The Four Corners in Japan

  CHAPTER XII

  NIKKO, THE MAGNIFICENT

  Before the end of the week, came a letter from Mrs. Craig urging themall to join her in the mountains near the famous temples of Nikko. "Ihave been unable to find you a proper house," she wrote, "but I thinkyou can be very comfortable at one of the inns. I would my own cottagewere larger so I could take you all in, but I shall insist upon havingNan and Mary Lee at least. Eleanor gets lonely and begs that theywill not disappoint her. You know the old saying, 'Do not say _kekko_till you have seen Nikko,' meaning that you are not to call any spotmagnificent until you have been up here."

  Mrs. Craig's letter was followed by one from Eleanor herself. Sheclamored for her college mates, using every persuasive word and everyargument in her power, till they felt it would be fairly wicked not toaccept.

  For some reason Mr. Harding seemed almost as eager as Eleanor, lendinghis arguments to hers till finally the girls wrote to say that theywould come and Miss Helen decided that they would trust to Mrs.Craig's declaration that the rest could be well housed near by.

  "We must keep it a dead secret from Mr. Warner," declared Jack, "forthe first thing you know he will bob up serenely with that ridiculoushelmet of his and that pongee coat. If I see any one up there wearingthe likes, I know I shall faint on the spot, for I shall believe it isSylvanus Warner reincarnated. Such a name, Sylvanus; it makes me tired."

  "He will think we are going back to Tokyo to stay, so we must get offbefore he gets on to the plan," remarked Jean.

  "We will leave a polite little note," said Nan, "telling him that weare going to visit and travel and then when we get back to Tokyo wewill let him know. Then we must make up our minds not to come back toTokyo but to keep on to Kyoto which we must see."

  "But it will be hot there," complained Jean, "for it is even furthersouth."

  "Oh, well, never mind; we can't stay in the mountains forever, andafter being up there and getting back some of our lost energy we oughtto be able to stand Kyoto for a while, anyhow," Nan decided.

  Mr. Harding bade them good-bye the next day with more cheerfulness thanJack felt was exactly flattering. Nan thought that there was a touchof expectancy in his parting words to her. "I shall see you soon again,I hope," he said. "I am so very glad that you will be with Eleanor andAunt Nora." Nan, however, kept her own counsel and did not speculatealoud upon what he might have meant her to infer.

  Mr. Warner attached himself to their party when they returned to Tokyo,and no one seemed to mind very much, for, as Jack said, "It is alwayswell to have a man around when you take a journey, even if he is aSilly Billy."

  "I wonder if they called him Sylly for short when he was a little boy,"said Jean, which was pretty good for her.

  "They might just as appropriately have called him Vainy," returnedJack; and Sylly Vainy they dubbed him from that time out.

  There was only a short halt in Tokyo, and then the start was made forthe mountain retreat in the lovely highlands of Nippon. This meant ajourney of about a hundred miles by rail, over a well-managed road. Atvarious stations on the way, one could get from boys, only too eagerfor customers, well-packed luncheons, put up in attractive boxes, so adining-car could be dispensed with.

  "This seems quite like Europe," said Nan nibbling at her broiledchicken, "but I wish I had something to drink; one doesn't dare to tryunboiled water in this country." Her wish was soon granted, for almostimmediately came a boy with a little earthen pot of tea and a cup whichhe offered for the modest sum of two cents, pouring on hot water from asteaming kettle he carried.

  On, past rice fields, once in a while catching glimpses of vast forestsof cryptomeria, they journeyed to Nikko where they were met by Eleanorand the colonel to receive the warmest of greetings and to be hurriedon to the mountain inn where four of the party were to stay.

  "We will come to Nikko itself another day," the colonel said. "Youwill find enough to interest you in this region, I am sure. If youfeel historically inclined, there are the temples and shrines richwith suggestions of Iyeyasu, than whom is no greater character in allJapanese chronicles. His tomb is here as well as that of his successor,Iemitsu. If you want splendor in the way of temples you have but tovisit those erected to his memory. Then if your mood is for naturalbeauties, we can show you such waterfalls and cascades, such streamsand lakes and rocky precipices, forests and glens that ought to satisfythe most ardent nature lover."

  This all sounded very alluring and the whole party congratulatedthemselves that they had not left out this part of the country fromtheir trip.

  The Craigs' house was built on the Japanese plan with matted floors,and screened partitions. The entire front could be opened to the day,but at night it could be shut in by the wooden amado. An entrancinggarden was kept in order by a Japanese gardener who devised miniaturelakes and forests, rockeries and waterfalls, so that the whole was amost unique and delightful place at any hour of the day. Even in wetweather one could find protection under a most artistic summer-house,built of bamboo and supporting vines in flower.

  The air was fresh and cool, a great relief after the sultriness ofTokyo, and a warm bath was ready, the water being brought throughbamboo pipes. Then there was tea in the little pagoda and afterwardall walked over to see how those at the inn were getting along. Theywere found to be in a state of entire content, in cool, pleasant roomsoverlooking a charming garden, a verandah running along in front oftheir windows giving them a sheltered place to sit if they preferredseclusion.

