Nosokitoldmethathereliesmainlyontheapplicationofthemoxaandonacupunctureinthetreatmentofacutediseases，andinchronicmaladiesonfriction，medicinalbaths，certainanimalandvegetablemedicines，andcertainkindsoffood。Theuseofleechesandblistersisunknowntohim，andheregardsmineraldrugswithobvioussuspicion。Hehasheardofchloroform，buthasneverseenitused，andconsidersthatinmaternityitmustnecessarilybefataleithertomotherorchild。HeaskedmeandIhavetwicebeforebeenaskedthesamequestionwhetheritisnotbyitsusethatweendeavourtokeepdownourredundantpopulation！Hehasgreatfaithinginseng，andinrhinoceroshorn，andinthepowderedliverofsomeanimal，which，fromthedescription，Iunderstoodtobeatiger——allspecificsoftheChineseschoolofmedicines。Dr。
Nosokishowedmeasmallboxof“unicorn’s“horn，whichhesaidwasworthmorethanitsweightingold！Asmyarmimprovedcoincidentlywiththeapplicationofhislotion，Iamboundtogivehimthecreditofthecure。
Iinvitedhimtodinner，andtwotableswereproducedcoveredwithdifferentdishes，ofwhichheateheartily，showingmostsingulardexteritywithhischopsticksinremovingthefleshofsmall，bonyfish。Itispropertoshowappreciationofarepastbynoisygulpings，andmuchgurglinganddrawinginofthebreath。
Etiquetterigidlyprescribestheseperformances，whicharemostdistressingtoaEuropean，andmyguestnearlyupsetmygravitybythem。
Thehostandthekocho，orchiefmanofthevillage，paidmeaformalvisitintheevening，andIto，engrandetenue，exertedhimselfimmenselyontheoccasion。Theyweremuchsurprisedatmynotsmoking，andsupposedmetobeunderavow！TheyaskedmemanyquestionsaboutourcustomsandGovernment，butfrequentlyrevertedtotobacco。
TheEffectofaChicken——PoorFare——SlowTravelling——ObjectsofInterest——Kak’ke——TheFatalClose——AGreatFire——SecurityoftheKuras。
Veryearlyinthemorning，aftermylongtalkwiththeKochoofKanayama，Itowakenedmebysaying，“You’llbeableforalongday’sjourneyto-day，asyouhadachickenyesterday，“andunderthischicken’smarvellousinfluencewegotawayat6。45，onlytoverifytheproverb，“Themorehastetheworsespeed。“UnsolicitedbymetheKochosentroundthevillagetoforbidthepeoplefromassembling，soIgotawayinpeacewithapack-horseandonerunner。Itwasaterribleroad，withtwoseveremountain-passestocross，andInotonlyhadtowalknearlythewholeway，buttohelpthemanwiththekurumaupsomeofthesteepestplaces。HaltingattheexquisitelysituatedvillageofNosoki，wegotonehorse，andwalkedbyamountainroadalongthehead-watersoftheOmonotoInnai。IwishIcouldconveytoyouanyideaofthebeautyandwildnessofthatmountainroute，ofthesurprisesontheway，ofviews，oftheviolentdelugesofrainwhichturnedrivuletsintotorrents，andofthehardshipsanddifficultiesoftheday；thescantyfareofsun-driedricedoughandsouryellowrasps，andthedepthofthemirethroughwhichwewaded！WecrossedtheShioneandSakatsupasses，andintwelvehoursaccomplishedfifteenmiles！
Everywhereweweretoldthatweshouldnevergetthroughthecountrybythewaywearegoing。
Thewomenstillweartrousers，butwithalonggarmenttuckedintotheminsteadofashortone，andthemenwearacottoncombinationofbreastplateandapron，eitherwithoutanythingelse，orovertheirkimonos。ThedescenttoInnaiunderanavenueofcryptomeria，andthevillageitself，shutinwiththerushingOmono，areverybeautiful。
TheyadoyaatInnaiwasaremarkablycheerfulone，butmyroomwasentirelyfusumaandshoji，andpeoplewerepeepinginthewholetime。Itisnotonlyaforeignerandhisstrangewayswhichattractattentionintheseremotedistricts，but，inmycase，myindia-rubberbath，air-pillow，and，aboveall，mywhitemosquitonet。Theirnetsareallofaheavygreencanvas，andtheyadmireminesomuch，thatIcangivenomoreacceptablepresentonleavingthanapieceofittotwistinwiththehair。ThereweresixengineersinthenextroomwhoaresurveyingthepasseswhichIhadcrossed，inordertoseeiftheycouldbetunnelled，inwhichcasekurumasmightgoallthewayfromTokiyotoKubotaontheSeaofJapan，and，withasmalladditionaloutlay，cartsalso。
