Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan (39 page)

[53]
Haliotis tuberculata, or 'sea-ear.' The curious shell is pierced with
a row of holes, which vary in number with the age and size of the animal
it shields.

[54]
Literally, 'ten hiro,' or Japanese fathoms.

[55]
The fire-drill used at the Shinto temples of Ise is far more
complicated in construction, and certainly represents a much more
advanced stage of mechanical knowledge than the Kitzuki fire-drill
indicates.

[56]
During a subsequent visit to Kitzuki I learned that the koto-ita is
used only as a sort of primitive 'tuning' instrument: it gives the right
tone for the true chant which I did not hear during my first visit. The
true chant, an ancient Shinto hymn, is always preceded by the
performance above described.

[57]
The tempest of the Kokuzo.

[58]
That is, according to Motoori, the commentator. Or more briefly: 'No
or yes?' This is, according to Professor Chamberlain, a mere fanciful
etymology; but it is accepted by Shinto faith, and for that reason only
is here given.

[59]
The title of Kokuzo indeed, still exists, but it is now merely
honorary, having no official duties connected with it. It is actually
borne by Baron Senke, the father of Senke Takanori, residing in the
capital. The active religious duties of the Mitsuye-shiro now devolve
upon the Guji.

[60]
As late as 1890 I was told by a foreign resident, who had travelled
much in the interior of the country, that in certain districts many old
people may be met with who still believe that to see the face of the
emperor is 'to become a Buddha'; that is, to die.

[61]
Hideyoshi, as is well known, was not of princely extraction

[62]
The Kojiki dates back, as a Written work, only to A.D. 722. But its
legends and records are known to have existed in the form of oral
literature from a much more ancient time.

[63]
In certain provinces of Japan Buddhism practically absorbed Shinto in
other centuries, but in Izumo Shinto absorbed Buddhism; and now that
Shinto is supported by the State there is a visible tendency to
eliminate from its cult certain elements of Buddhist origin.

[64]
Such are the names given to the water-vessels or cisterns at which
Shinto worshippers must wash their hands and rinse their mouths ere
praying to the Kami. A mitarashi or o-chozubachi is placed before every
Shinto temple. The pilgrim to Shin-Kukedo-San should perform this
ceremonial ablution at the little rock-spring above described, before
entering the sacred cave. Here even the gods of the cave are said to
wash after having passed through the seawater.

[65]
August Fire-Lady'; or, 'the August Sun-Lady,' Amaterasu-oho-mi-Kami.

[66]
Mionoseki

[67]
Zashiki, the best and largest room of a Japanese dwelling—the guest-
room of a private house, or the banquet-room of a public inn.

[68]
Fourteenth of August.

[69]
In the pretty little seaside hotel Inaba-ya, where I lived during my
stay in Kitzuki, the kind old hostess begged her guests with almost
tearful earnestness not to leave the house during the Minige.

[70]
There are ten rin to one sen, and ten mon to one rin, on one hundred
to one sen. The majority of the cheap toys sold at the matsuri cost from
two to nine rin. The rin is a circular copper coin with a square hole in
the middle for stringing purposes.

[71]
Why the monkey is so respectfully mentioned in polite speech, I do
not exactly know; but I think that the symbolical relation of the
monkey, both to Buddhism and to Shinto, may perhaps account for the use
of the prefix 'O' (honourable) before its name.

[72]
As many fine dolls really are. The superior class of O-Hina-San, such
as figure in the beautiful displays of the O-Hina-no-Matsuri at rich
homes, are heirlooms. Dolls are not given to children to break; and
Japanese children seldom break them. I saw at a Doll's Festival in the
house of the Governor of Izumo, dolls one hundred years old-charming
figurines in ancient court costume.

[73]
Not to be confounded with Koshin, the God of Roads.

[74]
Celtis Wilidenowiana. Sometimes, but rarely, a pine or other tree is
substituted for the enoki.

[75]
'Literally, 'The Dance of the Fruitful Year.'

