Page 60.—futozao.
Means literally 'thick stick,' and is used in speaking of the 'gidayu' samisen.
Page 61.—light packhorse.
The packhorses were divided into two classes, those which could carry two hundred pounds and those which could only carry half that weight.
Page 63.—Abekawa-chō.
This is where the pleasure quarters are situated.
Page 63-—Miroku.
The Buddhist Messiah, whose advent is expected to take place five thousand years after Buddha's entry into Nirvana.
Page 64.—Sengen.
The goddess of Mount Fuji. She is also called Asama or Kono-Hana-Saku-ya-Himé, that is ' the princess who makes the flowers of the trees to bloom.' There is a temple dedicated to her at Shizuoka.
Page 64-—Kajiwara's horse.
Kajiwara Genta Kagesué was a follower of Yoritomo and fought at the batde of the River Uji, where he and another contended which could cross the river first. His horse was a celebrated one given him by Yoritomo.
Page 64.—some of them are one 'bu.'
The 'bu' was a gold coin, in value a quarter of a 'ryō,' which was the largest gold coin. The 'bu' was divided into four 'shu' or ten 'mommé.'
Page 68-—Nitten.
The god of the sun in the Indian pantheon. Not to be confused with the Japanese Sun goddess.
Page 69-—Ten Shōkō Daijingu.
Amaterasu O Mikami, the Sun goddess.
Page 70.—Katsuyama.
A girl's name. Nakadaya is the name of a teahouse.
Page 79.—Mount Oé.
This is Mount Oé, near Fukuchiyama, a town on the road to Maizuru celebrated on account of the ogres said to have lived there. The encounter between Shūten Doji, their chief, and the warriors Raiko and Tsuna at the Rashō Gate at Kyōto, is a favourite art motive.
Page 79.—Sekison.
This is a name given to Mount Ōyama in Sagami province. Apparently it was the name of the Buddhist deity formerly worshipped there, but now replaced by Shinto deities.
Page 79.—Hainai of Kumé.
Hainai of Kumé was a 'rōnin ' noted for his valour, who made a vow to behead a thousand persons but later repented, and in order to atone for his wickedness carved images of himself and got people to trample on them. The inscription 'Here lodges Kumé Hainai' is still used as a means of driving away epidemic diseases.
Page 81.—Bungo-bushi.
A kind of chant.
Page 82.—like that dog of Jirō and Tarō.
This is a reference to the children's song beginning
Tsuki sama ikutsu
Jū-san nanatsu
already referred to. The song is as inconsequential as an English nursery rhyme, but it tells in one part of the upsetting of a dish of fat and how all the dogs ran to lick it up:—
Tarō-don no inu to
Jirō-don no inu to
Mina namete shimatta
Tarō and Jirō are common boys' names.
Page 83.—Echigo or Niigata.
Northern provinces, where, it may be supposed, prices were higher.
Page 84.—Minoya Shirōtoshi.
Said to have fought at the Battle of Dannoura with a broken sword.
Page 85.—Kumano.
Another name for the province of Kii.
Page 86.—We are not willow trees.
The willow tree was planted in front of shops as a trade sign.
Page 87.—the ants' walk.
The perineum.
Page 87.—Tamachi.
A district of Edo.
Page 88.—Witches.
Women able to summon persons from the dead.
Page 88.—call upon Bonten.
Bonten and Taishaku were the two Buddhist gods whom warriors invoked before going into battle. Taishaku was introduced into Japan as the guardian of Buddhism. Ama-no-Iwato is the cave in which Amaterasu Omikami, the Sun Goddess, hid herself. Kokuzo, the god of the ten thousand good fortunes, is enshrined on Asama-ga-take in Mié Prefecture.
Page 88.—Great Shrine of Izumo.
This ranks next in sanctity to the Great Shrine of Isé. It is situated in Shimane Prefecture.
Page 90.—twanged her bow.
Witches seem to have carried small bows which they pretended to shoot with to drive off evil spirits.
Page 93.—By stealth I entered.
The translator has here yielded to the temptation of a very obvious pun. In the original the pun is on Kitahachi's name.
Page 94.—The dried up mother-in-law.
