,,by ,,the ,,same ,,artist ,,the ,,italian ,,lakes ,,painted ,,by ,,ella ,,du ,,cane ,,described ,,by ,,richard ,,bagot ,square demy #hvo1 bound in cloth gilt top ,price #bjs4 net 7,by ,post1 #bjs4 #f;d47 ,containing #fi full-page ,illustrations in ,colour 8,such pictures interpret the romantic appeal of the scenery in a manner which is next to impossible to any mere pen other than that of ,ruskin4 ,but the book1 we make haste to add1 is fascinating all the way through1 for ,mr4 ,bagot has quick eyes for the picturesque1 and writes with admirable restraint in the romantic mood40--,standard4 8,mr4 ,bagot's descriptions will give the reader who has never seen this lovely part of ,europe a just and vivid idea of its beauties1 while ,miss ,du ,cane's work does the same for him by means of another and a beautiful medium4 ,her pictures are charming1 and the reproduction would seem to be perfect40--,the ,world4 ,a4 ,c4 ,,black #d ,,soho ,,square1 ,,london1 ,w4 ,,the ,,flowers ,,and ,,gardens ,,of ,,japan ,,agents ,,america ,,the ,,macmillan ,,company #fd #ff ,,fifth ,,avenue1 ,,new ,,york ,,australasia ,,the ,,oxford ,,university ,,press #bje ,,flinders ,,lane1 ,,melbourne ,,canada ,,the ,,macmillan ,,company ,,of ,,canada1 ,,ltd4 ,,st4 ,,martin',s ,,house1 #gj ,,bond ,,street1 ,,toronto ,,india ,,macmillan ,,company1 ,,ltd4 ,,macmillan ,,building1 ,,bombay #cji ,,bow ,,bazaar ,,street1 ,,calcutta ,illustration3 ,,wistaria1 ,,kyomidzu ,,the ,,flowers ,,and ,,gardens ,,of ,,japan ,,painted ,,by ,,ella ,,du ,,cane ,,described ,,by ,,florence ,,du ,,cane ,illustration3 colophon ,,published ,,by ,,adam ,,charles ,,black ,,soho ,,square ,,london ,w4 ,,mcmviii ,,preface ,an apology is due to the reader for adding this volume to the long list of books already written on ,japan2 but1 being a lover of flowers myself1 ,i found there was no book giving a short account of the flora of the country which is so often called the ,land of ,flowers4 ,hence my excuse for offering these pages1 either to those who may be intending to visit1 or to those who may wish to recall the memories of a sojourn in the ,land of the ,rising ,sun4 ,the book does not pretend to furnish a complete list of all the flowers to be found in the country1 but rather to give a description of those which are most remarkable for their beauty and profusion1 and which are most closely associated with ,japan4 ,the pages on landscape gardening have been condensed1 partly owing to want of space1 and also because ,i felt that those who take a real and thorough interest in the subject have ,mr4 ,conder's admirable volumes on 8,landscape ,gardening in ,japan0 to help them in the study of the most complicated form of gardening in the world4 ,being debarred1 through lack of sufficient knowledge of the language1 from availing myself of original works in ,japanese1 ,i have drawn much information from ,mr4 ,conder's works1 and from those of other foreigners2 but ,i wish gratefully to acknowledge the help ,i received from ,mr4 ,y4 ,noguchi1 who provided me with the flower legends and fairy tales1 which are household words in every ,japanese home4 ,,florence ,,du ,,cane4 ,,contents ,,chap4 ,,page #a4 ,,landscape ,,gardening #a #b4 ,,stones--,,garden ,,ornaments ,,and ,,fences #ai #c4 ,,landscape ,,gardens #ch #d4 ,,nursery ,,gardens--,,dwarf ,,trees ,,and ,,hachi-,,niwa #ee #e4 ,,temple ,,gardens #gb #f4 ,,summer ,,flowers #hg #g4 ,,plum ,,blossom #ajd #h4 ,,peach ,,blossom #aai #i4 ,,cherry ,,blossom #abg #aj4 ,,wistaria ,,and ,p,,ony #adf #aa4 ,,azaleas #afa #ab4 ,,the ,,iris #afi #ac4 ,,the ,,morning ,,glory #aha #ad4 ,,the ,,lotus #ahf #ae4 ,,the ,,chrysanthemum #aig #af4 ,,the ,,maple ,,leaves #bad #ag4 ,,the ,,bamboo #bbc #ah4 ,,the ,,pine-,,tree #bcf ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,,facing ,,page #a4 ,wistaria1 ,kyomidzu ,frontispiece #b4 ,wistaria in a ,kyoto ,garden #d #c4 ,the ,storks #ab #d4 ,azaleas in a ,kyoto ,garden #bb #e4 ,azaleas1 ,kyoto #bh #f4 ,tiger ,lilies #cd #g4 ,an ,old ,garden #dj #h4 ,satake ,garden1 ,tokyo #db #i4 ,a ,tokyo ,garden #df #aj4 ,a ,landscape ,garden #eb #aa4 ,the ,old ,wistaria #fj #ab4 ,at ,kitano ,tenjin #gb #ac4 ,the ,drooping ,cherry #gd #ad4 ,a ,shrine at ,kyomidzu #gh #ae4 ,white ,cherry at ,kitano #hj #af4 ,cherry ,blossom1 ,chion-in ,temple #hd #ag4 ,the ,kobai ,plum ,blossom #ib #ah4 ,lilium ,auratum #if #ai4 ,lilies on the ,rocks1 ,atami #ih #bj4 ,an ,hydrangea ,bush #ajj #ba4 ,viewing the ,plum ,blossoms #ajd #bb4 ,the ,gate of the ,plum ,garden #ajf #bc4 ,the ,time of the ,plum ,blossoms #aaj #bd4 ,plum ,blossom and ,lanterns #aaf #be4 ,peach ,blossom #abj #bf4 ,the ,pagoda1 ,kyomidzu #abf #bg4 ,a ,buddhist ,shrine #acj #bh4 ,the ,feast of the ,cherry ,blossoms #acb #bi4 ,the ,pink ,cherry #ach #cj4 ,cherry-tree at ,kyomidzu #adb #ca4 ,wistaria1 ,kameido #adh #cb4 ,wistaria1 ,nagaoka #aeb #cc4 ,a ,pony ,garden #aed #cd4 ,wistaria1 ,kabata #aeh #ce4 ,azaleas #afb #cf4 ,azaleas1 ,nagaoka #afd #cg4 ,azaleas1 ,awata #aff #ch4 ,an ,iris ,garden #agb #ci4 ,irises #agh #dj4 ,lotus at ,kodaiji #ahf #da4 ,lotus at ,kyomidzu #ahh #db4 ,lotus ,flowers #aid #dc4 ,chrysanthemums1 ,kyoto #aih #dd4 ,a ,chrysanthemum ,garden #bjd #de4 ,chrysanthemums #bjh #df4 ,the ,scarlet ,maple #bad #dg4 ,viewing the ,maples #bah #dh4 ,irises1 ,horikiri #bcj #di4 ,pine-tree at ,matsushima #bch #ej4 ,azalea and ,pine-tree #bdd ,,flowers ,,gardens ,,of ,,japan ,,chapter ,i ,,landscape ,,gardening ,it is safe to assert that no other country has such a distinctive form of landscape gardening as ,japan4 ,in ,english1 ,french1 ,italian1 and ,dutch gardens1 however original in their way1 there are certain things they seem all to possess in common3 terraces1 which originally belonged to ,italian gardens1 were soon introduced into ,france2 clipped trees1 which were a distinctive feature of ,dutch gardens1 were copied by the ,english2 the fashion of decorating gardens with flights of stone steps1 balustrades1 fountains1 and statues at one time spread from ,italy throughout ,europe2 and possibly the over-decoration of gardens led to a change in taste in ,england and a return to a more natural style4 ,the gardens of ,china and ,japan have remained unique2 the ,eastern style of gardening has never spread to any other country1 nor is it ever likely to2 for1 just as no ,western artist will ever paint in the same manner as an ,oriental artist because his whole artistic sense is different1 so no ,western gardener could ever hope to construct a garden representing a portion of the natural scenery of ,japan--which is the aim and object of every good ,japanese landscape garden1 however small--because1 however long he might study the original scene1 he would never arrive at the ,japanese conception of it1 or realise what it conveyed to the mind of a ,japanese4 ,their art of gardening was originally borrowed from the ,chinese1 who appear to have been the first to construct miniature mountains1 and to bring water from a distance to feed miniature water-falls and mountain torrents4 ,they even went so far as1 in one enclosure1 to represent separate scenes for different seasons of the year1 and different hours of the day1 but to the ,japanese belongs the honour of having perfected the art of landscape gardening4 ,it is not my intention to weary the reader with technical information on the subject1 which he will find admirably explained in ,mr4 ,conder's volume on ,landscape ,gardening in ,japan1 but an outline of some of the theories and rules which guide the ,japanese gardener will help us to appreciate his work and give an additional interest to the hours spent in these refreshing retreats from the outer world4 ,the designer of a good landscape garden has to be guided by many things4 ,a scene must be chosen suited to the size of the ground and the house1 and its natural surroundings2 and the ,japanese garden being above all a spot for secluded leisure and meditation1 the temperament1 sentiment1 and even the occupation of the owner are brought into consideration4 ,their conception of the expression of nature is governed in its execution by endless sthetic rules2 considerations of scale1 proportion1 unity1 and balance1 in fact all that tends to artistic harmony1 must be considered1 so as to preserve the perfect balance of the picture1 and any neglect would destroy that feeling of repose which is so essential in the landscape garden4 ,when we realise that the art has occupied the minds of poets1 sages1 and philosophers1 it is not to be wondered at that something more than the simple representation of natural views has entered into the spirit of their schemes1 which attain to poetical conceptions2 and a garden may be designed to suggest definite ideas and associations1 in fact the whole art is enshrouded by quaint sthetic principles1 and it is difficult for the ,western mind to unravel the endless laws and theories by which it is governed4 ,in gardens which cover a larger area the scheme must necessarily be very different from that required for the making of a tiny garden1 only some few yards square1 but the materials used will be the same2 only the stone bridges and garden ornaments will all be in proportion to the size of the garden1 for the rule of proportion is perhaps the most important of all4 ,i visited a garden which was being enlarged by the addition of a hill and the suggestion of mountain forests1 to give the impression of unknown limits4 ,the owner explained that as he had enlarged his house it was therefore necessary at the same time to enlarge his garden4 ,a landscape garden may be of any size1 from the miniature scenes1 representing pigmy groves1 and mossy precipices1 with lilliputian torrents of white sand1 compressed into the area of a china dish1 to the vast gardens with their broad sheets of water and majestic trees which surrounded the ,daimyo castles of old or the ,imperial palaces of to-day2 but the sense of true proportion must be rigidly adhered to4 ,large rocks and boulders are out of ,illustration3 ,,wistaria ,,in ,a ,,kyoto ,,garden place in a small garden1 and small stones in a large garden would be equally unsuitable4 ,the teachers of the craft have been most careful to preserve the purity of style4 ,over-decoration is condemned as vulgar ostentation1 and faulty designs have even been regarded as unlucky1 in order to avoid degeneration in the art4 ,in some of the most extensive gardens it is not uncommon to represent several favourite views1 and yet the composition will be so contrived that all the separate scenes work into one harmonious whole4 ,in the immediate foreground of a nobleman's house there will be an elaborately finished garden full of detail and carefully composed1 the stones employed will be the choicest1 the water-basin of quaint and beautiful design4 ,stone lanterns in keeping with the scene will be found1 miniature pagodas possibly1 and a few slabs of some precious stone to form the bridges4 ,farther away from the house the scheme should be less finished4 ,surrounding the simple room set apart for the tea ceremony the law forbids the garden to be finished in style1 it must be rather rough and sketchy1 and then if some natural wild scene is represented1 a broad effect must be retained2 a simple clump of pines or cryptomerias near a little garden shrine will represent some favourite temple1 or a small grove of maples and cherry-trees by the side of a stream of running water will suggest the scenery of ,arashiyama or some other romantic and poetical spot4 ,to our ,western ideas it seems impossible that a garden without flowers could be a thing of beauty1 or give any pleasure to its owner4 ,yet1 strange as it may appear1 flowers for their own sakes do not enter into the scheme of ,japanese gardening1 and if any blossoms are to be found1 it is probably1 so to speak1 by accident1 because the particular shrub or plant which may happen to be in flower was the one best suited by its growth for the position it occupies in the garden4 ,for instance1 azaleas are often seen covering the banks with gorgeous masses of colour1 but they are only allowed1 either on account of their picturesque growth and the fact that they are included in the natural vegetation of the scene produced1 or else because the bushes can be cut into regulation shapes1 which1 as often as not1 is done when the flowers are just opening4 ,though the ,japanese are great lovers of flowers1 their taste is so governed by rules1 that they are extremely fastidious in their choice of the blossoms they consider worthy of admiration4 ,the rose and the lily are rejected as unworthy1 their charms are too obvious3 their favourites are the iris1 pony1 wistaria1 lotus1 morning glory1 and chrysanthemum2 and even among these the iris1 wistaria1 and possibly the lotus1 are the only ones which seem ever to be allowed to belong in any way to the real design of the garden4 ,flowering trees take more part1 and the plum1 peach1 cherry1 magnolia1 and camellia are all permitted2 and the numerous fancy varieties of the maple1 whose leaves enrich the autumn landscape with their scarlet glory1 are as much prized as any of the blossoming shrubs4 ,it is rather to the storm-bent old pine-trees and other evergreen trees and shrubs1 to the mossy lichen-covered stones1 to the clever manipulation of the water to represent a miniature mountain cascade or a flowing river1 and to broad stretches of velvety moss that the true ,japanese garden owes its beauty4 ,mr4 ,conder tells us that the earliest style of gardening in the country was called the ,imperial ,audience ,hall ,style1 because1 not unnaturally1 it was round the palaces and houses of the great nobles that the idea was first adopted of arranging the ground to suggest a real landscape4 ,the designs appear to have been primitive1 but they usually contained a large irregular lake1 with at least one island reached by a bridge of picturesque form4 ,later--from the middle of the twelfth to the beginning of the fourteenth century--the art of gardening was much practised and encouraged by the ,buddhist priests4 ,they even went so far as to ascribe imaginary religious and moral attributes to the grouping of the stones1 a custom which has more or less survived to this day and is described elsewhere4 ,in those days a lake came to be regarded as a necessary feature1 and poetical names were given to the little islets1 just as the pine-clad islands of ,matsu-shima have each their poetical name4 ,cascades also received names according to their character1 such as the 8,thread ,fall10 the 8,spouting ,fall10 or the 8,side ,fall40 ,in the making of a garden then1 as to-day1 the first work was the excavation of the lake1 the designing and forming of the islands1 the placing in position of a few of the most important stones1 and finally the arrangement of the waterfall or stream which was to feed the lake1 and the outlet had also to be carefully considered4 ,after this period came the fashion of representing lakes and rivers by means of hollowed-out beds and courses1 merely strewn with sand1 pebbles1 and boulders1 a practice followed also to this day where water is not available4 ,shallow water or dried-up river-beds are suggested in this way1 and therefore the style received the name of ,dried-up ,water ,scenery4 ,artificial hills were used1 stones and winding pathways were introduced1 and large rocks helped to suggest natural scenery4 ,it was in the fifteenth century that the art of gardening received the greatest encouragement and attention at the hands of the ,ashikaya ,regents1 who also encouraged the other arts of flower arrangement--tea ceremony and poetry4 ,the ,professors of ,cha no yu 7tea ceremony7 became the principal designers of gardens1 and they naturally turned their attention to the ground which surrounded the rooms set apart for this ceremonial tea-drinking2 and to the famous ,soami1 who was a ,professor of ,tea-ceremonial and the ,floral ,art1 they owe the practice of clipping trees and shrubs into fantastic shapes4 ,though the ,japanese never attained to the unnatural eccentricities of the ,dutch in their manner of using clipped trees1 yet in many old and modern gardens a pine-tree may be seen clipped and trained in the shape of a junk1 and a juniper may be trained to form a light bridge to fling across a tiny stream2 but as a rule the gardener contents himself by training and clipping his pine-tree to mould it into the shape of an abnormal storm-bent specimen of great age4 ,to that period belonged ,kobori ,enshiu1 the designer of so many celebrated gardens1 and to him we owe the garden of the ,katsura ,rikui1 a detached ,palace near ,kyoto1 which1 though fallen into decay1 retains much of its former beauty1 especially when the scarlet azalea bushes1 which now escape the clipping they no doubt were subjected to in old days1 light up the scene1 their lichen-clad stems bending under the weight of their blossoms and enhancing the beauty of the moss-grown lanterns and stones4 ,the garden which surrounded the temple of ,kodaiji1 a portion only of the grounds of the old palace of ,awata1 the ,konchi-in garden of the ,nanzenji ,temple1 and many other specimens of his work remain in ,kyoto alone4 ,he is reported to have said that his ideal garden should express 8the sweet solitude of a landscape clouded by moonlight1 with a half gloom between the trees40 ,rikiu1 another great tea professor and designer of landscape gardens1 said the best conception of his fancy would be that of the 8lonely precincts of a secluded mountain shrine1 with the red leaves of autumn scattered around40 ,however different their ideal1 they all agreed that the tea garden was to be somewhat wild in character1 suggesting repose and solitude4 ,then came the more modern style of gardening3 from #aghi to #ahcj was a period when large palaces were built and surrounded by magnificent gardens1 fit residences for the great ,tokugawa feudal lords4 ,for these gardens great sums were expended on collecting stones from all parts of the country1 and often a garden would be left unfinished until the exact stone suited to express the required religious or poetical feeling1 or else specially required to complete a miniature natural scene1 had been procured4 ,the extravagance in this craving for rare stones1 which cost vast sums to transport immense distances1 reached such a pitch1 that at last1 in the ,tempo period 7#ahcj-ahdd71 an edict was issued limiting the sum which might be paid for a single specimen4 ,stone and granite lanterns of infinite variety in size and shape were introduced with their poetical names1 each having a special position assigned to it by the unbending laws which surround this art1 for the arrangement of not only every tree and stone1 but almost every blade of grass and drop of water4 ,i feel my readers will begin to think that there must be a lack of variety in these landscape gardens1 but ,i can safely say that never did ,i see--and ,i saw a great many--any two gardens1 large or small1 which bore any resemblance to each other2 the materials are the same1 but the design is never the same4 ,garden water-basins1 miniature pagodas1 stone bridges1 also of infinite variety1 and other garden ornaments1 such as rustic arbours1 fanciful constructions of bamboo1 reeds1 or plaited rushes1 primitive1 fragile-looking structures1 but none the less costly1 were made use of1 and a few rare birds1 such as storks and cranes1 were allowed to wander and adorn the scene with their stately grace4 ,here and there the crooked branches of stunted pine-trees of great age overhung the lake or stream1 transplanted probably with infinite care2 but no trouble and no expense was too great to make these gardens fitting settings for the castles and palaces of those great lords4 ,alas1 how few remain to-day in anything like their former splendour2 the hand of the ,goth has swept away most of the ancient glories of ,yedo1 and on the spot where these princely dwellings and gardens stood1 to-day some great factory chimneys rise and belch forth columns of smoke1 which will surely bring death and destruction to the pines and cherry-trees ,illustration3 ,,the ,,storks of ,uyeno or the avenues of ,mukojima1 which are still the pride of ,tokyo4 ,tokyo may still retain the remains of some of her princely gardens1 but ,i fear she has lost her love of gardening2 the town is too large1 too crowded2 the rich who could afford to make new gardens1 even if the old ones are swept away1 prefer to live in foreign houses of impossible architectural design2 the public gardens are no longer laid out in true ,japanese style1 but suggestive rather of foreign gardens of the worst form and taste1 so if you would see the making of a new garden it is to ,kyoto you must wend your way4 ,here the love of landscape gardening seems still alive1 and though the gardens may not surround the palaces of the ,daimyos1 yet these humbler gardens which as often as not surround the house of a rich ,osaka tradesman are none the less beautiful for that reason2 and ,i was glad to think that riches had not1 as is too often the case1 brought with it a love for foreign life and stamped out the true ,japanese1 and that here at least are left many who are content to spend their hours of leisure in the contemplation and in the repose of a true landscape garden4 ,in the course of an evening walk on the outskirts of ,kyoto ,i came upon a half-built house4 ,through the newly planted cryptomeria hedge could be seen glimpses of stone lanterns1 rocks1 and a few trees kept in place by bamboo props1 while in the road outside lay stones of all colours1 shapes1 and sizes4 ,garden coolies were passing in and out1 carrying baskets of earth slung on bamboo poles1 so it was evident that a garden was being made4 ,my curiosity was aroused1 so ,i ventured within the enclosure1 and1 in the most polite language ,i could command1 asked permission of the owner to watch the interesting work4 ,a ,japanese is always gratified by the genuine interest of a foreigner in anything connected with his home1 and will usually point out the special features of the object of interest in eloquent and poetical phrases1 confusing enough to the foreigner1 whose command of the ,japanese language cannot as a rule rise to such heights4 ,on this occasion1 however1 any explanation was unnecessary1 the scene in itself was sufficient to call forth my admiration and surprise4 ,the piece of ground occupied by the garden did not comprise more than half an acre1 and was merely the plot usually attached to any suburban villa in ,england4 ,not withstanding the limited space1 a perfect landscape was growing out of the chaos of waste ground which had been chosen as the site of the house4 ,a miniature lake of irregular shape had been dug out2 an island consisting of just one bold rock1 to be christened no doubt in due time with some fanciful name1 had been placed in position2 and there were the 8,guardian ,stone10 always the most important stone in the near distance1 and its associates the 8,stone of ,worship0--also sometimes called the 8,stone of ,contemplation10 as from this stone the best general view of the garden is obtained--and the 8,stone of the ,two ,deities40 ,the presence of these three stones being essential in the composition of every garden1 they are probably the first to be placed4 ,a few trees of venerable appearance had already been planted in the orthodox places2 and already one spreading pine-tree stretched across the future lake1 supported on an elaborate framework of bamboo1 to give it exactly the right shape and direction2 near to it1 and resting on a slab of rock at the very edge of the water1 was a stone lantern of the 8,snow ,scene0 shape2 the two forming the principal features of the garden1 upon which the eye rested involuntarily4 ,another stone lantern stood in the shadow of a tall and twisted pine1 half buried in low-growing shrubs1 bedded in moss of a golden-brown colour4 ,on one side was a bank thickly planted with azaleas1 groups of maples1 or camellias1 and at the far end of the garden some tall evergreen trees cleverly disguised the boundary line of the hedge and gave the impression that the garden had no ending1 save in the wooded hills that shut in the surrounding valley4 ,a cutting in the bank and a wonderfully natural arrangement of 8,cascade ,stones0 showed where the water would eventually rush in from the stream outside1 which had its source in ,lake ,biwa4 ,a path of beaten earth with stepping-stones embedded in it wound round the little lake and through the grove at the side2 a simple bridge of mere slabs of stone crossed the water to where the pathway ended in the inevitable tea-room4 ,many more lanterns1 pagodas1 and other garden ornaments lay on the ground waiting for their allotted place1 while a whole nursery of trees carefully laid in loose earth showed that much more planting was needed to complete the garden1 which would some day be the pride and delight of the owner's heart4 ,the whole country is often searched for a tree of exactly the right size and shape required for a particular position1 and while watching the work of making this new garden ,i was much struck by the extraordinary skill the ,japanese display in the transplanting of trees of almost any size and age4 ,the season chosen for their removal is the spring1 when the sap is rising1 and the dampness of the climate and the rich soil no doubt help considerably towards their success in moving these old trees2 unlike ,england1 spring is their best season for planting1 as the trees will have all the benefit of the summer rains and run no risk of drought or cold winds4 ,the roots are trenched round1 to our idea1 perilously near the tree2 as much earth is retained as possible and bound round with matting4 ,five or six coolies with a length of rope1 a few poles1 and not a little ingenuity1 will move the largest tree in a very short time4 ,there is no machinery or fuss of any kind1 merely a hand-barrow1 on which the tree rests on its journey4 ,very little preparation is made in the place where the tree is to be planted2 no trenching of the ground1 or preparing of vast holes to be filled with prepared soil1 only a hole just large enough for the ball of earth surrounding the roots is considered sufficient4 ,the tree is then put in place1 upright or leaning1 according to the effect required1 the soil tightly rammed round the roots1 the necessary pruning and propping carefully attended to2 the ground artistically planted with moss and made to look as if it had never been disturbed for centuries1 and the thing is done4 ,i remember seeing a piece of ground which was being prepared for building1 on which were a few plum-trees of considerable size and age2 these were being carefully removed1 doubtless to give a venerable appearance to some new garden1 or to be planted in a nursery garden until they should be wanted elsewhere1--surely a better fate than would have awaited them in our country under similar circumstances1 where the devastating axe of the builder's labourer would certainly have cleared the ground in a few minutes of what he would have regarded as useless rubbish4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,stones--,,garden ,,ornaments ,,and ,,fences ,stones and rocks are such important features in all ,japanese gardens that when choosing the material for the making of a landscape garden1 however large or however small1 the selection of the stones would appear to be the primary consideration4 ,their size must be in perfect proportion with the house and grounds which they are to transform into a natural landscape1 and they will give the scale for all the other materials used--the lanterns1 bridges1 and water-basins1 and even the trees and fences4 ,their number may vary from five important stones to as many as #ach1 each with its especial sense and function4 ,i think the correct position and placing of the stones is the part of the art which it would be most difficult for a foreigner to accomplish3 the mere names and special functions of the stones would require years of careful study4 ,to the eye of a ,japanese one stone wrongly placed would upset all the balance and repose of the picture4 ,large rocks and boulders seem to be essential for the success of a large garden1 and are used to suggest mountains1 hills1 and the rocks of the natural scene2 any very fantastic and artificial-looking rocks are avoided1 for fear they should give an appearance of unreality to the landscape4 ,the fancy of giving sex to certain stones1 and in temple grounds of assigning holy attributes and even of giving them the names of ,buddhist deities1 dates from very early days1 and this custom of applying a religious meaning to the most important rocks survives to this day4 ,mr4 ,conder tells us that 8formerly it was said that the principal boulders of a garden should represent the ,kuji1 or ,nine ,spirits of the ,buddhist pantheon1 five being of standing and four of recumbent form2 and it was supposed that misfortune was averted by observing this classification40 ,stones of good shape1 colour1 and proportion are treasured as carefully as any jewel1 and in the gardens of the rich are brought together from all parts of the empire4 ,the granite for slabs1 steps1 and lanterns may come from the neighbourhood of ,osaka1 ,bingo1 and other places4 ,large blocks which have an irregular surface are usually limestones1 and the action of water has produced those much-coveted shapes4 ,blue and white limestone and a kind of jasper rock of a reddish colour are prized for certain positions1 slabs of a dark green colour seemed to come from the vicinity of ,lake ,biwa1 and volcanic rock and honeycombed sea-rocks are valuable for water scenes4 ,it would only weary the reader if ,i were to attempt to describe the endless combinations of stones as laid down by the unbending laws1 or to give all the names applied to the various sets of stones known as ,hill ,stones1 ,lake and ,river ,stones1 ,cascade ,stones1 ,island ,stones1 ,valley ,stones1 ,water-basin ,stones1 ,tea-garden ,stones1 and1 finally1 ,stepping-,stones4 ,often did ,i regret that my knowledge of the art was not sufficient to enable me to recognise all these various stones4 ,how intensely it would add to one's appreciation of these perfect specimens of artificial scenery if one could at once among the ,hill ,stones point out the 8,mountain ,summit ,stone0 and the poetical 8,propitious ,cloud ,stone10 or the 8,mist-enveloped ,stone02 or among the ,river and ,lake ,stones find the 8,sentinel ,stone10 which1 as its name suggests1 should be placed in the position of a look-out man near the edge of the water2 or the 8,wave-receiving ,stone0 hidden in the current of the stream4 ,so often the water scenery of the garden is intended to represent sea-views1 the favourite being a portion of the scenery of ,matsushima with its countless islets1 that many of these ,lake ,stones have names suggestive of the sea2 such as the 8,sea-gull ,resting ,stone10 situated on a stony beach1 or the 8,wild ,wave ,stone10 placed so as to meet the current of the water4 ,next come the ,cascade ,stones1 which do not seem quite so numerous1 and among them one at least forms so important a feature in every garden that it is easy to distinguish--the 8,guardian ,stone10 which should form the main part of the rocky cliff over which the water falls2 it is also sometimes called the 8,cascade-supporting ,stone40 8,the ,stone of ,fudo10 named after a ,buddhist god1 and its eight small attendants1 the 8,children ,stones10 are among the more important features of the cascade or waterfall4 ,the ,island ,stones are perhaps more interesting still1 as they are such important features in the landscape4 ,the 8,elysian ,isle10 the 8,master's ,isle10 and the 8,guest's ,isle0 are the most favourite trio of islands1 and are formed of combinations of stones4 ,that of the 8,elysian ,isle10 whose origin comes from ,china1 is a combination of four stones suggesting ,illustration3 ,,azaleas ,,in ,a ,,kyoto ,,garden the different members of a tortoise's body1 and a pine-tree of carefully trained form should grow1 as it were1 out of the back of the animal4 ,the 8,master's ,isle0 has three principal stones--the 8,stone of ,easy ,rest10 which speaks for itself2 the 8,stone of ,amusement10 suggesting the best spot for fishing2 and finally the 8,seat ,stone40 ,the 8,guest's ,isle0 has five important stones--the 8,guest-honouring ,stone02 the 8,interviewing ,stone02 8,shoe-removing ,stone10 on which the clogs or sandals are changed2 the 8,water-fowl ,stone02 and again the 8,sea-gull ,resting ,stone40 ,among the ,valley ,stones many have a religious suggestion2 but under this head we find the important 8,stone of ,worship10 a broad flat stone upon which one has to assume an attitude of veneration2 it should be in front of the garden1 at the point from which the best view is obtained4 ,the ,water-basin ,stones are not those which form the basin itself1 but may merely serve as a base for the actual water receptacle1 and either act as an embellishment1 or perform certain functions in connection with the basin4 ,the ,tea-garden ,stones have the 8,kettle ,stone10 the 8,candlestick ,stone10 and many others suggestive of the tea-drinking ceremonies--merely fanciful in their names1 as these ceremonies invariably take place in a room1 and therefore the stones are never used to fulfil their supposed functions4 ,finally we come to the ,stepping-,stones1 and the art of the ,japanese in placing these stones cannot fail to strike any one who has any interest in the making of an ordinary rock garden4 ,their presence in all gardens in ,japan is essential1 as the use of turf being almost1 if not entirely1 unknown for paths and open spaces1 it is replaced by firmly beaten earth1 or1 for larger spaces1 by fine sand carefully raked into patterns2 as footmarks1 and more especially the marks of wooden clogs1 would destroy the symmetry of these patterns1 and in damp weather cut up the beaten earth1 the use of stones for crossing the spaces or taking a walk round the garden is an absolute necessity4 ,the alternative name for these stones is ,flying ,stones or ,scattered ,islands1 which at once suggests how gracefully and artistically they are placed4 ,nothing1 as a rule1 could be less artistic than the way stepping-stones are placed in ,english gardens2 they seem at once to bring to my mind visions of people trying to keep a steady gait1 a feat which it is positively difficult to accomplish where the stones are laid in an almost straight row4 ,in commenting on this fact ,mr4 ,conder says3-- ,it is not1 therefore1 surprising to find that the ,japanese gardener follows carefully devised rules for the distribution of 8,stepping-,stones40 ,he uses certain special stones and combinations1 having definite shapes and approximate dimensions assigned to them1 and he connects these with secondary blocks1 the whole being arranged with a studied irregularity1 both for comfort in walking and artistic grace4 ,this is attained by the employment of ragged slabs of slate1 schist1 or flint1 flat water-worn rocks or boulders1 and hewn slabs or discs of granite or some other hard stone4 ,the natural boulders are placed in zigzags of fours and threes1 or sometimes in threes and twos1 artificially hewn slabs1 discs1 or strips intervening4 ,though uniformity of tread is carefully calculated1 the different sizes of the stones cause the intervals to vary considerably1 and any apparent regularity is avoided4 ,the distance between 8,stepping-,stones0 should not1 however1 be less than four inches1 to allow of the intermediate spaces being kept clean4 ,the smaller stones are of sufficient size for the foot to rest firmly upon1 and should not1 as a general rule1 be higher than two inches from the soil4 ,in ancient times it is said that 8,stepping-,stones0 for the ,emperor's gardens were made six inches high1 those for a ,daimyo four inches1 those for ordinary ,samurai nearly three inches1 and for common folk an inch and a half in height4 ,the larger stones are intended as a rest for both feet1 and two of them should never be used consecutively4 ,in some cases several continuous pathways formed of 8,stepping-,stones0 may be seen4 ,when such walks branch off in two directions a larger and higher stone1 called the 8,step-dividing ,stone10 will be placed at the point of divergence4 ,the stones leading to the house end usually in a high slab of granite which forms the step on to the verandah4 ,it is no exaggeration to say that the ,stepping-,stones of a well-planned garden1 besides being of strict utility1 are a great ornament to the garden4 ,probably the garden ornaments which will first attract the eye of the visitor are the stone lanterns1 which are to be found in almost every garden1 however humble4 ,these lanterns appear to be of purely ,japanese origin2 no record of them is to be found in the history of ,chinese gardens1 though the introduction of miniature stone pagodas as garden ornaments came to ,japan from ,china through the medium of ,korea1 for which reason they are still called 8,korean ,towers40 ,the use of stone lanterns as a decoration for gardens seems to date from the days when the ,professors of ,tea-ceremonial turned their attention to landscape gardening4 ,the custom of presenting votive offerings of lanterns in bronze or stone1 large or small1 plain or decorated1 dates from early days1 and no ,buddhist temple or shrine is complete without its moss-grown lanterns adorning the courts and grounds4 ,the correct placing of stone lanterns in the landscape garden is almost as complex as the placing of stones4 ,they should be used in combination with rocks1 shrubs and trees1 and water-basins4 ,they have no use except as ornaments1 as seldom1 if ever1 did ,i see one with a light in its fire-box except in temple grounds4 ,they appeared to be almost more valued for their age than their form1 as new ones can be easily procured of any desired shape2 but however ingenious the devices may be for imparting a look of age to new specimens1 it is time1 and time alone1 which will bring that thick green canopy of velvet moss on their roof1 and the granite will only become toned down to the coveted mellow hue by long exposure to the weather4 ,roughly speaking1 garden lanterns are divided into two classes1 the ,standard and the ,legged class1 though many others of fanciful design may sometimes be seen4 ,the origin of the ,standard class was known as the 8,kasuga0 shape1 after a ,shinto god to whom the well-known ,nara temple is dedicated4 ,thousands of these ,kasuga lanterns adorn the temple grounds1 and the exact form is that of 8a high cylindrical standard1 with a small amulet in the centre1 erected on a base and plinth of hexagonal plan1 and supporting an hexagonal head crowned with a stone roof of double curve1 having corner scrolls4 ,the top is surmounted with a ball drawn to a point above4 ,the head of the lantern1 which is technically called the fire-box1 is hollowed out1 two of its faces having a square opening large enough to admit an oil lamp2 and the remaining four sides being carved respectively with representations of a stag1 a doe1 the sun1 and the moon40 ,these lanterns may vary in size1 from six to as much as eighteen feet1 and in this colossal size make a most imposing decoration for a large garden4 ,there are several other designs which closely resemble the true ,kasuga shape4 ,many others there are which still belong to the ,standard class3 some with the standards shortened and the heads elongated2 others with flat saucer-shaped caps or wide mushroom-shaped roofs--in fact1 an infinite variety2 and even in humble gardens rude specimens are seen built of natural mossy stones chosen to resemble as closely as possible the regulation form1 and the fire-box made of wood4 ,another form of the ,standard shape is suggestive of glorified lamp-posts2 these lanterns are mostly used in the approach to gardens or near the tea-rooms4 ,some of them are very quaint and quite rustic in appearance1 being always made of wood4 ,the square wooden lantern on a tall post is covered by either a wooden or thatched roof with ,illustration3 ,,azaleas1 ,,kyoto wide-projecting eaves4 ,one of these is called the ,who goes there8 shape1 and derives its original name from the fact that the dim light seen through its paper doors is only sufficient to enable a person to vaguely distinguish an approaching form2 and the ,thatched ,hut shape is in the form of a little thatched cottage4 ,the class known as ,legged lanterns have the alternative name of ,snow ,scene lanterns1 as the very wide umbrella-shaped roof or cap1 by which they are invariably covered1 makes a broad surface for snow to rest upon4 ,to the eye of a ,japanese the effect of snow is almost more beautiful than any of their floral displays1 and a snow-clad scene gives them infinite pleasure4 ,the position of these lanterns in the garden should be partly overshadowed by the crooked branch of a spreading pine-tree1 and certainly after a fall of snow the effect is one of great beauty4 ,ornamental bronze or iron lanterns are hung by a chain from the eaves of the verandah of either the principal house or tea-room1 and1 like the water-basin1 are often very beautiful in design4 ,bronze ,standard lanterns are never seen in landscape gardens1 only as votive offerings to temples2 but occasionally an iron lantern with no standard1 only resting on low feet1 may be placed on a flat stone near the water's edge1 or nestling in the shadow of a group of evergreen shrubs4 ,near the larger ,kasuga-shaped lanterns a stepping-stone 7or even two1 if the lantern be unusually large7 should be placed higher than the surrounding ones2 these are called ,lamp-lighting ,stones1 as by their aid the fire-box can be conveniently reached for lighting the lamp4 ,a garden water-basin may be either ornamental in form1 or merely a very plain hollowed-out stone with a strictly utilitarian aspect4 ,its position in the garden is invariably the same1 within easy reach of the verandah1 so that the water can be reached by the wooden ladle which is left by the side of the basin2 and usually an ornamental fence of bamboo or rush-work separates it from that part of the house in its immediate neighbourhood4 ,for a small residence1 and where the basin is for practical use1 the distance from the edge of the verandah should not be more than eighteen inches1 and the height three to four feet2 but as the law of proportion applies to the water-basin just as it applies to the rest of the composition1 the ornamental basin in front of a large house will have to be three or four feet away1 and its height seven or eight feet from the ground4 ,in this case1 in spite of the stepping-stones1 the basin becomes merely an ornament1 as it is out of reach for practical purposes1 and even has to be protected by a separate decorative roof to keep off the rain4 ,each shape of basin has its own name1 but perhaps one of the most popular forms is that of a natural rock of some unusual shape1 hollowed at the top and covered with a delicate little wooden construction1 like a tiny shed or temple1 to keep the water cool and unpolluted4 ,the ,running-water ,basins1 as their name suggests1 receive a stream of clear water by means of a little bamboo aqueduct1 and in that case arrangement has to be made for the overflow of the water4 ,as water is so essential in the composition of all landscape gardens1 it is not surprising to find that the various styles of bridges which are employed to cross the lake or miniature torrents1 and connect the tiny islands with the shore1 are so graceful in design1 and yet so simple1 that they must certainly be classed as ornaments to the garden4 ,the more elaborate bridges of stone or wood are only seen in large gardens4 ,the semicircular arched bridge1 of which the best-known example is in the grounds of the ,kameido temple in ,tokyo1 where it forms a most picturesque object in connection with the wistaria-clad trellises1 is of ,chinese origin1 and is supposed to suggest a full moon1 as the reflection in the water below completes the circle4 ,it was not these elaborate bridges that ,i admired most1 but rather the simpler forms made out of a single slab of granite slightly carved1 spanning a narrow channel1 or1 more imposing still1 two large parallel blocks1 overlapping in the middle of the stream1 supported by a rock or by a wooden support4 ,very attractive1 too1 are the little bridges made of bundles of faggots laid on a wooden framework1 covered with beaten earth1 the edges formed of turf1 bound with split bamboo1 to prevent the soil from crumbling away4 ,there is an infinite variety of these little fantastic bridges1 and the cleverness displayed in the placing of them was a never-failing source of admiration to me4 ,the common idea of a bridge being a means of crossing water in the shortest and most direct manner is by no means the ,japanese conception of a bridge4 ,their fondness for water1 and their love of lingering while crossing it1 in order to feed and gaze at the goldfish1 or merely to enjoy the scene1 has no doubt been responsible for the position of many of their bridges3 one slab will connect the shore with a little rocky islet1 and then1 instead of continuing in the most direct route to the opposite shore1 as often as not the next slab will branch away in an entirely different direction1 probably with the object of revealing a different view of the garden1 or merely in order to prolong the pleasure of crossing the lake or stream4 ,in most gardens1 unless they are very diminutive in size1 there is at least one ,arbour or ,resting ,shed4 ,it may consist merely of a thick rustic post supporting a thatched roof in the shape of a huge umbrella1 with a few movable seats1 or its proportions may assume those of a miniature house carefully finished in every detail4 ,when they are of such an elaborate form they partake more of the nature of the ,tea-ceremony room1 with raised matted floors1 plastered walls1 and shoji on at least two sides of the room4 ,the open structures in various shapes1 with rustic thatched roofs1 some fixed seats with a low railing or balustrade to lean against1 are of more common form2 and if the ,resting ,house is by the side of the lake1 a projecting verandah railed round is very popular1 affording a comfortable resting-place from which to gaze at the scene4 ,decorative garden wells are picturesque objects1 with their diminutive roofs to protect the cord and pulley from the rain4 ,as often as not they are purely for ornament1 but even in this case the cord1 pulley1 and bracket should all look as antique as possible4 ,a few stepping-stones should lead to it1 and a stone lantern should be at hand with a suitable group of trees or shrubs4 ,finally we come to garden fences and gateways1 which again are bewildering in their infinite variety and style4 ,the ,imperial gardens1 and even less imposing domains1 are not enclosed by fences1 but by solid walls of clay and mud1 plastered over1 carrying a roof of ornamental tiles4 ,even fences made of natural wood all carry a projecting roof to afford protection from the rain1 which adds very much to their picturesque effect4 ,the humblest garden must have two entrances1 which therefore necessitates two gateways--the principal entrance1 by which the guests enter1 and the back entrance1 called ,the ,sweeping ,opening from its practical use as a means of egress for the rubbish of the garden4 ,this gate will be made of wood or bamboo1 quite simple in style2 but the ,entrance ,gate is a far more important feature of the domain1 and must be in character with the garden it leads to4 ,the actual garden doors are of ,illustration3 ,,tiger ,,lilies natural wood1 their panels decorated with either carving or lattice-work1 and set in a wooden frame which may vary considerably in style4 ,roofed gateways are very common1 and the practice of hanging a wooden tablet between the lintels1 with an inscription either describing the style of the garden or merely conveying a pretty sentiment in keeping with its character1 is often seen4 ,the fashion of planting a pine-tree of twisted and crooked shape just inside the gateway so that its leaning branches may be seen above the fence1 is not only for artistic effect1 but1 the pine being an emblem of good luck1 it is supposed to bring long life and happiness to the owner of the garden4 ,mr4 ,conder tells us that over a hundred drawings exist of ornamental ,screen ,fences1 called by the ,japanese ,sleeve ,fences4 ,they may be used to screen off some portion of the garden1 but are mainly ornamental1 and are usually placed near the water-basin and a stone lantern4 ,without illustrations it is hopeless to attempt to describe their fanciful shapes1 each again with a poetical name4 ,the materials used in their construction consist chiefly of bamboo tubes of various sizes1 rushes and reeds tied with dyed fibre1 or even the tendrils of creepers or wistaria4 ,in some of the simpler forms the patterns are only made by the placing of the bamboo joints2 but others are much more elaborate1 and have panels of lattice-work formed of tied rushes or reeds1 or openings of different shapes like windows4 ,mr4 ,conder gives a detailed description of an immense number of these fantastic screens1 and one at least ,i must quote as an example4 ,the ,moon-entering ,screen ,fence is about seven feet high and three feet wide1 having in the centre a circular hole1 from which it receives its name4 ,the vertical border on one side is broken off at the edge of the orifice1 so that the circle is not complete1 and this gives it the form of a three-quarter moon4 ,above the hole the bundles of reeds are arranged vertically1 like bars1 and below in a diagonal lattice-work1 tied with hemp cords4 ,through the openings in these fences a branch of pine1 or some creeper1 is often brought through and trained with excellent effect4 ,i feel ,i have said enough about the materials used for the construction of a landscape garden1 to convey to the mind of the reader something of the difficulties which surround the correct combination of these materials1 and sufficient to make any one realise that the making of a ,japanese garden is a true art1 which it is not surprising that it is impossible for a foreigner to imitate1 hence the lamentable failure of the so-called 8,japanese gardens0 which it has been the fashion of late years to try and make in ,england frequently by persons who have never even seen one of the gardens of ,japan4 ,the owner of probably the best of these ,english 8,japanese gardens0 was showing his garden1 which was the apple of his eye1 to a ,japanese1 who with instinctive politeness was full of admiration1 but had failed to recognise the fact that it was meant to be a true landscape garden of his own country1 and therefore exclaimed1 8,it is very beautiful2 we have nothing at all like it in ,japan60 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,landscape ,,gardens ,having made some attempt to elucidate the mysterious and wonderful construction of ,japanese gardens1 ,i feel the reader will expect to learn something of their effect as a whole when completed4 ,unfortunately many of the finest specimens of landscape gardens1 the old ,daimyos' gardens in ,tokyo1 have been swept away to make room for foreign houses1 factories1 and breweries1 and no trace of them remains2 old drawings or photographs alone tell of their departed glories4 ,probably the largest of these gardens which still remains entire is the ,koraku-en1 or ,arsenal ,garden1 as it is more commonly called4 ,it is now empty and deserted1 and seems only filled with sadness1 its groves recalling days gone by1 when succeeding ,daimyos entertained their friends in regal pomp1 and the sound of revelry broke the silence of the woods2 to-day only the incessant sound of metal hammering metal breaks the silence of the glades1 and the sound of explosions from the ,arsenal near by might well rouse the dead4 ,the garden covers a large extent of ground1 and is an example of a scheme in which many separate scenes were skilfully worked together to form a perfect whole4 ,its fame dates from early in the seventeenth century1 when the ,daimyo of ,mito1 who was a great patron of landscape gardening1 laid out the grounds4 ,the fact that they are remarkable for many ,chinese characteristics is not surprising1 when we learn that the ,shogun ,iyemitsu took an interest in the work1 and lent the aid of a great ,chinese artist called ,shunseu1 who completed the scheme4 ,a semicircular stone bridge of ,chinese design1 called a ,full-moon ,bridge1 spans a stretch of water in which1 in the scorching heat of ,august mornings1 the great buds of white lotus flowers will crack and slowly open1 their giant leaves almost hiding the bridge2 this important feature of the garden is called ,seiko ,kutsumi1 after a famous lotus lake in ,china4 ,the island in the lake is the ,elysian ,isle of ,chinese fame1 and formerly was connected with the shore by a long wooden bridge1 which has long since disappeared2 but the path wanders on1 past the rocky shore1 skirting the headland and high wooded promontory1 through the dense gloom of a forest1 and by the time ,i had made a complete tour of this garden ,i felt as though ,i had paid a flying visit to half ,japan4 ,there was an avenue of cherry-trees to recall the avenues of ,koganei2 the river ,tatsuda in miniature1 its banks clothed with maples and other reddening trees1 to give colour to the garden in autumn1 when the setting sun will seem to light the torch and set all the trees ablaze2 there also is the ,oi-gawa or ,rapid ,river with its wide pebble-strewn bed1 down which a rapid-flowing stream is brought2 then we are transported to scenes in ,china2 and beyond1 again1 the wanderer is reminded of the scenery of ,yatsuhashi1 where one of the eight bridges crosses in zigzag fashion a marshy swamp which in the month of ,june is a mass of irises1 great gorgeous blossoms of every conceivable shade of lilac and purple1 completely hiding their foliage2 then this little valley becomes a stream of colour and recalls the more extensive glories of ,hori-kiri4 ,perhaps most ingenious of all is that part of the garden where the cone of ,fuji-yama appears1 snow-capped in ,may1 as it is densely planted with ,illustration3 ,,an ,,old ,,garden white azaleas4 ,many other scenes there were--tiny shrines built in imitation of great temples1 cascades and waterfalls named after other celebrated falls1 rare rocks1 moss-grown lanterns1 bridges of all designs2 in fact1 the garden seemed a perfect treasure-house1 and ,i felt glad that this one garden has escaped the hand of the destroyer and is left entire1 a masterpiece of conception and execution4 ,of another ,tokyo garden--which unfortunately has not been left untouched1 as it is shorn of half its former glories1 a glaring red-brick brewery covering half the area of the beautiful grounds formerly known as ,satake-no-niwa--only a portion remains1 though a very lovely portion1 and as it seems complete in itself it is still worth a visit4 ,unlike the ,koraku-en1 the ,satake ,garden was a rather artificial example of hill gardening1 more open1 with no dense groves1 but essentially a hill and water garden4 ,the large lake remains1 and1 like most of the gardens in the ,honjo district of ,tokyo1 its waters are salt and tidal1 being connected with the neighbouring river ,sumida4 ,thus at high and low tide the shores of the lake present a very different aspect2 pebbly bays can only be crossed by stepping-stones at high tide1 and even some of the stone lanterns by the water's edge have their standards half submerged4 ,the hills are closely planted with evergreen bushes and shrubs1 and most of the year the garden is all grey and green2 the island is reached by a grey stone bridge formed of two slabs of granite of giant proportions1 the grey lanterns stand among shrubs1 cut into rounded form1 and the mossy rocks and boulders have still more neutral tones2 so it is only in spring when ,nature asserts herself1 and no gardener can prevent the young leaves of the maples being a variety of vivid colouring1 and the grey rounded azalea bushes become perfect balls of scarlet1 rosy-pink and white blossoms1 that the garden has any colour in it4 ,but to the mind of the ,japanese all sense of repose and quiet charm would be gone if the eye were always worried by a distracting mass of colour2 so even if flowers were grown in these more extensive gardens they had a special part of the grounds set apart for their culture4 ,in one corner of the lake a piece of swampy ground was thickly planted with irises and water-plants1 and a wistaria trellis overhung the lake1 otherwise no flowers entered into the scheme2 but it was a perfect specimen of the typical ,japanese arrangement of garden hills planted with rounded bushes and adorned with lanterns4 ,illustration3 ,,satake ,,garden1 ,,tokyo ,a magnificent example of a modern landscape garden is that belonging to ,baron ,iwasaki1 made some forty years ago4 ,the venerable pine-trees supported by stout props overhanging the lake are suggestive of countless ages2 but in this garden old trees of gnarled and twisted growth1 rare rocks1 and immense boulders were collected from all parts of the empire1 regardless of expense1 and brought together to ensure the success of the scheme4 ,the grounds cover many acres1 the one blot in the landscape being the large red-brick foreign house2 but luckily the most lovely part of the garden is laid out in front of the perfect specimen of a ,japanese gentleman's house1 where the verandah of the cool matted rooms looks over a scene of indescribable beauty4 ,the large lake is cleverly divided1 and the portion of the garden in front of the foreign house is left behind2 groves of evergreen trees screen the house--the one jarring note2 and here the lake becomes the lagoon of ,matsu-shima1 tiny pine-clad islets rise from the water1 and in the distance rises the cone of ,fuji from an undulating plain of close-mown turf and groups of dwarfed pines4 ,here again flowers have no official existence2 azaleas there are in profusion1 but they are only introduced as shrubs2 so the garden is not a flower garden1 but a true landscape garden--the reproduction in miniature of natural scenery4 ,the lanterns and bridges near the foreign house are of immense size1 carrying out the law of proportion2 the rocks and boulders are large to correspond1 and the whole effect is one of great breadth2 only near the tea-house and the main ,japanese house does the garden become more finished in style and on a smaller scale4 ,the balcony overhangs the rocky edge of the tidal lake2 each rock has its history and its especial place2 but the laws which have governed the making of such a garden are laws drawn up by great artists1--there is no false note1 even the grouping of the reeds and irises by the water's edge has been planned by a master hand1 so the picture remains graven on one's memory as that of an ideal pleasaunce for leisure and repose4 ,in ,kyoto there still remain the gardens of the ,gold and ,silver ,pavilions--gardens of much older date1 the splendour of their pavilions dimmed by age1 more especially in the case of ,kinkakuji1 the ,golden ,pavilion4 ,mr4 ,conder says1 8,long neglect has converted what was once an elaborate artificial landscape into a wild natural scene of great beauty40 ,the little pine-clad islets remain1 but they are now island wildernesses2 the trees have partially resumed their normal shapes2 great leaning pines overhang the shores of the ,mirror ,ocean1 representing the ,sea of ,japan1 and its three islands suggesting the ,empire of the ,mikado4 ,it was in the fourteenth century that this quiet spot became the so-called retreat of the scheming ,yoshimitsu1 who1 pretending to have resigned the ,shogunate in favour of his son1 here lived in the garb of a monk1 but in reality directing the affairs of ,state4 ,the two-storied ,pavilion itself1 seen reflected in the ,mirror ,ocean1 is possibly more picturesque in decay than it was in the days of its splendour2 the gilding from which it takes its name has been partially restored2 it is backed by the wooded hill fancifully called the ,silken ,canopy or ,silk ,hat ,mountain1 from the fact that the ex-,mikado ,uda ordered it to be covered with white silk on a scorching summer's day1 in order that his eyes might enjoy the sensation of gazing on a cool1 snow-covered scene4 ,to this day the garden of ,kinkakuji under a light canopy of snow is one of the favourite sights of the people of ,kyoto4 ,in days gone by there were smaller arbours in which the ,shogun1 wearied with his walk among the groves of the ,silk ,hat ,mountain1 would rest1 and compare the scene which the garden was intended to represent1 to the real ,sea of ,japan1 whence the name of one of the arbours1 ,the ,house of the ,sound of the ,seashore4 ,to the north-east of ,kyoto1 nestling among the woods that clothe the lower hills of ,hiei-san1 lie the grounds of ,ginkakuji or the ,silver ,pavilion4 ,in imitation of his predecessor ,yoshimitsu1 the ,shogun ,yoshimasa after his abdication retired from the affairs of the world1 built himself a country house with grounds of vast extent1 even with despotic impatience sweeping away a temple because it interfered with his plans1--though we are told he was filled with remorse1 and afterwards restored it at great expense4 ,the two-storied ,pavilion was partly copied from its rival1 the ,golden ,pavilion1 though it never seems to have attained to the same splendour2 but here the ex-,shogun and his boon companions1 the philosopher ,soami and ,shuko the ,nara priest1 held their sthetic revels4 ,they may be said to have laid down the laws which raised the tea-ceremonial to the rank of a fine art4 ,mr4 ,farrar1 in writing of it1 says3-- ,it has its prescribed ritual of appalling rigidity1 this tea-ceremony1 invented and elaborated by a pious monk to ,illustration3 ,a ,,tokyo ,,garden distract a young and giddy ,shogun from his debaucheries4 ,it was taken up as a political weapon by the ,house of ,tokugawa1 and crystallised into its present adamantine form1 becoming a social engine of the most powerful nature in its power of bringing all the nobles together4 ,here1 then1 is one of its temples where the rites were celebrated in their due ordinance1 with their prescribed compliments1 obeisances1 and admiring exclamations over the prescribed flower1 arranged in the prescribed spot1 and indicated by the host in the prescribed words1 to be followed by the invariable litany of conversation and courtesy over the cup of tea to be made1 handed1 accepted1 and drunk all with remarks and gestures and smiles of ancestral rubric4 ,outside any tea-house built in accordance with these prescribed regulations one sees 8a row of stepping-stones1 finishing beneath a little il-de-buf in the wall above1 by which the visitors had to enter1 ignoring the thoroughly practical door4 ,they approached1 making the due bows upon each stone1 and at last their host was to fish them in through the window40 ,another ceremony inaugurated within these precincts was the ceremonial of 8incense sniffing10 to our minds merely an innocent1 childish game1 the winner being the person possessing the keenest sense of smell1 as the pastime consisted of five or more different kinds of incense being burnt1 sniffed1 given poetical names1 then mixed up and sniffed again1 and the man who guesses best the names of the various kinds1 is the winner4 ,the boxes which contained the incense1 the burners in which it was burnt1 were all works of art1 and the same grave etiquette which governed the tea-ceremonial governed these incense-sniffing parties1 in which poets1 writers1 priests1 philosophers1 ,daimyos1 ,shoguns1 the greatest and most learned in the land1 took part4 ,we can only gaze with wonder and perplexity--not hoping to understand--at a 8nation's intellect going off on such devious tracks as this incense-sniffing and the still more intricate tea-ceremonies1 and on bouquets arranged philosophically1 and gardens representing the cardinal virtues4 ,such strict rules1 such grave faces1 such endless terminologies1 so much ado about nothing60 7,professor ,chamberlain's ,things ,japanese47 ,to return to the garden proper1 laid out with great elaboration by ,soami4 ,although it is now much neglected1 the trees are not kept trimmed according to the rigid laws1 their stems are lichen-clad1 and ,nature has tried to reassert herself over art1 yet the beauty of the spot is great4 ,the lake1 of ingenious form1 backed on the north side by the thickly pine-clad hills and to the west by the regulation grove of maples1 is an admirable example of the arrangement of garden stones1 its shores being rich in rare and precious rocks1 each with its characteristic name4 ,one of the principal stones lying in the lake is the stone of ,ecstatic ,contemplation2 the little bridge which divides the lake is the ,bridge of the ,pillar of the ,immortals2 the water of the cascade which fills the lake1 being of exceptional purity1 is called the ,moon-washing ,fountain4 ,in the foreground of many of these older gardens was an open space covered with white sand1 carefully raked into ornamental patterns1 and here is a large mound of the sand suggestive of a mammoth sugar-loaf with a flattened top1 called the ,silver ,sand ,platform1 the smaller one of the same shape being the ,mound facing the ,moon2 on these sat ,yoshimasa and his favourites1 indulging in another favourite pastime of moon-gazing1 to our prosaic minds merely another elaborately conceived method of killing time4 ,i know no garden in ,japan which seemed to take one back so far into the world of the ,old ,japan as this little garden of ,ginkakuji1 and no more peaceful spot to sit and enjoy the reddening maple leaves on a bright evening in late autumn1 when there is a touch of sadness in the air1 in keeping with the departed glories of the ,pavilion and the fast-fading beauties of the trees4 ,many of the smaller and most interesting gardens in ,japan are those attached to tea-houses or small suburban houses1 showing1 as they do1 the ingenuity and resource of the landscape gardener in making a perfect garden of any size1 from ten acres to half an acre1 or only a few square yards4 ,among tea-house gardens1 that attached to the ,raku-raku-tei at ,hikone can hardly be counted1 as it was formerly the garden of a great ,daimyo and is one of the finest gardens in the country4 ,the numerous little summer-houses built out on piles in the lake have been erected for the entertainment of the guests of the tea-house1 a gathering place for the most lite1 but otherwise the garden remains unchanged2 the paths which wind round the lake1 across the bridges1 past the ,stone of ,worship1 from where the beauties of the garden may be enjoyed to best advantage1 are the same paths which the feet of successive ,daimyos trod in the feudal days of old4 ,it is rather to the ,hira-niwa1 or ,flat ,gardens1 that ,i allude1 made in the small enclosures at the back of private houses or tea-houses in towns1 or even in the actual courts1 no space being apparently too small for the construction of one of these little fresh-looking and artistic gardens4 ,how superior to the dusty1 neglected back garden or court of a ,european house1 too often only a piece of waste ground where the rubbish of the house accumulates1 the space being condemned as too small for a garden4 ,i can recall visions of many a tiny court no more than twenty feet square1 within whose limits were compressed a liliputian pond1 fed with clear water by the overflow of the water-basin2 a dwarf pine1 the soul of every ,japanese garden1 which in conjunction with a few small evergreen shrubs sheltered a moss-grown lantern4 ,some small rocks and a few foliage or water plants in a tuft by the water's edge1 were the sole materials used for the making of this court-garden4 ,stepping-stones1 let into the beaten earth1 led from the step of the verandah to the edge of the pond1 ending in one stone larger than the rest1 suggesting the ,stone of ,worship1 or the ,stone of ,amusement1 in case there should be any goldfish in the pond4 ,as these little courts are kept profusely watered1 being sprinkled out of a wooden ladle several times a day in the hottest days of summer1 the effect is always damp and cool1 the mossy stones are always fresh and green1 however fierce the heat may be4 ,the variety in the actual form of these gardens seemed infinite2 in some the pond was omitted1 and the suggestion of water and dampness came from the rustic garden well or the ornamental water-basin1 behind which always stands a portion of screen-fencing of elaborate design4 ,when the area is not quite so limited1 bridges will be introduced to cross the pond1 possibly consisting only of a single stone slab supported on a natural piece of rock1 or a granite bridge slightly curved in form1 or perhaps only the suggestion of a bridge1 formed of a branch of juniper or some flat close-growing evergreen trained in a curve across the water4 ,according to the size of the ground1 so these gardens will increase in elaboration of their design1 and many an enclosure at the back of a merchant's house in ,kyoto or ,osaka has been transformed into a perfect specimen of ,hira-niwa4 ,one ,i recall which always gave me as much pleasure as the most extensive landscape garden in the country4 ,the lake was of the prescribed form known as the ,running ,water shape1 fed by a fast-flowing stream which came in at the far end of the garden over the regulation ,cascade ,stones2 a garden arbour of elaborate form overlooked the lake1 in which stood the 8,elysian ,isle0 with its pine-tree ,illustration3 ,a ,,landscape ,,garden growing out of the rock1 and a few azalea bushes filling the interstices of the stone1 forming a most attractive feature of the garden2 banks there were planted with more azaleas2 pines1 kept dwarfed to about two feet in height1 grew out of cushions of thick moss2 bridges crossed and re-crossed the stream2 stepping-stones1 discs1 and label stones guided our feet as we wandered about at leisure4 ,there were the two garden entrances1 and even the back entrance1 or ,sweeping ,opening1 was a thing of beauty4 ,every detail of this garden had been first carefully thought out1 and then as carefully carried into execution4 ,the landscape gardener in ,japan is no gardener in the sense that we regard a gardener in the ,west--a cultivator of flowers3 he is a garden artist2 he leaves none of his effects to chance2 so carefully are his plans made that before the first sod of the new garden has been turned1 he knows exactly how the garden will look when completed4 ,he will see in his mind's eye the appointed place for every tree1 every stone1 which is to be used in its composition4 ,i could not help thinking that if more thought were given to the planning of our ,english gardens there might be something more complete and satisfying to the eye than the meaningless gardens--often laid out by the owner of the house1 who by the wildest stretch of imagination could not be called a garden artist--which too often surround our ,english homes4 ,our gardens are made beautiful in summer by the wealth and profusion of their flowers2 but when the winter comes and the beds are shorn of their summer glories1 the deficiencies of the plan of the garden are laid bare1 and might well give us food for thought through the long winter months4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,nursery ,,gardens--,,dwarf ,,trees ,,and ,,hachi-,,niwa ,a nursery garden in ,japan may be called a revelation in the art of pruning4 ,a singular idea exists in the minds of many people1 that all the trees in ,japan are like the dwarf specimens they have occasionally seen in ,england on a nurseryman's stand at a flower-show1 and frequently they display surprise1 not unmixed with incredulity1 when assured that such is not the case4 ,i would recommend those unbelievers to take a walk in the cryptomeria avenues at ,nikko1 among the camphor groves of ,atami1 or to wander through the pine-woods which clothe the hillsides above ,kyoto1 when they would see for themselves the magnificence of the trees1 untouched by the pruning knife of the gardener4 ,the ,japanese bestow as much time and care on the trees in their gardens as the ,western gardener would give to his choicest flowers4 ,the gardener's ideal tree is not the ordinary tree of the forest1 but the abnormal specimen which age and weather have twisted and bent into quaint and unusual shapes4 ,here1 in the nursery garden1 we shall find specimen trees2 old trees it is true1 but trees giving proof that art has had to improve upon nature1 as scarcely a single tree in the whole collection--waiting1 possibly1 to transform the new garden of a nouveau riche into an ancestral home--will have been allowed to follow its own inclination of growth and shape4 ,the pine-tree is generally chosen as the subject for the operating knife1 and is cut and trained into all manner of shapes2 an umbrella made of a single tree of ,pinus densiflora trained on a framework of light bamboo1 or a junk of perfect form1 the reward of years of patience1 will be waiting until it is required to be the chief feature in a landscape garden4 ,the curiously twisted appearance characteristic of a ,japanese pine-tree1 in gardens and temple grounds1 is achieved by a clever system of pruning1 and gives the trees a stunted and venerable appearance1 which they would otherwise not attain for years4 ,the leading shoot of each branch and most of the side ones are removed1 giving the branch a new direction1 sometimes at right angles to the previous year's growth4 ,this operation is repeated every year1 and the branches thinned out1 so that every line of the stems can be followed4 ,another favourite and very effective way of training a pine1 is to carry a long branch out over a stream or pond1 and by skilful training and cutting to give it the direction that1 after a few years' growth1 will have become natural to it1 and the whole strength of the tree will seem concentrated in that one branch4 ,these trees should be placed by the water's edge or on the slope of a hill1 and are often planted leaning at all manner of angles4 ,the gardener is never sparing in his use of stout bamboo props1 which to our ,western ideas would appear unsightly4 ,it is not in these trees1 interesting as they always are1 that the admiration of the visitor to a ,japanese nursery garden will be centred2 for how few foreigners remain long enough in the country1 or take sufficient interest in their temporary home1 to construct a new garden round it2 yet how easy it seems to accomplish1 when old gnarled trees are ready grown4 ,it would appear as though a few hours' planning and plotting1 a few stones and trees1 a few days' work for a few coolies1 are all that is required1 and the thing would be done2 but remember success depends upon the plan1 one false touch would set the whole conception ajar1 so woe betide the foreigner if he were to attempt to interfere with the making of his garden2 left to himself a ,japanese is never guilty of that one false touch4 ,arranged in rows on wooden platforms will be the object of our visit to the nursery garden--the dwarf trees--whose fame has spread throughout the world1 and who seem to share with the cherry blossom the floral fame of ,japan4 ,when first ,i visited the country ,i went prepared to be disappointed with the dwarf trees2 ,i had seen inferior specimens shipped to ,europe no doubt because of their inferiority1 pining away a lingering life in a climate unsuited to them1 deprived of all care and attention2 for an idea prevailed in ,england when they were first imported1 that these tiny trees1 the result of years of patient training1 required no water1 and either no fresh air or else were equally indifferent to the fiery rays of the summer suns or the icy blasts of the winter winds4 ,a visit to a garden in their native country will soon reveal that such is not the case4 ,the trees are not coddled1 it is true1 but the proper allowance of water1 especially in their growing season1 is most important1 and they are impatient of a draught2 though many seem to stand the full rays of the sun1 the best specimens had generally some light canvas or bamboo blinds1 arranged so that they could be drawn over the stands during the hottest hours of the scorching summer days4 ,i have heard these trees described as tortured trees2 to me1 good specimens never gave that impression1 their charm took possession of me1 and a grand old pine or juniper whose gnarled and twisted trunk suggested a giant of the forest1 and yet was under three feet in height1 standing in a soft-coloured porcelain bowl1 