Thetimbersandsupportsaresolidandofgreatsize，but，incommonwithallJapanesetemples，whetherBuddhistorShinto，theedificeisentirelyofwood。Abroadflightofnarrow，steep，brass-boundstepsleaduptotheporch，whichisformedbyanumberofcircularpillarssupportingaveryloftyroof，fromwhichpaperlanternstenfeetlongarehanging。Agalleryrunsfromthisroundthetemple，undercoveroftheeaves。Thereisanoutertemple，unmatted，andaninneronebehindagrating，intowhichthosewhochoosetopayfortheprivilegeofprayingincomparativeprivacy，orofhavingprayerssaidforthembythepriests，canpass。
Intheoutertemplethenoise，confusion，andperpetualmotion，arebewildering。Crowdsonclatteringclogspassinandout；pigeons，ofwhichhundredsliveintheporch，flyoveryourhead，andthewhirringoftheirwingsmingleswiththetinklingofbells，thebeatingofdrumsandgongs，thehigh-pitcheddroneofthepriests，thelowmurmurofprayers，theripplinglaughterofgirls，theharshvoicesofmen，andthegeneralbuzzofamultitude。Thereisverymuchthatishighlygrotesqueatfirstsight。Mensquatonthefloorsellingamulets，rosaries，printedprayers，incensesticks，andotherwares。Exvotosofallkindshangonthewallandonthegreatroundpillars。ManyofthesearerudeJapanesepictures。Thesubjectofoneistheblowing-upofasteamerintheSumidagawawiththelossof100lives，whenthedonorwassavedbythegraceofKwan-non。Numbersofmemorialsarefrompeoplewhoofferedupprayershere，andhavebeenrestoredtohealthorwealth。Othersarefromjunkmenwhoseliveshavebeeninperil。
Therearescoresofmen’squeuesandafewdustybraidsofwomen’shairofferedonaccountofvowsorprayers，usuallyforsickrelatives，andamongthemall，onthelefthand，arealargemirrorinagaudilygiltframeandaframedpictureoftheP。M。S。China！
Abovethisincongruouscollectionaresplendidwoodcarvingsandfrescoesofangels，amongwhichthepigeonsfindahomefreefrommolestation。
Neartheentrancethereisasuperbincense-burnerinthemostmassivestyleoftheolderbronzes，withamythicalbeastrampantuponit，andinhighreliefroundittheJapanesesignsofthezodiac——therat，ox，tiger，rabbit，dragon，serpent，horse，goat，monkey，cock，dog，andhog。Cloudsofincenserisecontinuallyfromtheperforationsroundtheedge，andablack-toothedwomanwhokeepsitburningisperpetuallyreceivingsmallcoinsfromtheworshippers，whothenpassontothefrontofthealtartopray。
Thehighaltar，andindeedallthatIshouldregardasproperlythetemple，areprotectedbyascreenofcoarsely-nettedironwire。
Thisholyofholiesisfullofshrinesandgods，giganticcandlesticks，colossallotusesofgildedsilver，offerings，lamps，lacquer，litanybooks，gongs，drums，bells，andallthemysterioussymbolsofafaithwhichisasystemofmoralsandmetaphysicstotheeducatedandinitiated，andanidolatroussuperstitiontothemasses。Inthisinteriorthelightwasdim，thelampsburnedlow，theatmospherewasheavywithincense，andamidstitsfumesshavenpriestsinchasublesandstolesmovednoiselesslyoverthesoftmattingroundthehighaltaronwhichKwan-nonisenshrined，lightingcandles，strikingbells，andmurmuringprayers。Infrontofthescreenisthetreasury，awoodenchest14feetby10，withadeepslit，intowhichalltheworshipperscastcoppercoinswithaceaselessclinkingsound。
There，too，theypray，ifthatcanbecalledprayerwhichfrequentlyconsistsonlyintherepetitionofanuncomprehendedphraseinaforeigntongue，bowingthehead，raisingthehandsandrubbingthem，murmuringafewwords，tellingbeads，clappingthehands，bowingagain，andthenpassingoutorontoanothershrinetorepeatthesameform。Merchantsinsilkclothing，soldiersinshabbyFrenchuniforms，farmers，cooliesin“vileraiment，“