  "We are all going to see the temples the first thing to-morrow,"announced Eleanor, "so you must all be ready."

  "I can scarcely wait," declared Nan, "for I have dreamed of them eversince I began to study up on Japan. I hope you will all sleep well, soas to be in condition for our wonderful day."

  "Sleeping on mats and hearing every least sound through paperpartitions may not be conducive to sleep," returned her Aunt Helen,"but we shall do our best. What are we to see first, colonel?"

  "The river and the Sacred Bridge would be the most natural in lineof progression," returned he. "I am sure you will not exhaust theneighborhood in a long while, so we are hoping to keep you for manyweeks."

  "The more I hear, the more there seem to rise up new objects to marvelat," said Nan. "I have just heard of a wonderful cavern in the sideof an extinct volcano. The Two-Storm Mountain they called it becauseof the fearful tempests that came spring and fall, but a great saintquelled the storm devils and now it is called Nikko-San, which meansthe Mountain of the Sun's Brightness. Isn't that a nice tale? I amtrying to write down all the legends I hear, but there is such abewildering number of them that I know some will get away before I havethem safely captured."

  The cool, mountain breezes made every one so sleepy that conversationlagged at an early hour and no one was inclined to sit up late thatnight, but there was not one who was not the better for the longnight's rest and who was not eager to start out promptly the nextmorning.

  "And so that is the Sacred Bridge, the red lacquer bridge over whichnone but the emperor may pass," said Mrs. Corner looking at the famousstructure which spanned the torrent. "It is really beautiful againstthe rich green, isn't it? Who but Japanese would ever think of buildinga red lacquer bridge? But somehow it suits the landscape."

  "The scarlet arch," murmured Nan thoughtfully. "Tell us something aboutit." She turned to the colonel.

  "I should have to give you a long dissertation on Iyeyasu and theTokugawa which I think would probably bore you all. We'd better waittill some rainy day for that."

  "So I can make notes and not find my eyes and thoughts wandering asthey would have to do now," returned Nan.

  Jack was looking in her guide-book. "It is eighty-four feet across,"she gave the information, "and it is said that the wood is in as goodcondition as when it was put there something like two hundred and fortyyears ago."

  They left the scarlet arch to go on to the great grove of cryptomeriaswhere stood the sacred temples. Many there were, large and small.Shrin
es and images, pagodas and gray stone lanterns were scatteredthroughout the wood, and wonderful some of these were, showing suchrichness of color, wonders in bronze and lacquer, marvels in gilt andwhite and black, miracles of design and splendor of ornament. It wasall too bewildering to be taken in at one time, and they all agreedthat one could get only a general impression upon a first view.

  "We shall want to come many, many times," Miss Helen declared. "Withsuch an embarrassment of riches one is left in a state of helplessamaze."

  "It is by far the finest thing we have seen yet." Mary Lee was sure asto her opinion.

  "I suppose every professor at college will be asking me my impressionsand will be insisting upon a detailed description, when I get back,"said Jack. "I shall have to learn pages of the guide-books for I shallnever get a perfectly clear idea of it. I can hear myself sayinglamely, 'Oh, it is all gilt and lacquer and there are dragons and queerbeasts over everything.'"

  "Such a very lucid description," said Jean contemptuously. "I shall tryto make as clear a study as possible and take only a little at a time,one shrine, or a part of one temple."

  "Good!" cried Jack, "then I can copy yours." It was exactly what Jackwould do. She always economized time by taking advantage of Jean'splodding methods, and arrived at much more brilliant results thereby.

  "We haven't seen the five hundred Buddhas," said Nan as they left thetemples. "I read about them and it is said that they are so elusivethat no two persons ever decide upon the same number when countingthem."

  "Oh, do let's go find them," cried Jack, this being in the manner of agame particularly appealing to her.

  They came back to the bridge and climbed up the hillside by a flightof stone steps. Before them were more shrines and holy pagoda-likeedifices. Mary Lee and Jean discovered the stone which marks theresting place of the great shogun's favorite horse. They lingered bythe spot, Mary Lee reading aloud from her book. "The horse was at lastturned loose on the hillside," she told Jean, "and had a long life offreedom here under the trees."

  These two presently caught up with the others who were standing near along row of queer stone images.

  "These are the Buddhas," announced Jack.

  "Did you ever see such a strong family resemblance as they bear to oneanother? I have counted them twice, but can't make anything like fivehundred. The spray keeps them always moist and that is why they havegathered moss, like other individuals who stay in one place."

  "One does seem to have been seized with a _wanderlust_," cried Nan."Come here, Jack. There is one at the foot of the hill. I rememberreading how he broke away from his companions once when he was afraidof a terrible storm. He tried to reach the village, but didn't quiteget there."

  They wandered about over the hillside till some one declared it must betime for lunch, and then Mrs. Craig announced that they were to make apicnic of this meal and were to find a silver lake where they were tobe met by the servants with the hamper, and where they could rest andenjoy the lovely scene.

