Thecountryisadeadlevel，andmainlyanartificialmudflatorswamp，inwhosefertileoozevariousaquaticbirdswerewading，andinwhichhundredsofmenandwomenwerewadingtoo，abovetheirkneesinslush；forthisplainofYedoismainlyagreatrice-
field，andthisisthebusyseasonofrice-planting；forhere，inthesenseinwhichweunderstandit，theydonot“casttheirbreaduponthewaters。“ThereareeightornineleadingvarietiesofricegrowninJapan，allofwhich，exceptanuplandspecies，requiremud，water，andmuchpuddlingandnastywork。RiceisthestaplefoodandthewealthofJapan。Itsrevenueswereestimatedinrice。Riceisgrownalmostwhereverirrigationispossible。
Therice-fieldsareusuallyverysmallandofallshapes。A
quarterofanacreisagood-sizedfield。ThericecropplantedinJuneisnotreapedtillNovember，butinthemeantimeitneedstobe“puddled“threetimes，i。e。forallthepeopletoturnintotheslush，andgruboutalltheweedsandtangledaquaticplants，whichweavethemselvesfromtufttotuft，andpuddleupthemudafreshroundtheroots。Itgrowsinwatertillitisripe，whenthefieldsaredriedoff。Anacreofthebestlandproducesannuallyaboutfifty-fourbushelsofrice，andoftheworstaboutthirty。
OntheplainofYedo，besidesthenearlycontinuousvillagesalongthecausewayedroad，thereareislands，astheymaybecalled，ofvillagessurroundedbytrees，andhundredsofpleasantoasesonwhichwheatreadyforthesickle，onions，millet，beans，andpeas，wereflourishing。Therewerelotuspondstoo，inwhichthegloriouslily，Nelumbonucifera，isbeinggrownforthesacrilegiouspurposeofbeingeaten！Itssplendidclassicalleavesarealreadyafootabovethewater。
Afterrunningcheerilyforseveralmilesmymenbowledmeintoatea-house，wheretheyateandsmokedwhileIsatinthegarden，whichconsistedofbakedmud，smoothstepping-stones，alittlepondwithsomegoldfish，adeformedpine，andastonelantern。ObservethatforeignersarewrongincallingtheJapanesehousesofentertainmentindiscriminately“tea-houses。“Atea-houseorchayaisahouseatwhichyoucanobtainteaandotherrefreshments，roomstoeatthemin，andattendance。Thatwhichtosomeextentanswerstoanhotelisayadoya，whichprovidessleepingaccommodationandfoodasrequired。Thelicensesaredifferent。
Tea-housesareofallgrades，fromthethree-storiederections，gaywithflagsandlanterns，inthegreatcitiesandatplacesofpopularresort，downtotheroad-sidetea-house，asrepresentedintheengraving，withthreeorfourloungesofdark-colouredwoodunderitseaves，usuallyoccupiedbynakedcooliesinallattitudesofeasinessandrepose。Thefloorisraisedabouteighteeninchesabovetheground，andinthesetea-housesisfrequentlyamattedplatformwitharecesscalledthedoma，literally“earth-space，“inthemiddle，roundwhichrunsaledgeofpolishedwoodcalledtheitama，or“boardspace，“onwhichtravellerssitwhiletheybathetheirsoiledfeetwiththewaterwhichisimmediatelybroughttothem；forneitherwithsoiledfeetnorinforeignshoesmustoneadvanceonesteponthemattedfloor。Ononesideofthedomaisthekitchen，withitsoneortwocharcoalfires，wherethecooliesloungeonthematsandtaketheirfoodandsmoke，andontheotherthefamilypursuetheiravocations。Inalmostthesmallesttea-
housethereareoneortworoomsattheback，butallthelifeandinterestareintheopenfront。Inthesmalltea-housesthereisonlyanirori，asquareholeinthefloor，fullofsandorwhiteash，onwhichthelivecharcoalforcookingpurposesisplaced，andsmallracksforfoodandeatingutensils；butinthelargeonesthereisarowofcharcoalstoves，andthewallsaregarnisheduptotheroofwithshelves，andthelacquertablesandlacquerandchinawareusedbytheguests。Thelargetea-housescontainthepossibilitiesforanumberofroomswhichcanbeextemporisedatoncebyslidingpaperpanels，calledfusuma，alonggroovesinthefloorandintheceilingorcross-beams。