[76]
First,—unto the Taisha-Sama of Izunio;
Second,—to Irokami-Sama of Niigata;
Third,—unto Kompira-Sama of Sanuki;
Fourth,—unto Zenkoji-Sama of Shinano;
Fifth,—to O-Yakushi-San of Ichibata;
Sixth,—to O-Jizo-Sama of Rokkakudo;
Seventh,—to O-Ebisu-Sama of Nana-ura;
Eighth,—unto Hachiman-Sama of Yawata;
Ninth,—unto everyholy shrine of Koya;
Tenth,—to the Ujigami-Sama of our village.'
Japanese readers will appreciate the ingenious manner in which the numeral
at the beginning of each phrase is repeated in the name of the sacred
place sung of.

[77]
This deity is seldom called by his full name, which has been shortened
by common usage from Susano-o-no-mikoto.

[78]
A kichinyado is an inn at which the traveller is charged only the
price of the wood used for fuel in cooking his rice.

[79]
The thick fine straw mats, fitted upon the floor of every Japanese
room, are always six feet long by three feet broad. The largest room in
the ordinary middle-class house is a room of eight mats. A room of one
hundred mats is something worth seeing.

[80]
The kubi-oke was a lacquered tray with a high rim and a high cover.
The name signifies 'head-box.' It was the ancient custom to place the
head of a decapitated person upon a kubi-oke before conveying the
ghastly trophy into the palace of the prince desirous of seeing it.

[81]
Yama-no-mono ('mountain-folk,'—so called from their settlement on
the hills above Tokoji),—a pariah-class whose special calling is the
washing of the dead and the making of graves.
2 Joro: a courtesan.
3 Illicium religiosum
4 Literally: 'without shadow' or 'shadowless.'
5 Umi-yama-no-on.
6 Kusaba-no-kage
7 Or 'him.' This is a free rendering. The word 'nushi' simply refers
to the owner of the house.

[82]
Professor Chamberlain disputes this etymology for excellent reasons.
But in Izumo itself the etymology is still accepted, and will be
accepted, doubtless, until the results of foreign scholarship in the
study of the archaic texts is more generally known.

[83]
Planeca Japonica.

[84]
So absolutely has Shinto in Izumo monopolised the Karashishi, or
stone lions, of Buddhist origin, that it is rare in the province to find
a pair before any Buddhist temple. There is even a Shinto myth about
their introduction into Japan from India, by the Fox-God!

[85]
Such offerings are called Gwan-hodoki. Gwan wo hodoki, 'to make a
vow.'

[86]
A pilgrim whose prayer has been heard usually plants a single nobori
as a token. Sometimes you may see nobori of five colours (goshiki),—
black, yellow, red, blue, and white—of which one hundred or one
thousand have been planted by one person. But this is done only in
pursuance of some very special vow.

[87]
'On being asked if there were any other love charm, the Newt replied,
making a ring with two of his toes—"Only this." The sign signifies,
"Money."'

[88]
"Eight clouds arise. The eightfold
(or, manifold)
fence of Idzumo
makes an eightfold
(or, manifold)
fence for the spouses to retire
within. Oh! that eightfold fence!' This is said to be the oldest song in
the Japanese language. It has been differently translated by the great
scholars and commentators. The above version and text are from Professor
B. H. Chamberlain's translation of the Kojiki (pp.60-64).

[89]
The white fox is a favourite subject with Japanese artists. Some very
beautiful kakemono representing white foxes were on display at the Tokyo
exhibition of 1890. Phosphorescent foxes often appear in the old
coloured prints, now so rare and precious, made by artists whose names
have become world-famous. Occasionally foxes are represented wandering
about at night, with lambent tongues of dim fire—kitsune-bi—above
their heads. The end of the fox's tail, both in sculpture and drawing,
is ordinarily decorated with the symbolic jewel (tama) of old Buddhist
art. I have in my possession one kakemono representing a white fox with
a luminous jewel in its tail. I purchased it at the Matsue temple of
Inari—'O-Shiroyama-no-Inari-Sama.' The art of the kakemono is clumsy;
but the conception possesses curious interest.

[90]
The Japanese candle has a large hollow paper wick. It is usually
placed upon an iron point which enters into the orifice of the wick at
the flat end.

