HABITS OF THE JAPANESE. 99 



from small cups in the form of a strong decoction, without 

 milk or sugar. As a matter of politeness, tea, with cake or 

 candy, is offered to everj'- visitor at the house or office or 

 store at all hours of the day or night. The tea of the farmer 

 consists of stems and coarse leaves, the refuse of the choicer 

 sorts, and is sold for a few cents per pound ; wliile that of 

 the wealthy — consisting of tender leaves carefully rolled and 

 culled by hand, and, for the finest brands, raised in the shade 

 — costs as many dollars per pound. The Japanese have neither 

 grape nor palm wine, and therefore manufacture an alcoholic 

 beverage from rice by' fermentation and distillation. This 

 is called sakd, and is consumed in considerable quantities, 

 notwithstanding the recently propounded doctrine that vege- 

 tarians have but little desire for alcoholic stimulants. Al- 

 though it often happens that those who indulge in sake drink 

 too much, and become more or less intoxicated, yet it is rare 

 that any public demonstration is made by them. This is 

 due partly to the comparative mildness of the liquor as 

 drank, and partly to the good temper and obedient and 

 respectful spirit of the people. The promptness and cer- 

 tainty with which all violations of law are punished also 

 act as a powerful restraint upon those who are inclined to 

 do evil. 



The habit of smoking opium is hardly known, and strictly 

 forbidden, among the Japanese. Tobacco, however, they 

 seem to enjoy far more than any other people ; because, though 

 they smoke very frequently during the day, they are very 

 temperate in regard to the amount consumed, and therefore 

 suffer little from excess. They use an exceedingly mild, fine- 

 cut tobacco, which they burn in a very small metallic pipe, 

 the bowl of which is inversely conical in form, and never 

 exceeds half an inch either in diameter or depth. One pipe- 

 ful furnishes precisely three whiffs of smoke, which is often 

 ejected through the nose. Three pipefuls of tobacco, or 

 three times three whiffs, are essential to a regular smoke ; and 

 for this restful pleasure farm-laborers, both male and female, 

 stop work at a given signal for fifteen minutes once in the 

 middle of every forenoon, and usually twice every afternoon. 

 Everybody likes also to enjo}^ a refreshing nap after dinner ; 

 and both men and women may be seen at this tinie stretched 

 out on the ground in the fields, or on the floors of their open 



