pulp；　and　spits　it　at　the　divinity。　　If；　having　been　well　aimed；　it
  passes　through　the　wire　and　sticks；　it　is　a　good　omen；　if　it　lodges
  in　the　netting　the　prayer　has　probably　been　unheard。　　The　Ni…o　and
  some　of　the　gods　outside　the　temple　are　similarly　disfigured。　　On
  the　left　there　is　a　shrine　with　a　screen；　to　the　bars　of　which
  innumerable　prayers　have　been　tied。　　On　the　right；　accessible　to
  all；　sits　Binzuru；　one　of　Buddha's　original　sixteen　disciples。　　His
  face　and　appearance　have　been　calm　and　amiable；　with　something　of
  the　quiet　dignity　of　an　elderly　country　gentleman　of　the　reign　of
  George　III。；　but　he　is　now　worn　and　defaced；　and　has　not　much　more
  of　eyes；　nose；　and　mouth　than　the　Sphinx；　and　the　polished；　red
  lacquer　has　disappeared　from　his　hands　and　feet；　for　Binzuru　is　a
  great　medicine　god；　and　centuries　of　sick　people　have　rubbed　his
  face　and　limbs；　and　then　have　rubbed　their　own。　　A　young　woman　went
  up　to　him；　rubbed　the　back　of　his　neck；　and　then　rubbed　her　own。
  Then　a　modest…looking　girl；　leading　an　ancient　woman　with　badly
  inflamed　eyelids　and　paralysed　arms；　rubbed　his　eyelids；　and　then
  gently　stroked　the　closed　eyelids　of　the　crone。　　Then　a　coolie；
  with　a　swelled　knee；　applied　himself　vigorously　to　Binzuru's　knee；
  and　more　gently　to　his　own。　　Remember；　this　is　the　great　temple　of
  the　populace；　and　〃not　many　rich；　not　many　noble；　not　many　mighty；〃
  enter　its　dim；　dirty；　crowded　halls。　｛5｝
  But　the　great　temple　to　Kwan…non　is　not　the　only　sight　of　Asakusa。
  Outside　it　are　countless　shrines　and　temples；　huge　stone　Amainu；　or
  heavenly　dogs；　on　rude　blocks　of　stone；　large　cisterns　of　stone　and
  bronze　with　and　without　canopies；　containing　water　for　the
  ablutions　of　the　worshippers；　cast　iron　Amainu　on　hewn　stone
  pedestalsa　recent　giftbronze　and　stone　lanterns；　a　stone
  prayer…wheel　in　a　stone　post；　figures　of　Buddha　with　the　serene
  countenance　of　one　who　rests　from　his　labours；　stone　idols；　on
  which　devotees　have　pasted　slips　of　paper　inscribed　with　prayers；
  with　sticks　of　incense　rising　out　of　the　ashes　of　hundreds　of
  former　sticks　smouldering　before　them；　blocks　of　hewn　stone　with
  Chinese　and　Sanskrit　inscriptions；　an　eight…sided　temple　in　which
  are　figures　of　the　〃Five　Hundred　Disciples〃　of　Buddha；　a　temple
  with　the　roof　and　upper　part　of　the　walls　richly　coloured；　the
  circular　Shinto　mirror　in　an　inner　shrine；　a　bronze　treasury
  outside　with　a　bell；　which　is　rung　to　attract　the　god's　attention；
  a　striking；　five…storied　pagoda；　with　much　red　lacquer；　and　the
  ends　of　the　roof…beams　very　boldly　carved；　its　heavy　eaves　fringed
  with　wind　bells；　and　its　uppermost　roof　terminating　in　a　graceful
  copper　spiral　of　great　height；　with　the　〃sacred　pearl〃　surrounded
  by　flames　for　its　finial。　　Near　it；　as　near　most　temples；　is　an
  upright　frame　of　plain　wood　with　tablets；　on　which　are　inscribed
  the　names　of　donors　to　the　temple；　and　the　amount　of　their　gifts。
  There　is　a　handsome　stone…floored　temple　to　the　south…east　of　the
  main　building；　to　which　we　were　the　sole　visitors。　　It　is　lofty　and
