is on a wide plateau covered almost
entirely with rows of tea plants. Here and there are parties of
chattering pickers, their heads protected by the national towel.
Against the blue hilltops on the horizon stand out the cottages of the
farmers with chimney-pipes smoking, the booths of the dealers, and, in
every patch of tea, the thatched roof over the precious sunken pot of
liquid manure by which the tea bushes have so often benefited. On the
road one passes women with baskets on their backs, like Scotch
fish-wives with their creels, men carrying two baskets suspended from
a pole across one shoulder, or a man and his wife hauling a barrow,
all heavy-laden with newly picked leaves. Small horse-drawn wagons
carry the manufactured tea in big, well-tied, pink paper bales. On the
whole, although the labour is hard it seemed a better life having to
do with the fragrant tea than with the rice of the sludge ponds in the
valley below.

[Illustration: RACK FOR DRYING RICE. p. 77]

[Illustration: VILLAGE CREMATORIUM. p. 48]

[Illustration: DOG HELPING TO PULL JINRIKISHA]

[Illustration: AUTHOR, MR. YAMASAKI AND YOUNGEST INHABITANTS, p. 309]

The tea produced in Japan is principally green tea. Most of this is of
the kind called _sencha--cha_ means tea. An inferior article made out
of older and tougher leaves is called _bancha_. The custom is for the
maid who serves _bancha_ to heat the leaves over the charcoal fire
just before infusing. This gives it an agreeable roasted flavour. It
is often served in a darker shade of porcelain than is used for
ordinary tea. There are also the finer teas, _kikicha_ (powdered tea)
and _gyokuro_ (jewelled dewdrops), which is the best kind of _sencha_.
Black tea was being made experimentally when I first arrived in Japan.
Brick tea (pressed to the consistency and weight of wood) may be green
or black. Most of the exported tea, other than brick tea, goes to
America.

[Illustration: "TORII" AT FOX-GOD SHRINE. p. 325]

[Illustration: RECORD OF GIFTS TO A TEMPLE. p. 311]

It is unnecessary to state that the Japanese tea-tray does not include
a sugar basin, cream jug or spoons. It does include, however, a squat
oval jug into which the hot water from the kettle is poured in order
to lower the temperature below boiling point. Boiling water would
bring out a bitter flavour from the tea. Made with water just below
boiling point the tea is deliciously soft, even oily, and has a
flavour and aroma whi