ThroughouttheprovinceofEchigoIhaveoccasionallyseenapieceofcottonclothsuspendedbyitsfourcornersfromfourbamboopolesjustaboveaquietstream。Behinditthereisusuallyalongnarrowtablet，notchedatthetop，similartothoseseenincemeteries，withcharactersuponit。Sometimesbouquetsofflowersareplacedinthehollowtopofeachbamboo，andusuallytherearecharactersontheclothitself。Withinitalwaysliesawoodendipper。IncomingdownfromTenokoIpassedoneoftheseclosetotheroad，andaBuddhistpriestwasatthetimepouringadipperfullofwaterintoit，whichstrainedslowlythrough。Ashewasgoingourwaywejoinedhim，andheexplaineditsmeaning。
Accordingtohimthetabletbearsonitthekaimiyo，orposthumousnameofawoman。Theflowershavethesamesignificanceasthosewhichlovinghandsplaceonthegravesofkindred。Iftherearecharactersonthecloth，theyrepresentthewell-knowninvocationoftheNichirensect，Namumiohorengekio。Thepouringofthewaterintothecloth，oftenaccompaniedbytellingthebeadsonarosary，isaprayer。Thewholeiscalled“TheFlowingInvocation。“
Ihaveseldomseenanythingmoreplaintivelyaffecting，foritdenotesthatamotherinthefirstjoyofmaternityhaspassedawaytosufferaccordingtopopularbeliefintheLakeofBlood，oneoftheBuddhisthells，forasincommittedinaformerstateofbeing，anditappealstoeverypasser-bytoshortenthepenaltiesofawomaninanguish，forinthatlakeshemustremainuntiltheclothissoutterlywornoutthatthewaterfallsthroughitatonce。
WherethemountainscomedownupontheplainofYonezawathereareseveralraisedbanks，andyoucantakeonestepfromthehillsidetoadeadlevel。Thesoilisdryandgravellyatthejunction，ridgesofpinesappeared，andthelookofthehousessuggestedincreasedcleanlinessandcomfort。AwalkofsixmilestookusfromTenokotoKomatsu，abeautifullysituatedtownof3000people，withalargetradeincottongoods，silk，andsake。
AsIenteredKomatsuthefirstmanwhomImetturnedbackhastily，calledintothefirsthousethewordswhichmean“Quick，here’saforeigner；“thethreecarpenterswhowereatworkthereflungdowntheirtoolsand，withoutwaitingtoputontheirkimonos，speddownthestreetcallingoutthenews，sothatbythetimeIreachedtheyadoyaalargecrowdwaspressinguponme。Thefrontwasmeanandunpromising-looking，but，onreachingthebackbyastonebridgeoverastreamwhichranthroughthehouse，Ifoundaroom40feetlongby15high，entirelyopenalongonesidetoagardenwithalargefish-pondwithgoldfish，apagoda，dwarftrees，andalltheusualminiatureadornments。Fusumaofwrinkledbluepapersplashedwithgoldturnedthis“gallery“intotworooms；buttherewasnoprivacy，forthecrowdsclimbedupontheroofsattheback，andsattherepatientlyuntilnight。
Theseweredaimiyo’srooms。Thepostsandceilingswereebonyandgold，thematsveryfine，thepolishedalcovesdecoratedwithinlaidwriting-tablesandsword-racks；spearsninefeetlong，withhandlesoflacquerinlaidwithVenus’ear，hungintheverandah，thewashingbowlwasfineinlaidblacklacquer，andtherice-bowlsandtheircoversweregoldlacquer。
Inthis，asinmanyotheryadoyas，therewerekakemonoswithlargeChinesecharactersrepresentingthenamesofthePrimeMinister，ProvincialGovernor，ordistinguishedGeneral，whohadhonoureditbyhaltingthere，andlinesofpoetrywerehungup，asisusual，inthesamefashion。Ihaveseveraltimesbeenaskedtowritesomethingtobethusdisplayed。IspentSundayatKomatsu，butnotrestfully，owingtothenocturnalcroakingofthefrogsinthepond。Init，asinmosttowns，therewereshopswhichsellnothingbutwhite，frothy-lookingcakes，whichareusedforthegoldfishwhicharesomuchprized，andthreetimesdailythewomenandchildrenofthehouseholdcameintothegardentofeedthem。
WhenIleftKomatsutherewerefullysixtypeopleinsidethehouseand1500outside——walls，verandahs，andevenroofsbeingpacked。
FromNikkotoKomatsumareshadbeenexclusivelyused，butthereI
