Catharine Robb Whyte – Letters

club but really a place anyone can go. They called for us here. Before I forget it. Mr Miyaoka had a very amusing time telephoning Dr Sasaki. the last remaining student of Grandpas. He couldn't make him understand who I was. for he only knew you were a young girl and didn't see how in the world you were old enough to have a daughter. far less a married daughter. We are to call on him later.

Pete enjoyed the Rotary, and I loved the Sukiaki. They have a large room in Japanese style. mats, kakimona and all. with little low tables with an electric {word struck out: illegible} plate in the center for the girl to cook on. The tables are seperated by square screens and its really very nice. I was quite proud of myself as I sat nearly all the time the right way. The curtains on the windows facing the Imperial Palace were all down until a certain time, as the Empress was to go out, and no one must look down on the Palace at such a time - even if you couldn't see her.

The beef sukiyaki was wonderful. First we were served a sort of tea with some seaweed flavor. May be it was all seaweed, very refreshing. Then in the little pan the girl put fat, then soya sauce. some meat in very thin slices (I hate to think how many I ate) then sugar, vegetables. bamboo and a sort of water cress. To add more cooking stuff they added thin soup. The flavor is perfectly delicious, and you usually take a raw egg, beat it up well in a cup and dip every thing into it before putting it into your mouth. It will never burn then. You ought to provide 'But?' with more raw eggs! We had rice too, and then a sort of pickled vegetable to finish off with and a sweet I couldn't eat. I forgot. to start with they bring one a steaming face cloth in a little basket to wipe your hands and afterwards another. We also ate a Tangerine orange. I guess I'm sleepy its after eleven now.

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS "IMPHO TOKYO"

Imperial Hotel Tokyo [right column] Friday, late afternoon. [right column] March 30, 1934,

To continue, after lunch with Mrs Miyaoka we 'greet?' Pete & Mr Miyaoka coming out of the Rotary, and then together drove to [..gno] Park, which I imagine has changed very little except for a few new buildings. We stopped and saw the two trees planted by you. and Mrs Grant over fifty years ago. The height of the trees gave us some idea of how long ago it was you were in Japan. We saw the monument near by reading why and when they were planted, then we called on a friend at the Art Gallery, who wasn't there, so we proceeded to the Artist, Mr 'Hotla's?' house.

We had told Mrs Miyaoka that we would like to study Japanese painting but hadn't expected to start quite so soon. However there was no real reason why we shouldn't begin. The house is Japanese and as we stayed at the door, Mr 'Hotla?' looked out from upstairs. We went in leaving our shoes in the little vestibule and went upstairs, where their was a fairly large room, the center screens having been removed. Three sides of which were sliding paper screens, {word struck out" 'and'} being outside partitions and the other long side {word struck out: 'there'} was composed of the recessed place with its kakimona and screened closets. The floor having mats. Four low chairs and a low table were in the front part of the room and we sat there to talk. Mrs 'Hotla?' came up with some tea, 'Foreign?' style, and there was much very low bowing. She is very sweet and small. Mr Miyaoka had to leave being a very busy man, but we three stayed deciding

to begin our first lesson that afternoon.

A large thick flannel sort of cloth is spread on the floor on which the rolls of paper are laid. Old Sword guards being used as paper weights to hold the paper in position as you paint. Each person sits in Japanese fashion on a flat cushion at the edge of the flannel or felt maybe it is. There is a large bowl divided into three parts, or [ti..], holding water. An ink stone, a folded piece of cloth to dry the brush on and a brush for everyone. We all sat around the felt on which was every thing we could possibly need. Beside us were charcoal burners to warm our hands on, and we were all set to paint. A young boy - a student of Mr Hotlas helps in any way he can, grinding the ink, rather rubbing it on the stone, bringing tea and running to a store for more paper, brushes, or whatever we need. Mr Hotla then painted for each of us bamboo. Showing us the way to hold the brush and all. He does everything so easily and cleverly, it is worth taking lessons just to watch him paint. We tried all afternoon to paint bamboo and its really surprising how difficult it is. Every little while tea would be brought. Japanese tea after the first 'Foreign?' cup. and then on a plate with a tiny fork was what appeared to be a bright pink Easter egg. but which really was that sweet made out of beans ground into a sickish paste. The color was the last touch, but I managed to eat mine and be polite. I often thank you for my early training! and try every thing once. There is nothing yet that I have been unable to swallow. We painted until after five and then decided to return in the morning. Mr Hotla sent out for two books for us and then drew three lovely things in each one. He will complete the books before we have finished.