gave me infinite pleasure4 ,i could see no fault in them1 they are completely satisfying and give a strange feeling of repose4 ,their variety is infinite1 from six inches in height to as many feet2 pines1 junipers1 thujas1 maples1 larch1 willows1 and1 among the flowering trees1 pink and white plum1 single and double cherries1 tiny peach-trees1 smothered by their blossoms1 pyrus trained in fantastic shapes1 all will be there in bewildering choice of beauty4 ,i have heard of a single treasure1 a weeping willow1 only six inches in height1 the reward of years of patience1 for which the price of #gjjj yen 7#gjj7 was paid2 probably to our eyes it would have had no more value than a humble 8dwarf0 which1 in consequence of some slight imperfection1 would not fetch more than sevenpence4 ,in a perfect specimen not only each branch1 but each twig and each leaf1 must conform absolutely in direction and proportion to the same unbending laws which govern this art1 as well as its sister arts of landscape gardening and flower arrangement--laws which a writer says were 8the iron rules laid down by the canons of taste in the days when ,iyeyasu ,tokugawa paralysed into an adamantine immobility the whole artistic and intellectual life of the country40 ,so in every garden there will be failures as perfect works of art1 but beautiful in our eyes1 which fail to see any difference between the perfect specimen with its boughs bent down by the weight of the laws which have trained it and priced it at some hundred yen1 or the 8failure0 by its side1 beautiful and wonderful1 with all its imperfections an exquisite and dainty thing1 priced at as many pence4 ,perhaps one of the best opportunities for buying these imperfect trees1 which are still admired and readily bought by the ,japanese themselves1 though not to be treasured as works of art1 is at ,illustration3 ,,the ,,old ,,wistaria the sales which take place at night in the streets of ,kyoto on certain days of the month4 ,the plants are arranged on stalls down each side of a narrow street1 and the intending purchaser has to fight his way through a dense crowd to choose his plants4 ,no lover of dwarf trees should miss attending one of these sales1 and perhaps the uncertainty as to whether the plant is in good health1 or the bowl containing it is broken1 adds to the excitement of bargaining with the stall-holder2 every ,japanese loves a bargain1 and the transaction is eagerly watched by the crowd1 and the 8foreign devil0 will gain their admiration if he can hold his own against the rapacity of the salesman4 ,as the plants vary in price1 from a few sen to two or three yen1 one can afford to carry off a sufficient number to ensure having some1 at least1 that will be a reward for one's patience4 ,on the #ast of ,april the best night-market of the year is held4 ,the stalls will be covered with tempting little flowering trees1 their buds almost bursting and full of promise of lovely blossoms to come--sturdy little peach-trees1 their branches thickly covered with soft velvet buds just tinged with pink2 drooping cherries wreathed with red-brown buds2 slender pyrus trained into wonderful twisted shapes2 little groves of maple-trees1 their scarlet or bronze leaves just unfurling1 or miniature forests of larch1 shading mossy ravines with rivers of white sand2 ancient pine-trees spreading their branches over rocky precipices rising from a bed of pebbles2 sweet-scented daphnes1 golden-flowered forsythias1 and early azaleas in porcelain dishes1 which are round or oval1 square1 shallow or deep1 and of every shade1 from white1 through soft greys and blues to a deep green4 ,every plant is a picture in itself1 and the difficulty lies in deciding1 not which to buy1 but which one can bring oneself to leave behind4 ,siebold1 who visited ,japan and wrote the ,flora ,japonica upwards of sixty years ago1 thus describes the dwarf trees3-- ,the ,japanese have an incredible fondness for dwarf trees1 and with reference to this the cultivation of the ,ume1 or ,plum1 is one of the most general and lucrative employments of the country4 ,such plants are increased by in-arching1 and by this means specimens are obtained which have the peculiar habit of the ,weeping ,willow4 ,a nurseryman offered me for sale in #ahbf a plant in flower which was scarcely three inches high2 this chef d'uvre of gardening was grown in a little lacquered box of three tiers1 similar to those filled with drugs which the ,japanese carry in their belts2 in the upper tier was this ,ume1 in the second row a little ,spruce ,fir1 and at the lowest a ,bamboo scarcely an inch and a half high4 ,the ,japanese still love their dwarf trees as much as they did in the days of ,siebold1 and the trade in them has received additional impetus of late years1 as great numbers are exported annually to ,europe and the ,united ,states1 where ,i fear they are not treasured as works of art1 but are only regarded as curiosities4 ,at different seasons of the year the nursery gardens will be gay with the display of some especial flower4 ,early in ,may the gaudy-coloured curtains and paper lanterns at the gates will announce1 in the bold black lettering which is one of the chief ornaments of the country1 that a special exhibition of azaleas is being held4 ,it is scarcely conceivable that any plants can bear so many blossoms as do these stiff and prim little azalea-trees2 the individual blooms are small1 but their serried ranks form one dense even mass1 flat as a table1 for no straggling branches are allowed in these perfectly grown plants4 ,every shade is there1 an incredible blaze of colour1 all the plants the same shape1 all practically the same size1 and all in the same shaped pots2 the only variety being in the delicate hue of the faience pots or the vivid colouring of the blossoms4 ,the pots are arranged in rows or stages under the blue and white checked roofing1 which seems peculiarly to belong to flower exhibitions2 the effect cannot be said to be artistic1 but there is something very attractive about the little trees1 which are visited by the same crowd of sight-seers1 who seem to spend their days in 8flower-viewing0 and quiet feasting on the matted benches1 the latter being inseparable from these flower resorts4 ,other flower exhibitions will follow in their turn--great flaunting ponies1 brought with loving care from the gardens near ,osaka2 and then the last and most treasured flower of all1 the chrysanthemum4 ,again the little matted or chess-board roof will be brought into requisition1 and an unceasing throng of visitors will discuss the merits of the last new variety1 or of a plant more perfectly grown than its neighbour4 ,here1 too1 ,i saw plants of single chrysanthemums1 like great soft pink daisies1 grown in tall narrow porcelain pots1 grey-blue in colour2 left untrained and unsupported the main stem fell over the side of the pot1 and the whole plant hung down with natural grace2 the effect was charming1 and ,i could not help thinking might easily be accomplished in any garden4 ,at the end of the year may also be seen the dishes being prepared with a combination of plum1 bamboo1 and pine which will be found on the tokonoma of almost every house throughout the empire at the ,new ,year1 bringing good luck and long life to the inmates4 ,sometimes the combination will be merely a flower arrangement1 but usually it is of a more lasting nature1 and a little plum-tree covered with soft pink buds1 a tiny gnarled old pine1 and a small plant of bamboo1 will be firmly planted in the dish1 a rock and a few stones may be added for effect1 and the ground mossed over to suggest great age4 ,occasionally a clump of some everlasting flower1 such as ,adonis amurensis1 is used instead of the plum4 ,it is probably in the nursery garden that the traveller will first see one of the toy gardens called ,hachi-niwa--dish gardens--where a perfect landscape and a well-known scene is accurately represented within the limited area of a shallow china dish1 varying in size from six inches in length to two feet4 ,here we have another art1 for the making of ,hachi-niwa is almost as much trammelled by rules and conventions as its fellow-arts of flower arrangement and landscape gardening1 and the same unbending law of proportion is the first consideration4 ,just as the landscape gardener chooses the scene which his garden is to represent1 in proportion to the size of the ground which the future garden is intended to cover1 so the maker of a ,hachi-niwa must choose his scene in proportion to the size of his dish2 or1 as his choice of dishes may be infinite1 varying from a few inches upwards1 and being in shape round or oval1 long and narrow1 with square or rounded ends2 so having decided on his landscape1 he may then choose his dish4 ,as ,i had been much attracted by these little miniature gardens1 each in itself a perfect picture1 ,i determined to learn something of the manner of their construction and to try and grasp a few of the principles of the art4 ,i had heard of a gardener in ,kyoto who was a great master in the art1 a disciple and pupil of one of the ,tokyo professors1 who might tell me what ,i wished to learn4 ,on my first visit to his house he looked incredulous at the idea of a foreigner wishing to study the art of ,hachi-niwa4 ,thinking ,i could only wish to purchase a ready-made garden to carry off as a curiosity1 he appeared decidedly reserved1 and reluctant to impart any information on the subject of their composition4 ,a friend who accompanied me1 and was more eloquent in his language than ,i was1 assured him that ,i was in earnest--not merely a passer-by1 but one who had already spent many months in his country2 then his interest awoke1 and he asked me to return the next day1 when he would have all the materials prepared and ,i could choose my own subject4 ,many a happy hour did ,i spend making these little gardens and learning something of their history4 ,a certain paraphernalia is necessary for the construction of these miniature landscapes1 and the requisite materials include a supply of moss of every variety--close cushions of moss to form the mountains1 flat spreading moss to clothe the rocks1 white lichened moss to carpet the ground beneath the venerable pine-trees1 which in themselves are especially grown and dwarfed1 till at the age of four or five years they will only have attained the imposing height of as many inches2 leaning and bent pines for the scenery of ,matsushima or the garden of ,kinkakuji1 groves of tiny maples for ,arashiyama1 and pigmy trees of all descriptions4 ,finally1 there are microscopic toys to give life to the scene--perfect little temples and shrines1 in exact imitation of the originals1 modelled out of the composition that is used for pottery1 baked first in their natural colour1 then coloured when necessary and baked again2 coolies1 pedlars1 pilgrims in endless variety1 less than an inch in height2 bridges1 lanterns1 torii1 boats1 junks1 rafts1 mills1 thatch-roofed cottages--everything1 in fact1 that is necessary in the making of a landscape1 down to breakwaters for the rivers1 made like tiny bamboo cages filled with stones1 such as exist at every turn of rivers like the ,fuji-kawa4 ,the necessary implements consisted of chop-sticks1 the use of which is an art in itself1 a trowel suggesting a doll's mason's trowel1 a tiny flat-iron for smoothing the surface of the sand1 besides diminutive scoops for holding only a few grains of sand1 a pair of enlarged forceps for placing the moss1 little fairy brooms about two inches long to sweep away sand which may have got out of place1 and a sieve of like dimensions to sift white powder for a snow scene1 and1 finally1 a fine water sprayer to keep the moss damp and fresh4 ,when the selection of the dish has been made--the regulation kind being of white or mottled blue china1 in size twelve inches by eight1 or eighteen inches by twelve1 about one inch deep--and the scene decided upon1 damp sifted earth will form the mountains and the foundations in which the rocks are embedded2 the hills are carefully carved and moulded into perfect shape2 crevasses1 down which a torrent of white sand will flow1 to represent a river1 or a mountain road running between a gorge of terrific rocks1 are marked out4 ,then will come the firm planting of the stones1 toy temples1 houses1 or bridges2 the position of the trees is carefully weighed and considered2 and last of all comes the sand--sand of a deep grey colour for deep water1 lighter in colour for the shallows1 yellowish sand for the ground or roads1 snow-white granite chips for water racing down from the mossy mountains or dashing against the cliffs1 coarser shingle for the beach in sea scenes2 and the correct use of all these sands is a history in itself1 as all the different coloured varieties come from the different rivers of ,japan1 and to use the wrong sand to represent water or earth would be an unforgivable crime in the eye of the master4 ,to show that great men have turned their attention to these little toy gardens1 no less an artist than the celebrated ,hiroshige1 whose colour-prints of the fifty-three stages of the journey on the old ,tokaido road1 along which the ,shoguns1 in days gone by1 travelled with all the pomp and state due to their rank1 from ,kyoto to ,yedo1 are well known and prized by all lovers of these prints1 evidently considered these scenes so suited for the making of toy gardens1 that he designed a special book in which the fifty-three views appear as ,hachi-niwa4 ,the book is now1 unfortunately1 scarce and difficult to obtain1 but ,i had the delight of seeing the whole set of views in real life1 each in its little dish4 ,my teacher told me that the first ,exhibition of ,hachi-niwa ever held in ,kyoto would take place at the ,kyoto ,club1 where the various competitors would exhibit different views1 and a prize would be awarded1 from votes by ballot1 to the best in the collection4 ,needless to say1 as soon as the doors1 or rather the sliding shoji1 of the club were thrown open to the public1 ,i hastened to study these perfect little works of art4 ,round three white-matted rooms they stood1 each dish on a low black wood stand a few inches high1 raised on a dais only another few inches from the ground1 so that to view them properly it was necessary to kneel in adoration before them4 ,i was asked to vote for the three ,i liked best1 and never did ,i have a greater difficulty in deciding4 ,at first a view of ,kodzu attracted my attention1 with its pine-clad cliffs1 deep-indented coast line1 stony beach with a moored junk1 and stretching away in the distance an expanse of pale blue sea1 in the offing being a fleet of fishing-boats with sails not more than half an inch in size bellying in the breeze4 ,this seemed to me perfection2 every ripple on the water was marked in the sand1 the crests of the waves white1 the shadows a deep blue1 and the reflection of the junk in perfect outline--a marvel of neatness and ingenuity4 ,but to the ,japanese this did not appeal2 they condemned it for its very perfection2 any one1 they said1 could make such a scene who had sufficient patience and neat fingers2 whereas the view of ,kanaya appealed to them as having something grand and yet simple in its conception4 ,a river of white sand threaded its way through the mossy plain1 and in the distance stood the little mountain village nestling at the foot of a range of mountains carved in stone4 ,this was awarded the prize1 and1 ,i was glad to think1 had been made by my teacher4 ,such an exhibition ,i had expected would be principally visited by women and children1 as ,i had heard that the making of ,hachi-niwa was a favourite occupation for the ladies of ,tokyo1 but here in ,kyoto they found interest in the eyes of 8grave and reverend seigneurs0 who gathered in groups about the rooms4 ,i saw all the members of the club1 politicians1 writers1 poets1 the greatest in the land1 engrossed in discussing the merits or demerits of toy gardens1 and ,i could not help thinking that here was a country indeed where 8small things amuse great minds40 ,,chapter ,v ,,temple ,,gardens ,of all the gardens in ,japan1 and surely in no other country are there so many different forms of gardening1 the temple garden1 or often the garden surrounding some mouldering ,buddhist monastery1 remains a peaceful1 secluded spot1 recalling the ,old ,japan and days gone by4 ,unluckily many of them are fast falling into decay1 like the buildings they surround2 but perhaps it is better so1 as they would surely suffer at the hands of the restorer1 just as many of the temples have suffered2 and though little may remain of the original gardens1 the stones1 beautified possibly by time1 are still the same2 the trees may have grown old and gnarled1 but the form of the garden remains unchanged4 ,it has been said that every good garden should be a 8modulation from pure nature to pure art10 and no one seems to have understood the saying better ,illustration3 ,,at ,,kitano ,,tenjin than the makers of these old temple gardens3 they are always a setting for the building they surround1 adding to its grandeur1 never dwarfing it2 the placing of every stone1 the curve of every walk1 the shape of the pond1 all seem to have been duly weighed and considered1 and the result is an harmonious whole4 ,the grand ,nikko temples1 the shrines in ,uyeno or ,shiba1 have been left in their natural surroundings2 the tall grey masts of the cryptomerias stand like sentries to guard their precious treasure1 the avenues broken only by long vistas of enormous steps or the uprights of a colossal granite torii4 ,nothing could be more imposing1 and the effect of the bronze green of the cryptomerias against the splendid colour of the temple gives the crowning touch to a picture which in itself alone is worth travelling many thousand miles to see4 ,at ,uyeno the cherry-trees reign all supreme1 they do their full work2 the mixing of other shrubs or trees would be unnecessary and meaningless2 this is the simplest and yet the grandest form of gardening2 a few large bronze lanterns and grey stones help to show off the delicate pink of the blossoms when they are in their glory1 and yet seem to be part of the temple itself1 as no temple or shrine is complete without some of these beautiful votive offerings4 ,at ,nara1 again1 the cryptomeria forms the principal setting2 in spring1 many of the trees are wreathed with wistaria1 the royal fuji1 but this only helps to enhance their colour1 and is suggestive of a grey misty vapour rather than a real flower1 as often one sees no trace of the stem of the wistaria1 and one wonders how the mass of mauve flowers has managed to appear suddenly at the very top of one of those giants of the forest4 ,it is not around these large and world-renowned temples that one finds a garden1 in the sense that we ,europeans regard a garden1 but rather in some peaceful spot which seems to have been overlooked by the hustle and bustle of the large town in which it may be situated4 ,i am thinking now of one such garden in ,kyoto2 the evening bell seems to call you to come within its sanctuary1 and once there one would surely never leave until the final closing of its great outer wooden door sends the loiterer away4 ,it has an irresistible charm this tiny garden1 hardly more than a toy compared to the scale of our ,english gardens1 and it was no surprise to me to learn that it was planned to suggest in miniature the ,illustration3 ,,the ,,drooping ,,cherry fabulous ,garden of ,paradise4 ,one enters its outer precincts through one of those solid wooden gateways which seem so fitting to guard their charge1 wood guarding wood1 for remember all temples are made of wood in ,japan2 though many different kinds may be used1 and the rarer and more beautifully veined pieces are brought together and collected from far and wide1 still it is all wood1 and for that reason the buildings seem to be especially in keeping with a garden4 ,on either side of the gateway stand two old pine-trees1 carefully trained and thinned at the proper season2 but the most beautiful guardian is just within the gate1 a grand old weeping cherry-tree1 in ,april its boughs bent down by the weight of its blossoms1 while its glory lasts for a week or two1 casting a pinky light on all around4 ,even now you are only being prepared for the beauty to come1 as you must knock on yet another little wooden door and ask permission of the acolyte to enter2 he will offer to tell you the history of the garden in his peculiar sing-song note1 suggesting a recitative1 and utterly incomprehensible1 unless you have thoroughly mastered his language4 ,seeing a foreigner he will probably reconcile himself to letting you wander at your will1 and enjoy the beauties of this little haven of rest4 ,we are told that the buildings were formerly magnificent1 but have suffered from fire at the hands of the ronins1 and in later days from accidental fires4 ,what remains of the original building seems complete in itself1 and one feels one would not have it otherwise4 ,the garden was designed by the celebrated ,kobori ,enshu1 and1 like all his work1 is much regarded and valued by the ,japanese4 ,the plan1 roughly speaking1 appears to be two ponds1 a wooden bridge1 and three tiny islands2 but to the understanding one1 they are the ,crane and ,tortoise ponds1 the two small islands on the south being regarded as a crane1 while the northern one is a tortoise4 ,the wooden bridge is a ,bridge of ,heaven1 and contains the ,kwangetsudai1 or ,moon-gazing ,platform1 brought from the ,momoyama ,palace at ,fushimi1 where ,hideyoshi is said to have used it for that purpose4 ,all this is of deep interest to the ,japanese2 but to our eyes the charm of the garden lies in the fact that it is a little old-world garden full of repose1 suggesting the ,old ,japan1 and spots where foreign feet have seldom trod4 ,i have known this garden at all seasons of the year4 ,in ,february1 when biting snow-showers remind one that winter is not yet over1 the moss-and lichen-clad stones1 the trim1 clean-cut azalea and sweet box bushes1 and the carpet of velvety moss in broad patches where the turf has not yet recovered from the winter frosts1 are its only adornments4 ,the pink buds of the one plum-tree it contains are fast swelling1 and show you that spring's fairy raiment is being prepared by ,nature2 the buds of the large bush of flame-coloured ,azalea mollis--possibly the pride of the garden--also help to give promise of future glories4 ,kodaiji was once famous for its cherry-trees1 but now few remain1 and we must content ourselves with its other treasures1 which seem to bloom in one never-ending succession throughout the year4 ,july is the only month in which ,i have never seen this garden1 but ,i feel certain that even then there is no blank1 something would spring up to be the pride of the garden4 ,in ,march her one plum-tree reigns supreme1 in ,april the cherry blossom2 in ,may the ,crane pond is fringed with purple irises1 and the gorgeous azalea casts its reflection also2 in ,june the later ,azalea indica 444 flower as best they can1 but how many of their buds fall victims to the gardener's shears4 ,in ,july the lotus leaves in both the ponds are already getting taller every hour1 and in the early hours of some morning late in ,july the first lotus bud will open with a crack and gradually unfurl its beautiful pink or white blossom4 ,all through ,august fresh buds will appear1 and indeed well into ,september1 when at last the leaves will begin to curl and shrivel1 and one can only wonder how they stood the scorching heat of the sun all through those long weeks4 ,by the beginning of ,october the leaves of the maples will be turning1 gradually growing more and more fiery in colour as the month dies out1 till in ,november they are in all their gaudy splendour1 and ,kodaiji is noted for its momiji4 ,the priest1 too1 who evidently loves his garden1 has by now moved with tender care his chrysanthemum plants1 whose pots have been kept from the sun's fiercest rays1 and never allowed to cry out for water1 and placed them in one of those curiously fragile little structures which seem to exist only for the protection of chrysanthemums1 with a roof more suggestive of a chess-board than anything else1 and arranged them in front of his dwelling-room1 so that he can sit and gaze at them1 just as in old days ,hideyoshi sat on the neighbouring platform to gaze at the moon4 ,do not imagine ,illustration3 ,a ,,shrine ,,at ,,kyomidzu that when the last maple falls1 or the last kiku flower is cut1 the year is over in this favoured little spot1 for in ,december the ,camellia ,sasanqua holds its own against frost and even snow2 its lovely rose-coloured flowers1 which with their yellow stamens1 are more suggestive of the blooms of ,penzance briar roses than of camellias1 are in sharp contrast with the deep glossy foliage1 and seem more fitted for a spring flower than one for the dying year4 ,it is not always easy for the foreigner to obtain permission to visit some of these secluded and hallowed spots4 ,i can recall a long rough ricksha drive in the environs of ,kyoto1 through somewhat uninteresting country1 consisting of endless miles of rice-fields--,hiezan1 it is true1 forming a beautiful background2 but though ,i was armed with credentials which ,i was assured would gain me admission to a veritable holy of holies1 a garden so old that no one knew its origin1 my enthusiasm was beginning to wane when we arrived within some large rambling temple grounds4 ,we asked to see the garden1 and were bowed into a not very interesting and rather uncared-for court1 but ,i felt this could not be the spot ,i had come so far to see2 besides1 admission had been too readily granted2 it would require patience and perseverance to find this inner sanctuary4 ,after many explanations and many times being assured there was no other garden1 we were eventually directed to the priest's private dwelling1 and then ,i knew my chance had come1 as an especially holy man was the owner of the precious little garden4 ,i was greeted with a look of horror and incredulity3 8,was it possible that the foreigner had even penetrated within these mouldering monastery grounds80 ,the permission was granted1 and ,i entered the spotlessly clean white-matted rooms1 which all looked on the garden4 ,first a little forecourt1 and beyond1 the sacred spot4 ,at the first glance what did it consist of8 ,a few stone lanterns1 almost diminutive in size1 to be in keeping with the rest of the garden2 some so buried in velvety moss that their shape seemed almost altered by the thickness of their green canopy2 a few curiously shaped and fantastic stones1 also with their covering of grey lichen and moss2 some old gnarled and twisted shrubs1 and two or three little toy stone bridges4 ,not a single flower to break the severity of the outline4 ,the garden lay in a pine wood1 and at first ,i thought1 8,how curious that a spot so evidently well cared for should be carpeted thickly ,illustration3 ,,white ,,cherry ,,at ,,kitano with pine needles60 ,never had ,i seen stone bridges placed where there was no water to cross2 the only water in the garden appearing to be a tiny little ceaseless trickle in the beautifully shaped water-basin1 which stands at the entrance to nearly all ,japanese gardens1 however small2 but presently ,i noticed that the pine needles only covered the actual ground1 not one was lying on the little rising mound or lodging in any bush1 and then ,i realised the cleverness1 the ingenuity of the idea--the pine needles represented the water2 each spine seemed to be in its place under the little bridge2 they came perfectly smooth and always following each the same way like flowing water4 ,presently some projecting point or little island in this fancy lake would break their regularity1 and they would be turned and twisted to represent the current of the water4 ,it took one's breath away4 8,who ever had the patience to arrange this carpet80 ,it seemed almost as if it might be the work of some one undergoing a penance1 being condemned to keep these pine needles in perfect order2 one puff of wind might mean hours of work to their guardian4 ,i felt that my perseverance had been well repaid1 as during all my wanderings in ,japan ,i never came across another example of that style of gardening1 nor was ,i ever able to obtain the real history of this garden4 ,the gardens round the smaller temples seem generally to be in the special care of some old priest4 ,many of them unfortunately are fast falling into decay1 and are often neglected2 but many are evidently the pride and joy of their owner1 who usually seems much gratified by the admiration they evoke4 ,often only a very small piece is kept in anything like trim and formal order1 and then one wanders up the hill and finds a different scene--nature running riot1 helped by a minute mountain stream1 as an unceasing supply of moisture seems almost more necessary to the vegetation of ,japan than to that of any other country2 but still the path winds on1 and the wanderer is impelled to see where it will lead him to4 ,the end is always the same1 some silent graveyard--perhaps only a score or so of memorials of the dead1 or perhaps hundreds1 or even it would seem almost thousands1 of these ghostly moss-blackened monuments1 jostling each other1 so crowded are they1 hardly any two alike in size or shape1 leaning all of them1 suggesting endless earthquakes1 but mostly with a section of bamboo in front of them to hold a branch of evergreen or flower1 showing that some one still remembers the departed one1 and loving hands light the humble incense bowl4 ,perhaps one of the most elaborate gardens ,i ever saw was that of ,sampo-in1 on the way to ,otsu4 ,here one feels as if the work of man had almost distorted nature1 if such a thing were possible1 and yet the picture would be poor indeed were it not for its splendid setting of forest trees4 ,again a giant weeping cherry stands like a guardian within the gate1 and then you pass on2 and never have ,i seen trees so fantastically twisted into the most impossible angles and shapes4 ,the keynote of the garden seems to be the lilliputian mountain torrent1 for does not that give a raison d'tre for the stone or turf bridges which are flung across it to connect the mossy banks with the diminutive islands1 on one of which stands a celebrated pine1 twisted1 and torn1 and cut1 so that it has lost all trace of what nature intended it to be1 but surely not lost all charm4 ,in this garden also there are no flowers1 only little trespassers4 ,i noticed numbers of little wild flowers nestling in the shadow of the bridges or between the mossy rocks1 seeming to pray to be left undisturbed by the ruthless weeder4 ,the pride of this especial garden was its maples4 ,when ,i saw it1 they had not yet lost the red glow in which their leaves unfurl in spring2 but in ,november they would doubtless be better still1 and the garden illuminated by a blaze of colour4 ,on leaving1 it seemed impossible to avoid marring the patterns traced in the silver sand1 patterns of a thousand years ago4 ,round some of the larger and more imposing temples and monasteries the ground is less a garden than a pleasaunce1 for the little miniature gardens ,i have described would be no fitting framework1 for instance1 for that noble building the ,chion-in in ,kyoto1 whose grounds include some sixty acres on the wooded slope of those hills which form an unrivalled background to the fairest city of ,japan4 ,so large an extent could not possibly be broken up and formed into a garden such as ,i have already described2 the effect would be grotesque and all sense of true proportion lost4 ,how imposing is the great gate standing in its setting of pines1 in spring softened by the cherry blossom which shows here and there between them4 ,a long dizzy flight of stone steps leads up to the main building of the temple4 ,here the ground has been levelled1 the work of many thousand hands1 it being no petty task to level a plateau large enough for the main building of this mighty edifice1 some ,illustration3 ,,cherry ,,blossom1 ,,chion-,,in ,,temple #adf feet long and #aad feet wide4 ,hardly less imposing is the assembly hall or room of a thousand mats1 surrounded by a wooden corridor so constructed that in walking round it there is produced a sound which is thought to resemble the singing of the uguisu1 the ,japanese nightingale1 and there is yet another grand hall1 the ,dai ,hojo4 ,how grandly and simply the grounds of this temple are adorned4 ,the large square in front of the main building has for its chief adornment two stone lanterns of colossal size1 and the celebrated bronze water-basin in the form of a lotus leaf1 from whose lip runs a ceaseless stream of clear water brought from the hill above4 ,a few specially beautiful cherry-trees and some grand old pines1 leaning most of them1 but all the more beautiful for that reason1 surround this square1 and form a fitting setting to that massive pile4 ,yet another flight of steps leads to the bell-tower--also a fitting guardian1 as more than once the thundering of this mighty bell has summoned all who revered their beloved ,chion-in to come and protect it from an imminent danger of fire4 ,the ,japanese are great respecters of legends1 which may make a tree or stone sacred for all time4 ,the ,melon ,rock1 ,kwasho ,seki1 has been so called from the story that a melon plant sprouted out from beneath the rock and grew so rapidly that in a single night it had covered the whole rock1 blossomed1 and borne fruit4 ,many hundred sight-seers trail during their weary tramp to gaze with awe at this plain grey stone inscribed with the characters of ,gozu ,tenno or ,bull-head ,emperor1 and we in our turn cannot fail to gaze with respect at their simple faith4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,summer ,,flowers ,may is essentially the flower month in ,japan1 and a ramble through the country cannot fail to be a never-ending joy and surprise to the flower lover4 ,it was nearly the middle of the flower month when1 wearied of the works of man1 the glories and splendour of the endless round of temples1 museums1 theatres1 no dances1 and the usual sights which all new-comers to the country must be introduced to1 ,i started for ,matsushima1 the land of the pine-clad islands4 ,i had not expected to find flowers there1 but rather change of scene and peace4 ,i felt that for a time ,i must be 8far from the madding crowd40 ,it is a fairy scene which greets the eye in the early dawn after a long and dusty journey1 and ,i had to look and look again to make sure that these tiny phantom islands were real and solid1 not merely shadows on the water1 or even a moored junk1 which presently would pass on and vanish from the scene4 ,as the sun rose higher the islands stood out clear in the yellow morning light1 then one realised why they are called collectively ,matsushima--,pine ,islands1--for1 however tiny it may be1 each isle has to support its burden of twisted1 bent1 and leaning trees4 ,how the seed has ever found the crannies and cracks between the rocks in which to ripen1 and eventually develop into those fantastic trees1 was a never-ending source of marvel and admiration to me4 ,think of the cruel winter snows1 and storms blowing in from the ,pacific1 that these trees have had to withstand from their earliest infancy2 small wonder that some appear to have more spreading roots than branches4 ,many an idle day was spent exploring this little host of islands1 some with their rosy carpet of azalea1 perhaps not more than a few inches high1 creeping along close to the ground as if seeking protection from the fierce winter gales4 ,none the less beautiful for being dwarfed1 it seemed rather as though this fiery pink azalea had taken the place of ground ivy1 and what a beautiful remplaant6 ,on other islands the wild wistaria had flung its long vine-like branches from tree to tree1 and suggested the lianes of a tropical forest2 one scrambled knee-deep in many of the hardier ferns to attain the summit of ,ogidani1 in order to gaze across the whole lagoon and out to ,kinkwosan2 shrubs of bird-cherry were in all their glory2 and many others unknown to me helped1 in this month of flowers1 to make them not only pine-clad but flower-clad islands4 ,it was with genuine regret that ,i left behind this enchanted land1 and with the cries of 8,sayonara0 and 8,please come again0 ringing in my ears ,i turned my back on the ,toyo ,hotel and its hospitable owner2 but time was slipping by1 and though it would have been easy to dream away months here1 ,i feared ,i might become a mere loafer1 so1 after watching the sun set one evening late in ,may1 ,i returned once more to the railway1 and the commonplace4 ,the train took me back to ,itsunomiya through wilder country than ,i had ever seen on any other railway line in ,japan4 ,bandai ,san stood glowering and threatening in the distance1 and we sped past pine-clad ridges and mountain streams1 down to the lower land where glowing rose-coloured azalea seemed to grow as hazel or hornbeam undergrowth in ,england4 ,one flashed past broad stretches of colour1 growing fewer and smaller where the ruthless hand of the cultivator had no doubt found out that the fertile soil would grow other things more profitable1 but how far less beautiful1 than wild crimson satsuki4 ,i was bound for ,nikko on an 8azalea pilgrimage10 for surely every traveller should not fail to see the ,nikko azaleas in all their glory1 and later in the year the maples1 which vie with the cryptomerias for the palm of beauty4 ,the glorious avenue of cryptomerias which lined the old road to ,nikko has suffered from the hands of time and man2 but long stretches of the splendid old trees still remain1 and form a fitting approach to the little mountain village1 celebrated throughout the length and breadth of the world for its mortuary shrines1 whose final peacefulness and simplicity seem so striking after the ornate splendour and gorgeous colouring of the outer gates and temples4 ,but it was azaleas1 not temples1 that ,i had come to see this time at ,nikko1 and surely no one could be disappointed4 ,climbing up the hill1 every shade from delicate pink to clear red1 pale transparent yellow1 and even rosy purple1 seems to have run riot in a veritable feast of colour4 ,little shrines nestle by the path1 perhaps