcoal.

All good relief-work results from processes of painting and grinding,

and not from anything analogous

to carving

;

the most delicate and tender of modelled ornament

When this work has been brought to the may be coloured or covered with gold

parts first

produced.

form required, the ;

or they

may

covered with some coloured pigment, and then have gold or

silver

dusted upon them.

In the latter case the colour will show

through the powder and have a tinted lustrous J

by such means

Lacquer

dried

by being placed

effect.

a cool cupboard, which

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

362

has been washed with water immediately before the lacquer has

been placed unless in a

damp

atmosphere,

simply to prevent placed in a dry in

While some say that lacquer

it.

its

workroom, and was about

laths,

deep

inches

and the

water every morning.

feet high,

and

had shelves formed of square wooden

;

interior of

if it

in the corner of the

feet broad, three

five

employed

drying process

for this

Tokio was

I believe, it will

The cupboard used

air.

one of the chief factories

eighteen

sure that moisture

I feel

cracking, which,

not dry

will

its

was brushed over with

ceiling or top

The

lacquer takes from eight to eleven

hours to dry in this chamber.

common

In the case of

lacquer-work the surface

polished

with deer's-horn charcoal and soft leather, and then the drawing is

made

coat

The we

lacquer to which gold

no protecting

applied, but

added.

inlay

inlaying of pearl in lacquer it

in details.

effected almost exactly as

our papier-mache work, the process differing only

The

pieces of pearl from which the parts to be inlaid

are cut are very thin, and can be used as tracing-paper.

work, which

the pattern

inlaid

pearl,

Before a

begun, a drawing of

made on a sheet of paper this drawing is transbox or tray upon which the pattern is to be wrought.

ferred to the Little

to contain

;

sheets of pearl are

now

placed over those parts of the

pattern which are to appear in this lustrous material

covered by the sheet of pearl are traced upon

;

the forms

then the

;

little

sheets are removed.

With a

curious chisel-like knife the pearl

necessary shapes, and

stuck

by lacquer

in its

cut into the

respective posi-

whole surface

covered with repeated coats of lacquer, by which the pearl

tions.

After

all

the pearl

entirely hidden.

having been right places

The

pattern

fitted to the bits ;

now

place, the

secured,

and

level with the general surface

again transferred to the surface,

of pearl, so that they

and the decoration

already described.

its

grinding a smooth surface

the pearl again appears, but

of the object.

may

take their

gold or colour proceeds as

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, Lacquer times

and

unhurt by hot water or ordinary acids. vinegar and boiling ascetic acid hurt

Hence

it.

many

colour.

some-

respects

and similar substances.

to gutta-percha

allied

substances

like these

and sometimes dark

pale

lacquer

much resembles

a substance which in appearance

treacle or dissolved shellac,

363

;

It resists

It is

the action of

and caustic potash does not

cannot be injured by any ingredients used

cookery.

When

in a fluid state

highly corrosive

comes

in contact

to the

bone and produces a serious wound.

with the skin

There are many

little

generally eats

secrets

;

own which they

of their

the

colouring-matter

lacquer,

used to

while

make

of the work and the degree of

its

visiting

fever.

manufactures

and celebrated men have not readily divulge.

will

For the production of coloured surfaces

mixed with

one drop

way through

its

details respecting the lacquer

impossible here to notice

Even from

some persons take a kind of

a lacquer factory

which

and

;

very

certain

pigments are

frequently

a desired

vegetable

But the character

tint.

excellence

due largely to the

nature of the lacquer used, and to the manner in which

treated.

Raw "

skins

lacquer

a tenacious fluid of a gray-brown colour which

over like our

better quality

now

than decanting

paint upon exposure to the

oil

collected from the tree rises

allowed to stand and

and the impurities

sink, so

But straining through cotton or a porous paper

means of

inferior.

resorted to as a

refining the lacquer.

Superior lacquer it

The

nothing more

needed to separate the good from the

When

air.

settle.

becomes more or

stirred

the open

air,

by which process

oxydised, at the same time

less

loses

its

excess of water and assumes a brilliant dark colour.

Usually lacquer grinding and

brought to a surface

final polishing, as

use of a kind of

dryers

we have already

by processes of seen

;

but by the

called ye-no-abura (an oil derived

a labiate plant called Pcrilla ociinoides)

from

changed into a varnish

which acquires brilliancy by mere hardening.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

364

Used yellow

thus,

colour

its

;

vegetable

or other

the richness of

stains,

Richness of effect in a finished work the object to be varnished, instead of

of the varnish

crude lacquer it

In this

hue

its

increased.

also secured

by staining

by modifying the character is

produced by

the open air for two or three days, and

water impregnated with

little

acid.

warm

itself.

Black lacquer (called roiro-urushi)

transparent, and

lustrous,

but by the use of gamboge, the sap of unripe persimmons,

way

tion of the water

the richest black

iron, or is

stirring

by adding

with iron and tannic

produced

and the addi-

;

absolutely necessary for the attainment of

great brilliancy.

some of our work with

Just "

ground

artists

when painting

some Japanese lacquer-workers introduce "

with the view of giving is

too thick for use

it is

black dress

red, so as to give richness to the black,

their

into black certain stains

quality " to the colour.

thinned by rubbing into

If the lacquer

a small

amount

of camphor.

For

all

purposes

which the adhesion of gold,

desired, lacquer, converted into a varnish

used.

by which

Plasticity,

impressions, or

;

by the addition of

stamping and

filling

are produced.

effects

thus

produced by lacquer are

acquires.

of the depressions

all

There

are not is

process

form of marbled lacquer called tsugaru-nuri

way, but the stamped surface

common

covered with

tin-foil

Specimens of

England, although they are so

this

Japan.

manner.

Akita lacquer oil

made by varnishing with lacquer, to which wood or flattened bamboo, previously which a little alum has been added. The best

has been added,

coated with size to is

another variety of lacquer called wakasa-nuri produced

in a similar

a volatile

kinds of marble effects

before the later coats of lacquer are applied.

work

oil,

rendered susceptible to stamped

and many

due to the quality which

in this

or colour

given to lacquer by the addition of powdered beans

albumen from eggs

made

silver,

produced on junks lying out at

sea, so as to avoid dust.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

works are formed

Inferior

ways

various

365

sizing the

may be

object to be lacquered two or three coatings of lacquer

saved

but

;

treatment the

this

Common

sacrificed.

work

raised

paste formed of rice-flour

also

but as this

;

work is cheaply by a produced

not even impervious to In every country

water, objects so decorated are almost useless.

we have

the genuine article and

works are to be produced

If decorative

imitations.

its

the

durability

apparent

a cheap rate with the

must be employed

qualities of superior work, artifices

their

production which can only be condemned.

The

abounds both

Japan

Rhus

tree (the

which lacquer

obtained

Japan and- China, but the lacquer produced

better

vernicifera) from

than

that

grown on

continent.

Asiatic

the

Curiously, the lacquer-tree not only produces lacquer, which flows

from its

lactiferous vessels, but

its

wax, which

also

extracted from

seeds.

There are male and female

in the lacquer-trees,

and the female

only produces seeds.

Lacquer-trees sometimes grow to the height

of thirty-five or forty

feet,

but lacquer

are from five to eight years old.

obtained when the trees

This being the case

The

it is

generally

from sections of the

allowed to reach a good old age.

lacquer -tree

reproduce

rare to

wax -producing,

kept for seed-growing, and, consequently,

which case

it is

lacquer-tree in Japan, save in those instances where

see a large is

from seed, but some

raised

root.

The

raising from seed

considered the better plan. If this

way:

raised from the root

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;The

into pieces, which are set as " sets "

This will

fail

set

new method

to produce a plant, the

time these

potatoes.

rise to a

is managed in down is divided

plant.

As many

of reproducing by

preferred. is

one of the

instances

send out adventitious branches.

power of producing "

send out a shoot and give

of these sets seeds

the reproduction

root of a tree which has been cut

medial line

either

known

which a true root

a rule no plant has a

buds or branches below

but one or two plants are

its "

known

collar " or

botanists

'JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

366

which have

strange quality, and of these the lacquer-tree

this

one.

The

quality of the lacquer depends largely on the nature of

the soil in which the tree

good the

about seven inches

in four or

grown.

ground

If the

tree will acquire a circumference of five years.

obtain the lacquer the outer part of the bark

the tree-trunk, and then

The

kind of knife.

an incision

juice

now

scraped from the stem by a slow, for a tree

puncture

successive cut

When the tree

lacquer

cut

down

times,

and the

base of the stem, while each

the

base to

its

apex

but from the branches of the felled tree

;

end they are cut into lengths of

this

bundles about eighteen inches

feet six inches, tied into

collected

ends

October.

all

the

way

up,

when the lacquer oozes out and

by scraping.

The season

for obtaining the

The

season and at the end in

very

then not cut

many

cut

a is

diameter, and soaked in water for from ten to twenty days.

These are now cut is

farther from the root.

also obtained.

about two in

the stem has been punctured from

into the stem

This operation

iron tool.

but the same tree

made near

is is

;

sliced off

oozes out of the puncture, and

cut only once in the day, and

again for four days first

flat

made

the middle period.

second uragaki.

The

not very good, the best being produced

The third

first

the tree.

quality

wax

trees

the lacquer from the female

In recent years they have, however, taken to doing so

which are reserved exclusively

wild,

made

wax

for

much

in the

male

;

as the

and the

lacquer,

at distances of six

and not almost close together as

There

value.

so doing they were afraid of retarding the growth of

incisions in the stem are only

inches,

little

gathered from the lacquer-

but they do not cut the trees grown for their

male

and the

called hen,

and fourth are of but

tree they formerly never extracted for

summer and

lacquer obtained at the beginning of the is

In those districts in which

plant,

lacquer begins in

or seven

trees.

a plant called the mountain lacquer-tree which grows

and has flowers and leaves closely resembling those of the

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, cultivated variety little

but as

;

produces very

value as a lacquer-tree, though

There

quantity of wax. is

grown

chiefly in

provinces of Yechizen,

The

Yamato, Yoshino, Iwashiro,

best quality

produced

Lacquer varies

wood

in price

a rule three hundred

where

but this

cultivated

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Aizi,

the

Uzen,

The

first

provinces have produced lacquer from remote times, and

the produce of these provinces

make

;

the eastern part of Japan

Yonezawa, Mogami, Yamagata, Nambo, and Fukuzu.

named

which lacquer

a creeper

mountain lacquer-plant.

yields even less than the

seeds yield a considerable

which

derived, called the vine lacquer,

lacquer

its

lacquer

little

also a third plant from

367

and

very celebrated

according to fifty

its

grown.

used for

many

me make

very hard, and

and two pence)

the nets used in the sardine fisheries have been sunk. fuel.

The

a barrel.

of fine grain

purposes, and especially for buoys to

branches are used for fences and for

(one hundred and twenty

Eight thousand is

but the very

age and nature, but as

a pound) cost a dollar (about four shillings

of the lacquer-tree

;

Yoshino.

;

it is

mark where The small

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

368

CHAPTER

IV.

THE POTTERY MANUFACTURES.

When

Japan I thought my knowledge of Japanese and pots tolerably perfect but when I returned from

started for

potteries

;

that country, after visiting nearly seventy potteries,

conclusion that even then

was most

stay

to the

knowledge of Japanese ceramics

country the unfortunate rebellion

the

already mentioned broke out, which prevented of the leading pottery districts I

came

limited.

During

tures

;

can give only hearsay information.

as to the trustworthiness of

visiting

some

hence on some of the manufac-

what

was

Yet told,

have no doubt

inasmuch as

informants were well acquainted with the matter of which they

spoke in I

but in this chapter

;

which

retailing

There which

some

cases

shall

be careful to specify the cases

speak from personal observation, and those

what

which

have learnt from others.

a complication about Japanese potters and potteries

very

more than confusing to us. As an may be noticed that Banko ware was man whose name it bears, but that this particular

instance of what

invented by a

to unravel, for nice distinctions are in

difficult

made which I

are

mean,

form of pottery ceased after a time to be made.

After the lapse

some years this ware was re-invented, or revived, by one Mori Yogozayemon, a man who, though old, still lives but it is his of

;

son that

now

carries

on the pottery, and

His works are at Obuke-mura,

in the

this

son

province of

Ise.

have seen.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, Besides the son,

many

others learned the art of potting in the

Banko method, and these Yokkaichi, which

may

mostly settled

are

the

town of

be regarded as the special seat of the

Banko manufactures.

Kuwana, which

In the town of

no great distance from Yokkaichi,

369

situated

wares (such as we

inferior

should regard as Banko) are also made, and throughout Japan these

are

regarded

Banko

wares

made

Kuwana

wares, yet at

regarded as imitation Banko, while

Tokio and Kioto

all

they are

through the country similar

find little favour, being considered

spurious and not original works.

Some

men who had

time ago

learned the art of potting in

Yokkaichi removed to the province of Mino, and there founded

Onko

a pottery called

most Banko ware, and is

generally of a

soft,

but the ware here

;

chocolate in colour

warm

imitation

Onko

while that of

Banko

Yet some specimens of Banko Onko ware is classed as altogether

separate from that of Banko.

make

;

thicker than

gray.

ware are of a red-brown hue.

also

made

But the Yokkaichi potters now

wares, and thus the confusion becomes

great.

Another

the

difficulty in

way

of our understanding Japanese

wares results from a practice which

common

country, namely, that of bequeathing to a

apprentice, the trade-mark of a celebrated ware.

famous as a (the

potter,

name used

potter).

Now

and

his

trade

A man

very seldom the real

often happens that a celebrated

name and mark

the

a favourite

becomes

mark, or trade name, becomes known

son and two or three apprentices. his

throughout the

son, or

most

name

of the

potter has a

In such cases he will leave skilled

among them. name of

frequently happens that an apprentice inherits the

famous

potter,

and even should he move to another

place,

the will

be considered the maker of the genuine ware, while the son, who carries

as the

on the manufacture at the original works,

mere imitator of

these statements

not do

so, as

his

father's

could adduce

some of the

productions.

many

difficulties

will

be regarded

In support of

illustrations,

but

need

of understanding the various

questions connected with certain kinds of Japanese pottery will 2 B

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

370

appear as we discuss the wares. that the reader case,

may

at the outset

and may see how impossible

visited

Japan

mention them here

understand the nature of the it

for

any one who has not

to write a history of Japanese pottery which shall

Another

be really trustworthy.

difficulty occurs

when a

celebrated

potter removes from one part of the country to another,

which

order

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a

not uncommon.

In the town of Okazaki able wares, and

who bore

who made remark-

visited a potter

a good

name

But

as a manufacturer.

he formerly carried on his art at Kioto, and he removed to place so

as not to interfere with his son, to

queathed

his

case

whom

This man, Yeiraku

business.

Zengoro,

mark," as well as his business, to his son, and he

under a new name, and since

left

Japan

this

he had beleft

now

his

trades

have heard that he

has again returned to Kioto.

Here we have a case in which a celebrated man makes wares same character as those which he formerly pro-

precisely of the

duced, and in the same

town, yet the

employs would indicate that

mark

which he now

works

his present productions are the

of a different potter. In treating of the keramic manufactures

what

factures of a district classification

would

know

difficult to

we speak of

the

manu-

shall thereby separate similar wares.

This

sort of classification to pursue, for if

also lead to confusion, as

some

cases the

name of the town or district in Yet if we take similar wares we shall

various manufactures bear the

which they are produced.

have to travel almost from one end of Japan to the other to our specimens.

may

be best to arrange certain

shall

thus have the advantage

the whole,

kinds of wares together, for

collect

of contrasting similar specimens which have been produced at different parts of the country.

While pottery of a rude kind was made it was not until Corean any important advance

an early period,

artisans were brought to the countiy that in

the manufacture was made.

beginning of the sixteenth century a Corean potter named

came

Kioto, where he

made

common

the

Ameya

black earthenware

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

This

with lead glaze.

ceremony

" ieha-no-yic)

especially valued for use at the " tea

and

;

371

generations the descend-

for eleven

ants of this man have made the same wares. So esteemed was the ceremony by Shogun Taikosama that he honoured this par-

manufacture with a golden

ticular "

raku

seal,

on which the character

(meaning enjoyment) was engraved.

With

the view of giving

some idea of the esteem

which

the vessels used at the cha-no-yu were formerly held (the cere-

mony was most mention the

fashionable about four hundred years since),

some of these black raku cups) was such

(as

we may

fact that the competition for objects specially valued

waged between Daimios with the

that wars were often

view of possessing certain

sole

coveted goods, and with the envious object of despoiling another of his possessions of this

Instances are recorded of Daimios

sort.

burning down their houses rather than

One

his wares.

let

him of

the spoiler rob

noted warrior gave his tea-treasures away, thus

same time saving them from destruction and defeating the purpose of the raid upon him. But it was between the years 1580 and 1590 A.D. that one,

at the

Gorodayu Shonsui, a native of study the porcelain province of Hizen.

he succeeded

About

Ise,

who had been

manufactures, returned and

China to

settled

Here, with the material found

making various kinds of

the

the country,

porcelain.

time certain Corean porcelain makers were also

this

brought to Hizen, together with certain spoils of war, >^d they rendered important aid

the

new manufacture.

same date the Prince of Satsuma, who had invaded Corea, brought home with him a certain number of porcelain makers, with their families, and placed them near

At about

the

Kagoshima, the

capital

these

two important manufactures

sixteenth century, the art of potting in Japan

have

fairly

begun

trials

making the now famous Satsuma ware.

they succeeded in

With

many

of the province, where after

;

for

the end of the

may

be said to

although rude earthenware has been

from time immemorial, and

tiles

temple were produced about 660

for A.D.,

the

roof of

made

an imperial

and although the

potter's

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

372

wheel was introduced

man made

the year

stone -ware at

Setto

724

of our era, and a China-

the thirteenth

no works of importance were produced

century, yet

towards the year

till

1700. It

may

be well to begin our notice of the potter's wares by

considering faience, stone-ware, and the different kinds of earthen-

delights

known.

well

novelty and humour.

make

potter will often

known

generally

become

have

ware which

For

his

The Japanese mind own amusement the

a few pieces of a ware different from those

but with the few specimens produced

;

we have

the beginning and the end of the ware.

Banko

province of

of a man who lived at Yokkaichi, in the who made an unglazed stone-ware of a and

name

the

Ise,

purple-brown, and of a light-yellowish colour.

used a clay

of such toughness that he could form small objects, as teapots, of

extreme thinness his

;

but the great peculiarity of his ware consisted

ignoring the use of the wheel and the lathe, and forming

his vessels

by pinching the clay

into shape

between the finger

and the thumb.

Banko the production of this ware appears to have ceased, and it was Mori Yogozayemon of Obuke-mura who re-discovered the art. This man, as we have just said, still With

the death of

and

lives,

Obuke-mura Banko ware the

art

son,

his

who

has succeeded to his business, works at

now made.

Yokkaichi that the best

Here a number of men who learned

from Mori Yogozayemon, and from one another, now

but the same class of ware Kuwana, Kioto, Tokio, and other places.

pursue this manufacture at

But

to this day. is

At Yokkaichi

;

the chief potters

are

also

made

Nakayama Magohichi,

Iriyama Kainosuke, Shitomi Shiohei, Yamanaka Chiwzayemon,

Hori Tomonao.

All

these

facture of similar wares

than those of others.

;

this

are

engaged upon the manu-

But the prince of the potters

Chiwzayemon, who makes kettle

men

only the productions of some are better is

Yamanaka

kettles of extraordinary thinness.

man, measuring four

and a quarter

diameter, and two and a half inches in depth,

made

inches

A in

of unglazed

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, gray stone -ware,

so thin that

can be seen through, and

weighs just over two ounces and a half with

made simply by

clay being pressed

somewhat

teapot,

by the thumb and

has been

its lid.

finger.

the usual form of handle, and a

smaller, with

beast nearly an inch in

373

length for a

but an ounce and three quarters.

knob on the

work, and only the one manufacturer can

weighs

lid,

These are triumphs

Banko

form wares of such

delicacy.

The

first

which

kettle

have mentioned has a knob formed

of a double volute of clay, and the

with storks

lid

reposing on a

flight,

bank.

river's

than fifty-seven on this

less

at rest

;

and each one

outlined,

on the

black

head,

(Fig- 59>

decorated on one side and on

the storks in flight there are no

little

work, while there are forty-three

painted in enamel white with

tail,

and

and on the other side with storks

little

its

feathers

brown shading, a touch of red

most cases a

line

on the

of green

bill

page 175).

all made with thumb and finger, the commoner goods are shaped on a wooden mould and, in the case of teapots, nearly all have a knob so attached to the lid that it will rotate, or a ring pendent

While the better pieces of Banko ware are

the

;

from

the

handle, which

will

swing.

Many

have the

handle

perforated as a fine geometrical pattern.

Of Banko

wares,

may

be remarked that the particular forms

of handle, which are undoubtedly Japanese, are that which arches the orifice of the vessel, as the handle of our pails, and that

which corresponds with the handle on our saucepan.

Although

the looped handle, similar to that on our teapots,

no longer

uncommon, and although

see before me, as

with this form of handle, there it

write, five

specimens

every reason to believe that

was derived from European examples brought

into the country

by the Dutch. Yet on a Chinese jug, which was, undoubtedly, made four hundred and fifty years since, I see this form of handle, and on several ewers preserved at Nara are examples of a similar character.

This form of handle, then,

may

derived from Continental Asia and not from Europe.

have been

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

374

Some specimens earth,

common Banko ware

from which large panels have been

formed of a red

are

and the opening

cut,

In a

thus formed replaced by a semi-transparent white clay.

teapot of brick colour, and with a

" stippled " surface,

having the

texture of " morocco leather," are two panels of white earth, the one

having the form of a but this ware

Another

and the other a cardcoid or blunt heart

fan,

modern.

recent

form

Banko

has

produced

thus

effect

coarse,

and

marbled

resulting from the combination of imperfectly

the

;

mixed

surface

clays

but

;

ware has no

the

art

value.

Banko wares

are often decorated

but while a few pieces by

;

the best makers are tenderly painted, the decoration

crude

both

regretted,

colour and

the

good painting

ware

coarse in

itself

after

generally to

accompanied by

excellent.

would be much sought

This

character.

lovers of beautiful

objects.

Modern Banko wares an unwelcome pink), and

The glazed

ally only.

are sometimes glazed, in

by an opaque colour (generally a

entirely covered

some

other cases

full

green or

cases vessels are glazed intern-

ware, as well as the unglazed,

may

decorated.

We rough

not unfrcquently see, in our large grocers' shops, teapots

imitation cottagers,

offered

sale

for

pence.

These

are

Banko wares made at Kioto and Tokio by potting who perform their work in a most simple manner.

Small though these teapots

have

few

for

little

common

use,

be,

they are such as the Japanese

while they frequently drink tea they

for

indulge themselves with a mere sip at a time.

large vessel or

a large sip are alike vulgar.

Onko

the

thickness, which

small group of

province of

name is

and well made.

men who

left

its

name.

the town from which the

men

was invented by a

Yokkaichi and removed to the

Mino where they founded

which the ware derives in

of a chocolate-coloured ware of no great

solid

a pottery called Onko, from

But

this

departed.

ware

now

imitated

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

Another ware of unglazed red earth and

made

Tokonabe

Tokonabe ware kind

;

shaped on the wheel, This

called

enjoys no great celebrity.

of stone-ware,

hardness, and which

known

Owari or Bishiw.

but although the things produced are specimens

of careful potting

375.

valued

Japan on account of

its

sometimes glazed and sometimes unglazed,

cases a decorative effect

much resembles that we make ginger-beer made of a dark -red colour. In some is produced by a bamboo or some other

spray being incised

the clay.

common form bottles

;

but

appearance

Bizen.

hardest produced

also

Japan.

