Inonetowntwoveryshabbypolicemenrusheduponus，seizedthebridleofmyhorse，andkeptmewaitingforalongtimeinthemiddleofacrowd，whiletheytoilsomelyboredthroughthepassport，turningitupanddown，andholdingituptothelight，asthoughthereweresomenefariousmysteryaboutit。MyhorsestumbledsobadlythatIwasobligedtowalktosavemyselffromanotherfall，and，justasmypowerswerefailing，wemetakuruma，whichbygoodmanagement，suchasbeingcarriedoccasionally，broughtmeintoKuroishi，aneattownof5500people，famousforthemakingofclogsandcombs，whereIhaveobtainedaveryneat，airy，upstairsroom，withagoodviewoverthesurroundingcountryandofthedoingsofmyneighboursintheirbackroomsandgardens。
InsteadofgettingontoAomoriIamspendingthreedaysandtwonightshere，and，astheweatherhasimprovedandmyroomisremarkablycheerful，theresthasbeenverypleasant。AsIhavesaidbefore，itisdifficulttogetanyinformationaboutanythingevenafewmilesoff，andevenatthePostOfficetheycannotgiveanyintelligenceastothedateofthesailingsofthemailsteamerbetweenAomori，twentymilesoff，andHakodate。
Thepolicewerenotsatisfiedwithseeingmypassport，butmustalsoseeme，andfourofthempaidmeapolitebutdomiciliaryvisittheeveningofmyarrival。Thateveningthesoundofdrummingwasceaseless，andsoonafterIwasinbedItoannouncedthattherewassomethingreallyworthseeing，soIwentoutinmykimonoandwithoutmyhat，andinthisdisguisealtogetherescapedrecognitionasaforeigner。Kuroishiisunlighted，andIwastumblingandstumblingalonginoverhastewhenastrongarmclearedtheway，andthehouse-masterappearedwithaveryprettylantern，hangingclosetothegroundfromacaneheldinthehand。Thuscamethephrase，“Thywordisalightuntomyfeet。“
Wesoonreachedapointforseeingthefestivalprocessionadvancetowardsus，anditwassobeautifulandpicturesquethatitkeptmeoutforanhour。Itpassesthroughallthestreetsbetween7and10p。m。eachnightduringthefirstweekinAugust，withanark，orcoffer，containingslipsofpaper，onwhichasIunderstand
wishesarewritten，andeachmorningatseventhisiscarriedtotheriverandtheslipsarecastuponthestream。Theprocessionconsistedofthreemonsterdrumsnearlytheheightofaman’sbody，coveredwithhorsehide，andstrappedtothedrummers，endupwards，andthirtysmalldrums，allbeatenrub-a-dub-dubwithoutceasing。
Eachdrumhasthetomoyepaintedonitsends。Thentherewerehundredsofpaperlanternscarriedonlongpolesofvariouslengthsroundacentrallantern，20feethigh，itselfanoblong6feetlong，withafrontandwings，andallkindsofmythicalandmysticalcreaturespaintedinbrightcoloursuponit——atransparencyratherthanalantern，infact。Surroundingitwerehundredsofbeautifullanternsandtransparenciesofallsortsoffancifulshapes——fans，fishes，birds，kites，drums；thehundredsofpeopleandchildrenwhofollowedallcarriedcircularlanterns，androwsoflanternswiththetomoyeononesideandtwoChinesecharactersontheotherhungfromtheeavesallalongthelineoftheprocession。Ineversawanythingmorecompletelylikeafairyscene，theundulatingwavesoflanternsastheyswayedalong，thesoftlightsandsofttintsmovingaloftinthedarkness，thelantern-bearersbeingindeepshadow。Thisfestivaliscalledthetanabata，orseisekifestival，butIamunabletogetanyinformationaboutit。Itosaysthatheknowswhatitmeans，butisunabletoexplain，andaddsthephrasehealwaysuseswhenindifficulties，“Mr。Satowwouldbeabletotellyouallaboutit。“
ALady’sToilet——Hair-dressing——PaintandCosmetics——AfternoonVisitors——ChristianConverts。
Thisisapleasantplace，andmyroomhasmanyadvantagesbesideslightandcleanliness，as，forinstance，thatIoverlookmyneighboursandthatIhaveseenaladyathertoiletpreparingforawedding！Amarriedgirlkneltinfrontofablacklacquertoilet-boxwithasprayofcherryblossomsingoldsprawlingoverit，andlacqueruprightsatthetop，whichsupportedapolishedmetalmirror。Severaldrawersinthetoilet-boxwereopen，andtoiletrequisitesinsmalllacquerboxeswerelyingonthefloor。
