72 Extracts frowb Diary in Japan. 



hung by enormous wrought-iron strap hinges, and bound in 

 every direction by copper, bronze, and iron. A long, paved 

 causeway, lighted on each side by grotesque columnar stone 

 lanterns, beautifully carved, leads to the temple. Spacious 

 grounds of many acres surround the temple, planted with 

 beautiful forest and flowering trees and shrubs. As a rule, 

 the grounds, which are enclosed by walls, are most lovely. 

 A flight of stone steps leads to the temple entrance, which 

 is closed by massive doors. The temples are usually guarded 

 at the entrance gates or at the temple by huge human figures, 

 carved in wood, painted red or black, complete and lifelike ; 

 the expression of the features most effective. 



The interior of the temple is superb ; black polished 

 lacquer floor, with gilt surroundings ; the altar a miniature 

 temple of emblazoned gilt ; the deity of gilt with the halo 

 around the head, reminding one of the Roman Cathedral. 

 The whole of the ceilings of the temple are panelled and 

 painted in gold, green, purple, scarlet, and black, in the most 

 chaste and elegant patterns, so minute that the decoration 

 must have occupied a lifetime to execute. The priests 

 officiate, and the suppliants kneel with their hands raised 

 and clasped in the form of Christian prayer, chanting the 

 service and counting their beads ; a font of holy or sweet 

 water stands at the temple entrance. 



The priests, with their heads shaven mostly, are jolly 

 fellows, glad to show and explain everything. Outside, 

 slung on a large wooden beam, is an enormous bell of bronze, 

 many tons weight, beautifully embossed with various devices, 

 and tolled by a huge battering-ram of timber drawn back- 

 wards and forwards by ropes. 



There are two contending religions — Buddhism and Shin- 

 toism. Shintoism is the approved religion of the Govern- 

 ment ; both are ceremonially similar to the Christian reli- 

 gion, the creed being much the same : they each believe 

 that God has been on earth to reform and save them. 



The colossal figures in bronze of their god Daibutz are 

 very wonderful, being from forty to fifty feet stature, beauti- 

 fully finished and polished outside, and the features most 

 expressive and lifelike. The whole figure is composed of 

 bronze, cast in small segmental plates, about one inch thick, 

 and brazed together. 



The soil is generally volcanic, rich and dark chocolate, 

 overlying in many districts a clay slate much similar to that 



