Mysterious Japan; . ure of certain Americans toappreciate Japanese courtesy and hospitality forwhat it is, stop here. Our yellow press and or-ganized Japanese-haters, aware that the higherhospitality of Japan has oftentimes an official orsemi-official character, are not satisfied to seek asimple explanation for the fact, but prefer to discernin it something artful and sinister. It is perfectly true that the stranger going toJapan with good letters of introduction meets agroup composed almost entirely of governmentofficials, big business men, and their families. It isalso true that he is likely
Mysterious Japan; . ure of certain Americans toappreciate Japanese courtesy and hospitality forwhat it is, stop here. Our yellow press and or-ganized Japanese-haters, aware that the higherhospitality of Japan has oftentimes an official orsemi-official character, are not satisfied to seek asimple explanation for the fact, but prefer to discernin it something artful and sinister. It is perfectly true that the stranger going toJapan with good letters of introduction meets agroup composed almost entirely of governmentofficials, big business men, and their families. It isalso true that he is likely to meet a selected groupof such men. The reason for this is simple. WhileEnglish is the second language taught in Japaneseschools, and while many Japanese can speak somebroken English, there are still relatively few men,and still fewer women, who have been educatedabroad and are sufficiently familiar with foreignlanguages, customs, and ideas to feel easy when en-tertaining foreigners. This class is, moreover, still. Nor could a grande dame in an opera box have exhibited moreaplomb than she did when I photographed her MYSTERIOUS JAPAN 263 further limited by the financial burden of extensiveentertaining. Thus it happens that there exists in Japan asocial group which may be likened to a loosely or-ganized entertainment committee, with the resultthat most Americans who are entertained in thatcountry meet, broadly speaking, the same set ofpeople. The Japanese are entirely frank in their desireto interest the world in Japan. The Governmentmaintains a bureau for the purpose of encouragingtourists to visit the country and making travel easyfor them. The great Japanese steamship companies,the Toyo Kisen Kaisha and Nippon Yusen Kaisha,are energetic in seeking passenger business. Journ-alists, authors, men of affairs and others likelyto have influence at home, are especially encouragedto visit Japan. The feeling of the Japanese is thatthere exists in the United States a prejudice against
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookpublishergarde, bookyear1922