Afemalebarberstoodbehindthelady，combing，dividing，andtyingherhair，which，likethatofallJapanesewomen，wasglossyblack，butneitherfinenorlong。Thecoiffureisanerection，acompleteworkofart。Twodivisions，threeinchesapart，weremadealongthetopofthehead，andthelockofhairbetweenthesewascombed，stiffenedwithabandolinemadefromtheUvarioJaponica，raisedtwoinchesfromtheforehead，turnedback，tied，andpinnedtothebackhair。Therestwascombedfromeachsidetotheback，andthentiedlooselywithtwinemadeofpaper。Severalswitchesoffalsehairwerethentakenoutofalonglacquerbox，and，withtheaidofaquantityofbandolineandasolidpad，theordinarysmoothchignonwasproduced，towhichseveralloopsandbowsofhairwereadded，interwovenwithalittledark-bluecrepe，spangledwithgold。Asingle，thick，square-sided，tortoiseshellpinwasstuckthroughthewholeasanornament。
Thefashionsofdressingthehairarefixed。Theyvarywiththeagesoffemalechildren，andthereisaslightdifferencebetweenthecoiffureofthemarriedandunmarried。Thetwopartingsonthetopoftheheadandthechignonnevervary。Theamountofstiffeningusedisnecessary，astheheadisnevercoveredoutofdoors。Thisarrangementwilllastingoodorderforaweekormore——thankstothewoodenpillow。
Thebarber’sworkwasonlypartiallydonewhenthehairwasdressed，foreveryvestigeofrecalcitranteyebrowwasremoved，andeverydownyhairwhichdaredtodisplayitselfonthetemplesandneckwaspulledoutwithtweezers。Thisremovalofallshorthairhasatendencytomakeeventhenaturalhairlooklikeawig。Thentheladyherselftookaboxofwhitepowder，andlaiditonherface，ears，andneck，tillherskinlookedlikeamask。Withacamel’s-hairbrushshethenappliedsomemixturetohereyelidstomakethebrighteyeslookbrighter，theteethwereblackened，orratherreblackened，withafeatherbrushdippedinasolutionofgall-nutsandiron-filings——atiresomeanddisgustingprocess，severaltimesrepeated，andthenapatchofredwasplaceduponthelowerlip。Icannotsaythattheeffectwaspleasing，butthegirlthoughtso，forsheturnedherheadsoastoseethegeneraleffectinthemirror，smiled，andwassatisfied。Theremainderofhertoilet，whichaltogethertookoverthreehours，wasperformedinprivate，andwhenshereappearedshelookedasifaveryunmeaning-
lookingwoodendollhadbeendressedupwiththeexquisitegoodtaste，harmony，andquietnesswhichcharacterisethedressofJapanesewomen。
Amostrigidsocialetiquettedrawsanimpassablelineofdemarcationbetweenthecostumeofthevirtuouswomanineveryrankandthatofherfrailsister。Thehumiliatingtruththatmanyofourfemalefashionsareoriginatedbythosewhosepositionwethemostregret，andarethencarefullycopiedbyallclassesofwomeninourcountry，doesnotobtaincredenceamongJapanesewomen，towhomeventheslightestapproximationinthestyleofhair-
dressing，ornament，orfashionofgarmentswouldbeashame。
Iwassurprisedtohearthatthree“Christianstudents“fromHirosakiwishedtoseeme——threeremarkablyintelligent-looking，handsomely-dressedyoungmen，whoallspokealittleEnglish。OneofthemhadthebrightestandmostintellectualfacewhichIhaveseeninJapan。Theyareofthesamuraiclass，asIshouldhaveknownfromthesuperiortypeoffaceandmanner。TheysaidthattheyheardthatanEnglishladywasinthehouse，andaskedmeifI
wereaChristian，butapparentlywerenotsatisfiedtill，inanswertothequestionifIhadaBible，Iwasabletoproduceone。
Hirosakiisacastletownofsomeimportance，3。5rifromhere，anditsex-daimiyosupportsahigh-classschoolorcollegethere，whichhashadtwoAmericanssuccessivelyforitsheadmasters。ThesegentlemenmusthavebeenveryconsistentinChristianlivingaswellasenergeticinChristianteaching，forundertheirauspicesthirtyyoungmenhaveembracedChristianity。Asallofthesearewelleducated，andseveralarenearlyreadytopassasteachersintoGovernmentemployment，theiracceptanceofthe“newway“mayhaveanimportantbearingonthefutureofthisregion。
ATravellingCuriosity——RudeDwellings——PrimitiveSimplicity——ThePublicBath-house。
Yesterdaywasbeautiful，and，dispensingforthefirsttimewithIto’sattendance，Itookakurumafortheday，andhadaverypleasantexcursionintoaculdesacinthemountains。Theonedrawbackwastheinfamousroad，whichcompelledmeeithertowalkorbemercilesslyjolted。Therunnerwasanice，kind，merrycreature，quitedelighted，Itosaid，tohaveachanceofcarryingsogreatasightasaforeignerintoadistrictinwhichnoforeignerhasevenbeenseen。IntheabsolutesecurityofJapanesetravelling，whichIhavefullyrealisedforalongtime，IlookbackuponmyfearsatKasukabewithafeelingofself-contempt。
Thescenery，whichwasextremelypretty，gainedeverythingfromsunlightandcolour——wonderfulshadesofcobaltandindigo，greenbluesandbluegreens，andflashesofwhitefoaminunsuspectedrifts。Itlookedasimple，home-likeregion，averypleasantland。
Wepassedthroughseveralvillagesoffarmerswholiveinveryprimitivehabitations，builtofmud，lookingasifthemudhadbeendabbedupontheframeworkwiththehands。Thewallsslopedslightlyinwards，thethatchwasrude，theeavesweredeepandcoveredallmanneroflumber；therewasasmoke-holeinafew，butthemajoritysmokedalloverlikebrick-kilns；theyhadnowindows，andthewallsandrafterswereblackandshiny。Fowlsandhorsesliveononesideofthedarkinterior，andthepeopleontheother。
Thehouseswerealivewithunclothedchildren，andasIrepassedintheeveningunclothedmenandwomen，nudetotheirwaists，weresittingoutsidetheirdwellingswiththesmallfry，clothedonlyinamulets，aboutthem，severalbigyellowdogsformingpartofeachfamilygroup，andthefacesofdogs，children，andpeoplewereallplacidlycontented！Thesefarmersownedmanygoodhorses，andtheircropsweresplendid。Probablyonmatsuridaysallappearinfineclothestakenfromamplehoards。Theycannotbesopoor，asfarasthenecessariesoflifeareconcerned；theyareonlyvery“farback。“Theyknownothingbetter，andarecontented；buttheirhousesareasbadasanythatIhaveeverseen，andthesimplicityofEdeniscombinedwithanamountofdirtwhichmakesmescepticalastotheperformanceofevenweeklyablutions。
UpperNakanoisverybeautiful，andintheautumn，whenitsmyriadsofstar-leavedmaplesarescarletandcrimson，againstadarkbackgroundofcryptomeria，amongwhichagreatwhitewaterfallgleamslikeasnow-driftbeforeitleapsintotheblackpoolbelow，itmustbewellworthalongjourney。Ihavenotseenanythingwhichhaspleasedmemore。Thereisafineflightofmoss-grownstonestepsdowntothewater，aprettybridge，twosuperbstonetorii，somehandsomestonelanterns，andthenagrandflightofsteepstonestepsupahill-sidedarkwithcryptomerialeadstoasmallShintoshrine。Notfaroffthereisasacredtree，withthetokenofloveandrevengeuponit。Thewholeplaceisentrancing。
LowerNakano，whichIcouldonlyreachonfoot，isonlyinterestingaspossessingsomeveryhotsprings，whicharevaluableincasesofrheumatismandsoreeyes。Itconsistsmainlyoftea-housesandyadoyas，andseemedrathergay。Itisbuiltroundtheedgeofanoblongdepression，atthebottomofwhichthebath-housesstand，ofwhichtherearefour，onlynominallyseparated，andwithbuttwoentrances，whichopendirectlyuponthebathers。Inthetwoendhouseswomenandchildrenwerebathinginlargetanks，andinthecentreoneswomenandmenwerebathingtogether，butatoppositesides，withwoodenledgestosituponallround。Ifollowedthekuruma-runnerblindlytothebaths，andwhenonceinIhadtogooutattheotherside，beingpresseduponbypeoplefrombehind；