I. THE PINE. 



FOR the first month of the year, the pine is the only 

 choice, whether taken separately or in connection with 

 the bamboo and the plum. The decorations in front of 

 every house at the New Year's season are known as Kado- 

 matsu (gate pines), or Matsu-kazari (pine decorations); 

 and the first seven days of the year are collectively called 

 Matm-no-uchi, which may be freely translated "pine 

 week." The pine, like the bamboo, has no "blossom" in 

 the Occidental meaning of that word, but is regarded as a 

 "flower" by the Japanese ; and these two are venerated be- 

 cause they keep green in winter and their color never fades. 

 Therefore, they are emblems of constancy, endurance, 

 health, and longevity. And, as one writer has informed 

 me, the pine, the bamboo, and the plum are the "three 

 friends in winter"; and "they are used as the bearers of 

 good wishes for the New Year : the pine for longevity, the 

 bamboo for uprightness, the plum for sweetness." 



The origin of Kado-matsu is very ancient, perhaps so 

 far back as eight hundred and fifty years ago. The two 

 following poems are said to be about eight hundred years 

 old: 



"Kadomatsu wo 

 Itonami tatsuru 

 Sono hodo ni 

 Haru akegata no 

 Yoyo narinuran." 