Whenwestoppedatwaysidetea-housestherunnersbathedtheirfeet，rinsedtheirmouths，andaterice，pickles，saltfish，and“brothofabominablethings，“afterwhichtheysmokedtheirtinypipes，whichgivethemthreewhiffsforeachfilling。AssoonasI
gotoutatanyofthese，onesmilinggirlbroughtmethetabako-
bon，asquarewoodorlacquertray，withachinaorbamboocharcoal-holderandash-potuponit，andanotherpresentedmewithazen，asmalllacquertableaboutsixincheshigh，withatinyteapotwithahollowhandleatrightangleswiththespout，holdingaboutanEnglishtea-cupful，andtwocupswithouthandlesorsaucers，withacapacityoffromtentotwentythimblefulseach。
Thehotwaterismerelyallowedtorestaminuteonthetea-leaves，andtheinfusionisaclearstraw-colouredliquidwithadeliciousaromaandflavour，gratefulandrefreshingatalltimes。IfJapanesetea“stands，“itacquiresacoarsebitternessandanunwholesomeastringency。Milkandsugararenotused。Aclean-
lookingwoodenorlacquerpailwithalidiskeptinalltea-
houses，andthoughhotrice，excepttoorder，isonlyreadythreetimesdaily，thepailalwayscontainscoldrice，andthecooliesheatitbypouringhotteaoverit。Asyoueat，atea-housegirl，withthispailbesideher，squatsonthefloorinfrontofyou，andfillsyourricebowltillyousay，“Hold，enough！“Onthisroaditisexpectedthatyouleavethreeorfoursenonthetea-trayforarestofanhourortwoandtea。
Alldaywetravelledthroughriceswamps，alongamuch-frequentedroad，asfarasKasukabe，agood-sizedbutmiserable-lookingtown，withitsmainstreetlikeoneofthepooreststreetsinTokiyo，andhaltedforthenightatalargeyadoya，withdownstairsandupstairsrooms，crowdsoftravellers，andmanyevilsmells。Onentering，thehouse-masterorlandlord，theteishi，foldedhishandsandprostratedhimself，touchingthefloorwithhisforeheadthreetimes。Itisalarge，ramblingoldhouse，andfullythirtyservantswerebustlingaboutinthedaidokoro，orgreatopenkitchen。Itookaroomupstairsi。e。upasteepstep-ladderofdark，polishedwood，withabalconyunderthedeepeaves。Thefrontofthehouseupstairswasonelongroomwithonlysidesandafront，butitwasimmediatelydividedintofourbydrawingslidingscreensorpanels，coveredwithopaquewallpapers，intotheirpropergrooves。Abackwasalsoimprovised，butthiswasformedofframeswithpanesoftranslucentpaper，likeourtissuepaper，withsundryholesandrents。Thisbeingdone，Ifoundmyselfthepossessorofaroomaboutsixteenfeetsquare，withouthook，shelf，rail，oranythingonwhichtoputanything——nothing，inshort，butamattedfloor。Donotbemisledbytheuseofthiswordmatting。
Japanesehouse-mats，tatami，areasneat，refined，andsoftacoveringforthefloorasthefinestAxminstercarpet。Theyare5
feet9incheslong，3feetbroad，and2。5inchesthick。Theframeissolidlymadeofcoarsestraw，andthisiscoveredwithveryfinewovenmatting，asnearlywhiteaspossible，andeachmatisusuallyboundwithdarkbluecloth。Templesandroomsaremeasuredbythenumberofmatstheycontain，androomsmustbebuiltforthemats，astheyarenevercuttotherooms。Theyarealwayslevelwiththepolishedgroovesorledgeswhichsurroundthefloor。Theyaresoftandelastic，andthefinerqualitiesareverybeautiful。TheyareasexpensiveasthebestBrusselscarpet，andtheJapanesetakegreatprideinthem，andaremuchaggrievedbythewayinwhichsomethoughtlessforeignersstampoverthemwithdirtyboots。
Unfortunatelytheyharbourmyriadsoffleas。
Outsidemyroomanopenbalconywithmanysimiliarroomsranroundaforlornaggregateofdilapidatedshingleroofsandwater-butts。
