, which is
spread on the floor, a round cushion for the head, or instead of it
a wooden support, stuffed on the upper side, for the neck during
sleep, and a thick stuffed night-shirt which serves at covering.

[Illustration: A JINRIKISHA. ]

[Illustration: JAPANESE BEDROOM. ]

As soon as one comes in the female attendants distribute
four-cornered cushions for sitting on, which are placed on the floor
round a wooden box, on one corner of which stands a little brazier,
on the other a high clay vessel of uniform breadth, with water in
the bottom, which serves as a spittoon and tobacco-ash cup. At the
same time tea is brought in anew, in the small cups previously
described, with saucers, not of porcelain, but of metal. Pipes are
lighted, and a lively conversation commences. Along with the tea
sweetmeats are brought in, of which, however, some cannot be
relished by Europeans. The brazier forms the most important
household article of the Japanese. Braziers are very variable in
size and shape, but are often made in an exceedingly beautiful and
tasteful way, of cast-iron or bronze, with gilding and raised
figures. Often enough, however, they consist only of a clay crock.
The Japanese are very skilful in keeping up fire in them without the
least trace of fumes being perceptible in the room. The fuel
consists of some well-burned pieces of charcoal, which lie imbedded
in white straw-ashes, with which the fire-pan is nearly filled to
the brim. When some glowing coals are laid in such ashes they retain
their heat for hours, until they are completely consumed. In every
well-furnished house there are a number of braziers of different
sizes, and there are often four-cornered hatches in the floor, which
conceal a stone foundation intended as a base for the large brazier,
over which the food is cooked.

At meal-times all the dishes are brought in at the same time on
small lacquered tables, about half a foot high, and with a surface
of four square feet. The dishes are placed in lacquered cups, less
frequently in porcelain cups, and carried to the mouth with
chop-sticks, without the help of knife, fork, or spoon. For fear of
the fish-oils, which are used instead of butter, I never dared to
test completely the productions of the Japanese art of cookery; but
Dr. Almquist and Lieut. Nordquist, who were more unprejudiced, said
they could put up with them very well. The following _menu_ gives an
idea of what a Japanese inn of the better c