Chapter XXIII: Sanzugawa Bridgeless: the Flowerless Road Traversed by the Dead (3)

[12] The description is curious. Writing fifty years ago Ryuo[u] tells us these men no longer practised. His book is not readily met with and the passage in the original is worth preserving--"_Kono sunegiri yatsu to iu wa tadaima de wa arimasen ga; makurajima no tabi ni asaura wo haki, sankeigyo[u] no kyahan de, nagai no wo ippon sashi. Eh! To[u] de o isogi de nai. Okata wa watakushi no mosu koyaku no ko[u]no[u] wo kiite o motome nasai. Nukeba tamachiru nagai no yaiba da nure kami de mo kayo ni kireru, tadaima yatsu ga wo kiri chi wo tomete goran ni ireru; to maru de kiru yo[u] desu ga ha (yaiba) no aru tokoro wa madzu no kata bakari de, moto no kata wa yaiba ga hiite aru yue, sono ha hiku no tokoro wo ude he ataru to suji ga tsuku bakari de kire washimasen ga, tanka ga kireru kara, chiwa taki-tsu se no gotoku nagareru. Chi ni wa sakarawazu ikusa naka ko wo mochiireba, sokuza ni todomaru nani mae kara todotteru no desu ga, hagyu[u] da kara maru de chi ga tomaru yo[u] ni micru kara, kono ho he hitotsu gai, kono ho he futatsu gai, to uremasu._"--"Yotsuya Kwaidan," pp. 31-32.

[13] One-fourth of a _ryo[u]_ = 15 silver mommé = 872 grains Troy. Money had much greater purchasing value at that time as compared with the present days; perhaps 20 times, but adulteration of the coinage caused great variations.

[14] The Machibugyo[u] was judge and prosecutor (procurator or district attorney); the two offices being held by the same man. A court trial included both functions. _Tengu_, used below, is the long-nosed wood bogey. There is a note in Benkei, i, 260.

[15] The _tawara_ equals two-fifths of a _koku_. At present-day figures the stipend of Tamiya can be put at about 2000 yen; that of Ito[u] Kwaiba, mentioned later, at 13,000 yen. The great _daimyo[u]_ with incomes running into the hundreds of thousands of _koku_ were princes administering part of the public domain, with armies and an elaborate civil service to support. Even a _hatamoto_ (minor _daimyo[u]_, immediate vassals of the sho[u]gun) of 10,000 _koku_, such as Yagyu[u] Tajima no Kami had a large train at his Edo _yashiki_ and at his fief. The Daté House of Sendai, or the Maeda of Kaga, Etchu[u], and Echizen, are examples of the greater To[u]zama, or lords independent in the administration of their fiefs. Labour, it is to be added, was cheap compared to food values. Taxes were heavy--ranging from 30 to 70 per cent. The middleman took his high fee. Yet sumptuary laws were necessary to prevent extravagance among the farming class. Some of them were rich men, especially in the better administered Tokugawa fiefs. The public works required of the _daimyo[u]_--especially the To[u]zama--prevented a dangerous accumulation of resources, and sometimes almost ruined his subjects. Accurate measurements of income are not available. The _koku_ of _daimyo[u]_ income has been placed as high as ten bushels. The present-day _koku_ equals 5.13 bushels. The price of rice ranges between 15-20 yen per _koku_.

[16] The title for all men of learning and professional attainments. The great medical doctor is "Sensei," the doctor of literature is "Sensei"--and the charlatan who peddles charms by the highway is "Sensei"--teacher.

[17] A technical social expression--"I trouble you" or "with highest respect and consideration." Satuma = Satsuma-Jo[u]fu, the grass cloth of fine quality woven and dyed in Loo-choo; narrow swords; all this (Momogawa) is an example of the earnest study the _ko[u]dan_ lecturers make of their subject. These delightful little expositions of dress and manner are frequent.

[18] _Rusu_ or _rusuban_ = caretaker in the owner's absence. As often as not the wife is so regarded by the Japanese husband.

[19] Reiganji, the great temple giving the name to the Reigan district of Fukagawa, is one of the many temples there found. The Jo[u]shinji is close by.