The other morning as we were at breakfast, a girl and her husband came into the dining room and sat only a few tables away. I was sure it {word struck out: illegible} was Edith Eddy who graduated from school at Wheelers a year before I did. When she saw

when repeating what one says, to another {inserted above: "speak"} in the respective language. showing that she can translate in her mind without difficulty. Did you ever, and only four and quite normal. I imagine a child learns easily by sound and isn't bothered by having to read and write.

This is all leading up to the fact that we had dinner with them Wednesday evening, and a very pleasant time. The husband is awfully nice and Edith is perfectly lovely looking.

I never have told you what a cosmopolitan Hotel this is. There are always several very nice Japanese families and really more Japanese here than all the rest put together. The rest of the guests are from every country, and never before have I heard so many languages in one place. English - American, French, German (two men are an officer with swastikas on their arms) Swedish. Chinese etc. The most interesting part is that they all seem to be travellers and until you hear the accents it would be hard to tell their nationality. Another interesting thing is that I have seen no rouge or lip stick, except on some Austrian and Russian dancers, and then so little as to be hardly noticeable among Americans. In Honolulu they used a heap of "paint" and very badly. I think because there are so many people their from California. but here all the people travelling seem to be very simple in their ways. sensibly dressed and no attempt to look stylish I guess. No one dresses for dinner except for special parties. Its really an awfully nice hotel, for people seem to be so busy seeing the country or going about their business that they have no time to fuss over themselves.

Thursday was yesterday, and we woke to see it snowing outside. If my nose hadn't felt so cold I never would have believed it. We were to go to Mr Hottas' and knowing the only heat was from the [b.a..ers] we bundled up, took extra thick socks to wear on our stockinged feet. Pete pulled out his one suit of long underwear and I my woolen panties ! The snow melted as it hit the ground and I expected it to turn to rain. However it came down thicker and thicker

Imperial Hotel Tokyo Easter Sunday April 1, 1934

Dearest Mother I know there are lots of things I've forgotten to tell you and I can't even remember to take a slip of paper to write them down on. I never told you about the (funny card?) in the show we show we saw. The one with the two horses. In the first scene of the play as the curtain rose one saw a woodland scene and three monkeys seasawing away. We judged they were monkeys by their pink bottoms, which was about all we had time to see. They must have been tiny children. Then there was a dear poking it's head out of the underbrush which was very funny. A large head loosely attached to a queer shaped body. Then a white horse appeared and we realized it was not a farce but serious drama. Peter on in the Mongolean desert some one rode in on a camel. It was the funniest looking camel I've ever seen, and thought it was two men inside. Though the (chewing?) of the mouth was very realistic. The legs were awfully short and it had a clumsey body and not much of a (hump?). Pete said of course it was real but even then I wasn't sure.

Yesterday was a very busy day for us. We went up to Mr Botta's early. We go in a taxi to the Art School in (Aeno?) Park and from there direct the taxi driver through raucous tiny streets which we (??) the first day and eventually arrived at Mr Botta's door. After much (??) on the part of the taxi driver. They have numerous 50 (seu?) taxis and that means you can go any where in the city for 15 cents. It's a wonderful arrangement though some times the drivers are a bit nerve racking. No one seemed to be there when we arrived, but we went upstairs and after (warming ?) air felt we decided we might as well start. Boon two

2 students of Mr Botta's arrived and after much searching in the Japanese English dictionary found the word "visitor" so we gathered Mr Botta had an unexpected visitor . Then they looked some more and found "regret". However we could find find nothing to say it was "allright" though we took turns searching. We even found the word ("coward"? ) but nothing that helped us. The Japanese was alphabetical I guess, but not the English However if you smile and bow enough it is all right. Mrs Miyaoka (??) before lunch and we didn't leave until 2:30. The lunch was very nice. Hot soup with mushrooms and fish and fried eel on rice. Then our kind of tea followed immediately by Japanese tea. Then oranges, which they eat so neatly. They break the skin off in one cup shaped piece and then put the inside skin into the outside skin. Sometimes seeking the juicey part out of its skin. Other times sort of spitting the pits onto a piece of outside skin. All very neatly.

