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 In memory of Klaus Hympendahl – great sailor,
fearless adventurer, true gentleman, and wonderful
friend
CONTENTS
Foreword
Introduction
Health precautions worldwide

MEDITERRANEAN AND BLACK SEA

Albania
Algeria
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Egypt
France
Georgia
Gibraltar
Greece
Israel
Italy
Lebanon
Libya
Malta
Monaco
Montenegro
Romania
Russia
Slovenia
Spain
Syria
Tunisia
Turkey
Ukraine

NORTHERN EUROPE
Belgium
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Germany
Latvia
Lithuania
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Russia
Sweden

WESTERN EUROPE AND NORTH ATLANTIC

ISLANDS
Azores
Bermuda
Canary Islands
Cape Verde Islands
Channel Islands
Faeroe Islands
France
Greenland
Iceland
Ireland
Madeira
Portugal
Spain
United Kingdom

WEST AFRICA AND SOUTH ATLANTIC ISLANDS

Antarctica
Ascension Island
Falkland Islands
Gambia
Mauritania
Morocco
Namibia
St Helena
Senegal
South Africa
Tristan da Cunha

THE CARIBBEAN
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Aruba
Bahamas
Barbados
Bonaire
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Cuba
Curaçao
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Haiti
Jamaica
Martinique
Montserrat
Puerto Rico
Saba
St Barthélemy
St Eustatius
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
Sint Maarten and St Martin
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos
US Virgin Islands

NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA

Belize
Canada
Northwest Passage
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
United States of America

SOUTH AMERICA
Argentina
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
French Guiana
Guyana
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela

NORTH PACIFIC ISLANDS

Federated States of Micronesia
Guam
Hawaii
Kiribati
Marshall Islands
Northern Marianas
Palau

SOUTH PACIFIC
American Samoa
Australia
Cook Islands
Easter Island
Fiji
French Polynesia
Galapagos Islands
Nauru
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Niue
Norfolk Island
Papua New Guinea
Pitcairn Island
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tokelau
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Wallis and Futuna

SOUTHEAST AND EAST ASIA

Brunei
Cambodia
China
East Timor
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Japan
Macau
Malaysia
Myanmar
Philippines
Singapore
South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam

NORTH INDIAN OCEAN AND RED SEA

Bahrain
Djibouti
Egypt
Eritrea
India
Jordan
Kuwait
Maldives
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
Sri Lanka
Sudan
United Arab Emirates
Yemen

SOUTH INDIAN OCEAN

Chagos
Christmas Island
Cocos Keeling Islands
Comoro Islands
Kenya
Madagascar
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mozambique
Reunion
Seychelles
Tanzania

Cruising Guides
Acknowledgements
Photo Credits
FOREWORD
In the seven years since the first edition of this book was published,
the political uncertainty in some parts of the world may give the
impression that setting off on a longer voyage could be less safe
than in the past. But if you leaf through the 184 countries listed on
the following pages it will soon become obvious that most of the
world is still safe to visit and the affected areas are a small minority
that can be easily avoided. As an example, safety concerns over the
situation in the North Indian Ocean and Red Sea have resulted in a
considerable increase in the number of boats on a world voyage that
are now sailing the Cape of Good Hope route.
While tropical cruising grounds continue to be the favourite
destinations, a steadily increasing number of sailors are now
attracted to remote and less frequented areas, some in higher
latitudes. To cater for this trend, we have included details of the
Northwest Passage, a tempting albeit quite challenging route
between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
While the principal aim of this book is to give the reader an idea of
a country’s main attractions and, hopefully, tempt you to sail there,
on a practical level, this book also describes the preparations that
are needed in the way of visas, cruising permits or guides, as well as
what is available locally in terms of repair facilities and services, fuel
and provisions, or charter opportunities. As there are no individual
cruising guides available for at least half of the countries covered, all
the essential information that may be needed in an unforeseen
emergency stop in such a country has also been included.
Many parents hope that their children will follow in their footsteps
and continue their work. I am one of those fortunate parents, as I
have worked together with my daughter Doina on many projects,
from World Cruising Handbook, the successful predecessor of this
book, to noonsite.com and various transatlantic and round the world
rallies. We have also sailed many thousands of miles together, from
our first round the world voyage to later expeditions to Antarctica
and the Arctic, visiting most of the countries described in the
following pages. Doina and I have been fortunate to see so many
beautiful places, and we hope that this book will inspire you to cast
off the lines and grasp the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful planet
of ours.

