242 
HOT KATIIS IN JAPAN. 
their enjoyment. Even in the small town of Si-mo-da 
tiiere are four bathiug-estahlishmcnts, where persons, for 
the sum of two Japeanese cusli, (about one-eightli of a cent,) 
may dip into an immense tub of warm water, or, when it 
is too liot, may seat themselves on beams extending over 
ife and be subjected to the influence of the rising vapour, 
after which they return to the outer ai^artment and con- 
clude their bath by emptying or causing to bo emptied 
over them a dozen or more buckets of cold water. 
They arc, with the exception of the Malays, some of 
the Pacific Islanders, and the followers of Mahomet, the 
most cleanly people I ever saw. They are even umicces- 
earily cleanly ; they bathe too often for health : one would 
think that thejMvere anxious to make up in purity of. 
person for the undoubted depravity and impurity of their 
tastes. 
They have also hot and medicinal springs throughout 
the country, to which those who can aftbrd it resort for 
the enjoyment of their real or supposed virtues. One of 
the former of these is situated about two miles up the 
valley that runs back from Si-ino-da, and is well worthy 
of a passing notice. 
It is situated at the foot of a lofty hill, on the southern 
side of tlic vallev, and comes boiling from a fissure in the 
rock with a power indicative of a bountiful source. This 
boiling forth, we were told, however, was by no means 
constant ; at times there being a very limited flow, and 
at otlicrs a spasmodic soda-fountain-like action that pro- 
jected great quantities. The Japanese made signs to us 
that the water was much hotter when thrown out by the 
soda-fountain-like action, and that persons unaccustomed 