Theseroomswereallfull。Itoaskedmeforinstructionsonceforall，putupmystretcherunderalargemosquitonetofcoarsegreencanvaswithafustysmell，filledmybath，broughtmesometea，rice，andeggs，tookmypassporttobecopiedbythehouse-master，anddeparted，Iknownotwhither。Itriedtowritetoyou，butfleasandmosquitoespreventedit，andbesides，thefusumawerefrequentlynoiselesslydrawnapart，andseveralpairsofdark，elongatedeyessurveyedmethroughthecracks；forthereweretwoJapanesefamiliesintheroomtotheright，andfivemeninthattotheleft。Iclosedtheslidingwindows，withtranslucentpaperforwindowpanes，calledshoji，andwenttobed，butthelackofprivacywasfearful，andIhavenotyetsufficienttrustinmyfellow-creaturestobecomfortablewithoutlocks，walls，ordoors！
Eyeswereconstantlyappliedtothesidesoftheroom，agirltwicedrewasidetheshojibetweenitandthecorridor；aman，whoI
afterwardsfoundwasablindman，offeringhisservicesasashampooer，cameinandsaidsomeofcourseunintelligiblewords，andthenewnoiseswereperfectlybewildering。OnonesideamanrecitedBuddhistprayersinahighkey；ontheotheragirlwastwangingasamisen，aspeciesofguitar；thehousewasfulloftalkingandsplashing，drumsandtom-tomswerebeatenoutside；
therewerestreetcriesinnumerable，andthewhistlingoftheblindshampooers，andtheresonantclapofthefire-watchmanwhoperambulatesallJapanesevillages，andbeatstwopiecesofwoodtogetherintokenofhisvigilance，wereintolerable。ItwasalifeofwhichIknewnothing，andthemysterywasmorealarmingthanattractive；mymoneywaslyingabout，andnothingseemedeasierthantoslideahandthroughthefusumaandappropriateit。
Itotoldmethatthewellwasbadlycontaminated，theodourswerefearful；illnesswastobefearedaswellasrobbery！SounreasonablyIreasoned！{7}
Mybedismerelyapieceofcanvasnailedtotwowoodenbars。WhenIlaydownthecanvasburstawayfromthelowerrowofnailswithaseriesofcracks，andsankgraduallytillIfoundmyselflyingonasharp-edgedpolewhichconnectsthetwopairoftrestles，andthehelplessvictimoffleasandmosquitoes。Ilayforthreehours，notdaringtostirlestIshouldbringthecanvasaltogetherdown，becomingmoreandmorenervouseverymoment，andthenItocalledoutsidetheshoji，“Itwouldbebest，MissBird，thatIshouldseeyou。“Whathorrorcanthisbe？Ithought，andwasnotreassuredwhenheadded，“Here’samessengerfromtheLegationandtwopolicemenwanttospeaktoyou。“OnarrivingIhaddonethecorrectthingingivingthehouse-mastermypassport，which，accordingtolaw，hehadcopiedintohisbook，andhadsentaduplicatecopytothepolice-station，andthisintrusionnearmidnightwasasunaccountableasitwasunwarrantable。
NeverthelesstheappearanceofthetwomannikinsinEuropeanuniforms，withthefamiliarbatonsandbull’s-eyelanterns，andwithmannerswhichwererespectfulwithoutbeingdeferential，gavemeimmediaterelief。Ishouldhavewelcomedtwentyoftheirspecies，fortheirpresenceassuredmeofthefactthatIamknownandregistered，andthataGovernmentwhich，forspecialreasons，isanxioustoimpressforeignerswithitspowerandomniscienceisresponsibleformysafety。
WhiletheyspeltthroughmypassportbytheirdimlanternIopenedtheYedoparcel，andfoundthatitcontainedatinoflemonsugar，amostkindnotefromSirHarryParkes，andapacketoflettersfromyou。WhileIwasattemptingtoopentheletters，Ito，thepolicemen，andthelanternglidedoutofmyroom，andIlayuneasilytilldaylight，withthelettersandtelegram，forwhichI
hadbeenyearningforsixweeks，onmybedunopened！
AlreadyIcanlaughatmyfearsandmisfortunes，asIhopeyouwill。Atravellermustbuyhisownexperience，andsuccessorfailuredependsmainlyonpersonalidiosyncrasies。ManymatterswillberemediedbyexperienceasIgoon，andIshallacquirethehabitoffeelingsecure；butlackofprivacy，badsmells，andthetormentsoffleasandmosquitoesare，Ifear，irremediableevils。