noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第6章

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Zenkoji　is　not　by　way　of　easy　approach　by　train；　and　the　pilgrims　to

it　are　legion。　　In　order；　therefore；　to　anticipate　the　patronage　of

unworthy　rivals；　each　inn　has　felt　obliged　to　be　personally

represented　on　the　spot。　



The　one　for　which　mine　host　of　Takasaki　had；　with　his　blessing；

made　me　a　note　turned　out　so　poorly　prefaced　that　I　hesitated。

The　extreme　zeal　on　the　part　of　its　proprietor　to　book　me　made　me　still

more　doubtful。　　So；　sending　Yejiro　off　to　scout；　I　walked　to　and　fro；

waiting。　　I　did　not　dare　sit　down　on　the　sill　of　any　of　the　booths；

for　fear　of　committing　myself。　



While　he　was　still　away　searching　vainly　for　the　proper　inn；　the

lights　were　suddenly　all　put　out。　　At　the　same　fatal　moment　the

jinrikisha；　of　which　a　minute　before　there　had　seemed　to　be　plenty；

all　mysteriously　vanished。　　By　one　fell　stroke　there　was　no　longer

either　end　in　sight　nor　visible　means　of　reaching　it。　



　　　　〃In　the　street　of　by　and　by

　　　　　Stands　the　hostelry　of　never；〃



as　a　rondel　of　Henley's　hath　it；　but　not　every　one　has　the　chance　to

see　the　Spanish　proverb　so　literally　fulfilled。　　There　we　werenowhere。

I　think　I　never　suffered　a　bitterer　change　of　mood　in　my　life。　



At　last；　after　some　painful　groping　in　the　dark；　and　repeated　resolves

to　proceed　on　foot　to　the　town　and　summon　help；　I　chanced　to　stumble

upon　a　stray　kuruma；　which　had　incautiously　returned；　under　cover　of

the　darkness；　to　the　scene　of　its　earlier　exploits。　　I　secured　it　on

the　spot；　and　by　it　was　trundled　across　a　bit　of　the　plain　and　up　the

long　hill　crowned　by　the　town；　to　the　pleasing　jingle　of　a　chime　of

rings　hung　somewhere　out　of　sight　beneath　the　body　of　the　vehicle。　

When　the　trundler　asked　where　to　drop　me；　I　gave　at　a　venture　the

name　that　sounded　the　best；　only　to　be　sure　of　having　guessed　awry

when　he　drew　up　before　the　inn　it　designated。　　The　existence　of　a

better　was　legible　on　the　face　of　it。　　We　pushed　on。　



Happily　the　hostelries　were　mostly　in　one　quarter；　the　better　to　keep

an　eye　on　one　another；　for　in　the　course　of　the　next　ten　minutes　I

suppose　we　visited　nearly　every　inn　in　the　place。　　The　choice　was　not

a　whit　furthered　by　the　change　from　the　outposts　to　the　originals。　

At　last；　however；　I　got　so　far　in　decision　as　to　pull　off　my　boots；

an　act　elsewhere　as　well；　I　believe；　considered　an　acquiescence　in

fate；and　suffered　myself　to　be　led　through　the　house；　along　the

indoor　piazza　of　polished　board　exceeding　slippery；　up　several

breakneck；　ladder…like　stairways　even　more　polished　and　frictionless；

round　some　corners　dark　as　a　dim　andon　（a　feeble　tallow　candle

blinded　by　a　paper　box）；　placed　so　as　not　to　light　the　turn；　could

make　them；　until　finally　we　emerged　on　the　third　story；　a　height　that

itself　spoke　for　the　superiority　of　the　inn；　and　I　was　ushered　into

what　my　bewildered　fancy　instantly　pictured　a　mediaeval　banqueting

hall。　　It　conjured　up　the　idea　on　what　I　must　own　to　have　been

insufficient　grounds；　namely；　a　plain　deal　table　and　a　set　of

questionably　made；　though　rather　gaudily　upholstered　chairs。

But　chairs；　in　a　land　whose　people　have　from　time　immemorial　found

their　own　feet　quite　good　enough　to　sit　on；　were　so　unexpected　a

luxury；　even　after　our　Takasaki　experience；　that　they　may　be　pardoned

for　suggesting　any　flight　of　fancy。　



The　same　might　formerly　have　been　said　of　the　illumination　next

introduced。　　Now；　however；　common　kerosene　lamps　are　no　longer　so

much　of　a　sight　even　in　Japan。　　Indeed；　I　had　the　assurance　to　ask

for　a　shade　to　go　with　the　one　they　set　on　the　table　in　all　the　glaring

nudity　of　a　plain　chimney。　　This　there　was　some　difficulty　in　finding；

the　search　resulting　in　a　green　paper　visor　much　too　small；　that　sat

on　askew　just　far　enough　not　to　hide　the　light。　　The　Japanese　called

it　a　hat；　without　the　least　intention　of　humor。　



By　the　light　thus　given　the　room　stood　revealed；　an　eyrie；　encased　on