InthetwovillagesofUpperandLowerInnaitherehasbeenanoutbreakofamaladymuchdreadedbytheJapanese，calledkak’ke，which，inthelastsevenmonths，hascarriedoff100personsoutofapopulationofabout1500，andthelocaldoctorshavebeenaidedbytwosentfromtheMedicalSchoolatKubota。Idon’tknowaEuropeannameforit；theJapanesenamesignifiesanaffectionofthelegs。Itsfirstsymptomsarealossofstrengthinthelegs，“loosenessintheknees，“crampsinthecalves，swelling，andnumbness。This，Dr。Anderson，whohasstudiedkak’keinmorethan1100casesinTokiyo，callsthesub-acuteform。Thechronicisaslow，numbing，andwastingmalady，which，ifunchecked，resultsindeathfromparalysisandexhaustioninfromsixmonthstothreeyears。Thethird，oracuteform，Dr。Andersondescribesthus。
Afterremarkingthatthegravesymptomssetinquiteunexpectedly，andgoonrapidlyincreasing，hesays:-“Thepatientnowcanliedownnolonger；hesitsupinbedandtossesrestlesslyfromonepositiontoanother，and，withwrinkledbrow，staringandanxiouseyes，duskyskin，blue，partedlips，dilatednostrils，throbbingneck，andlabouringchest，presentsapictureofthemostterribledistressthattheworstofdiseasescaninflict。Thereisnointermissionevenforamoment，andthephysician，herealmostpowerless，candolittlemorethannotethefailingpulseandfallingtemperature，andwaitforthemomentwhenthebrain，paralysedbythecarbonisedblood，shallbecomeinsensible，andallowthedyingmantopasshislastmomentsinmercifulunconsciousness。“{15}
Thenextmorning，afterridingninemilesthroughaquagmire，undergrandavenuesofcryptomeria，andnoticingwithregretthatthetelegraphpolesceased，wereachedYusowa，atownof7000people，inwhich，haditnotbeenforprovokingdelays，IshouldhavesleptinsteadofatInnai，andfoundthatafireafewhourspreviouslyhaddestroyedseventyhouses，includingtheyadoyaatwhichI
shouldhavelodged。Wehadtowaittwohoursforhorses，asallwereengagedinmovingpropertyandpeople。Thegroundwherethehouseshadstoodwasabsolutelybareofeverythingbutfineblackash，amongwhichthekurasstoodblackened，and，insomeinstances，slightlycracked，butinallunharmed。Alreadyskeletonsofnewhouseswererising。Nolifehadbeenlostexceptthatofatipsyman，butIshouldprobablyhavelosteverythingbutmymoney。
LunchinPublic——AGrotesqueAccident——PoliceInquiries——ManorWoman？——AMelancholyStare——AViciousHorse——AnIll-favouredTown——
ADisappointment——ATorii。
Yusowaisaspeciallyobjectionable-lookingplace。Itookmylunch——awretchedmealofatastelesswhitecurdmadefrombeans，withsomecondensedmilkaddedtoit——inayard，andthepeoplecrowdedinhundredstothegate，andthosebehind，beingunabletoseeme，gotladdersandclimbedontheadjacentroofs，wheretheyremainedtilloneoftheroofsgavewaywithaloudcrash，andprecipitatedaboutfiftymen，women，andchildrenintotheroombelow，whichfortunatelywasvacant。Nobodyscreamed——anoteworthyfact——andthecasualtieswereonlyafewbruises。Fourpolicementhenappearedanddemandedmypassport，asifIwereresponsiblefortheaccident，andfailing，likeallothers，toreadaparticularworduponit，theyaskedmewhatIwastravellingfor，andonbeingtold“tolearnaboutthecountry，“theyaskedifIwasmakingamap！Havingsatisfiedtheircuriositytheydisappeared，andthecrowdsurgedupagaininfullerforce。TheTransportAgentbeggedthemtogoaway，buttheysaidtheymightneverseesuchasightagain！Oneoldpeasantsaidhewouldgoawayifheweretoldwhether“thesight“wereamanorawoman，and，ontheagentaskingifthatwereanybusinessofhis，hesaidheshouldliketotellathomewhathehadseen，whichawokemysympathyatonce，andItoldItototellthemthataJapanesehorsegallopingnightanddaywithoutceasingwouldtake5。5weekstoreachmycounty——astatementwhichheisusinglavishlyasIgoalong。Thesearesuchqueercrowds，sosilentandgaping，andtheyremainmotionlessforhours，thewide-awakebabiesonthemothers’backsandinthefathers’armsnevercrying。Ishouldbegladtohearaheartyaggregatelaugh，evenifIwereitsobject。Thegreatmelancholystareisdepressing。
