JAPANESE CUSTOMS AND HABITS. 191 



pilgrims. At the end of this single street is a large 

 gate, the entrance to the temple grounds. Just inside 

 the gate a broad path leads to the river's bank, in the 

 clear water of which every native dips his hands before 

 going further into the grove of beautiful trees which 

 surround the temple itself. Some of these trees are of 

 grand proportions, particularly the camphor and Crypto- 

 meria elegajis. The latter reaches 150 feet in height 

 and 30 feet in circumference. 



The town of Yamato is a couple of miles distant 

 from Ise ; and judging from the number of tea-houses, 

 and gaily-dressed young ladies, it would appear that 

 visiting the Shinto shrine was never made a very 

 serious imdertaking, but rather as a holiday and 

 pleasure time. At certain seasons streams of pilgrims 

 from all parts of the country wend their way to Ise. 

 Men take an interest in this as well as the women; 

 and from the style and abundance of amusements that 

 I have mentioned existed at Yamato, it was evident 

 Ise and Shintoism was not the only inducement to 

 take these frequent pilgrimages. The province of 

 Owari, which is just to the northward of Yamato, is 

 famous for its pretty girls, a good many of whom are 

 to be found in the numerous tea-houses near Ise. 



Music in this country is peculiar. One of their 



