. Japan, a record in colour . e paper screens act as a foil to thebright flashes of the musmes—waiting-girls—who movenoiselessly through the rooms like gigantic butterfliesflitting to and fro. The iris blooms are a rich massof colour of blue and white, and the gardener hasexhausted his art in pruning all the unnecessary growths m Japan without leaving a trace of his handiwork. The rideback was delightful. Tokio at night is seen at its best;the river is then more fascinating. Huge junks, witha solitary light at the masthead, glide by—fantasticshadows in the purple haze. The tea-houses, with the
. Japan, a record in colour . e paper screens act as a foil to thebright flashes of the musmes—waiting-girls—who movenoiselessly through the rooms like gigantic butterfliesflitting to and fro. The iris blooms are a rich massof colour of blue and white, and the gardener hasexhausted his art in pruning all the unnecessary growths m Japan without leaving a trace of his handiwork. The rideback was delightful. Tokio at night is seen at its best;the river is then more fascinating. Huge junks, witha solitary light at the masthead, glide by—fantasticshadows in the purple haze. The tea-houses, with theirfestoons of lanterns and orange interiors, in which onecaught glimpses of singing girls in their brilliantdresses, gleamed like golden patches in the cool bridges sparkled with lights; the shops werebright with colour ; and all through the city, to enjoythe coolness of the night air, groups of citizens wereseated in the streets chattering as gaily and as light-heartedly as only the Japs can. 112 IRIS GARDEN. FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 15 CHAPTER VII FLOWER ARRANGEMENT One of the chief characteristics of the Japanese, whichespecially distinguishes them from Europeans, is theirintense fondness for flowers—not the fondness whichmany English people affect, but an instinctive love ofthe beautiful, and a poetical appreciation of Japanese nature is artistic in essence, and in nomore delightful manner is the art of the people expressedthan in the cultivation of flowers. Flowers to them area source of infinite and unending joy, of which the chiefpleasure lies in their proper placing and common Japanese workman, every fan-worker ormetal-worker, has some little flower carefully placedbeside him at his work ; he loves and prunes and caresfor it. If you dine out with a friend you will be seated, noton the right-hand side of the past-middle-age ladyof the house, but near some beautiful flower. The honoured interior would never have the presumption
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