sheltering a small stone image of ,jizo the ,helper1 the travellers' and the children's ,god2 so we ask his kindly aid1 and add our contribution to that of hundreds of other travellers1 and pause to gaze by his side at the landscape--across the valley where the river threads its way1 now a harmless-looking stream1 but in autumn to be swollen into a dangerous roaring torrent1 sweeping along1 leaving death and destruction in its wake4 ,the azaleas here are not the satsuki of ,matsushima1 but the ,azalea ,beni ,renge1 leafless as yet1 as the flowers seem so thick upon their stems they leave no room for leaves4 ,their honeysuckle scent filled the air1 and hither and thither darted huge black butterflies1 looking strangely like humming-birds1 only pausing for a second to suck a drop of honey1 and then on again to another1 perhaps more freshly opened flower4 ,i noticed these same black butterflies always haunt red or deep pink flowers4 ,is it vanity on their part--are they stopping to think how admirably the colour contrasts with their own glossy black wings8 ,then ,i remembered that the first time ,i ever saw a humming-bird it was darting from one crimson hibiscus flower to another4 ,was that also vanity8 ,or have crimson flowers sweeter or more delicately flavoured honey than the rest8 ,as the mountain road winds higher and higher above ,nikko1 on its way to ,chuzenji1 we left behind this variety of azalea1 and came upon another quite unknown to me4 ,at first ,i thought the mountain-sides were covered with peach-trees1 whose blossoms lingered on in the higher or bleaker regions1 but it was not so1 all was azalea2 some so tall that their bare stems stretched high among the other trees1 before they got enough light and air to wreathe their branches with the peach-coloured blossoms4 ,on these1 lichen seemed to take the place of leaves2 the effect is indescribable to one who has not seen it3 the soft greenish-grey tufts clothe the stems1 which might without their furry covering look lean and bare2 but all this beauty suggests weeks of autumn rain and damp heat1 more healthy for plant life than for man4 ,often the path would be strewn with freshly fallen blossoms1 and there overhead one could see the pink flowers against the sky4 ,the banks and moorland were full of tender shoots and buds of shrubs and flowers1 which in ,july will be an endless source of surprise and delight to the wild-flower hunter4 ,leaving ,nikko behind in all its gay clothing1 ,i bent my steps towards the ,watanase valley1 one of ,japan's most beautiful valleys4 ,the early summer ,illustration3 ,,the ,,kobai ,,plum ,,blossom ,illustration3 ,,the ,,kobai ,,plum ,,blossom is indeed a harmony in greens2 the maples had hardly lost their spring colouring when ,i started in the early dawn from ,ashio to follow the course of the river which dashes down some hundred feet or more below the road with a thundering roar1 and certainly the valley well deserves its celebrity4 ,the ,paulonia trees were then in all their beauty1 and side by side with great masses of their purple flowers the wild fuji wreathed the trees with its delicate mauve blossoms1 until at last ,i felt that the valley ought to be called the 8purple valley40 ,a few tree ponies were shedding their last petals in a tiny garden where we stopped to rest and sip the inevitable little cup of pale green tea1 reminding one that summer had come and spring was gone1 not to come again until the scorching summer months1 the autumn storms1 and winter snows had come and gone4 ,in early summer the higher moorlands afford a happy hunting-ground for the flower collector4 ,purple iris and white rue seem to fight their way among the moorland grasses1 here and there a ,turk's-cap lily raises its scarlet head proudly1 the purple bells of the ,platycodon are just opening1 and the wild white and pink campanula is already fading4 ,the columbine1 not the glorified hybrid ,aquilegia of our ,english gardens1 but the humble pale-coloured wild columbine with its long spurs and delicate fern-like foliage2 yellow valerian1 mauve and white funkias1 pink spiras1 ,solomon's seal1 endless varieties of orchises1 and in favoured districts the pale pink ,cypredium macranthum are among the summer wild flowers1 scattered over the plain or nestling on the banks of the mountain streams4 ,the flowering shrubs seemed endless2 think how many shrubs introduced into ,europe of late years are 8japonica06 all these find their homes in one district or another4 ,besides all the varieties of plum1 cherry1 and peach1 in spring the andromeda bushes are laden with their white bell-flowers1 suggestive of a waxy lily of the valley1 to be followed by their young leaves as bright as any flowers2 every variety of crabs1 white deutzias1 spiras1 weigelias1 the wild white syringa1 which also seemed to differ from our garden variety1 save only in its delicious odour2 and a form of ,rhincospernum jasminoides which ,i had not seen before1 whose heavy scent filled the air at sundown4 ,all these ,i can recall having come across during my summer rambles1 and doubtless there are many more4 ,in the later summer months ,i wandered along the beautiful coast of the province of ,izu1 which again seemed to be a home of flowers4 ,the tall spikes of ,bocconia cordata reared their heads proudly wherever they had escaped the hand of the destroyer2 apparently the plant is regarded by the country people as either poisonous or unlucky1 as often a splendid clump of it1 its height showing how thoroughly it appreciates the deep rich soil1 will be here to-day and gone to-morrow1 cut off and trampled down with evident intention4 ,this coast seemed to be the home of the hydrangea and also of many different varieties of lilies4 ,in ,may1 on the lower ground of ,hiezan1 and especially in the neighbourhood of ,lake ,biwa1 the pale pink ,lilium ,krameri may be found in tufts nestling under the shadow of some sheltering shrub1 and scattered throughout the district the various forms of ,lilium umbellatum1 but the province of ,izu seems to have soil more suited to the late summer lilies4 ,by the middle of ,july the big buds of the ,lilium auratum will be fighting their way among the rank growth along the roadside1 and in a few days the air will be filled with their scent4 ,often ,i was attracted by their fragrance1 perhaps all the more remarkable in a land which1 alas6 is not famed for sweet smells1 and then far above one's head1 hanging defiantly out of reach1 could be seen a single splendid bloom of this king among lilies4 ,they seem to love the shelter and dampness of the wood1 where the falling leaves each autumn make a fresh covering for their bulbs4 ,once ,i tried to see how deep in the earth the bulbs were buried1 but ,i did not succeed in getting down low enough1 and could only tell1 from the mark on the stem of the lily which had been pulled1 that about eight to ten inches seemed to be the usual depth of the bulb4 ,often the stems seemed to bear only one splendid bloom1 but ,i was told that was only because the bulbs were young1 and even in their wild state from six to eight perfect blooms on one head were not uncommon4 ,there appeared to be every variety of auratum1 and ,i noticed that the broad-leaved platyphyllum seemed even more sturdy than the rest1 the foliage a deeper green1 and the individual blossoms more perfect1 the markings more distinct1 and their scent1 if such a thing were possible1 even stronger and more overpowering than the more slender-growing ,auratum virginale4 ,then there were the ,rubro ,vittatum with their band of pink down each petal1 but never in a purely wild state did ,i see it so deep in colour and truly defined as in the cultivated form which ,illustration3 ,,lilium ,,auratum is exported under that name4 ,it was in the cottage gardens that ,i saw the finest lilies1 and many a giant bearing from twenty to thirty unblemished blooms1 at the top of a stem some six or seven feet high1 clad with equally unblemished foliage1 was brought to me1 as it soon became known that the 8foreigner0 staying at ,atami had come especially to see their yuri no hana4 ,not that the ,japanese seem ever especially to admire them1 and they are not included among their 8seven beautiful flowers of late summer40 ,mr4 ,parsons gives an example of this fact3-- ,i was walking one day at ,yoshida with a ,japanese artist1 a remarkable man1 who was engaged in making a series of steel engravings1 half landscape1 half map1 of the country round ,fuji1 and called his attention to a splendid clump of belladonna lilies growing near an old grey tomb2 but he would not have them at all1 said they were foolish flowers1 and the only reason he gave me for not liking them was because they came up without any leaves4 ,when we got back to our tea-house he took my pen and paper and showed me what were the seven beautiful flowers of late summer3 the convolvulus1 the name of which in ,japanese is 8asago10 meaning the same as our 8morning glory02 wild chrysanthemum2 yellow valerian2 the lespedeza1 a kind of bush clover2 ,platycodon grandiflorum and purple blue campanula2 ,eulalia japonica1 the tall grass which covers so many of the hills2 and shion1 a rather insignificant aster4 ,i noticed that some versions of the seven flowers differed from his2 a large flowered mallow is often substituted for the last he named4 ,there are doubtless different schools which hold strong views on the subject1 but on the 8morning glory0 and some others they are evidently agreed4 ,the tiger lilies were in bloom in the village gardens1 but never in any great number--a clump here and there1 for they are seldom allowed to bloom1 it is for their bulbs they are cultivated2 this is their 8edible lily10 and young bulbs of ,lilium tigrinum are among their most prized vegetables4 ,i had noticed a square bed of these lilies suggestive of an asparagus bed1 in a priest's garden in ,kyoto in ,may1 and thought what a wealth of colour they would provide later in the year2 but next time ,i saw the garden1 early in ,june it may have been1 the lilies had all been executed--just their heads cut off1--and when ,i expressed amazement and regret ,i was told that this was always done to strengthen the bulb4 ,the variety did not seem to be as fine as those grown under the name of ,tigrinum ,fortunii in ,england1 and yet more robust and with larger heads than our common tiger lily2 probably the different soil and damper climate would account for this4 ,the apricot-coloured ,lilium ,batemanni seemed to know how to protect their bulbs from the hand ,illustration3 ,,lilies ,,on ,,the ,,rocks1 ,,atami of the collector1 for jutting out between the rocks1 hanging perhaps a hundred feet above the sea1 these lilies grow1 tantalising to those who want to pick them1 for these rocks are not easy to climb2 but how beautiful they are1 their clear colour standing out against the grey cliffs and the restless deep blue sea below4 ,the cultivation of lilies for exporting seems to have developed into quite an important industry in ,japan of late years2 the district round ,kamakura and right away to ,yumoto appeared to be the best soil for their culture4 ,i never saw any ,lilium longiflorum in their wild state1 but thousands1 ,i should think millions1 of bulbs of this lily are exported annually1 in all its different forms4 ,for indoor growing the variety known as ,harrisii seems still to be the favourite2 though giganteum is a stronger form1 and certainly is to be preferred for the open ground4 ,multiflorum is for the impatient grower1 as it flowers some three weeks earlier1 though it is a more slender kind2 and there are many others4 ,even in ,japan the dreaded disease among ,lilium auratum seemed to be not unknown2 apparently cultivation brings it in its train1 as in fields and gardens ,i noticed occasionally the fatal yellow leaves1 which means death to the bulb2 and the other form of disease known as 8clubbing0 may occur1 even when the lilies are growing in their natural state--the two stems grown into one1 and the monster head so closely packed with blossoms that none can develop to their full size or beauty2 on one head alone ,i counted over a hundred blooms1 but the effect was only that of a poor deformity4 ,very beautiful were the large bushes of hydrangea1 their branches weighed down by their burdens of immense heads of bright blue flowers4 ,in some parts of ,england where there is iron in the soil1 hydrangeas in the open ground are blue1 but what a poor washed-out blue compared to the intensely deep colour of this ,japanese variety1 ,ajisia ,aiyaku1 meaning the blue hydrangea4 ,their great balls of blossom change from a pale yellow green to bright blue1 brighter almost than the sky above1 and as they fade1 they turn to rosy purple1 and back again to a dull green1 clinging with ungraceful tenacity to life1 as though loth or afraid to die1 preferring to rot on their stem rather than drop untimely--unlike the blossoms of spring1 ever ready to depart life at the call of nature4 ,a more graceful form is ,hortensis ,shirogaku1 with its more loosely formed heads1 ,illustration3 ,,an ,,hydrangea ,,bush never forming a densely packed mass1 each individual blossom showing1 with the outer petals of a much paler colour in contrast with the deep blue centres4 ,they are moisture-loving plants1 as they seem to flourish best on the very brink of the miniature mountain torrents4 ,the garden at ,atami known as the ,bai-en1 celebrated for its early plum blossoms1 was gay with great bushes of these shrubs in ,july2 they clothed the banks of the roaring stream1 till1 as their heads grew heavier1 the lower branches were swept by the water4 ,in the early days of ,august the hedges and banks in the low country were beginning to look parched and dusty1 waiting for the autumn rains1 which never fail1 and will bring new life and freshness to all the herbage1 but not new flowers--the season of wild flowers is nearly gone2 though the autumn will bring us the true 8lily of the field10 the scarlet ,nerine japonica--a lily of the field1 as it is only growing along the edges of the rice patches on neglected banks or nestling among the grey stone tombs of some forgotten graveyard1 that you will ever see these lilies4 ,never in any garden however ill kept1 never in any house1 and never used as any form of decoration did ,i see this lily2 for are they not the 8death flower10 the flower of ill omen1 or sometimes the 8equinox flower10 also suggestive of a season full of death and decay4 ,nerine or ,lycoris japonica1 or the spider lily--its name seems difficult to determine--made the land gay in the fading year1 gorgeous splashes of colour against the ripening rice1 its fringed heads rising leafless from the soil1 sometimes in scattered tufts1 and sometimes great banks closely covered with their flaunting heads4 ,i felt ,japan must indeed be rich in flower treasures for such a one to be overlooked and uncared for4 ,perhaps in the ,south of ,england it might find a home--a resting-place where it would be treasured1 not destroyed2 at the foot of a grey stone wall a few tufts of this brilliant lily would be a 8thing of beauty10 though not 8a joy for ever40 ,by ,november the flower year is over2 the last chrysanthemum pots are being hurried under their temporary shelters1 away from the danger of the early frost1 which any night may turn the country into a blaze of scarlet and gold4 ,not only the maples will help the year to die in splendour1 for so many other trees have as great a variety of colour1 though perhaps not quite so brilliant1 and the dark leaves of the tulip-trees will presently turn to a sheet of gold1 the larch will be shedding its pale yellow spines1 while the ,japanese oak1 ,shira ,kashi1 with its ruddy colour will help to relieve the solemn everlasting green of the pines and cryptomerias which clothe the hills4 ,the ripened rice is being quickly stored1 and only the grasses and foliage of herbaceous plants are left to give a note of colour to the fields and higher moorland2 the tall ,eulalia japonica1 waving in the wind1 clothes the golden hills1 but will soon be beaten down by the winter snows4 ,so in a blaze of glory the year ends in this ,land of ,flowers4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,plum ,,blossom ,in ,japan the flower year begins earlier than in ,europe1 and while the snow is still lying deep on the ground in the northern provinces1 in warm and sheltered districts the ,ume or plum blossom will clothe the trees with flowers as white as the snow4 ,but in the country round ,kyoto or ,tokyo it is not until the end of ,february or the first days of ,march that the pale pink buds of the plum blossoms will be opening1 and there will come a whisper through the air that in a few days the beloved ume-no-hana will be in all its glory4 ,the plum is one of the favourite1 perhaps the favourite tree of the ,japanese1 so in early ,march1 when the sunny days will remind us that spring is coming1 though the cruel frosts and snow showers at night will warn us that winter is not yet gone1 every passer-by seems to be talking of ume1 discussing ,illustration3 ,,viewing ,,the ,,plum ,,blossoms probably where the earliest blossoms are to be found1 and when the first flower-viewing excursion of the year is to take place4 ,the ,japanese are essentially a flower-loving people2 in no other country would you find whole families1 old and young1 rich and poor1 tramping for miles in the hot sun or through the drenching rain to indulge in their favourite pastime of flower-viewing4 ,showing how universal is this custom of special flower-viewing excursions1 there is even a phrase in the ,japanese language1 hana miru1 meaning to view flowers4 ,the earliest plum blossom1 known as the no-ume1 is a somewhat uninteresting little white flower1 not unlike the wild sloe in our ,english hedgerows1 and ,i was beginning to think the celebrated plum blossom of ,japan was an overrated flower1 when gradually its full beauty dawned upon me4 ,the deep pink buds of the later varieties opened into pale blush coloured blossoms1 and the crimson buds of the kobai--the most cherished of all--burst into a cloud of brilliant pink flowers2 others there were1 pale lemon coloured or large pure white1 in great variety4 ,the plum-tree is especially valued for its age1 and a venerable tree1 its stems covered with grey lichen1 though its flowers may be poor in quality1 will be more prized than a young tree with the most brilliant coloured blossoms4 ,tsukigase1 in the province of ,shima1 a little village famous for the beauty of its plum-trees1 is one of the first places to be visited by that large proportion of the inhabitants of ,kyoto who seem to spend most or all their days during the spring months in a never-ending round of sight-seeing and flower-viewing4 ,in the month of ,march the village is made gay for the reception of these holiday-makers1 and undaunted by the bitter winds and vicious scuds of snow which mingle with the falling petals of the ume1 they will spend long hours in quiet admiration of the mass of blossom which appears to fill the whole valley with a pink and white haze2 for over two miles the trees clothe the banks of the river ,kizu4 ,countless tea-stalls are prepared for the guests1 light bamboo structures adorned with a few printed linen curtains in soft harmonious colouring1 and innumerable paper lanterns suffice for the preparation of a flower feast4 ,each night1 or at the approach of rain1 the little maids will carefully pack away the matted benches and these frail decorations under the thatched roof1 to be brought forth on the ,illustration3 ,,the ,,gate ,,of ,,the ,,plum ,,gardens morrow or when the storm has cleared4 ,the ,japanese regard the flower of the plum with a peculiar reverence1 and their feeling for it always seems to be touched with some mysterious sense of sorrow1 which perhaps accounted for the fact that these plum-blossom feasts never seemed to attain to the same merry boisterous revels held at the time of the cherry blossom4 ,the people were more quiet and sober in their demeanour2 at first ,i thought their spirits were frozen by the cold1 but even the endless drinking of tea and tiny cups of sak did not seem to thaw them1 and often whole parties1 wrapped in their outer winter kimonos1 would sit in silent contemplation of the blossoms1 warming their hands over that ,japanese apology for a fire--an hibachi--consisting merely of a pot of charcoal4 ,in old days the plum blossom was their ideal of purity1 an ideal which some attempted to emulate in their lives4 ,the same feelings prevail in ,china1 if we may judge from the poets4 ,this1 to be sure1 is not surprising1 inasmuch as ,japan took her literature1 like most other things1 from the ,chinese4 ,the early poems of both countries are much alike1 and among them both are many ume poems1 as the ,japanese call them1 extolling the beauty and charm of the plum blossom1 which ranks as the poet's own flower4 ,mr4 ,kango ,uchimura has written an ode to it in prose1 which contains the following passage3---- ,while ,spring was still cold ,i knew that it was at hand by your flowering4 ,you are not ,spring1 but the prophet of ,spring4 ,the cherry blossom is ,spring1 the iris and the wistaria2 but1 as each of these has its own season1 the gods sent you to keep green our hope of ,spring4 ,i do not say ,i love you1 rather ,i fear you2 you are too dignified2 you blossom alone on the branches with no green leaves to bear you company4 ,i do not call you beautiful2 your scent is too keen1 your petals too stiff4 ,no one will ever sing or dance beneath your boughs4 ,you are the prophet ,jeremiah2 you are ,john the ,baptist4 ,standing before you ,i feel as though in the presence of a solemn master4 ,yet by your appearance ,i know that ,winter has passed1 and that the delightful ,spring is at hand4 ,the herald of ,spring1 you denounce the tyranny of ,winter4 ,your face is stern1 but your heart is soft4 ,it is easy to misunderstand you1 for1 though the daughter of ,spring1 you wear the garb of a man the man ordained to break the power of cruel ,winter4 ,two famous men in olden days were particularly associated with the flowers of the plum4 ,one of these was ,kajiwara ,genda ,kagesuge1 a great warrior of the twelfth century1 who always went into battle carrying in his quiver fresh branches of the blossom1 to which1 so says the legend1 he was indebted for his splendid courage4 ,the other was ,sugawara ,no ,michizane1 the minister of the ,emperor ,ude4 ,the ,kwampaku ,tokihira1 wishing to be quit of the sage's wisdom1 sent him into a sort of honourable exile in the island of ,kyushu1 where he died in #ijc4 ,after his death came a great reaction in his favour4 ,he was canonised under the name of ,tenjin1 or the ,heavenly god1 and to this day he is venerated by all men of letters as their patron saint2 in every school the twenty-fifth day of each month is kept as a holiday1 and every year on the twenty-fifth of ,june a great festival is held in his honour4 ,his life is dramatised in the popular play ,sugawara ,tenjin ,ki1 and all over the land shrines dedicated to his memory rise from groves of plum-trees4 ,one of the most famous and beautiful of these is the temple of ,kitano ,tenjin at ,kyoto1 which has provided subjects for several of the illustrations in this volume4 ,in the inner court of the temple near the splendid two-storied gateway of the ,sun1 ,moon1 and ,stars stands a large tree of the bright pink blossom1 and it would be difficult to find a more beautiful setting for the tree than the background of grey wooden buildings1 of which the decorations have been toned by the hand of time into soft mellow hues4 ,in the outer grounds the trees have a background of giant cryptomerias1 with long avenues of stone lanterns--votive offerings of every conceivable shape and size--small shrines1 and two great granite torii1 the plain yet majestic gateways which guard the entrance to all ,shinto temples4 ,when the trees are in all their glory the flower-viewing parties wander through the grounds in silent admiration1 down to the little ravine outside the temple grounds1 where the snow-white blossom fills the little valley and clouds of petals fall into the brook below1 to be carried away down the stream like drifts of foam4 ,here may be seen a poet of the old school rapt in thought composing an ode to the blossom and the nightingale4 ,it is a pretty fancy much honoured in ,japan1 the plum blossom1 the poet1 and the nightingale making1 they say1 the world of beauty complete4 ,for no ,japanese ever thinks of the plum blossom apart from the nightingale--which1 it should be observed1 is not the bird of ,keats's poem1 singing of summer in full-throated ease1 but a little light-winged creature whose favourite haunt is among the flowering branches of this tree4 ,in ,japanese legends the plum blossom and the nightingale are inseparable companions1 and represent ,illustration3 ,,the ,,time ,,of ,,the ,,plum ,,blossoms the two spirits of the awakening spring when the mists of winter first begin to roll away4 ,there is a story1 for instance1 of the daughter of the poet ,kino ,tsurayuki1 who lived in the days of the ,emperor ,murakami1 in the tenth century4 ,from time immemorial a single plum-tree had always stood before the south pavilion of the ,imperial ,palace at ,nara1 and when at some period of this ,emperor's reign the tree died1 messengers were despatched in hot haste to find one worthy to replace it4 ,one was found in the garden of the poet aforesaid1 a fine tree with crimson blossoms belonging to his daughter1 who was most reluctant to part with her favourite4 ,however1 there was1 of course1 no help for it1 and the tree was sent off to the palace grounds with some verses fastened to it1 which run thus in ,mr4 ,brinkley's translation---- ,claimed for our sovereign's use1 ,blossoms ,i've loved so long1 ,can ,i in duty fail8 ,but for the nightingale1 ,seeking her home of song1 ,how shall ,i find excuse8 ,the ,emperor1 struck with the graceful sentiment of the verses1 made inquiries as to the writer1 and finding that she was the daughter of his favourite poet1 ordered the tree to be returned to her4 ,throughout ,japan there is scarcely a district to be found without orchards and groves or temple grounds where the flower-seeker can go to greet spring and the ume1 but the people of ,tokyo are singularly fortunate in their plum orchards4 ,one of the most famous and beautiful is at ,sugita1 a charming little village nestling by the bluest of waters1 near ,yokohama1 where a thousand trees have stood for upwards of a century1 displaying their blossom every spring to admiring eyes from all the country round4 ,here there are six special kinds of the tree1 and their fancy names mark the different characters of the flowers1 the ,japanese being very clever at finding characteristic names for flowers and trees4 ,the ,gwario ,bai1 or ,recumbent ,dragon ,tree1 is the most famous of these1 being indeed the most notable thing in the outskirts of ,tokyo4 ,some fifty years ago there grew a wonderful tree of vast age and strange shape1 its branches having ploughed up the ground and thrown out new roots in no fewer than fourteen places1 thus naturally covering an extensive area4 ,the name of ,gwario ,bai was given to the tree by old ,prince ,rekko1 who planted the groves in ,tokiwa ,park in #ahcg1 a piece of forethought highly appreciated by many visitors to this day4 ,the ,shogun 7or ,generalissimo7 of that day also paid a visit to the spot1 and made the tree ,goyobaku or the ,tree of ,honourable ,service1 in return for which gracious act of condescension the fruit was presented to him every year4 ,all these honours1 however1 could not save it from a natural death when its time came2 in its place now flourish a number of much less interesting trees1 which nevertheless bear the same name1 and apparently the same reputation1 as their predecessor the ,dragon of the prime4 ,not far from the ,gwario ,bai is the orchard of ,kinegawa1 which can boast an honoured name too1 for here the poets come1 and you may see perhaps a hundred slips of paper1 containing uta or hokku 7seventeen-syllabled7 poems1 fluttering from the branches4 ,perhaps here1 too1 we may find a family party1 the mother with the youngest child tightly strapped on her back1 its tiny shaven head hardly showing above the wadded quilt which is wrapped closely round it2 a little mite of a very few summers1 tottering unsteadily on its clogs1 clasping a branch of the natural tree adorned with paper blossoms1 from which floats a streamer with some strange device1 or any of the countless toys which go towards the making of a holiday2 and only a few years older a little solemn-faced maiden1 whose black beady eyes will glisten with wonder when she is told that she is called ,ume san after the snow-white blossom at which she has been gazing with awe and admiration4 ,ume is a common name among ,japanese women2 they connect it with the ideas of virtue and sweetness1 and they are taught to keep the name unspotted during life and to leave it fair after death1 even as the scent of the plum blossom smells sweet in the darkness4 ,the following verses are from ,piggot's ,garden of ,japan3-- ,home friends change and change1 ,years pass quickly by2 ,scent of our ancient plum-tree1 ,thou dost never die4 ,home friends are forgotten2 ,plum-trees blossom fair1 ,petals falling to the breeze ,leave their fragrance there4 ,cettria's fancy1 too1 ,finds his cup of flowers1 ,seeks his peaceful hiding-place1 ,in the plum's sweet bowers4#a ,though the snow-flakes hide ,and thy blossoms kill1 ,he will sing1 and ,i shall find ,fragrant incense still4 #a ,cettria1 the nightingale4 ,ginsekai is yet another orchard in the neighbourhood of ,tokyo1 its name signifying ,silver ,world1 and on a moonlit night in spring you would say that never was a place more aptly named1 if you saw the forest of white blossoms rising out of the snow-clad landscape4 ,there are some pretty verses on the sight1 which run thus in ,english3-- ,how shall ,i find my ume tree8 ,the moon and the snow are white as she4 ,by the fragrance blown on the evening air ,shalt thou find her there4 ,it is true that the white varieties of plum blossom have nearly all a most delicious and delicate scent1 but the red varieties are quite devoid of any fragrance4 ,the plum is known as one of the ,four ,floral ,gentlemen1 the others being the pine1 the bamboo1 and the orchid4 ,it has flourished in ,china from time immemorial1 where it is known as the ,head of the ,hundred ,flowers1 because it is the first to bloom1 and it was probably imported from that country through the medium of ,korea into ,japan4 ,even that learned botanist the late ,dr4 ,keisuke ,ito could not say where the plum-tree first flowered in ,japan1 nor can any one say with certainty whether ume is a ,chinese or a ,japanese word4 ,kakimoto no ,hitomaro1 who lived about the end of the seventh century1 was probably the first to celebrate the plum blossom in his verse2 and it may be said to have taken rank as a national flower when the ,emperor ,kwamaru 7#ghb-hjf7 planted it before his palace when he moved his capital from ,nara to ,kyoto4 ,in those days the word flower meant the flower of the plum1 just as the word mountain meant ,hiei san1 but it was dethroned from its pride of place when the ,emperor ,murakami planted the cherry-tree in its stead1 and though the plum still stands first with the men of mind1 the cherry-tree has ever since been the popular favourite4 ,that the latter is most beautiful cannot be disputed2 but for purity of outline1 fragrance1 and that touch of sadness1 which the ,japanese profess to find in it1 the bloom of the plum is still unrivalled4 ,there are upwards of three hundred and fifty specimens of the plum1 white1 pale and bright pink1 or even red in colour1 single or double in form4 ,of these the more important are3 ,yatsu buse ume1 which derives its name from bearing eight fruits1 the blossoms having from two to eight stamens1 the word signifying eight tassels2 only two or three of these1 however1 ripen fully1 and they are unfit for eating4 ,the ,bungo ume grows in the ,bungo ,illustration3 ,,plum ,,blossom ,,and ,,lanterns province of the island of ,kyushu2 its fruit is large and can be eaten uncooked1 though the ,japanese prefer it pickled or candied4 ,the fruit of the ,ko ume1 celebrated for the beauty of its bright pink blossom1 is no bigger than the tip of one's thumb1 but has a delicious flavour4 ,toko no ume is a late fruit1 clinging to the branch even when fully ripe1 whence its name ,toko1 meaning eternal4 ,the flowers of ,suisen ume have six petals1 round or long in shape4 ,hava ume1 or the early plum1 blooms at the winter solstice4 ,in no other country does the culture of plants go hand in hand with art as it does in ,japan2 not only in the case of their dwarf trees1 marvels of horticultural art1 but even the trees which are necessary for the scenery of their landscape gardens have to conform to the rules which govern the entire art of the country4 ,i remember being shown with great pride by the owner of a tiny garden his one solitary plum-tree1 the pride of his garden in those cold ,march days4 ,it stood leaning over a miniature rocky precipice1 down which tumbled a diminutive cascade2 old and venerable it looked1 having endured ruthless pruning1 and only a few large single blossoms clothed its branches4 ,i expressed surprise and some regret that it did not bear more blossoms1 and then it was explained to me that many of the buds had been removed1 as otherwise the thick cloud of flowers would have hidden the outline of the branches2 this was a flight of stheticism to which ,i could not rise1 and ,i felt ,i should have preferred to see the tree bearing its full burden of blossom4 ,this practice of disbudding is also occasionally carried out with old specimens of dwarf plum-trees when it is considered that a wealth of blossom would hide the growth of the little tree1 which by careful training has after years of patience rewarded the owner by conforming to the desired shape laid down by the canons of art4 ,these little trees are in great demand at the close of the year1 for hardly a house in the land is without a tiny tree of ume1 to bring luck at the opening of another year2 so during ,november and ,december1 when their pale-pink buds are fast swelling1 they are tended with the greatest care1 brought into the sun during the day1 plentifully watered at sundown1 and sheltered from all cold winds4 ,thus they flower sometimes as early as ,new ,year's ,day1 to the intense pride and joy of their owners4 ,the hearts of the plum-trees1 say the ,japanese1 are a thousand years old1 and yet young as the hopes of ,japan4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,peach ,,blossom ,the peach blossom has never attained the fame in ,japanese art1 or among their poets1 that its classical predecessor the plum1 or its successor the cherry of patriotic fame1 has been honoured with2 but it is none the less beautiful for that reason1 and its blossoms excel those of the plum in size1 richness1 and colouring4 ,towards the end of ,march the first flowers of the peach-trees will be opening1 although long before this time1 branches closely covered with the bright-pink buds will have been among the flowers offered for arrangement on the tokonoma1 as in the warmth of the house 7though surely there seems to be very little warmth in a ,japanese house all through the long cold ,march days7 the buds will quickly open and last in beauty for many days4 ,these will be branches of the early bright pink variety1 but it is not until the beginning of ,april that the large flowered pure white1 double and semi-double flowers of every shade of pink1 and even a deep crimson of a remarkably beautiful tone1 will be in their full glory1 and it is hard to understand why this splendid blossom should be comparatively neglected and relegated to secondary rank by the artist as a decorative motive and material4 ,the less severely artistic1 who find enjoyment at any spot where blossom and colour are to be seen1 will visit ,momoyama 7,peach ,mountain7 in crowds during the first week in ,april1 and the narrow streets leading up to the hill will be gay with visitors1 and among the orchards the little temporary tea sheds will be set out for their comfort and refreshment4 ,so yet another 8,feast of blossom0 will be celebrated4 ,the trees may perhaps lack some of the grace of the old gnarled plum-trees1 and they do not appear to have such a long life1 as never did ,i hear of any very celebrated old specimen trees1 but rather groves or orchards of younger trees1 which no doubt1 in order to make them bloom freely1 receive drastic treatment at the hand of the pruner4 ,very lovely are these groves of peach-trees1 and surely they must have found favour in the ancient days1 as on ,momoyama stood ,illustration3 ,,peach ,,blossom ,hideyoshi's palace1 the grandest ever built in ,japan1 whose spoils in the shape of gold screens and fusuma adorn half the temples in ,kyoto4 ,the peach orchards of ,soka-no-momoyama at ,senju are a favourite resort of the ,tokyo holiday-makers1 who make annual pilgrimages to do honour to the peach blossoms1 and parties sit feasting on the matted benches2 here and there perhaps a group discussing the politics of the capital1 or a solitary poet composing a hokku on the peach blossom1 or a family party2 and there the little boys and girls1 decked out in their brightest-coloured kimonos and obis in honour of the holiday1 will be listening with rapt attention to the fairy-story of ,momo ,taro1 who jumped out of a large peach-stone4 ,to the older children it is an old story1 for every ,japanese child has listened at bedtime to the tale of ,momo ,taro told by its mother1 but for the little ones this may be their first year of 8peach-viewing0 and understanding1 and their eyebrows will rise in amazement when they hear the history4 8,once upon a time10 the story says1 8there was an old man and an old woman2 the old man went up the mountain to collect dried brushwood1 and the old woman went to the river to wash clothes10 and there one of the older boys will interrupt1 ,i am sure1 saying1 8,a big peach came down the river2 and ,momo ,taro jumped out of the stone when the old woman brought it home and cut it open1 didn't he80 ,so there is not a child in ,japan