404 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



The shops and dwelling houses are but slightly huilt, many of them being merely thatched 

 huts. A few of the houses of the better classes are of stone, but most are constructed of a 

 framework of bamboo or laths, and then covered with a tenacious mud. This latter, when dry, 

 is again covered with a coat of plaster, which is either j^ainted or becomes black by exposure. 

 Mouldings are afterwards arranged in diagonal lines over the surface of the building, and these 

 being painted white and contrasting with the dark ground behind, give the houses a curious 

 pie-bald look. The roofs are often of tiles colored alternately black and white, and their eaves 

 extend low down in front of the walls, and protect the inmates from the sun, and the oiled 

 paper windows from the effects of the rain. On the tops of some of the houses wires are 

 stretched in various directions to keep off the crows, it is said ; but whether on account of their 

 being birds of ill omen, or only in consequence of tlieir bad habits, was not very apparent. 

 These houses have no chimneys, and there being occasional fires for cooking and other purposes, 

 the smoke is left to force its way tlirough the various crannies and cracks which may chance to 

 exist, unless, as is sometimes the case, there are certain holes in tlie upper part of the walls 

 prudently left for tlie purpose. The buildings are generally but a single story in height, 

 though many of the houses and shops have attics for the storage of goods and refuse articles. 



Some of the residences stand back from the front of the streets, with yards before them, 

 although generally the latter are in the rear, and are variously appropriated, some for kitchen 

 gardens and others for pleasure grounds, with flowering shrubs, ponds for gold fish, and other 

 ornamental appliances. There are a few buildings fronted with stone, while the main structure 

 is of dried mud or adobe, these are used for the storage of valuable goods, as they are supposed 

 to be better protected against fire. The fronts of the shops and houses have movable shutters, 

 which at night are fastened to the posts which support the projecting roofs. Behind these are 

 sliding panels of oiled paper, Avliich are closed when privacy is sought, and opened for the 

 purpose of seeing in the houses what may be passing, or displaying the goods in the inside of 

 the shops. In lieu of the paper windows tliere are occasional lattices of bamboo. The title of 

 the shop is displayed over the door or window, generally in some fanciful device, significant of 

 the kind of business carried on. There are but few signs distinctly recording the trade or 

 occupation, although there was one shop which bore on its front, in the Dutch language, the 

 name in full of a Dutch nostrum, which seemed to be a popular remedy in Japan, for the same 

 was observed in Kanagawa. The finer goods were generally kept secluded from view in boxes 

 and drawers, and seemed to be of a kind which indicated no great affluence on the part of the 

 community. 



The internal arrangements of the houses and shops of Simoda is simple and uniform, though 

 somewhat modified according to the position and business of the inmates. The door is on the 

 right or left side, and is protected by the overhanging roof, under which the coarser goods are 

 sheltered, and the customers when driving a bargain. From the front door a pathway leads 

 directly to the rear, where there are various dwelling and out-houses, among which there is 

 often the shrine for private worship. In the shops this passage way is crowded with baskets, 

 stands, and trays, laden with various merchandise ; and the walls on either side are provided 

 with shelves, upon which goods are also heaped. In the best establishments articles for sale 

 are seldom displayed beyond turning the opened ends of the boxes which contain them towards 

 the street. 



In the interior of the houses there is a large frame work, raised two feet above the ground. 