encounteredforthefirsttimetheterribleJapanesepack-horse。
Twohorridlyfierce-lookingcreatureswereatthedoor，withtheirheadstieddowntilltheirneckswerecompletelyarched。WhenI
mountedthecrowdfollowed，gatheringasitwent，frighteningthehorsewiththeclatterofclogsandthesoundofamultitude，tillhebrokehishead-rope，and，thefrightenedmagolettinghimgo，heproceededdownthestreetmainlyonhishindfeet，squealing，andstrikingsavagelywithhisforefeet，thecrowdscatteringtotherightandleft，till，asitsurgedpastthepolicestation，fourpolicemencameoutandarrestedit；onlytogatheragain，however，fortherewasalongerstreet，downwhichmyhorseproceededinthesamefashion，and，lookinground，IsawIto’shorseonhishindlegsandItoontheground。Mybeastjumpedoverallditches，attackedallfoot-passengerswithhisteeth，andbehavedsolikeawildanimalthatnotallmypreviousacquaintancewiththeidiosyncrasiesofhorsesenabledmetocopewithhim。OnreachingAkayuwefoundahorsefair，and，asallthehorseshadtheirheadstightlytieddowntoposts，theycouldonlysquealandlashoutwiththeirhindfeet，whichsoprovokedouranimalsthatthebaggagehorse，byaseriesofjerksandrearings，divestedhimselfofItoandmostofthebaggage，and，asIdismountedfrommine，hestoodupright，andmyfootcatchingIfellontheground，whenhemadeseveralviciousdashesatmewithhisteethandforefeet，whichwerehappilyfrustratedbythedexterityofsomemago。Thesebeastsforciblyremindmeofthewords，“Whosemouthmustbeheldwithbitandbridle，lesttheyturnandfalluponthee。“
Itwasalovelysummerday，thoughveryhot，andthesnowypeaksofAidzuscarcelylookedcoolastheyglitteredinthesunlight。TheplainofYonezawa，withtheprosperoustownofYonezawainthesouth，andthefrequentedwatering-placeofAkayuinthenorth，isaperfectgardenofEden，“tilledwithapencilinsteadofaplough，“growinginrichprofusionrice，cotton，maize，tobacco，hemp，indigo，beans，egg-plants，walnuts，melons，cucumbers，persimmons，apricots，pomegranates；asmilingandplenteousland，anAsiaticArcadia，prosperousandindependent，allitsbounteousacresbelongingtothosewhocultivatethem，wholiveundertheirvines，figs，andpomegranates，freefromoppression——aremarkablespectacleunderanAsiaticdespotism。YetstillDaikokuisthechiefdeity，andmaterialgoodistheoneobjectofdesire。
Itisanenchantingregionofbeauty，industry，andcomfort，mountaingirdled，andwateredbythebrightMatsuka。Everywherethereareprosperousandbeautifulfarmingvillages，withlargehouseswithcarvedbeamsandponderoustiledroofs，eachstandinginitsowngrounds，buriedamongpersimmonsandpomegranates，withflower-gardensundertrellisedvines，andprivacysecuredbyhigh，closely-clippedscreensofpomegranateandcryptomeria。BesidesthevillagesofYoshida，Semoshima，Kurokawa，Takayama，andTakataki，throughornearwhichwepassed，Icountedoverfiftyontheplainwiththeirbrown，sweepingbarnroofslookingoutfromthewoodland。Icannotseeanydifferencesinthestyleofcultivation。Yoshidaisrichandprosperous-looking，Numapoorandwretched-looking；butthescantyacresofNuma，rescuedfromthemountain-sides，areasexquisitelytrimandneat，asperfectlycultivated，andyieldasabundantlyofthecropswhichsuittheclimate，asthebroadacresofthesunnyplainofYonezawa，andthisisthecaseeverywhere。“Thefieldofthesluggard“hasnoexistenceinJapan。
Werodeforfourhoursthroughthesebeautifulvillagesonaroadfourfeetwide，andthen，tomysurprise，afterferryingariver，emergedatTsukunouponwhatappearsonthemapasasecondaryroad，butwhichisinrealityamainroad25feetwide，wellkept，trenchedonbothsides，andwithalineoftelegraphpolesalongit。Itwasanewworldatonce。Theroadformanymileswasthrongedwithwell-dressedfoot-passengers，kurumas，pack-horses，andwaggonseitherwithsolidwheels，orwheelswithspokesbutnotires。Itisacapitalcarriage-road，butwithoutcarriages。Insuchcivilisedcircumstancesitwascurioustoseetwoorfourbrownskinnedmenpullingthecarts，andquiteoftenamanandhiswife——themanunclothed，andthewomanunclothedtoherwaist——
