between them。 All had open fronts； so that the occupations of the
inmates； the 〃domestic life〃 in fact； were perfectly visible。 Many
of these houses were roadside chayas； or tea…houses； and nearly all
sold sweet…meats； dried fish； pickles； mochi； or uncooked cakes of
rice dough； dried persimmons； rain hats； or straw shoes for man or
beast。 The road； though wide enough for two carriages （of which we
saw none）； was not good； and the ditches on both sides were
frequently neither clean nor sweet。 Must I write it？ The houses
were mean； poor； shabby； often even squalid； the smells were bad；
and the people looked ugly； shabby； and poor； though all were
working at something or other。
The country is a dead level； and mainly an artificial mud flat or
swamp； in whose fertile ooze various aquatic birds were wading； and
in which hundreds of men and women were wading too； above their
knees in slush； for this plain of Yedo is mainly a great rice…
field； and this is the busy season of rice…planting； for here； in
the sense in which we understand it； they do not 〃cast their bread
upon the waters。〃 There are eight or nine leading varieties of
rice grown in Japan； all of which； except an upland species；
require mud； water； and much puddling and nasty work。 Rice is the
staple food and the wealth of Japan。 Its revenues were estimated
in rice。 Rice is grown almost wherever irrigation is possible。
The rice…fields are usually very small and of all shapes。 A
quarter of an acre is a good…sized field。 The rice crop planted in
June is not reaped till November； but in the meantime it needs to
be 〃puddled〃 three times； i。e。 for all the people to turn into the
slush； and grub out all the weeds and tangled aquatic plants； which
weave themselves from tuft to tuft； and puddle up the mud afresh
round the roots。 It grows in water till it is ripe； when the
fields are dried off。 An acre of the best land produces annually
about fifty…four bushels of rice； and of the worst about thirty。
On the plain of Yedo； besides the nearly continuous villages along
the causewayed road； there are islands； as they may be called； of
villages surrounded by trees； and hundreds of pleasant oases on
which wheat ready for the sickle； onions； millet； beans； and peas；
were flourishing。 There were lotus ponds too； in which the
glorious lily； Nelumbo nucifera； is being grown for the
sacrilegious purpose of being eaten！ Its splendid classical leaves
are already a foot above the water。
After running cheerily for several miles my men bowled me into a
tea…house； where they ate and smoked while I sat in the garden；
which consisted of baked mud； smooth stepping…stones； a little pond
with some goldfish； a deformed pine； and a stone lantern。 Observe
that foreigners are wrong in calling the Japanese houses of
entertainment indiscriminately 〃tea…houses。〃 A tea…house or chaya
is a house at which you can obtain tea and other refreshments；
rooms to eat them in； and attendance。 That which to some extent
answers to an hotel is a yadoya； which provides sleeping
accommodation and food as required。 The licenses are different。
Tea…houses are of all grades； from the three…storied erections； gay
with flags and lanterns； in the great cities and at places of
popular resort； down to the road…side tea…house； as represented in
the engraving； with three or four lounges of dark…coloured wood
under its eaves； usually occupied by naked coolies in all attitudes
of easiness and repose。 The floor is raised about eighteen inches
above the ground； and in these tea…houses is frequently a matted
platform with a recess called the doma； literally 〃earth…space；〃 in
the middle； round which runs a ledge of polished wood called the
itama； or 〃board space；〃 on which travellers sit while they bathe
their soiled feet with the water which is immediately brought to
them； for neither with soiled feet nor in foreign shoes must one
advance one step on the matted floor。 On one side of the doma is
the kitchen； with its one or two charcoal fires； where the coolies
lounge on the mats and take their food and smoke； and on the other
the family pursue their avocations。 In almost the smallest tea…
house there are one or two rooms at the back； but all the life and
interest are in the open front。 In the small tea…houses there is
only an irori； a square hole in the floor； full of sand or white
ash； on which the live charcoal for cooking purposes is placed； and
small racks for food and eating utensils； but in the large ones
there is a row of charcoal stoves； and the walls are garnished up