mothers，maidens，swellsinEuropeanclothes，eventhesamuraipolicemen，bowbeforethegoddessofmercy。Mostoftheprayerswereofferedrapidly，ameremomentaryinterludeinthegurgleofcarelesstalk，andwithoutapretenceofreverence；butsomeofthepetitionersobviouslybroughtrealwoesinsimple“faith。“
Inoneshrinethereisalargeidol，spottedalloverwithpelletsofpaper，andhundredsofthesearestickingtothewirenettingwhichprotectshim。Aworshipperwriteshispetitiononpaper，or，betterstill，hasitwrittenforhimbythepriest，chewsittoapulp，andspitsitatthedivinity。If，havingbeenwellaimed，itpassesthroughthewireandsticks，itisagoodomen，ifitlodgesinthenettingtheprayerhasprobablybeenunheard。TheNi-oandsomeofthegodsoutsidethetemplearesimilarlydisfigured。Ontheleftthereisashrinewithascreen，tothebarsofwhichinnumerableprayershavebeentied。Ontheright，accessibletoall，sitsBinzuru，oneofBuddha’soriginalsixteendisciples。Hisfaceandappearancehavebeencalmandamiable，withsomethingofthequietdignityofanelderlycountrygentlemanofthereignofGeorgeIII。；butheisnowwornanddefaced，andhasnotmuchmoreofeyes，nose，andmouththantheSphinx；andthepolished，redlacquerhasdisappearedfromhishandsandfeet，forBinzuruisagreatmedicinegod，andcenturiesofsickpeoplehaverubbedhisfaceandlimbs，andthenhaverubbedtheirown。Ayoungwomanwentuptohim，rubbedthebackofhisneck，andthenrubbedherown。
Thenamodest-lookinggirl，leadinganancientwomanwithbadlyinflamedeyelidsandparalysedarms，rubbedhiseyelids，andthengentlystrokedtheclosedeyelidsofthecrone。Thenacoolie，withaswelledknee，appliedhimselfvigorouslytoBinzuru’sknee，andmoregentlytohisown。Remember，thisisthegreattempleofthepopulace，and“notmanyrich，notmanynoble，notmanymighty，“
enteritsdim，dirty，crowdedhalls。{5}
ButthegreattempletoKwan-nonisnottheonlysightofAsakusa。
Outsideitarecountlessshrinesandtemples，hugestoneAmainu，orheavenlydogs，onrudeblocksofstone，largecisternsofstoneandbronzewithandwithoutcanopies，containingwaterfortheablutionsoftheworshippers，castironAmainuonhewnstonepedestals——arecentgift——bronzeandstonelanterns，astoneprayer-wheelinastonepost，figuresofBuddhawiththeserenecountenanceofonewhorestsfromhislabours，stoneidols，onwhichdevoteeshavepastedslipsofpaperinscribedwithprayers，withsticksofincenserisingoutoftheashesofhundredsofformerstickssmoulderingbeforethem，blocksofhewnstonewithChineseandSanskritinscriptions，aneight-sidedtempleinwhicharefiguresofthe“FiveHundredDisciples“ofBuddha，atemplewiththeroofandupperpartofthewallsrichlycoloured，thecircularShintomirrorinaninnershrine，abronzetreasuryoutsidewithabell，whichisrungtoattractthegod’sattention，astriking，five-storiedpagoda，withmuchredlacquer，andtheendsoftheroof-beamsveryboldlycarved，itsheavyeavesfringedwithwindbells，anditsuppermostroofterminatinginagracefulcopperspiralofgreatheight，withthe“sacredpearl“surroundedbyflamesforitsfinial。Nearit，asnearmosttemples，isanuprightframeofplainwoodwithtablets，onwhichareinscribedthenamesofdonorstothetemple，andtheamountoftheirgifts。