This ware

from

made name

that of the district.

Besides

made

vessels,

Imbe and

said to be the

exposed to the action of

the process of manufacture, in

of stone-ware of which

fifteen

fire,

to thirty days.

other places in the province of Bizen, and

often see figures

these are of considerable age.

jars, bottles, pots,

of Bizen ware

;

its

and other

and some of

Bizen ranks amongst the oldest of

existing Japanese potteries.

Another celebrated and thumb or cups.

like that of

It is

\\-are

appears to be

Banko, generally

we should perhaps add importance

Kinkozan,

Soma

invariably

the only instance,

Rokubei,

the ;

the old

all

celebrated, and to which

Kioto wares, there are others

Hikone, the old wares of

Toyosuke, and others

wares

of Tokonabe,

but to iterate

all

Kenzan, of

Takatori,

part of

Sado,

the wares of this class

that are known, even tolerably well, in Japan, would be to this

The

ware.

Japanese crest being an animal.

Besides these wares, which are

less

this

the crest of the Prince of Soma, and

believe, of a

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the finger

form of small jars

covered with a gray-brown glaze, and

decorated with a horse or with horses horse

made with

in the

book a mere catalogue of wares, which

absence of coloured illustrations could only be useless.

make in

the

But

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

may just mention that Mashimidsu ZSroku of Kioto a potter who enjoys considerable notoriety makes stone ware vases which

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

have incised

The grounds

lines,

filled

with white

slip,

covering their surface.

of these vary from a pleasant gray to a rich brown,

376

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

and the white

though rough,

pleasant,

The whole

not obtrusive. effect.

may

glazed and has a

mention that Kiyomidsu

also

Rokubei, also of Kioto, makes an exceedingly crude ware which

he covers with an opaque white glaze, on which he gets rich granite -like

of colour

effects

mingled together

that

;

a crude heavy ware, which treacle -like

glaze,

opaque matter, Buddhist

and

with

part

latter

well

from

its

and

reds,

black

same

of the

city

being

makes

part covered with a transparent,

with

glaze

white

thick with

yellow leaves

of the

he often shapes into quaint forms

modelled

Ota-Mura, near Wakayama, which,

greens,

as curious rough

well

These

lotus.

decorates

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Sawamura Tosa

also

Miyai

crabs.

makes

resemblance to the creature,

Sajoro

pottery,

called

sea-slug

kind

ware.

Besides these there

which are

all

a whole series of rough crackle wares

The

somewhat imperfectly baked.

made by Oki Toyosuke

Toyosuke or Toyoske ware. of a buff- coloured

earth

This

covered

a sort of

with a semi -opaque crackle

Sometimes below

a rude sketch of a figure or a pine branch

Payne's -gray

colour

;

and from the top of the

object a rich juicy green often flows over the paler glaze. this

ware the crackles are distinctly marked

neutral

generally

glaze which has a white or sea-green cast.

the glaze there

best of these

known as a form of pottery made

of Nagoya, and

sort

of soft

tint.

Another ware of a similar description is made by Inui Chio, widow potter of Osaka but her wares are characterised by having a bird, a bat, a crescent moon, or some such device cut into the surface, or by having raised figures of flowers, dragon, or mountain, upon them, while nearly all the pieces have flowers drawn upon them in a sort of inky colour. a

;

The most important ware which we have to notice as a Japanese faience is that which is now so well known under the name " Satsuma ware." But whether it should be classed as a faience

body,

doubtful, for while but to a small extent vitreous in

appears to have the composition of a porcelain.

its

ART,

As we have

AND ART MANUFACTURES

377

Shimadzu Yoshihisa, Prince of

already seen,

Satsuma, brought with him when he returned from the conquest of Corea a

number of

whom

potters, to

he assigned the task of

producing a new and acceptable ware from the materials found their

new home, and

the result of their efforts was the production

of the ware which took the

name

of the province, and which has

acquired well-deserved celebrity.

This pottery was established shortly before the close of the sixteenth century, and

which

differs

its

wares are

made

of a porcelain clay

from the true porcelain mixture, as

undergo to any considerable extent fusion by

formed chiefly of felspar and woodash, freed from has neither borax nor lead

burnt,

commonly used

Satsuma ware

glaze

Its its

much

When

for the formation of biscuit ware.

presents a fine network of cracks. it

alkali.

higher temperature

of pale vellum-like colour, and

different kinds of faience, but

composition, and the body and

in its

the glaze are simultaneously fired at a

than

does not

firing.

have classed

its it

surface

with the

character almost a semi-

porcelain.

Old Satsuma ware was generally made as bowls, saucers,

flowers

small pieces, such

and teapots, and was decorated with birds and

and conventional ornaments, the

bands around the objects.

The

latter

frequently forming

chr}.'santhemum, the pseony, the

domestic fowl, the pheasant, and the peacock were used.

the beauty of

by the tenderness of

also distinguished its

reds and greens, and

by the

commonly its

solidity of

outline, its

dull

gold pencilling.

Old Satsuma ware has now become rare the whole of

travels in the

pieces, while six or seven

country

pounds was the

Japan, and during

never saw but three

price asked for a small

teapot.

Large pieces of until

the

this

ware appear never to have been produced

comparatively recent times, and

Japanese have but

houses.

little

must be remembered that

use for large vases in

their

own

Those huge specimens which are occasionally shown

us as examples of old Satsuma ware must be regarded as the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

378

products of some other pottery

have to

think

Legation on

he visited the

district

There appears

much

but of such works

well here to reproduce an article

of the Tokio

;

shall shortly

and

The Corean

" I

did not.

by Mr. E. Satow

Potters in Satsuma," as

says

be good ground for believing that Korea once enjoyed

we learn from when we consider the e.xtent

higher degree of material civilisation than, as

sources of information, ruin wrought

civilisation

enjoys now, and,

recent of the

peninsula by the Japanese armies in the end of the

in that

sixteenth century,

and the general

difficulty

experienced in countries where the

Chinese of recovering from such disasters, we shall not be sur-

prised to find the

modern Koreans

far

behind their neighbours

of the useful arts, though in former ages

went

treat.

for instruction.

of pottery, and those

Korean ware,

was

them

the practice

that the Japanese

One of the arts brought to Japan from Korea was that who have seen specimens of the delicate, white, translucent

which an antiquity of about

five

centuries

assigned, will

Korean potters possessed in those days a degree of skill which was worth imitating, and secrets which were worth the sacrifice of much money and pains to obtain. The Japanese, always ready to learn from others,

readily admit that the

have, from a period which

Korean artisans

may be

called prehistoric, at various times invited

to settle in their country,

and several schools of pottery are

said to have been founded by these emigrants.

Ninagawa Noritane,

tells

of Japanese faience, the common sort of made by Koreans whom Hideyoshi caused kilns in

which

ware took in

its

was baked were

name.

As the learned

antiquary,

us in Part V. of his invaluable work on the history

built

The descendants

pottery called raku-yaki was to

be brought to Kiyauto.

his palace of Jiuraku,

of others

who were

first

The

whence the

settled first at

Agano

Buzen, and later at Yatsushiro in Higo, after the withdrawal of the Japanese

carry on the production of Agano ware. maker of Nakanokura ware, near Hagi in the province of Nagato, and became the founder of a family which still exists there, and in the province of Satsuma there is a village entirely inhabited by potters of Korean origin, whose forefathers were transplanted from their native country about the same time. "The ancestors of these people were brought over in 1598 by Shimadzu Koshihiro, the feudal lord of Satsuma, and settled at Kagoshima, the capital

troops from Korea in

1598,

Another Korean was the

still

first

of the province, and at three villages,

named Kushikino,

Ichiku, and Sannogaha, them were afterwards removed to Chiyosa in Ohosumi, on the Kagoshima Gulf, where they continued to exercise their The larger number were art, and their descendants live there to this day. collected together in the end of the year 1603 at Nahashirogaha or Tsuboya, a village on the high road from Ichiku to Kagoshima, about twelve miles from in the

department of Heki.

Some

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

the latter town.

They belonged

Hen, Kiyau, Tei,

Jifi,

and

their descendants

to seventeen families,

still

keep these surnames, which are pronounced as above

The

composed of two Chinese

but the

practice,

(Snow), and the

hundred.

fifteen

chiefly of is

Shin, Ri, Boku,

Rin, Haku, Sai, Chin, Ro, Kin, Ga, Tei, Shiya, and Sai,

according to the Japanese fashion. are usually

named

379

women

names

personal

among them

in use

according

syllables,

the

Korean

bear Japanese names, such as Fade (Pen), Yuki

The whole population of the village numbers about The wares made by the first generation of captives were

like.

a coarse kind of dark pottery with a black glaze, and this manufacture

carried on at Tsuboya, the principal articles produced being teapots,

still

pipkins,

and large

jars for

packing the dried

Between the years 1624

tea-leaf.

and 1644 a skilful workman named Boku Teiyou made the discovery of white sand at Kaseda, and of white clay at Ibusuki, and from this period dates the manufacture of the white Satsuma cracked ware (called hibiki-de) so much

esteemed by European connoisseurs. to

But

ware appears

for a long time the

have been ornamented very sparingly with colour, and the oldest specimens

About the close of the eighteenth century a Korean it. and Kuhabara Jiuzawemon, an inhabitant of Kajiki, made a journey to Ki)'anto, where they learned the art of decorating earthenware with figures, landscapes, and set patterns in the style of colouring called Nishiki-de. This is the sort by which the Satsuma ware has acquired its great reputation. Most of the fine pieces in this style were produced at some potteries established by the Prince of Satsuma at a place called Tatsuno, whence they were removed

are altogether devoid of

named

six or

seven years ago to Tanoura, a village on the bay about a mile to the

east of prince's to

Kifi Zenkai,

The ware was manufactured

Kagoshima.

own

which circumstances

Connoisseurs distinguish

owing the great perfection it

by the richness of the

drawing, and subdued harmonious colouring. painted crackle has been

regardless of expense for the

Shiyaugun and

use, or for presents to the

made by

to his fellow-daimiyau,

which

was brought.

gilding, the delicacy of the

During the

last

few years the

private individuals, or by companies trading

with funds advanced by the local administration with a view to profit, and

would perhaps not be too much to say that nothing worthy of the

collector's

attention has been produced since 1868, the year of the revolution.

" In February of last year of Tsuboya, where the inhabitants, to friend.

There

had an opportunity of visiting the Korean

village

was most hospitably lodged and entertained by one of

whose care

had been

nothing distinctive

architecture of their houses

;

and wear the Japanese dress

they ;

specially

in the

all

commended by a Japanese

appearance of the people or

in the

speak Japanese as their native tongue,

Tsuboya

in fact just

any other

village.

The

principal potteries belonging to the

hill

to the south of the highroad, together with the kilns belonging to the

Koreans are situated on the side of a

Tamano-yama Kuwaishiya, a company recently started by some Kagoshima Samurahi. The Tsuboya crackle is produced at this establishment and at another on the opposite side of the road, owned by a Korean named Chifi

[AFAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

38o

Jinkuwan, but most of the villagers devote themselves

common brown earthenware. "The principle of the division

the manufacture of

of labour seems to be thoroughly- well

One

understood and applied by these workmen.

confine himself,

will

for

instance, to the bodies of teapots, of which he can produce about a hundred fifty in a day, another makes the lids, a third the spouts, a fourth the " ears " or projecting pieces into which the handle is inserted, while to a fifth

and

assigned the joining of these parts together.

Generally the

members of a

family work in concert, and form a sort of co-operative society, which

owner of a

The

kiln with other such societies.

joint

clay used for the coarse

ware

found at Isakuda and Kannogaha, near Ichiku, and

and Noda, near

all

Ijifu-iii,

Sasa-no-daii, while

Chocolate-

Tomura, Kafimuri-ga-take,

furnishes the glaze for water-jars

Ishiki

Three

large articles of the coarser kind of ware.

the smallest of which

Terawaki, Kukino,

the neighbourhood of Tsuboya.

coloured, red, and green glazes are obtained from

and

sizes of

and other

wheels are

in use,

formed of two wooden disks about three inches

thick,

the upper one being fifteen inches, the lower eighteen inches, in diameter,

connected by four perpendicular bars somewhat over seven inches long.

It is

poised on the top of a spindle planted in a hole of sufficient depth, which passes through a hole in the lower disk, and enters a socket in the under side of the upper disk, and the potter sitting on the edge of the hole turns the

wheel round with his

Each

rows.

The largest wheel is about twice the size The kilns are built up the face of a hill in parallel a number of chambers with openings in the inter-

foot.

left

every way of the smallest. divided into

vening partitions to allow of the passage of flame and hot air from the lower

end of the which the

kiln right

every compartment

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a

to the head,

larger

one

of course closed during the firing,

workmen

about

six feet square,

The

fuel

and consists of

pine logs about two feet in length and a couple of inches in diameter.

split

Two hundred and firing,

fifty

which usually

other, every second slightly

to separate

jars used for

apart. is

The

stands are used for the

being baked, but the articles are piled on each they consequently adhere together

;

out of the kiln, but a gentle tap with a piece of

Between the heavier

them.

packing glaze

bundles of wood are required for a single

one being upside down

when brought

enough

si.xty

about thirty-six hours.

lasts

brown earthenware while

pot,

and a smaller one through which

charge can watch the progress of the baking.

placed in the lowest chamber, which

and there are apertures in the side of ware to be passed in and out by,

for the

tea, small

bits

of dry clay are inserted to keep

put on by immersion

;

glaze flows

and then being quickly reversed,

down

pretty equally

gray opaque colour, and process of

firing.

The

all

round.

them

the article, as for instance a tea-

dipped into the liquid upside down in such a manner that very

gets inside,

wood

pieces, such as the large

When

set

its

dry the glaze

put on before the article

little

base, so that the is

of a yellowish-

subjected to any

material used for the finer kind of earthenware, that

— —

—— — AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, is,

and

saishiki-de, or painted ware,

381

nishiki-de, into the decoration of

gold enters as well as colours, consists of white clay from three

namely, Mount Kirishima, Ibusuki, and the gold mine at

which

localities,

Yamagano

;

of white

and of white sand from Kominato. Ibusuki supplies in addition a second kind of clay called bara, which is said to be very brittle, and no doubt is the ingredient which gives somewhat of the character stone from Kaseda and Kushiki

;

The Kaseda stone is used also for when powdered and mixed with the ashes of nara wood {Quercits glandulifera), or some other sort of hard timber. " The clay and stone are well pounded, soaked in water, and passed several The minute particles which times through a fine sieve placed over a receiver. of porcelain to certain pieces of the ware.

glazing

To this process common to all

bottom are then taken up and dried on boards.

settle at the

name

given the

of )indzu-boshi, or water drying, and

For the

branches of the manufacture.

white earthenware four kinds of

fine

and white Kaseda sand, which have been previously ?iiidai/-boshi, are mixed in certain proportions known to the

clay, together with bara

subjected to

Lumps

experienced workman.

and pounded with hammers which

stuff"

actually converted into clay for the potter's use,

blows more. "

The

It is

Fire

freely

and the hot

have the following dimensions

can

The

...... ... air

5-5 feet."

passage

4-5

5-0

4-5

„

Internally

......

Height

Diameter

Height of hot

Width

air

passage

space of four inches in width

is left

For nishiki-de three

of the kiln.

kept.

Externally

Length of hot

after

up this to the chamber, where which the biscuit is deposited.

Height (Japanese measure)

requires about three thousand

air passes

round the muffle

Diameter

considered to improve in quality the longer

largest of these kilns 1.

thousand blows, by

upon a foundation of brick, with walls about six Japanese inches is kindled in the mouth of a passage which projects from the

front of the kiln,

circulate

upon wooden blocks

which nishiki-de and saishiki-de are baked are one-celled, and

kilns in

built of clay

thick.i

are placed

brought into the state of raw material, but previously to being

of this

to the extent of about three

which the glaze

painted and gilded

is ;

put on

and

;

i"2

„

0-9

„

between the muffle and the inner wall

firings

are necessary

;

firstly,

the suyaki,

secondly, the honyaki, after which the piece

There are ten Japanese inches

The Japanese

thirdly, a slow

foot

3-5

and gradual

an English

the same as our own.

firing

which develops

foot. Author. Author.

— JAPAN: rrS ARCHITECTURE,

382

the colours, the duration being twenty-four, forty-eight, and ten hours respect-

During the

ively.

last

firing the

temperature

through an aperture near the top, the

observed from time to time

employed being a piece of pottery marked with various pigments, which gradually assume the desired tints as test

the heat increases.

A memorandum

drawn up by an

of the

official

Kagoshima

prefecture, for

presentation to the commission which presided over the Industrial Exhibition,

held last autumn in Yedo, gives the composition of the pigments used for

producing the various colours of the

Satsuma wares.

fine

Dr.

Edward

Divers,

Professor of Chemistry at the Imperial College of Engineering, has kindly

examined specimens of these materials procured

The mixtures

with their English names.

follows

Yedo, and has furnished

for the various colours are as

— Ground white

" Red.

Hiiw-woka

earth called

glass, soft or lead variety {shiraiaina

lead {tau no tsuchi), colcothar or red oxide of iron (be/ii-gara

ko), white

and a

'),

silicious

tsttchi.

— Ground white white copper oxychloride " Yellow. — Ground white red antimony and " White. — Ground white and white " — Ground and smalt ground blue the colour of which " Green.

shiyau),

lead,

glass,

and

{roku-

silicious earth.

lead {kiiwatimeitati), silicious earth,

glass,

metallic

(taiishirome).

glass, silicious earth,

Blue.

due

glass

to a cobalt

" Purple. " Black. taining a ently

the Japanese

;

— Ground white

glass,

name

glass, white lead, glass, white lead,

and a very

cobalt {wensei),

and

colour,

and becomes what

known

liana-kongiyau.

an earthy manganese ore con-

silicious

the pottery belonging to Chiii Jinkuwaii

the white clay, which, after baking

and manganese.

ground and elutriated malachite (shihomiki

"At in

compound

— Ground white

little

lead.

carbonate of copper, appar-

rokiishiyait). I

saw groups being modelled assumes a light cream

glazing,

Satsuma

These

crackle.

possessed only two old pieces of plain ware, a

The

child playing with a diminutive puppy.

two pieces

—namely, a brasier and a

distilling oil of cloves,

Two artists Dharma in

feet in height in

in practice

on the top of it

it,

figure of a

utensil

and

formed of

intended for

used merely as an ornament.

modelling figures of Kuwafioii

(pr.

Kannofi) and

white clay, with the conventional face and robes given to Buddhist

personages, and toes tiger sitting

though

were employed

boiler

were

potters here

and a

teitji-biiro,

ieuji-buro

articles

The

intended to be decorated later on with gilding and colours.

when

all

of the

same

length.

third

was engaged upon a

a cat-like posture, intended to be two and a half Japanese finished.

Most of

their figures are

modelled from drawings

Indian ink, but the coloured designs are laid on from memory.

Dr. Divers informs

stance was formerly obtained.

that Beni-gara

a corruption of Bengal,

whence

this sub-

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

" Until fourteen years ago a

made

ware called betsu-kafu

at this village, the colours of

which were intended

(pr.

383

bekko) yaki was

to imitate tortoise-shell.

was a common ware, and used to be exported to Nagasaki in large quantities. piece of this, said to be old, which was exhibited to me, had green blotches, as well as the two usual colours, yellow and brown. At the Tamanoyama It

— common

pottery, inferior blue

all sorts of ware are produced and white, and highly gaudy crackle.

workman engaged

modelling a statuette of Christ after a sentimental wood-

company's establishment in

Here

brown

found a

He had copied the and beard with considerable accuracy, but had draped the body and limbs in the robes of a Buddhist priest. Some stones of brown earthenware, imitated from American iron stones, were ready for the kiln their price was to be cut in a religious periodical called the Christian Observer.

face

;

seven dollars, delivered

Yedo.

saw

monstrous shape composed of hexagons,

squares piled up, as

circles,

were,

attempt at originality, unhampered by traditional

of an

pell-mell, the result

some huge white vases of

also

notions of form. '•

is,

The account given

that

all

of themselves by the Kaurai jin (as they are called)

the inhabitants of the village, peasants as well as potters, are

descended from Koreans brought over during the period Keichiyan (i 596-161 5) by a Satsuma Samurahi named Ijifu-Iii. Until about three years ago they wore

their hair tied

in a

knot

at the top of the

wear the Japanese queue, or cut their hair

They informed me

introduced from abroad.

head

;

but most of them

now

the style which has been

that in former days they dressed

themselves in their own costume on special occasions,

as, for instance,

when

they went forth to salute the Prince of Satsuma as he passed through their village

on his way up

Yedo.

One

of the potters was good enough to put

on this dress in order to give me an idea of drawing on a pair of wide trousers of dark blue differing

from the ordinary Japanese hakama

the legs, but tied on in the strings which passed strings in a double

same way

—

that

is,

its

appearance.

silk of a in

He began by

very delicate material,

having no division between

the front part was tied on by

round the waist, and then the back piece was fastened by in front. Ne.xt he threw over his shoulders a

bow-knot

wide-sleeved mantle or haori of like colour and texture, the sleeves of which

were not sewn up

pockets as those of the clothes worn by adult Japanese

usually are, and fastened

with strings on the right side of the waist.

he crowned himself with a long conical black cap edged with white. produced a broad brimmed black

Finally,

also

woven of the stem of a kind of creeper. The knowledge of the Korean language is still kept up by some among them, whose duty it is to interpret between castaway Korean junkmen and the Japanese officials. Before the destruction of the monasteries the hat, apparently

inhabitants of the village belonged to the Buddhist sect, Tefldaishiu, which

was no doubt that of

their ancestors in their native country.

At present they

are under the protection of a Japanese deity, whose shrine, called Giyoku-san-

Guu, stands on a

hill

south-west of the village.

In front of the shrine stand

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

384

a couple of lanterns of white ware with a blue design, presented by the potters

may be

belonging to sixteen out of the seventeen families, as

The tombs

inscribed on the pedestals.

of the path to this temple, do not differ in any

what we should expect

tombs, which

monuments

Japan

through Korea.

seen by the names

cemetery, which

in the

find,

as the style of sepulchral

essentially Indian-Buddhist,

and most

likely derived

among

appears that these people marry freely

surname not being considered an obstacle as

identity of

the side

lies at

marked manner from Japanese

themselves, China, but

seldom intermarry with Japanese except they be members of the Samurahi I gathered, in fact, from the conversation of the villagers, that they class.

much

considered themselves to

superior to the aboriginal natives of the country

which their ancestors had been transplanted."

There

made

Satsuma, and

brown

of buff or

ware called sameyaki, which was formerly

a curious

little

known

This

England.

earth, while the glaze has

and seems

a peculiar ware,

Its

ground

shrunk into convoluted

them the ground

or ruminated heaps, so that between is

dead."

to result from a remarkable

contraction of the glaze in the process of

firing,

and from an

antipathy of nature between the body of the vessel and the glaze.

The on

aspect of the glaze

fine

masses.

much

dust and arranged

Most commonly

colour, but in

some

like that of

itself into

this

ruminated glaze

cases the

water that has

fallen

globular or irregular raised is

of a dull white

raised parts have a bright black

aspect.

The

popularity

establishment, potteries in

which

clay, a class of

a it

which Satsuma ware

attained

led

was

to be imitated.

Here, with the same

ware was produced which bears a close resemblance imitation

that copied, only the

somewhat more yellow the district in which

hue.

of a slightly deeper

This ware

made

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;was

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;which

named

what

for

But recently

and after

originally decorated in a

manner widely different from that of Satsuma, as it had but colours, and those neutral, and its sketches were drawn in light lines.

the

suburb of Kioto called Awata, of certain

a few thin,

has been figured with patterns some-

closely resembling those of

Satsuma ware.

' In this article m.iny words are spelt in an unusual manner Corea, Kiyauto for Kioto, Buzen for Bizen, etc.

a rule,

thus

we have Korea

how-

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, ever, the

work on the imitation

385

smaller than that on the wares

made under the famous prince of the South. Awata wares are now made of all kinds and qualities. Some are utterly common, and are only suited to the ignorant caprices of a European public, while others are both tenderly wrought and daintily decorated. I

have said that the ornamentation of Awata wares

on a smaller scale than those of Satsuma the case, for

blossom which the South

have before

generally rather strong, yet ;

Awata

some

generally

not always

a quince

have seen on works from

an exception to the

although the colours with which

of hues

yet this

;

a pot decorated with

bolder than anything

but this

;

rule.

pottery

pieces are

Then, again, decorated are

made with

the softest

and while Awata ware has generally the leaves and the

flowers with which

decorated outlined, yet some pieces have

drawings upon them of a masterly character which are touched in

with

spirit

and have none of

In the district of

make

Awata

this

laboured work.

there are

the particular ware of which

many

potters,

some of whom

speak, while others do not.

But there are scores of men who manufacture Awata ware

some

form or other, although the makers of that of superior quality are

There are also men

few.

Awata ware

;

for the

living outside

this

suburb who make

name has now become applied to a particular name of the locality in which

production, which simply bears the it

was

first

produced.

The names of the three chief Awata potters are Kinun Ken, who makes excellent but most expensive wares Kinkozan Sobci, who is the largest maker of this ware and Tanzan Seikai, who is also a man of considerable importance in the district. But both in the district of Awata and beyond it there are other men in a somewhat large way of business who make this well-known ;

;

imitation of

Here

Satsuma ware. England we commonly meet with persons who speak

of their Satsuma specimens as though this ware were

but

in ninet}'-nine

be examples of

cases out of every hundred

Awata

ware.

common

these turn

;

out to

Even the Satsuma ware now being 2 C

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

386

produced is

about ten times as costly as Avvata ware, and yet

only a keen eye that can distinguish between the two.

Satsuma ware,

Little

modern, reaches England.

either old or

After Awata, the island of Awaji began to produce imitation

Satsuma wares

and although these attempts belong

;

later

date than those of Awata, this island has yet given us finer works

Satsuma type than any which have come

of the

Awaji

to us from Kioto.

an island at the northern entrance of the inland

lying out in front of Hiogo.

town

Its chief

sea,

Sumoto, but

its

potteries are in the village of Igano.

These potteries are two about

years since by

fifty

Dutch

imitate the

of in

desire

was

now owned by the son The other pottery now

name is Rikita. Igano is large and is owned by Sanpe, a nephew of old Mimp6. It is only Sanpe who makes the imitation Satsuma ware, and

Mimpe, but

his trade

his wares bear patterns

their

drawing, and

which are simple

and

full

rich

quantity of this ware produced is

whose

Kishiu,

This pottery

delft.

The one was founded

number.

Mimpe

character, precise in

colouring

their

;

but the

altogether insignificant, and he

happy who possesses a specimen.

Upon

asking

how long

of this description,

would take

good Mr. Sanpe,

thought that he might get exception of a few pieces

done

made

produce a tea service

after

much

two years

for a special

;

order,

consideration,

and, with the I

don't

know

of the existence of a dozen specimens in England.

Awata and Awaji produce work

which, while bearing a close

resemblance to real Satsuma wares, can scarcely be said to be deceptive imitations of the more valuable productions of the South.

But in

this

cannot be said of some of the works fabricated at Shiba,

Tokio, and

Ota,

near Kanagawa.

Here two

factories,

possessed of the means of producing excellent works, have been established

for

simulating old

works and

producing

deceptive

copies of the most valuable pieces of Satsuma ware.

far

the work to

has this unworthy manufacture been carried that when

finished

it is

even dipped

the appearance of age.

But there

a dirty mixture to impart is

one peculiarity which

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

characterises most of the

387

productions of both Shiba and Ota

they are decorated with figures of Buddhist saints, whose heads are surrounded each

mode that

by a nimbus

but

;

pieces of this character were ever

cannot learn that

Satsuma

of decoration was ever used in

made

and

;

this

certain

was most seldom.

Yet both Shiba and Ota make other works which, although in

some

respects like the productions of the South, are altogether

distinctive in their character,

and have

qualities

which characterise

the potteries in which they are made.

works have ever been produced

more lovely than some of those

any part of the world

of the clay (which

and small vases

cups, kettles,

fabricated during the last few years at Shiba.

The

delicate colour

vellum-like), the soft tints of the ornament,

the exquisite diapers with which the objects are covered, the precision

of the work, and the relation of figured surface to plain,

make these At Ota

in the land.

produced the celebrated Makudzu ware, which,

never

way, has

its

any boudoir

objects for

fit

Makudzu ware

been

surpassed.

some

Indeed,

pieces

are so wonderful that they appear to be tours dc

force rather than works produced for the ordinary purposes of trade.

first

became acquainted with Ota pottery

delphia Exhibition, where

two indented

flowers in the indentations, attracted in

at the

Phila-

vases, with

attention.

lotus

The esteem

which these were evidently held by those who saw them

America but

When some

led the

most of I visited

fine

large old

Makudzu

his trials

(!)

potter to experiment for

new

effects

;

he used modelled flowers upon his vases.

the pottery at Ota he was busily engaged upon

works of

pean buyer.

this character, as well as

with the formation of

pots with which to delude the American and Euro-

But

was

at the last Paris Exhibition that

this great potter in his strength

much

spill

;

and

he certainly

we saw

showed himself

one of the giant ceramic workers of the world.

There are other places

which wares resembling those of

Satsuma have been made, but Awata, Shiba, and Ota three places which furnish large quantities. '

This

not the leal

name

Odd

of the potter.

pieces

are the

made by

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

388

other potters are sometimes better imitations of the original work

made

than most of those

the three districts named.

made by

notable example of this kind occurs in a vase

Kawamoto Masukichi Satsuma ware grayer

marked degree, and which, although

would be

colour,

of Seto, which has the style of the old

not

slightly

from an

distinguished

easily

original specimen.

There deeper

Matsuye recently,

also a beautiful ware of soft yellow colour, but slightly

tint

than even that of Awata,

made

Unshiu, and known as Unshiu ware

was seen

the town of

but

;

this, until

chiefly as tall teapots, spreading at the top, with

a beautiful rich green running

down one

tender spray of a gourd sketched

side,

and on the other a

Payne's gray under the glaze,

and with an arched handle formed from a stem of the Westeria creeper.

markets

Just in

recently this ware

come

has, however,

the form of cups, vases, and other things

;

into

our

and crude

enamel painting has replaced the neutral decoration.

The

early specimens

of this ware were very

attractive, but those recently

But as these wares might possibly be mistaken

interest.

pleasant

Awata by persons having

and

imported are altogether without

little

art

for those

opportunity of study, and as

Unyei, the owner of the Matsuye pottery, appears also to small quantity of imitation Satsuma ware,

make

has been thought

well to mention his productions. \\'e

sometimes

see,

even here

England, cup-like bowls, of

a rather deep buff colour, with a crackled surface, and decorated

with groups of small figures

somewhat strong

colours.

These

man named Shiuhei who worked in Kioto, where he but recently died. Some cups made b)- Ninsei man whose real name was Nomura Seibei, and who lived in the

were

made by

first

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

early part

of the

seventeenth

century at Kioto

resemblance to some specimens of Satsuma ware.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; have

also

Yet the works

of this well-known potter can generally be at once recognised

the grayness

medium

of the

earth,

the

prevalence of a gray -blue (of

depth) in the decoration, and the fact that the designs

employed on

his

wares almost invariably consist of the emblems

ART, of long

life

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

the stork,

the

fir,

389

the tortoise, and the bamboo,

while the works of the more recent potter are instances of Shiuhei ware, and are readily distinguishable from those of Satsuma, as

the pattern consists of figures.

Kishiu ware, which has become celebrated

Japan, owes

its

origin to the ambition of a prince of Kishiu, at the beginning of

the present

With

the

century, to rival

this object

turquoise blue of China.

fine

he erected a kiln

the garden of his palace,

Wakayama, and summoned to his aid a skilled potter, from name of Yeiraku Zengoro, who ultimately succeeded

near

Kioto, of the

making a ware of intense cobalt blue

made

rich

This potter also

colour.

purple ware, as well as pieces

which the two

colours are mingled.

For a time but some

who

this

thirtj'

manufacture appears to have been abandoned,

years ago

lived in the village of

wares that this

was revived by one Miyai Sajoro,

Ota-mura, near

man produced were this

man we

;

but the

generally bluer (had less of

the turquoise hue) than the Kishiu ware

most pieces made by

Wakayama

now produced

;

and on

see a spray of a plant, or bits

of irregular diaper patterns, painted, in neutral

beneath the

tint,

glaze.

Nearly twenty-five years since Mi}-ai Sajoro gave up manufacturing, in

and went

Wakayama

;

to assist a

widowed daughter

but about seven years since he returned to his

His wares are

native village, and resumed his old occupation.

characterised

keep a shop

by a preponderance of

siderable mingling of the

rich

purple,

purple with blue

and by a con-

and he seems

;

have abandoned his early habit of placing sketches, tint,

neutral

see in the English

market

beneath the glaze.

Most of the Kishiu ware which we

made near Hiogo by Horinouchi Sozaburo, and more recently by men who have learned the art from him. The man here at Kobe tells me that it was he who rediscovered how to make is

Kishiu ware, and that Miyai Sajoro copied the art from him but

this, I think,

his art at

cannot have been the case, as the

Ota-mura many years

since,

and he

;

latter practised

much

older than

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

390 the

Hiogo

potter.

buro

now made who have but

for the

Another

for that

;

better.

recently acquired the secret of the manufacture.

of ware of considerable importance

class

Kutani or Kaga ware with works

made by Horinouchi Soza-

Much cheap and inferior work European and American markets by those

undoubtedly the

two wares there can

to the merits of the

be no difference of opinion

but whether

;

called

right in classifying

while some specimens have

in faience is doubtful, for

bodies which look like earthenware,

am is

a crude opaque

in reality

porcelain.

This manufacture was formerly carried on Kutani,

the province of Kaga, but

it is

the town

now made

chiefly in the

Yamashiro.

village of

Kutani wares are of two kindsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; the one being decorated with

drawn

flowers, figures, or landscapes, with these decorations

wholly

red or in red, black,

and

silver,

The drawing

gold.

also frequently rendered, to a considerable extent,

England

this

generally

known

are just about to describe

Made

chiefly

platters, this

ware

Kaga

bowls and

treatment, and

in its

The

with bold sprays of the bottle gourd.

Kaga

red, a

full

primrose yellow, a crimson pink,

purple-madder shade. In this ware object

saucer-like

decorated with unfrequently,

colours used in

green, ultramarine blue,

sometimes

the addition

with

dots.

ware, whereas that

flowers, birds, diaper patterns, landscapes, and, not

chiefly the

generally called Kutani ware.

form of large

the

bold

either

pleasant

are

and black,

Antwerp

Vandyke brown, and

In some cases gold

blue,

a sort of

added.

not unfrequently happens that part of the

covered with diaper patterns on various coloured grounds;

while birds or boldly treated flowers rest on these diapers.

another part will be arranged a panel, in which a landscape painted.

In most specimens of this ware the glaze will be found

crackled to

decorated

some

extent.

the

manner

upon them.

Being made

While Kutani ware described, in the

most commonly

many specimens have

figures

province of Kaga, the two wares

should perhaps be regarded as one

;

that which

distinguish

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, England

Kaga ware

and black, as we have

silver,

Kutani ware

treated

colours than red in

We and

has usually fine work upon

and gold,

in red alone, in red

just said

meet with the same

style,

old

One

Banko would it

would be

produced

tea-jar decorated in the

not, however, for

little

hibachi or

spirit.

From

knew where

marked with the name

Kutani

getting

;

and

manner of Kaga It

was

from the painter that

Old Kutani wares were always

was produced. "

which

ware, and being on Kutani earth, would defy detection.

a cursory

a very close imitation of Kutani ware cup, being decorated in the

only through the accident of I

Kaga

Mino porcelain and the The Owari flower- pot

be so easily referred to the locality

Nagoya painted

where these specimens were

but by the trained eye the

;

cup painted by

Mino; and the fourth

Kutani

to say

little

;

would be

bottle painted in the

earth would readily be detected.

was made,

the

difficult

one

;

on a pure porcelain, at Tazimi

glance

here as in other cases

difficulties

Nagoya on Kutani earth made in Owari another is a

Banko

we know

four pieces of ware which

artist in

fire-pot

in red,

and usually has other

a bolder manner,

calculated to mislead the student.

that which

;

and

it,

and black, or

red, gold,

decorations.

its

have now before

391

and never with the name of the

maker.

When

speaking of wares that

resemble the productions of

Satsuma we mentioned that made by Sanpd of Awaji, but we did the two not mention the other wares which both he and Rikita potters of Igano

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; make.

These potters concern themselves

chiefly with the formation

of small bowls, trays, caddy-spoons, and cups, which have an excellent finish. full

green,

They warm

are usually plain yellow, rich brick -orange, purple,

colour.

But the three former

colours especially characterise the Awaji wares.

the

little

dishes and saucers which these

a dragon

by sinking

into the

stamped into the earth, so that the glaze, depressions, shows as a deeper colour.

perforated

;

In some cases

men make have

Other specimens are

but most of them are perfectly plain.

in part

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

392

Having enumerated the

porcelains and crude forms of

china,"

tion of the porcelain manufactures

But although

over the countrj'. (sixty-eight), the

time of

prevented

we come

to the considera-

which are now spread widely

visited nearly seventy potteries in Japan during the more than three of the

broke out

that

rebellion

visit

and the semi-

chief forms of faience,

seeing

great centres of this interesting manufacture.

As we have

already seen, the art of porcelain making was

China

from

introduced

Japanese who settled

the

of the sixteenth

century.

Hizen (where much porcelain

manu-

factured to this day) brought the art to the country.

this is the oldest seat of the

we may

manufacture,

our notice of the different porcelains by speaking of those

Made

district.

name Imari Europe

or Hizen.

this

ware which became known

who occupied

an early time through the Dutch

island of Decima, near Nagasaki, from which Arita forty- five miles distant

much

and

was

in this

by the

Arita, these wares are called

chiefly in

begin

the

only about

ware which became so

this

Some

copied on the continent of Europe and in England.

of the earlier works of Worcester are almost exact reproductions

As we

of Imari designs.

shall

have to speak of the methods of

manufacture shortly, we need only point out at present the special features of the ware.

That which glaze colour,

and gold tracery patterns, or

most characteristic has a

produced from oxide of ;

panels,

drawing of

rich,

deep blue, under

cobalt.

this are flowers

bearing geometrical designs

foliage, landscape, or figures,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

diaper

;

the whole

being illuminated by the use of from four to six colours (often five) in

which a

with shades of light blue treated pieces

have

this

that of Kaga, green, and yellow

red, similar to

Other specimens

prevail.

;

exist

which are

while

some

pieces

manner, and

colours on

decorations

formed of

their

decorated

entirely

have the centre

the

border.

few

light

blues,

red,

and

gold only.

This ware has been so

much

divest myself of the feeling that

copied in Europe that

cannot

lacks an Eastern aspect.

But

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

from

this feeling arises

have been familiar to

must confess

that,

England who have a

we consider Derby,

the prices that

have been given

persons being found

potters

yet they

of old

for pieces

little

who

when

but

;

collectors

Imari ware

and Worcester pottery, with

Bristol,

we do not wonder

colours,

There are

effect.

perfect craze for

The Imari

They employ good

crude and garish

from childhood, and

Japanese wares.

all

work on a good body. get

viewed from an art point of view,

the least satisfactory of

often

which characterise

fact that patterns

tlie

Arita wares

393

or no art merit, delight in sur-

rounding themselves with numerous specimens from the potteries of Hizen.

who

but too true that there are people

pride

themselves on the number of their specimens, and prefer mere quantity to beautiful works.

There I

one other important ware made

mentioned â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

have not yet

has a pale sea-green

made

many

Arita which

the Seidji or Celadon ware.

hue; but as

this

particular ware

This

now

parts of the country, and especially in Seto,

can

scarcely be regarded as altogether characteristic of Hizen.

all

other wares

Hizen has been

copied

;

which have become famous, that of and some of the patterns

where, at the present time,

in Kioto,

engaged upon such works, are to those of Arita.

the other. articles

Care

produced

Kanzan Denhichi

similar,

both

chiefly

colour and form,

needed to avoid mistaking one

for

Hirato, also, an island near the Hizen coast, small

closely resembling the delicately painted blue-and -white

wares of Imari are made.

might now just mention a ware of some

interest

which

in Kioto and bears the name of its inventor Eraku, as It is a amongst the celebrated productions of the district.

was made it is

pure porcelain, with a rich red surface formed of an oxide of

iron,

on which gold devices (generally of a mythological character) are drawn.

Turning in

to the better-known

Kioto much porcelain

Kioto wares, we

may

manufactured, especially

called Kiyomidsu, not far from

notice that

the suburb

Awata, and here some objects of

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

394

The

great beauty and of singularly high finish are produced.

wares are of white porcelain tenderly decorated.

seem

potters in Japan

tenderness than the Kioto is

artists.

some of

their

works there

a beauty of drawing and delicacy of execution which

estimable

and some

;

little

to paint on porcelain with

cups which

purchased

most

the district

are lovely specimens of work.

In Kiyomidsu,

seventeen in

Takahashi

Gochio-me

visited

of these manufactories are Kiyomidsu

Kanzan

Dohachi,

but the two

;

neighbourhood,

amongst which were the most important

The owners

the district.

Rokubei,

the immediate

potteries,

greatest

and

Denhichi,

Seifoo

Kanzan Denhichi and

are

Takahashi Dohachi.

man

Kiokutei

called

makes

Seihichi

though

eccentric

interesting wares.

But besides the manufacture

much

ware,

pottery

district boasts

Kioto.

Were

all

this

district

of Kiyomidsu

produced from earths of various kinds, and

no one

the objects

diversified talent than this

made

in this

suburb of

suburb collected together

one would suppose that they were the products of many towns. In a district lying north of Hiogo called Sanda series of little potteries, in

which

so far as

which a Celadon ware

could learn, was the

Celadon wares are made of Japan, as facture.

have just

It is

produced only industiy of the

The Sanda

made in

said,

Sadajiro,

made, and

European to

most of the great pottery

but

Sanda

small quantities, and

visit.

districts

the chief

manuit

no way the staple

district.

potteries

(Sanda

the

name

of a district) are

town of Shidewara, and are

five in

Their owners are Konishi Tobai, Konishi Gohe, Kameii

Uchida Hisakichi, and Konishi Tsunekichi.

Konishi Tsunekichi

father

of Konishi

in this district are of

pierced arabesque sides.

an inferior

class,

these

Tobai, while Konishi

Tsunekichi and Konishi Gohe are brothers.

made

find a

Hizen, Owari, and Kioto, but here

situated both in and near the

number.

first

The Celadon wares

and many pieces have

;

ART,

We may of this

mention,

in passing,

these are

395

the fact that besides the Celadon

rude wares of several

district

Amongst

AND ART AIANUFACTURES. kinds

are

here

made.

some of the roughest specimens of blue-and-

white that could well be seen, as well as crude bowls bearing

ornament

greens, reds, and other colours

which the

interest save those for

The next

;

but none are of

district is celebrated.

great seats of the porcelain manufacture are Owari

and Mine, where most of the blue-and-white wares of Japan are made, and both

produce wares similar both

districts

character

and merit. Seto, a small

from Nagoya,

town

Owari, twelve and a half miles distant

wholly given up to the porcelain industry. In number of potters, who all make blue-and-white wares. Some, however, make varieties of porcelain by no means characteristic of the district. The chief potters are Kato Mokuzayemon, it

are a

man who is said to be assisted with Government money Kawamoto Masukichi, a prosperous man who has just built himself a beautiful house Kawamoto Hansuke, Kato Shigea

;

shiro,

and Kato Gosuke, and each of these makes wares of great

excellence.

The Mino

potteries are situated in the villages of

Tazimi and

Ichi-no-kura, about thirty to thirty-five miles distant from

but the better class of Mino wares are

many

In Ichi-no-kura there are are

Kato Shinbei, who

said

made

the latter village.

potters, but the

more important

be the largest

Kato Jiwsuke, Kato Kohei, Kato Gosuke potter),

Nagoya;

the village

;

namesake of the Seto

and Kato Kichibei.

Some

of these

characterised

men make wares the drawings on which are delicacy. Deep cups have blue pencil-

by much

work upon them which

both minute and tender.

see grass, equisetums, dandelions,

and the

coranella,

one

great fidelity to nature, and with almost microscopic minuteness

while on

many

of the sachi cups

we have

little

drawn with ;

diaper patterns,

both varied and interesting.

As an example Kato Gosuke, which

of the latter is

may mention

a specimen by

decorated both internally and externally

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

396

The

with

little

parts

filled

with the same pattern.

diaper

patterns.

inside

manner

into sixteen

diapers.

Thus one

parts,

into

eight

The

exterior

divided

the

same

and no two of these contain the same

section

of blue-and-white squares

with a simple arrangement

filled

manner of

the

with a scale pattern, another with

another with overlapping

lines,

divided

radiating from the centre, and no two sections are

lines

circles

one contains a key pattern, one

a chess-board, another

circles

arranged

parallel

which intersect each other

;

enriched with a mere checker,

one with a pattern founded on the hexagon, and another on diagonal

darker

Others contain diapers based on the square, and,

lines.

to heighten in

the pleasant effect produced, every second division

colour than the intervening one.

While blue-and-white wares, and pleasant,

fresh

good, produces monotony. well in our

well manufactured, always look

rage for them

not sorry that the

Excessive repetition of anything, be

passing away.

make

In order to

our houses

rooms the decoration must be of a certain character

all

his castle

;

hence

ought to express

case there would be an interest in visiting each

this the

which

now

lacking.

In wishing for the dethronement of blue-and-white

to those

good potters by

both Seto and Mino.

wares novel

in character

moment who devote

whom

wish no

was so kindly received

sure that they could

and excellent

make

workmanship.

many men, both

coloured

this

Ichi-no-kura and

present

there are

Seto

themselves to the production of things quaint

character and novel in effect. the beaten track If the

change

them

;

to treat

a similar manner.

Englishman's house

other's houses

harm

ever so

decoration the mind, tastes, and knowledge of the owner.

its

Were

blue and white look

and no fashion can be satisfactory which compels us

Let them depart

still

farther from

potters of

Owari are

our taste respecting

to seek to

any way suffering from the

blue-and-white

produce novelties with

soft

should advise

effects

of colour.

Their present blue might be, to an extent, maintained, for the

AND ART ^MANUFACTURES.

ART,

love for Japanese porcelain

as great as ever

397

was, and the desire

for novelties greater.

visit to

some of the

these seats of manufacture enables

difficulties

history of the Japanese ceramic arts

Ichi-no-kura

names, there

here a potter

known only under fellow. The fact

to illustrate

Thus

must encounter.

one Kato Genjiw making wares resembling

find

those of Banko, and even following the to

which any one attempting to write an exact

Banko

called

Then, as

shapes.

Kato Kichibei who

cognomen of Hechibei, which means funny that he makes curious wares and grotesque objects, together with the similarity between his name and the Japanese word hechibei, has caused him to be thus designated. the

Kawamoto

In the case of

which was the name of

man

JMasukichi of Seto there

diffi-

wares are sometimes called by the name Hansuke,

culty, for his

has a brother,

his father, a celebrated

whom

also visited,

who

Yet

potter.

now

the

this

Hansuke.

