waswelldisposedtobecontentwhentheproductionofsomehandsomefusumacreateddaimiyo’sroomsoutofthefarthestpartofthedimandwanderingspace，openinguponadampgarden，intowhichtherainsplashedallnight。
Thesolitaryspoiloftheday’sjourneywasagloriouslily，whichIpresentedtothehouse-master，andinthemorningitwasbloomingonthekami-danainasmallvaseofpricelessoldSatsumachina。I
wasawokeoutofasoundsleepbyItocominginwitharumour，broughtbysometravellers，thatthePrimeMinisterhadbeenassassinated，andfiftypolicemenkilled！[ThiswasprobablyadistortedversionofthepartialmutinyoftheImperialGuard，whichIlearnedonlandinginYezo。]Verywildpoliticalrumoursareintheairintheseoutlandishregions，anditisnotverywonderfulthatthepeasantrylackconfidenceintheexistingorderofthingsafterthechangesofthelasttenyears，andtherecentassassinationoftheHomeMinister。Ididnotbelievetherumour，forfanaticism，eveninitswildestmoods，usuallyowessomeallegiancetocommonsense；butitwasdisturbing，asIhavenaturallycometofeeladeepinterestinJapaneseaffairs。AfewhourslaterItoagainpresentedhimselfwithableedingcutonhistemple。Inlightinghispipe——anodiousnocturnalpracticeoftheJapanese——hehadfallenovertheedgeofthefire-pot。IalwayssleepinaJapanesekimonatobereadyforemergencies，andsoonbounduphishead，andsleptagain，tobeawokeearlybyanotherdeluge。
Wemadeanearlystart，butgotoververylittleground，owingtobadroadsandlongdelays。Alldaytheraincamedownineventorrents，thetrackswerenearlyimpassable，myhorsefellfivetimes，Isufferedseverelyfrompainandexhaustion，andalmostfellintodespairabouteverreachingthesea。Inthesewildregionstherearenokagoornorimonstobehad，andapack-horseistheonlyconveyance，andyesterday，havingabandonedmyownsaddle，Ihadthebadlucktogetapack-saddlewithspeciallyangularanduncompromisingpeaks，withasoakedandextremelyunwashedfutononthetop，spars，tackle，ridges，andfurrowsofthemostexasperatingdescription，andtwonoosesofropetoholdonbyastheanimalsliddownhillonhishaunches，orletmealmostslideoverhistailashescrambledandplungeduphill。
Itwasprettycountry，eveninthedownpour，whenwhitemistspartedandfir-crownedheightslookedoutforamoment，orwesliddownintoadeepglenwithmossyboulders，lichen-coveredstumps，fernycarpet，anddamp，balsamysmellofpyramidalcryptomeria，andatawnytorrentdashingthroughitingustsofpassion。Thentherewerelowhills，muchscrub，immenserice-fields，andviolentinundations。Butitisnotpleasant，evenintheprettiestcountry，toclingontoapack-saddlewithasaturatedquiltbelowyouandthewaterslowlysoakingdownthroughyourwetclothesintoyourboots，knowingallthetimethatwhenyouhaltyoumustsleeponawetbed，andchangeintodampclothes，andputonthewetonesagainthenextmorning。Thevillageswerepoor，andmostofthehouseswereofboardsrudelynailedtogetherforends，andforsidesstrawrudelytiedon；theyhadnowindows，andsmokecameoutofeverycrack。TheywereasunlikethehouseswhichtravellersseeinsouthernJapanasa“blackhut“inUistislikeacottageinatrimvillageinKent。Thesepeasantproprietorshavemuchtolearnoftheartofliving。AtTsuguriko，thenextstage，wheretheTransportOfficewassodirtythatIwasobligedtositinthestreetintherain，theytoldusthatwecouldonlygetonarifarther，becausethebridgeswereallcarriedawayandthefordswereimpassable；butIengagedhorses，and，bydintofBritishdoggednessandthewillingnessofthemago，IgotthehorsessinglyandwithouttheirloadsinsmallpuntsacrosstheswollenwatersoftheHayakuchi，theYuwase，andtheMochida，andfinallyfordedthreebranchesofmyoldfriendtheYonetsurugawa，withthefoamofitshurryingwaterswhiteningthemen’sshouldersandthehorses’