Did I tell you the other day Mr Miyaoka looked out the window soon after we had arrived at Mr Botta's and on bringing his head back in he said was just seeing if anyone was watching the shoes as now in the cities there are a good many shoe theives. The (same??) day Pete was down stairs and just checked up on the shoe situation and there was no sign of either pair. He came up and tried to ask Mrs Botta after a while understood what he meant and went down with him, looked into the cupboard, no shoes. Pete was sure then that they were stolen, but luckily after more searching they were found carefully hidden away. Still it would be a bit akward arriving at the hotel in ones stocking feet in a snowstorm

Yesterday afternoon (Arinatsu?) came for us to take us out to his house in the country. Ole feist road by Shiba Park in a taxi, which was lovely then through crowded streets to the station, We saw the most remarkable fire engine. It was the size of a motor cycle and side car the tricycle (theory?) one wheel in front. Two behind a regular

2 toy fingurie on to. One man driving two standing behind. It was the most remarkable sight, but the only thing for the narrow streets and quite necessary in a city like this.

We went out on an inter urban sort of electric one car, but they run every three or four minutes and it was a very easy way to get out. Tokyo is like Boston (??) or any other city that is growing and new houses are springing up all around like Bellmont or Arlington. There was about a five or ten minute walk from the station to their house, which reminded me a lot of the section around Wellesley. Their house is modern but very attractive. They take their shoes off before entering and provide nice soft carpet slippers. In consequences the floors are much more polished than most dining room tables, especially the stairs. It must save a lot of sweeping. We sat for a little while and Mrs.Urinatsu came in looking very pretty in a lovely Japanese costume. I think most people must wear their native costume when indoors for it is more becoming and more comfortable. Mr. Botta showed us how much better the Japanese style of dress is for him as he can sprawl in any way on the floor while painting and yet be comfortable and nothing bind. Mr. Urinatsu had told us he would take us for a walk around the country there, but neither of us thought by that he meant at least four miles. However we enjoyed every minute of it and it felt nice to be walking briskly once more. It was cloudy and rather grey when we started and I expected it would soon be dark however we were gone an hour and twenty minutes and the lights were first coming on as we got back. The country reminded me a lot of that around Boston, a few hills but not clear enough to see very far. The distance fading off to nothing,

3 Monday we had an all day lesson at Mr Botta's. and then we got back went to a movie"Victoria's ???? It was all for pictures of the ????? and ???? thing ??? we could only guess at it all as there was nothing in English. That evening Pete tried printing pictures in a sort of printing machine we have. The same size as a piece of canvas, but a roll of paper is put in and the film ??? through outside you expose one after another of the pictures with an electric light and then develope it. We did two rolls and unfortunately fogged the film. Some light leaked in from outside. So Pete is trying again tonight. We got pictures but not clear enough. Tuesday Mr & Mrs Myaoka came for us as it was some holiday and we went to see the opening news of an Independant Art Exhibition in the Art Gallery in ??? Park. It was very interesting going with them as we could get their ideas of what was good and not good. Most of the Japanese style paintings were

4 painted in ???? or opaque water color. on silk or large pieces of paper or screens. There were some old style ??? of flowers and ??? and birds etc typically Japanese. But unfortunately in many cases they have attempted to be modern and have missed out on the part that was so wonderful in Japanese art there were some lovely ???? though. One a landscape in very soft tones beautifully done looking down on a river. The portraits had the ???? after standing up in space but some were beautifully done- In one section which we ran through in two minutes had modern ??? sort of french looking. The worst modern style I've ever seen. I was glad to see that it was the same here as in Chicago. The real painting had rooms full of people. The modern stuff had one or two people like us any thing but admirers- Its too bad they have to ??? ??? ??? European stuff to (?) base their modern art on.

11 was carefully lifted, turned this way and wiped with this folded silk in a certain way turned that way and wiped up and ??. Then ?? spoon replaced carefully the silk is folded into a triangle tucked into the obi. The spoon lifted in one hand the tea jar in the other. Two spoonfulls measured into the cup. the (person)? placed the spoon replaced resting on top of jar. Then the wooden laddle lifted (I forgot the spoon was wrapped against the cup) a laddle full of water lifted from (??) half only poured into cup onto tea. other half poured back into boiling water. (??) the litttle whisk (??) up and the tea was beaten together in certain way, ending the beating gradually. The whisk replaced the bowl or cup of tea lifted in both hands the green tea made to roll around inside the bowl the cup turned and carefully placed on the mat to the ladies left. Then the young girl rose walked with measured step