The confusion is obvious. The fact that the sons do not of necessity take the name of the parent, that the trade name is frequentlj' a mere cognomen assumed by the manufacturer, and that

may

this business

appellation

be bequeathed to an apprentice or a son at the option of the

parent, renders

most

difficult

to understand the actual state of

things in a manufacturing district, and without great care confusion is

we should naturally conclude that a who succeeded to the business, who was called by the name manufacturer, and who used the seal or stamp by which the In England

inevitable.

\"outh

of the

ware

that this

known, was the is

son.

But

Japan

very often happens

Another element of confusion

not the case.

intro-

duced by the chief name (that which answers to our surname)

coming

first

;

thus,

where they would write Kato Kichibei we

should write Kichibei Kato, and where they would write Kato San

we should

write Mr. Kato.

In going through the porcelain districts of Seto and

Mino

found that some of the potters decorated their own wares, while others sent in

them

to professional artists to receive patterns.

the village of Tazimi

purchased a small sachi

bottle,

Thus

decorated

;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

398

Kaga

the style of

the village

for

and

;

Ichi-no-kura

who undertook

themselves

to them.

ware, which had been painted by an artist

found several

men

business

the painting of any wares entrusted

Ichi-no-kura one of the chief

Kato Hichibci, a namesake of the

men

thus engaged

funny fellow."

found that much of the better wares from both Seto

also

and Mine were sent

Nagoya

to be decorated,

where the two

who undertake this work are Yokoi Sosuke and Suyemoto Suzukichi, the former being eminent as a painter of gold work on an iron -black ground. But in the Seto district where chief artists

the manufacture itself

number of men employed Mino towns.

who

If the artists

have but

wares, "

carried on

live

little

whom

have named

did in the

the pottery districts, and decorate

work on hand, they make purchases of

shapes," which they decorate and

artists

same

did not notice the

as professional artists as

Thus, while the two

sell.

Nagoya undertake work

for the

chief potters, they also decorate wares which they have purchased,

and these they

offer in the

Objects decorated but there pottery,

no place

in in

market with their own names

Tokio are common Tokio that

am aware

where any good wares are made

;

an undecorated In Tokio

affixed.

English market

of,

save the Shiba

and most of that which

here receives pattern has been purchased in

in the

in either

Seto or Mino

state.

have never seen any pottery decorated

than a very second-rate manner by the professional porcelain painters.

The Shiba

some exquisite

pottery turns out

things,

and so does that of Ota, near Yokohama, but here works are both

made and

decorated.

Those who are engaged

painters in Tokio have never, so far as

work of a high

The Shiba grand vases,

pottery,

and that of Ota, have turned out some

and other things

;

all

and to

are indebted for most of those specimens figured

with saints which have been attributed to Kioto workmen. think that

mere

could learn, produced

character.

platters, incense -burners,

these potteries

also

those examples with black grounds which have been

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART.

by even our best

referred

produced within the

last

and he

getting the

"body;" and

any one

class of

works which we

Kagoshima, or

England

number

attribute to the

difficulty in

making

his

that a large

certain

were

ware has a high market

desirous of deceiving, there

clay from

district,

few years at these places.

If a potter finds that

value,

Satsuma

collectors to the

399

his

a similar

of even the fine

South have been

made

in Shiba and Ota. That Kioto has long been engaged

both porcelain and faience

certain

the manufacture

but the things produced,

;

comparatively recent period, were insignificant as ceramic

until a

For many days

w-orks.

devoted

attention, almost wholly,

Kioto potteries and their history

to the

Osaka, and other towns, wares.

and both

;

Kioto,

sought specimens of the old Kioto

always found that they were rather curious and quaint

than fine examples of work.

Tokio

consulted the various

leading authorities connected with the Imperial the early ceramic productions of Kioto, but

decorated vase

was

that

not

small,

Museum upon

never saw a highly

nor one .example

decor-

ated with nimbused saints which was attributed to the district

while

not

potteries, but

only saw scores attributed I

saw such

the

;

two Northern

the works themselves in process of

manufacture.

That important works

faience or porcelain were not pro-

Kioto, even at the end of the sixteenth century, seems

duced

clear

and Ksempfer's remarks on Miaco (Miaco is the old name made in the year A.D. 1690, would bear out my state-

;

for Kioto),

ment

" Miaco modities,

house

is the great magazine of all Japanese manufactures and comThere is scarce a and the chief mercantile town in the empire. this large capital where there is not something made or sold. Here

they refine copper, coin money, print books, weave the richest stuffs with gold

and

silver flowers.

sorts

The

best

and scarcest dyes, the most

of musical instruments, pictures, japan'd cabinets,

wrought

gold and other metals, particularly in

blades and other arms are richest dresses,

and

made

steel, as

artful carvings, all all

sorts of things

the best temper'd

here in the utmost perfection, as are also the

after the best fashion,

all

sorts of toys, puppets,

moving

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

400

their heads of themselves,

mention'd.

and numberless other

In short, there

things, too

many

be here

may

nothing can be thought of but what

found at Miaco, and nothing, tho' ever so neatly wrought, can be imported

from abroad but what some

other in this capital ÂŤill undertake to

artist or

imitate."

Although Ksempfer

may

but what

says, " there

nothing can be thought of

be found at Miako," the very fact that he does not

mention the ceramic manufactures, when enumerating the industries of the city, would at least lead to the conclusion that they were

not of special importance in his time

while in Japan led

to conclude

resembling the Satsuma wares were

;

and that

made

all

important works

investigations

the old capital up

to a recent date.

Besides the

regular porcelain

number of men who paint and Hizen), and who

sell

these at

paint over the glaze with a

and they figure It

upon

their

of Tokio there

artists

are a

made in Seto Such men generally

sachi cups (which are

full

little stalls.

ultramarine blue colour and gold,

wares and mind their

stalls at the

same

time.

curious to watch these poor artists, at one time intent

and

their painting, at another serving a customer,

at other

times calmly smoking their pipes while taking care of the

little

portable kilns in which they are firing their few wares.

When way

use this

of the cottage.

fifteen in width, artist

kiln

about eighteen inches

and would

watches over the

generally placed in the door-

little

to us appear a

firing of his

a mother over her sleeping child.

mere toy

height by

yet the poor

;

wares with the tenderness of

While

wares are

his

kiln

he appears to devote himself wholly to his

yet

the

little stall

and

fire

in the

his pipe

;

a customer should appear, he will attend to his wants at

which stands

in the front of his house.

In this notice of the ceramic manufactures distinguish porcelain,

have

tried

between the different forms of faience and those of

and have spoken of the places

This classification districts

apt to be misleading, for

which each are made. in

most of the pottery

both wares are made.

visit

one of the chief potters of Kioto we

shall

find

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

401

he makes both porcelain, earthen goods, and stone -ware.

that

Thus and

man Kiyomidsu Rokubei we

that celebrated

in the

find

engaged

manufacture of exquisitely finished porcelain teapots, cups,

vases,

some of which

some have

are tenderly painted, while " slip "

sprays raised upon them by

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Others have

pate-sur-pate.'

the rich blue surface which characterises the old Worcester work,

with white sprays also raised in

rough objects tiles,

irregular

pavement of

But

slip.

this

man

also

makes

yellow earthenware, curious embossed

in a coarse

lumps of clay which he glazes and employs as the

his

garden paths

indeed, there

;

scarcely a form of

pottery ware that this manufacturer does not produce.

The same remark applies to Ichi-no-kura, makes wares resembling those of Banko, as well

for here

man

one

as blue-and-white

porcelain and dark metallic-looking pots, while others are engaged in

manufactures widely different from those which characterise

the district.

be placed in the potters' marks than

further trust can

One man

the character of the wares themselves.

use two or three marks of his master, and the

name

trade name, the trade

which trade marks are applied,

those cases where deception

not aimed

been amused at the pertinacity with which maintain the to those

such stamps.

infallibility of

who have

travelled

in the

which pieces have been made, the

must be

useless, save

have become famous. deceptive imitations

It is

potteries at

who made them, or even men who confused with may be

for sale in the

European and American

markets, or with the works of the favourite apprentice

succeeded to the business and imitated his master's

As an

artistic

form which has never been equalled Slip "

day

has

differ

widely

Greek pottery had a beauty of

from those of ancient Greece.

who

style.

manufacture the ceramics of Japan

â&#x20AC;˘'

England

only too apparent

the case of a few

But even these

made

have often

names of the

artists in

at, I

many

country and visited the seats

of industry, that the attempt to fix the

their dates,

name

of the district in which he works.

Having seen the manner even

own

as his

;

sometimes

will

in the

any other

form of batter.

nation.

Beauty

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE.

402

of line and tenderness of shape characterised the works of both

the Greeks and

But while these peoples produced

Etruscans.

forms of matchless grace, and while the Greeks painted upon their

works ornaments beautiful

simple

form,

treatment,

and

arranged with the utmost regard to quantities, neither the Greeks nor the Etruscans knew anything of the varied and subtle processes

by which the Japanese give

The Greeks produced no

variety to their wares.

porcelain

earthenware, was most limited, while

variety, even in their

and

;

Japan the methods of

work are well-nigh innumerable.

beauty of form,

regards

Japanese are

far

must be admitted that the

behind the ancient Greeks, and Japanese shapes

Yet

certainly often display quaintness rather than grace.

are in Japan

many

shapes which are beautiful even when compared

many which

with the Greek standard, so there are also

what clumsy, awkward, and what we might others are bounded

Humorous in the

by heavy curves

podgy

call,

;

while

many

of the forms found

pottery of Japan, while others are explained by reference to

common

the country.

As illustrations of forms resulting may mention certain objects which

pot

are some-

instead of lines of beaut}'.

eccentricities account for

the natural objects

as there

the form of a frog

teapot

another

the

in the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

from the sense of humour, are before

mouth acting

the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

as a tea-

as the spout, another

form of the fingered orange already mentioned, form of a duck, another

the form of a swallow,

while another simulates a portion of a tree stem from which a

branch with flowers protrudes as the spout.

the second class

we have many examples

;

thus, cups in

the form of the lotus leaf are

welcome

Nelumbium

and the prevalence of

vases (the

Buddha's plant

" spill "

shape)

;

due

to the fact that

vessels of daily use are cut from the

necessity have this shape.

the

common

cylindrical

many

of the

stem of the bamboo, and of

But the most characteristic form

pottery of Japan

In glancing round the

to the Japanese, as the

room

that of the gourd. in

twenty specimens derived from the

which

sit

see

more than

bottle, or pilgrim's, gourd, but

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART. in these

such as have the contraction

onlj' include

like the old hour-glass

neck, such as

403 in

the centre,

yet the onion-shaped bottle with a long

;

see

so often

Kishiu ware,

undoubtedly

derived from another and equally characteristic form of gourd; and

man

while primitive

has frequently

made

may

portions of the gourd shell, such vessels

from

his drinking cups

be found

in use at

the present day in Japan, together with earthen pots having forms

Ladles formed by the longitudinal

similar to the natural object. splitting of a long-necked

gourd are also

Before me, in porcelain or earth,

broad gourds, narrow gourds distensions almost of the

One gourd

manners. bottle,

and one

the country.

gourds with the upper and lower

;

same

size,

gourds with the lower disten-

upper small, and gourds bent

and the

large

sion

common

long gourds, short gourds,

lie

various

a sachi bottle, one a teapot, one a sauce

(or rather half a one) a

ladle

while,

;

we were

to include the long-necked bottle, with the one globular bulb,

the

common

sachi cup (for

amongst the

and was a bottom portion of a gourd),

vessels derived from the gourd, the specimens

met

with would be simply innumerable.

While speaking of the gourd, we may mention that its form pottery ware is by no means peculiar to Japan, for it is equally

common

China and Morocco

similar thing occurs

are

;

for

and even

here we find

mere imitations of the carved calabash

some cases the gourd form some vessels may be regarded

In for

Central Africa a

rude metal vessels which shells of the district.

somewhat strangely used

having the sectional form of the gourd or hour-glass. before

bought

the

tubular portion a

flat

made

a teapot so shaped, and with the ends

pieces of this gourd-like shape.

Sanda large

district

and

short,

An is

;

formed chiefly of a tube Here, of

flat

earthenware basket which

of this shape.

and stands

But here the

vertically.

has

bottom and an arched handle.

would be easy to furnish many

illustrations of the

which the Japanese have derived the forms of

natural objects

;

their wares

but having called attention to the

leave the reader to pursue the inquiry for himself

manner

fact, I

from

must

Could we extend

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

404

our researches to

all

branches of manufacture, and to

all

countries,

such an investigation would have great interest, but as we must confine our remarks to pottery and to Japan, the inquiry loses

much

of the fascination which

Comparisons,

are odious

said,

manufactures of a country we true value, especially

command

when

would otherwise possess.

may

yet in considering the

;

reasonably try to estimate their

a nation has produced such works as

the attention of the world.

must say that

perhaps come next, then the

Moors

that Japanese works take a

and Indians, while the

Persians

But

Japanese lack tenderness of shape. first

place

;

form

the Greeks stand pre-eminent, that the Chinese and the

other respects

and

think

cannot help feeling

that the best productions of Ota, the finest works of Shiba, and choicest

the

potter's art,

cups of Satsuma, are

and that some of the

things

later

unsurpassed

the

works of Kioto are

fit

for

a place in the best boudoir in the land.

Respecting the manufacture of porcelain and faience something must be said.

may

be remembered by those

who

visited

the Philadelphia Exhibition that the Japanese there showed those materials which are spread so widely over the country, and are

used the

the pottery manufactures, as clay, kaolin, silex,

are told

that

" in

many

instances very good ordinary refractory

materials and fine porcelain clay are found close together. is

etc.

catalogue of the Japanese section of this exhibition,

official

This

the case to a most remarkable degree in the neighbourhood of

the small town of Arita, province of Hizen, the head centre of the porcelain

manufacture

Japan.

Within a very limited

circuit,

not half a mile in diameter, there are found embedded in the rock at different places all the materials

the

coating of the

craquele,

etc.,

the finest ware,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the glaze, for the

used without any further mixture for

the so called egg-shell porcelain.

part of Nippon,^ where granite in

for

the best being of such good quality that, after being

powdered and decanted,

mountains,

necessarj' for the biscuit, for

ware before glazing,

In the central

the principal constituent of the

the provinces of Owari, Yamashiro, and the island '

Japan.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

405

of Awajishima, opposite Hiogo, beds of petuntse, very

Bohemian

the

this material

When

material, are to be found.

mixed with

silicious

much

used for porcelain,

and feldspathic materials from

other places."

This

what the Japanese say respecting the materials with

which they fabricate their ceramic wares of Awaji,

but the ordinary wares

;

are told, "consist of a strongly baked biscuit, chiefly

composed of

and that they are

kaolin,"

mixture of sand and oxide of

glazed with a very fusible

lead, which,

by an addition of copper

oxide or certain naturally-coloured clays, assumes a green, yellow, or brownish-red colour."

comments of

Before making any of manufacture,

catalogue their

own

which "

The

think

as follows

on the processes

well to extract from the Philadelphia

description

of the

manufactures,

porcelain

making presents

of porcelain

art

my own

principle, are very similar

however, the machinery used

"Whatever may be

features

which,

of course,

those of porcelain manufacturing in Europe

;

of a more primitive kind.

the nature of the raw material, be

kaolin, feldspath, or the peculiar porcelain-stone of Arita,

it is

quartz, felsite,

always powdered

by means of balancing pounders of a peculiar construction. These are composed of long horizontal beams, with a perpendicular cross piece at one end, giving the whole the shape of a other end. utilised

;

This instrument

hammer, and with a water-trough

at the

put up wherever a small stream of water can be

the water running into the trough raises the pounder by over-weight,

and running out

at the

end

consequence of the

incline, allows

to fall

down

again, with the iron-shod cross piece dropping into a stone mortar, in which the

materials are thus reduced to powder water, "

the latter

then

sifted,

mi.xed with

and decanted.

other machinery, such as the quartz or glaze mills of foreign porcelain

manufactories,

used,

and the consequence

that all the material which

cannot be sufficiently powdered by the above described pounders often from forty to

" The

fine

fifty

per cent

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; amounting

thrown away as waste.

powders produced by decanting are carefully mixed and removed where the water is partly drained oft' through a sand bedding

into flat boxes,

covered with matting, and partly tapped off from above the deposed clay latter is finally

Long

e.xperience,

the

the manufacturers to prepare a clay pieces, such as

;

more consistency by placing it on the warm furnaces. combined with the good quality of the raw material, enables

brought

fit

even for the production of very large

vases from six to seven feet in height.

These are

chiefly

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

4o6 manufactured

and similar the clay

Arita

whereas porcelain

;

painted slabs, fireplaces,

tables,

made in Owari. The throwing and shaping of common potter's wheel, which, in the town of Arita

mostly

articles, are

done upon the

(Hizen), consists of a flying wheel and a working disc, twelve or fifteen inches

These are united by a

one above the other. to

form one system of wheels, which

fastened in the ground.

wheels

wooden prism,

so as

avoid friction as

much

as possible, this system of

upon the pointed stick by means of a hollow piece of underneath into the working disc. By means of this lathe the

resting

porcelain set

workmen

sort of hollow

placed over a vertical roiind piece of wood

in Arita turn out large dishes^of three feet in diameter, as well as the

For very heavy and large

so-called egg-shell porcelain, not thicker than paper.

pieces the lathe

" In

turned by means of a driving-cord.

other provinces but Hizen the lathe

all

imperfect construction, the flying wheel being at the

of a more simple and same time the working

disc.

" Moulds are also used, and

gypsum

E.xhibition the use of

facturers of different places,

Some

made

for

and

of ordinary clay.

moulding

will

most

Since the Vienna

taught to the porcelain manu-

likely effect

an important progress.

of the pieces exhibited at Philadelphia have been

made by

new

the

process.

When

the pieces have been sufficiently dried in the open air they are

shaped with sharp iron tools on the same lathe on which the been done, and are then coated with a very pure white finished

throwing has

ware a better appearance, and to bring out with more intensity the After this coating the ware receives

blue colour of the cobalt painting.

fine

first

clay, so as to give the

manu-

the preliminary baking in small kilns built in the open yards of the facturing localities.

afterwards

glazed

composed of

The

pieces are then painted w-ith the oxide of cobalt, and

the

same way

of different minerals, to which

from the

Europe.

The

glaze

always

a feldspathic material, either natural or produced by the mixture

alkali

added a

careful lixiviation.

certain quantity of

The proportion

wood ashes

place which the pieces have to occupy in the kiln, the heat of which quite uniform.

With

common

not

reference to certain peculiar kinds of porcelain, such as

Celadon or the craquele, the materials used are not the same as

the

freed

of ashes depends on the

for the

For the Celadon the body is the same, but the glaze is made of a mineral different from that which is used for the glaze of the white ware. The craquel^, i.e. the body of the craquele, is made from a peculiar white or

ware.

kind of porcelain stone

;

but the nature of the network of cracks, the size of

the meshes, etc., depend not only upon the thickness of the glaze

and of the is baked

white coating underneath, but also on the degree to which the piece before and after glazing. so as to render the cracks "

of a

The hill,

The ware more

finally

kilns are of a peculiar construction, in

rubbed over with Chinese

ink,

distinct.

and are always

built

on the slope

a line of fror- four to twenty, according to the importance of the

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

The base of each

locality.

the foregoing one, so that,

kiln lies about three feet higher than the base of

if all

the kilns were uncovered, the whole of them

would present the aspect of terraces formed by a

The ground -plan

high.

feet

407

in the

trapezoid, the kilns growing wider

series of platforms, each three

form of a rectangle, or rather of a

and wider as they

e.\tend

up the

The

hill.

walls on the four sides of the ground-plan being vertical to the height of a few

above the base, gradually form a

feet

vault, the corners of

oif in

This somewhat complicated shape

all.

when seven

The

a depth of eighteen

feet,

be more easily understood

will

stated that one of the large kilns in Arita has a length of twenty-

which have been

such a way that the upper part of the vault presents no corners

rounded

central

section

and a height of

feet,

fifteen

feet in the centre.

by the depth would resemble half an

with the

ellipse,

principal axis in a vertical position, while the section through the length of the kiln

would be half of an

and raised three or four

with

ellipse,

feet

principal axis in a horizontal position,

its

The

above the ground.

the wall facing the lower end of the line of kilns, floor

by a

wide

;

front wall of each kiln,

i.e.

pierced on the level of

its

series of holes eight to twelve inches high,

and

in the opposite wall, which,

plan of the kiln,

and three

on account of the trapezoidical ground-

longer than the front wall, there

little

to four inches

a second series

of similar holes, but at three feet above the floor, and consequently opening exactly upon the floor of the next kiln.

corresponding

to the

draught-holes of the last kiln.

There are no separate For this kiln.

purpose a space o m. 70 to

which ends

thrown directly into the

m. wide has been reserved along that wall of the

the air-holes of which open immediately upon the floor, and

from the main part of the kiln by thick perpendicular 30 m. o

outside by

of an opening, o m. 50 high

Through

the side wall of the kiln.

throws dried wood into the that the kiln

The

separated

fire-clay slabs

about

This separate narrow space communicates with the

m. high.

means

established

range of short chimneys,

kilns,

furnaces or fireplaces, but the fuel

kiln,

way a draught

In this

in a

through the whole line of the

sometimes

this

kiln, three pieces at

and o

15 wide,

in length, fires

a time

with

all

;

into

;

and, notwithstanding

the required regularity.

current of air passing through the lower kilns reaches the

the holes in the front wall

made

opening the fireman very dexterously

wood through

the flame, deviated by the upright fire-clay slabs,

does not strike the porcelain directly, but follows the vault, and the heat spreads

more equally amongst vault

purposely

the objects placed in the kiln.

made

steeper than the side

The

opposite part of the

whence the flame

starts

;

conse-

quently, the latter does not take the straight line to the opposite holes, but

produces a sort of whirling

fire,

which takes the objects also from behind.

The flame passing through from

the lower kiln, where the firing

going on, into the following

produces

kiln,

red-hot by the time that the firing

the opening through which the bricks,

and the

firing

begins

first

in the

sufficient heat to

finished in the

kiln has

been

second one.

fired

first.

actually

render this latter

this

moment

closed up with

fire-

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

4o8 "

modern

this

arrangement, the principle of which

very similar to that of the

circulating furnaces for burning bricks, the fresh air has to pass through

wood with a high tem-

the kilns that have already been fired, and reaches the

departing flame

by the

combustion

producing

perature,

fire

used for heating the next

of the foregoing ones before

amount of heat which explains

on most favourable conditions, while the

why

its

Since each kiln

kilns.

own

firing begins,

the greater the farther up

the manufacturers have thought

its

place in the

a height of six

feet,

deep, and fifteen feet high.

The

in the oven.

a depth of six

feet,

and

single separate furnace to begin the firing

The

may

At Arita,

twenty-seven feet long, eighteen feet

situated at the lowest end of the line.

barked and dried

This

be more advantageous

has a length of seven

whilst the last one

by an

line.

construct the kilns of increasing size in following the line upwards. for instance, the lowest kiln

heated

profits

pine wood, which has been

fuel is

be remarked that the

even

firing,

more than fourteen hours but it should be borne in mind that they are already red-hot when the firing begins. "The setting of the pieces in the kiln is done with precautions similar to The only difference is those observed in Europe to prevent their distortion. that in general only a small number of pieces are protected by fire-clay boxes the larger kilns, does

not generally last

;

or saggers, while the greater part are directly exposed to the

fire

but in this

;

some of the

respect improvements have been lately introduced by

principal

manufacturers. " In order to prevent the dust

surface of the kiln

The

pieces are arranged

The upper

happen were

The

falling

down from

fire-clay stands,

necessary to prevent too

made

the shape of round

a height which a

man

can easily reach.

kilns are constructed in a

two or three

feet

from caving

which would certainly

in,

flat.

