643 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
NANTAI-SAN, CHUZENJI, NIKKO. 
are frequently met and enrich the 
landscape greatly. The Japan Witch- 
Hazel follows the river and in shel- 
tered places was in bloom, its deli- 
cate, deep yellow flowers standing 
out in most agreeable relief; a har- 
binger of spring or rather the sign 
of autumn, the peculiar trait of our 
own native Witch-Hazel. In the 
thickets one meets familiar shrubs in 
the Forsythia, Deutzia, Diervilla, 
Kerria, Euonymus, Eleagnus, Step- 
hanandra. Spiraea, Syringa, etc.; also 
species of Alder, Willow, Hornbeam, 
Magnolia, Paulownia and Larch, 
Wistaria, Bittersweet, Akebia, Acti- 
nidia, Berchemia, Clematis and Grape 
clamber about the rocks and up into 
the thickets and trees, with wild 
abandon. 
After crossing the third bridge the 
real ascent of the trip begins. The 
country is now so rugged and rocky 
that even the thrifty Japanese 
farmer does not attempt to farm it 
and the tree growth is so scattered 
and Scant that lumbering finds little 
encouragement. To the plant lover 
it is a rich and varied field. The 
flora disposes itself most picturesque- 
ly and charming views present them- 
selves everywhere as one ascends 
higher and higher. We soon reached 
an altitude favorable to heavy timber 
growth. Where sufficient soil pre- 
vails, thick woodlands of Beech, 
Maple and Oak appear with an un- 
dergrowth of Azaleas of several 
species which must be very gorgeous 
in their season of bloom. Hydrangea 
(paiiiculata) . Barberry and most of 
the shrubs noted above appear at fa- 
vorable intervals. The climbing Hy- 
drangea ascends to the tops of many 
large trees and Euonymus (radicans) 
not only forms heavy trunks as it 
clings to the forest trees, but in many 
places runs about as an undergrowth. 
When within half a mile of the lake 
we reached the pass and were soon 
on the shady side of the mountains. 
All was here icebound and very slip- 
pery underfoot and the air very cold. 
White Birch, Larch, Oak, Beech, 
Hemlock and Spruce here grow to 
large size. Barberry, Ligustrum, 
Elder, Prinos, Euonymus are here 
conspicuous among the shrubs. The 
angry waters of the lake whipped 
ON THE SHORE OP LAKE 
CHXJZENJI, NIKKO. 
into fury by the gale from the north 
but clear and brilliant in the after- 
noon sunlight, shown through the 
trees and soon we were at our desti- 
nation. This charming spot is a fa- 
vorite resort in the summer, both 
with the Japanese and the foreign 
tourist, but at this season of the year 
few find their way here. Our recourse 
for the night was a Japanese inn. 
The next morning as we descended 
the mountain we wondered why we 
had feared that night for we had 
really been quite comfortable. The 
houses are built so light and frail, the 
fire pots seem so meager for warmth, 
the bed on the floor and the bedding 
so uncomfortable, the food strictly a- 
la-Japanese, the bath tub — the one 
surely warm feature — ; those all 
seemed too insufficient for comfort 
as the cold wind whistled through 
the trees and the waves slapped up 
on the rocks along the shore, but we 
decided to brave it out. The wind 
went down with the sun, the double 
shutter system of the Japanese house 
kept some of the heat in and much of 
the cold out, and after a bath in the 
boiling pot, known as the Japanese 
bath-tub, we found ourselves quite 
comfortably waiting for dinner as 
we squatted on our cushions on the 
matted floor leaning over the fire box 
of hot charcoal. The miscellany 
brought in so daintily in a number of 
covered trays by the pretty serving 
maids proved a dinner quite accept- 
able after so strenuous a climb. 
What we could not pick up with the 
chop-sticks we were supposed to 
drink from the various dishes, inter- 
spersed throughout with hot rice. 
With copious draughts of hot Jap- 
anese tea we made out a most satis- 
fying meal. We were soon ready for 
the bed which had been made up on 
the floor. After donning the Japan- 
ese sleeping kimonas and slipping 
under the mattress-like quilt or futon 
we were reasonably comfortable, 
warm and soon asleep. Our breakfast 
was practically a repetition of the 
evening meal but good appetites gave 
flavor to everything and as we started 
down the mountain we were sure we 
would have missed an interesting ex- 
perience had we not stayed the night 
at the Japanese inn at Lake Chuziuji. 
J 
LOOKING DOWN THE VALLEY, 
NIKKO TO CHUZENJI. 