doingthesame。Alsoitstruckmeasincongruoustoseetelegraphwiresabove，andbelow，menwhoseonlyclothingconsistedofasun-
hatandfan；whilechildrenwithbooksandslateswerereturningfromschool，conningtheirlessons。
AtAkayu，atownofhotsulphursprings，Ihopedtosleep，butitwasoneofthenoisiestplacesIhaveseen。Inthemostcrowdedpart，wherefourstreetsmeet，therearebathingsheds，whichwerefullofpeopleofbothsexes，splashingloudly，andtheyadoyaclosetoithadaboutfortyrooms，innearlyallofwhichseveralrheumaticpeoplewerelyingonthemats，samisensweretwanging，andkotosscreeching，andthehubbubwassounbearablethatIcameonhere，tenmilesfarther，byafinenewroad，upanuninterestingstrathofrice-fieldsandlowhills，whichopensoutuponasmallplainsurroundedbyelevatedgravellyhills，ontheslopeofoneofwhichKaminoyama，awatering-placeofover3000people，ispleasantlysituated。Itiskeepingfestival；therearelanternsandflagsoneveryhouse，andcrowdsarethrongingthetemplegrounds，ofwhichthereareseveralonthehillsabove。Itisaclean，dryplace，withbeautifulyadoyasontheheights，andpleasanthouseswithgardens，andplentyofwalksoverthehills。
ThepeoplesaythatitisoneofthedriestplacesinJapan。Ifitwerewithinreachofforeigners，theywouldfinditawholesomehealthresort，withpicturesqueexcursionsinmanydirections。
ThisisoneofthegreatroutesofJapanesetravel，anditisinterestingtoseewatering-placeswiththeirhabits，amusements，andcivilisationquitecomplete，butborrowingnothingfromEurope。
Thehotspringsherecontainiron，andarestronglyimpregnatedwithsulphurettedhydrogen。Itriedthetemperatureofthree，andfoundthem100degrees，105degrees，and107degrees。Theyaresupposedtobeveryvaluableinrheumatism，andtheyattractvisitorsfromgreatdistances。Thepolice，whoaremyfrequentinformants，tellmethattherearenearly600peoplenowstayinghereforthebenefitofthebaths，ofwhichsixdailyareusuallytaken。Ithinkthatinrheumatism，asinsomeothermaladies，theold-fashionedJapanesedoctorspaylittleattentiontodietandhabits，andmuchtodrugsandexternalapplications。Thebenefitoftheseandothermedicinalwaterswouldbemuchincreasedifvigorousfrictionreplacedthedabbingwithsofttowels。
Thisisalargeyadoya，veryfullofstrangers，andthehouse-
mistress，abuxomandmostprepossessingwidow，hasatrulyexquisitehotelforbathershigherupthehill。Shehaselevenchildren，twoorthreeofwhomaretall，handsome，andgracefulgirls。Oneblusheddeeplyatmyevidentadmiration，butwasnotdispleased，andtookmeupthehilltoseethetemples，baths，andyadoyasofthisveryattractiveplace。Iammuchdelightedwithhergraceandsavoirfaire。Iaskedthewidowhowlongshehadkepttheinn，andsheproudlyanswered，“Threehundredyears，“notanuncommoninstanceoftheheredityofoccupations。
Myaccommodationisunique——akura，orgodown，inalargeconventionalgarden，inwhichisabath-house，whichreceivesahotspringatatemperatureof105degrees，inwhichIluxuriate。Lastnightthemosquitoeswereawful。Ifthewidowandherhandsomegirlshadnotfannedmeperseveringlyforanhour，Ishouldnothavebeenabletowritealine。Mynewmosquitonetsucceedsadmirably，and，whenIamoncewithinit，Iratherenjoythedisappointmentofthehundredsofdrummingblood-thirstywretchesoutside。
Thewidowtellsmethathouse-masterspay2yenonceforallforthesign，andanannualtaxof2yenonafirst-classyadoya，1yenforasecond，and50centsforathird，with5yenforthelicensetosellsake。
These“godowns“fromtheMalaywordgadong，orfire-proofstore-
houses，areoneofthemostmarkedfeaturesofJapanesetowns，bothbecausetheyarewhitewhereallelseisgrey，andbecausetheyaresolidwhereallelseisperishable。