When

being extremely cheap.

manner which has the great advantage of is prepared and the side walls erected

the floor

above the ground, a centering

space one or more poles

made

young

made by

trees, with the

as to give the upper end the shape of a fork.

corresponds to the height of the vault

Young

the vault, the inner

half of the large furnaces remains entirely empty, but surplus height

of the vault

way

upon

and placed one upon another

tables,

from

coated with a glazing mixture before the firing begins.

placing within this

branches cut

The

such a

length of these poles

the place where they are erected.

pine-trees are then fastened along the

inner side of the walls by one

end, then bent over the uprights, and fastened with straw ropes in such a that

Long

the whole centering represents strips of

finally,

bamboo

are then tied to the main centering, so as to produce,

a sort of basket-work, leaving only such

building material cannot

broken is

now

fire-bricks, with

way

a vaulted network with wide meshes.

fall

through.

enough

small interstices that the

mixture of

fire-clay,

w-ater to give the mixture

placed on the centering.

The

powdered, and

sufficient

kiln-builders, using their

cover the centering with this mixture, taking great care to

make

plasticity,

hands

only,

as compact

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, as possible.

When

dry, without

entirely

the material has settled losing

its

409

down and has become

plasticity, the

exterior

sufficiently

beaten with heavy

wooden mallets in order to harden and to smoothen it. The vault is now solid enough to stand without the centering this is thereupon taken away, and the inside smoothened and hardened with small mallets. When repairs are necessary, the damaged part of the kiln is broken away, and a centering built at the required place in the manner described above whereupon the whole is filled up, this time with fire-bricks and not with the above-mentioned mixture. Thus, after a certain number of repairs in different places, almost the whole of the These kilns are said to last fifteen vault becomes composed of fire-bricks. years, and even the largest do not cost over sixty dollars. Their shape and dimensions vary in the different provinces, the walls being more or less steeply vaulted. The above description refers to those kilns of Arita which seem to The kilns used for baking the porcelain before glazing be the most perfect. are of a similar shape, but smaller and always single, each manufacturer ;

;

having his own kiln on his premises.

But the finishing kilns belong

to the

community, and are situated here and there on the boundaries of the town or village

;

they are rented to the different manufacturers.

number amounts

their

each kiln "

The

to over

used only

In the

two hundred, and they are

six or eight

town of Arita

fired in turns, so that

times a year.

greater part of the articles which are baked in these kilns belong to

the kind called

neath the glaze

Sometsuki,' or porcelain decorated with blue paintings under-

done with a native cobaltiferous ore, or with a purer Almost all the ware made for home use is Another part is left white in order to be decorated on the glaze ;

this

material imported from China. '

Sometsuki.'

with coloured enamels, which have to be baked in peculiar furnaces at a lower

temperature.

This kind of porcelain

The

mostly for the foreign market. of

powdered glass

and

nitre),

manufactured chiefly

(a sort of flint glass

composed of

silica, litharge

enamel a proper

" The colouring oxides to be mixed with the

flux

fusibility.

are very few in number,

copper, manganese, antimony, red oxide of iron, impure oxide of cobalt

(for the black),

and a

mixed with powdered or borax.

None

the ingredients are

sort of smalt

glass,

and

from China

;

for gilding with

finally,

gold for carmine

baked

of these enamels are melted beforehand in a crucible, but

mixed by the painter himself and used

decoration.

done "

Of later years more and more inclined

The manner

which

European method.

the pieces are

to return to the original native style of

Porcelain painting, to a

Owari, Kioto, and

directly for painting,

when

foreign enamels have been used, but the

in the mufile.

painters are

tints

a slight addition of white lead

so that the green, the yellow, the violet, etc., only appear

the

or red lead,

with an addition of white lead or of silver powder in various pro-

portions, for the purpose of giving to each

viz.

Hizen, and

chief ingredients of the enamel consist

much

smaller extent than in Hizen,

Yedo, on white Owari ware.

this decoration is

In the

first

produced

differs

place, the whole design

very

much from

traced in black

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

410 lines,

and the shades, when

enamels are put on either red, the yellow,

The coloured when they are opaque, such as the a thick layer when they are to produce,

at all, are in a thin

and the black, or

only indicated by strokes.

layer

through which the black tracing of

after melting, the effect of coloured glass,

Sometimes relief paintings are produced by first coating the porcelain with a white opaque enamel, which contains no o.xide of tin, but is merely a mi.xture of glass, white lead, and powdered stone, and on which the design

visible.

the other colours are then painted. is

finished in one baking

markets that

requires to be baked a second time.

Hizen porcelain decoration,

to the character of the

in foreign

Generally speaking, the whole decoration

very seldom

;

so well

known

In Owari,

Kioto,

needs no special description.

Mino, the great bulk of the porcelain consists of blue ware or Sometsuki but a remarkable article produced in

Kioto

Eraku ware

the

(so

;

named

which consists of porcelain painted over with red oxide

after the inventor),

of iron, on which ground

kinds of mythological ornaments are applied

all

gold.

Kaga ware is decorated in a most characteristic way. It is distinguished by the very fine gold ornamentation, generally on red, sometimes on black grounds, leaving open

with paintings of flowers, birds, or personages,

fields

either dressed in red or gold outlines, or painted with transparent enamels of

These

a similar composition, as those used in Hizen.

latter paintings are

characterised by the vigorous tracing of the black outlines under the enamels,

and the power with which these in itself is

and red

Although the ware

have been applied.

very rich and most effective.

ware has been manufactured decoration,

latter

not generally of a very fine quality, this sort of decoration in gold

one of the painters

presenting a

In later years,

has

produced some

happy combination of the painting

outlines, with the

when

better white

Kaga, or imported from other places

above-mentioned peculiar

red,

for

specimens,

excellent

and gold

black,

by a

style of decoration, originated

celebrated porcelain-maker of Kioto, called Eraku."

This

the description which the Japanese give of their

manufactures, and

so accurate that

needs

But with the view of rendering the nature of

mode

of working, better understood,

173,

174, and

175) which

explanation, and

for

these

little

own

comment. and

their kilns,

their

give illustrations (Figs 172,

may serve to throw I am indebted to

light

the

Roritz

Dr.

Nagoya.

iTie

account would of considerable

seems likely to mislead

this

one

Japanese potteries are usually very small,

this

the description

respect, that while

cause one to suppose that size.

Hizen

there

arc

they are potteries

generally

where

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

number of men are

also

potters

;

are employed, and in Mino and Ovvari there works which give employment to a score or more of but the great mass of those potteries, from which the

Fig. :73.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The

Painter at

his

work.

celebrated works proceed, have, as workmen, the master and a son, or the master

and an apprentice,

one or two others.

saw a

potter's

or, at

most, the master and

visited sixty -eight potteries, yet

never

wheel of the description named by the Japanese

the Philadelphia catalogue. In little

paper which

time since,

gave

read this

which earthen vessels were usually made. room, the .

floor of

One mat

;

of the "

a lovely

little

which was covered with mats, dwelt the potter

being removed from the

exposed to view

some manner in

before the Society of Arts

as a description

but the wheel

floor,

a potter's wheel

of the simplest character.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

412 is

a mere circular stone, of the form of a Chesliirc cheese,

with the uncovered

level

which

wheel

floor,

and works

on a vertical

axis

wood beneath. At one side of the bearing a lump of clay. At the other side well lacquered, on which the vessels, when shaped, are placed. The operator now kneeling

fixed in a log of

a clean tray

another tray, often

front

and

of the

wheel,

or less

sitting

back on the

disc

whipping of

his

heels, sets

motion by

with the tips

fingers

his

necessary speed tained

He now

the

till

at-

rotations.

its

places a piece

of clay upon the wheel

and gives

form

the usual manner, stop-

ping to whip the stone

whenever that

its

it is

necessary

speed

quickened.

re-

In this

way

he shapes his wares."

FiG. 174.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Oven.

invariably

found

work was produced things were on a very and that it was only in those cases where numbers

that where excellent

small scale of

;

common

country or markets)

things were

those

that

made

produced

anything

ordinary wares of the

the

(like

for

the

a factory

European system

and

American

existed.

important to remember that a Japanese potter, lacquer -worker, or other handicraftsman, or

may become

famous as a Landseer

Turner, and that works bearing his signature will be as

much sought masters

are

after

by the natives

as those of

any of our

great

us.

Such men are invariably

lost in

their art.

They

give them-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ART, up

selves

lovable

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

to the production

and whether

;

do not seem to

of the excellent, the beautiful, the

their food

of the poorest or the best they

Their whole pride

care.

413

lies

the production of

meritorious works.

Fig. 175.

In buying from one of these

Kiln.

men

a specimen of his

found that he could not count money, and that he had idea of

much had

The buying and

value.

its

his wife

and daughter

;

consumed

was done exclusively

selling

keep pace with the day.

in his

or no

and as the money system had changed

the last twenty years, this poor but skilled

failed to

work

little

His

life

workman

had been wholly

work.

This was by no means a solitary case

;

and

it is

only under

we get those grand objects which much value. Whenever these men

similar conditions to these that

both

we and

part

with a work they are

beautifully

the Japanese so

finished

most particular

placing

pine -wood box, on which they place their

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

414

autograph and

sea!

(red

paper which they again

stamp), and

sign.

wrapping the box

None but ordinary works

are sent

out without being thus packed.

Happily

for

Japan the personal pride of a workman

great as that of any of our artists or our sculptors.

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

CHAPTER

415

THE METAL MANUFACTURES.

The

art

of metal casting

to have been carried

period

;

of great antiquity, and

to a high state of perfection

indeed, during the Middle

Ages bronze

appears

an early

casting, chasing,

engraving, gilding, and the various processes connected with the goldsmith's excelled.

were

art,

This

perfect

have

they

that

never

been

who have had

at once apparent to those

the

opportunity of studying the old swords with their various ornaments, and the large castings of Buddhas and of bells which

may

be seen in the country.

The

traveller

excellence of

but

astonished at the magnitude as well as the

some of the metal

castings which he meets with

contemplating these works we should always bear

that they resulted from a national interest

awakened by the

In mediseval times the casting of a large

bell,

;

mind

priests.

an image, or a

bronze lantern, was a matter of public concern, and

for the

work

the priests collected offerings of gold ornaments, of copper, and of

other metals.

The Dai-butz at Nara and Kamakura are the largest metal now existing in the world that at Kamakura being

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

castings

forty-seven feet in height, while that at

Nara

half feet from the base to the top of

its

these

enormous statues was

but, being destroyed

first

during the

seven hundred \'ears since.

fifty-three

head.

The

and a

latter

erected in the eighth century, civil

wars,

was recast about

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

4i6

In attempting to produce this enormous casting six failures

were made, and

was only by the seventh

the operation.

effort that success

Three thousand tons of charcoal are said

achieved.

used

have been

are told that the metal used in the

production of this great Dai-butz weighs four hundred and

and that

tons,

it is

was

fifty

an alloy consisting of about one part of gold,

four parts mercury, thirty-four parts

and nineteen hundred

tin,

and seventy-two parts of copper. Here, as

Europe,

Ages was achieved and holy

much

of the best

work of the Middle

the monasteries, where religious enthusiasm

zeal led to that loving

work which was ultimately

fostered

through the baronial system, when the skilled workman became the servant of a feudal lord.

but (the

the eighth century that the

was

was not

Shogun)

first

Mikado became secluded;

end of the twelfth century that Yoritoma

until the

the dual system of government b}'

initiated

leaving Kioto (with the officers of the internal revenue) for

Kama-

kura, and establishing those conditions which led to the feudal

Although the Mikado remained

system.

became the toma's

actual seat of Government,

Five

will.

members

governors of provinces civil officers

;

relations, or to

of Yoritoma's family were

The power

officials.

of this mighty ruler

conquest which he achieved

Yoritoma thus gained a

practically the ruler of Japan.

became increased through a

the north of the country.

of a reward for this service he was received

which

now made

The people were next taxed for the provincial troops, who were subject to Yoritoma's military rulers who were appointed as co-rulers of

supremacy which made him

Kamakura

but before this time the governors were

the provinces with the Court

Mikado

Kioto,

of the Court.

support of the

military

and was subject to Yori-

Kioto

;

had valuable presents given

inspected at

preserved, and

to him,

Kamakura and Nara, where they

was appointed

By way

great state by the

many are

still

to the important office of subjugat-

ing barbarians.

The

military governors of the provinces gradually

more powerful, and with the

increase of

became

power came an insolent

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

and overbearing manner, which

417

the Court governors

led to

provinces being entirely superseded by military authority. the military rulers gradually

became

commanded

a certain

number

feudal

armed men

lords,

but

;

each of

all

Thus

whom

were subject

Shogun, or chief of the barons, who held a power from the

to the

Mikado by which he could reward

acts of prowess, or

any conduct

which he personally approved.

Thus was in

leisure

the Buddhist monasteries, where the quiet

necessary to the production of great art works could

alone be enjoyed.

by the military than a

to foster art

Prior to the time of Yoritoma handicraftsmen

were found chiefly

and

much

established a system which did

the country.

fierce

But no sooner was the feudal system established,

rulers of provinces

becoming Barons or Daimios,

monks took

persecution of the Buddhist

when The workmen

place,

the power of the priesthood was to a great extent broken.

newly established

who

rulers of provinces

now sought

skilled

could manufacture objects such as they themselves desired

and which might serve as presents worthy of the accept-

to use,

These workmen became

ance of the Shogun or other barons. part of the household of the lord for in the

lived

whom

clothed as the servants of the household

marry

and received presents or favours

;

tion of

works having special

under the baronial

done

rest

and

rule, just as

in the seclusion of the

;

they were fed and

they were allowed to

in return for

the produc-

merit.

For seven centuries the best under the conditions of

;

They

they wrought.

precincts of the baronial palace

art

leisure

work of Japan was done enjoyed by artists working

the best work had formerly been

monastery.

Metal -work, especially, prospered during the

earlier

part of

the feudal period, for not only were good sword-blades necessary

during the periods of

Daimio

civil

war, but officers of rank, as well as the

himself, sought to have their sword

with metal ornaments of marked beaut}'. these enrichments, both as

and armour adorned

the perfection of

regards workmanship and

art,

they

especially prided themselves.

Our

first

acquaintance with Japanese manufactures revealed 2

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

4i8

But

their skill in the casting of metals.

was the Vienna Exhi-

bition

which showed what supreme casters of metal the Japanese

are.

In this exhibition was shown a casting of a flight of birds,

may now be

which

The

burgh.

seen in the Archaeological are so

birds

arranged

Yet the birds

continuous casting.

separate the one from the other.

know,

far as I

this

Museum

composing is

the work of a

was the most notable work

e\-er

This peacock, which was of but

this

last Paris

by the same wonderful metal founder.

International Exhibition

tail,

produced

But even

mould.

into a

marvellous work was surpassed by a peacock sent to the

feathers,

almost

are

ability.

by the flowing of molten metal

unspread

Edin-

group forms a

the

This casting

Tokio manufacturer of remarkable

that

many

life

had a drooping and

size,

of the feathers, and even barbs of the

were distinctly rendered

while in

;

many

cases the barbs

were separate the one from the other, and the individual feathers

more or

less distinct.

to the

time when this marvellous casting was brought

before the eyes of Europe nothing approaching

produced,

believe,

by any people

or in

had ever been

any time

but before

;

the close of the exhibition in which this was shown, Messieur

Barbedien of Paris added some truly remarkable works to exhibit, which, while smaller than the Japanese bird, difficult of

his

work

to guess

how he accomplished

should say that he had learned the Japanese secret,

and adopted

While

But were

production.

his

were equally

the'ir

method of work.

Tokio

had the opportunity of seeing the

little

foundry of the great metal caster who sent these marvellous objects to Europe,

and he most kindly showed

me how

he achieved his

results.

The

great peculiarity which

consisted in a fresh model being

Thus,

if fifty

kettles

noticed in the Japanese

made

for every

method

work produced.

were to be formed of the same pattern, not

only would a fresh sand mould be

made

for

each particular

kettle,

but a fresh model would be prepared for the making of each mould. All must

now be

familiar with those

beautiful iron kettles

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART.

which have become so fashionable

419

afternoon tea-drinking,

for the

and which frequently have a flower or some other device jutting out from the side in almost

full

These are of Japanese

relief

manufacture, and while the body is

of iron the

and the handle

lid

are generally of bronze (Fig. 176).

produce such a kettle a

block of

wood

shape of

its

appear

ornament

work,

finished

simple

most

modelled

wax

" core,"

this

a separate

pro-

modelling being neces-

cess

the

elaborate,

body, and the spray,

whatever

whether

turned to the

sary to the production of each particular kettle.

be seen that this pro-

It will

Fig. 176.

Cast-Iron Kettle, with

lid

and handle of bronze.

although

cess,

variety

and

laborious,

methods must seem of labour, lose

gives

to the

interest

works produced

to us to involve

;

and while

all

an unnecessary expenditure

yet think that the Japanese gain as

much

as they

their processes.

Nothing

remove from man a true perception

so calculated to

of art qualities as seeing hundreds of works precisely alike.

mere

fact of seeing a

ever meritorious each

number of

may

ciation of the beautiful. dislike,

though the work

one would

of Landseer's Frith's "

be,

itself

duplicates of the one thing, howcalculated to

may

be worthy of admiration.

like to see his walls covered with fifty copies

Last Mourner," Herbert's

The

weaken our appreThe multiplication of examples inspires

Derby Day," even

master.

There

such

Man

of Sorrows," or

each one were painted by the same

with reproductions of art objects of any kind.

something about numbers which

some way

detracts

certain

amount

from our appreciation of the object multiplied.

The Japanese method

casting

gives

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

420

of variety in the work produced, for no two objects are precisely

And

alike.

from the

character resulting

has a special

each

personal work of the modeller. It is this

to prefer

who have

quality which causes those

Japanese

kettles to

art appreciation

anything that the black countries

have yet produced.

Whether the work be

a rough piece of wood, to which shape

wax and

a mixture of

other fragile parts the

resin

The model being a sand of exceeding

This

with water.

manner

but

in the

given by the addition of

for their support.

formed by mi.xing

and almost clay- like

all over.

dry a second coating

are

given,

When

piled

all

by the semi-fluid

filled

process consists in removing the model with

sufficient

necessarily been

left

air

its

which the to

Certain holes have

exist.

through which the metal

mould, and also holes by which

time of casting.

" muffle,"

and evaporate the wax, and even

to melt

consume the wooden core should any to the

When

around the mass and pressed into

surrounding sand to a sort of kiln or is

If necessary, other

the whole appears as one shapeless but solid mass.

The next heat

this batter

and then another, but now the

the spaces which have been but partly till

such a

to leave

placed over the whole or part of the work.

these are dry sand

matter,

But care must be taken

batters are formed of a slightly coarser sand.

coats

in character,

model

no air-bubbles between the wax and the sand. is

bamboo

enclose such wires or

carefully spread over the

made on

is first

case of long feathers or

prepared, a thin batter fineness,

as to coat

;

wax would

would be needed

slips as

model

large or small a

be introduced

to be expelled at the

Through the holes any dust

or ash can be

removed from the mould.

process

this

melting

the

wax,

and

evaporating

through the body of the sand, a firmness seems to be produced in the

mould which our moulds

model

is first

this end. in a vessel,

lack.

But the

fact that the

coated with semi-fluid matter does

It is well

known

much water

that

much

a pint of fine sand

maj- be added to

wax

to attain is

placed

with the result of

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

diminishing, rather than increasing,

when

adhere more closely together

and

air,

owing to

this fact that

are brought into close contact

process of casting carried on,

workmen own.

Particles of matter

are able to

being floated

seemed

to differ in

essential

me by

This

while flowing through fine ducts.

know

made

hot before its

of could such work as the

by no other method that

tail

of the great peacock already mentioned be effected.

Japan, and

The

was known.

of "under- cut"

informed that of

v/as

to our

" I

never saw in method of working nothing

piece moulds this

chilling

think highly probable,

for

various

particular from our

the fluid metal was poured into them, so as to prevent

Anything analogous

medium,

Japan of seeing the actual

was, however, told that the moulds were

this

only saw the making of models

but from the explanations given to

;

when in make paper,

and entangle themselves together.

had no opportunity while

and moulds

bulk.

floated in water than

for the particles of vegetable fibre,

its

421

case

work

met by their wax models. is

a cast-iron

hibachiwith

much under-

Fig.

177

cut work.

one instance

saw a

kettle, the

was cover-

half of which

with

upper

little

rounded

eminences,

closely

ranged

geometrical

ar-

The mould

disposition.

was, in this case, formed in

two

and

wooden

parts,

lower,

an upper

upon

The upper

core.

Fig. 177.

Cast-Iron Hibachi ok Fike-Hqlder.

half of the

mould having been separated

from the lower, the end of a small iron tool, with rounded point eminence (Fig. 178), was pressed into the sand wherever an was wanted and while these indentations of the mould were ;

— JAPAN: ITS ARCHTTECTURE.

42 2

arranged with

mathematical accuracy,

almost

— row

being so placed that when the entire half of the

after row mould was

covered with these depressions those spiral lines appeared which are always visible

surface,—yet

this

when dots are regularly arranged on a globose work of " pitting " the mould was accomplished

simply by eye, and without the aid of any

The

casting of kettles

many

Tokio, whence with gold and

setting out

Osaka

are taken to

silver, for in

carried on chiefly

no country

whatever.

the district of

or Kioto to be inlaid

in the

world has damascen-

The

ing been carried to such perfection as in Japan.

work

finest

of India, Persia, Venice, and the Peninsula being entirely surpassed,

both as

regards

excellence

workmanship and perfection of

by many of the Japanese productions.

detail,

work occurs where gold iron or steel

The

inlaid

but the Japanese inlay

;

best of this

and not

in these latter

metals

also.

processes employed for the enrichment of metal-work in

Japan are more numerous than case

The

certain alloys,

small

unknown

any other country, and

metal -work

objects

carried

the

perfection

any other people.

Damascening, chasing, hammering, inlajang, and combining metals are means by which they achieve careful use of " textures ;" in

Japan with magnificent

so far as

while

by the

results.

In bold

hammered

iron alone,

know, has Japan been beaten by other nations

has

effects, as well as

but repouss^ worV. has been practised

grand

produced

nail-heads

(Fig.

^6)

and

;

but

good

some of the iron-work Germany wrought during the Middle Ages like that which may still be seen on the old houses

hinges,

—

near the cathedral at Frankfort-on-the-Main similar

work

—

better than

any

Japan.

With the exception

of the nature of the alloys used, and of

the means by which colour

given to metals, the metal manu-

factures are chiefly carried on in a

manner

similar to that of other

countries.

We tail "

here find true damascening.

cut being

into this cut.

made

This work

metal, and is

This results from a

dove-

by a wire being hammered

effected in the following

way

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

By the mered

aid of a

then

other (Fig. 179,

make

hammer

run along,

ham-

vertical sides. first

one

groove (Fig.

and

79, 1) which

formed with nearly

now tapped with

tool

of the

179,

chisel-like tool (Fig.

into the metal, a groove

The same side

little

423

the

Wi'

so as

3),

the base of the

groove wider than the cut

on the surface

(Fig.