to the roof with shelves； and the lacquer tables and lacquer and
china ware used by the guests。 The large tea…houses contain the
possibilities for a number of rooms which can be extemporised at
once by sliding paper panels； called fusuma； along grooves in the
floor and in the ceiling or cross…beams。
When we stopped at wayside tea…houses the runners bathed their
feet； rinsed their mouths； and ate rice； pickles； salt fish； and
〃broth of abominable things；〃 after which they smoked their tiny
pipes； which give them three whiffs for each filling。 As soon as I
got out at any of these； one smiling girl brought me the tabako…
bon； a square wood or lacquer tray； with a china or bamboo
charcoal…holder and ash…pot upon it； and another presented me with
a zen； a small lacquer table about six inches high； with a tiny
teapot with a hollow handle at right angles with the spout； holding
about an English tea…cupful； and two cups without handles or
saucers； with a capacity of from ten to twenty thimblefuls each。
The hot water is merely allowed to rest a minute on the tea…leaves；
and the infusion is a clear straw…coloured liquid with a delicious
aroma and flavour； grateful and refreshing at all times。 If
Japanese tea 〃stands；〃 it acquires a coarse bitterness and an
unwholesome astringency。 Milk and sugar are not used。 A clean…
looking wooden or lacquer pail with a lid is kept in all tea…
houses； and though hot rice； except to order； is only ready three
times daily； the pail always contains cold rice； and the coolies
heat it by pouring hot tea over it。 As you eat； a tea…house girl；
with this pail beside her； squats on the floor in front of you； and
fills your rice bowl till you say； 〃Hold； enough！〃 On this road it
is expected that you leave three or four sen on the tea…tray for a
rest of an hour or two and tea。
All day we travelled through rice swamps； along a much…frequented
road； as far as Kasukabe； a good…sized but miserable…looking town；
with its main street like one of the poorest streets in Tokiyo； and
halted for the night at a large yadoya； with downstairs and
upstairs rooms； crowds of travellers； and many evil smells。 On
entering； the house…master or landlord； the teishi； folded his
hands and prostrated himself； touching the floor with his forehead
three times。 It is a large； rambling old house； and fully thirty
servants were bustling about in the daidokoro； or great open
kitchen。 I took a room upstairs （i。e。 up a steep step…ladder of
dark； polished wood）； with a balcony under the deep eaves。 The
front of the house upstairs was one long room with only sides and a
front； but it was immediately divided into four by drawing sliding
screens or panels； covered with opaque wall papers； into their
proper grooves。 A back was also improvised； but this was formed of
frames with panes of translucent paper； like our tissue paper； with
sundry holes and rents。 This being done； I found myself the
possessor of a room about sixteen feet square； without hook； shelf；
rail； or anything on which to put anythingnothing； in short； but
a matted floor。 Do not be misled by the use of this word matting。
Japanese house…mats； tatami； are as neat； refined； and soft a
covering for the floor as the finest Axminster carpet。 They are 5
feet 9 inches long； 3 feet broad； and 2。5 inches thick。 The frame
is solidly made of coarse straw； and this is covered with very fine
woven matting； as nearly white as possible； and each mat is usually
bound with dark blue cloth。 Temples and rooms are measured by the
number of mats they contain； and rooms must be built for the mats；
as they are never cut to the rooms。 They are always level with the
polished grooves or ledges which surround the floor。 They are soft
and elastic； and the finer qualities are very beautiful。 They are
as expensive as the best Brussels carpet； and the Japanese take
great pride in them； and are much aggrieved by the way in which
some thoughtless foreigners stamp over them with dirty boots。
Unfortunately they harbour myriads of fleas。
Outside my room an open balcony with many similiar rooms ran round
a forlorn aggregate of dilapidated shingle roofs and water…butts。
These rooms were all full。 Ito asked me for instructions once for
all； put up my stretcher under a large mosquito net of coarse green
canvas with a fusty smell； filled my bath； brought me some tea；
rice； and eggs； took my passport to be copied by the house…master；
and departed； I know not whither。 I tried to write to you； but
fleas and mosquitoes prevented it； and besides； the fusuma were
frequently noiselessly