[91]
See Professor Chamberlain's Things Japanese, under the title
'Demoniacal Possession.'

[92]
Translated by Walter Dening.

[93]
The word shizoku is simply the Chinese for samurai. But the term now
means little more than 'gentleman' in England.

[94]
The fox-messenger travels unseen. But if caught in a trap, or
injured, his magic fails him, and he becomes visible.

[95]
There are no less than eleven principal kinds of Japanese names. The
jitsumyo, or 'true name,' corresponds to our Christian name. On this
intricate and interesting topic the reader should consult Professor B.
H. Chamberlain's excellent little book, Things Japanese, pp. 250-5.

[96]
That I may be wedded to Takaki-Toki, I humbly pray.—A youth of
eighteen.'

[97]
The gengebana (also called renge-so, and in Izumo miakobana) is an
herb planted only for fertilizing purposes. Its flowers are extremely
small, but so numerous that in their blossoming season miles of fields
are coloured by them a beautiful lilaceous blue. A gentleman who wished
to marry a joro despite the advice of his friends, was gently chided by
them with the above little verse, which, freely translated, signifies:
'Take it not into thy hand: the flowers of the gengebans are fair to
view only when left all together in the field.'

[98]
Toyo-uke-bime-no-Kami, or Uka-no-mi-tana ('who has also eight other
names), is a female divinity, according to the Kojiki and its
commentators. Moreover, the greatest of all Shinto scholars, Hirata, as
cited by Satow, says there is really no such god as Inari-San at all—
that the very name is an error. But the common people have created the
God Inari: therefore he must be presumed to exist—if only for
folklorists; and I speak of him as a male deity because I see him so
represented in pictures and carvings. As to his mythological existence,
his great and wealthy temple at Kyoto is impressive testimony.

[99]
The Will-o'-the-Wisp is called Kitsune-bi, or 'fox-fire.'

[100]
'Aburage' is a name given to fried bean-curds or tofu.

[101]
Azukimeshi is a preparation of red beans boiled with rice.

[102]
The Hoin or Yamabushi was a Buddhist exorciser, usually a priest.
Strictly speaking, the Hoin was a Yamabushi of higher rank. The
Yamabushi used to practise divination as well as exorcism. They were
forbidden to exercise these professions by the present government; and
most of the little temples formerly occupied by them have disappeared or
fallen into ruin. But among the peasantry Buddhist exorcisers are still
called to attend cases of fox-possession, and while acting as exorcisers
are still spoken of as Yamabushi.

[103]
A most curious paper on the subject of Ten-gan, or Infinite Vision—
being the translation of a Buddhist sermon by the priest Sata Kaiseki—
appeared in vol. vii. of the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of
Japan, from the pen of Mr. J. M. James. It contains an interesting
consideration of the supernatural powers of the Fox.

[104]
All the portable lanterns used to light the way upon dark nights
bear a mon or crest of the owner.

[105]
Cakes made of rice flour and often sweetened with sugar.

[106]
It is believed that foxes amuse themselves by causing people to eat
horse-dung in the belief that they are eating mochi, or to enter a
cesspool in the belief they are taking a bath.

[107]
'In Jigyobamachi, a name signifying 'earthwork-street.' It stands
upon land reclaimed from swamp.

[108]
This seems to be the immemorial artistic law for the demeanour of
all symbolic guardians of holy places, such as the Karashishi, and the
Ascending and Descending Dragons carved upon panels, or pillars. At
Kumano temple even the Suijin, or warrior-guardians, who frown behind
the gratings of the chambers of the great gateway, are thus
represented—one with mouth open, the other with closed lips.
On inquiring about the origin of this distinction between the two
symbolic figures, I was told by a young Buddhist scholar that the male
figure in such representations is supposed to be pronouncing the sound
'A,' and the figure with closed lips the sound of nasal 'N'-
corresponding to the Alpha and Omega of the Greek alphabet, and also
emblematic of the Beginning and the End. In the Lotos of the Good Law,
Buddha so reveals himself, as the cosmic Alpha and Omega, and the Father
of the World,—like Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita.