This evening we dined with a Japanese gentleman, who very kindly, when we expressed a wish to see a native entertainment, got one up for us. So at 5 p.m. we found ourselves driving in jinrikshas up the hill to his pretty house built of wood and paper, surrounded by a garden of quaint old trees, trained to grow in grotesque fashions, and mountains, and peony-trees, and tiny ponds full of gold fish with fan-tails. Our host met us in his native dress, and, leaving our shoes at the front door, we walked over beautiful white mats to a nicely-furnished dressing-room, where European brushes and combs and mirrors were laid out for our use, and then through passages lined with paper windows to the reception-rooms, where fourteen guests were assembled, seated on little cushions. Pretty little singing girls, in their very smart flowered crêpe kimonas, and huge sashes, and elaborately done hair (plenty of rice-powder and rouge), came in with tiny cups of tea; but the tea-room, a charming little nook where the ‘powder-tea,’ so much prized here, is made with great ceremony, was next door. Then, dinner was served by eight singing girls—we being seated round the room on cushions, tucking up our legs as best we could. Luckily, our young Japanese friend, who speaks English well, was my neighbour, and gave me a lesson in the art of holding chop-sticks—but it was a funny feast. However, we did manage to pick up after a time some morsels of the numberless small dishes of cuttle-fish, mashed chestnuts, almond toffy, pounded quail, and egg soup, with our two little wooden chop-sticks. Everything was served in old China saucers or in lovely lacquer bowls. Between the courses the maidens danced, or, rather, went through a series of pantomime postures illustrating the song and music (a peasant girl making herself smart for her lover’s visit), while some of them played curious instruments, and made a noise exactly like cats screaming. Then, again, they would lay aside their instruments and fans, and bring us raw fish. Our host came round (he does not eat with his guests, etiquette requiring that he should be too much engaged in looking after them to do so) to drink wine with us. Kneeling in front of my cushion, he presented his wine-saucer, which my singing girl filled with saki—rather like very dry sherry—and I drank; then, with many bows and salutations, he did the same out of my saucer. So, like the Greeks of old, we reclined and ate and conversed, and made music, till 10 p.m.
Journal of a Lady’s Travels Round the World (1883)
An early opportunity was afforded us of making the personal acquaintance of the leading personages of the country, under the more festive circumstances of a dinner party, held at the house of Admiral Kawamura. On this occasion there were present, besides our host and hostess, their imperial highnesses the Prince and Princess Arisugawa, who occupy the stations nearest to the throne. ... There were also present the imperial Prince and Princess Higashi Fushimi, who come next in nearness to the emperor. The party likewise comprised the prime minister, Sanjo; the vice minister, Iwakura; Mr. Okuma, the minister of finance; Mr. Terashima, the foreign minister, and his wife; Mr. Ito, the home minister; General Saigo, minister at war; Mr. Enouyé, minister of public works, with his wife and adopted daughter; Mr. Oki, the minister of justice; General Yamagata, the commander-in-chief of the army; and several other ladies and gentlemen. The dinner was served in European fashion, but with several pretty accompaniments unknown at home, among which may be mentioned the serving of a pie out of which, when presented to me, there flew a number of small birds with written sentiments of welcome attached to their legs. All the gentlemen on the occasion wore European dress, but most of the ladies were in the picturesque native costume, some of them having the teeth blackened and the eyebrows shaved off, with artificial indications of others in colour higher up, after the ancient style of the country. The two princesses were not so adorned, or dis-adorned, as the case may be, but were dressed in robes of scarlet (the imperial colour), and had their hair wrought, so to speak, halo-fashion, as shown in the portraits of the empress. This mode of dressing the hair is materially different from that common among Japanese ladies, and appears to be special to members of the Mikado’s family.
Japan: Its History, Traditions, and Religions (1880)
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