Travel Letters: Japan, 1934

By this time it was nearing lunch time and so we went {word struck out: 'back'} to the Miyaokas' house. You would like it, it is in a rather quiet neighborhood, has a charming garden all around the house and is very sunny and pleasant. It is an old house and in Japanese style, but they have some foreign furniture, chairs tables desk and book cases full of law books at one end of the house. We left our shoes in the vestibule and put on soft slippers which they have for guests and themselves too. Mrs Miyaoka was there before us and again was in Japanese costume. The best way to describe the house is to try and draw it. As you entered you left you shoes {left column drawing of house print including fence outline, pencil drawing with description 'front door', 'bath', 'book case', Mrs Miyaokas' room'} {right column} then turned left and walked along {right column} a sort of outdoor verandah. The {right column} windows or sliding screens were {right column} mostly openend and had glass {right column} panes. This verandah was about {right column} eight feet wide and extended {right column} around the two sides of the house {right column} then inside this making the room {right column} partitions were sliding screens {right column} with paper panes. These were also {right column} slid back so the whole side of the house seemed open into the garden. The shrubbery inside the fence shutting out the rest of the city. The cases of books and all were crowded into one end of the house a beautiful gold screen hiding them from view. Mr Miyaoka has recently moved his work to the house instead of having an office besides and is not taking any new clients but only doing work for retaining business. He feels he is getting older and so gradually will do less practising. The large room has a dining room table & chairs and rugs over the straw matting. There was a Kakimona hanging in the shrine place, a budda and a vase with bridle wreath and tiger {word struck out: 'lille'} lily. It ws all very

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS "IMPHO TOKYO"

Imperial Hotel Tokyo

nice and comfortable. On the porch was a desk Mr Miyaoka used, a small table really. I was asked if I should like to wash up and was shown into the little room marked {illegible} off the porch away from the house. I was a bit disconcerted not knowing the proper procedure for it was the real Japanese style. A sort of well with stone sides was on the right of the door. a wooden railing around it and a plank across one end with a bamboo bucket and dipper - towels on a rack as well. So I carefully washed my hands by pouring ice cold water on them, and then made my appearance. only to find the hot water was waiting for me in the bathroom at the other end of the house. The wash stand was very low and lined with a silvery metal, set in this was a shallow metal basin filled with warm water, so I had a real wash after all. The water is heated in a tiny tub with a cover. charcoal being put into a place at the back. and then the water is dipped out. They also have a real Japanese tub and Mrs Miyaoka removed the boards from the top so I could look inside. there is a stove for charcoal to heat the bath water. Its really a very pleasant system.

It was then lunch time and we sat down at the table. Each of us was brought a square wooden tray about a foot square. On which was a wine glass, soon filled with some red wine. The {word struck out: 'chap?'} wooden chapsticks on a little green china rest an inch long in the shape of some vegetable. In one little cup was a delicious thing. large white beans with a rather sweet taste and cold. Also cold was some spinach in another cup with very fine grated dried fish on top. Both of these things were delicious. Then a bowl of soup was brought in

in covered laquer bowls. A delicious clear soup with little balls of meat, chicken I think and two mushrooms as well. It was very hot and I still eating this when a bowl for each of vegetables, also covered, was brought in. There was a piece of Taro, boiled or steamed, which is much like Hawaiian Taro which they make poi out of - Also several spears of Japanese asparagus and another similar vegetable. Then a plate each of the most delicious broiled eel and a cup of rice to go with it. I was pretty nearly full by this time, together with wine and warm saki. but still there was a sort of cold slaw dish with delicious sauce, and then tea followed by a regular dumpling. sort of sticking ginger - bread stuff with red beans in the center. It was quite a meal but I managed to eat everything but all my salad.

Mr Miyaoka had to pay his respects at a funeral near-by (they live right next the cemetary.) and while he was gone. out away, top hat and all, Mrs Miyaoka showed us some of her work and that of her teachers and then got out her paper and paints {word struck out} ink and brushes, and showed us how it was done and Pete had a chance to try his hand at it. really doing remarkably well. We are going to take lessons the first of April from her teacher in the evening, and they have told us we may use a room in their daughter in laws house which is across the lane. Pete is very anxious to learn how to paint as the Japanese do, and we are both going to try, it is such a wonderful opportunity. We had tea at four, some little {word struck out: 'size'} rice things and too sweet cake and then it was time for us to go. Mr Miyaoka having a car to send us back in. It was such a pleasant day. I do wish you had come with us. there is so much you would enjoy.

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS "IMPHO TOKYO"

Imperial Hotel Tokyo

We were back here about five - thirty and wondered what to do in the evening and found that the show across the street was Japanese lasting 4 hours starting at six. At first we didn't know what to do. but in the end got the man at the office to write down that we wanted 2 seats etc and across the street we went about seven. It is a very modern theater, more so than any but Radio city I guess. Has a stage twice as wide as the Metropolitan, perfectly tremendous, and goodness knows how many in the audience. We managed to get 'good?' seats corresponding to the last row in the opera house in Boston on the floor, and we saw only four other white people. I don't know which was more interesting the play or the audience. The first part of the show was really a modern Japanese musical comedy with music and dancing. We were in time to see the hero fight off eight man with a sword, the whole thing being so well planned and rapid that it appeared to be a fight but no one was hit. You could see each one fling at the other in turn and the other act as if he'd been hit though the weapen came only within a foot of him. It was very funny. Then the finale exactly like our musical comedy kind. After this there was an intermission and the next was a long play. We stayed until the end and the National Anthem was sung, inspite of sitting directly under the cold air ventilator. The scenery was much like Opera in the older days though some scenes were quite lovely. The Japanese & Chinese costumes were lovely but the European ones rather funny. We understood two words during the whole evening "Arigato" and "Sayonara" but as Pete said it

was one time he didn't mind when children yelled during the play. It seems the custom for people to bring the children on back in arms or on foot, and after three hours they either started to cry or went to sleep. I guess only one in a hundred actually cried but that was enough - One little boy went out during an intermission and came in the dark, got down the wrong aisle and couldn't find his parents so stood at the top of said aisle and cried as if his heart would burst. One old man was very kind but nothing would stop this little boy - After a bit (it rather upset the audience nearby) the father appeared out of the middle of the audience and the boy was carried off. The same thing happened later to a little girl. The girl 'usher?' Taking her outside finaly. It was all lots of fun. Plenty of lovely costumes and elaborate hair dressing, and even lots of men in costume - It was 10.30 when we got back here and only cold supper served at that hour in the Grill room. We hadn't had any supper having eaten so much lunch. We ordered a sandwich each. Pete deviled egg, I chicken. It took some time and then in came a plate each piled high with Sandwiches - eight each! I never saw such a lot. four full sized work mens sandwiches cut in half.

This morning we were going to the bank fairly early but on going down the hall saw in the opposite hall much gold braid, Epaulets and all on blue uniform. We decided it must be the First Minister to Japan from Manchukuo {last letter struck out}, who according to the paper was to arrive this morning. Down in the lobby there was quite a bit going on, ten or more photographers with cameras and flash light bulbs. Men in cutaways and top hats. Officers with swords and medals. Only three of these. Mr Sheng Hsiao - Hsu, Premier of the Manchukuo government is the right 'title?' according to the paper. We sat down a minute to see what would happen. One man came along with a bright blue uniform. gold braid and all and a helmet with a brilliant orange