picks，tobaccopipes，papermouchoirs，andnumbersofothertriflesmadeofbamboo，straw，grass，andwood。Thesegoodsareonstands，andintheroombehind，opentothestreet，allthedomesticavocationsaregoingon，andthehousewifeisusuallytobeseenboilingwaterorsewingwithababytuckedintothebackofherdress。Aluciferfactoryhasrecentlybeenputup，andinmanyhousefrontsmenarecuttingupwoodintolengthsformatches。Inotherstheyarehuskingrice，averylaboriousprocess，inwhichthegrainispoundedinamortarsunkinthefloorbyaflat-endedwoodenpestleattachedtoalonghorizontallever，whichisworkedbythefeetofaman，invariablynaked，whostandsattheotherextremity。
Insomewomenareweaving，inothersspinningcotton。Usuallytherearethreeorfourtogether——themother，theeldestson’swife，andoneortwounmarriedgirls。Thegirlsmarryatsixteen，andshortlythesecomely，rosy，wholesome-lookingcreaturespassintohaggard，middle-agedwomenwithvacantfaces，owingtotheblackeningoftheteethandremovaloftheeyebrows，which，iftheydonotfollowbetrothal，areresortedtoonthebirthofthefirstchild。Inotherhouseswomenareattheirtoilet，blackeningtheirteethbeforecircularmetalmirrorsplacedinfoldingstandsonthemats，orperformingablutions，unclothedtothewaist。Earlythevillageisverysilent，whilethechildrenareatschool；theirreturnenlivensitalittle，buttheyarequietevenatplay；atsunsetthemenreturn，andthingsarealittlelivelier；youhearagooddealofsplashinginbaths，andafterthattheycarryaboutandplaywiththeiryoungerchildren，whiletheolderonespreparelessonsforthefollowingdaybyrecitingtheminahigh，monotonoustwang。Atdarkthepaperwindowsaredrawn，theamado，orexternalwoodenshutters，areclosed，thelampislightedbeforethefamilyshrine，supperiseaten，thechildrenplayatquietgamesroundtheandon；andabouttenthequiltsandwoodenpillowsareproducedfromthepress，theamadoarebolted，andthefamilyliesdowntosleepinoneroom。Smalltraysoffoodandthetabako-bonarealwayswithinreachofadultsleepers，andonegrowsquiteaccustomedtohearthesoundofashesbeingknockedoutofthepipeatintervalsduringthenight。Thechildrensitupaslateastheirparents，andareincludedinalltheirconversation。
Ineversawpeopletakesomuchdelightintheiroffspring，carryingthemabout，orholdingtheirhandsinwalking，watchingandenteringintotheirgames，supplyingthemconstantlywithnewtoys，takingthemtopicnicsandfestivals，neverbeingcontenttobewithoutthem，andtreatingotherpeople’schildrenalsowithasuitablemeasureofaffectionandattention。Bothfathersandmotherstakeaprideintheirchildren。Itismostamusingaboutsixeverymorningtoseetwelveorfourteenmensittingonalowwall，eachwithachildundertwoyearsinhisarms，fondlingandplayingwithit，andshowingoffitsphysiqueandintelligence。Tojudgefromappearances，thechildrenformthechieftopicatthismorninggathering。Atnight，afterthehousesareshutup，lookingthroughthelongfringeofropeorrattanwhichconcealstheslidingdoor，youseethefather，whowearsnothingbutamaroin“thebosomofhisfamily，“bendinghisugly，kindlyfaceoveragentle-lookingbaby，andthemother，whomoreoftenthannothasdroppedthekimonofromhershoulders，enfoldingtwochildrendestituteofclothinginherarms。Forsomereasonstheypreferboys，butcertainlygirlsareequallypettedandloved。Thechildren，thoughforourideastoogentleandformal，areveryprepossessinginlooksandbehaviour。Theyaresoperfectlydocileandobedient，soreadytohelptheirparents，sogoodtothelittleones，and，inthemanyhourswhichIhavespentinwatchingthematplay，Ihaveneverheardanangrywordorseenasourlookoract。
