HLI Chronicle 1907 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

A Trip through Japan
and Canada.
23rd ApriL - The next visit was to
a cloisonne factory, which was also very
interesting, and the temptations to spend
money quite as great. We had formed a high
opinion of Japanese decorative art before we
reached the country, but, to appreciate it
fully, one must see the work being done on
the spot. Beautiful designs and infinity of
detail, with the most patient and thorough
workmanship, seem to be the distinguishing
features of this most artistic and thorough
nation. Again, we visited the silk emporium
of Mr. Hiroshima, where one could get anything
silk, from blouse materials, handkerchiefs,
and stockings, to the most perfectlyembroidered
screens of three or four leaves,
the designs on these being always exquisitely
worked, and, from a little distance, looldng as
if they were painted. One of these screens
had four leaves of elegant trails of wisteria,
and its price was £160. Our next experience
was a damascene workshop-expensive work
this, but we brought away a few small specimens.
Our friend was of very practical use to
us in our purchases, as, after we had made our
selections and the bill was ready, he got us a
reduction of 10 to 15 per cent. He then
invited us to see the Miyako Odori, or cherry
blossom dance, after dinner, and this we gladly
accepted. It is performed in a speciallyarranged
theatre by the pupils of the large
Geisha school, Gion. On reaching the building
we were first ushered into a long narrow
room, where we sat behind little tables round
the walls. Presently about half-a-dozen tiny
girls, dressed in pretty-coloured kimonos,
came toddling in, and handed round brown
earthenware plates, with a ball of sweet-stuff
arid a chop-stick on them. Then entered a
full-grown geisha, rather tall for a Japanese,
and clad in a magnificent robe embroidered in
gold. She was dressed in the ancient style,
her coiffure being a wonderful pile of hair
fastened with the long handsome pins which
are so distinctive of the Japanese hair-dressing.
Seating herself at a small table in the centre of
the room, she proceeded to brew tea with much
mysterious ceremony, known as the" Cha-naoyun,"
or tea ceremony. This is a very
ancient rite, and is always rigidly performed
at the Miyako Odori. This beverage was then
handed round to the guests. It looked rather
like ink and milk, and tasted very strong and
nasty, so a sip of it was en9ugh to satisfy our
HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY CHRONICLE.
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curiosity. Soon after we all adjourned to &
fairly big theatre, where we sat on plain
wooden benches-the dress circle, we supposed,
There was a row or two of Japanese squattin~
on the floor in front of us, and the" Hoi powlo '
sat on the ground in the pit_ What would b!\
the side boxes in an English theatre wers
screened on both sides. From behind the
curtains presently came sounds of the preliminary
tuning-up of the orchestra.; then the
screens were withdrawn, and we'saw on the
right 16 geishas with samisens, and 12 little
girls with drums and cymbals on the left.
In front of the orchestra, on each side, and
across the front of the stage, was a broad
smooth path of wood, and along this entered
16 geishas from either side, moving slowly,
with plenty of posturing and turning, always
graceful, but never energetic. The music was '
weird, nearly all in the minor key, but more
musical than we anticipated. Occasionally
one of the samisen girls sang a solo very
nasally, and the little girls on the left gave a.
cry of something like the p1ew of a kitten.
There were four acts, representing the four
seasons, and at least one change of scene for
each act. The scenery was not only very
pretty, but most ingenious, and the per·
spective very good. The changes were mostly
made in full view of the audience, and were
very cleverly done. The per.formance lasted
about an hour, and we were quite sorry. when
it was done.
24th April.-A brilliant morning after two
wet days, and it kept fine all day. Mr.
Nomura called for us at ten o'clock, and we
had a very long morning sight-seeing. We
went first to the Imperial Palace, a very large
group of buildings enclosed by a high wall;
the total space covered is about 26 acres.
The royal apartments (which are shown to
those of the public who have permits) form
only a small portion of the palace, and can be
viewed in less than half an hour. They e;re
beautifully simple, but some of the paintings
on the walls and panels are well worth seeing.
The thrones in two of the large audience
chambers are very peculiar-they are set in
a large cupboard in the centre of one side of
the hall, hung round With embroidered curtains.
Until quite recent times it was not permitted
to many to look on the Mikado's face, so h!\
could shut himself up in his curtained recess
and listen unseen to the tales of woe that his
strbjects had to bring before him. I daresay .
he often did this duty by deputy, without ~
liI"!lpp~ants being any the wiser. Itis as well tp