TITLE.

Festival in honour of the birth of children.

Merchants’ great festival.

Otinta Lama.

A fire-brigade on its way to A fire.

A Japanese Wedding.

A Daimio paying A state visit.

A Daimio and family witnessing Fireworks.

A minister of the Mikado on A religious expedition.

Theatrical performance in front of the Mikado’s palace.

Ladies of the Mikado’s court performing the butterfly dance.

The Tycoon’s messengers reading the sentence.

The sacrifice.

A Daimio’s funeral.

Cremation of the body.

Relatives collecting ashes.

Public wrestling in the great Amphitheatre at VEDDO.

Interior of A theatre.

Mode of conducting A criminal to execution.

LONINS, or outlaws, robbing A rich merchant’s house.

Exposure for infidelity.

Selling indulgences by public auction.

Praying A soul out of purgatory.

SUDANGEE, or last offices.

A baker’s shop.

A tea-house Merry-making.

UYA, or bath-house.

A flower show.

[Illustration:  Festival in honour of the birth of children.]

[Illustration:  Merchants’ great festival.]

CHAPTER I.

Festivals and holidays.

The first feature of Japanese life that prominently presents itself to the notice of the stranger, is the number of festivals and holidays held in honour of the various deities, warriors, and sages, or in accordance with some ancient custom of the county, which is as paramount an authority as the most stringent of its laws.  Of these festivals, the ‘Oki-don-tako,’ or ‘Great Holiday,’ which takes place about Christmas, and lasts a fortnight, is the most important.  Previous to its celebration, it is customary with the people to settle accounts, and