Buttheyarelittlemenandwomenratherthanchildren，andtheirold-fashionedappearanceisgreatlyaidedbytheirdress，which，asIhaveremarkedbefore，isthesameasthatofadults。
Thereare，however，variousstylesofdressingthehairofgirls，bywhichyoucanformaprettyaccurateestimateofanygirl’sageuptohermarriage，whenthecoiffureundergoesadefinitechange。
Theboysalllooktop-heavyandtheirheadsofanabnormalsize，partlyfromahideouspracticeofshavingtheheadaltogetherforthefirstthreeyears。Afterthisthehairisallowedtogrowinthreetufts，oneovereachear，andtheotheratthebackoftheneck；asoften，however，atuftisgrownatthetopofthebackofthehead。Attenthecrownaloneisshavedandaforelockisworn，andatfifteen，whentheboyassumestheresponsibilitiesofmanhood，hishairisallowedtogrowlikethatofaman。Thegravedignityoftheseboys，withthegrotesquepatternsontheirbigheads，ismostamusing。
Wouldthatthesemuch-exposedskullswerealwayssmoothandclean！
Itispainfultoseetheprevalenceofsuchrepulsivemaladiesasscabies，scald-head，ringworm，soreeyes，andunwholesome-lookingeruptions，andfully30percentofthevillagepeoplearebadlyseamedwithsmallpox。
LETTERX——Completed
ShopsandShopping——TheBarber’sShop——APaperWaterproof——Ito’sVanity——PreparationsfortheJourney——TransportandPrices——MoneyandMeasurements。
IhavehadtodoalittleshoppinginHachiishiformyjourney。
Theshop-fronts，youmustunderstand，areallopen，andattheheightofthefloor，abouttwofeetfromtheground，thereisabroadledgeofpolishedwoodonwhichyousitdown。Awomaneverlastinglyboilingwateronabronzehibachi，orbrazier，shiftingtheembersaboutdeftlywithbrasstongslikechopsticks，andwithababylookingcalmlyoverhershoulders，istheshopwoman；butsheremainsindifferenttillsheimaginesthatyouhaveadefinitepurposeofbuying，whenshecomesforwardbowingtotheground，andIpolitelyriseandbowtoo。ThenIorItoaskthepriceofathing，andshenamesit，verylikelyasking4s。forwhatoughttosellat6d。Yousay3s。，shelaughsandsays3s。6d。；yousay2s。，shelaughsagainandsays3s。，offeringyouthetabako-
bon。Eventuallythematteriscompromisedbyyourgivingher1s。，atwhichsheappearsquitedelighted。Withaprofusionofbowsand“sayonaras“oneachside，yougoawaywiththepleasantfeelingofhavinggivenanindustriouswomantwiceasmuchasthethingwasworthtoher，andlessthanwhatitisworthtoyou！
Thereareseveralbarbers’shops，andtheeveningseemsaverybusytimewiththem。Thisoperationpartakesofthegeneralwantofprivacyofthelifeofthevillage，andisperformedintheraisedopenfrontoftheshop。Soapisnotused，andtheprocessisapainfulone。Thevictimslettheirgarmentsfalltotheirwaists，andeachholdsinhislefthandalacqueredtraytoreceivethecroppings。TheuglyJapanesefaceatthistimewearsamostgrotesqueexpressionofstolidresignationasitisheldandpulledaboutbytheoperator，whoturnsitinalldirections，thathemayjudgeoftheeffectthatheisproducing。Theshavingthefacetillitissmoothandshiny，andthecutting，waxing，andtyingofthequeuewithtwinemadeofpaper，areamongtheeveningsightsofNikko。