'Hata' means a dry field and 'ta' a wet field for growing rice. 'Shūto' means mother-in-law.
Page 94.—play for it.
This is a method of drawing lots called 'ken.' It is done with the hands. Flattened the hand represents a piece of paper, folded a stone, and with two fingers extended, a pair of scissors. Scissors beat paper because they can cut it, but lose to stone because they cannot; stone for the same reason beats scissors but loses to paper because it can be wrapped in paper; and paper loses to scissors and beats stone. In another form of the game called Satsuma 'ken' the hands held up to the ears represent a fox, placed on the knees the master, and placed in position for holding a gun, a gun. The gun beats the fox, the fox beats the master, and the master beats the gun. Satsuma is a province in Kyushu.
Page 98.—persons who get drunk on tea.
The translator has here had to deviate from the original to bring out the joke. In the original the word Kitahachi repeats is 'cha,' the Japanese for 'tea.'
Page 105.—one 'sho' two 'go.'
Ten 'shaku' equal one' go,' and ten 'go' one 'sho' The 'go' is equal to a third of a pint.
Page 106.—hundredth day after.
The hundredth day after the funeral, when a ceremony in memory of the dead person is held.
Page 107.—I see you're not blind.
The calling of shampooer is confined to the blind as a rule.
Page 111.—the kites here must be teetotallers.
That is fond of sweet things.
Page 117.—Era of Genroku
The period from 1688 to 1704.
Page 117.—My heart is as black.
This bridge is supposed to have decayed so quickly that travellers to Kyōto found it gone when they made the return journey.
Page 119.—I'll give a fist.
The carriers and postboys had special slang expressions for the fares they received.
Page 120.—Deep in the hills.
This is a well known poem by Sarumaru. The carrier pretends he believes it to be Kitahachi's own composition, but later slyly tells his mates that Master Sarumaru has invited them to take a drink.
Page 121.—hakama.
A kind of divided skirt worn over the kimono.
Page 121.—they're all Fukusuké.
Fukusuke was a dwarf performer who gave his name to entertainers of this class. The cushions they sat on were piled up to bring them on a level with the audience, who sat upon the floor.
Page 123.—the priest game.
The baggage changes hands every time a priest is met. The game is still played, but priests being rarer than in feudal times, persons wearing spectacles are substituted.
Page 125.—Yoshitsuné.
The brother of Yoritomo (1192-1199), the first of the Kamakura Shōguns. After defeating his brother's enemies he was himself attacked and slain by order of his brother, who feared his ability and popularity. Since then he has become a traditional hero and many stories and superstitions are connected with his name. The names mentioned are persons with whom he is associated. The Lady Shidzuka was his mistress, and Benkei was a robber-priest who allied himself with Yoshitsuné's fortunes and figures as the Friar Tuck of Japan.
Page 126.—Tenjin Sama.
This is the name under which is apotheosised the great Minister and scholar Sugawara-no-Michizané, who was charged with having spoken disrespectfully of the Emperor and was banished to Kyushu (901 A.D.).
Page 126.—Emma a
t the Chōraku Temple.
Emma is the Regent of the Buddhist Hell. The Chōraku Temple is presumably that at Higashiyama, Kyōto.
Page 127-8.—wicked old fox.
The fox is credited with the power to change itself into the human shape to deceive people, only its tail retraining as evidence that it is a fox. Yaji later shows that he is on his guard against the kind of tricks foxes are supposed to play. Dogs are supposed to be able to see through the fox's disguise.
Page 134.—On the four seas.
This is Aston's translation of the ode from the Nō drama of 'Takasago,' which is always sung at weddings.
Page 139.—Her hair was rather disordered.
Disordered hair in woman is regarded as a sign of madness.
Page 141.—Did you say high-priced trout?
In the original the joke turns upon his pretending to hear her say that the fish was pickled in vinegar,—a way in which they were never prepared apparently.
Page 144.—straw sandals.
These are ' waraji,' sandals made of coarse straw-rope, tied on to the feet. They were used when travelling. The other kind of sandal is held on by a thong which goes between the toes. Horses were also fitted with straw sandals, the use of iron being extremely limited in Japan in feudal times. Fukuzawa in his autobiography records that the thing that excited the greatest astonishment among the Japanese who first visited western countries was the great use made of iron.
