Travel Letters: Japan, 1934

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS "IMPHO TOKYO" Imperial Hotel Tokyo

several pieces of paper {word struck out} in curls about a foot or more in length, like wood shavings after planing. Mr Miyaoka explained it was the sign to tell people to keep off the platform. Evidently it was a place for priests to purify themselves before entering the shrine. But it was such an attractive way to say "Keep off". on the left was another shelter, a fountain where people purified themselves. Wind and water are both purifiers. The Priest can purify one by waving his hand or something back & forth to make wind. but the water is used by everyone. The fountain was in a large stone square place. You stepped up to it and the top came to ones waist, there were a great many wooden bamboo dippers, round on the end with sides and a long handle. People would drink the water and rinse their mouths and also wash their hands. {struck out: 'In another place'} to be well purified before entering the shrine. Another building was where you took your babies who were making their first pilgrimage to the shrine and either they bought something or the priest waved something over them. Im not quite sure what happened but one tiny baby was there. Im behind on the right were the buildings {word struck out: 'wh'} corresponding to a rectory, where the priest or monks or whatever they are resided. As we went to the gate of the inner raised court, there were two priest coming out followed by a bride. They passed before we got a very good look, so perhaps one of the priests was really a groom.

We stepped over a sort of sill in the gate. I believe the gate itself wasn't open just doors in the gate. In the center of the minor court was the shrine, about 10 feet above the level of the court, {word struck out: 'and'} an open sort of platform with a roof over it and a flight of rather steep steps all along the side we faced as we entered. At the top of the steps under the roof was a sort of trough lined with white cloth and into which coins were thrown. Every one was bowing very low and in an efforts to do what was right it was hard to see everything. There were lots of people there too. Then we went out another entrance and examined the fountain on that side which was not as crowded. The water bubbled up in the center and overflowed the side into a gutter {word struck out} at the base of the tub part. The bottom of which was lined with round stones. Then we walked out another way - nearly half a mile I should say. Some beautiful open stretches with trees bordering the lawn. At one place we came to a lovely pavillion where people were eating their lunch. In the center a person selling post cards and a man making tea which people could evidently have. on the right were three or four sections with straw matting and all filled with different families have tea and lunch in Japanese style. In the left hand side of the {'illegible'} shaped pavilion were tables and benches for those who prefered them. Everything was very quiet and orderly and nothing about the building showed any wear and tear, like grandpa I couldn't help but

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS "IMPHO TOKYO"

Imperial Hotel Tokyo

think of our country and how a similar place would look. Maybe the people being all Japanese are more appreciative, for in our country pure Americans I believe would be more thoughtful, than the people who are known as typical Americans or those who came as immigrants and have no real pride in the things or realize priviledges. There were two trees about twenty feet high, evidently planted quite recently for besides the cables holding them up, they were {word struck out} wraped carefully in straw matting as close fitting as a stocking on all but the smallest branches.

There were several places that appeared to be dry creek beds and ponds and we asked if these had water in them at other seasons, but Mr Miyaoka said that there used to be water in them before all the trees were planted, but that the trees drank the water now, and there was never any to run in the creeks. In some places where they have planted trees later they have found there was less water to irrigate the rice fields.

The museum in the Park we left until another day to see and finally went out another entrance just as several car loads of people from the country were arriving. All with green silk badge. St Patricks day color.

From there we went to call on the young Baron Dan who was not at home. His father as you know had the title of Baron conferred on him and his son inherited it, I think Mr Miyaoka said that the son is interested in the history of art. He has a very lovely place and the most attractive bamboo fence in the garden. The bamboo

was about three inches thick and tied together with [th..ys] in a sort of design like this. Its a bad drawing but gives some [left column sketch of a bamboo fence, pencil drawing] [right column] idea of what I mean. It looked so neat and yet was [right column] a light sort of fence.

[right column] Then we went to the Memorial Building to the [right column] Emperor Meiji which is on high ground at the [right column] end of a long avenue, built of stone and very [right column] imposing. As the Lincoln Memorial is. The trees surrounded the building and along the road were also quite recently planted though quite large trees.

At the Entrance was a little stand, such as one might 'use?' to hang fire irons on, pokers etc. On which were hung little feather dusters with handles two feet long, a [left column drawing of a feather duster with long handle, pencil drawing] [right column] convenient length to dust ones shoes off. Then by [right column] walking across three mats, two wet, your boot soles [right column] were fairly clean. There were boxes of shoe covers at [right column] the door, and little Japanese girls to help find you the [right column] right size and help you put them on. People wearing [right column] Japanese clogs (or whatever they are called) were given straw [right column] ones to wear. The things we put over our shoes were made [right column] of cloth with an elastic around the hole in the top, but [right column] with heels were a bit hard to keep on. There were lots of people going in & coming out all the time. We walked up stairs, a white canvas being stretched where anyone should walk. the plan of the building was like this {arrow from 'this' to sketch on left column}, similar to the Art Museum [left column sketch of building, pencil drawing] [right column] in Boston where you come up stairs [right column] into a rotunda then turn to the right [right column] into a large gallery. The walls were [right column] beautifully finished in a dark stained oak forming frames for large pictures representing scenes in the life of the Emperor. Some spaces were left bare as the picture was evidently not finished, but the subject

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it would be was written in Characters. The white canvas was stretched down the center, and little posts or stands with cord between kept people from wandering off the canvas. There was but one way to go as I have shown by the arrows and this gave the history of the Emperors life. Some of the Murals were very lovely, quite Japanese in feeling, but others were painted in the European manner and no always as successful. But then it is only recently that Japanese artists have attempted murals. The pictures have been given by various well known people. It was really most interesting and to go with Mr Miyaoka and have him to explain everything to us was wonderful. The floor was of wood in the four large galleries. but in the Rotunda it was of very beautiful marble and the center had a beautiful design in different colors and shades of marble and so highly polished that it reflected the walls which were also marble, or partly so. There must have been at least fifty finished murals which are about six feet by ten and upright in shape.

Downstairs there were postcards for sale and benches to rest on and a sign with several Characters on it and below "W.C." Mr Miyaoka and Pete decided to follow it while I waited. Later Pete said it was very funny for it was men and women together and he headed into the wrong side and Mr Miyaoka had to call him back. but how did he know.