PLATE XXX. 



TEA-HOUSE GARDENS, OJI. 



The suburban tea-houses of the capital posess, in many cases, attractive 

 gardens. At Meguro, a village to the south-west of Tokio, several very good ex- 

 amples may be seen, which are specially visited when the poeonies are in blossom. 

 The Ogi-ya and Ebi-ya, two tea-houses situated on the banks of the Taki-no-gawa, 

 a stream running through the suburb of Oji, are much frequented in the spring 

 and autumn. In Japan, buildings for recreation and amusement are by preference 

 placed close to running water, and in many cases are constructed so as actually to 

 overhang a stream, the fondness for water being carried so far that sometimes un- 

 healthy creeks are built over in this manner. The narrow and rapid stream at 

 Oji, shown in Plate XXX., is crossed from the tea-houses by light wooden bridges, 

 and on the opposite bank a strip of land has been laid out as a Hill-garden, in 

 the characteristic native style. Rounded bushes, quaintly trimmed pine-trees, and 

 other evergreens, in addition to rocks, lanterns, and rugged stone steps, combine to 

 produce a very picturesque effect. 