Page 145.—game of chess.
Curiously enough in Japan chess is the game of the lower classes. 'Go' (commonly called' checkers' by foreigners) is now the game of the intellectuals.
Page 146.—gold and silver.
The names of two of the pieces used in Japanese chess.
Page 147.—Onbako.
At Atsuta, near Nagoya, there is said to be a stone statue of an old woman in a sitting position which is dedicated to this god. Tradition relates that in the Era of Eiroku (1558-1570) a priest named Kwojun was drowned in crossing the River Shojin, and that a covetous old woman who stole the dead priests's robes was punished by this god.
Page 153.—a fire-blower.
This is a bamboo tube through which the charcoal in the brazier is blown to a glow.
Page 169.—Namada.
This is from the Sanskrit 'namo,' honour. Kitahachi wilfully misinterprets it as the Japanese 'nama,' raw, and suggests that the 'tako' (octopus) is not eaten boiled but raw.
Page 170.—to go to heaven by sneezing.
Yaji is joking on the saying 'Shama kara chōro,' from an acolyte to a patriarch—('You must learn to creep before you walk'),—but he substitutes 'kushami' (sneeze) for 'shami.'
Page 171.—Kompira.
Kompira is a highly popular divinity, especially with seamen and travellers, and many shrines are erected throughout the country to his honour. Some pilgrims confine their devotions entirely to these shrines. Kompira is the Sanskrit 'Kumbhira,' but has been claimed as a Shinto god.
Page 176.—The gear for carrying two people.
This was a kind of cradle that was placed across the horse's back, the two riders balancing each other on either side.
Page 179.—Kampei and O Karu.
Two characters in the Chushingura, as already noted. The inscriptions on the targets are in the form of riddles, and the answer to the riddle is given should the shooter hit the target with his dart. The reference lower down to Yoichibei being out for the sake of his child on a dark night is also taken from the Chūshingura. Yoichibei was returning home with the money for which his daughter O Karu had sold herself for the sake of enabling her husband to contribute to the funds for carrying out the revenge, when he was set upon by a robber and murdered. Afterwards his son-in-law Kampei came along and shot at a wild boar, missing the boar but killing the murderer of his father-in-law. He finds the money on the man and takes it home, but later learns that his father-in-law has been killed and robbed. Thinking that he has himself killed his father-in-law, he commits suicide. Yaji expects that the answer to the riddle on the target would be the wild boar, but it is the Giant Mikoshi, a kind of ghost, with a long neck, which is supposed to appear on dark nights.
Page 181.—Shunman Shosando.
This is the name of a writer of comic poems of the time. His real name was Kubo Shunman, but he also called himself 'Nandaka Shiran,' which is equivalent to the English locution 'Whatshisname.'
Page 181.—Hizakurige.
Ikku is recorded to have made a pilgrimage in November 1805.
Page 186.—Senshuan.
A writer of comic poems who died in 1814. His real name was Akamatsu Masatsune. He was also known as 'Sandara Bōshi.'
Page 186.—Shakuyakutei Ushi.
A writer of comic poems who lived in Edo and died in 1845. His real name was Tsugawara Jiroemon. He was also known as 'Chōkon.'
Page 187.—Koikawa Harumachi.
Novelist and artist of Edo who died in 1789.
Page 187.—What's that phrase ('san') written above it?
The questions and answers are a series of puns on the numerals,'ni' (two), San' (three),'shi' (four),'go' (five),'roku' (six),'.shichi' (seven). Gomajiru always goes one higher than Kita.
Page 187.—Takuan.
A Buddhist priest of the Zen sect, born 1573, died 1645. His real name was Sohō Heiji, but he wrote under the name of Takuan. He is famous for his writings and poems, but still more, perhaps, for having introduced from China methods of pickling vegetables. Pickled radish is still called 'takuan' after him.
Page 188.—Is it in Toba?
This and the answer are quotations from the Chūshingura.
Page 196.—Miyazono and Kunidaiyu.
These are the names of tunes or chants, so styled after the names of the composers.
Page 198.—tambourine-chamber at the Chizukaya.