all　sides　except　the　one　of　approach　by　shoji　only。　　Into　these　had

been　let　a　belt　of　glass　eighteen　inches　wide　all　the　way　round　the

room；　at　the　height　at　which　a　person　sitting　on　the　mats　could　see

out。　　It　is　much　the　fashion　now　thus　to　graft　a　Western　window　upon

a　Far…Eastern　wall。　　The　idea　is　ingenious　and　economical；　and　has　but

two　drawbacks；that　you　feel　excessively　indoors　if　you　stand　up；

and　strangely　out…of…doors　if　you　sit　down。　



I　pushed　the　panels　apart；　and　stepped　out　upon　the　narrow　balcony。　

Below　me　lay　the　street；　the　lanterns　of　the　passers…by　flitting　like

fireflies　through　the　dark；　and　from　it　stole　up　to　me　the　hum　of

pleasure　life；　a　perfume　of　sound；　strangely　distinct　in　the　still

night　air。　



Accredited　pilgrim　though　one　be　not；　to　pass　by　so　famous　a　shrine

as　Zenkoji　without　the　tribute　of　a　thought　were　to　be　more　or　less

than　human；　even　though　one　have　paid　his　devoirs　before。　　Sought

every　year　by　thousands　from　all　parts　of　Japan；　it　serves　but　to

make　the　pilgrimage　seem　finer　that　the　bourne　itself　should　not　be

fine。　　Large　and　curious　architecturally　for　its　roof；　the　temple　is

otherwise　a　very　ordinary　structure；　more　than　ordinarily　besoiled。　

There　is　nothing　rich　about　it；　not　much　that　is　imposing。　　Yet　in

spite　of　poverty　and　dirt　it　speaks　with　a　certain　grandeur　to　the

heart。　　True　shrine；　whose　odor　of　sanctity　is　as　widespread　as　the

breeze　that　wanders　through　its　open　portals；　and　which　comes　so　near

the　wants　of　the　world　that　the　very　pigeons　flutter　in　to　homes

among　its　rafters。　　The　air…beats　of　their　wings　heighten　the　hush

they　would　seem　to　break；　and　only　enhance　the　sacred　quiet　of　the

nave；a　stillness　such　that　the　coppers　of　the　faithful　fall　with

exaggerated　ring　through　the　lattice　of　the　almsbox；　while　the

swiftly　mumbled　prayers　of　the　givers　rise　in　all　simplicity　straight

to　heaven。　



In　and　about　the　courtyard　live　the　sacred　doves；　and　he　who　will　may

have　their　company　for　the　spreading　of　a　feast　of　crumbs。　　And　the

rush　of　their　wings；　as　they　descend　to　him　from　the　sky；　seems　like

drawing　some　strange　benediction　down。　







V。　



No。



My　quest　still　carrying　me　westward　along　the　line　of　the　new　railway；

I　took　the　train　again；　and　in　the　compartment　of　the　carriage　I　found

two　other　travelers。　　They　were　a　typical　Japanese　couple　in　middle

life；　and　in　something　above　middle　circumstances。　　He　affected

European　clothes　in　part；　while　she　still　clung　to　the　costume　of　her

ancestors。　　Both　were　smoking；she　her　little　pipe；　and　he　the

fashionable　cigarette。　　Their　mutual　relations　were　those　of　substance

to　shadow。　　She　followed　him　inevitably；　and　he　trod　on　her　feelings

regardless　of　them。　　She　had　been　pretty　when　he　took　her　to　wife；

and　though　worn　and　withered　she　was　happy　still。　　As　for　him；　he　was

quite　satisfied　with　her；　as　he　would　have　been　quite　satisfied

without　her。　





The　roadbed　soon　left　the　Shinano　plain；　across　which　peered　the

opposite　peaks；　still　hooded　with　snow；　and　wound　up　through　a　narrow

valley；　to　emerge　at　last　upon　a　broad　plateau。　　Three　mountains

flanked　the　farther　side　in　file；　the　last　and　highest　of　the　three；

Myokosan；　an　extinct　volcano；　indeed；　hardly　more　than　the　ruins　of　one。

Time　has　so　changed　its　shape；　and　the　snow　whitens　its　head　so

reverently；　it　would　be　possible　to　pass　it　by　without　a　suspicion　of

its　wild　youth。　　From　the　plateau　it　rose　proudly　in　one　long　sweep

from　moor　to　shoulder；　from　shoulder　to　crag；　from　crag　to　snow；　up

into　the　leaden　sky；　high　into　its　second　mile　of　air。　　Subtly　the

curve　carried　fancy　with　it；　and　I　found　myself　in　mind　slowly

picking　my　way　upward；　threading　an　arete　here　and　scaling　a　slope

there；　with　all　the　feelings　of　a　genuine　climb。　　While　I　was　still

ascending　in　this　insubstantial　manner；　clouds　fell　upon　the　summit

from　the　sky；　and　from　the　summit　tumbled　down　the　ravines　into　the

valley；　and　met　me　at　Naoyetsu　in　a　driz