XVIII.] 
japanp:se female beauty. 
.^7.-5 
dancing-girls therefore are young, many of them pretty even 
according to European ideas, though their appearance is 
destroyed in our eyes by the tasteless way in which they 
paint themselves and colour their lips. Unfortunately I had 
not time to avail myself of the opportunity which Kioto offers 
the foreigner of judging with certainty regarding the Japanese 
taste in female beauty. For here, as at various other Japanese 
JAPANESK COURT ERK8S. 
towns, there are a number of girls who have been officially 
selected as the most beautiful among the youth of the place. 
The Japanese may visit them for a certain payment, but to 
Europeans they do not show themselves willingly, and only 
for a large sum. When this takes place at any time, it is 
only a dumb show for a few moments, during which no 
words are exchanged. 