Presumably a room where the principal decorations are representations of tambourines.
Page 199.—Kawasaki Ondo.
This is the Ise Dance, which was originally performed at a place near Furuichi called Kawasaki.
Page 199.—Shintō priest.
These are not properly priests, but persons who look after the pilgrims and conduct them to lodgings, etc.
Page 199.—Are you beggars then?
That is people who go about reciting 'jōruri' in the street for a living.
Page 199.—doing some business for themselves.
There is a double meaning attached to this phrase.
Page 203.—It will pay at least for the oranges.
There is a pun here which it is impossible to produce in a translation.
Page 203.—Fujiya.
'Fuji' is the wistaria, which was perhaps where Yaji got his idea of something hanging down.
Page 206.—Chikuma pot.
In the village of Irié in the district of Sakata, in Omi Province (Shiga Prefecture) there is a religious festival held every year on the 1st of April which is called the festival of the Chikuma pot. In ancient times the women received an earthenware pot for each time that they had been married, and these they had to carry in the festival procession every year. Those who had been married more than once and were ashamed to own it were supposed to incur the wrath of the god and to become ill if they did not carry the right number of pots. Nowadays the festival is celebrated in September, when eight maidens carry vessels shaped like pots in the procession. Apparently the vessels were carried on the head.
Page 211.—Benten.
One of the seven gods of luck.
Page 215.—Feather-robe pine-tree.
There is a tradition that an angel descended at Matsubara in the Province of Suruga and left its robe of feathers on a tree. A No drama is founded on this tradition.
Page 215.—the spearmen of a daimyō's procession.
On entering a town it was the custom of the spearmen who accompanied the Daimyos' processions to throw their spears into the air and catch them again.
Page 216.—Sugi and Tama.
Tradition has it that two beggar girls started this game at Ai-no-yama. Later many others took it up till the authorities interfered and restricted it. It is still to be seen at Isé.
Page 218.—the net has eyes.
The joke in the original turns on the similarity in sound of 'kané 'and 'kazé.' There is a Japanese proverb reading 'Ami (net) no me (meshes) ni kaze (wind) tamarazu (does not collect),' the wind does not collect in the meshes of a net. Ikku inverts the proverb and substitutes 'kane' (money) for 'kaze' (wind), making the proverb read ' Money stops in the meshes of a net.'
Page 218.—the Holy Mirror and the Holy Sword.
These are part of the Imperial Regalia. The Mirror is the emblem of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, to whom the Shrine is dedicated.
Page 219.—Gekū Temple.
This is the Outer Temple. Ikku has confused Kunitokotachi with Toyoukebimé, who is the goddess of food. They are two separate deities. The shrine was formerly dedicated to the former but is now dedicated to the latter.
Page 222.—a duck of a spoon.
In the original the joke turns upon the material of which the spoon is made,—that is bamboo. In Japanese a bamboo-grove doctor is a quack doctor.
Page 222.—Dōjō temple.
A well-known temple south of Wakayama in Kii Province. Its bell is famous in legend in connection with the story of the monk Anchin, who sought secape from a woman to whom he had made a love vow by hiding under the bell. The woman changed herself into a dragon and by lashing the bell with her tail made it redhot, so that Anchin was scorched to death. Here, as in the other cases, the picture of the temple has a punning connection with the medicine. Cinnamon is 'keishi' in Japanese and Keishi was the name of a well-known actor in the Dōjō theatre.
Page 222.—Emma.
Emma is the god of the infernal regions and is called 'Daio,' great king, which is also the word for ' rhubarb.'
Page 222.—Dog on fire.
Dried orange-peel is 'chimpi,' which represents 'chim' (or 'chin) dog, and 'hi' (changed to 'pi' after m or n) fire.
Page 222.—jasmine root.
Jasmine root is 'sanjishi,'where' san 'is childbirth and 'jishi' or ' shishi,' the sound in making water.
Page 222.—lizard tail.
This is 'hangé' (Saururus loureiri), read as 'han,' stamp or seal, and 'ge' or ' ke ' hair.
Page 222.—aegle.
This is 'kikoku' (Aegle sepiaria), where 'ki' represents devil and 'koku,' breaking wind.
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