79,

This process always

4).

causes the groove to have a raised and

curved is

edge. 째

slightly

now rubbed down,

the result, as seen

than

t IG. 179.

with

from the surface, of making

previously was (Fig. 179,

some other metal is

re-

This edge o

hammered

softer than the

into

")).

body

A in

wire of gold,

which

inlaid wire

silver,

to be inlaid,

The whole

this " dove-tail " groove.

ground down, and the

much narrower

then

appears as a gold line on the

surface.

method most

this

ments are produced

beautiful efiects

some specimens of

write,

and complicated orna-

patterns consisting of

for

and even flowers are formed.

scroll-work, I

;

and beautiful than anything

The Japanese

this I

work which are more minute

are also acquainted with the

made

the

manner

method of pro-

one of the richest

generally supposed to result from

a true method of damascening. is

lines,

have seen from any other nation.

ducing that elaborate Kuftgari work, which of Indian manufactures, and

straight

have before me, as

But

this

not the case, for

which the Japanese produce

their

cheaper work, and results from those parts of the surface of the metal, which are to be covered with gold, being scratching,

paper,

and by

made rough by

sheet-gold, of the thickness of ordinary writing-

being rubbed

on to

this

scratched

work, to

adheres, the rough surface being sufficient to secure

its

which

adhesion.

Lines, less in thickness than the shank of an ordinary pin, can

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

424

be formed with great accuracy by

masses of gold and of

Japanese bronzes, and which look in

method

this

;

and those large

which we frequently meet with on

silver

lumps of

solid metal, arc

of bronze covered with a sheet of gold or

reality only pieces

silver thus attached.

we not unfrequently

In Japanese metal-work of enamel introduced. "

by the

their places

These are

dove-tail

" cut.

Much Japanese metal-work lump

or devices out of a solid

form after

due

results

fixed in the bronze

to the mixture of various metals

have before

sprays

undulated surface

by the

but the choicest effects are

;

methods of production, and

little bit

of inlaid

The

body formed of

;

with is

its

greatly

moon

the

another iron

tree

have been

under the tree stands on one leg a while

silver,

(it is

low

relief),

eye (which

its

legs are of gold.

two and a half inches long by three-quarters of width, which has twenty-two little daisy-like flowers

a clasp,

an inch

The dense mass

formed of white metal with gold centres. little

water

Here

silver.

stork protrudes from the iron disc

its

work

little

in the

longer than the eye of a very fine needle) and

Here

as water

as well

cut,

moon appearing

inlaid in fine gold lines, while

stork.

the one work.

which a few sprays of some drooping

and has

and alloys

but the interest of this

reflected

being formed of a button

;

cut into

a sort of iron button on which one or two

bamboo have been

increased

from the cutting of forms

or plate of metal, which

to the absence of all mechanical

find small plaques

prepared, and then held in

first

leaves

on which these flowers

metallic alloy,

and each

leaf appears to

mass by so many clean

the solid

rest

cuts.

formed of some dark

have been chiselled from

Here

little

chased

bead, about half an inch square, ornamented with flowers and

an insect

;

but interest

gold on the insect's

yellow metal while has a

fruit

imparted to the work by a touch of

neck, and by one flower-bud being in all

else

white.

Here

this

a brooch which

resembling that of the winter cherry boldly chiselled'

out of white metal, but through

some

little

openings

in the fruit,

which represent decay, a red substance appears like coral, while

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, some of the

leaves are white, others black (being formed of an

alloy into the composition of which

brown of tea-urn

others the rich

Here

There

through

Here, too, its

object, but

this curious

enters),

and

this

lines of gold.

the surface

rendered

method of mixing the

metals.

another gourd-like bottle formed of brass, but with

surface roughened

some

and irregularly arranged

no pattern on the

antimony largely

bronz.e.

gourd-like bottle formed of iron, but

little

iron are inlaid little curved

interesting

425

little

irregular

similar metal protruding from

rounded lumps of zinc or

it.

have also seen curious convoluted surfaces, formed by a

number

of thin layers of various metals brazed together

bulging of this sheet, and

compound

metals of the

till

a thick

Then, by the irregular hammering and

sheet has been formed.

its

subsequent grinding down,

all

the

sheet appear

on the surface in waved lines. Repousse work was formerly much practised

town of Hiroshima

the

manufacture has

but the

(Fig. 180),

been removed to Osaka, where the descendants of the old Hiroshima metal-

workers

work

still

also

The

chiefly live

made

finest

seen of this

but repousse

;

Kioto and Tokio.

specimens that

have

work are the

particular

property of Mr. Mounsey.^

Curiously,

have never seen any other specimens

similar to

these.

white metal, probabh(called

has a bowl in

white copper

by the Japanese

tutenague),

which has a dragon hammered up on its

interior surface with

table

works seen. '

skill.

repousse

almost inimi-

one of the that

finest

have ever

Fig. 180.

Bronze Hiroshima Candlestick.

Mr. Mounsey has also a pair

With much sorrow

learn of this gentleman's death while

my book

is in

the press.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

426

of vases, about two feet

in height,

and robes treated with a

surrounded by nimbused

work

surpassing, any mediaeval or early renaissance

There

to us.

saints,

crisp conventionality, equalling, if not

about these works a

breadth

preserved

still

of treatment,

a simplicity of execution, and a boldness of design, which, when

mingled with a perfect understanding of the method by which the design has been produced, stamp I

cannot but know the

them

as of great excellence.

Milton Shield," the other great

works

of our Elkington, and the products of the attelier of Messieur

objects preserved in the great

thought,

York, as well as the

museums of Europe;

calm

yet, after

doubt whether any greater works exist than those of

which Mr. Mounsey these works

and that

New

and of Tiffany of

Christofle of Paris,

happy

the

have been told that

Since

possessor.

first

saw

have objects of a similar kind,

have either had these works of Mr. Mounsey copied,

or have succeeded, through seeing them, in

This

like treasures.

possessing myself of

another instance of the fact which so often

comes before me, that others know so much more of me than myself know. ledge and

Were

belief, I

speaking according to the best of

my know-

should say that the only things of the kind

have ever seen are the magnificent, and perhaps unequalled, works

which Mr. Mounsey managed to pick up while gentlemen have stated that Japan,

suppose

somewhere amidst

must be

my many

can positively say, that I

know, Mr. Mounsey

are both unique I

and

I is

also have blind,

Japan

but as

;

received like works from

and that

the\-

specimens of oriental

have never seen them

;

and

hidden

are

This

art.

that, so far as

the possessor of works in repousse which

priceless.

saw the silversmith

to the

emperor (Mikado)

hammering up beautiful forms in his company was his grand when very old man) and his spectacles (Fig. teapot,

work on a

but what struck

;

old 1

happy

me most

face (he

was a

i ).

Hiroshima bronze-work attained a celebrity which deserved, and which will increase as time advances.

richly

resulted

from the work of the hammer, and from a simple method of inlaying.

The

vessel itself

was of copper-coloured bronze, whether

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

427

and each specimen bore the marks of the hammer, hke a modern frying-pan. Silver inlaid sprays, bordered by sunk tool marks, gave relief to the surface (Fig. 182). But Hiroshima work was also characterised by little embossed metal box, tazza, or tray

;

clasps,

which overlaid every crack, handle, or seam

(Fig.

82, a

school of

Hiroshima bronze affords a

a).

work and

individuality

hammered bronze

refined

Fig. 181.

and

Fig. 182.

HiRosHiM.-\

would take many printed pages

specialties of

and no better

;

exists than that of Hiroshima.

His Spectacles.

the metal

fine illustration

feeling

art

Tazz.\, inlaid with silver.

enumerate the excellences

Japanese metal-work

Bronze

;

the task, therefore, must

The wood-carver, the enameller, the weaver, and others have an equal demand on my space, which

not be attempted. the printer, I

must divide as well

The

arts, consists

at the

before

conveyed.

was

the

can amongst

all.

the variety and delicacy, the poetical feeling, and

a metal netsuki on which

innumerable.

same time the boldness, displayed

a dragon-fly, a

great charm in Japanese metal work, as in most of their

it.

have here

find a butterfly, a

moth,

gnat, beetles, a bee, grass, leafage, and flowers

Thus the thought of summer, In

illustration

and here the

life,

already given,

and beauty have spoken

water

which the moon

interest centres

the sheen of the

bamboo drooping over

reflected,

the

reflected orb of night, while the very attitude of the stork, stand-

;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

428

ing under the golden branches of a weeping tree, removes the nctsuki from a mere mechanical work.

thinking

and even

;

its

some time since this become conscious of sustenance.

The

bird

last

stands on one leg,

moment

tribe in the adjacent waters

shall

coal-skuttles, tin

its

further

should seek, and for

mind which of the

choose for

its

finny

evening meal.

realised

and iron grates

kettles,

the

fact

make

that

steel

fenders, copper

but we have never

;

by producing metallic

combining these with pure metals, a world of colour

has just

shortly need

will

people but the Japanese have understood the value of

colour in metal compositions.

fully

evidently

contemplative mood, medi-

made up

has scarcely

obviously-

It is

partook of food, and

the fact that

tating on the nature of the meal which

the

bird

thoughts can be divined.

have also never known the value of reflected

to metal compositions.

many

copper to another plaque of

tin

and when various

If light

to another

all

metals,

the

times it

effects

reflected

produced

to us.

from one sheet of

intense

open

and

light in relation

red,

becomes an earth -green

considered,

alloys,

light,

we have open

from one

(terra vert),

reflected

by the

to us an

infinite

resource of polychromatic harmony.

The Japanese have more nearly achieved the production of harmony in metals than any other people and in many their works we see gold, silver, copper, zinc, black-metal, tea-urn

colour of

;

bronze, green bronze,

and other metals and

alloys brought together

and not only brought together, but so arranged that are brightened

reflected lights,

and brought

into

their colours

harmony by

skilful juxtaposition.

We are certainly lence,

and

harmony

in the

very infancy of our knowledge of metal-

Chillcney's cups are masterpieces of manipulative excel-

working.

their art qualities are also great in

;

but there

anything that Chilleney ever produced.

no colour

What

are

gold and silver but vehicles for the production of the beautiful

and cannot tenderness of shape, delicacy of form, and careful manipulation find expression also in copper, iron, tin, and lead ?

Are not

these, then, also vehicles for the

conveyance of beautiful

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

thought and refinement of mind

Japanese

they are

certainlj-

429

alone, of all civilised nations, understand

and the

;

how

com-

bine metals so that they shall express form, and at the same

time combine to produce colour harmonies.

In their combination

of metals they express an understanding and knowledge of the of

capabilities

materials

than

greater

that

European

of any

people.

One

other

worthy of most

connected

point

with

given to metals.

They

which

respectability of polishing,

the

silver

colour,

the Japanese this

not so striking to us, for to them the whole

article

was

removed

process

this

and what was a work worthy of high appreciation

by her

their

new abode she discovered

her

once proceeded to brighten.

tale has a point

but to the Japanese glitter

which was beautifully oxydised and subdued

which she

had,

;

a tale of a servant coming from the rural

tell

tinguished family. teapot,

Tokio, where she entered the service of some dis-

districts

metal-work

are too fond of bright surfaces, and not

unfrequently prefer glitter to repose vulgar.

Japanese

careful consideration, namely, the various textures

labour,

become an

object of absolute vulgarity.

sure that the Japanese are right in seeking to give to

works

metal

such textures as will

render their forms

apparent, and

make

the ornaments which they bear prominent

Many

of their works have a

contrast.

powder-like grain, and from

what smooth

this

toothed

or gun-

an ornament, having a some-

surface, frequently stands out.

But the number of

various textures given to the surfaces of metals by the Japanese is

almost endless.

The Japanese

are the only perfect metal-workers which the

world has yet produced,

for

they are the only people

who do

not

think of the material, and regard the effect produced as of greater

moment

than the metal employed.

gold, silver,

and copper, are only

things of beauty as the other,

may

To them iron, zinc, bismuth, so many materials with which

be produced, and the one

perfect appropriateness

of the material, and

as acceptable

seen in the application

the result produced be

satisfactory

and

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

430

So long

beautiful.

and

insist

value the material rather than the

upon purchasing

art objects

art,

by the ounce, we can never

Whoever heard of music being dealt Fancy paying for an oratorio by measured quantities.

attain to true knowledge.

out

the length of time taken up in

recital,

its

or purchasing a picture

Yet if a silver teapot is purchased its weight is by the yard demanded, as though the material were not altogether insignificant when compared with the knowledge and skill expended on its production. If a teapot has been formed by a man who has no art knowledge, and who has simply expended upon its production !

many

hours of labour, then

right to determine both the

value of the labourer's time and the cost of the material the

work be

beautiful,

knowledge and

ridiculous to estimate it

and

refinement its

of an

but

;

conveys to the beholder the educated

artist,

then

value as though the material of which

composed were of greater worth than the amount

thought, and painstaking care expended upon

its

production.

life,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

CHAPTER

431

VI.

ON THE MEANS BY WHICH FABRICS RECEIVE PATTERN. Processes in zvhicli the effect produced results from

The

processes of printing on fabrics, and the

figures are

produced on both cottons and

the loom, are

somewhat various

silks,

With

Japan.

tlie Jise

of dyes.

means by which without the aid of

the simple methods

of block printing they are perfectly familiar, but of those processes

which are mere modifications of our own

methods which

need not speak.

The

about to describe are those by which the

greater portion of Japanese fabrics receive their figure.

Japanese towels, as cloth or calico,

have before

about three

feet

said, are strips of

length by one foot

common in

width,

which always bear some simple pattern or curious device, and while they sometimes vary in colour, almost nineteen out of twenty are of blue with a white figure.

All

etc.,

183), cesses

which

seem

first

such

towels,

coolies'

dresses

(Fig.

by one of the following pro-

figured

method

consists in

preparing two blocks, the one of

simply a heavy piece of wood with a perfectly smooth

while the other has the pattern which

cloth cut into

upon

fabrics,

The face,

common

it.

its surface,

From

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the pattern

to be given to the

thus wrought in intaglio

the deeper portions of the sunken figures holes

are bored through the block to the outer surface, where they are

enlarged into funnel-shaped tubes.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

432

order that the fabric be figured

smooth surface of the figured block

now

plain block, as

inverted

KiG. 183.

The

circular device

surfaces of the plain

so as

possible,

and

stretched over the

upon a

table

thus the fabric

upon

;

lies

this the

between the

Printed Dress of a Coolie. i^

the badsc of the master

and figured wood.

whom

he serves.

Pressure

now employed

bring the surfaces of the blocks as near together as

when

dye

thus brought

;

has been

hollowed.

saturated with the dye

poured through the funnel-shaped holes,

contact with the fabric wherever the block In

few seconds the fabric has become

when the blocks

are inverted,

all

the spare

poured off; and thus the fabric has received pattern,

fluid

pressure was sufficient to prevent the

running

for the

of the dye, and

thus the obliteration of the figure.

some

cases a

dyed

which

fluid in

will

a dyed cloth,

in this

way

that

on cloth I

works

discharge

weak

the dye already existing

poured through the holes

many

acid, or

the block.

It is

of the towels are figured.

this method of producing patterns by no means unknown in our own manufactures believe that it is now almost abandoned in our calico print-

Although but

destroy or

by a some other

fabric receives a white pattern

modification of this process, in which a

have described

being, however, one of the simple processes

;

by which

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, cottons

are

mention

figured

Japan,

have

Another process by which cotton

common

84), but

this

that

simpl_\-

stencilled with a kind

or " resist " (a substance

with

pattern " resist "

mersed

the

that

protects

the

upon the

cloth

con-

Whenever the

latter).

placed

of paste,

dye when brought

cloth from tact

fabrics receive pattern

formed of lacquered paper (Fig. simple means two kinds of effect are produced.

while in the other case the pat-

;

dye being used instead of

stencilled, a

paint

desirable

stencil plate

In the one case the pattern

tern

it.

of using a I

thought

433

fabric

afterwards

im-

a dye vat, and then washed,

by which processes the ground of the first receives colour, and then the " resist " is washed away, leaving a white cloth

upon a coloured ground. There is another modification

l'"iG.

pattern

by which work

process,

this

the

following roundabout

figure

little

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;say

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; has

a leaf

104.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Stencil imr.med

quered PAPER. The

lac-

i.if

dark, tint

shows

the paper, and the white lines the

openings cut

it,

full size.

done

Let us suppose that a

manner.

be distributed in green colour

over the surface of a fabric, a thing which could obviously be

done by the use of a small green colour.

little

stencil

result.

They

a brush with

cut a series of leaves,

by which they achieve this all of the same shape and

paper, and instead of using the sheets from which the

leaves have been cut as so

many

stencil

plates,

they take these

paper leaves themselves and arrange them upon the cloth

manner

But the Japanese have a labour-expending

process (not a labour saving-method)

size,

plate and

Now

required.

in the

holding a leaf with a finger of the

left

hand, and with a sort of trowel in the right, on which rests a quantity of buried, as

Leaf

resist,

well

after leaf

as is

they so spread the

covered

cloth in

the

that

the

leaf

intervening between

the

leaves.

this

resist

same manner, care being taken

2 F

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

434

" resist "

that the

Each the

leaf,

fabric

does not get under the edges of the paper.

which

now

covered,

" resist "

through the

just visible

hence at these particular places the fabric

The

clean.

now

a green dye vat,

dried, the

fabric

cloth

dipped

now exposed

steaming process which

and

to us,

iliar

;

" resist

by which the spaces assume their colour.

leaf-like

The

with whicli

up by a needle point

picked

thus the resist

to the

so fam-

then washed

;

removed, and we

have a series of green leaves

figur-

ing a white

surface. Fig. 185 copy of a dragon cut in paper which I saw used while in

gives a

J^pan

Fm. iSs.-paper Dragon.

just

manner of the

in the

must now consider the means by which expensive

such as silks and

no process

silk crapes, receive their patterns,

any way analogous

aware,

to the

the task of describing

the whole of these descriptions of processes

what

to repeat little

feci

have already said briefly

time since before the Society of Arts

go into matters so

Now to

as to the

artist,

fully as

means of

who draws

were designing an

can

The

far

difficult,

and less

paper read some

but there

could not

work.

figuring fabrics, the silk

the pattern upon

am now

fabrics,

we have

have more or

most

in a

;

in the present

historical cartoon.

by the process which in

but as

Japanese method, so

leaf

spoken of

is first

as carefully as

given if

pieces of silk figured

describing, are about forty feet

length by twelve inches in width, and on the entire fabric the

artist places either

a varying or a repeating pattern as

required.

This pattern he draws with a preparation of indigo, which can readily be

removed from the

fabric

by washing

;

gives outline but adds depth, shade, or whatever to

produce a desired

and he not only

may

enable him

effect.

Thus, at the outset, the whole pattern

drawn by hand

(Fig.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, I

and

86),

this

we should think a

figure to a fabric

work

only

;

now

sufficientl)- costly

435

mode

of giving

but in the process which we are considering the in its first

Fig. i86.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Painting

stage of production.

the Design on the Fabric.

After a native drawing.

The artist having finished his work hands the fabric to a workman who has prepared a material of a most tenacious and ductile nature a sort of glutinous bird-lime. This mucous matter he forms by boiling the finest possible rice-flour with lime water of a particular strength. Having previously prepared this glutinous matter he warms it slightly, and rubs it on a board with

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

a kind of putty knife, but

warm

appears to

indiarubber would be.

as difficult to rub as

piece of this bird-lime about the

wooden point or skewer, and a portion of the fabric is stretched flat by bowed Thus all is ready for pieces of cane being placed beneath it. size

of a small pea

work.

that

the

placed on the end of a

Holding the stretched

with the it

may

little

hand under the

left

fabric over a small charcoal

cloth, so

as to raise

fire,

any portion of

be necessary, and with the point of wood, on which

ball of plastic

matter, in the other hand, the operator

begins by touching the fabric at some point of the pattern, say at the base of a leaf, with the to the cloth.

The

ball

mucous

mucus

distance from the surface of the

the fabric and the ball there

mucus, for so ductile

ball,

fabric,

now

which at once adheres

now drawn say a

foot,

some

little

but between

intervenes a thread

the material, and so sticky, that

of this it

will

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

436

adhere to anything, and draw out to a thread some yards

length without breaking. right hand, in is

held,

when

which the wooden point supporting the plastic matter

and by the middle

finger of the left

hand

necessary, a thread of the plastic matter

formed, and

movements of the

certain dexterous

as constantly

raising the cloth

being constantly

dropped upon the

fabric as an outline

With the utmost

skill leaves, flowers,

to the pattern (Fig. 187, a).

-.:^^>

Fig. 187.

and even the small parts of the

flowers, as the stamens, are outlined

upon the cloth as a thread of about the thickness of an ordinary pin-shank. The whole pattern, howwith this mucus, which

ever small

its detail,

But as

outlined.

for thickening

falls

or however finely serrated

this outline is not sufficient,

Hence a

it.

of about four inches in

and with an

a tin nozzle, in the

made by

such as would be tube

and also to

thus

formed broad

its

the small end this tube

apex of which

charged with the mucus, and through the

afforded a

now

are adopted

orifice at

an opening

a fine darning-needle (Fig.

the tin nozzle the plastic matter outside)

leaves,

conical tube of oiled paper

length,

end of about an inch in diameter. terminates

its

means

87,

fine

B).

This

opening

raise the outline already formed.

All this has

means of preventing the "running" of dyes which and when thus prepared the fabric is ready

to be used

so pressed as to thicken (on the

;

are for

the next stage of the process.

This consists

in the

painting with dyes of various colours of

the spaces enclosed by the

mucous material

;

and a care

little is

banks of now dry but formerly

bestowed upon

this painting

such as

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, would

production of a highly-finished water-colour

suffice for the

drawing.

way

In this

437

dried, the colours are

the pattern

exposed

for

wrought.

The dyes having

about six minutes to the action

of steam in a steam bath

(which

a sort of kit-

chen

over

pot

water),

and

steamer

placed boiling

then

mucous matter moved by the

the re-

fabric

being gently rinsed a

vat

(Fig.

water

clean

88).

the ground

of the figures

now

are

painted over by a

and the

then dipped

" re-

fabric

the dye

ground receiving

vat, the

colour as

its

the whole

coloured

sist,"

un-

protected.

Landscapes, flowers, birds,

and

groups

various

kinds

duced

and some

od,

are

this

of pro-

meth-

Fig. i88.

interest-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Pattern

of Fabric into which Telegraph

Posts, with their Insulators,

and Telegraph

Wires are introduced.

ing sketches, which are often mistaken in

this

for

pure hand drawings, are wrought

semi-mechanical method.

Many thus

England

some

fabrics are

made by combinations

are in part stencilled and in

of these processes

part wrought by

;

this last

mentioned process.

The means

of producing an effect just described appears to us

the most laborious that could well be imagined

method

;

yet, while the

laborious, the results achieved are in the highest degree

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

43S

and nothing could be more welcome than some of

satisfactory,

the effects thus laboriously obtained.

Here, on a length of fabric figured by this strange process,

some

have a

series

strange

forms, distributed

shapes

of panels,

with

painted,

group of

exquisite

some other pretty

all

flowers, a

objects,

the

may

groups of singular

method, such as we employ,

be disposed to talk of

mode

of work

wasted labour

process, effects that

all

artists

work yet achieved by our calico with art knowledge and taste.

The Japanese know have already

results are achieved

notice

the

whereas but

little

has satisfied persons

other methods of figuring fabrics, as

;

these only by which artistic

and while we cannot hope that our manu-

follow the Japanese methods,

facturers will

;

but the processes described are those which

said,

alone require our notice, for

their

esteem

printers

;

and

laborious methods," the Japanese yet succeed in producing,

their

flight,

the ground are dispersed

could possibly produce the effects gained by this

and while we

hand -work, an

few birds at rest or

while

mechanical

purely

In each of these

tenderness of

blossoms, sprays, spiders'- webs, and insects interest.

and some of other

fan -shaped,

over the surface.

artistic

character of the

we yet commend works

produced

to in

Japan.

The

principal seat of the cotton-printing industry

and near towns

;

but the more expensive fabrics, as

Nagoya

silks,

are

chiefly figured in Kioto.

Fabrics figured in the Loom, by Embroidery,

and

by combined Methods.