[20] A complicated checkers-chess like game.

[21] There are nine of these stages of skill.

[22] 5.13 bushel. Income of the _samurai_ classes were so measured.

[23] _Kyara_ = nut gall, in Momogawa's _ko[u]dan_. From the marriage to the expulsion of O'Iwa his treatment of the story is mainly followed. Ryuo[u] slurs the marriage, but describes the persecution with great effect. The lines of treatment only diverge subsequently. Ryuo[u] is to be preferred.

[24] The monetary _bu_ was one-fourth the _ryo[u]_; the _shu[u]_ was one-fourth the value of the _bu_. A hundred _mon_ = one _sen_. To-day there are blind shampooers (and for massage) at 500 _mon_ = 5 _sen_.

[25] Of the Nichiren sect. The characters of the "Yotsuya Kwaidan" move within the circle of this Presbyterian cult: _i.e._, Presbyterian in its stiff attitude of hostility and superiority to all other sects. There is another Myo[u]gyo[u]ji, neighbour to the Ten-o[u] shrine.

[26] High sounding titles given to the _great hetairae_. The difference from the Greek world lay in their not being independent. They were confined to the houses of their owners. But these noted women were ransomed at times--even by great nobles. Thus Daté Tsunamune the 3rd _daimyo[u]_ of Sendai bought the famous Oiran Takao, weighing in the scales the woman against gold. In a fit of passion he killed her soon after, and had her body cast into the Edogawa.

[27] "_Hagurete mo mata afu michi ya hana no yama._"

[28] The _aodaisho[u]_ is something of the nature of a black snake. Says Brinkley's Dict. "_elaphis virgatus_."

[29] The term "Inkyo[u]," already several times used, applies to a man who has retired from active life, leaving the management of the affairs of the House to the duly appointed heir and successor. A specified portion of the income is usually assigned for his maintenance, and forms a first lien, so to speak, on such return. The modernized law of Nippon does not permit assumption of this state before the age of fifty years, unless there be incapacitation such as necessitates retirement. In ancient days (pre-Meiji) there was no such limitation. Men often retired very early in life--from caprice, family intrigue, or for the freer management of their affairs. In the latter case they had more power and less responsibility; the latter falling on the heir and successor, perhaps still a mere child. _Go_ is merely honorific.

[30] "Awarase ya: Byo[u]bu wa koi no taki sagari." The living carp strives to ascend the fall.

[31] The old hag who lurks in the River of Souls, waylaying little children, robbing them of their clothes, and compelling them to construct huge piles of stones. Her counterfeit presentment (by Unkei) can be well seen at the Enno[u]ji of Kamakura.

[32] An ordinary disposition of these women; who often preferred their Edo lover to such lot.

[33] _Ototoi oidé_: It is the salutation of the good Buddhist to the captured insect, thrown without and requested to return "the day before yesterday" = the Greek Kalends. As used above it is a gross insult to the person addressed.

[34] Damask hill: the names taken by these great _hetairai_ were most fanciful.

[35] Next to the Ten-o[u] Jinja; not that of Samégabashi. To-day retired, neat and clean; without the dirty publicity of larger temples. It is a bit of country in crowded Yotsuya.

[36] A young girl's method of fixing the hair; but Ryuo[u] uses the term. Gohei are the paper strips used as offering. Usually attached to a short stick.

[37] At the Gyo[u]ranji of Matsuzakacho[u] in the Mita district of To[u]kyo[u].

[38] _Sanzugawa_: _Yama_ mo nakereba, _hashi mo nashi_; _shinde no tabiji hana wa nao nashi_. Sanzugawa, the river crossed by the dead.

[39] A fourth form of torture was suspension--an exaggerated infliction of "the lobster." These official forms are described by J. Carey Hall in the transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol. XLI., Part V. The native references are the "Tokugawa Seikei Shiryo[u]," "Keizai Dai Hiroku," "Ko[u]jiki Ruihi Horitsu-bu." Cf. article on Go[u]mon in the "Kokushi Dai Jiten." There were other forms. In the examination into the famous conspiracy of Yui Sho[u]setsu (1651 A.D.) no confession could be secured from Yoshida Hatsuémon. He was brought out, to find his thirteen-year-old son Hachitaro[u] undergoing the torture of dropping water. At the last extremities the boy pleaded for mercy. His father drily told him to act the _samurai_, and not to imperil the lives of others. It was different with Matsubayashi Chuya (really the last heir of the famous Cho[u]sokabé House of Tosa). At sight of his old, white haired, white faced, jail wearied mother threatened with the fire torture, he did for her what he would not do for himself. The old woman willingly would have undergone the torture. Chuya's confession cost the lives of seventy-five men.