who does not know the history of ,momo ,taro1 the children's hero1 who made an expedition into the ,oniga ,shima 7,devil's ,island7 followed by his dog and monkey servitors4 ,it would be no surprise to them to see even a fat little boy like themselves spring out of the end of the fruit1 so the ,japanese boys adore the peach2 and the little girls share their affection for it1 as it is always associated in their mind with their own especial festival4 ,during the season of the early peach blossoms 7on #crd ,march7 the ,girls' ,festival 7,jmi-no-sekku7 is celebrated throughout ,japan2 it is also called the ,feast of ,dolls 7,hina ,matsuri71 and the ,peach ,festival1 for no ,girls' ,festival is complete without some branches of peach blossom in the vase on the tokonoma4 ,this day is eagerly looked forward to by every little girl in ,japan1 from the highest to the lowest in the land1 for every house possesses its little store of dolls1 only to be brought out and exhibited with due pomp and ceremony on this one day in the year4 ,in the houses of the rich1 the ,dairi ,hina--tiny models of people and their belongings--the dolls will be dressed in gorgeous silk1 and their accessories mostly made of priceless lacquer4 ,the whole ancient ,japanese ,court in miniature there may be3 these will all be displayed on the tokonoma of the guest chamber1 possibly on a piece of brocade as gorgeous as the peach blossom in colour4 ,and there you will see an emperor and an empress and a set of ,court musicians2 before them the most elaborate dinner sets in ancient form2 beside them there will be the ,sho kudai 7lamp-stand with paper shade7 with pictures of peach blossom on it4 ,the little daughters of the house will surely look to our eyes only like larger dolls1 with their delicate coloured silk crepe kimonos and stiff brocade obis standing out like great butterflies on their backs1 their hair carefully dressed according to their age1 the older ones with just a little powder on their tiny inscrutable faces1 acting as hostesses with all the solemn grace of their mother1 offering to the guests tiny cups of tea and little fairy cakes shaped and coloured like peach petals4 ,this girls' day is one of the prettiest sights in ,japan1 and yet there is no record how far back the festival originated1 though it is believed to date from a thousand years ago4 ,in the days of the ,tokugawa feudal rgime--days of perfect peace and prosperity--it became a very expensive festival1 and great sums were expended on these toy ,dairi ,hina1 so it is not surprising that they were handed down as heirlooms in families only to be displayed once a year1 or sometimes a bride1 scarcely more than a child herself1 would take her set of favourite dolls with her to her husband's house1 so that her little daughter might perhaps some day also use them to celebrate the ,girls' or ,peach ,festival4 ,so in ,japan the peach is truly the children's tree4 ,momo1 meaning a hundred1 is considered 8emblematic of longevity and perfection10 which probably is the origin of the story of ,seibo the fairy who governed the western realm of ,china4 ,she gave some peaches to the ,emperor ,butei1 and told him that that variety of peach only bore fruit once in three thousand years1 and he would live eternally from the fruit's heavenly influence4 ,if we could only get such peaches to-day8 ,perhaps it might do as well to eat a common peach from the market and dream1 if possible1 of the beauty of eternal life and be happy4 ,in ,chinese art the peach blossom seems to rank higher than it does in ,japan1 and a very favourite subject with ,chinese artists is an ox in a peach orchard4 ,the finest pot-grown peach-trees ,i ever saw were in ,china1 their gnarled stems looking truly a thousand years old1 their branches trained and bent or merely drooping like a willow1 covered with the clear pink blossoms4 ,the trunks of these fine old trees may have been three or four feet high2 but in ,japan it is possible to procure a little plant for perhaps #be sen 7about sixpence7 whose branches are so tightly packed with blossoms it is impossible to see a trace of even the bark between them--a perfect little tree in a delicate green or mottled blue porcelain pot4 ,i could not help thinking what pleasure such trees would give in ,england1 but apparently it is only the ,japanese who know the real secret of growing them1 the exact shoots to leave and which to cut away1 to ensure this wealth of blossom4 ,i felt in ,england my little peach-tree would only flower here and there1 and its beauty would be lost4 ,there is a popular saying in ,japan1 ,momo kuri san nen1 kaki hachinen1 meaning 8three years for peach and chestnut1 eight years for persimmon40 ,the peach-tree is of rapid growth2 this fact is proved by there being a variety called ,issai momo1 because it blooms the first year of its growth1 and bears fruit the second4 ,there is ,futairo momo1 the two-coloured peach1 whose blossoms are mingled red and white in colour1 single and double in petals2 there is ,hiku momo1 or chrysanthemum peach1 as its blossoms are the shape of a chrysanthemum flower1 in clusters of twelve or thirteen2 the camellia peach and many others with fancy names from their supposed resemblance to their god-father4 ,the native peaches do not bear good fruit1 and the better varieties have been introduced from ,america1 but up to now with only moderate success4 ,there are no good eating peaches in ,japan2 this may be the fault of the climate1 possibly the hot damp summer does not suit them1 or the cultivation may be at fault2 but when their blossoms provide such a feast of colour and beauty it seems altogether too unromantic and too material to worry over the texture and flavour of the fruit4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,pagoda1 ,,kyomidzu ,,chapter ,,ix ,,cherry ,,blossom ,japan is often called 8,the ,land of the ,cherry ,blossom10 and it is true that for centuries their ,sakura-no-hana has been the favourite flower of the ,japanese4 ,the refinement and grace of its beauty appeals to them so intensely1 that the month of ,april1 the time of the cherry blossom1 might almost be regarded as a national holiday throughout the country2 and can one wonder that a whole nation should forget for a time their work and domestic worries in the innocent enjoyment of sitting under the flower-laden trees8 ,in contrast to the simple growth of the plum-tree1 the blossom of the cherry covers the whole tree in rich profusion1 the branches bending under the weight of its luxuriance1 scattering a rosy shower of petals as they sway in the spring breezes4 ,lafcadio ,hearn1 in his ,glimpses of ,unfamiliar ,japan1 says3 8,when1 in spring1 the trees flower1 it is as though fleecy masses of clouds1 faintly tinged by sunset1 had floated down from the sky1 to fold themselves about the branches4444 ,the reader who has never seen a cherry-tree blossoming in ,japan cannot possibly imagine the delight of the spectacle4 ,there are no green leaves2 these come later2 there is only a glorious burst of blossoms1 veiling every bough and twig in their delicate mist2 and the soil beneath each tree is covered deep out of sight by fallen petals1 as by a drift of snow40 ,unlike many of the favourite flowers of ,japan1 which are only grown in certain districts1 and might bloom altogether unobserved if one did not make a special search for them1 the cherry is so lavishly planted throughout the ,empire that it would be impossible to find any part of the country without some display of the blossom4 ,the full beauty of the cherry is short-lived1 and1 almost before one has realised the transformation of the whole landscape1 brought about by this wonderful flower1 with the help of the glorious ,april sunshine1 a heavy rain-shower or sudden squall will scatter the petals like snow before the wind1 and nothing will remain but the young brown leaves and the carpet of fallen petals beneath the trees4 ,we are told of ,fujiwara-no-,narinori1 of the twelfth century1 who prayed to the god ,tai-zanfukun for the prolongation of the glory of his beloved cherry blossom4 ,fujiwara had planted over a hundred of the trees in his garden1 and had1 on that account1 been named ,sakura ,machi by the people4 ,it is said that the gods answered his prayer1 and allowed the trees to remain in flower for twenty-one days4 ,another legend tells of ,minamoto-no-,yoshiyo the warrior1 who was despatched to fight with ,abe-no-,sadato of ,oshu4 ,while on his way to the enemy's camp1 he passed through groves of falling cherry blossoms1 and was struck with lamentation over the changing of nature4 ,his poem remains to this day1 and after his death a monument was erected to his memory1 on the spot where his inspiration seized him4 ,it is difficult to decide in which surroundings the cherry blossom shows to best advantage4 ,in the groves or orchards devoted entirely to the sakura1 where the flower-laden trees will surround one on all sides1 there will be cherry blossom1 and nothing but cherry blossom almost as far as the eye can reach4 ,from every tree will hang rosy-red lanterns1 or a poetical name and inscription will flutter in the breeze1 while crowds of visitors wander through the grounds2 children clapping their chubby hands in sheer enjoyment of the blossoms1 tumbling1 in their haste to find fresh treasures1 over their gay-coloured kimonos1 which1 with their gorgeous obi1 have been put on to-day for the first time in the honour of spring1 and the sakura4 ,perhaps you might prefer to see the trees in a setting of red-brown maples and deep-green pines1 in a wilder and more natural state1 where one of the many fast-flowing rivers will hurry along beneath the overhanging boughs1 carrying away great drifts of fallen petals2 or1 again1 by the sea-shore1 where a few great trees1 high up on the cliffs1 away from all danger of salt sprays1 will make a glorious foreground for the rugged coast-line and the wide stretch of sea beyond4 ,but surely there is no more beautiful setting for the trees than the old temple buildings1 with their wooden structures toned by countless ages4 ,a great weeping cherry-tree will stand as a sentinel at the gateway1 or a little tree laden with rosy blossoms will guard a tiny shrine4 ,all through the bright spring days1 thousands of sight-seers will climb the stone steps of the temple of ,kyomizu--or ,good ,water--in ,kyoto1 and ,illustration3 ,a ,,buddhist ,,shrine ,illustration3 ,a ,,buddhist ,,shrine wander through the buildings to the woods beyond4 ,from the terrace they gaze down upon the grove of cherry and maple trees in the valley below1 and then away over the grey roofs of ,kyoto and the plain beyond1 to ,osaka1 hidden in the morning mists1 or to ,arashiyama1 whose groves will assuredly be visited in due time by these untiring holiday-makers4 ,at every turn a new beauty wipes out the remembrance of the last1 and fills our soul with sadness1 that nature will not stand still for awhile and give us leisure to enjoy what we know will be here to-day and gone to-morrow4 ,already the early single flowers are fading and falling2 every gentle breath of wind sends a fresh shower of the thin transparent petals to the ground4 ,to-morrow the heavy clusters of the double pink blossoms will have lost their freshness1 and will be hiding their glories under the brown leaves that seem to unfurl and grow while we look at them4 ,last1 and perhaps best of all1 will come the double white blossom1 whose buds are now hanging in pink clusters1 and whose beauty will linger until the close of the 8cherry month40 ,maruyama ,park in ,kyoto has a great display of cherry blossom2 an enormous drooping cherry of great age1 which has taken its name of ,gion sakura from the ,gion temple adjoining1 stands in the middle of the park1 and thousands of people come to gaze at it every year when it is in flower4 ,towards the end of ,march1 the park1 which has been bleak and deserted all the winter1 becomes a scene of bustle and activity4 ,temporary tea-houses are put up on every available space1 hung with innumerable lanterns1 and gaily-coloured curtains1 most of these being painted with some representation of the cherry blossom4 ,with the unerring taste of the ,japanese all the colouring is in harmony with the blossoms1 no false note will clash or take away from the beauty of the surroundings4 ,by the #ast of ,april all is in readiness for the visitors1 who from that day onwards will not fail to arrive in a never-ending stream during the whole month4 ,even if there come days when the rain descends in pitiless torrents1 it does not seem to damp their ardour2 their clogs may be an inch or so higher2 their kimonos will be girt tighter about their knees1 to keep them from the mud2 each one will carry a huge paper umbrella1 black and red1 deep blue or purple1 or1 commonest of all1 the natural yellowish colour of the oiled paper1 with the owner's name or the sign of the inn to which it may belong in large ,katahana characters4 ,or should it be a late season ,illustration3 ,,the ,,feast ,,of ,,the ,,cherry ,,blossoms and the cherry not be in flower so early1 it makes no difference1 still the people come1 it is the time when it ought to be in flower1 and such is the imagination in the minds of these curious people1 that they will gaze for hours at a tree with scarcely more than a tinge of colour in the buds with as much pleasure as if the tree were in all the glory of its full flower4 ,on a holiday afternoon1 when the weather is fine1 every seat in the tea-houses is taken up by the pleasure parties1 while in the open spaces the people spread mats brought with them for the purpose1 and sit unfolding those neat little boxes and packets which contain their mysterious and wonderful food so unpalatable to our foreign ideas4 ,even the cakes and sugar-plums that accompany the cups of tea1 unceasingly supplied by the tired little ne sans of the tea-houses1 are in the shape of cherries impaled on wooden skewers1 and eaten with relish by young and old alike4 ,in no other country but ,japan1 where humanity is so closely associated with nature1 and where the people mingle harmoniously with the background of flowers and trees1 could one find such a scene--the entire population of a great city given up to the whole-hearted enjoyment of nature4 ,at nightfall the lanterns are lighted1 and flaring torches round the giant tree cast their lurid light upon the heavily laden branches1 which might well belong to some forest tree bending under the weight of freshly fallen snow4 ,those who cannot leave their work during the day1 come forth at night to swell the throng4 ,the sounds of music and feasting1 the beating of tom-toms1 and the ceaseless dragging of ten thousand clogs mingle with the cries of the toy-seller whose stock of those wonderful paper butterflies1 and of the miniature lanterns with the candles ready lit1 has to be constantly replenished to supply his endless customers4 ,thousands of country people1 wearied with their round of sight-seeing1 spend the night on the grass1 only to start again at daybreak on a fresh pilgrimage of innocent pleasure4 ,the ,emperor ,kameyama in the twelfth century planted a number of cherry-trees from ,yoshino at ,arashiyama1 a picturesque gorge where the river ,katsura1 celebrated for the beauty of its rapids1 running through a narrow valley1 becomes a wide and shallow river and is renamed the ,oi gawa4 ,here it is said this ,emperor built a pavilion1 and1 during the cherry month1 the ,court held high revel for many years4 ,the pavilion has long since disappeared1 perhaps swept away by one of the numerous floods which devastate these valleys2 but the cherry-trees remain1 and here1 instead of the stately ,court of ancient days1 the modern ,kyoto sight-seers hold their revels1 for ,arashiyama may be said to rank first among their favourite spring resorts4 ,they gather in the tea-houses and flower-booths on the banks of the river1 and spend their flower-viewing days by the running water and the clouds of white blossom1 exclaiming possibly in the words of their poet1 8,not second to ,yoshino is ,arashiyama1 where the white spray of the torrent sprinkles the cherry blossom40 ,barge after barge1 roofed over1 with matted floor and decorated with innumerable lanterns to suggest a miniature tea-house1 will take its load of visitors across the river1 or they will spend some hours drifting idly down the stream1 eating their midday meal or playing some childish game4 ,occasionally a flower-laden boat1 which has successfully accomplished the passage of the rapids1 will come into sight1 and the sound of samisens1 the saddest of all music1 comes floating through the air4 ,the habit of drinking sak while viewing the cherry blossom appears to have originated in the days of the ,emperor ,richiu1 in the fifth century4 ,while feasting with his courtiers in a pleasure-boat on a lake in one of the royal parks1 some petals fell into his wine-cup1 and drew the attention of the monarch to the hitherto despised blossom1 and he exclaimed1 8,without wine1 who can properly enjoy the sight of the cherry blossoms80--a sentiment which appears to have survived to this day4 ,it was not1 however1 until the eighth century that the cherry blossom rose to the distinction of a national flower4 ,the ,emperor ,shomu1 while hunting on ,mount ,mikasa1 in the province of ,yamato1 was so struck by the beauty of the blossoms1 that he sent some branches1 accompanied by some verses of his own writing1 to his consort ,komio ,kogo4 ,afterwards1 in order to satisfy the curiosity of the ,court ladies1 who had never seen this wonderful flower1 he commanded a number of the trees to be planted round the ,palace of ,nara1 whence arose the custom of planting them near all the royal palaces in the country4 ,the province of ,yamato is especially celebrated for its cherry groves1 and justly so1 as the little mountain village of ,yoshino has given the name to the most famous of all the varieties1 and has even been called the headquarters of the cherry blossom2 and so profuse is the mass of blossom that the poets have compared it to mist or snow upon the hills4 ,the little street of the village winds away up the spur of the hill1 past many temples and shrines1 until it becomes nothing but the rough stony path which ascends ,mount ,omine4 ,although the village stands high above the sea1 its own especial kind of cherry is rather an early one2 the blossoms are large and single1 pale pink in colour2 but its beauty is fleeting1 and the visitor must go early in the 8cherry month0 to ,yoshino1 or he will be greeted by great showers of the falling petals being swirled away on the wind to join the light fleecy clouds on ,mount ,omine1 or down to the mists which hang in the valley below1 and nothing will be left but the remains of departed glories4 ,during the few days1 early in ,april1 when the blossom is at its best1 thousands of pilgrims visit the little village and occupy every available lodging2 but the traveller who is not discouraged by the discomfort of primitive ,japanese inns1 or by the long tedious journey over the mountains from ,nara1 will find ample reward in the beauty of his surroundings4 ,mr4 ,parsons1 in his ,notes on ,japan1 thus described ,yoshino3-- ,everything in ,yoshino is redolent of the cherry3 the pink and white cakes brought in with the tea are in the shape of its blossoms1 and a conventional form of it is painted on every lantern and printed on every scrap of paper in the place4 ,the shops sell preserved cherry flowers for making tea1 and visitors to the tea-houses and temples are given maps of the district--or1 rather1 broad sheets roughly printed in colours1 not exactly a map or a picture--on which every cherry grove is depicted in pink4 ,and all this is simply enthusiasm for its beauty and associations2 for the trees bear no fruit worthy of the name4444 ,i was reminded constantly of a sentence a friend had written in one of my books1 8,take pains to encourage the beautiful1 for the useful encourages itself40 ,it is difficult for an outsider to determine how much of this is genuine enthusiasm and how much is custom or traditional stheticism1 but it really matters little4 ,that the popular idea of a holiday should be to wander about in the open air1 visiting historic places1 and gazing at the finest landscapes and the flowers in their due season1 indicates a high level of true civilisation1 and the custom1 if it be only custom1 proves the refinement of the people who originated it4 ,tokyo and its neighbourhood can lay claim to some of the most beautiful spots for viewing the cherry blossoms4 ,the banks of the river ,sumida at ,mukojima are lined for miles with an avenue of ancient trees bending almost to the water's edge with the weight of their double blossoms4 ,this is the favourite resort of the ,tokyo holiday-makers1 and crowds of pedestrians1 carrying their gourds of wine1 inaugurate a veritable ,bureiko 7carnival7 and fill the booths and the houses which are ,illustration3 ,,the ,,pink ,,cherry temporarily erected along the banks of the river4 ,those citizens who can afford the greater luxury of a barge or roofed pleasure-boat spend the evening more peacefully in floating upon the calm surface of the river1 gazing at the blossoming trees1 cheered by the singing of the geishas and the playing of the samisens4 ,so great is the attraction of cherry blossoms seen by the light of the pale moon1 that they have even been given the special name of ,yozakura or night cherry flowers4 ,to the foreigner wishing to enjoy the prospect of the cherry blossoms in peace1 such boisterous feasting will seem out of harmony with the natural quiet beauty of the spot1 and he will do well to turn his steps and to spend a few hours in undisturbed enjoyment of the more dignified setting of ,uyeno ,park1 where the giant trees of single and drooping blossom stand out in splendid contrast to the pines and cryptomerias surrounding the tombs of the ,shoguns4 ,ralph ,adams ,cram thus describes the scene3-- ,here the cherry trees are huge and immemorial1 gnarled and rugged1 but clutching sunrise clouds caught by the covetous hands of black branches1 and held dancing and fluttering against the misty blue of the sky4 ,here and there a weeping cherry holds down its prize of pink vapour1 until it almost brushes the heads of those who pass2 here and there the background of bronze cryptomeria is flecked with puffs of pink1 as though now and then the captive clouds had burst from the holding of crabbed branches only to be caught in their escape toward the upper air and prisoned by the tenacious fingers of the cedar4 ,at the end of the road the path blurs in odorous mist1 and in a moment we are enveloped in the rosy clouds4 ,as far as the eye can reach stretches the low-hung canopy of the thin petals2 the trunks of the trees are small and gray1 and one forgets them1 or never thinks to associate them with the mist of pale vapour overhead1 hung in the soft air1 impalpable1 evanescent1 a gauzy cloud1 lifted at dawn and poised breathless close over the earth4 ,a little wind ripples above1 and the air trembles with a snow of pink petals swerving and sliding down to the carpet of thin fallen blossoms1 while darting children in scarlet and saffron and lavender crow and chatter1 catching at the rosy flakes with brown fingers4 ,the light here is pale and pearly as it filters through the sky of opal blossoms1 and it transmutes the small dusky people into the semblance of butterflies and birds1 now gathering into glimmering swarms of flickering colour1 now darting off with shrieks of delight over the carpet of fallen petals4 ,here a slim girl with ivory skin has thrown off her ivory kimono1 and clothed only in a clinging gown of vermilion crepe opening low on her bosom1 barefooted1 a great dancing butterfly of purple rice paper clinging to her black hair1 is swaying rhythmically in an ecstatic dance1 pausing now and then to flutter away like a red bird up the shadowy slope1 until her flaming gown gleams among stone lanterns half lost in the gloom of great trees4 ,here a ring of shrieking children1 wrinkled old women1 and half-naked coolies are circling hand in hand in some absurd little game2 and here1 there1 and everywhere whole families are clustered on red blankets1 eating endless rice and drinking illimitable sak1 while the tinkle of the samisen is in the air1 and strange cool voices sing wistful songs in a haunting minor key4 ,it is a kaleidoscope of flickering colour1 a transformation scene of pearl and amber1 opal and vermilion4 ,koganai1 a day's excursion from ,tokyo1 is another attractive spot in the cherry blossom season--an avenue of double cherry-trees stretching for two and a half miles along the river ,tama4 ,as the name suggests1 tama meaning pearl1 the water is clear1 and the stream provides the people of ,tokyo with their drinking water1 which is brought to the city by means of an aqueduct4 ,it is said that some ten thousand trees were originally brought from ,yoshino1 by command of the ,shogun ,yoshimune1 and planted along the banks of the aqueduct1 with the pretty idea that the purity of the blossoms would keep off impurities from the water-supply4 ,of this vast number of trees1 even if they ever really existed1 only a few hundreds remain to-day1 but sufficient to keep up their old reputation and attract enough visitors for yet another merry and boisterous flower carnival2 in fact1 throughout the land1 wherever there are cherry-trees1 during the month of their glory there will be feasting4 ,the blossom seems to act as a magnet to draw the people together1 and often by the wayside ,i have seen just one solitary tree1 in all the fulness of its beauty1 made sufficient excuse for a miniature feast4 ,just a few lanterns will be hung in the tree1 a few matted benches will be spread out1 and an old ,kami san will be waiting to greet any passing traveller with her cries of ,irasshai--o kake nasai--,welcome--please sit down1--and the offer of the inevitable tea1 tobacco-box1 and hibachi4 ,the ,emperor ,saga1 as early as the ninth century1 inaugurated the ,imperial garden parties to view the cherry blossom1 which still take place annually at the old summer palace of the ,shoguns1 ,shiba ,rikyu4 ,the gatherings were attended by the writers and poets of the day1 who composed odes on the blossoms4 ,although robbed of many picturesque features by the lamentable custom of wearing foreign dress at ,court1 these functions are still of great interest to the foreigner1 as affording him the only available opportunity of visiting any of the ,imperial gardens of the capital4 ,in spite of the fact that the beauties of ,tokyo are fast disappearing--her moats bordered by splendid pines are almost things of the past2 broad streets with tramways1 brick and stone houses1 are ,illustration3 ,,cherry-,,tree ,,at ,,kyomidzu fast replacing the narrow streets and little wooden houses of old ,yedo2 the ,yashiki or ,daimios' houses and gardens are gone1 replaced by foreign houses1--,tokyo still retains her cherry-trees4 ,no modern reformer has ever dared to sweep away her avenues of sakura1 for to the ,japanese the cherry is something more than an ordinary flower2 it is difficult1 if not impossible1 for our ,western minds to enter into their conception of it4 ,to them the soul of the sakura1 or cherry blossom1 is the soul of ,bushido 7,chivalry71 and the heart of ,bushido is the heart of ,japan4 ,one of their songs says-- ,hana wa sakura yo1 ,hito wa bushi4 7,among flowers the cherry1 ,among men the samurai47 ,the precepts of ,chivalry were started first as the glory of the lite1 but grew in time to be the aspiration of the whole nation1 and they found their ideal in the sakura4 ,the phrase1 ,chitte koso sakura nari1 meaning 8,it's a cherry blossom1 it falls when it must10 was taught in the old feudal days--how to die from loyalty as the cherry blossom1--the ethic of ,death was the highest4 ,so to this day their ethics remain the same1 and ,tokyo retains her cherry-trees1 which in spring transform the town into a garden of blossom4 ,the poet ,bashio sang in his hokku poem-- ,hana wo kumo ,kane wa ,uyeno ka ,asakusa ka4 7,a cloud of flowers6 ,is it the bell from ,uyeno ,or from ,asakusa87 ,it is true that wherever the clouds of blossom are low they will shut out the prospect in ,tokyo1 and one is unable to tell whether the bell which sounds from far away is that of ,asakusa or ,uyeno4 ,the number of different kinds of cherry-trees seems unlimited2 ,japanese authorities quote one hundred distinct varieties4 ,the first1 and almost the most beautiful1 to flower1 is the ,ito sakura or drooping cherry1 with pendent branches like a weeping willow1 and so-called from ito1 meaning thread4 ,these trees attain to a great size and make magnificent specimens4 ,almost at the same time bloom the ,higan ,sakura--equinox cherries--with white single flowers or pale pink4 ,such are most of the trees at ,uyeno1 of majestic size1 planted1 it is said1 by one of the ,tokugawa ,regents in imitation of the hills at ,yoshino1 though ,asakusa yama1 a hill in the suburbs of ,tokyo1 is more often spoken of as the new ,yoshino4 ,the ,ukon sakura is very lovely1 with its clusters of pale greenish-yellow double blossoms1 but is rather scarce1 and a variety known as ,yaye hotoye has single and double blossoms on one tree1--yaye meaning single and hotoye double4 ,the ,yoshino cherry ,i have already described2 ,hi sakura has double blossoms1 deep crimson in bud1 and bright pink when open4 ,there seems to be a never-ending list of these lovely trees1 in bewildering variety--early and late kinds1 single1 semi-double and double1 large and small1 from pure white through every shade of blush pink to light crimson1 and the one beautiful pale yellow blossom1 its outer petals just flushed with pink1 suggesting the colouring of a tea-rose rather than a cherry blossom4 ,the double varieties of course bear no fruit1 but even the single 8equinox cherries0 bear none1 so the ,japanese are satisfied with their splendid blossom and do not worry about the poor insipid little fruit1 which is all a cherry represents to them2 but they will salt the leaves and drink cherry-flavoured tea under the pink canopy of flowers during the time of the cherry blossoms1 when1 in the gladness of spring1 all the world is making merry4 ,,chapter ,x ,,wistaria ,,and ,p,,ony ,the last petals of the cherry blossoms have only just fallen1 and ,nature hastens to provide a new treasure for the flower kingdom1 and the first blooms of the wistaria ,fuji no hana will be opening at the base of the quickly growing racemes4 ,not the far-famed ,wistaria multijuga1 whose immense long sprays of delicate mauve flowers are so associated throughout the world with the name of ,japan1 but the early-flowering wistaria1 ,brachy botris1 with its tufts of white blossoms completely covering the closely pruned branches before any trace of a leaf appears4 ,it would seem as if this modest white wistaria had been allowed by nature to bloom so early1 for fear she should be overlooked and not appreciated when her more showy successor flings her purple mantle over the land4 ,the ,royal ,fuji1 fancifully called ,niki-so1 meaning 8plant of the two seasons10 because1 appearing between the third and fourth months 7old calendar71 it belongs both to spring and summer1 has rightly attained her high rank among the floral kingdom of ,japan1 for in no other country can be seen a restaurant set out for the entertainment of perhaps a hundred guests1 who will all feast wrapped in the purple haze of a roof of wistaria blossoms1 all from a single vine4 ,perhaps the most popular haunt of the pleasure-seeker in the month of ,may is the celebrated ,kameido ,temple in ,tokyo4 ,words fail me to describe the beauty of the scene3 it is a real feast of fuji2 the1 long purple trails cover the large trellises1 the wide rustic galleries1 and connect the little matted restaurants1 where hosts of people throughout the day sit feasting under the purple roof and feeding the gold fish in the lake4 ,the matted benches are set out on a thick mauve carpet of fallen blossoms1 and the little maids seem to have a never-ending task in sweeping away great heaps of the freshly fallen flowers1 as though fearing that their guests will be smothered by them4 ,no one seems to know so wisely as the ,japanese in what surroundings to plant their flowers1 so as to show them to their best advantage4 ,wistaria seems always to be grown near water1 so that the trellis which is to bear its flower burden can be built out over the water4 ,so it is at ,kameido2 and as ,i sat surrounded1 almost smothered1 by the blossoms1 inhaling their delicious scent and listening to the droning of the bees1 ,i could gaze across the water at the reflection of a never-ending vista of mauve blossoms reaching on one side to the celebrated round wooden bridge1 the delight of children1 who seemed to cross it in one ceaseless stream1 and on the other to the fine old temple1 where a few ancient pine-trees are placed just where they will best harmonise with the long purple blossoms4 ,the late sweet-scented white variety will prolong the fuji season by a few days2 their glory is but short-lived1 a few days and then their colour begins to fade1 the leaves appear among the blossoms1 and their beauty is gone4 ,i felt if ,i wanted to see wistaria again that year ,i must fly to the northern provinces1 where the bean-scented blossoms will soon be clothing the forest trees4 ,i turned away sadly1 not forgetting the ,japanese theory that the wistaria loves sak4 ,so strong is their belief1 that ,i was told that if you set a jar of the wine under the plant1 its spray will grow longer from its desire to reach the jar2 so ,i ordered my ,illustration3 ,,wistaria1 ,,kameido little cup of sak1 sipped it1 and then emptied the cup on the roots1 according to their custom1 hoping that ,i too might help to contribute to its great size and beauty4 ,very lovely is the scene at ,kashukabe1 where another famous wistaria grows4 ,the vine is said to be some five hundred years old1 its pendent clusters over #ej inches long and growing over trellises covering a space of #djjj feet4 ,noda in the province of ,settsu is also celebrated for its wistaria1 and a special variety has been named after the place4 ,the cultivation of ,wistaria multijuga1 with its racemes from two to three feet in length1 and the individual flowers having a lip of darker purple1 seems to belong more especially to the eastern provinces4 ,and it must not be imagined that all wistaria in ,japan has these immense long sprays4 ,in the whole neighbourhood of ,kyoto ,i know of only two fine specimens of multijuga1 and all the wild variety seems to be ,wistaria chinensis1 with its tufts of shorter racemes4 ,towards the end of the first week in ,may ,i made a pilgrimage to see the wistaria blossoms in ,kasuga ,park at ,nara1 and ,i shall never forget the enjoyment of that day1 the blessed relief of being able to find a quiet spot away from the gazing crowd1 in which to ramble or sit and enjoy the scene4 ,the vines have clambered to the top of many of the tallest pines and cryptomerias1 and their blossoms hang in wreaths2 in the distance the effect was suggestive of smoke rising among the trees4 ,many of the lower trees seemed to have been completely taken possession of by the trespasser1 and the dead branches transformed into big bouquets of pale mauve4 ,how far more beautiful were these natural supports than the somewhat unsightly bamboo poles which usually form the trellis for the vines4 ,little glades1 down which winds a tiny clear stream1 divide the ground1 and the banks were covered with these old trees1 completely smothered by the weight of blossom4 ,often the vine seemed not content with covering a single tree1 but had thrown out long branches beyond1 which1 fallen to the ground1 had rooted and then risen again to find a fresh prey1 thus forming a double arch wreathed with purple tassels4 ,this park is one of the few places in ,japan where there is real turf1 closely cropped by the herd of deer1 and in the open spaces broad stretches of brilliant-coloured ,azalea sinensis added to the enchantment of the scene and formed a perfect foreground4 ,to the ,japanese mind the fuji is essentially feminine1 and they find in the wistaria their ideal of woman1--the ,japanese woman--whose charm of temperament and whose beauty has been so praised4 ,it is a pretty idea1 and it is not difficult to understand their ideal of woman when one observes how the wistaria clings to the undaunted pine1 and how gently she falls down1 easily moved by a breath of wind and yet firmly holding her own place4 ,the wistaria is regarded as the emblem of gentleness and obedience1 and these are the keynotes of a ,japanese woman's character4 ,the young tender leaves of wistaria are sometimes eaten1 and also used in the place of tea2 and the flowers themselves are used for food in some parts of ,china4 ,the seeds baked in the fire have very much the same flavour as that of a chestnut4 ,the bark is used for ropes and sandals2 and its branches are used1 it is said1 as cables1 and also for bridge-making1 as it is supposed that there is nothing more durable than a wistaria bridge4 ,japanese antiquarians will tell you that in olden times1 before carpenters' tools had been invented1 the dwellings of the people in ,japan were constructed of young trees with the bark left on1 fastened together with ropes made of the tough shoots of wistaria1 and thatched with the grass called kava4 ,fuji appears to be a real ,japanese flower1 though in the ,western countries it is called wistaria1 in honour of ,caspar ,wistar1 an ,american physician4 ,one of the most celebrated classical ,no dances of ,japan has wistaria as its theme4 ,the little square boxes in front of the stage1 with its long gallery or bridge 7along which the ,no actors make their entrances and exits71 are filled by the audience1 apparently patiently waiting in quiet1 somewhat sleepy expectancy4 ,the long piercing sound of flutes mingled with the curiously sad rhythm of ,tsuzumi drums has ceased2 and the high distinct declamation of the libretto begins4 ,the priest1 who is a necessary part of any ,no dance1 is the first to appear on the stage2 he is supposed to reach ,taka no ,ura in the province of ,ecchu1 a place famous for wistaria1 and here he meets a