  "What a delightful surprise," cried Miss Helen, as they suddenly espiedthe fair lake from a turn in the road, which they had just made. "Isthis our picnic ground?"

  "It is, and I hope you like it," Mrs. Craig answered. "Chuzenji Lake itis called. It is one of my favorite spots and is rather a relief afterthe gorgeousness of the temples."

  "It is just that, sylvan quiet and perfect peace. One could lie here bythe sands and think many thoughts."

  The servants were bustling around unobtrusively and presently hadan appetizing meal spread. They had brought a _hibachi_ with whichthey could do wonders in preparing eggs, tea and various other thingsgrateful to tired sightseers. There was much talk of the old legendsand of later historical tales, the colonel waxing eloquent upon thesubject of the great Iyeyasu who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate whichcontinued almost to the present century.

  "Iyeyasu died in 1616," the colonel told them, "and the present emperorcame into power in 1868. Iyeyasu boasted of having fought ninetybattles. He nearly destroyed Christianity and closed the door of Japanupon foreign nations. He was really a great man for he accomplishedmuch, and although we must condemn many of his acts, we can but admirethe man's tremendous force and strength of character. It was hisrequest that his body should be brought to Nikko where were the mostmagnificent temples in the country. He is supposed to return to earthonce a year to ride in that fine lacquered vehicle which brought hisbody hither. Some day when we get better acquainted with him and whenyou have become more familiar with the splendors of the various templeswe will come and look at the relics of Iyeyasu."

  "I get so dreadfully mixed up on the religions. I thought all theChinese and Japanese were followers of Confucius," said Jean.

  "Shinto is the legalized religion," the colonel told her. "It isancestor worship, to describe it briefly, but you will find that thedoctrines of Confucius are accepted as philosophies rather than asreligious dogmas. Shintoism means 'the way of the gods.' To quoteone writer, 'it is a mixture of nature worship and the worship ofancestors.' It has its own mythological gods, heroes and traditions.The god, Izanagi, and the goddess, Isanami, are supposed to be theparents of the Japanese Islands. The great Sun-goddess, who is thesupreme deity, was born from Izanagi's left eye. The Shinto templesare very simple compared to those of the Buddhists who introducedtheir religion into the country about the sixth century. There areseveral sects of Buddhists. There is the Shin-shu and the Jodo-shu,for instance, and though all these sects differ on minor points theyagree upon the more important ones. Buddhist temples are often builtin isolated spots, upon the mountains or in deep valleys, while theShin sect erect their places of worship principally in the cities. Onewould have to make a pretty deep study of all these different beliefsto understand the differences, or indeed to understand just what is thebelief of any one sect. If you go in for folk-lore it will be necessaryfor you to get some slight notion, at least, of the mythology and ofthe salient features of the doctrines. There, I have given you a longlecture, and I shall not tire you out by saying any more."

  "It is all very interesting, and makes one want to go deeper into it,"confessed Nan.

  "Very well, any time you come up against a blank wall I will do mybest to open the way for you," said the colonel. "I am by no means anauthority, and have only the veriest smattering of the subject, but Ifind it an interesting one, and in my talks with various missionaries,I have learned something."

  "There is something very wonderful about the temple gardens," said MissHelen. "I notice that each one has some special form of development.Here we have the cryptomeria trees as a dominant feature; at Uyeno itwas the cherry trees, and at Kamakura the lotus held sway."

  "That is all quite true, and at Kyoto you will find that water is madeto occupy the centre of interest. The gardens of Japan are alone wortha study. I was surprised, when I first came, to see how one singlematerial was sometimes worked up in such a way as to give a charmingindividuality. In one, garden rocks would be used; in another, therewould be little waterfalls, rills, and aquatic plants; in a third,you would find certain scenes reproduced in miniature; a little poolwill stand for a lake, the rock in the middle will be an island, themountainside will be represented by small inclines planted thickly withdwarf bushes. Such gardens are often real works of art."

  There was much more talk of this kind during the time they were restingafter their meal and then the move was made for a return. "So we candigest our luncheon and the colonel's lecture at the same time," saidJack saucily.

  "I hope both will agree with you," returned the colonel with a smile.They returned by way of the town where a new sight caught their amusedattention. An energetic bullock, the motive power of a short railwayline, was seen performing his office of engine quite as a matter ofcourse, drawing cars along the track at the rate of two miles an hour.

  "In this land of Upside-down-ness, that is about the funniest thing Ihave seen," declared Jack. "I shall expect to see monkeys acting astelephone girls and cats doing the postman
act."

  "There is one thing about the cats here, I notice," said Jean gravely,"they don't carry tails."

  The girls all groaned. "See what pernicious influence can be wrought byone person," said Mary Lee. "Jean has been associating with Sylly Vainyfor so long that she has borrowed his peculiarities." Which remarkquite settled Jean.

  CHAPTER XIIICRICKETS AND FIREFLIES]