Theroadfortenmileswasthrongedwithcountrypeoplegoingintoseethefire。Itwasagoodroadandverypleasantcountry，withnumerousroad-sideshrinesandfiguresofthegoddessofmercy。I
hadawickedhorse，thoroughlyvicious。Hisheadwasdoublychainedtothesaddle-girth，buthenevermetman，woman，orchild，withoutlayingbackhisearsandrunningatthemtobitethem。I
wassotiredandinsomuchspinalpainthatIgotoffandwalkedseveraltimes，anditwasmostdifficulttogetonagain，forassoonasIputmyhandonthesaddleheswunghishindlegsroundtokickme，anditrequiredsomeagilitytoavoidbeinghurt。Norwasthisall。Theevilbeastmadedasheswithhistetheredheadatflies，threateningtotwistordemolishmyfootateach，flunghishindlegsupwards，attemptedtodislodgefliesonhisnosewithhishindhoof，executedcaperswhichinvolvedatotaldisappearanceofeverythinginfrontofthesaddle，squealed，stumbled，kickedhisoldshoesoff，andresentedthefeebleattemptswhichthemagomadetoreplacethem，andfinallywalkedintoYokoteanddownitslonganddismalstreetmainlyonhishindlegs，shakingtheropeoutofhistimidleader’shand，andshakingmeintoasortofachingjelly！Iusedtothinkthathorsesweremadeviciouseitherbybeingteasedorbyviolenceinbreaking；butthisdoesnotaccountforthemalignityoftheJapanesehorses，forthepeoplearesomuchafraidofthemthattheytreatthemwithgreatrespect:theyarenotbeatenorkicked，arespokentoinsoothingtones，and，onthewhole，livebetterthantheirmasters。Perhapsthisisthesecretoftheirvillainy——“Jeshurunwaxedfatandkicked。“
Yokote，atownof10，000people，inwhichthebestyadoyasareallnon-respectable，isanill-favoured，ill-smelling，forlorn，dirty，damp，miserableplace，withalargetradeincottons。AsIrodethroughonmytemporarybipedthepeoplerushedoutfromthebathstoseeme，menandwomenalikewithoutaparticleofclothing。Thehouse-masterwasverypolite，butIhadadarkanddirtyroom，upabambooladder，anditswarmedwithfleasandmosquitoestoanexasperatingextent。OnthewayIheardthatabullockwaskilledeveryThursdayinYokote，andhaddecidedonhavingabroiledsteakforsupperandtakinganotherwithme，butwhenIarriveditwasallsold，therewerenoeggs，andImadeamiserablemealofriceandbeancurd，feelingsomewhatstarved，asthecondensedmilkI
boughtatYamagatahadtobethrownaway。Iwassomewhatwretchedfromfatigueandinflamedantbites，butintheearlymorning，hotandmistyasallthemorningshavebeen，IwenttoseeaShintotemple，ormiya，and，thoughIwentalone，escapedathrong。
Theentranceintothetemplecourtwas，asusual，byatorii，whichconsistedoftwolargeposts20feethigh，surmountedwithcrossbeams，theupperoneofwhichprojectsbeyondthepostsandfrequentlycurvesupwardsatbothends。Thewhole，asisoftenthecase，waspaintedadullred。Thistorii，or“birds’rest，“issaidtobesocalledbecausethefowls，whichwereformerlyofferedbutnotsacrificed，wereaccustomedtoperchuponit。Astrawrope，withstrawtasselsandstripsofpaperhangingfromit，thespecialemblemofShinto，hungacrossthegateway。Inthepavedcourttherewereseveralhandsomegranitelanternsonfinegranitepedestals，suchasarethenearlyuniversalaccompanimentsofbothShintoandBuddhisttemples。
AfterleavingYakotewepassedthroughveryprettycountrywithmountainviewsandoccasionalglimpsesofthesnowydomeofChokaizan，crossedtheOmonowhichhasburstitsbanksanddestroyeditsbridgesbytwotroublesomeferries，andarrivedatRokugo，atownof5000people，withfinetemples，exceptionallymeanhouses，andthemostaggressivecrowdbywhichIhaveyetbeenasphyxiated。