Page:Scented isles and coral gardens- Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, by C.D. Mackellar, 1912.pdf/412

32 the Yoshiwara, that part of the town containing the best houses, wherein dwell apart the frail ladies, and it was a curious sight to see these painted little personages pouring out. But it was a painful sight to behold amongst them, and towering high above them, a tall, slim, fairheaded American girl—for, strange to say, it is not unusual in such places to find educated American girls lost to all sense of shame and everything else.

Every one is now familiar with Japanese house—so often seen in "Japanese Villages" in exhibitions. But these houses in Japan were a source of unfailing delight to me, so wonderfully exact and beautiful is their workmanship every sliding panel or window fitting to perfection, everything perfect in its utter simplicity. Yet en masse they are tiresome to behold, especially as the wood, being all unpainted and unvarnished, soon becomes grey and gives them a dilapidated look. The general effect, then, of a Japanese town is monotonous.

Everything is so perfectly clean. How charming that is! Even the coolies who run before your rickshaw have their daily hot bath—nay, are boiled daily! Probably the Japanese are the cleanest people existing. Bath-houses are everywhere, and the blind people act as shampooers, go about the street making a noise with their wooden stave, and can be called in as they pass any house.

Shopping! Need I tell any one what shopping means in Japan—what an irresistible occupation it is, and what wonders even modern Japan can display before you?

But the children's streets whole streets given up to nothing but shops full of children's toys! And such toys! They fascinated me—each tiny