  very　richly　decorated。　　In　the　centre　is　an　octagonal　revolving
  room；　or　rather　shrine；　of　rich　red　lacquer　most　gorgeously
  ornamented。　　It　rests　on　a　frame　of　carved　black　lacquer；　and　has　a
  lacquer　gallery　running　round　it；　on　which　several　richly　decorated
  doors　open。　　On　the　application　of　several　shoulders　to　this
  gallery　the　shrine　rotates。　　It　is；　in　fact；　a　revolving　library　of
  the　Buddhist　Scriptures；　and　a　single　turn　is　equivalent　to　a
  single　pious　perusal　of　them。　　It　is　an　exceedingly　beautiful
  specimen　of　ancient　decorative　lacquer　work。　　At　the　back　part　of
  the　temple　is　a　draped　brass　figure　of　Buddha；　with　one　hand
  raiseda　dignified　piece　of　casting。　　All　the　Buddhas　have　Hindoo
  features；　and　the　graceful　drapery　and　oriental　repose　which　have
  been　imported　from　India　contrast　singularly　with　the　grotesque
  extravagances　of　the　indigenous　Japanese　conceptions。　　In　the　same
  temple　are　four　monstrously　extravagant　figures　carved　in　wood；
  life…size；　with　clawed　toes　on　their　feet；　and　two　great　fangs　in
  addition　to　the　teeth　in　each　mouth。　　The　heads　of　all　are
  surrounded　with　flames；　and　are　backed　by　golden　circlets。　　They
  are　extravagantly　clothed　in　garments　which　look　as　if　they　were
  agitated　by　a　violent　wind；　they　wear　helmets　and　partial　suits　of
  armour；　and　hold　in　their　right　hands　something　between　a　monarch's
  sceptre　and　a　priest's　staff。　　They　have　goggle　eyes　and　open
  mouths；　and　their　faces　are　in　distorted　and　exaggerated　action。
  One；　painted　bright　red；　tramples　on　a　writhing　devil　painted
  bright　pink；　another；　painted　emerald　green；　tramples　on　a　sea…
  green　devil；　an　indigo　blue　monster　tramples　on　a　sky…blue　fiend；
  and　a　bright　pink　monster　treads　under　his　clawed　feet　a　flesh…
  coloured　demon。　　I　cannot　give　you　any　idea　of　the　hideousness　of
  their　aspect；　and　was　much　inclined　to　sympathise　with　the　more
  innocent…looking　fiends　whom　they　were　maltreating。　　They　occur
  very　frequently　in　Buddhist　temples；　and　are　said　by　some　to　be
  assistant…torturers　to　Yemma；　the　lord　of　hell；　and　are　called　by
  others　〃The　gods　of　the　Four　Quarters。〃
  The　temple　grounds　are　a　most　extraordinary　sight。　　No　English　fair
  in　the　palmiest　days　of　fairs　ever　presented　such　an　array　of
  attractions。　　Behind　the　temple　are　archery　galleries　in　numbers；
  where　girls；　hardly　so　modest…looking　as　usual；　smile　and　smirk；
  and　bring　straw…coloured　tea　in　dainty　cups；　and　tasteless
  sweetmeats　on　lacquer　trays；　and　smoke　their　tiny　pipes；　and　offer
  you　bows　of　slender　bamboo　strips；　two　feet　long；　with　rests　for
  the　arrows；　and　tiny　cherry…wood　arrows；　bone…tipped；　and　feathered
  red；　blue；　and　white；　and　smilingly；　but　quite　unobtrusively；　ask
  you　to　try　your　skill　or　luck　at　a　target　hanging　in　front　of　a
  square　drum；　flanked　by　red　cushions。　　A　click；　a　boom；　or　a　hardly
  audible　〃thud；〃　indicate　the　result。　　Nearly　all　the　archers　were
  grown…up　men；　and　many　of　them　spend　hours　at　a　time　in　this
  childish　sport。
  All　over　the　grounds　booths　with　the　usual　charcoal　fire；　copper
  boiler；　iron　kettle　of　curious　workmanship；　tiny　cups；　fragrant