Thereisahandsomestone-flooredtempletothesouth-eastofthemainbuilding，towhichwewerethesolevisitors。Itisloftyandveryrichlydecorated。Inthecentreisanoctagonalrevolvingroom，orrathershrine，ofrichredlacquermostgorgeouslyornamented。Itrestsonaframeofcarvedblacklacquer，andhasalacquergalleryrunningroundit，onwhichseveralrichlydecorateddoorsopen。Ontheapplicationofseveralshoulderstothisgallerytheshrinerotates。Itis，infact，arevolvinglibraryoftheBuddhistScriptures，andasingleturnisequivalenttoasinglepiousperusalofthem。Itisanexceedinglybeautifulspecimenofancientdecorativelacquerwork。AtthebackpartofthetempleisadrapedbrassfigureofBuddha，withonehandraised——adignifiedpieceofcasting。AlltheBuddhashaveHindoofeatures，andthegracefuldraperyandorientalreposewhichhavebeenimportedfromIndiacontrastsingularlywiththegrotesqueextravagancesoftheindigenousJapaneseconceptions。Inthesametemplearefourmonstrouslyextravagantfigurescarvedinwood，life-size，withclawedtoesontheirfeet，andtwogreatfangsinadditiontotheteethineachmouth。Theheadsofallaresurroundedwithflames，andarebackedbygoldencirclets。Theyareextravagantlyclothedingarmentswhichlookasiftheywereagitatedbyaviolentwind；theywearhelmetsandpartialsuitsofarmour，andholdintheirrighthandssomethingbetweenamonarch’ssceptreandapriest’sstaff。Theyhavegoggleeyesandopenmouths，andtheirfacesareindistortedandexaggeratedaction。
One，paintedbrightred，tramplesonawrithingdevilpaintedbrightpink；another，paintedemeraldgreen，tramplesonasea-
greendevil，anindigobluemonstertramplesonasky-bluefiend，andabrightpinkmonstertreadsunderhisclawedfeetaflesh-
coloureddemon。Icannotgiveyouanyideaofthehideousnessoftheiraspect，andwasmuchinclinedtosympathisewiththemoreinnocent-lookingfiendswhomtheyweremaltreating。TheyoccurveryfrequentlyinBuddhisttemples，andaresaidbysometobeassistant-torturerstoYemma，thelordofhell，andarecalledbyothers“ThegodsoftheFourQuarters。“
Thetemplegroundsareamostextraordinarysight。NoEnglishfairinthepalmiestdaysoffairseverpresentedsuchanarrayofattractions。Behindthetemplearearcherygalleriesinnumbers，wheregirls，hardlysomodest-lookingasusual，smileandsmirk，andbringstraw-colouredteaindaintycups，andtastelesssweetmeatsonlacquertrays，andsmoketheirtinypipes，andofferyoubowsofslenderbamboostrips，twofeetlong，withrestsforthearrows，andtinycherry-woodarrows，bone-tipped，andfeatheredred，blue，andwhite，andsmilingly，butquiteunobtrusively，askyoutotryyourskillorluckatatargethanginginfrontofasquaredrum，flankedbyredcushions。Aclick，aboom，orahardlyaudible“thud，“indicatetheresult。Nearlyallthearchersweregrown-upmen，andmanyofthemspendhoursatatimeinthischildishsport。
Alloverthegroundsboothswiththeusualcharcoalfire，copperboiler，ironkettleofcuriousworkmanship，tinycups，fragrantaromaoftea，andwinsome，gracefulgirls，inviteyoutodrinkandrest，andmoresolidbutlessinvitingrefreshmentsarealsotobehad。Rowsofprettypaperlanternsdecorateallthestalls。Thentherearephotographgalleries，mimictea-gardens，tableauxinwhichalargenumberofgroupsoflife-sizefigureswithappropriatesceneryareputintomotionbyacreakingwheelofgreatsize，mattedloungesforrest，standswithsaucersofrice，beansandpeasforofferingstothegods，thepigeons，andthetwosacredhorses，Albinoponies，withpinkeyesandnoses，revoltinglygreedycreatures，eatingalldaylongandstillcravingformore。
Thereareboothsforsinginganddancing，andunderoneaprofessionalstory-tellerwasrecitingtoadenselypackedcrowdoneoftheold，popularstoriesofcrime。Thereareboothswhereforafewrinyoumayhavethepleasureoffeedingsomeveryuglyandgreedyapes，orofwatchingmangymonkeyswhichhavebeentaughttoprostratethemselvesJapanesefashion。