As the

regards the methods by which fabrics receive pattern

loom

little

need be

said, for

they are of primitive character

and the work of the Jacquard apparatus raises strings

;

done by a boy who

and thus enables the weaver to give pattern

to his

fabrics.

This same method of weaving was formerly employed by

us,

ART, for

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

on the top of our loom

succeeded

sat the " draw-boy,"

439

whom

Jacquard

dethroning by the ingenious contrivance wliich bears

his name.

In Japan weaving

carried

appliances, and the shuttle

Even

the hand.

on ahnost without mechanical

passed across the warp threads by

those cases where

many

colours are introduced

the various shuttles necessary for the production of the fabric are

moved more which such a

manner of a darning-needle than contrivance is moved by us. the

For personal wear Japanese neutral

but a

colour,

will

girl

are

fabrics

show

generally

a narrow strip

that in

of dark

bright

colour around her neck, and the sash which she winds around

her waist will often be of rich terry, with a pattern upon velvet

and gold.

But

no case must she wear obtrusive colours,

bow on

save around the neck, or as a

the hair, and even these bits

of colour must be small in quantitj-.

The Japanese seem

understand most of the systems of

weaving that we employ, but they also have methods peculiar themselves.

It is

common

find

as to produce a velvet pattern, figure,

terry cloths with parts so cut

when

and the terry as the ground

;

the velvet appears as the

but when this

generally happens that by looking into velvet gold

may

the case

the cut surface of the

be seen, for the Japanese often weave gold into

the substance of a fabric so that

can only be seen through th

cut velvet surface.

Speaking of gold, we may here remark that the thread used in

the weaving of fabrics for the production of gold tissues

nearly always shredded gilt paper, and that gold thread

scarcely

ever used by the Japanese weaver.

The

fabrics

gorgeous

used for

produced are very varied

colour and beautiful in effect scarcely know.

;

no other way have utilised.

are

but what these are

have seen bright coloured cloths

thrown over trays on which presents were borne to a produce

Some

in character.

friend, but

seen the gorgeous tissues which they

Their houses are not draped

openings have no curtains

;

and there

;

the

window

no furniture to cover.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

440 All in

can say

that during

is,

stay in Japan

never saw, either

palace of the Mikado, the residence of a minister, the

the

house of a merchant, or the cottage of an

any of

artisan,

their

richly coloured fabrics used, either as dress materials or in

other way.

any

the occasion of a reception given by Sir Harry

Parkes one native lady of high rank wore a dress covered with

cherry-blossoms of the softest pink shade, and on the robes of the priestesses at Nara were embroidered

sprays

somewhat

bright colour, and, while neither was of a character similar to the rich

specimens of which

many

possess

stronger in colour than anything that

save

bits of

little

common

finery in

examples, they were

met with

the country,

which the children of poor

parents were dressed on holiday occasions.

Amidst the ground

rich fabrics

often find specimens in

being from red to white.

that

ground

the

we have

Besides

common

from one colour to another, the most

shades

variation

_another

which the

changes this

about

notice

whereas

every half yard,

change occurring about every four inches.

gorgeous

the

In one illustration

colouring and the free use of gold,

resembling our brocaded

produced

effects

silks

by polychromatic

we have many

and these are either

;

fabrics closely in

two

distinct

colours or are mere damasks, their pattern rendered visible by a certain

arrangement of the threads.

Then we have gauze -like

tissues

of the most charming tints

of soft greens, gray-blues, and other neutral colours, with patterns

woven upon them

in gold, or in

gold and colours

;

but

we might

almost fancy that the figures on some of these tissues had been

produced by darning, at the

back of the

useless

material

;

for

fabric,

there

floating " of the thread

and the consequent cutting away of the

and besides these there are scores of other

cloths which cannot possibly be described.

Something should be

said

the character of the

respecting

patterns with which these fabrics are figured.

One

consists of a

dragon, clouds, and flowers, drawn to a somewhat large scale, and coloured

rich

and neutral manner

formed wholly of scroll-work

;

some have patterns

others have scroll-work grounds

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, with circular

floral

441

ornaments placed upon them.

Some have

the ground covered with fan -shaped panels, in which landscapes are

wrought

and others have patterns of a wholly geometrical

;

Then

character.

there are patterns formed of clouds, of storks,

of insects, of pine leaves, of small diapers, of sailing boats, of

cobwebs, of fungi, of water, of feathers, of

bats, of

fire -flies,

sea-monsters, of broken diapers, irregular powderings, strange key patterns,

rosettes,

plaids,

waved

numerous to mention, even

and

lines,

rain

elements too

other

being used

some of

their

designs.

Out of

these strange materials the Japanese artists

manage

construct patterns which are both interesting and satisfying, and,

discarding

symmetry and

their fancy

and produce designs of the wildest

Yet there

nothing

other fetters, they give free vent to

all

ontJ-e in

order.

their patterns, for

flatness of

treatment and evenness of distribution they achieve the produc-

having

tion of effects at

same time they

the

pean

all

necessary qualities of repose, although,

bid defiance to

all

the canons of Euro-

art.

What would

an English

artist

think were he asked to produce

a pattern from telegraph posts and wires, or to arrange a design in

outline

and

boys at play fabrics

colours which should consist wholly of

Yet with such

materials

Japanese art seems to laugh

the European derision.

flat

designer

the

at the

little

Japanese figure

canons by which

bound, and to hold our method

Clearly, without law

and without order, patterns can be

constructed which are quite as acceptable as those which other nations with fixed rules have produced.

While speaking thus respecting the art of Japan, I must not be understood to underrate the ornament which arose in Egypt, in China, in Greece, in Byzantium, and in Arabia, and which developed

into

the

styles of

Morocco, and Normandy.

Rome, Pompeii, Turkey,

Neither do

of a more exalted character than

than the Greek,

less

dignified

these.

Persia,

say that Japanese art Its

forms are

less

than those of Egypt, and in

miss that purity of style which characterises

Mahometan

pure it

orna-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECrUME,

44-;

ment.

\'et there

unknown little is

a variety and a freshness about

to all other systems of decoration

of the college, and

makes no pretence

redolent of spring, and has

all

which

and while

;

savours

to Attic elegance,

the freshness of the fields and

the flowers.

In the sections Architecture and Art

the interest of Japanese patterns

lies

we noticed

here

fact (Fig.

Woven

189).

was taken

where

and

a dress which well

illustrates this

much

that

poetical feeling,

its

in Kioto,

to Vienna,

enjoyed a con-

spicuous position at the International Exhibition,

which

after

possession.

came The

into

pat-

tern of this dress consists

of flowers and butterflies

drawn

in colours

cloth

gold

The

flowers

flies

are

upon a ground.

and

treated

butteras

flat

ornaments, and are without

shade

but

mony I

Fig. 189.

Woven Fabric with Cloth of Gold Ground AND Flowers and Flies in Colours.

though

this

excellent, but

wish to

call

perfect as

the thought realised

one can

look

upon

the

;

har-

of colour to which

this

attention,

is,

beauty of the

namely. Summer.

shadow

not

nor the drawing,

the work,

beautiful dress

without feeling the influence of the sunny ground, of the profusion of richly coloured bloom, of the glorious insects which appear to

hover over the flowers

summer while we could possibly

gaze.

;

and the influence makes us

feel

that

merely imitative treatment of flowers

convey the thought of summer so well as

this

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES. we

conventional treatment does, and here

443

are pleased with the

consistency of the means employed to achieve the

while

effect,

we should have been offended

the rendering had been naturalistic

by inappropriateness.

The

richly figured fabrics of

Kioto, and

banking compan)',

Mitsui

Japan are nearly

all

majority of the looms are owned

the

yet

individuals

private

produced

by the

rich

weave

also

fabrics.

Embroidery

carried

on as a manufacture, and

seems

an accomplishment.

The

never to be practised

fabric to be decorated

stretched on a frame, and

much

ladies

worked

Europe.

Embroidery, as practised

Japan,

pattern

more usual

form

seen

brought

Two

full

these.

many

numbers

for

the

kinds, but the

have

been

banner -screens

;

idea of the nature of Japanese work.

methods of producing

Japan are

on those squares which

into this country in large

yet these do not convey a

men work

They have

which

results

are

peculiar

kind of embroidery consisting

wholly of raised dots similar to those often used for the centres of flowers in this country, and which result from wrapping the

thread

several

through the

times round the needle and drawing the latter

coil.

when the work

This class of work

on a small

scale,

made with

a fine thread

and with a coarse thread

the production of large pieces, such as

we should use

for

for the panels

of walls.

The other method

that of forming the ground of a

of spiral arrangements of the thread.

much Japanese embroidery fabric

through the is

used

results

on which the work

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ground

fabric, as

from stitching threads to the

placed rather than from stitching

common

with

us.

say one of the one-sixteenth inch

formed by

this

number

should be noticed that

When in

a stout thread

diameter

cord being rolled into

flat

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

the

spirals of

two or more inches in diameter, which are sewn to the fabric, but I have only seen this method of a curious effect is produced pieces. I have also seen the ground work employed on large ;

formed of gold threads so arranged into masses as to give much

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

444

the ground of "the hawthorn pattern;" and

the effect of

arrangement has the advantage view

may

whatever point of

be seen, some parts of the gold will yet be bright.

some

from

that,

this

by shaded or

cases remarkable effects are achieved

mixed yarns being

In a piece before

used.

write

see

the silk thread shaded from indigo to claret colour, from claret to green, from green to soft yellow,

and from

this to light blue,

Then we have

a sandy beech formed of

mixed

the shades are soft and silvery, and are so

Water

a curious sheen.

crestings to the waves,

from white to

hues.

worked

managed

and the clouds are worked

which

conspicuous

produce

as to

shades of blue, with white

red, in various tints of blue,

figure

threads, but here

and

in this

shades passing

in a series of

which

silk,

modelled by wool being placed beneath the raised

slightly

The skimp

has eyes formed of talc or horn.

amber

work has a

piece of

head and neck formed of a piece of flesh-coloured

and

the rocks on this piece of work are formed of this mixed yarn.

all

parts.

hair of the head,

eyebrows, the long but sparse moustache and beard, are

the

full

all

formed of the

finest

silk,

the loose ends of which give a

strange naturalistic look to the embroidery.

The

lips are

worked

with red, and a soft pink thread gives outline to the features, while the texture of a tiger standing close beside the figure excellently given by shades of floss

More need not be notice

silk.

respecting embroidery, for

combination of processes by which the

achieved

said

we must

finest

effects

Japanese fabrics are rendered.

we manufacture

woven fabrics, and we also work embroidery, but we never attempt to combine the three methods of producing pattern. This is not so with the Japanese, for here we find any methods employed, however In England

varied,

With of

us,

order that also,

common

effects

printed goods and

of an art

character be

printing seems to be employed

stuffs

only

;

for

produced.

the figuring

but in Japan the methods equivalent to

our printing processes are applied to the most costly

fabrics,

and

paid to the texture of the cloths which are

special attention

to receive pattern

by any method of

printing.

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, crape

Silk

445

favourite material with the Japanese, and by a " resist " being stencilled over parts of the surface, when, by dyeing, a white pattern is produced on a coloured ground, as we have already seen. Such a pattern when it

often

figured

occurring on

expensive

embroidery, some of the

material

flowers

being

generally enriched in

filled

with coloured

or with gold, while

silks

a leaf here and there

emphasised

the same-

manner.

A dress, which especially

woven

was

beautiful.

a white

damask, figured

silk

all

over with the buds and

flowers of the plum. far

a woven fabric

But

figured in the loom.

now

goes to the printer,

and he

stencils here

there upon " resist "

its

fan-shaped pan-

and then

els,

fabric

dips

the

a soft scarlet

dye.

and

surface in

thus have

a Fig. 190.

scarlet fabric figured with

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; f.^BRIC

little

plum blossoms and

outline either flowers, outline

part

work next goes

fish,

filled

The

with subdued tints of colour.

who

who works

a border

around

enriches certain portions of the

surface with charming sprays of the silk thread,

in tender

animals, birds, or landscape, and the

to the embroiderer,

each fan-shaped panel, and

yellow-green

now drawn

In each panel are

white fan-shaped panels.

THE LOO.M, AND and Embroidery.

l-iGUliED IN

DvElN'G, Painting,

and some

fir-tree,

some

gold,

some

a green shade of indigo

(Fig. 190).

This method of combining processes

of the greatest value

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

446 achieviiifj

art

effects,

and we

lose

more than

supposed by our exclusive modes of work.

generally

forget that various

processes achieve different results, and that these various effects

can be combined in a most welcome and harmonious manner.

The question that we have to solve as artists is not simply how we may produce the best effect by printing, by weaving, or by embroidery, but how we can produce the most welcome results Surely if by a by any processes of which we have knowledge. combination of weaving and printing, or of printing and broidery, or

we can

cloth,

only,

it is

em-

by a union of the three methods of giving figure to get better effects than by employing one method

our duty as well as our privilege to avail ourselves of

them.

Nothing can be more stupid than our pig-headed persistence Progress is no longer possible if we do only in old methods. what our forefathers did and the gulf which separates one manu;

facture from another must be crossed

should.

and

all

are to advance as

have yet to learn the need of so using

all

materials as to achieve the best possible results.

may meet

doing we

with trade opposition and the

processes

In so

difficulties

which spring from prejudice and ignorance, but these must be encountered and overcome or our manufactures will ultimately be to a great extent replaced

some

by those of Japan.^

instances embroidery

used to heighten the effect

a drawing, and in the case of Indian

ink sketches on silk

golden threads are frequently employed to give sheen to clouds.

On is

a specimen of a very beautiful character, in which the drawing

coloured,

of floss silk

we have ;

and

the lustre of ripe capsicums given by threads

a melon garden by moonlight

we have touches

of embroidery which give the idea of the yellow blossoms

in a

strange and effective manner.

Another method by which

fabrics receive pattern in

Japan

evidently derived from Central Asia, and practised to this day in '

may

here be noticed that Japanese tea-trays have ahnost entirely superseded our

own, and have materially injured our manufacture of such than that of English goods, and their

articles, as their price is less

art qualities greatly superior.

——

—

ART, India

;

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

The mode

of procedure

Two

as follows.

inches in width (twelve inches

Fabric tied ready for dyeing.

These two pieces of forming one double thicknesses,

Flu. 194.

for

fabric

fabric,

arc placed

and

pieces of white

length and twelve

the usual width of native cloths).

Fabric being UNTIED.

Thus

placed, will

Fabric untied and stretched FLAT.

Fig. 193.

together so that one

will

regard them as

forget that there

are two

they are both treated as one, and the two are

Finished biLK ukape

Fig. 195.

The

F.\BRIC.

manipulated together.

common meat

Fig. 192.

exactly over the other.

silk scarves.

crape are taken, each about three yards

Fig. 191.

447

but the Japanese objects figured by the process about to

be described are most frequently

silk

—

Part of a Sikifeu Silk stripes being

Cr..\pe Fabric. formed by a method of tying.

small piece of pointed stick resembling

skewer, and a quantity of

waxed

thread, are the

requisites of the process.

From below

a small portion of the fabric

on the point of the skewer into the form of a

pressed upwards

little

cone

of,

say,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

44S

half an inch in height.

Around

so that a Httle tuft or knot

The skewer from

this

which

this

fabric.

now withdrawn and removed about half an inch when it is employed to raise a second cone, turn is wrapped round by the waxed thread. This

formation of tufts

them, when

ready for dyeing.

wrapped,

little tuft,

in its

dipped

cone waxed thread

formed on the surface of the

repeated

a dye-vat, which

till

the entire fabric

covered with

Thus prepared the

in this case

fabric

generally contains scarlet

The dye gives colour to the cloth, same time shrinks it hence, where the dye has come

or pink colouring matter.

and in

at the

;

Thus

contact with the crape a shrinking has taken place.

The waxed

permanent conical eminences are formed.

now removed, each

little

tuft

thread

being unwound, and not only has

a curious fabric been formed with a surface consisting of conical

eminences, but also a fabric variegated

wax

colour

;

for

where the

thread was in contact with the crape the dye could not act

upon

;

thus by the one operation a fabric has been produced

both variegated and with a

rich,

coarsely-granulated

character

and 195).

(Figs. 191, 192, 193, 194,

The

height to which

eminences

much.

are

some

tufts of half

brought

these varies

instances conical

an inch in height

completely and regularly cover the fabric, while in other cases the tufts are but small and are

arranged into patterns.

Common

cotton

cloths are

also treated in a similar manner,

only here the Fig.

Cotton Fabric figured pv 196. Tyeing and Dveing.

but by the

tufts

are

stretching

fabric after the

dyeing

large

of is

;

the

com-

pleted irregularly shaped star-like figures have been produced over the surface (Fig. 196).

must not hope that English manufacturers will adopt a yet some of the crape scarves treated process so laborious as this ;

ART, in this

manner

are

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

amongst the most

beautiful

449

and dainty of

fabrics.

But what the Japanese do by hand we could achieve by the aid of machines

;

and

surely would not be very difficult to bind

the fabric into tufts by revolving spindles of suitable description.

This interesting manufacture

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Narumi

and Arimatsu

shibori (shibori

meaning

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

carried on in

the fabrics are called

tied or knotted).

two small towns

Narumi-

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

450

CHAPTER

VII.

MINOR MANUFACTURES OF JAPAN. In many manufactures certain printing processes are employed, as in the production of wall-papers, hand-screens, umbrellas, fancy

For whatever purpose printing processes

papers, and other things.

may

be employed, the method of engraving and of getting im-

pressions from the blocks seems to be similar.

drawing

prepared on a thin piece of paper, and this

pasted on a block of cherry wood, which across,

the grain.

The engraver

knives and chisel-like tools.

and not

cut with,

through the paper with

cuts

In this

way

those wooden blocks are

prepared which are used for printing the illustrations of books as well

The

as for producing the papers used in the manufactures

native drawings

this

work were engraved

the

same

manner. Just

we use

several

blocks

the production of wall-

for

papers, so the Japanese use various blocks

occur in the one pattern

;

when

different colours

but their methods of printing are so

simple that shading can be effected without difficulty by the use of but one block.

In the production

upwards on a table or the block is

of wall-papers the stool

block

from four to six inches

fed with colour in various ways.

placed face

in height,

and

Sometimes a brush

used for this purpose, when colours are not unfrequently blended

together, so that a polychromatic effect

sometimes by

a sort of pad, like

given by one printing

that used

by engravers

for

;

the

;

AND

ART,

AJiT

production of proof impressions

MANUFACTURES.

451

and sometimes by a membrane

;

stretched over a circular frame to wliich a long handle (this feeder closely

resembles

either of the latter methods, the colour

" dabber," or to the frame,

attached

form a shallow stew-pan).

and by these

is first

given to the block

If fed

applied to the

but the dabber appears to be chiefly used where colours are

When

shaded from dark towards white. pared with colour a sheet of paper

the block

placed upon

generally formed of a scale from a

and pressed

bamboo shoot

it first

from the ground.

issues

In no instance where paper

always pressed on the block.

seems ever to have been used

described being that by which

When

printed did

" slides "

all

printing it

effected.

must be noticed that while

which separate the various rooms

of a house, they are never produced in continuous small sheets.

lustre effect

which

powdered mica. a sort of paste material

Silver

common

Fans are made

to finely

generally

use of this

;

seem

but always

them being due

The size used for binding the colours made of rice but I do not think the

invariable, for sizes

different roots,

rolls,

never used in their production, the

paper was description

Japan, the simple process already

speaking of wall-papers,

these are used on the

observe the block

On the contrary, the No printing-press of any

brought down on the paper.

thus pre-

by the hand or by a pad which

in contact with its surface either is

made from

of different sorts, and

to be used in various cases.

many

parts of Japan, but the cheaper kinds

are produced in the district of Kioto, while the costly productions

come

chiefly

from Tokio.

a native invention,

and

The Japanese

assert that

half of the seventh century.

They

wing, which was studied as a model.

was

claim the folding fan as first

made

They

was introduced

The

into

the latter

to the bat's

refer its origin

was

strings,

and

also assert that

originally formed of twenty-five flat boards united

that

China from Japan.

uses of this familiar object are various.

It is

the house-

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

452

hold bellows with which the

machine by which the chaff girls

use

fire

kindled

the winnowing

it is

;

separated from the

Dancing-

rice.

manner which renders it indispensable as an It is employed by the umpire at wrestling of office but the particular form used by a badge a

adjunct to the dance.

matches as this

;

Roman

important individual has rather the shape of a

than that which

There

associate with the fan.

much broader

folding fan peculiar to Nara, in which the folds are

than the wood side-pieces when the fan

form or other the fan finds

perfumed

way

its

closed

paddle

a form of

;

and

some

There are

into every house.

with scented material enclosed between the two

fans,

thicknesses of paper

there are waterproof fans, which are used

;

as sprinklers in hot weather

by being dipped

water and then

swung backwards and forwards in the ordinary way. The Japanese often ask great artists to make a sketch on a fan, great writers to inscribe a few

words of poetry, or celebrated men to place

autograph on such an object photographs of Besides

;

their

and these they preserve as we do

friends.

the

folding

screens, or flat fans,

fan

made

peculiar this

any other part of the country.

Nara, there are hand

town which we do not

find

silk

and sometimes of paper, but

our stencil plates, only the perforations are exceedingly

Sometimes the pattern figures,

and

in all

cases they are perforated

fine.

consists of diaper-work or small geometrical

at other times of flowers, animals, or birds

cases the figure

These are sometimes formed of

;

but

in all

produced by perforation.

These fans are always made by hand six thicknesses are cut through at the

;

but

same

formed of paper

time, while

if silk

used a smaller number of thicknesses are brought together during the operation of cutting. is

The accuracy with which

this perforating

accomplished, and the minuteness of the work, causes us to

wonder

at the skill of the

workmen,

for lines

shank of a medium-sized pin are commonly but also in

When

no thicker than the

cut,

not only in paper

silk.

these pieces are

made

into screens one piece

pasted

on the front and another on the back, but they are so arranged

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

the perforations of one

that

453

exactly over the perforations of

fit

the other.

There

Japan a material which we

This

a tough, fibrous paper to which a crape-like sur-

face has been given

during

but the process of manufacture

;

stay in the country.

of the process which appeared

the description

which

may be

paper, which

called the matrix-paper

mentioned

elastic that

wooden board

In the

place, that

first

prepared by laying a moistened sheet

cut with fine grooves running either parallel

into these grooves.

It is

with hard brushes

then painted over with the frequently

consequence of which operation the paper becomes so

shibu,' in

when

the Japanese

a most perfect imitation of the real crape,

or crossing one another at very small angles, and by beating so as to force

did not see

ingenious and most simple process.

of strong paper on a

therefore compelled to give

catalogue of the Philadelphian Exhibition " The crape made by a very

crimped woven fabric which we know as

closely resembles the crape.

crape-paper, as

call

let

after

having been stretched out

refolds

itself

For the production of crape several sheets of thin moistened paper are laid alternately with sheets of the above-mentioned matrix-paper, one upon the

The package

other.

then wound on to a round piece of wood, and pressed

several times with a strong lever, as

By means

of wood.

if it

were to be stripped

of this operation the soft

into the folds of the matrix,

off

from

this piece

and moistened paper

and consequently folded

in a similar

forced

manner.

repeating this manipulation ten or twelve times, each time unrolling

By order

change the position of the paper between the sheets of matrix-paper, and by

winding all

again on the piece of wood, the paper becomes gradually folded in

directions, the intersecting points of all these folds producing the craped

surface.

process causes the

Naturally, this

This kind of craping

done with printed

paper to shrink considerably.

pictures,

and

also with coloured

papers, which are used for coiffures."