[40] Hifumikwan (To[u]kyo[u]), Meiji 29th year 2nd month 15th day (28th March, 1896).

[41] _Mairase So[u]ro[u]_: "I take the liberty of...." Brinkley's Dict. A purely formal expression used in the letters of women writers.

[42] The three holy things--Buddha, his Law, the priesthood.

[43] Another reading of the characters for Kikugoro[u]--to the initiated.

[44] "Top-bottom": the beautiful lozenge shaped [=X] dress of the _samurai_ when on court service, or for other ceremony: full dress.

[45] "Small fish boiled in soy in order to preserve it (named after Tsukudajima-To[u]kyo[u]--famous for its preparation)."--Brinkley's Dict.

[46] Brown, with stripes--a favourite pattern with men and women.

[47] Feast of the Dead. This festival is held in July--in the country in August, the old calendar seventh month.

[48] Apparitional divine lord.

[49] The expression is technical--"_hitoban de mo o cha wo hikeba_." All night a mere tea-server.

[50]

[Narutaki no yoru no arashi ni kudakarete;
Chiru tama goto ni tsuki zo yadoreru.]

[51]

[Yamakawa no nagare ni ko no ha shizumu tomo;
Mi wo sutete koso ukabu se mo are.]

[52]

[Furu to miba tsumoranu saki ni haraekashi;
Yuki ni wa orenu aoyagi no ito.]^{[3]}

[53]

[Sama Sama to oshie no michi mo o[u]keredo
Uchikomu tokoro shin no itto[u].]^{[4]}

[54]

[Kokoro to wa ikanaru mono wo iu yaran;
Sumie ni kakitsu matsu kaze no oto.]^{[5]}

[55]

[Tsukubayama, Hayama, Nakayama, Shigeredomo;
Omoiru ni wa mono mo sawarazu.]^{[6]}

[56] Cf.--"Araki Mataémon--Ueno Adauchi," by Masui Nanzan. There is little reason to believe that Jubei's madness was assumed, a rather extravagant explanation of the more than probable fact that his well-known travels were inspired by the Sho[u]gun's government. Actual knowledge and inspection of the conditions and feelings in far-off Satsuma, made by an expert, was much desired. Okubo Hikozaémon also travelled as the Sho[u]gun's private eye. Jubei undoubtedly found his reputation for one-time madness very useful, and played upon it.

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| Page 27: nukamisosuké amended to nukamisozuké |
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| Page 55, pages 58-61 inclusive: Sakarai amended to Sakurai |
| Page 61: T[=o]eman amended to Toémon |
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| Page 143: misintrepeted amended to misinterpreted |
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| Page 173: Kamikura amended to Kamimura |
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| Page 193: Akiyima amended to Akiyama |
| Page 194: Teremachi amended to Teramachi |
| Page 198: Fukotar[=o] amended to Fukutar[=o] |
| Page 223: Sh[=o]zaémon amended to Ch[=o]zaémon |
| Page 227: peel amended to peal |
| Page 240: Kamikura amended to Kamimura |
| Page 262: Okusuma amended to Okusama |
| Page 269: gray amended to grey (twice) |
| Page 273: threshhold amended to threshold |
| Page 277: Iye amended to Iya |
| Page 279: Mikowaya amended to Mikawaya |
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| Where there is an equal number of instances of a word |
| occurring as hyphenated and unhyphenated, the hyphens |
| have been retained: Blind-man/Blindman; |
| care-taker/caretaker; cross-roads/crossroads; |
| go-down/godown; house-keeping/housekeeping; |
| Mita-mura/Mitamura; near-by/nearby; woman-kind/womankind. |
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