. A diplomat in Japan; the inner history of the criticial years in the evolution of Japan when the ports were opened and the monarchy restored. e middle of it, however,Noguchi appeared to announce that all was ready. Theguard that usually dogged our steps when we went out hadall retired to rest for the night, so we got away unaccom-panied except by one man carrying a lantern. The streetswere by this time quite deserted, and we hugged ourselveswith the consciousness of an adventure. No European hadyet been abroad in the streets of a Japanese city at night asa free man. We had to walk a couple o
. A diplomat in Japan; the inner history of the criticial years in the evolution of Japan when the ports were opened and the monarchy restored. e middle of it, however,Noguchi appeared to announce that all was ready. Theguard that usually dogged our steps when we went out hadall retired to rest for the night, so we got away unaccom-panied except by one man carrying a lantern. The streetswere by this time quite deserted, and we hugged ourselveswith the consciousness of an adventure. No European hadyet been abroad in the streets of a Japanese city at night asa free man. We had to walk a couple of miles, and thenturn down by the river till we came to a house close to thegreat bridge. Here we found our friends awaiting ourarrival. Blankets were spread for us on the floor at the upperend of the room, while the Aidzu men sat on cushions oppositeto us, a row of tall candlesticks occupying the centre. Teawas served by some very ancient females, and we began againto fear a disappointment, for the invitation had been accom-panied by a promise to show us some of the most celebratedsinging and dancing girls of the city. However, when the. o < ^ z o § FIRST VISIT TO OZAKA 193 sak6 was brought up, they descended from the upper storey,where they had been engaged in completing their of them were certainly pretty, others decidedly ugly,but we thought their looks ruined in any case by theblackened teeth and white-lead-powdered faces. In latertimes I became more accustomed to the shining black teethwhich were then the distinctive mark of a married woman,as well as of every artiste old enough to have an admirer,so much so that when the empress set the fashion by discon-tinuing the practice, it was long before I, in common withmost Japanese, could reconcile myself to the new style. Ihave always thought Japanese dancing, or rather posturing,extremely uninteresting. It is a sort of interpreting by moreor less graceful (or, as one may look at it, affected) move-ments of b
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