country girl who in a short time will reappear as the spirit of the wistaria2 she entreats him to pray for her1 so that through the virtue of his prayer her flower spirit may enter into ,nirvana or ,paradise2 doubtless the spirit of the last flower of spring is not able to release herself from the world to attain ,buddhistic perfection1 so she hates to say her quick ,illustration3 ,,wistaria1 ,,nagaoka farewell to spring4 ,presently the flower spirit1 arrayed in gorgeous purple brocade1 dances her last spring dance1 and then1 after receiving the priest's repeated prayer1 she will disappear with joy4 ,so ends the ,no play1 so full of emblematical meaning to the minds of the ,japanese4 ,the wistaria and pony seem to be closely associated1 as not only do they flower at the same time and many gardens seem devoted to their combined culture1 but just as in ,japanese literature the wistaria is an emblem of womanhood1 so in ,chinese literature the pony is compared to a beautiful woman4 ,the pony seems to be a plant of ,chinese origin1 and though it can hardly be classed as one of the most popular flowers of ,japan1 it plays an important part in the art of the country4 ,the tree pony is a delicate plant and requires scrupulous care and nursing in order that its blooms should attain their full size and colour4 ,it is regarded as essentially the rich man's flower1 and therefore it is often called the 8flower of prosperity02 another fancy name by which it is known is the 8plant of twenty days10 because it will preserve its freshness and beauty for that time4 ,the celebrated garden at ,honjo in ,tokyo combines the cultivation of botan 7tree pony7 with that of wistaria4 ,a fine old vine of multijuga overhangs the pond2 but one of the especial features of the garden is the cultivation of wistarias in pots and tubs--some grand old plants1 flowering as though they would flower themselves to death4 ,others there were of all sizes and shapes2 some bent and leaning1 some bearing veritable canopies of blossoms2 some pure white1 some the pale mauve sinensis1 and others the deeper-coloured multijuga4 ,my first visit to 8view the ponies0 was rather a disappointment to me1 as1 in order to protect the blooms from heavy rain or wind storms1 the plants are all placed under the cover of temporary matting sheds4 ,they seemed mostly to be grown in pots1 and the effect of these rows of plants1 each with its large and heavy blossoms supported by bamboo stakes1 was somewhat stiff and prim4 ,a few stray plants there were1 which1 possibly for some slight defect in the shape or colour of the blooms1 had not been included in the show collection2 and to the uninitiated these gave most pleasure1 left standing in the open1 their colour blending harmoniously with that of the wistaria blossoms4 ,the pony gardens seemed no haunt for the holiday-maker1 but rather for the serious-minded gardener1 who1 truly interested in their culture1 would spend ,illustration3 ,a ,p,,ony ,,garden hours in quiet contemplation of the plants1 discussing the merits of the different varieties with some fellow-enthusiast4 ,there were some hundred different kinds of the tree pony4 ,the most prized ones were all either pure white blossoms1 or those whose colour ranged from pale pink to red1--quite rightly1 however rare they may be1 the purple-hued and yellow are less valued4 ,many a private garden belonging to the rich has its pony show1 and the plants are mostly brought from the neighbourhood of ,nara1 which is celebrated for its pony gardens4 ,and the gardens at ,kabata are also famous for their blooms2 where too may be seen the combination of the fuji flowers covering long trellises and the little standard trees growing along the margin of the stream1 their pendent trails reflected in the water1 softening as it were the gorgeous splendour of the flaunting pony blossoms4 ,there is no more gorgeous floral sight than the pony with its tremendous curling petals2 but a ,japanese artist told me that its fulness in splendour made those with a better poetical fancy and more quiet taste dislike it and think the beauty of the pony to be even vulgar4 ,japan is nothing if she be not light and airy1 and therefore the ,japanese consider flowers with more delicate grace to be more artistic2 so the pony has little chance to become their favourite flower1 its beauty is too heavy4 ,it has found1 however1 some admirers among the poets of ,western ,japan4 ,in comparison to the people of the eastern provinces the inhabitants of ,osaka and ,kyoto are said to be more showy in their taste1 their art is heavier1 so the pony is called the ,western ,flower of ,japan4 ,if you compare ,china and ,japan1 the former's taste in art is more decorative and heavier1 and remember what a favourite the pony is as a decoration for their priceless porcelain4 ,the variety of pony known as ,ponia sinensis1 the true ,chinese pony1 does not seem to be much regarded in ,japan1 and little attention seems to be given to its cultivation4 ,the botan calls to mind the pony lantern1 and the pony lantern or botan toro is suggestive of the ,buddhist festival of ,bon 7from ,july #ac-af71 when the great gates of ,hades will open wide1 and those dead souls who are still wandering about1 being unable to enter ,nirvana1 will come back again to receive their relatives' prayers1 by whose virtue they may get their final rest4 ,so this festival is universally called the ,soul ,festival3 in literature it is closely connected with ghosts4 ,the theatres will all play 8ghost plays10 as1 of course1 the story of the pony lantern is a ghost story4 ,a beautiful girl called ,o ,tsuyu was the daughter of a certain samurai ,ijima ,san1 who lived apart from her father with her faithful maid ,o ,yone4 ,she happened to love ,shinzaburo ,ogihara1 a young samurai1 and died of love1 and her maid followed her4 ,ogihara did not know of their death4 ,he observed one summer evening that two young women--who were ,o ,tsuyu and ,o ,yone--passed before the gate of his house1 carrying pony lanterns in their hands1 and he welcomed them4 ,during the following seven nights ,o ,tsuyu called on him at night with her usual pony lantern in hand2 and then ,shinzaburo was told by his friend that she was not a living person1 but a ghost4 ,he appealed to some holy priest to protect him from the ghost4 ,the priest gave him some charm to hang at his door2 and when the charm one night was taken away1 ,ogihara was found dead the next morning4 ,there is a rather charming ghost story of the pony which is of ,chinese origin2 the story is called the ,ko ,gyoku or ,incense ,jewel4 ,kaseikyu of ,rozan1 of fairy beauty1 is famous for its ponies4 ,in ,kaseikyu there lived a young scholar called ,kosei4 ,he was looking out of his window one day1 and to his amazement he observed a beautiful young lady dressed in white who stood among the ponies2 he saw her so often that he fell in love with her1 and wrote a love-song dedicated to her fair soul4 ,then she appeared as in a dream to him one day and said1 8,my name is ,ko ,gyoku2 ,i was brought here from the city of ,heiko1 and my life is not without sadness40 ,they promised to love each other1 they continued to meet every day1 till one day ,ko ,gyoku told him sadly that she had to go away2 and the next morning1 strange to say1 ,kosei observed that the ponies in the garden had disappeared4 ,was she not the spirit of one of the ponies8 ,he passed day and night in sad dreams and with many tears1 thinking over his unhappy fate in love4 ,to his surprise ,ko ,gyoku appeared after a long time1 and they held each other's hands1 but the man found the lady's hand cold4 ,ko ,gyoku said1 8,yesterday ,i was the living spirit of the flower1 but to-day ,i am merely the ghost4 ,my body is cold1 the flower is dead40 ,however1 she was to his eyes as beautiful as before4 ,she continued1 8,if you will be kind enough to give a cupful of water to the roots of ,illustration3 ,,wistaria1 ,,kabata the old ponies every day1 you will receive a reward in due course of time10 and disappeared4 ,kosei found the next morning that new sprouts were beginning to come out from the old roots4 ,the pony was introduced into ,japan from ,china in the eighth century1 but failed to gain universal popularity1 on account of the difficulty of cultivating it successfully2 but the ,rich ,man's ,flower came to be regarded as the king of flowers1 and therefore the lion and the peacock1 the kings of the animal world1 are its companions in art4 ,they are always painted together in the decoration of a temple or palace wall1 and when lions dance on the ,japanese stage they always have a gorgeous background of ponies4 ,there may be more of myth than truth in the pretty story of ,ichinenko1 a kind of pony1 whose flowers turned crimson when ,yo ,ki ,hi 7the beloved mistress of the ,emperor ,genso1 famous in ,chinese history in connection with the pony7 accidentally touched the petals of the flower with her rouged finger-tips1 when she appeared in the garden after finishing her morning toilette4 ,so strong is the feeling among ,japanese poets that the flower is lacking in any poetical grace1 that the ,hokku#b poet ,hyoroku remarks in his ,essay on a ,hundred ,flowers1 8,the pony is like the mistress glorified in one's love1 who acts as she pleases without any consideration for another's feeling4 ,it has such an attitude1 as if it spit out a rainbow into the blue sky40 ,the poet ,bushon1 who has written more lines on the pony than any other poet1 says-- ,niji wo haite ,hirakanto suru ,botan hana4 7,spitting forth a rainbow ,is about to bloom ,the pony flower47 #b ,hokku is a poem of seventeen syllables4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,azaleas ,early in ,may the brilliant-coloured azaleas seem determined1 by the splendour of their hues1 to try and outshine their graceful1 tender-coloured predecessors the plum1 peach1 and cherry4 ,surely no other plants ever equalled their display of colours--every shade--pure white1 cream1 salmon1 pink1 scarlet1 orange1 and purple2 but even all this feast of colour will not make up for the delicate colour of the blossoming trees4 ,there are so many different varieties of azalea1 so many different ways of planting them1 and even such a variety in their natural growth1 that it is hard to say in which surroundings they appealed to me most4 ,the most celebrated place for 8viewing azalea blossoms0--,satsuki no hana--in all ,japan is in the district of ,shinjuku1 a suburb of ,tokyo1 where the show gardens1 known as the florists' gardens of ,okubo-mura1 present a wealth of colour which ,i feel powerless to describe4 ,these gardens1 or rather azalea plantations1 as no other plants are grown1 are of very ancient date1 and were frequented by the ,tokugawa ,regents1 with whom they were as popular as they are with the sight-seer of to-day4 ,a few sen will suffice to obtain permission to enter a never-ending succession of these little gardens1 and so dazzled was ,i by their splendour that ,i do not remember that any one seemed more beautiful than another4 ,imagine these great bushes of immense size and great age simply smothered by their blossoms4 ,not a leaf was to be seen4 ,my eyes ached at last1 and ,i longed for the repose of a stretch of green4 ,in and out among great banks of the scarlet and crimson ,kaba-renge1 the variety which flowers before the leaves appear1--on past beds of ,azalea indica with its large double and semi-double blooms of every shade1 the paths will lead us1 as if through a maze2 and surely this mass of colour helps to bewilder one4 ,i was assured one venerable old bush1 the thickness of whose stem testified to its great age1 bore each year eight thousand blooms2 so closely packed did the blossoms appear to be1 that it would have been no surprise to me had ,i been told they numbered eight million instead of ,illustration3 ,,azaleas thousands4 ,the whole district was thronged with holiday-makers visiting the little gardens in one never-ending stream4 ,but one thing differed here from all the other floral feasts ,i had ever seen in ,japan3 there were few1 if any1 little tea-houses set up in the gardens for the entertainment of the guests1 who generally sit sipping tea1 or some more potent beverage1 and gaze upon the especial flower they have perhaps tramped many weary miles to see4 ,here there was no tea-drinking1 they all retreated to the neighbouring restaurants2 and why8 ,the reason was not far to seek3 no human eyes could sit and gaze at that mass of colour for more than a few consecutive moments2 one would leave the garden blinded4 ,the whole air was sweet with their delicious scent2 the bees were busy collecting honey1 especially from the hearts of the sinensis blooms1 which seemed the sweetest-smelling variety4 ,no visitor to ,japan should miss spending a few hours at ,okubo1 for surely in no other place in the whole world can such a wealth of colour be seen4 ,the soil near ,tokyo must be especially suited to azaleas1 as there are many other gardens and parks which in this flower month will be gay with their blossoms4 ,i have mentioned ,okubo first1 because it is the most celebrated place for azaleas1 here every variety and colour are collected in one dense mass2 but there were many other places where the blossoms gave me more true pleasure1 and where ,i spent many hours enjoying the scene4 ,at ,nagaoka1 in the neighbourhood of ,kyoto1 many a day have ,i spent1 and ,i know of no place where one can sit more comfortably and peacefully lost in admiration and contemplation4 ,nagaoka has a large sheet of water1 apparently artificial1 but beautified by the great bushes of scarlet azalea along the shore1 and the great splashes of colour in the water cast by their reflection4 ,here they are all one variety1 with true fiery scarlet blossoms1 and as ,i sat in one of the little thatched houses built out on piles in the water1 great bushes were crowding round me2 it seemed as though they had even cast their rosy hue upon the houses1 as are not all their walls pink1 as if they too reflected the colour of the blossoms8 ,i felt ,i should like to sleep among the azaleas and see them in the early dawn1 and watch the mist clear off the water when the sun's first rays would light up their dazzling splendour4 ,but that could not be4 ,nagaoka1 after all1 is only a restaurant1 though each party of guests is entertained in a ,illustration3 ,,azaleas1 ,,nagaoka separate little house4 ,they are frail structures these little houses1 with only their paper shoji to protect one from the chilliness of the night1 and remember1 summer is not yet here2 all through the month of ,may there will be a freshness in the air to remind you that spring is not yet gone4 ,so to ,kyoto we must return2 but there was plenty of consolation to be found there4 ,the gardens of the old ,awata ,palace were a blaze of colour1 the azaleas lighting up this beautiful old landscape garden1 which at other seasons of the year is apt to look grey and cold and uncared for4 ,the garden here is like two separate gardens2 the first part1 complete in itself1 is the work of the great ,kobori ,enshu1 and the second part1 where the azaleas are the glory of the garden1 is the work of ,soami4 ,standing between the two is a grand old lantern1 whose history is listened to with rapt attention by the little knots of sight-seers who are led by the old priest round the garden and up through the bank of azaleas to look over the great town below1 with ,hiesan rising in the distance4 ,many a little temple garden is quite transformed when the azalea bushes are in flower1 their little miniature mountain sides are gay with the blossoms2 though often the better the gardens are cared for1 the fewer the blossoms1 as1 in order to keep the bushes in their regular and prescribed shapes1 the flowers have to be sacrificed4 ,the little garden of ,chishaku-in ,i can recall1 as having the brilliant-coloured bushes in pleasing contrast to the subdued tones of the clipped box and juniper-trees1 and the greyness of the lichen-covered lanterns and mossy stones4 ,no doubt there were many such little gardens and also private gardens1 but the flower month is too short1 and one can only visit the most favoured places or where chance happens to lead one's steps4 ,for those who prefer to enjoy the azaleas in their wilder state1 there are many places where they can wander undisturbed and inhale their scent which comes wafted on the breeze4 ,i am thinking now of ,kasuga ,park at ,nara1 where great stretches of ,azalea sinensis form a brilliant foreground for the wistaria-laden trees4 ,nature seems to have arranged a veritable picture1 almost too beautiful to be real4 ,these gorgeous blossoms shade from delicate yellows and pale pink1 through to the brightest orange and flame colour1 growing as the woodland scrub4 ,they are not more than a few feet in height1 possibly their growth has been stunted by the deer2 but they form in places a real carpet or clothe the ,illustration3 ,,azaleas1 ,,awata banks of the little streams1 their colour vying with the splendour of the great temple beyond4 ,i had heard so much of the beauty of the cherry blossom and wistaria and the glory of the maples1 and their fame is amply justified2 but no one had told me of the beauty of the azaleas1 and never had ,i realised how essentially they belong to ,japan4 ,throughout the length and breadth of the land they seem to grow1 and there appeared to be few places where one variety or another had not found a home4 ,their pale purple blossoms were hanging from the cliffs among the white-flowered andromeda bushes late in ,april1 when ,i paid a flying visit to ,miyajima1 and a few days later ,i found them again on the banks of the canal on my way from ,otsu4 ,in the country round ,hikone the more brilliant-coloured forms had found a home1 and under the old pine-trees1 broken here and there by a rocky projection1 or even a few grey tombstones of some long-forgotten graveyard1 the banks were covered with an undergrowth of azaleas4 ,farther north the railway leading to ,aomori will wind its way through country which at all seasons of the year is beautiful1 but how far more beautiful when the salmon-pink low-growing azalea forms an undergrowth to the pine woods2 wherever the trees have been thinned the rocky ravines are all lighted up with their colour4 ,the azaleas at ,nikko and ,chuzenji have been described elsewhere1 and ,i feel as if all the country during those short weeks will 8always be seen in my mind through a rosy hue of azalea blossoms40 ,,chapter ,,xii ,,the ,,iris ,if ,i were to be asked which of all the show gardens in ,japan--a garden devoted to the cultivation of one especial flower--gave me most pleasure to visit1 ,i should unhesitatingly answer ,hori-kiri1 the garden of hana shobu or ,iris ,kaempferi1 in the neighbourhood of ,tokyo4 ,throughout the month of ,june this garden remains a feast of subdued colour2 for the iris is no gaudy1 flaunting flower1 but a delicate blossom shading from pure white1 through every shade of mauve and lilac to rosy purple1 and so deep a blue as to be almost black4 ,in the first days of ,june the paths winding through the rice fields from the banks of the river ,sumida will be crowded with sight-seers whose steps are all bent in one direction and with the same intent--to pay their annual visit to ,hori-kiri2 and throughout the month this never-ending stream continues from early dawn until the setting of the sun or the rising of the moon4 ,flower-sellers there will be too1 one perhaps with only a modest bunch of half-opened buds in a wooden tub shaded from the sun by a large umbrella1 not the unpicturesque object recalled to our ,english minds by the word umbrella1 but one made of pale yellow paper1 large and flat1 with bamboo ribs1 the owner's name inscribed in bold1 black ,chinese characters--or farther on a little stall decked with lanterns1 and a gay-coloured curtain with some device suggestive of the iris2 tiny toys1 little fairy baskets of split bamboo with just one iris blossom1 or fans painted with a giant bloom covering the whole fan1 and other dainty trifles1 to carry home to the little ones left at home or as a souvenir of this iris-land4 ,the garden of ,hori-kiri must be of very ancient date1 as the fine old pine-trees1 dwarfed and gnarled maple and juniper bushes1 are not the growth of this generation1 or even the last4 ,the garden is said to date from some three centuries1 and to be handed down from father to son1 always in the same family4 ,nothing could be more perfectly laid out for the proper display of its especial flower1 the shaping of the beds1 the placing of the bridges1 and even the colouring of the little summer-houses in which to entertain their host of guests--all has been thought out by this artistic family2 and last1 but by no means least1 the clothing of the little maids who wait on them with untiring zeal--their kimonos and obis all harmonising in colour4 ,i have lingered too long on the surroundings of the flowers1 and the reader will want to know more of this wonderful flower which deserves so much attention--it does indeed deserve the attention1 for surely by the middle of the 8dew month0 it is hard to imagine anything more beautiful than the scene which meets the eye4 ,some seventy varieties of this king of irises are grown1 many raised from seed and jealously treasured by the owner of the garden4 ,there are early and late varieties1 three weeks almost between their time of flowering1 but by the second week in ,june the second blooms of the early varieties will have opened and the first blooms of the later ones1 so the effect is as if all were flowering together2 every shoot of the plants seems to bloom2 there are no gaps in their serried ranks4 ,the mere variety is amazing4 ,some are pure white1 only veined with a faint tinge of green2 some have a margin of lilac2 some are shaded2 some mottled2 but surely the most beautiful of all is just a great single bloom of one shade1 be it white1 lilac1 or blue4 ,many people prefer the duplex flowers with an inner row of small petals1 but to me this form seemed to have lost some of the natural beauty and grace of the true iris4 ,i tried to learn something of their cultivation1 hoping it might be of help to those who grow those poor specimens known in ,england as ,iris ,kaempferi4 ,it is not the plants themselves1 or the varieties1 which are at fault1 for many thousands of roots leave the ,hori-kiri garden every year to be scattered throughout the world1--it would seem to be the soil and climate which they resent and stubbornly refuse to adopt2 for a few years they linger and even bravely flower1 and then they begin to pine and droop like some poor home-sick mortal pining for his native land4 ,august appears to be the especial month for dividing the roots or replanting them1 so that month had better be chosen as the beginning of the iris year4 ,the yellowing foliage is ruthlessly cut to half its natural height and the plants divided1 for no clump is ever allowed to grow so large and old that it is hollow in the centre2 the outer shoots appear to be the strongest1 and have most promise of bloom for the following year4 ,the beds are ,illustration3 ,,an ,,iris ,,garden sunk a foot or so below the paths2 and the rich soil is like a quagmire1 not with standing water1 but like swampy ground4 ,in ,november the plants are all cut down1 in preparation for the first dressing of manure in ,december4 ,the liquid sewage is liberally applied1 once towards the end of the year1 and then again after an interval of a few weeks1 the final dressing being given in ,january4 ,by ,february the growth has started1 and once the young leaves appear there can be no more manuring1 or the foliage would suffer4 ,from now until the time of flowering1 the regulation of the irrigation seems to be the chief matter to ensure success in their cultivation4 ,each variety has its own especial name1 generally with some poetical meaning1 but difficult for the ,european ear to grasp1 and ,i noticed that1 no doubt for the sake of the foreign market1 all the rows were numbered as well as named4 ,do not imagine that this is the only iris garden of ,japan4 ,there are many others1 though ,i always think that ,hori-kiri ranks first1 not only for the beauty of the garden1 but the actual flowers seem larger and better grown than anywhere else4 ,only a few minutes' drive from ,hori-kiri will take you to ,yoshino-en1 celebrated for its wistaria as well as its irises4 ,the ground is larger than ,hori-kiri and the irises are well grown1 but as the garden is not devoted entirely to their culture the effect is not so pleasing4 ,the whole district almost seemed devoted to the culture of shobu--many1 many fields of them ,i passed2 but as they are grown entirely for the sake of cutting the blooms for market1 there is never any mass of colour to be seen4 ,the gardens at ,kabata1 belonging to the ,yokohama ,nursery ,company1 are perhaps the most extensive iris gardens in ,japan2 ,i felt almost dazzled and bewildered by the very size of the grounds--acres of irises--a beautiful sight2 but ,i never derived the same pleasure from it as from the smaller garden4 ,the iris is one of the few flowers which seems to be allowed to enter into the precincts of a true ,japanese landscape garden3 in many a private garden a stream will be diverted to feed an iris bed1 placed where a piece of swampy ground would be most in keeping with the rest of the miniature landscape2 or even the margin of a tiny lake will be utilised for just a few plants of shobu4 ,i remember seeing an old priest tending his little colony of irises1 which no doubt were chosen with great deliberation from a large collection for some especial beauty4 ,how often have ,i seen an old man and woman considering on which particular favourite their few sen shall be expended1 and then departing1 the happy possessor of a new treasure to add to their little store4 ,my friend the priest's collection all grew in pots2 they did not look as though they would attain their full height and beauty2 but as if to reward the loving care bestowed on them they all showed promise of flower2 and no doubt in due time they will have been arranged so as to give the best effect and greatest pleasure to their grower4 ,i asked a ,japanese who1 with his little gentle wife1 was sitting in quiet contemplation and evident enjoyment of the scene1 to tell me something of the flower as it appeals to the ,japanese1 and he said3 8,we live here in the choicest floral kingdom2 and to our mind the flowers are beautiful1 and we do not ask why or how1 the sight of their beauty is far more real to us than any meaning which they may suggest4 ,you will find no other nation like ,japan1 which loves ,nature so truly in her varied forms and holds communion with all her aspects2 we love the iris as a flower1 but as nothing else4 ,i cannot make my mind associate it with any meaning of zeal or chivalry1 nor do ,i think of it as any messenger2 it appeals to me only as a little quiet beauty of the water side1 making friends with the sadness of the rainy season4 ,in our poems the iris is almost inseparable from water2 one of our celebrated poetesses has written the following seventeen-syllable poem-- ,midzu ga kaki1 ,midzu ga kashikeri kakitsubata4 7,water was the painter1 ,water again was the eraser ,of the beautiful fleur-de-lis47 8,it is the universal custom throughout ,japan to celebrate the fifth day of ,may by hanging bunches of shobu beneath the eaves of our houses1 and to put them into the hot water of the public baths1 as it is perfectly delicious for the bathers to inhale their odour4 ,we also drink sak in which they have been steeped1 on the same day4 ,i felt proud to hear that the fleur-de-lis1 as ,i believe you call the iris1 is the national flower of ,france1 as ,i like to think that it has found a home in the ,west1 and when ,i was told that the flower which was put above ,solomon's greatest glory was not the lily of our country1 but that of the iris family1 ,i felt glad and agreed with it40 ,the delicate ,iris ,tectorum would be an immense addition to our ,english flower gardens1 if only our summers were hot enough to bake their roots sufficiently to make them flower4 ,i succeeded in making them grow2 they threw up their shoots each year1 but never one single flower1 until at last1 disgusted1 ,i condemned them1 like so many other treasures brought from foreign climes1 as unsuited to our cold grey skies4 ,late in ,may these irises will be in full bloom and forming a purple spur on the top of the thatched straw roofs of the farmhouses2 they are generally planted in this way 7hence their name71 and transform the roof ridge of many a peasant's dwelling into the aspect of a flower garden4 ,many different reasons are ascribed to their being planted in this manner2 some say the irises are planted to avert the evil spirits1 and there is a superstition that they are efficacious in the prevention of disease4 ,there is also a legend that during one of the famines that devastated the land in olden days an order went forth that all cultivated land was to be given up to the growing of rice1 but that the women of ,japan1 determined to save their iris roots1 from which their powder 7so essential to the toilette of every young ,japanese lady7 is made1 planted them on the roofs of their houses4 ,i give the tale with all due reserve1 as ,i was never able to verify it1 nor do ,i even know for certain that their precious shiroi is made from iris roots4 ,other people no less positively affirm the growth to be accidental4 ,others1 again1 assert that the object is to strengthen the thatch4 ,we incline to this latter view2 bulbs do not fly through the air1 neither is it likely that bulbs should be contained in the sods put on the top of all the houses in a village4 ,we have noticed1 furthermore1 that in the absence of such sods1 brackets of strong shingling are employed1 so that it is safe to assume that the two are intended to serve the same purpose4 7,chamberlain's ,things ,japanese47 ,no matter the reason for their being so planted--be it for protection1 be it for the sake of vanity or merely for safety--the effect is none the less charming1 and later in the year these little roof gardens are sometimes gay with ,hemerocallis aurantiaca or a stray tuft of scarlet ,nerine4 ,the true ,iris japonica or chinensis is a shade-loving plant1 with many lavender-coloured flowers on a branching stem1 each outer petal marked with purple lines1 and in the centre of the flower a deep orange horn4 ,like so many delicately marked flowers1 it has a very short life1 each individual bloom appearing to last only from one ,illustration3 ,,irises sunrise to the next1 but the stems bear so many blooms that other buds quickly open and fill the gap of yesterday's blossom4 ,iris gracilipes seems the commonest and most free-flowering of all the irises4 ,in ,may its graceful purple flowers and vivid green grass-like foliage seemed to fringe each pond1 and the only fault ,i had to find with this form of iris was the short duration of its flowering season2 the plants bloom so freely they appeared to flower themselves to death1 and after one short week their slender heads would hide themselves until the resurrection of the next 8flower month404 ,i learnt that the ,iris lvigata1 which appears to be synonymous with ,kmpfer's iris1 is much used as a decoration for ceremonies and congratulatory occasions1 but on account of its purple colour it is not desirable for weddings1 though permissible for betrothals4 ,it is much honoured in the art of flower arrangement1 and ranks high among the flowers used for the vase on the tokonoma2 and the leaves are as much prized as the flowers1 lending themselves to the bending and twisting required to attain the regulation curves4 ,as a rule it is not permissible to use the leaves alone of a plant which may bear a flower1 or the flowerless branches of a shrub which may bear blossoms or berries2 but ,iris japonica seems an exception to this rule1 and the leaves alone may be used before the flowers appear4 ,the first of the ten artistic virtues attributed to certain special combinations is headed in ,mr4 ,conder's list by ,simplicity--expressed by rushes and irises in a two-storey bamboo vase4 ,the beautiful arrangement known as ,rikkwa 7double stump arrangement7 consists of a combination of pine1 iris1 and bamboo grass4 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,the ,,morning ,,glory 8,asagao blooms and fades so quickly1 only to prepare for the morrow's glory10 such is the theme of one of the oldest songs on the asagao or morning glory1 written by the ,chinese priest at the temple of ,obaku near ,uji1 who is said to have been the first person to introduce the flower to ,japan4 ,it was but a primitive weed when it first came from ,china2 it is only in the land of its adoption that it has evolved its thousand varying forms and developed into the floral wonder of to-day4 ,it was still a semi-barbarous beauty1 and had not advanced to its present plane1 when ,kaga no ,chiyo wrote her well-known morning glory poem1 better known to us from ,sir ,edwin ,arnold's version-- ,the ,morning ,glory1 ,her leaves and bells have bound ,my bucket handle round2 ,i could not break the bands ,of those soft hands4 ,the bucket and the well to her ,i left2 8,lend me some water1 for ,i come bereft40 ,for centuries the asagao in ,japan remained the same trifling little ,chinese flower1 only the wild morning glory of the bamboo fences in the back gardens2 but even then the bright poetesses of the ,kyoto ,court admired it1 and the ,nara poets sang its praises4 ,as they delighted to write of the fleeting condition of our human lives1 they found a congenial subject in the morning glory1 for it is true that no flower has a briefer life and beauty1 and the buds of yesterday are flowers to-day1 but only for a few short hours1 and then nothing will be left but ruin and decay2 though how quickly fresh buds will appear and fresh flowers open to be the morrow's 8morning glory40 ,it was not until the eighteenth century that the asagao became fashionable among the ,daimyos and hatamoto1 who worked wonders in its cultivation in the rival ,yashiki or noblemen's gardens at ,yedo4 ,their blossoms developed in size1 depth1 and variety of colour1 until suddenly at the close of the eighteenth century a spell of cold weather during their season of flowering1 dwarfed the blossoms and ruined all the seeds in ,yedo4 ,so the asagao culture was dropped until the ,tempo period 7#ahcj74 ,then a revival of interest culminated in the mad craze at the time of ,commodore ,parry's visit1 when princes1 priests and potentates1 nobles1 hatamoto1 and gardeners all vied with each other in the culture of this flower4 ,fancy prices were put on plants and seeds1 as much as fourteen or eighteen yen 7#bs47 being given for one seed of some new favourite4 ,naritaya of ,yedo and ,tonomura of ,osaka were rival gardeners1 and the latter sent his precious flowers to the ,yedo show by means of relays of coolies1 to compete with those grown at ,yedo4 ,the restoration and complete change of social conditions were unfavourable to the culture of the morning glory1 as it again went out of fashion and only languished1 until its recent revival about fifteen years ago1 when an asagao club was formed and many prominent persons became members4 ,to-day the craze has spread among all classes1 and there is hardly a house--more especially in ,tokyo1 but almost throughout the country--where there are not a few pots of this favourite flower1 it being within the reach of the poorest in the land2 for a few sen the seeds may be procured to raise the plants which are so often grown upon the house-top4 ,iriya 7an attractive name meaning 8,within the ,valley071 beyond ,uyeno ,park1 is the most famous place in ,japan for the morning glory2 here thousands of carefully trained plants of every shade and variety of colour1 fancy flowers less than half an inch in size1 in clusters1 and shaped like a butterfly orchid1 and other strange varieties may be seen2 some trained in pots over light bamboo frameworks representing rustic structures and other quaintly designed frames4 ,the gardens are visited by hundreds of visitors in the early morning1 for it is at four o'clock in the morning of a scorching ,july or ,august day that the plants will look their best3 the buds will just be opening1 the faded flowers of yesterday will have fallen1 and all will be fresh and make you forget the heat of the day that is dawning4 ,one of the asagao experts remarked to me-- ,we don't call him an asagao man1 however large his garden be1 however good the other preparations2 the rarest asagao1 one which makes our mouths water1 as we say1 comes frequently from the hands of a ,hachiko or ,kumako1 and is often raised upon the roofs in ,nihonbashi or ,kyobashi1 where the ground is too dear for any garden1 where we say 8one handful of ground means one handful of gold40 ,and there's almost no expense in asagao cultivation4 ,what's needed for it is only a little time to spare--the little time which you can spare from the resting hours or nap-time in the midsummer days4 ,and any common sort of pot which you can buy for two or three sen will do just as well4 ,and since it is the glory of early morning you have not to prepare anything1 even when you invite your friends2 a cup of tea will be sufficient4 ,we hear quite often of cases of chrysanthemum parties which were the cause of poverty2 but the asagao is not such a vulgar thing at all4 ,and1 on the other hand1 it will make you forget the summer heat4 ,it is the nature of the flower to love the intense heat2 in the hot weather you have them more beautiful4 ,the asagao man is simply glad to have the hottest days3 8,surely to-morrow morning's display will be a splendour10 he will say4 ,he will not lose his time in taking a nap1 but busy himself arranging the flower vines2 and his brain will not suffer from the heat if he wear a large hat--on the contrary it will feel better4 ,i have seen many cases of asagao cultivation curing brain illness4 ,and it represents the true spirit of ,japanese democracy2 it is such an aristocratic flower1 like the chrysanthemum4 ,a peer and a heimin will equally enjoy it3 at the ,himpivokwai 7asagao show7 people of every station have equal freedom and