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CHAPTER II.
A JAPANESE HOME.
T ET us enter the home of the Rai family in
-I J Fukui. In most Japanese houses there is no
upstairs, for they are but one story high. The
finest
mansion may occupy much ground space, but
height is not considered desirable. Most two-story
houses were public inns, or shop-keepers' houses, or
dwellings of the humblest sort. When the high
lords passed them in their proud processions, the
upper windows had to be sealed with slips of paper,
lest any one should look down on their highnesses
below.
Let us make our visit in the morning. Setting
out from the river-bank, we ride in palanquins borne
on men's shoulders through the " Priest's Gate " of
the castle, and along the road skirting the moat ; pass
the long, low building of the Shin sect of Buddhists,
and then between the mansion of the former prince
and the government offices, or town-hall ;
and halting
opposite the " Iron Gate " of the inner circuit of
the castle, we dismount at the imposing black gate
of the Rai mansion. The porter leaves off smoking
his pipe, and emerging from his lodge at the side of
the wicket, draws the ponderous bolts of the main
gate, admits us, and escorts us with many bows