packs，andwithahundredJapaneselookingonatthe“folly“oftheforeigner。
Iliketotellyouofkindpeopleeverywhere，andthetwomagowerespeciallyso，for，whentheyfoundthatIwaspushingontoYezoforfearofbeinglaidupintheinteriorwilds，theydidalltheycouldtohelpme；liftedmegentlyfromthehorse，madestepsoftheirbacksformetomount，andgatheredformehandfulsofredberries，whichIateoutofpoliteness，thoughtheytastedofsomenauseousdrug。TheysuggestedthatIshouldstayatthepicturesquely-situatedoldvillageofKawaguchi，buteverythingaboutitwasmildewedandgreenwithdamp，andthestenchfromthegreenandblackditcheswithwhichitaboundedwassooverpowering，eveninpassingthrough，thatIwasobligedtorideontoOdate，acrowded，forlorn，half-tumbling-to-piecestownof8000people，withbarkroofshelddownbystones。
Theyadoyasarecrowdedwithstorm-staidtravellers，andIhadawearytrampfromonetoanother，almostsinkingfrompain，presseduponbyanimmensecrowd，andfrequentlybotheredbyapoliceman，whofollowedmefromoneplacetotheother，makingwhollyunrighteousdemandsformypassportatthatmostinopportunetime。
AfteralongsearchIcouldgetnothingbetterthanthisroom，withfusumaoftissuepaper，inthecentreofthedinofthehouse，closetothedomaanddaidokoro。Fiftytravellers，nearlyallmen，arehere，mostlyspeakingatthetopoftheirvoices，andinaprovincialjargonwhichexasperatesIto。Cooking，bathing，eating，and，worstofall，perpetualdrawingwaterfromawellwithacreakinghoistingapparatus，aregoingonfrom4。30inthemorningtill11。30atnight，andonbotheveningsnoisymirth，ofalcoholicinspiration，anddissonantperformancesbygeishashaveaddedtothedimInallplaceslatelyHai，“yes，“hasbeenpronouncedHe，Chi，Na，Ne，toIto’sgreatcontempt。Itsoundslikeanexpletiveorinterjectionratherthanaresponse，andseemsusedoftenasasignofrespectorattentiononly。Oftenitisloudandshrill，thenguttural，attimeslittlemorethanasigh。Intheseyadoyaseverysoundisaudible，andIhearlowrumblingofmingledvoices，andaboveallthesharpHai，Haiofthetea-housegirlsinfullchorusfromeveryquarterofthehouse。ThehabitofsayingitissostrongthatamanrousedoutofsleepjumpsupwithHai，Hai，andoften，whenIspeaktoItoinEnglish，astupidHebesittingbyanswersHai。
Idon’twanttoconveyafalseimpressionofthenoisehere。ItwouldbeatleastthreetimesasgreatwereIinequallycloseproximitytoalargehotelkitcheninEngland，withfiftyBritonsonlyseparatedfrommebypaperpartitions。IhadnotbeenlonginbedonSaturdaynightwhenIwasawokebyItobringinginanoldhenwhichhesaidhecouldstewtillitwastender，andIfellasleepagainwithitsdyingsqueakinmyears，tobeawokeasecondtimebytwopolicemenwantingforsomeoccultreasontoseemypassport，andathirdtimebytwomenwithlanternsscramblingandfumblingabouttheroomforthestringsofamosquitonet，whichtheywantedforanothertraveller。TheseareamongtheludicrousincidentsofJapanesetravelling。AboutfiveItowokemebysayinghewasquitesurethatthemoxawouldbethethingtocuremyspine，and，asweweregoingtostayallday，hewouldgoandfetchanoperator；butIrejectedthisasemphaticallyastheservicesoftheblindman！Yesterdayamancameandpastedslipsofpaperoverallthe“peepholes“intheshoji，andIhavebeenverylittleannoyed，eventhoughtheyadoyaissocrowded。
Theraincontinuestocomedownintorrents，andrumoursarehourlyarrivingofdisasterstoroadsandbridgesonthenorthernroute。
Good-temperedIntoxication——TheEffectofSunshine——AtediousAltercation——EveningOccupations——NoisyTalk——SocialGathering——
UnfairComparisons。