  aroma　of　tea；　and　winsome；　graceful　girls；　invite　you　to　drink　and
  rest；　and　more　solid　but　less　inviting　refreshments　are　also　to　be
  had。　　Rows　of　pretty　paper　lanterns　decorate　all　the　stalls。　　Then
  there　are　photograph　galleries；　mimic　tea…gardens；　tableaux　in
  which　a　large　number　of　groups　of　life…size　figures　with
  appropriate　scenery　are　put　into　motion　by　a　creaking　wheel　of
  great　size；　matted　lounges　for　rest；　stands　with　saucers　of　rice；
  beans　and　peas　for　offerings　to　the　gods；　the　pigeons；　and　the　two
  sacred　horses；　Albino　ponies；　with　pink　eyes　and　noses；　revoltingly
  greedy　creatures；　eating　all　day　long　and　still　craving　for　more。
  There　are　booths　for　singing　and　dancing；　and　under　one　a
  professional　story…teller　was　reciting　to　a　densely　packed　crowd
  one　of　the　old；　popular　stories　of　crime。　　There　are　booths　where
  for　a　few　rin　you　may　have　the　pleasure　of　feeding　some　very　ugly
  and　greedy　apes；　or　of　watching　mangy　monkeys　which　have　been
  taught　to　prostrate　themselves　Japanese　fashion。
  This　letter　is　far　too　long；　but　to　pass　over　Asakusa　and　its
  novelties　when　the　impression　of　them　is　fresh　would　be　to　omit　one
  of　the　most　interesting　sights　in　Japan。　　On　the　way　back　we　passed
  red　mail　carts　like　those　in　London；　a　squadron　of　cavalry　in
  European　uniforms　and　with　European　saddles；　and　the　carriage　of
  the　Minister　of　Marine；　an　English　brougham　with　a　pair　of　horses
  in　English　harness；　and　an　escort　of　six　troopersa　painful
  precaution　adopted　since　the　political　assassination　of　Okubo；　the
  Home　Minister；　three　weeks　ago。　　So　the　old　and　the　new　in　this
  great　city　contrast　with　and　jostle　each　other。　　The　Mikado　and　his
  ministers；　naval　and　military　officers　and　men；　the　whole　of　the
  civil　officials　and　the　police；　wear　European　clothes；　as　well　as　a
  number　of　dissipated…looking　young　men　who　aspire　to　represent
  〃young　Japan。〃　　Carriages　and　houses　in　English　style；　with
  carpets；　chairs；　and　tables；　are　becoming　increasingly　numerous；
  and　the　bad　taste　which　regulates　the　purchase　of　foreign
  furnishings　is　as　marked　as　the　good　taste　which　everywhere
  presides　over　the　adornment　of　the　houses　in　purely　Japanese　style。
  Happily　these　expensive　and　unbecoming　innovations　have　scarcely
  affected　female　dress；　and　some　ladies　who　adopted　our　fashions
  have　given　them　up　because　of　their　discomfort　and　manifold
  difficulties　and　complications。
  The　Empress　on　State　occasions　appears　in　scarlet　satin　hakama；　and
  flowing　robes；　and　she　and　the　Court　ladies　invariably　wear　the
  national　costume。　　I　have　only　seen　two　ladies　in　European　dress；
  and　this　was　at　a　dinner…party　here；　and　they　were　the　wives　of　Mr。
  Mori；　the　go…ahead　Vice…Minister　for　Foreign　Affairs；　and　of　the
  Japanese　Consul　at　Hong　Kong；　and　both　by　long　residence　abroad
  have　learned　to　wear　it　with　ease。　　The　wife　of　Saigo；　the　Minister
  of　Education；　called　one　day　in　an　exquisite　Japanese　dress　of
  dove…coloured　silk　crepe；　with　a　pale　pink　under…dress　of　the　same
  material；　which　showed　a　little　at　the