Chapter VII: 117

A GLIMPSE OF SOCIAL LIFE IN JAPAN, AS DISCLOSED BY THE WEED

The Japanese—Marco Polo’s mention of Japan and its
people—Pinto, Portugal’s pioneer in eastern seas—Lands at
Nagasaki in 1545—Friendly reception—News of the event reaches
Manila and Goa—Spanish merchant vessels with Francis Xavier
speedily arrived at Bungo—Warm welcome—Tobacco and smoking,
a new revelation to these primitive people—Good work done
by Xavier and his coadjutors among the sick and needy—The
Shogun, Iyeyasu, permits free intercourse and unrestricted
trade—Spaniards and Portuguese accused of overreaching
practices, and of draining the country of its gold—Jesuits and
Friars swarm in Japan and bring upon themselves disgrace and
ultimate expulsion—William Adams the first Englishman to set
foot in Japan—His rapid rise in favour and fortune—The arrival
of Dutch merchantmen—Helped by Adams to secure a trade basis
at Firando—Adams desires to return home, but is put off from
time to time—He writes letters to England telling of himself,
and inviting London merchants to trade with Japan—They do so,
and vessels laden with merchandise are despatched under the
command of Captain Saris, who bears a letter from King James to
the Emperor of Japan, resulting in England’s first commercial
treaty with that country—Adams dies in Japan after twenty
years’ residence, loved and honoured by all.

An Edict against smoking falls into abeyance—Family records
of smoking in 1605-7—Excellent properties of tobacco-smoking
enumerated by an old writer—Objections to its use—The theft
of the golden pipe—Smoking now universal in Japan—An ‘At
Home’—Men’s revolt against women’s authority as to when and
where to smoke—Primitive habits among the peasantry—Cultivation
and revenue—Sir Earnest Satow statistics—Reflections.