Earlythismorningtherain-cloudsrolledthemselvesupanddisappeared，andthebrightblueskylookedasifithadbeenwellwashed。Ihadtowaittillnoonbeforetheriversbecamefordable，andmyday’sjourneyisonlysevenmiles，asitisnotpossibletogofarthertillmoreofthewaterrunsoff。Wehadverylimp，melancholyhorses，andmymagowashalf-tipsy，andsang，talked，andjumpedthewholeway。Sakeisfrequentlytakenwarm，andinthatstateproducesaverynoisybutgood-temperedintoxication。I
haveseenagoodmanyintoxicatedpersons，butneveroneintheleastdegreequarrelsome；andtheeffectverysoonpassesoff，leaving，however，anunpleasantnauseafortwoorthreedaysasawarningagainstexcess。Theabominableconcoctionsknownunderthenamesofbeer，wine，andbrandy，produceabad-temperedandprolongedintoxication，anddeliriumtremens，rarelyknownasaresultofsakedrinking，isbeingintroducedundertheirbalefulinfluence。
Thesunshonegloriouslyandbrightenedthehill-girdledvalleyinwhichOdatestandsintopositivebeauty，withthenarrowriverflingingitsbrightwatersovergreenandredshingle，lightingitupinglintsamongtheconicalhills，somerichlywoodedwithconiferae，andothersmerelycoveredwithscrub，whichweretumbledaboutinpicturesqueconfusion。WhenJapangetsthesunshine，itsforest-coveredhillsandgarden-likevalleysareturnedintoparadise。Inajourneyof600milestherehashardlybeenapatchofcountrywhichwouldnothavebeenbeautifulinsunlight。
Wecrossedfiveseverefordswiththewaterhalf-wayupthehorses’
bodies，inoneofwhichthestrongcurrentcarriedmymagooffhisfeet，andthehorsetowedhimashore，singingandcapering，hisdrunkengleenothingabatedbyhiscoldbath。Everythingisinastateofwreck。Severalriverchannelshavebeenformedinplaceswheretherewasonlyone；thereisnotatraceoftheroadforaconsiderabledistance，notabridgeexistsfortenmiles，andagreattractofcountryiscoveredwithboulders，uprootedtrees，andlogsfloatedfromthemountainsides。Already，however，theseindustriouspeasantsaredrivingpiles，carryingsoilforembankmentsincreelsonhorses’backs，andmakingropesofstonestopreventarecurrenceofthecalamity。Aboutherethefemalepeasantswearforfield-workadresswhichpleasesmemuchbyitssuitability——lightbluetrousers，withaloosesackoverthem，confinedatthewaistbyagirdle。
Onarrivinghereinmuchpain，andknowingthattheroadwasnotopenanyfarther，Iwasannoyedbyalongandangryconversationbetweenthehouse-masterandIto，duringwhichthehorseswerenotunloaded，andtheupshotofitwasthatthemandeclinedtogivemeshelter，sayingthatthepolicehadbeenroundtheweekbeforegivingnoticethatnoforeignerwastobereceivedwithoutfirstcommunicatingwiththenearestpolicestation，which，inthisinstance，isthreehoursoff。IsaidthattheauthoritiesofAkitakencouldnotbyanylocalregulationsoverridetheImperialedictunderwhichpassportsareissued；buthesaidheshouldbeliabletoafineandthewithdrawalofhislicenseifheviolatedtherule。Noforeigner，hesaid，hadeverlodgedinShirasawa，andI
havenodoubtthatheaddedthathehopednoforeignerwouldeverseeklodgingsagain。Mypassportwascopiedandsentoffbyspecialrunner，asIshouldhavedeeplyregrettedbringingtroubleonthepoormanbyinsistingonmyrights，andinmuchtrepidationhegavemearoomopenononesidetothevillage，andonanothertoapond，overwhich，asiftocourtmosquitoes，itispartiallybuilt。IcannotthinkhowtheJapanesecanregardaholefullofdirtywaterasanornamentalappendagetoahouse。
MyhotelexpensesincludingIto’sarelessthan3s。a-day，andinnearlyeveryplacetherehasbeenacordialdesirethatIshouldbecomfortable，and，consideringthatIhaveoftenputupinsmall，roughhamletsoffthegreatroutesevenofJapanesetravel，theaccommodation，minusthefleasandtheodours，hasbeensurprisinglyexcellent，nottobeequalled，Ishouldthink，inequallyremoteregionsinanycountryintheworld。