Paper leathers also receive their textures in "

the

last

Paris

a like way, and

Exhibition some pieces with the coarsest of

grain " were shown.

these

The

patterns which are embossed

leather-like surfaces are

almost always due to the fabric

being hammered with hard brushes upon a matrix

same manner

we form

the moulds in the process

newspapers are stereotyped.

upon

much

the

by which our

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

454

With regard

to baskets there

nothing of importance to be

number of

noticed, except the fact that in a large

formed from

flat

cases they are into shape

work which arc cut

sheets of plaited

and joined together.

When

work

plaited

the basket

generally lined with a kind of

from that of the exterior, and the scams

differing

bamboo sewn over in basket-like fashion. work of which the exterior of the basket is' made formed of shreds of the bamboo, on one side of which is that

are covered

The

made

thus

strips of

plaited

hard glossy surface characteristic of the stem of the plant, and

much

these sheets are plaited for chairs.

surface,

manner of our cane bottoms

the

All good baskets have as their exterior this glabrous

which possesses the quality of resisting

The

degree.

inner lining of the basket

dirt to a

formed of

remarkable flat

laths of

extreme thinness, which are cut from that portion of the bamboo which

remains

Common

used

baskets,

purposes, are

the

after

made

surface

silicious

for

been

has

removed.

holding eggs and other household

of the inner portions of the stem, like the

lining of the better works.

made

Japan from the shoots of the Westeria creeper, but these are not in general use, and there is no special Baskets are also

interest attaching to them.

be seen formed of

Occasionally a beautiful basket

fine

Such a

basket, rubbed over with

gold,

before

ful

write.

brown lacquer and dusted with

have already seen that beauti-

works are also formed of fern fronds

The Japanese

(see

page

94).

are ^the best basket-makers in the world, and

they alone have raised the manufacture to an art industry.

make

baskets which are not only useful but beautiful, and

carefully considered, the patterns into

are beautiful, the contrast of open

and the handle

often of

which the bamboo

work

They many

Their forms are

of them must be classed as true art objects.

ated,

may

string of some kind instead of bamboo.

with solid

worked

duly appreci-

most dainty character, while

its

curve almost invariably forms a pleasant contrast with the lines of the other parts of the work.

write

have by

number of baskets from Japan, China, Formosa,

side a

India, Jamaica,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

455

Ceylon, Java, Haiti, Spain, and Algeria, but none of them are

comparable as works of

Boxes are

made

also

from Japan.

art with those

of fine basket-work on which lacquer

sprays are sometimes drawn, the interstices between the strips of

bamboo being the flower

some

things are in

are

filled

up so that a

familiar with the egg-shell sachi

all

Sachi

Immense bamboo

many

bags,

these are

and

feet

filled

oranges and other

The Japanese

strips of

from

we have already seen of bamboo for carrying

river, as

strips

;

fruits.

from

differ

all

other people in the extended use

The advantages which

materials,

and from the mingling of

object,

greater than

formed of

length, are also

of material, and in the mingling of a

one object.

common.

are

with boulder-stones and then arranged

nets are formed

little

produced where

cups covered with

covered

similarly

bottles

an embankment to a

piles as

cases covered with plaited bamboo-work, and

basket-work.

;

surface

level

Cabinets, luncheon baskets, and other

to be drawn.

we might

number

of substances in the

accrue from this use of varied different substances in the first

one

suppose.

In the sections on the metal manufactures the fact was noted that the Japanese use metals for their art qualities,

extent disregard their intrinsic worth. also, for

an art workman

It is so

and

to a great

with other materials

Japan seems to search the earth and

the seas for material with which to produce beautiful objects.

A ivory,

but

pipe-case which

and

its

have just been inspecting

decorated with inlaid sprays of

interest rests in the fact that colour

by the use of formed of

formed of

bamboo and

Thus we have

different kinds of material.

tortoise-shell, of pearl, of gold, of

birds

;

given to the sprays

oxydised

leaves

silver,

and

of ivory dyed green, while the birds are formed of horn, through

which coloured pigments are just

visible.

But each bird has a

golden eye.

By employing and colour

this variety of material richness of effect

also secured

;

got,

whereas we to a great extent lose the

advantages of colour through confining ourselves to certain kinds

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

456

Fig. 197 gives a wood pipe-case in which flowers formed of various metals are inlaid.

of materials.

and

butterflies

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Pipe-case,

Fig. ig;.

formed of wood, with pattern of chased inlaid metals and bronze being used in the work.

gold, silver,

But besides combining various substances

the one object

the Japanese use materials which no other people employ in their

manufactures.

Bark

worked into trays of considerable beauty, which are

And

either left plain or lacquered.

made

veneer, the trays being chiefly in the district of

The bark used what suberous the

Nikko

of various kinds, but that most

of ash-gray colour, with a rough and some-

character.

trays

largely used as a

Hakone.

as a veneer

generally employed

bark

Nikko and the veneer work done

That employed

for the

manufacture of

comparatively smooth and ligneous, and appears

to be the inner bark of a cone-bearing tree.

The

inner layers of

a certain kind of fibrous bark are also used for the

temples

;

and a roof of

this material

thatch

which has become celebrated

of in

Japan owing to the perfection of its workmanship and the time during which it has lasted, is pointed out as one of the sights of Nara. In Japan

The

purchased a

set of sachi

cups

made

of orange-peel,

rind of half an orange had been shaped into a beautiful form,

and covered with a thin coating of transparent

dried,

lacquer.

Internally the cup was covered with red lacquer of perfect finish.

These little

little

cups were not mere ornaments

vessels from

which the Japanese would

should wine from a Venetian glass.

prove durable.

But

And

;

they were dainty

sip their sachi, as

they would certainly

suppose that the British workman would as

soon think of making his breakfast of cowhides as he would of

making orange-peel I

found

into cups.

Tokio a manufacture which concerned

itself

with

the working of sea-weed into pocket-books, plaited hats, and other things.

The form

of alga; used was evidently a tangle.

By some

ART, means the

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

was extracted from

salt

while the beautiful smoothness of

The town

Okabe

it,

and

surface

its

Suruga

457

was rendered pliable

was

retained.

almost entirely devoted to

the manufacture of mats, trays, and chop-sticks, from the stems of the

common

brake

fern.

Mats are made by a number of stems

of equal size being arranged

parallel rows and held together by long copper pins which run crosswise through the stems, or by being first pinned and then plaited together by a little thread

The

of cane.

trays are formed

The margin

made.

part at two or three points

At Yumoto-kawabata,

which are beautiful

made from

the

by one or two stems

are margined

bottom part

same manner, only they

similar to those of which the is

generally tied to the bottom

strips of cherry

bark (Fig. 63).

the province of Sagami, baskets,

shape, and hats of helmet-like form, are

the fronds of a pinnate fern which are most ingeniously

The

plaited together.

pieces of frond used for this purpose are

generally about twelve or fifteen inches in length, and the pinnae

extend to about six inches on either side of the mid-rib. dried this frond sistence

one-third of

The sawn

its

smooth, of soft buff colour, and leathery con-

the gourd

also used

pared to about

Japan, and with bottle

two lengthwise makes two excellent

interiors are well lacquered

and even teapots are made.

pilgrim bottle,

original consistency (Fig. 64).

rind of

cups, ladles, is

but before being plaited the mid-rib

;

When

;

gourd which

ladles

when

their

but the use of the gourd, save as the

not general in Japan.

have seen excellent stands, with lacquered and inlaid orna-

ments upon them, formed of those fungoid masses which we someAnd I have seen a times see protruding from the sides of trees.

box formed of a sea-urchin (Echinus) shell, with lacquered interior. When the bamboo first rises from the ground the stem is almost enveloped

gus shoot.

in large scale-like

leaves like a colossal aspara-

These are shed when the

foliacious

branches

make

Such scales are somewhat scoop-shaped, as they more or less encircle the stem. They are gray in colour, fibrous, and slightly striated in character owing to their endogenous forma-

their appearance.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

4 58

These

tion.

made

scales are used

Tajima

much

but in this case they are

;

so arranged

into little squares vertically

as veneer to

and horizontally

now most commonly cut of the work

that the fibres of the scale run

the alternate squares.

Flattened grass stems are also largely used for the covering of

wooden boxes are

made with

and when dyed into many colours beautiful objects

;

simple material

this

Bamboo

scales are sometimes,

though not frequently, covered with lacquer and used as scoops. have

Japanese

mentioned

number

used

materials

the

order to show English manufacturers that they do not

avail themselves of

many

materials capable of being formed into

beautiful objects

but

have not even named the two which

;

more of the

furnish

useful

To enumerate

list

any

than

other,

These are the bamboo and paper.

the various uses to which the

would be to furnish a

make everything

of Japan

objects

scarcely excepting clay itself

bamboo

put

altogether unreadable, for they seem to

of bamboo, and to treat

every imaginable

manner. It

must be remembered that the bamboo

a tough, fibrous,

giant grass, with hollow stem divided horizontally at the knots.

Thus

consists of a series of cylindrical

chambers superposed one

on the other, and separated from each other by horizontal wooden divisions

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the

knots or divisions being very close to each other

near the root of the plant, and removed from each other by a considerable distance in the higher part of the stem.

from these

It is

knots that the thin shoots on which the foliage

borne are

protruded.

Before me, as

write, are a series of carved

boxes each made

from a section of the stem with two of the transverse divisions,

box and come from the

the one forming the top and the other the bottom of the these boxes vary in height according as the joint has

centre or lower portion of the stem.

Here

a sachi bottle formed

of an elongated joint, and with an arched handle. beautiful spray of the magnolia carved in the

and with a bud so arranged as the sachi

poured.

;

manner

called cameo,

become the spout from which

plugged hole

the top permits of the

—

——

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART,

459

vessel being filled with the exhilarating fluid (Fig. 198). is

Here

bordered with a Greek key pattern, and on one side of

spill

which a snake

carved, while on the other

we have

a flower,

the surface being lowered in both cases so that the figure stands

Fig. igg.

Teapot, formed

bamboo

of portion of

stem, with three septa.

Fig. 198.

Sachi Bottle, formed of a

bamboo

tion of a tal

septa

— one

por-

stem, witb two horizon-

becoming the

out

in relief

riched with a

partition of a

But besides the carving,

upon

beautiful spill

this

lacquer-work, in which gold, oxydised

little

and a warm brown flowers cut

Trav, formed of the carved transverse bamboo stem ijlu dissepiment').

Fig. 200.

top, the

other the bottom, of the vessel.

colour, prevail.

Here

in intaglio.

formed out of a short root

joint.

Here is

Here

another

en-

silver,

spill

with

a tea-box or tea-caddy

a teapot also formed of

a root joint, with the spout carved in the thickness of the side.

hole

made

in the top, to

which a

consists of a tuft of lateral shoots.

lid is fitted,

Here

and the handle

another

made

out

of two cells and three of the dissepiments, the one being utilised as the handle (Fig. 199).

But before me

see scoops

made

portions of the stem, trays formed of the horizontal divisions, both

carved (Fig. 200) and plain; medicine boxes

;

portable writing-cases;

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

46o

a box formed by splitting a portion of the stem lengthwise of boxes, consisting of a the form of a tripod

;

number

of superposed joints

and many other

a nest

a censer

;

But the Japanese

things.

attach handles to portions of the stem and thus

;

make

useful ladles.-

They use large joints for the carrying of water as we use pails. They make fences of a hundred different kinds by plaiting and intertwining

the

shoots

thin

various

ways

(Figs,

15).

They make sun blinds by threading little bits of bamboo on strings, as we thread beads they split it into laths and form mats by attaching the strips together with threads they make the spokes of their fans of bamboo. They split a stem throughout a portion of its length and make a hand screen by spreading the split portions and pasting paper over them. They make their fishing-rods of the bamboo they convey water in bamboo stems from which the transverse members or dissepiments have been ;

;

removed; and the gutters around

their houses are

formed of

Their baskets are of the bamboo (willow

material.

this

not used in

Japan for basket-work) and, by hammering it till it is reduced to a broken and fibrous condition, they form a fuse used for blasting ;

operations

;

while the tooth-brush

a bit of

bamboo

uses to which the

bamboo

stem, with

These are some of the

the end rendered fibrous by hammering.

put in Japan, but they are only a few

out of a multitude.

The Japanese paper that they treat

in various

ance of other substances. closely resembling leather,

tough and

ways

shell.

passes through

They make it

almost be used for In

its

and we have seen

so as to give to

that

the appear-

Thus they make from and also an imitation of

so like the substance imitated

the real

fibrous,

a material

tortoise-shell

might readily be taken

for

a paper so gossamer-like that the air

would through a

net,

and which might

ladies' veils.

leather-like form paper

used for the making of pocket-

books, tobacco-pouches, pipe-cases, satchels, and for most of the

purposes to which we should apply leather. tion

tortoise-shell

inlaid into

In the form of imita-

cabinets and trays.

Japanese

pocket-handkerchiefs are formed of paper, and some of these

may

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

ART, be rubbed up into a

without their tearing, when they become

ball

Small parcels are almost invariably

as soft as the finest cambric. tied with string

formed of twisted paper.

formed of paper, as well as the paper

also put to

have now, so

far as

interest

be employed

of the jinrikishas, and

we apply

England.

the arts and the art

could, described

to treat

The art of Japan is so full of volume and many illustrations should be

subjects imperfectly.

that a large

devoted to

aprons

Waterproof coats are "

want of space has compelled me

industries of Japan, but

some of the

those uses to which

all

461

alone if

and especially should coloured

;

justice

to be done to

illustrations

The manufacturing

it.

processes are so varied and so interesting that a volume should

be devoted to their consideration also.

book may, however,

awaken some interest in the beautiful works which Japan produces, and throw some little light on the architecture, the art, and the It may also lead to improvement manufactures of the countrj'. in

own manufactures by

our

productions of others.

the

or any of them,

Some

calling attention to excellences If

that

I shall feel

should achieve these

labour has been well bestowed.

interesting manufactures

knowledge

have been unable to describe

and one of the most

for

want of

i.e.

the manufacture of cloisonne enamel-work on porcelain,

sufficient

;

While

been obliged to pass unnoticed. detail

of the process, and after

Nagoya, most kindly got

for

the manufacture, and samples of

left

Japan

them

mistake

all

complete

set of specimens.

have

observed every

the country Dr. Roritz, of

To me

These

the substances used.

for their

was sold

fortunately, the collection

interesting,

a specimen of every process in

were sent to the care of a London trading to have sold

results,

firm,

own

which appears

goods.

But,

un-

and no one got a

parts,

they were

all lost,

and

had

no opportunity of analysing the substances used in the process.

The

wires are attached

surface,

and

(probably a

this

liquid

to a biscuit-ware

they are stuck by a resin

solid

and not to a glazed

gum -like

volatile

oil).

substance

When

all

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

462

the wires liavc been fixed in their places, the whole work

and

biscuit

object

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

arc smothered in a white semi-fluid

now

with which

and sent

dried,

to an oven,

has been covered becomes

never actually melts.

stance

which

fixes the wires in their

manufacture

places,

enamel colours are placed

But

substance

It is this

and the whole secret of the

the cells and are vitrified

come

filled

The work

till

with a true enamel.

and

;

this

repeated so that the cells be-

now ground down

smooth, and the outer edges of the wires are

all

then comes a polishing process, after which the work all

this sub-

no tendency to run, but

borax?

The

where the white matter vitrified.

process of filling and of vitrifying

wires

After the wires are thus fixed the soft

here.

rests

has

simply becomes hard and gritty;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

matter.

distinct

;

finished.

respects this manufacture resembles that of cloisonne metal

save

objects,

soldering cloisonnil is

the

them

now

The whole

metal,

of the

fixing

and the

wires

earth

instead

manufacture of the

metal

so familiar as to require no description.

of the manufacturing processes of Japan are con-

ducted without the aid of any mechanical contrivances whatever,

and with the simplest of

tools.

do not think that the country

boasts a saw of sufficient length to cut through a large log of

The saw has

wood. it

and work plank

begun on the opposite

The plane

cut.

so does the saw.

motion, save

side.

a European workshop

;

and

attached to a horizontal piece of the centre.

thus the pestle

On is

Rice

this repeated

husked by being

falls.

The

pestle

wood supported by a fulcrum

the end opposite to the pestle a

raised

rotarj-

nothing more than

never but once saw a labour-saving

placed in a sort of mortar into which a pestle

workman, and

never saw a lathe with a continuous

contrivance of any kind in the country.

turned,

repeated turnings a

cuts pulling towards the

the Royal Arsenal, which

when

the form of a butcher's chopper, and

has cut well into the angle at the end of a log, the log

man

stands

but by his jumping off the pestle

;

falls.

stepping on the end and jumping off the process

of husking the rice

accomplished.

In the corner of a field

once saw one of these mills with a

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ART,

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

kind of bucket placed on the end of the

would

stand.

filled this

Fig. 201.

small

water-spout

bucket with water, when

463

beam where

coming from

the a

his

hillside

But the

raised the pestle.

Humorous Sketch of a Man working a Rice Mill, who bv jerked the fulcrum from its socket.

man

energy has

and thus let the pestle fall. humorous native sketch of an energetic workman, who by

act of raising upset the water,

exuberant energy has displaced the beam,

his

given in Fig. 201

;

and the delighted man who has found out the labour-saving contrivance

is '

given, together with his mill, in Fig. 202.'

siiiiiLir

contriwince

is still in

use in the north of EnnLind.

This, as

464

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

KiG.

202.^KiCE Mill wokkeu uv watkk

j*o\\ek

ART, liave just said,

the

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

the only machine that

countiy would

productions of the

465

ever saw in Japan, yet us

lead

infer

machinery of an advanced character must be common. forms of water-wheels are known, but during all my

that

Various travels

never saw one.

The

following

may

be useful, as

woods

of the chief

list

of the countr}-, with the Japanese, the English, and the botanical

name

of each, the natural order to which the tree belongs, and

the chief uses to which each

by Motoj-oshi Ono

put, as prepared

of Tokio for the instruction of engineers, students, and merchants.

for

Magnolia hypoleuca

Magnolia.

Ho-no-ki.

S. et

Used

Magnoliacea-.

sword scabbards and cabinet-work.

Used

liacea".

Mokkoku.

Used Used

and boxes.

for furniture

Terftstra'inia

Ternstrffimia.

Japom'ca Th.

Ternstramiacere.

for joineiy.

Pliellodcndron amureuse Ri/pi:

Phellodendron.

Kiwada.

Magno-

Cercidipliyllum Japoiiicum S. et Z.

Cercidiphyllum.

Katsura.

Xanthoxylaceoe.

for joinery.

Hove>iiadukis Th.

Sweet hovenia.

Kenpo-nashi.

Rhamnacere.

Used

for joinery.

Used

Sapindaceas.

for joinery.

Rhus

Lacquer-tree.

Urushi.

AÂŁscuhis turbinata Bl.

Horse-chestnut-tree.

To-chi-no-ki.

vernicifera Dc.

Anacardiacere.

Used

for

boxes and joinery. Sophora.

Yenju.

for

Kaki.

Soplwra Japonica L.

CheiTj' wood.

.Sakura.

woodcuts and

Used

Leguniinosa;.

Pruniis pseudocerasiis Littd.

for joinery.

Rosaceas.

Used

joiner)-.

Persimmon wood.

Diospyros haki L.

Ebenace.e.

Used

for

joinery.

Kuro-gaki.

EbenaceK.

Diospyros kaki L.

Black persimmon.

Used

for joinery.

Yeo'o-no-ki.

Styrax.

Styra.v Japoiiciim S. et Z.

Styracacese.

Used

for

joinery and turnery. Shoji. Kiri.

for

Kusu.

Kind of

ash-tree.

Paulownia.

Fraxinus.

Oleacea;.

Pauloumiaiinperialis S.ei Z.

Used

for joineiy.

Scrophulariaceoe.

Used

boxes and furniture.

Camphor.

Used

Yama-giri.

Used

Cinuamomuin camphora F. Xees.

Ebern.

Laurace^.

for joinery.

\Vood

oil-tree.

Flcrococca

for joineiy.

cordata

Bl.

Euphorbiacea?.

JAPAN: ITS ARCHITECTURE,

466

Zelkowa (planera).

Keyaki.

Kcaki

Zelko-iva

Used

Urticaceiv.

Sich.

for timber, joinery, furniture, etc.

Muku-ye-no-ki.

and Nara.

Aphananthc

Apliananthe.

Used for joinery. Kuwa. Wliite mulberry.

Moms

aspera

Urticacea;.

PI.

alba L.

Urticace;e.

crispiila

Bl.

Used

for joineiy

furniture.

Kind of oak.

Quercus

Used

Amentifera;.

for

handles, ships, and timber.

Kind of oak.

Shihi-no-ki.

for handles, ships,

Kind of

Shira-gashi.

Used

oak.

Used

Amentiferx.

TIi.

(Jucrcus

thalassica

Amentifera:.

Haiice.

and timber.

for handles, ships,

Kind of oak.

Aka-gashi. '

Quercus cuspidata

and timber.

Ouct'cus acuta

Th.

Used

Amentifera;.

for

handles, ships, and timber.

Kind of oak. and timber.

Sawaguri. ships,

Kuri.

Quercus

Castanea vulgaris Lamk.

Chestnut -tree.

Pinus Thtinbergii

Black pine.

for handles,

Amentiferas.

Used

Conifera:.

Used

and timber.

for boxes, joinery, furniture,

O-matsu.

Used

.'\mentifera:.

sp.

Pa7-alat.

for timber.

Red

Me-matsu.

pine.

Pinus densijlora

S. et Z.

Conifera;.

Used

for

timber.

Hime-ko-matsu.

Used

Yellow pine.

for joinery

Kara-matsu.

Pinus parviflo7-a

Conifera;.

and timber.

Larch-tree.

Lari.v leptolepis Gord.

Conifera;.

Used

for

Abies fu-ma S. ct Z.

Coniferre.

Used

for

timber.

Momi.

Fir (Coarse texture).

timber and boxes. Fir (fine texture).

.Shirabe. for

Tohi.

Abies

!?ienÂŁiesii S. et

Conifers.

Used

boxes and timber. Fir (white wood).

Abies alcckiana Lindl.

Conifera;.

Used

for

boxes and timber. Tsuga. Sugi. for

Fir.

cedar.

Used

Conifer^t.

Cryptomeria japcnica Don.

for timber.

Conifera;.

Used

timber and cooper's work.

Kurobe-sugi.

Used Hiba.

Abies Tsuga S. et Z.

Japanese

for

Japanese

cedar.

Cryptomeria japonicn Don.

Conifera^.

timber and cooper's work.

Thujopsis.

T/iuJopsis dolabrata S.

et.

Conifera-.

Used

for

timber (much valued).

Nedzuko.

Selaginellense Thujopsis.

Tltujopsis ItTletiirens Lind.

Used for timber. Chaniccyparis pisifera Kind of white cedar. Sawara. Used fnr timber and cooper's work.

Coni-

fera;.

S. et Z.

Conifera;.

ART,

Kind of white cedar.

Hi-no-ki.

Used

for

Ckamcccyparisobtusa S.et Z.

Coniferas.

Juniperus.

Juniperus

and timber. Arbor vitee. TInija.

nipponica

ATaxin.

Coniferte.

for joinery

Wa-byakudan.

Yew-tree.

Araragi.

467

timber (much vaUied).

Beni-byakusin.

Used

AND ART MANUFACTURES.

Taxiis

Used

Conifera:.

ciispidata

for joinerj'.

Coniferas.

Used

for

joinery.

Kaya.

Nut-bearing tree resembling the yew-tree.

Used Icho.

for

Ginko

boxes and tree.

Torreya niicifcra Z. et S.

fine timber.

Giiiko biboba S.et Z.

Coniferx.

chessboards.

THE END.

PrhiM hy

R. Cl.ARK, EJlnhirgh.

Used

for lioxes

and

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