334 THE JAPANESE STAGE. 



lialves by a lii^^h screen, and nioviji^ on a pivot. All the 

 acting took place on tliis minor stage, and whenever it 

 became necessary to shift the place of action, instead 

 of all the elaborate changing of side-scenes and furni- 

 ture, a turn was given to the platform, and what liad 

 been at the l)ack before now presented a new^ face 

 with actors in their places, — a very ingenious piece of 

 machinery. 



In the evening I sauntered in the streets, always 

 escorted, to witness the lantern-feast, which is an 

 exceedingly pretty sight ; thousands of variegated 

 coloured lamps throwing their dim light upon a dense, 

 slowly-moving crowd, bent upon the fulness of enjoy- 

 ment the hour brought forth. 



The contents of bazaars and factories require a 

 special notice, as few nations display such artistic 

 taste in all their productions as the Japanese ; those 

 in porcelain especially are of the most beautiful kind 

 as regards material, model, and decoration. The 

 famous egg-shell and the Satzuma crackle-ware are 

 now well known in England, but there are other 

 manufactories at Osaka, the palatial Venice of Japan, 

 and at Kioto, the Mikado's capital, producing cups, 

 jars, and vases of exquisite beauty, which very rarely 

 find their way out of the country, where they are 