enjoyment4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,the ,,lotus ,the 8time of the lotus0 is suggestive of the damp hot ,august days when from earliest dawn the cicadas will be singing1 if their discordant noise can be described as song1 and the croaking of the frogs day and night1 makes one wonder at last whether frogs never grow hoarse1 or cicadas never tire of singing4 ,from the last weeks in ,july till the first weeks of ,september the lotus will be blooming bravely1 undaunted by the sun's fierce rays2 and the first breath of autumn1 which brings new life and energy to a human being after the heat of the summer1 will mean death to the lotus4 ,truly it is a beautiful flower this flower of ,buddha1 as from its close association with the ,buddhist religion it seems essentially to belong to ,buddha4 ,the colossal figures known as the ,dai butsu at ,kamakura and ,nara sit in immovable calm as ,illustration3 ,,lotus ,,at ,,kodaiji though drawing inspiration from the bronze lotus before them2 the silence of their souls is the silence of the flowers1 and the shape of the open blooms in the sunlight is the symbol of ,buddha's enlightenment4 ,every little idol of ,buddha1 be it in the family shrine or grand and stately temple1 sits upon a lotus throne2 the temples are all decorated with carved lotus or the freshly cut flowers in their season2 gold and silver paper lotus are carried at funerals2 tombstones are often set upon a stone base in the form of a lotus flower1 and lotus beds are planted near shrines4 ,the mighty feudal lord ,iyeyasu sleeps in the silence of ,nikko's cryptomerias1 hearing only once in a while the long sad cry of a great bell1 and before him as his only companions are the eternally same bronze lotus flowers4 ,so not only is the lotus the especial flower of ,buddha1 but it is also regarded as the flower of death1 and for that reason it is disliked as a decoration for any occasion of rejoicing4 ,there is no more beautiful sight than a lotus bed at the dawn of a hot ,august day4 ,stately and yet tender is the beauty of the lotus blossom1 the great buds opening with a noise which is indescribable to one who has not heard it2 and how quickly the delicate pink or white petals unfurl1 as though hastening to make the most of their short life1 for before the overpowering heat of the ,august noonday the flower closes1 to open once more on the morrow and then die a graceful death2 the petals dropping one by one1 but still retaining all the freshness of their colour1 and then nothing will be left but the great seed pod1 very beautiful in itself1 but not as beautiful as the great bluish-green leaves studded with dewdrops1 which seem to reflect every passing cloud4 ,for the beauty of the lotus lies not only in its flowers2 you will begin to see the beauty of the plant even when the tender young leaves peep out shyly upon the surface of a pond in early ,june2 their colour is dark brown1 and the ,japanese call them zeniba from their resemblance to the shape of copper money4 ,then day by day the leaves will spread and float out as a spirit upon the water1 gradually the stalks grow and they will get higher and higher1 their broad curling surfaces losing the bronze colour and turning to every shade of soft green and deep emerald2 and so through all the scorching summer days they remain fresh and cool to look upon1 until in ,october they begin to flag1 but they will be beautiful even in death4 ,the stalks then seem too weak to carry their burden any longer1 and suddenly1 even as one ,illustration3 ,,lotus ,,at ,,kyomidzu watches them1 the stem bends near the top1 and the great curling leaf will give one last shiver in the breeze1 topple1 and turn over and hang with head bent as if in penitence4 ,though the beauty of each individual flower may be short-lived1 each morning will bring fresh buds1 which in a few hours open into fresh flowers1 bringing new beauty to the lotus bed2 so its glory lasts for six long weeks4 ,for the true lover of the lotus there can be scarcely any night1 for soon after midnight he must rise and start for the lotus pond to see their real beauty and hear the opening of the buds with the sudden touch of dawn2 so in old days the ,japanese used to visit the famous ,shinobazu pond in ,uyeno ,park1 where the little temple dedicated to the goddess ,benten stands on a small peninsula1 as though to protect the lake from desecration1 though if that were her mission she has surely failed4 ,four years before1 ,i too1 in the early morning1 had visited the ,shinobazu pond1 and filled with awe and admiration had spent many hours watching the rosy petals open1 and the great glaucous leaves toss hither and thither with every breath of wind1 and the iridescent dragon-flies darting through the air2 until driven away at last by the overwhelming heat1 ,i had to seek shelter from the sun4 ,again last ,august ,i felt ,i must see the lotus at ,uyeno in all their glory2 but ,i feel ashamed1 for the traditions of ,japan1 to say what greeted me4 ,great staring ,exhibition buildings in the worst possible taste have been built all along the shores of this historical lake4 ,but the worst part is still to come3 overshadowing the little shrine and into the very heart of one of the great stretches of lotus leaves dashed a water-chute4 ,it took my breath away4 ,i stood spell-bound1 and then turned away with horror and asked myself1 as many other people1 alas6 are asking3 8,are the ,japanese losing all their artistic feelings80 ,happily there are still many quiet spots where lotus grow1 away from the desecrating hand of the 8new ,japan10 and there we can sit and enjoy this 8emblem of purity10 its clean fresh flowers and leaves rising unsullied from the stagnant mud2 and this is one reason for associating it with a religious life1 or comparing it to the virtuous soul of a woman who lives in suspicious surroundings4 ,a favourite ,buddhist precept says3 8,if thou be born in the poor man's hovel1 but hast wisdom1 then art thou like the lotus flower growing out of the mud60 ,wherever undisturbed pools and channels of muddy water exist1 the lotus is to be found3 the old moats surrounding the remains of a grand old ,daimyo's castle1 the muddy temple or monastery ponds1 and even the ditches beside the railway1 will all be rendered gay in the summer1 when the great pink and white lotus are in bloom4 ,their history is a very old one1 for their beauty is sung in the old ,buddhist sutra1 and one passage describing the golden glory of ,paradise tells of 8a pond where the lotus flowers large as a carriage-wheel grow2 the green flowers shine in green light1 the yellow flowers in yellow light1 red flowers in red light1 and the white flowers are supreme in beauty and odour40 ,it may be true that the leaves are as large and round as a carriage-wheel--of a ,japanese carriage1 a kuruma2 and certainly ,i should be afraid to state rashly how large and high the foliage of the white variety may grow4 ,the white ,nelumbium speciosum1 for all the so-called lotus of ,japan are really this species of water-lily1 has a powerful and sweet perfume2 but the pink ones1 which are far more beautiful1 have but little scent4 ,i think the leaves and their stems1 as well as the flower1 must have their own peculiar odour2 for often ,i noticed near lotus beds1 where no blossoms were to be seen1 a strong and rather sickly perfume came floating in the air in whiffs which will always be associated in my mind with lotus1 as ,i cannot compare their scent to that of any other flower4 ,there are other varieties1 one a deep crimson colour and one called 8gold-thread lotus10 but these are seldom seen4 ,the ,indian lotus has a larger double flower1 deep pink in colour1 which never closes day or night1 and the blooms last in beauty for five or six days4 ,in ,india1 the source and centre of ,buddhism1 the lotus has been chosen as a national flower1 and ,burmah also is famed for its lotus2 so wherever ,buddhism makes its presence felt1 there you will find the lotus4 ,sir ,monier ,williams says that 8its constant use as an emblem seems to result from the wheel-like form of the flower--the petals taking the place of spokes1 and thus typifying the doctrine of perpetual cycles of existence40 ,the lotus is a favourite subject with the ,japanese artist in conjunction with the mandarin duck and other water-fowl1 and so faithfully do the ,japanese represent their flowers that each vein in the leaves seems to be depicted if not exaggerated4 ,mr4 ,parsons admirably describes the lotus1 and also this form of exaggeration and mannerism in their art-- ,take for example the spots on the lotus stems2 if you look very closely you can see that there are spots1 but certainly it could not strike every artist as a marked feature of the plant1 for they are not visible three yards away4 ,but some master noticed them many years ago and spotted his stems1 and now they all spot them1 the spots getting bigger and bigger2 and so it will be until some original genius arises who will not be content with other people's eyes1 but will dare to look for himself1 and he may perhaps1 without abandoning ,japanese methods1 get nearer to nature1 and start a renaissance in ,japanese art4 ,he also remarks-- ,the lotus is one of the most difficult plants which it has ever been my lot to try to paint3 the flowers are at their best only in the early morning1 and each blossom1 after it has opened1 closes again before noon of the first day2 on the second day its petals drop4 ,the leaves are so large and so full of modelling that it is impossible to generalise them as a mass1 each one has to be carefully studied1 and every breath of wind disturbs their delicate balance and completely alters their forms4 ,besides this1 their glaucous surface1 like that of a cabbage leaf1 reflects every passing phase of the sky1 and is constantly changing in colour as clouds pass over4 ,such is an artist's true appreciation4 ,no honour seems too great for this flower of ,buddha1 and we are told that you will be permitted1 if you are fortunate enough to be among those who are admitted into ,nirvana1 or ,paradise1 to sit upon the lotus throne1 leaving behind the dirt and dust of the world4 ,in the days of old ,japan1 when the religious influence was stronger1 and far more romantic than it is to-day1 to sit together upon the lotus throne in ,paradise was the customary dream of two lovers who wished to commit suicide4 ,another honour for the lotus is that the ,japanese dedicate their wonderful and awe-inspiring mountain ,fuji-san to it1 and call it ,fugo ,ho1 meaning ,lotus ,peak4 ,thousands of their poets have sung praises of this lotus peak1 but to our minds the words of ,mrs4 ,m#8,neill ,fenollosa will be easier to understand3 8,now far beyond the grayness1 to the west1 the cone of ,fuji flashes into splendour4 ,it1 too1 is pink2 its shape is the shape of a lotus bud1 and the long fissures that plough the mountain-side are now but the delicate gold veining of a petal4 ,slowly it seems to open4 ,it is the chalice of a new day1 and the pledge of consecration40 ,it would seem as though the opening of the lotus flower is the signal of the awakening of summer dawn and the opening of a new day4 ,in ,chinese literature there is a legend of ,teiko ,illustration3 ,,lotus ,,flowers who gathered his guests together on a midsummer day and put wine in the lotus leaves and let his guests drink it from the stems of the leaves4 ,a truly romantic feast4 ,in ,japan the leaves are used for dishes at the ,soul's ,festival in ,july2 the dead spirits who return to this world from ,hades are supposed to eat the offerings from the leaf dishes4 ,the ,japanese have a delicacy called hasu meshi--hasu meaning lotus1 meshi1 rice--consisting of the young and tender lotus leaves chopped fine and cooked with rice4 ,they also eat the little fruit of the lotus1 no larger than a pebble1 which1 contrary to most fruit1 can be eaten raw when it is unripe1 but gets so terribly hard as it ripens that it has to be cooked4 ,the dried leaves seem to be valued as a drug1 and also the vegetable-sellers wrap their vegetables in them4 ,all this is too unromantic to be associated with the lotus1 and ,i was better pleased to hear of the ,japanese phrase ben po1 meaning lotus step1 which they associate with the light step of a beautiful woman4 ,a pretty story of old ,china is told of the ,lord ,tokonko of the province ,sei1 who was extravagant in the extreme4 ,he had as his mistress a lovely girl called ,han hi4 ,one day he made lotus petals of real gold and scattered them in his garden2 then he called out to his mistress to let her step on them1 and he was very happy to see his fair lady and his gold flowers equally well matched in beauty4 ,truly ,han hi's 8lotus step0 must have been a wonder4 ,in saying farewell to the time of the lotus ,i feel ,i cannot do better than quote ,mrs4 ,fenollosa's charming poem-- ,for years1 long years ago1 on lake and river1 ,the lotus bloomed1 with petals curl on curl ,close folded2 and to full perfection never ,had opened wide those lattices of pearl4 ,like fair white maids with finger-tips a-meeting1 ,like wordless song unwed to music's art1 ,they pierced the stream each morn in pallid greeting2 ,then shrank in silence1 for they had no heart4 ,above them1 nightly1 stars would lean1 and hover ,with gifts of whisper-rays1 and kisses long2 ,but all in vain1 till one transcendent lover ,slid down from heaven among the startled throng4 ,at morn the flowers stood still like pale nuns hushing2 ,but one among them throbbed her sweetness far1 ,like arms outspread the full-veined petals flushing1 ,for in her trembling heart there lay a star4 ,and since that hour the sky rains lovers ever2 ,all day they rock within that soft embrace4 ,at night the petals close2 the stars up-quiver1 ,and sighing1 seek their old accustomed place4 ,,chapter ,,xv ,,the ,,chrysanthemum 8,see a kiri leaf fallen on the ground and know that autumn is with us0 is a common saying in ,japan4 ,the leaves of the kiri 7pawlonia7 tree are so responsive to the spirit of autumn1 which advances steadily till we see no garden flowers1 no wild flowers1 and have no longer the song of the insects1 and one cannot fail to be impressed with some touch of sorrow2 but the ,japanese take sheer delight in the sadness of autumn1 for soon the white frosts will be thick upon the ground and will turn the leaves of the maples on the mountain-side into a blaze of scarlet and gold1 and then the kiku or chrysanthemum flowers will open4 ,the chrysanthemum has often been called the national flower of ,japan1 a rank more properly belonging to the cherry blossom2 the mistake arises from the fact that the sixteen-petalled chrysanthemum is the ,imperial emblem4 ,the ,japanese give a poetical reason for the choice of this especial flower as the ,emperor's crest3 as in olden days the chrysanthemum used to be called ,kukuri hana or 8,binding ,flower10 because as the blossoms tie or gather themselves together at the top1 so the ,mikado binds himself round the hearts and souls of his people2 and it is a coincidence that the present ,emperor's birthday falls in the kiku month 7,november74 ,for a thousand years the chrysanthemum was admired as a retired beauty by the garden fence and under a simple mode of culture2 but it became the flower of the rich to a great extent under the ,tokugawa feudal rgime1 and of late years the culture of kiku or chrysanthemum is the greatest luxury4 ,it would probably surprise one to know how much ,count ,okuma and ,count ,sakai1 the two best known chrysanthemum raisers in ,japan1 spend annually upon their plants2 and many other people have found the reason of their poverty in kiku culture4 ,though one cannot but admire any advance in horticulture1 carried to such an extent it seems to me merely a degeneration1 and this 8retired nobleman of flowers0 7the ,japanese call their kiku one of the sikunshi or four ,illustration3 ,,chrysanthemums1 ,,kyoto floral gentlemen1 the other floral gentlemen being the plum1 bamboo1 and ran or orchid7 will grow quite as well1 and attain as great perfection1 in some little humble dwelling which has only a miniature garden1 provided the necessary time and care1 not money1 is given to the plants4 ,the chrysanthemum has always been much honoured by the ,imperial ,court1 and even in the ninth century garden parties were held in the ,palace gardens to do honour to the blossoms1 even as in the present day a yearly chrysanthemum party is held in the ,imperial grounds4 ,in ancient days the guests sat drinking wine and composing odes to the blossoms1 and the courtiers adorned their hair with kiku flowers1 at these pastoral feasts4 ,to-day these modern displays of chrysanthemum plants partake of our own conventional flower shows1 the plants being arranged somewhat formally in long open rustic sheds2 but the variety of colour1 every imaginable shade being produced1 and the profusion of form1 also the immense size of some of the plants1 one alone a few years ago bearing #abgb blooms1 make a brilliant scene1 different from any other flower show in the world2 for where else would the plants have such a setting as in these beautiful ,asakasa grounds1 where the gorgeous colour of the maples rivals that of the chrysanthemums4 ,from an artistic point of view there is nothing to admire in the great chrysanthemum show which opens yearly at ,dangozaka in ,tokyo1 and one cannot but agree with the poet ,hoichi ,shonin1 who says-- ,what an inferior heart of man6 ,lo6 a waxwork chrysanthemum show6 ,however1 one must admit the cleverness and some sort of art in these show pieces2 and one cannot fail to be interested if only by watching the expectant faces of the thousands or tens of thousands of people who visit these different little shows4 ,how the children's faces beam when they approach the place and see the thousands of flags and lanterns1 gaily coloured curtains and stalls decorated with souvenirs in every conceivable form1 of the day among the kiku flowers4 ,the people are so enthusiastic over these puppet shows1 which may be a scene from an old play1 an act from history1 or1 most interesting of all1 the newest occurrences of the day1 all represented in chrysanthemums6 ,in order to make the figures pot plants are used1 not cut flowers1 but splendid plants in full bloom1 genuine plants1 the roots of which are skilfully hidden or disguised4 ,the colours of the flowers will be combined to represent the dresses1 and indeed it is very interesting to see the figures being prepared in ,october when the plants are in bud1 for each separate bud will be tied to the skeleton frame so that when the blossoms are open they form a compact mass of colour2 and it is also very striking to notice the harmony of the colours1 and then the bold lines made by a contrast of colour4 ,a year or two ago there was nothing more popular than war scenes of the ,russian and ,japanese campaign4 ,one scene which has remained green in the memory of many a ,japanese was the representation of the blocking of the harbour at ,port ,arthur1 with ,captain ,hiroze1 that valiant officer1 and his fellow keshitai 7determined to die7 as the characters4 ,it was composed of two thousand chrysanthemum roots2 upon a sea of the royal flowers1 dark coloured at the heart and rising to sprays of snow white1 to form the crests of the waves and tossing billows1 rode the boat manned by the heroes4 ,the second scene was a tribute to the enemy3 it represented the stalwart white-bearded ,russian ,admiral ,makaroff1 who1 standing on the bridge1 sword in hand1 went down with his ship--a veritable storm of white flowers1 dashed with red1 and here and there a few sailors groping blindly4 ,there was yet another show which represented the night after the great battle of ,lia ,yang1 when the spirits of the dead soldiers appeared1 all flower-clad1 with white swords in their hands1 with which to salute the sleeping fighters4 ,every year the showmen find some new subject in order to keep up the people's interest4 ,besides these dramatic shows1 there are splendid specimen plants2 and what ,i always admired about the large plants in ,japan was the perfect foliage1 the rather dwarfed growth1 and the way in which all the blossoms on the plant open together4 ,there is a plant called 8,good ,luck 8 bearing a thousand flowers1 all from a single root1 which is a great favourite1 and certainly it is nothing short of a horticultural wonder4 ,their fancy names seemed very poetical1 and ,i cannot refrain from quoting a few1 with their translation1 in the words of a ,japanese-- 8,look at the #8,princesses of the ,blood' in a long stately row1 tall and graceful1 their proud flowers resplendent and white as the driven snow2 or here is ,ake-no-sora1 #8the ,sky at ,dawn1' with a pale pink flower the colour of cherry blossoms2 or ,asa hi no nami1 #8,waves in the ,morning ,sun1' because it has a pale reddish blossom2 also ,yu hi kage1 #8,shadows of the ,evening ,sun1' with dull red blooms2 and finally the pure white #8,companions of the ,moon1' ,tsuki-no-tomo40 ,there appeared to be over #aej of these poetical flowers4 ,but do not imagine that it is only in the gardens of the rich or arranged as waxwork puppet shows that you will find chrysanthemums1 for surely1 if that were the case1 little pleasure would be derived from their beloved kiku4 ,it has been said of the ,japanese1 8,it is not the plant he loves1 but the effect that the plant enables him to attain40 ,this may be true of plants in relation to the landscape garden1 where everything must be according to the rubric or laws of gardening1 but surely it is not true of chrysanthemum plants4 ,many an enthusiast have ,i known to whom his kiku was his most valued and cherished possession1 and daily were the 8,plants of the ,four ,seasons0 7a fancy name for chrysanthemums on account of their period of growth extending through all the seasons7 tended with loving hands4 ,we are told of a great man in the days of the ,min dynasty who1 tired of struggling with the world and life1 gave up his rank and retired to some forgotten spot1 entirely in order to enjoy the sight of the chrysanthemum in his garden and a jug of wine2 and the greatest delight of his life was to see the flowers bedewed in the morning light1 and to exchange his poet's faith and love with this 8nobleman of flowers40 ,perhaps in these days when the curse of modern civilisation is spreading throughout the land we shall not see many such enthusiasts as ,yen ,mei2 but there are still many chrysanthemum lovers1 many to whom the first week in ,november is the best week of the year4 ,just as the ,japanese admire the flower for its noble bearing1 so did ,i admire the bearing of their owners2 however humble the dwelling1 however small the collection1 the proud possessor seemed always to be one of 8,nature's noblemen02 never did ,i encounter such warm and true hospitality combined with dignity and grace as during the kiku month from my chrysanthemum hosts4 ,one scene especially seems to have remained graven into my memory1 in that land of surprises4 ,a friend offered to take me to see some especially fine chrysanthemums2 their owner1 he said1 was celebrated for their culture2 and he led me through the whole length and breadth of the fish market1 ,i imagined only in order to make a short cut to our destination1 but no6 we stopped in front of a large fish-stall1 and at the magic word kiku ,illustration3 ,a ,,chrysanthemum ,,garden the owner's face beamed with delight1 for surely here was a fellow-enthusiast1 even though she is a 8foreigner10 come to admire his beloved flowers4 ,he signed to me to thread my way past the somewhat unappetising-looking fish1 and1 as though at the touch of a fairy wand1 the scene changed4 ,a paper shutter slid back and the beauty revealed beyond surpassed anything that mortal could imagine--little corners and flashes of loveliness in all directions4 ,at the very entrance were grouped a few splendid plants1 each bloom perfection itself1 and then with cries of 8,irasshai irasshai0 7,welcome1 welcome7 and the regulation greeting of 8,please come in1 my house is yours0 from every side1 ,i entered1 crossing the cool matting1 past a tiny court filled with the treasured plants and adorned with a hanging iron lantern which filled my soul with envy1 through the spotless rooms with the alcove and the regulation kakemono and the tokonoma on which stood a flower arrangement of ,baka sakura 78,fool ,cherry10 because it has come into flower at the wrong season71 to the court beyond1 where stood the famous collection4 ,the whole scene diffused a feeling of perfect contentment as ,i sat upon the regulation fukusa in the place of honour1 the place corresponding to the 8,stone of ,contemplation0 of every ,japanese garden1 the one spot from which the whole effect is seen to best advantage4 ,the plants were grouped in front of the family shrine1 and to protect them from the autumn storms a light roofing of paper and bamboo had been erected2 the little garden contained a few stepping-stones1 a bronze water basin1 a few lanterns1 and to screen off any possible view of anything suggestive of fish was a delicate bamboo screen-fence4 ,the blossoms seemed to represent every colour1 shape1 and size that it was possible for a chrysanthemum to assume1 all perfectly grown plants4 ,some varieties were quite new to me--tall1 slender-growing stems crowned with little fluffy blossoms not suggesting the usual form of a chrysanthemum2 another1 which when fully developed would form a complete pyramid of closely packed petals of a dark crimson hue1 was awarded the place of honour1 as there were only two other plants of the same kind in all ,japan4 ,i noticed some plants bearing a label which differed from any others1 and then ,i was told that each year a special messenger is sent by the ,emperor to choose a few plants from this humble fishmonger's garden to be added to the ,imperial collection4 ,the labelled plants formed this year's offering to his ,mikado1 and small wonder they were the pride of the house2 and ,i too was impressed by the feeling that in the floral kingdom1 as in a ,higher ,kingdom1 all men are equal1 as the kiku flowers had grown as well1 if not better1 in this lowly dwelling as in the ,emperor's vast domains4 ,i cannot recall any incident during all my stay in ,japan which gave me more pleasure than my visit to this humble home1 and as ,i left1 laden with little kiku cakes and with the prescribed compliments1 obeisances1 and sincere admiring exclamations over the flowers1 ,i had every intention of availing myself of the repeated invitations to 8,please come again40 ,the plants one day were in their full glory1 the great heads of perfect blossom had only just attained perfection1 when ,i was told that this was to be their last day of life1 on the morrow every plant would be cut down4 ,i exclaimed in horror at this apparent slaughter of the innocents in their prime of life1 but it was explained to me that the sacrifice was necessary in order to secure the cuttings for the next year's plants4 ,i could not help thinking that if ,i had nursed the cherished plants all through the year1 shading them from the intense heat of summer on the house-top1 never allowing them to know the want of water1 ,i could not have spared the blossoms in their prime even for the sake of the next year's growth4 ,many another peaceful little garden ,i can recall where ,i was welcomed with all the grace and hospitality suggestive of ,old ,japan1 and to this day apparently inseparable from the lovers of chrysanthemums4 ,two neighbours vied with each other in kiku culture1 their houses only separated by a few yards4 ,in one1 an old man1 whose bearing and manners suggested the ,daimyo of olden days1 sat as if he too1 tired of the world1 had retired with the sole companionship of his plants4 ,very lovely was his tiny garden1 with the plants just grouped in front of the two rooms which constituted his entire house1 and there he sat in quiet contemplation1 or bowing low to meet some new-comer who had come to admire his flowers1 and all seemed welcome1 strangers and friends alike1 as long as they loved the blossoms4 ,here might be seen the great sun-like ,nihon ,ichi78,first in ,japan071 white and yellow2 and there is ,haruna ,kasumi1 like its name1 suggesting spring haze1 or ,natsu gumo 78,summer ,clouds072 but with all this infinite variety ,i noticed that1 like in ,china1 where by 8the yellow flower0 is meant the chrysanthemum of that country1 so here in ,japan1 the yellow blossoms ,illustration3 ,,chrysanthemums seemed the most prized1 though the pure white is a close rival for popularity1 their blooms thick with the morning dew reminding us of the fairy who lived only by sipping the dews upon the kiku flowers4 ,how beautiful1 too1 are these white blossoms in death when the frost has made their petals turn slowly to a crimson colour4 ,across the road ,i found another little sanctuary1 another home for the flowers4 ,here a tiny tea-room was the point of vantage1 and from there ,i gazed1 sipping tea from the daintiest of tiny cups4 ,what an ideal place to sit and meditate and wonder over the goodness of things6 ,below was the rocky bed of a stream1 but it was a dry river-bed1 only white pebbles represented the stream1 and on the banks were grouped the plants1 forming a sheet of colour--great gorgeous blossoms1 not of such mammoth and unnatural proportions as our show blooms1 but every kind were here1 single1 loose1 or double2 stiff1 flopping1 or erect2 borne in a veritable harvest4 ,yet another humble dwelling ,i remember where the plants were grouped with consummate art4 ,in every garden there should be a keynote in the scheme1 and here the keynote was the view of ,hieisan3 framed between the blossoms1 which grew in a great foaming mass1 rose the great mountain1 as though it were the guardian of the garden4 ,the plants had brilliantly rewarded a loyal devotion1 and as ,i turned away ,i realised the manner in which ,japanese love their flowers4 ,as ,i sat admiring their gardens1 my friends told me many fairy stories and legends connected with the kiku4 ,perhaps one of the prettiest is called 8,the ,chrysanthemum ,promise40 ,samon ,hase1 a scholar and samurai1 offered a night's lodging to a gentleman from the western country1 and his guest suddenly fell ill4 ,samon promised the sick man to give him every help3 8,be easy in your thought4 ,above all1 be not discouraged60 ,the sick man was ,soemon ,akana1 who had been with a friend on a mission which failed1 and his friend was killed1 and he was on his way home when he fell ill4 ,samon and ,soemon quickly became friends1 and finally they promised to be as brothers to each other4 ,the latter stayed until he grew well2 and then he said he must go back to his native province of ,izume1 but promised that he would return again and stay with ,samon for the rest of his days4 ,he said firmly that the day of the chrysanthemum feast 7ninth of ,september in the old calendar7 would be the day of his return4 ,september came1 and on the ninth ,samon rose early to make preparations for his returning brother4 ,the sun began slowly to set1 but ,soemon did not come4 ,samon thought he would retire to bed1 but as he looked out once more into the night he noticed that the moon was hiding behind the hill1 and he saw a curious black shadow coming towards him with the wind4 ,it was ,soemon ,akana4 ,samon made his brother sit by the chrysanthemum vase in the place of honour1 and ,akana said1 8,i have no word to express my thanks for your kindness4 ,but pray listen1 and do not doubt me3 ,i am not a living person but only a shadow02 and he told how he had been put in prison1 but finding no other means of escape he killed himself4 8,as ,i was told10 he said1 8that a spirit could travel a thousand miles a day1 so ,i killed myself1 and rode on the wind to see you on this day of my chrysanthemum promise40 ,i felt if this legend were taught in the schools of to-day a moral might be pointed with advantage on the subject of keeping appointments and promises1 which is not a strong point with the modern ,japanese4 ,there is another pretty story of two brothers who had always lived together in the north of ,japan4 ,the time came for them to separate1 and when the younger one was about to start on his journey south1 they wept bitterly1 and said that each would keep the half of a chrysanthemum plant in memory of the other1 and thereby recall the happy days they had spent together4 ,the brothers afterwards planted the halves in two gardens1 one in the north1 the other in the south2 but the blossoms1 it is said1 kept the original shape of the half of a chrysanthemum for ever4 ,the chrysanthemum is so associated with the story of ,o ,kiku1 the little maid of ,himeji1 in the province of ,banshu1 that ,i feel ,i cannot do better than tell it in the words of ,lafcadio ,hearn-- ,himeji contains the ruins of a great castle of thirty turrets2 and a daimyo used to dwell therein1 whose revenue was one hundred and fifty-six thousand koku of rice4 ,now1 in the house of one of that daimyo's chief retainers was a maid-servant of good family1 whose name was ,o ,kiku2 and the ,kiku signifies a chrysanthemum flower4 ,many precious things were entrusted to her charge1 and among other things ten costly dishes of gold4 ,one of these was suddenly missed and could not be found2 and the girl1 being responsible therefor1 and knowing not otherwise how to prove her innocence1 drowned herself in a well4 ,but ever thereafter her ghost1 returning nightly1 could be heard counting the dishes slowly1 with sobs3 ,ichi-mai1 ,ni-mai1 ,san-mai1 ,yo-mai1 ,go-mai1 ,roku-mai1 ,shichi-mai1 ,hachi-mai1 ,ku-mai4 ,then there would be heard a despairing cry and a loud burst of weeping1 and again the girl's voice counting the dishes plaintively3 8,one1 two1 three1 four1 five1 six1 seven1 eight1 nine40 ,her spirit passed into the body of a strange little insect1 whose head faintly resembled that of a ghost with long dishevelled hair2 and it is called ,o kiku-mushi1 or the 8fly of ,o ,kiku02 and it is found1 they say1 nowhere save in ,himeji4 ,a famous play was written about ,o ,kiku1 which is still acted in all the popular theatres1 entitled ,banshu-,o-,kiku-no-,sara-,ya-shiki1 or 8,the ,manor of the ,dish of ,o ,kiku of ,banshu40 ,but there are people who say that ,banshu is ,bancho1 an ancient quarter of ,tokyo 7,yedo74 ,the people of ,himeji claim1 however1 that part of their city now called ,go-,ken-,yashiki is the site of the ancient manor of the story4 ,and it is deemed unlucky to cultivate chrysanthemums in ,go-,ken-,yashiki4 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,the ,,maple ,,leaves ,the ,japanese quite rightly give the name of ,ko haru or ,little ,spring to the ,indian summer1 ,keats's season of mists and mellow fruitfulness2 for indeed those beautiful weeks in ,november are incomparable1 the heavy damp heat of the summer has lifted1 the sky is clear and blue1 the atmosphere is light1 and the freshness of spring seems to have returned to revive the dying year4 ,they say1 8,here is the right end1 since we had a right start40 ,these fortunate people who rejoice in the beauty of spring beginning with the plum blossoms born out of the frost1 now have the autumn with the momiji or maple leaves to complete the floral season1 and the red leaves will be the beauty of the maturing year4 ,autumn weaves her red and gold brocade and spreads it on mountain and tree1 the whole country being alight with the scarlet ,illustration3 ,,the ,,scarlet ,,maple and gold of the momiji2 for not only the maples are called momiji1 but any tree whose leaves turn red in their last moment of life4 ,throughout the land there are favourite places where the holiday-maker holds his maple-viewing feast4 ,the trees at ,nikko are probably the first to turn1 and by the middle of ,october this little mountain village will be visited by a throng of sight-seers1 all bent on viewing the red leaves2 and here truly not only the maples1 but every tree seems to wear its mantle of autumn brocade1 making a splendid contrast to the bronze green of the cryptomerias4 ,the first touch of frost will have made the trees blush1 so the ,japanese say--it being a favourite expression of theirs1 when a blush of modesty spreads over a girl's cheeks1 to say that 8she scatters red leaves on her face10--and then will come the first light fall of snow or a rude wind storm and scatter all the silent beauty of the valley4 ,if you would continue your maple feast1 you must go farther south1 say to ,oji near ,tokyo1 where you will find a whole glen filled with nothing but maples4 ,no other momiji will dispute their fiery splendour2 and there1 in a little rustic tea-shed1 you can sit and gaze at the gorgeous scene below1 and wonder whether it is more beautiful to see the leaves like lace-work against the sky1 or to look down on the great spreading branches shading the stream below4 ,here and there will be a tree that does not deserve the name of momiji1 for it has no red leaves4 ,possibly it is a descendant of the celebrated maple-tree of the ,shomeiji temple at ,mutsuura1 which turned a glorious colour when summer had scarcely waned1 in order to earn the praise of the poet ,chunagon ,tamesuke1 who went to seek the beauties of the early maple4 ,the tree being fully satisfied with the admiration of the poet1 remained green for ever after2 for did not the poet say-- 8,how did this one tree thus get coloured8 ,this one garden maple-tree ,showing ,autumn before the mountain trees60 ,it is always said that the poetical spirit of ,tamesuke moved the responsive heart of the maple-tree4 ,kyoto1 the old capital1 with its history of centuries1 is celebrated for the numerous places renowned for maple-viewing4 ,all through the early part of ,november there is feasting1 combined possibly with mushroom-gathering1 a favourite pastime connected with the viewing of the momiji4 ,near by there is ,tsuten ,bridge1 where the sound of revelry will greet you as you approach1 and there will be the inevitable little tea-stalls1 decorated with curtains printed with a few flaunting maple leaves1 lanterns ornamented with the same red leaves1 and branches of the trees adorned with red and yellow paper leaves2 bearing a streamer with the name of the place1 or possibly a diminutive paper lantern1 to carry away as a souvenir of the day's feasting4 ,if you want a wider field and more extensive view1 remember ,takao is waiting in all its glory to greet you2 there a great stream of colour winds away down the valley following the course of the little mountain torrent4 ,you must rise early for maple-viewing1 to see the trees while the sun is on them2 when the sun goes it seems as though he takes half the beauty of the momiji away with him1 only to return it on the morrow1 it is true1 if the clear bright days will last through the short season of the momiji4 ,any night a cruel frost may come1 and next day the ground will be covered with a scarlet carpet1 reminding one of the story of that great lover of maple leaves1 the ,emperor ,takakura-no-,in4 ,he planted the maple-trees at ,kita-no-,jin1 and called the spot ,momiji ,yama or ,maple-leaf ,hill4 ,his great delight was to see the red leaves which carpet the ground with autumn glory4 ,one morning his unpoetical gardeners swept away the fallen leaves1 and the officers of the ,imperial household were awestruck1 as they were sure the ,emperor would visit the hill to see the red leaves which might have been cast down by the night wind4 ,he went to the hill1 and the officers appealed to him to have pity on the gardeners' ignorance4 8,it reminds me10 said the ,emperor1 8of the famous verse by ,ri ,tai ,haku which runs-- ,we will warm the wine under the maple-trees2 ,we will burn up the maple leaves40 ,such is the song of autumn3 8how lovely the gardeners' hearts in gathering the leaves to warm their hearts and wine40 ,so not only was the stupidity of the gardeners excused1 but happily their action was approved4 ,had the gardeners such poetical hearts8 ,i doubt it2 rather1 how forgiving was the heart of the ,emperor4 ,arashi ,yama must not be omitted from the maple-viewing feast4 ,here the beauties of ,nature summon us twice a year--in spring to visit the cherry blossoms1 in autumn to view the momiji4 ,at the latter season the trees are dressed in red1 and the water will be red too1 so thickly is it carpeted with the fallen leaves4 ,if one takes a ,illustration3 ,,viewing ,,the ,,maples boat to cross the water one feels ashamed to see the rent it makes in the 8autumn brocade10 for the boat will cut a track right through the thin carpet of leaves1 of which the poet says-- ,the hurdle that the wind has built ,over the mountain river1 ,is nothing but the maple leaves ,not run down the stream4 ,at ,mino there are nothing but maples as far as the eye can reach1 on and on down the glen1 an incredible blaze of colour4 ,but it was not in these great masses1 though no one can deny their gorgeous splendour1 that the maple gave me most pleasure2 it was rather in some quiet garden away from the sound of feasting that a few trees of the choicer and therefore even more brilliant coloured varieties afforded me most enjoyment4 ,i am thinking now of a warm ,november day when ,i had been bidden to take part in a tea ceremony1 with all its quaint ceremonial and code of rules4 ,sitting in the little simple open tea-room--for does not the law forbid any elaborate decoration in the room set apart for tea ceremonies1 and must not the room always be open on one1 if not two sides8--while trying to conform to the rigid etiquette of this pretty ceremony of drinking tea in a preternaturally slow manner1 when it was no longer my turn to admire in regulation words one of the articles used in the tea-making1 my eye wandered to the scene outside1 where1 hanging over a miniature cascade1 adding effect to the tiny rushing torrent1 stood the maple-trees1 surely the brightest ,i had ever seen4 ,maple-trees are most necessary for the ,japanese landscape garden1 especially when1 as is usually the case1 the style of the garden is to reproduce natural scenery4 ,the ,japanese have a saying that autumn comes from the west1 therefore the maple-tree1 the true representative of autumn1 should be planted on a hill towards the west1 so that it will welcome autumn promptly1 and also in order that the reddening leaves may receive additional splendour from the setting sun4 ,here1 in the glow of the western sun1 it seemed incredible that the little trees were only clad in leaves1 not in flowers1 for their colour was as bright as1 if not brighter than1 the brilliant azaleas which had been the pride of the garden in the flower month of ,may4 ,the nursery gardens are gay with splendid specimens of the much-prized dwarf maple-trees1 and every lover of these little trees will have a few plants of momiji in his collection4 ,some there may be which had1 as it were1 been born with scarlet leaves--in spring the leaves having opened a fiery red1 their colour waning as the year wanes2 others which had only green leaves in the spring will1 like true momiji1 have got more and more fiery in colour until the shadow of death comes over them4 ,innumerable varieties there appeared to be1 distinguished by the shape of their leaves and the tone of their colour4 ,the changing life of the maple1 ,miss ,scidmore tells us1 has been made use of by 8the ,japanese coquette1 who sends her lover a leaf or branch of maple to signify that1 like it1 her love has changed40 ,if you call a ,japanese baby and it opens its tiny hand1 they call it 8a hand of maple leaf40 ,throughout ,november the whole land is redolent of momiji2 not only will the red leaves on the trees greet you at every turn1 but you will be offered tea out of little cups painted with just one red leaf1 the cakes represent maple leaves1 the ,geishas will all have soft crpe kimonos decked with a pattern of the flaunting leaves1 or their stiff silk obis will represent ,nature's 8autumn brocade40 ,in the theatres the romantic play called ,momiji gari1 or ,maple-leaf ,viewing1 is played1 the stage being gorgeously decorated with maple-trees4 ,possibly because it is the last flower-viewing feast of the year1 the momiji-viewing is almost the most popular1 and when the last leaf falls the feasters will have to rest until the plum blossoms are opening1 as ,nature even in this land of flowers must take her winter's rest4 ,,chapter ,,xvii ,,the ,,bamboo ,what would the ,japanese do without the bamboo8 ,indeed so extensive is the part played by the bamboo1 not only in the beautifying of the land1 but in her domestic economy1 that the question is rather1 what does it not do8 ,the number of species of bamboo in ,japan at present is stated to be fifty1 not including numerous other varieties and sports2 among them thirty-nine are indigenous1 and the others have been imported at various times from ,korea1 ,china1 or the ,lu-chu ,islands4 ,from time immemorial the ,japanese have not regarded the bamboo as a tree--it forms a category apart1 and they speak of 8trees and bamboos02 they say it belongs to the grasses1 and is just a giant grass and nothing more4 ,it is indeed a beautiful and wonderful grass with a rate of growth which cannot be compared to that of any other member of the vegetable kingdom2 some species are said to show a growth of several feet in the course of four-and-twenty hours1 reminding one of one of the many ghastly forms of ,chinese tortures1 when a man is pegged to the ground on the top of a sprouting bamboo1 whose shoots are so strong that they will grow right through the man's body in the course of a single night4 ,most people persist in regarding the bamboo as a tender tropical plant unable to stand our bitter ,northern winters2 but there must be many hardy species1 as often they may be seen bending under the weight of snow1 even in the northern provinces of ,japan1 where the snow-fall is measured not in inches but in feet4 ,many varieties there are which no doubt would not flourish1 varieties associated in one's mind with the gardens of ,trinidad or the well-known ,perediniya gardens in ,ceylon1 but these tropical species should not be confounded with the hardy forms which find their home in ,japan and ,china4 ,in the ,bamboo ,garden1 the author has viewed the bamboo chiefly from the standpoint of acclimatisation in ,england1 especially in the damper western and southern counties1 for dampness seems essential to the life of a bamboo2 in fact1 so greedy is it of moisture that in many countries where the rainfall in summer is small the bamboo is condemned1 as it sucks the life from surrounding plants4 ,one of the commonest and most beautiful species1 the moso dake or feathery bamboo1 was an import from ,china2 it is so named from its golden stem and overhanging plume-like fronds appearing like a group of feathers2 and it is used to a great extent as one of the features of a ,japanese garden4 ,other imported species are the hochiku tree or square bamboo1 and the samo chiku1 whose stems when young are of a bright red hue4 ,these bamboos were imported for industrial uses or for the adornment of rich men's gardens2 and besides these there is a long list of other native and foreign varieties4 ,to the bamboo the ,japanese owe much1 for it would seem to be the cause of much of their clever constructive work2 properly handled it will do most things1 but it is necessary to understand its proper treatment and peculiar qualities4 ,how puzzled an ,english carpenter would be if he were asked to construct one of those delicate1 dainty little tea-rooms entirely of bamboo6 which it is possible to do4 ,the larger species will provide a combination of lightness and strength1 which makes them an admirable framework for houses1 and an intermediate size will make ornamental doors or panelling1 the varying height of the joints forming a natural pattern2 while the ornamental floor of the verandah can be made of bamboo4 ,the water-pipes will be of bamboo1 as they neither rust like iron nor get hot like wood2 and the carpenter will tell you that bamboo nails serve better for certain purposes than metal ones1 being non-conductors of heat and non-corrosible4 ,the thick poles seem remarkably strong1 and are always used for carrying heavy weights and for punt poles4 ,the national flag of the ,rising ,sun is sure to be flying from a bamboo4 ,a complete list of its uses would appear to be never-ending1 but it is amusing to think how many things in daily use in ,japan are made of this 8grass40 ,the smaller kinds make fans and baskets1 penholders and tobacco-pipe stems1 umbrellas and coolies' hats1 ladles and delicate whisks for stirring the 8honourable tea0 at a tea ceremony1 chopsticks for everyday use1 and bird-cages1 fishing-rods and walking-sticks1 flutes and trumpets1 every description of toy1 and ornaments of innumerable kinds4 ,sandals and the soles of clogs are made from the dried sheath of the culm of the young bamboo1 and it also serves for wrapping up such things as rice sandwiches1 meat and cake1 or anything which is liable to stain its receptacle4 ,fish-baskets made of split bamboo have a clean1 cool lining of sasa or bamboo grass1 a variety which grows on hills or by the wayside2 in spring its leaves are of the brightest green1 but become edged with white as the year wanes1 producing the effect of a variegated form4 ,other kinds1 split and twisted1 make strong hawsers1 and are even used in rural districts in the construction of bridges2 and yet another kind is boiled and flattened out into trays which are much prized4 ,the young shoots are boiled and eaten1 and taste rather like flavourless asparagus4 ,so there is no end to the uses of the bamboo4 ,as mentioned elsewhere1 it is one of the 8four gentlemen of the floral kingdom10 being associated with the pine1 orchid1 and plum4 ,its never-fading colour causes it to be compared to the virtue of man or the chastity of woman4 ,o ,take1 meaning honourable bamboo1 is one of the popular names for a ,japanese girl2 and their writers and poets use it frequently as a nom de plume4 ,one of the first stories of ,japanese literature1 in the tenth century1 was called ,taketori ,monogatari4 ,taketori1 meaning bamboo gatherer1 is the story of an old man who made his living by making bamboo ware4 ,one day he saw in the woods a bamboo with a shining stem2 he split it open1 and discovered in one of the joints a beautiful little maiden only three inches in height4 ,he took this wonderful little bamboo maiden home and adopted her as his daughter1 giving her the name of ,kagujakime or the 8,shining ,lady40 ,she grew up to womanhood1 and her marvellous beauty attracted many admirers4 ,she assigned a quest to each of them1 under the promise that she would marry the suitor who should succeed in accomplishing the task allotted to him4 ,one lover was told to fetch ,buddha's begging bowl of stone from ,india2 another1 to bring her a branch of the tree with roots of silver1 stem of gold1 and fruit of jewels1 which grew in the fabulous island paradise of ,mount ,horai2 from the third she required a garment made of the fur of the fire-rat1 supposed to be non-inflammable2 a fourth was to get the shining jewel of many hues from the dragon's head2 and the fifth a swallow's cowry shell4 ,it is no wonder that they all failed4 ,this bamboo maiden was then wooed by the ,emperor1 but equally in vain1 though they remained on friendly terms and kept up an exchange of sentimental uta poems4 ,she was eventually taken up to heaven in a flying chariot1 brought by her relations in the moon2 for it seems she had been banished to earth for an offence which she had committed4 ,thus this wonderful 8,shining ,lady10 from the joint of a bamboo1 only three inches high--disappears4 ,another bamboo fairy-story dear to the hearts of all ,japanese children is that of the ,tongue-cut ,sparrow4 ,sparrows and bamboos have been the closest friends from an unknown age1 and we hear the song 8,the sparrows sing on the bamboos so sweetly40 ,the bamboo and sparrows combined form the crest of the great lord of ,sendai4 ,any ,japanese child will tell you how the poor little sparrow was driven out of his bamboo cage after losing his little tongue1 because he had eaten starch for washing clothes belonging to a mean old woman4 ,when her husband returned home from the mountain and learned the fate of his pet bird1 he said1 8,he meant nothing bad in eating your starch4 ,when you could so easily have forgiven him1 how could you be so cruel as to cut off his tongue and drive him away8 ,if ,i had been here he should never have been punished so severely3 this heartless deed was done because ,i was away4 ,alas6 how can ,i help shedding tears80 ,he started out the next morning to find his lost pet1 singing-- 8,tongue-cut sparrow1 ,where are you8 ,where is your lodging1 ,where are you8 ,tongue-cut sparrow1 ,chu1 ,chu1 ,chu40 ,the sparrow soon recognised the voice of his master1 and jumped out of his house1 exclaiming1 8,pray enter my humble home60 ,the house was made1 of course1 of bamboo bush1 as sparrows' houses always are1 and the pillars and roofs were also of bamboo4 ,the sparrow said1 8,you have come a long way to see me4 ,how can ,i thank you enough6 ,i cannot help shedding tears of joy40 ,the story goes on to tell of all the strange things the sparrow did1 which turned to fortune for the old man4 ,however1 when his wife came singing the same song1 her greediness made her bring a heavy basket instead of a light one1 as her husband had done4 ,so when she opened the cover she found not gold and treasures as her husband had done1 but a monster with three eyes1 a giant toad1 a viper1 and other terrible reptiles4 ,another simple ,chinese story is from the so-called 8,four-and-,twenty ,paragons of ,filial ,piety40 ,there was a man whose filial piety was so wonderful that his true heart moved even ,heaven ,illustration3 ,,irises1 ,,horikiri and ,earth4 ,his old mother wished to eat the tender bamboo shoots one cold winter day when it was absurd to try and get them4 ,this man started towards a bush of bamboo to look into it1 and there1 to his great surprise1 he found plenty of the new shoots4 ,it is said that his great filial piety moved the hearts of the bamboo bushes and they answered his true devotion voluntarily4 ,filial piety is the virtue par excellence of the ,eastern world2 such a story is very popular with the ,japanese people1 and is read to their children to encourage their devotion towards their old parents4 ,like its associate the pine1 the bamboo plays an important part in the art of flower arrangement1 though there again we are told by ,mr4 ,conder that strictly speaking it is regarded as neither a tree nor a plant4 ,possibly the most important of all its uses in the art lies in the fact that so many of the vessels made for holding the flowers are made of bamboo1 some merely plain sections1 others of the most fanciful description4 ,some of the baskets of ,chinese origin were made of split bamboo1 and were so much prized in ,japan that high prices were given for antique specimens4 ,so complicated an art does this one of floral arrangement appear to be1 that it would require many years to learn the correct choice of the vessels into which certain flowers should be arranged1 which flowers are suitable as offerings for ceremonial occasions1 the correct combination of flowers and trees or shrubs1 and the shape in which they are to be arranged4 ,the list of bamboo vessels alone1 with their fanciful names1 would require months to master1 and no doubt in each separate one only certain flowers are permissible4 ,the original use of bamboo flower-vases seems to date from the days of ,yoshimasa1 and1 like so many other things1 started by being merely simple sections of a thick bamboo cut so that the bottom was closed by a natural division1 and the cylinders were a foot or so high4 ,then came the invention of innumerable fancy forms3 portions of the sides were notched out1 side apertures were introduced1 and sometimes four or five compositions were arranged in one vase4 ,the names chiefly refer to some fancied resemblance in the general shape--so we read of the ,lion's ,mouth shape1 the ,travelling-,pillow shape1 ,chinese ,gateway1 ,shark's ,mouth1 ,wild ,geese's ,gateway1 ,lantern shape1 ,five ,storey shape1 ,crane's ,neck shape1 and ,monkey shape2 in fact a list of many pages in length might be given of all the varieties1 but from the above will be seen the extreme fancifulness of the supposed resemblance4 ,then1 again1 do not imagine that the much-prized baskets are just a basket and nothing more4 ,they also assume fanciful names and shapes1 such as the ,raincoat basket1 so called because the frayed top hanging over the edge is suggestive of the collar of a ,japanese farmer's straw raincoat2 ,cicada and ,butterfly baskets1 from their resemblance to the insect2 and the ,hood-shaped basket1 suggesting the shape of the hoods worn by ,japanese women in cold weather4 ,then we come to perhaps the prettiest of all1 the boat-shaped vessels1 which are suspended by a cord or chain4 ,the simplest of these are bamboo tubes splayed off at the ends1 hollowed out1 and hung horizontally4 ,these1 one would have thought1 were probably their original form as conceived by ,yoshimasa whilst observing children sailing toy boats filled with flowers2 but the more elaborate bronze vases in exact imitation of ships and junks came first1 and the simpler ones are of later origin4 ,some attribute the first use of boat vases to the fact that the celebrated philosopher ,soami1 to please his patron ,yoshimasa1 took a bronze vessel of accidental resemblance to a boat1 and by his arrangement of the flowers suggested the idea of a sailing vessel4 ,the regent was so pleased with this novel flower arrangement that ,soami devoted his attention to drawing up certain rules with regard to boat arrangements4 ,bamboo rafts formed of bamboos of different lengths tied together to hang horizontally1 either supporting a basket of flowers1 or with one of the tubes hollowed so as to hold the stems of the branches1 show yet another way in which the bamboo is used4 ,such a raft laden with cherry blossoms is arranged to suggest the mountain scenery of ,arashiyama and the flower-laden craft in the season of cherry blossoms4 ,the correct use of the branches of bamboo as a decoration would appear to be no less complicated than the choice of the vessels4 ,a portion of the round stem or tube is selected and only a few leaf-clad twigs are permitted to remain1 and1 according to the occasion for which the arrangement is being made1 the tube must be splayed or cut horizontally4 ,for instance1 for wedding feasts the cut must be concealed by leaves1 as the sight of it would be considered unlucky and suggestive of severed friendship4 ,regulations also exist as to the number of twigs or leaves which are to be left on the stems1--three or five as a rule2 and yet further rules as to the number of leaves to be left on these same twigs4 ,three combinations are approved1 known as the ,fish tail1 ,goldfish tail1 and ,flying ,geese shape1 which consists of three sloping leaves suggestive of the outline of a wild goose in flight4 ,probably the best known combination is that of the pine1 bamboo1 and plum1 as it is specially employed at the ,new ,year1 when almost every house in ,japan will have such a combination arranged on the tokonoma4 ,enough has been said to show the bewildering number of laws and regulations that surround this especial art1 and it is not to be wondered at that ,mr4 ,conder is probably the only foreigner who has ever mastered the subject1 as indeed it requires years of study before a flower arrangement completed by the hand of one who is not a ,japanese could hope to pass muster before the critical eye of the professor4 ,,chapter ,,xviii ,,the ,,pine-,,tree ,the pine-trees--,matsu-no-ki--of ,japan are so closely and inseparably associated with the country1 in the beauty of the landscape1 the national customs and the national art1 that it seems impossible when describing the floral year to omit the pine-trees1 surely the grandest and noblest decoration of the land4 ,they seem to welcome you to ,japan1 for as your ship glides up the ,inland ,sea the pine-trees will greet you on every side1 the mountains will be clad with their eternal green1 every island will have some venerable trees twisted and bent by storms and age4 ,to the ,japanese the pine is the king of trees1 full of poetical suggestion and perfectly incomparable2 and certainly it would be impossible to imagine ,japan without her pine-trees4 ,the impressive grandeur of every ,shinto temple1 every ,buddhist shrine1 is deepened by the grey-green trees standing in their silent gardens2 they seem a necessity to such august places4 ,think of the pines at ,uyeno or at ,shiba2 their merit is as great as the cherry-trees in the parks2 to them and the cryptomeria belongs the task of guarding all the temples of the land4 ,every ,tokugawa feudal castle had a moat bordered with pine-trees--how many have now been swept away and nothing left but a meaningless waste6 ,the ,imperial palace is chiefly shaded by the trees1 their heavy foliage suggesting the depth of the forest4 ,to-day every common house and garden has its guardian pine-tree at the gate4 ,the ,japanese are very fond of visiting special meisho or 8famous places10 and how many of these places have been made famous by the beauty of their pine-trees1 for where is the spot of natural beauty in all the country which has no pines8 ,the three most 8famous places0 owe their beauty to water and the pines1 nothing else4 ,the great hokku poet ,basho found himself quite unable to sing his 8seventeen syllables0 at ,matsushima1 the land of the pine-clad islands2 he was a wandering poet who left a line or two wherever he went1 but here he considered his silence was the greatest song of praise for the place1 which he said was the best in ,japan4 ,he wrote in his diary3 8,one isle stands pointing up to the sky2 another bows crawling over the waves2 one parts at the left1 another joins again at the right4 ,the green beauty of the pine-trees is superb2 the branches and leaves are bent quite naturally by the wind and tide40 ,indeed ,i do not wonder that he found himself unable to describe this land of fairy isles within the limits of seventeen syllables1 for given unlimited space and an unlimited number of syllables it is hard to convey any idea of the beauty of the scene4 ,eight and its compounds are favourite round numbers with the ,japanese1 so they assured me that there were #hjh in all of these tiny islands2 and surely no one would dispute it4 ,each great winter storm sweeping in from the ,pacific makes one or more of these toy islands crumble and disappear2 but the sea makes rapid inroads and hollows out fresh archways or fresh tunnels1 so very quickly a promontory breaks off and forms a new island1 to be given a new fancy name1 thus keeping up the traditional number4 ,in every available nook stands one of the storm-bent trees which have given name and fame to the locality1 whose praises have been sung by ,illustration3 ,,pine-,,tree ,,at ,,matsushima thousands of poets and how many kakemono2 screens and fusuma have been adorned with the conventional views of ,matsu-shima2 ,oshima1 decorated with its shrines and lanterns1 and connected with the mainland by a slender bridge1 half hidden by the leaning trees1 is perhaps the most favourite theme for the artist and poet4 ,the pines of ,matsu-shima appeared to be all the variety known as ,pinus densiflora--possibly the most beautiful of all1 with its red stems and deep-green foliage4 ,i read of them described as in the 8form of crouching dragons1 red-scaled and rough1 with fins of living green40 ,another of the three 8famous places0 of the ,empire is associated purely with pine and water2 for to the eye of the unpoetical foreigner ,ama-no-,hashi-date1 a spot where thousands of ,japanese congregate annually1 is nothing but a long narrow sandy peninsula with an avenue of leaning pine-trees on either side4 ,its poetical name1 meaning the ,bridge or ,ladder of ,heaven1 was given to the spot in allusion to ,ama-no-uki-hashi or ,floating ,bridge of ,heaven1 whereon ,izanagi and ,iganami stood when they stirred up the brine of the primeval chaos with their jewelled spear1 the drops from which consolidated into the first island of the ,japanese archipelago4 ,though the name of the locality is not derived from its association with the pine1 there are many points from whence the prospect is most admired1 such as ,ippon ,matsu 7,one ,pine-tree7 which have been called after the trees2 and under the branches of this solitary tree the poet may sit and meditate and compose his ode to the lovely scene4 ,the long narrow spit1 the tranquil water1 and a few moored junks is another favourite scene for the ,japanese artist4 ,to the ,european the last of the three great sights will appeal more surely1 for no one could fail to be lost in admiration of ,miyajima or ,itsukushima1 the holy island of the ,inland ,sea4 ,it well deserves its rank among the famous places4 ,the ,japanese are said to admire it most under snow4 ,i have never seen it under those conditions2 but ,i can imagine no more beautiful scene than meets the eye in the early morning of a scorching ,august day1 when the sampan floats across to this pine-clad island1 the light haze just clearing from the woods1 the great temple looking as if it were floating on the water1 and the noblest1 simplest gateway ever devised1 the great wooden torii1 standing1 as it were1 knee-deep in the sea4 ,the giant leaning pines shade the never-ending line of lanterns along the shore1 their gnarled roots and trunks almost lapped by the waves2 and here and there a twisted tree will seem to be hanging in mid-air1 so slender does its root-hold look upon the cliff4 ,the same eternal pines guard the little shrines all up the hill1 and gather round the temple at the summit1 from whence the prospect is the fairest man can see4 ,across the sea1 as calm as a lagoon1 so calm that it is hard to realise its surface is ever ruffled by winter storms1 will rise other pine-clad islands1 but surely none so fair as this4 ,the beauties of ,lake ,biwa1 8a shell of mist and light10 are sung universally4 ,constant reference is made in ,japanese poetry to the eight views1 known as the celebrated 8,eight ,beauties of ,omi03 the autumn moon seen from ,ishiyama2 the waning moon on ,hiragama2 the sunset at ,seta2 the evening bell of ,miidera2 the boats sailing back from ,gabase2 the bright sky with a breeze at ,awazu2 rain by night at ,karasaki2 and the wild geese alighted at ,katata4 ,if you examine these places1 you will find that the pine-tree makes a background for most of them2 and the rain by night would have no meaning if the pine-tree of ,karasaki were not there4 ,probably this is the largest and most curious pine in the world2 its great branches sweep outwards and downwards till they almost touch the ground1 and1 owing to the tree's great age1 have to be supported by wooden props and stone cushions4 ,a poet writes of the old ,karasaki tree-- ,there is a pine1 a fount of age1 ,root cramped the land and sea between2 ,of mighty limbs1 that curve and rage ,in eddying knots1 and gusts of green4 ,its ancient trunk is lichen writ ,with autographs of centuries2 ,the years1 like sparrows1 perch on it1 ,and twitter plaintive memories4 ,as usual convention enters largely into this ,japanese choice of especially lovely scenes1 and probably were a foreigner asked to choose 8,eight ,beauties of ,omi0 he would name eight entirely different scenes4 ,certainly for one1 ,i should choose the view from the top of the ,castle of ,hikone when the rice is still young and green1 and the bloom of the honey-scented rape plant spreads broad stretches of yellow on the plains1 forming a brilliant foreground to the lake beyond4 ,next to ,lake ,biwa1 although more properly speaking it is a lagoon1 ,lake ,hamana is their largest lake1 and here again the pine does so much in beautifying the whole scenery4 ,hamamatsu1 meaning the ,pines of the ,beach1 is an historical place for pine-trees1 and just beyond it lies the entrance to the lagoon2 from the bridge can be seen on one side the breakers of the ,pacific1 and on the other the deeply indented shore line1 clad with pine-trees1 stretches away as far as the eye can see1 while the mountains rise range upon range above the clear still water and form a picture dear to the heart of the poet4 ,if ,i were to tell you of all the places in ,japan famous for their pine-trees1 it would be one never-ending list1 the pine is everywhere4 ,if you travel along the sandy shore at ,maiko or at ,suma1 across to the northern coast at ,tsuruga1 or at ,maizuru1 where the wonderful trees are of great antiquity1 or back again to the coast near ,kamakura1 with the pine-clad island of ,enoshima rising from the sea like a high green mass1 through all the district of ,hakone1 or up north at ,nikko1 you will find the pine-trees1--no scenery can be parted from them2 and if you are the happy possessor of a ,japanese garden1 the pine-tree will greet you at the gate4 ,not only have the beauties of the pine been sung by poets for a thousand years1 but they are also considered emblems of constancy1 endurance1 health1 and longevity4 ,the famous pines of ,takasago are well known as the theme of the ,no play in which the spirits of the pine-trees will appear as human shapes to celebrate the age of gold and happy life4 ,the trees1 with the colour of eternity and with their unexhausted life1 are regarded as emblems of joy4 ,it is the custom to sing a passage from this ,takasago play at wedding ceremonies4 ,the spirits of the two ancient pine-trees1 personified as an old man and an old woman engaged in a never-ending task of raking up pine needles1 are the subject1 typifying longevity4 ,the following is a passage from the play3-- ,the dawn is near1 and the hoar frost falls on the pine-tree twigs2 but its dark green leaves suffer no change4 ,morning and evening beneath its shade the leaves are swept away1 yet they never fail4 ,true it is that these pine-trees shed not all their leaves1 their verdure remains fresh for ages long2 even among evergreen trees--the emblem of unchangeableness--exalted is their fame to the end of time--the fame of the two pine-trees that have grown old together4 ,their true poets seem never to tire of the pine1 and it seems especially to appeal to the essentially poetical mind of the whole nation4 ,in order to show me how it can be made the theme of poems and songs in conjunction with so many different subjects1 a poet said to me1 8,it is simply wonderful to know what a good harmony the pine-tree ,illustration3 ,,azalea ,,and ,,pine-,,tree keeps with other natural subjects2 it harmonises with the misty spring moon1 as well as with the summer moon4 ,a well-known poem has been written on the pine-tree of the rainy season2 and many poets sing of it together with the autumnal moon1 and also it harmonises perfectly with the winter moon4 ,you will find hundreds of poems written on the pines under snow2 and the rain makes a beautiful combination with it also4 ,it harmonises with mists1 winds1 and thunder lights2 and you will see many pictures of the pine-tree and the rising sun4 ,there is no better sight than to see it with the waves of the sea2 and it goes well together with birds1 with storks1 pigeons1 and with turtles or monkeys4 ,the cuckoo will remind you of the pine-tree1 and it makes a good subject with fire-flies and cicad40 ,it is said that the pine is a brother of the plum and bamboo1 and they make their appearance together in various forms on occasions of congratulation2 and in conjunction with the crane and tortoise it is used in decoration to express the sentiment of happy old age4 ,the pine plays so large a part in the art of flower arrangement1 so admirably described by ,mr4 ,conder1 that ,i cannot do better than quote some passages from the ,floral ,art of ,japan in reference to the pine4 ,flowers used at ,moon-viewing ,moon-viewing is at all times a favourite pastime of the ,japanese1 but the great moon festival of the year is on the fifteenth day of the eighth month4 ,the more important dwellings have a special chamber from which the sight of the moonlit landscape can be enjoyed4 ,the floral arrangement occupies the recess of the chamber1 and has of course no real connection with the outside prospect2 but in the flower composition itself the moonlit landscape is expressed4 ,a branch of a pine-tree is used1 and between the principal and secondary lines of the composition a special branch is introduced1 fancifully called the moon-shadow-branch2 a hollow gap is also formed between the foliage1 bounded by a special branch called the dividing-branch4 ,in the composition the idea is to suggest both the opening through which the moon can be partially observed and the dark branch which appears to cross its surface4 ,to fully appreciate the analogy one must be familiar with the scenery of ,japan1 and have seen1 on a clear night1 the irregular pine-trees standing out against the moonlit heavens4 ,we are told that the principal kinds of pine are the ,pinus ,thunbergia1 known by the ,japanese as the black or male pine2 ,pinus densiflora1 called the red or female pine2 and ,pinus parviflora4 ,there appear to be many different ways of arranging the pine branches1 but in all cases they are left as much as possible in their natural state2 a favourite treatment is that of a broad stump cut off horizontally1 with a thick twisted branch springing from its base4 ,pinus parviflora1 on account of the straightness and delicacy of its leaves1 is often arranged in a simple vertical style1 using the sprays2 but for compositions with other species of the tree1 thick gnarled branches are preferred4 ,mr4 ,conder also tells us of a pretty and poetical arrangement in connection with wedding ceremonies-- ,at wedding feasts a double arrangement in a pair of similar standing vases is employed4 ,for this purpose a branch of the male pine is placed in one vessel1 and a branch of the female pine in the other4 ,the general form of each design would be similar1 but the branch of the female pine facing the opposite vase should stretch a little beneath the corresponding branch of the male pine4 ,these together are called the 8,destiny-uniting0 branches1 and the complete design is said to typify eternal union4 ,in another passage he tells us how faithfully they reproduce the effect of the forest as-- ,occasionally in suspended arrangements of pine1 long stiff threads are hung from the branches1 in conventional imitation of the parasitic grasses which attach themselves to this tree2 and in disposing such threads1 their balance into groups of three1 five1 or seven irregular lengths is carefully attended to4 ,another very favourite form of fancy arrangement is called the 8,fuji pine10 as in such a composition a branch is bent to resemble the outline of ,mount ,fuji1 and is combined with other branches and foliage in such a manner as to give the profile of the bare conical peak1 and suggest at the same time the wooded country at its base4 ,yet another form of pine decoration is the ,kadomatsu or pair of gate pines1 which are the most important decorations in front of every house at the ,new ,year2 the first seven days of the year are called ,matsu no uchi or 8,within the ,pines40 ,the origin of these ,kadomatsu dates as far back as eight hundred and fifty years4 ,one of the old ,kadomatsu poets says-- ,kadomatsu no1 itonami tatsuru sono hodoni ,haru akegatatano yoya narinuran4 7,while busy decorating the pines at the gate1 ,the dawn of the ,new ,year speedily comes47 ,the pines in front of the gates are placed in pairs--the rougher and more prickly one1 called ,thunbergi or male pine1 on the left1 which is the side of honour in ,japan2 the softer and more graceful one1 ,p4 densiflora or the female pine1 on the right4 ,the custom of adding bamboo is of more recent origin2 and the other decorations include a rope1 especially named shimenawa1 with strips of white paper1 a cray fish1 ferns1 a large orange called dai dai1 a leaf or two of an evergreen tree1 dried persimmons1 dried chestnuts1 etc4 ,each one of these articles has its own peculiar origin1 and is a symbol of good luck for the year and for life4 ,the poet ,ikku ,zenzi writes-- ,at every door the pine-trees stand1 ,one mile-post more to the spirit land2 ,and as there's gladness1 so there's sadness4 ,and indeed1 whatever the pine-trees at the gate may mean1 it is for ourselves to choose whether we be happy or sad4 ,,the ,,end ,printed by ,r4 ,r4 ,,clark1 ,,limited1 ,edinburgh4