322 THE DJORO-.IAS. 



town called yosiivara, are under Government control, 

 and many of them, especially those frequented by the 

 nobles, are on a very large scale, generally built in the 

 form of a quadrangle, consisting of vast halls and 

 stages for musical and theatrical performances, 

 generally a garden in the centre with its miniature 

 canals, bridges, and undulations, and elegant little 

 kiosks for a tete-a-t^te repast. The remainder of the 

 building is divided by screens into tiny compartments, 

 neatly matted and lacquered, where one can have a 

 peep at the young ladies at their toilet, which in Japan 

 occupies much of their time ; their coiffure alone, con- 

 sisting of a large chignon into which a number of orna- 

 mented pins and combs are introduced, is an elaborate 

 affaire, let alone eyes and eyebrows, heightening their 

 complexion by rouge, cosmetics, and many other little 

 touches which men have no business to inquire into. 

 The curious part of these establishments, from which 

 the " social evil " is by no means excluded, is that they 

 also contain a number of little girls, mere children, who 

 here receive an elementary education. They are those 

 of indigent people, who are in this way provided for, the 

 parents, as a rule, actually receiving money on signing 

 a contract transferring their offspring to their new 

 home for a certain number of years, and more extra- 

 ordinary still, it frequently happens that respectable 



