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Sierra Club Bulletin. 



then up the steep ascent of the Otome-toga, or Maiden's 

 Pass, with its wonderful view, and down into the fertile 

 plain of rice fields in which Gotemba is situated. Fre- 

 quently the night is passed in Gotemba, but if there is 

 still time it is better to go on to Subashiri, five miles 

 nearer the base of the mountain. These five miles can be 

 taken by means of a little tramway. Some misfor- 

 tune had happened to our schedule, so that two cars 

 found themselves face to face on the same track. It is 

 not an inconvenience that everything in Japan is so tiny. 

 It was finally decided to set one car of! the track, lay 

 it over on its side and let the other pass. Everybody 

 helped; everybody laughed, and the w^ork was quickly 

 accomplished. 



At Subashiri there is the pleasure of trying a real 

 Japanese inn, for there is not a European one in the 

 village. Both Gotemba and Subashiri are gay with 

 flapping banners, bearing inscriptions in Japanese. It 

 seems that this is the way of advertising the inn. A flag 

 reads that Mr. So-and-so stayed at this inn and found it 

 very comfortable. As every Japanese man is supposed to 

 climb the sacred mountain at least once in his life to pray 

 at the altar of the sun, it may be readily imagined that 

 the breezes of these two villages, as well as of those on the 

 Yoshida side of the mountain, waft to the approaching 

 traveler a good impression of the inns. Boots must be 

 taken off before the inn can be entered. A hot bath is 

 offered, including a clean kimono to put on afterwards, 

 and then a good supper of soup, fish, rice, eggs, and hot 

 milk is brought up to one's room, where one eats, seated 

 on the floor. A dear, laughing little butterfly also seats 

 herself on the floor in case anything should be wanted 

 from the kitchen. Later she spreads the heavy bedding 

 on the floor, for, of course, there are no beds. 



On the second morning the start is made before dawn. 

 The first seven miles are usually made on horseback, as 

 there is a rise of about 2,000 feet through very loose 

 cinders. The last part of the horseback ride is through 