Lacquerandthingscuriouslycarvedinwoodarethegreatattractionsoftheshops，buttheyinterestmefarlessthantheobjectsofutilityinJapanesedailylife，withtheiringenuityofcontrivanceandperfectionofadaptationandworkmanship。Aseedshop，whereseedsaretrulyidealised，attractsmedaily。Thirtyvarietiesareofferedforsale，asvariousinformastheyareincolour，andarrangedmostartisticallyonstands，whilesomeareputupinpackagesdecoratedwithwhatonemaycallafacsimileoftheroot，leaves，andflower，inwater-colours。Aladusuallyliesonthematbehindexecutingtheseverycreditablepictures——forsuchtheyare——withafewboldandapparentlycarelessstrokeswithhisbrush。Hegladlysoldmeapeonyasascrapforascreenfor3
sen。Mypurchases，withthisexception，werenecessariesonly——apaperwaterproofcloak，“acircular，“blackoutsideandyellowinside，madeofsquaresheetsofoiledpapercementedtogether，andsomelargesheetsofthesameforcoveringmybaggage；andI
succeededingettingItooutofhisobnoxiousblackwide-awakeintoabasin-shapedhatlikemine，for，uglyasIthinkhim，hehasalargeshareofpersonalvanity，whitenshisteeth，andpowdershisfacecarefullybeforeamirror，andisingreatdreadofsunburn。
Hepowdershishandstoo，andpolisheshisnails，andnevergoesoutwithoutgloves。
To-morrowIleaveluxurybehindandplungeintotheinterior，hopingtoemergesomehowupontheSeaofJapan。NoinformationcanbegothereexceptabouttheroutetoNiigata，whichIhavedecidednottotake，so，aftermuchstudyofBrunton’smap，Ihavefixedupononeplace，andhavesaidpositively，“IgotoTajima。“IfI
reachitIcangetfarther，butallIcanlearnis，“It’saverybadroad，it’sallamongthemountains。“Ito，whohasagreatregardforhisowncomforts，triestodissuademefromgoingbysayingthatIshalllosemine，but，asthesekindpeoplehaveingeniouslyrepairedmybedbydoublingthecanvasandlacingitintoholesinthesidepoles，{9}andasIhavelivedforthelastthreedaysonrice，eggs，andcoarsevermicelliaboutthethicknessandcolourofearth-worms，thisprospectdoesnotappalme！InJapanthereisaLandTransportCompany，calledRiku-un-kaisha，withahead-officeinTokiyo，andbranchesinvarioustownsandvillages。Itarrangesforthetransportoftravellersandmerchandisebypack-horsesandcooliesatcertainfixedrates，andgivesreceiptsindueform。Ithiresthehorsesfromthefarmers，andmakesamoderateprofitoneachtransaction，butsavesthetravellerfromdifficulties，delays，andextortions。Thepricesvaryconsiderablyindifferentdistricts，andareregulatedbythepriceofforage，thestateoftheroads，andthenumberofhireablehorses。Forari，nearly2。5miles，theychargefrom6to10senforahorseandthemanwholeadsit，forakurumawithonemanfrom4to9senforthesamedistance，andforbaggagecooliesaboutthesame。[ThisTransportCompanyisadmirablyorganised。I
employeditinjourneysofover1200miles，andalwaysfounditefficientandreliable。]Iintendtomakeuseofitalways，muchagainstIto’swishes，whoreckonedonmanyaprospective“squeeze“
indealingswiththefarmers。
Myjourneywillnowbeentirelyover“unbeatentracks，“andwillleadthroughwhatmaybecalled“OldJapan；“andasitwillbenaturaltouseJapanesewordsformoneyanddistances，forwhichtherearenoEnglishterms，Igivethemhere。Ayenisanoterepresentingadollar，orabout3s。7d。ofourmoney；asenissomethinglessthanahalfpenny；arinisathinroundcoinofironorbronze，withasquareholeinthemiddle，ofwhich10makeasen，and1000ayen；andatempoisahandsomeovalbronzecoinwithaholeinthecentre，ofwhich5make4sen。Distancesaremeasuredbyri，cho，andken。Sixfeetmakeoneken，sixtykenonecho，andthirty-sixchooneri，ornearly2。5Englishmiles。WhenIwriteofaroadImeanabridle-pathfromfourtoeightfeetwide，kurumaroadsbeingspecifiedassuch。I。L。B。