Jimmy Cornell Doina Cornell

If you are going to do something, do it now. Tomorrow is

too late.
PETE GOSS

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by

the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So
throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.
Discover.
MARK TWAIN
INTRODUCTION
All countries or island groups that are visited by cruising yachts,
even if only very rarely, are included in this book. It aims to give all
the essential information you need to decide if a particular country is
worth visiting, to know what to expect once there, and to make the
necessary preparations concerning visas, cruising permits or other
requirements.

Tropical storm Katrina.

CLIMATE
Weather conditions should be the first factor to be considered when
planning a voyage anywhere in the world and the section on climate
gives a brief outline of what can be expected. Wherever they occur
tropical storm seasons are also mentioned, as certain areas are best
avoided at such times. This is a summary of tropical storm seasons
throughout the world:

Area Season Highest frequency

Caribbean Sea June to November September
Northeast Pacific May to November July–September
Northwest Pacific All year July–October
Bay of Bengal May to December October–November
Arabian Sea April to December April–May; October–
November
South Indian November to May December–March
Ocean
South Pacific November to mid- January–March
Ocean May

One of the noticeable effects of climate change is that the weather

is even less predictable than it used to be, and this trend has already
been seen in the behaviour of tropical storms. Some very violent
hurricanes have occurred in recent years, and the actual seasons as
well as the affected areas are less well defined than in the past. In
both the South Atlantic and the Eastern North Atlantic tropical
storms have occurred where they have never been recorded before,
and this is a strong indication that world climate is indeed changing.

PORTS OF ENTRY
Wherever possible, all official ports of entry for each country have
been listed. The exceptions are countries where arriving yachts may
clear into any major port or where specific phone numbers are listed
to call, either to inform the authorities of your impending arrival or
to be given instructions as to where to proceed.

FORMALITIES
Clearance formalities vary greatly from country to country – being
extremely simple in some, and unnecessarily complicated in others.
The complexity of formalities is often a reflection of the nature of the
regime in power and it normally can be assumed that the less liberal
a country, the more complicated its entry formalities. There are,
though, some notable exceptions to this as formalities in Australia
and the USA are among the most complex and stringent in the
world. On the other hand, in many places regularly frequented by
yachts, formalities have been simplified and countries are co-
operating in the introduction of a unified system – whether by
completing a pre-arrival form on the internet for some East
Caribbean islands; issuing visas that are valid for several countries in
Europe or Central America; or abolishing formalities altogether
between countries in the EU.
 Several countries now insist that the relevant authorities are
informed well in advance of a yacht’s arrival. Australia was the first
to introduce this requirement, which is now being applied by other
countries too. Many captains, who have ignored this requirement or
infringed other regulations, have been fined and, in a few extreme
cases, had their yachts impounded. This is why it must be stressed
that however easy or complicated they may appear to be, formalities
should always be taken seriously, and even what look like arbitrary
restrictions should be complied with. Moreover, however lax or strict
a country may be, entry formalities must be completed as soon as
possible, and the intention to do so must be indicated immediately
you enter that country’s territorial waters by flying the Q flag, the
country’s courtesy flag, and contacting the relevant authorities by
radio. Although 12 miles is the internationally accepted limit of
territorial waters, some countries have unilaterally extended these
limits and such exceptions are mentioned in the text.
 It is also important to know that even countries that do not permit
or encourage visits by foreign yachts are obliged by international law
to assist a vessel in distress in case of a serious emergency. Should
such an emergency occur, the authorities should be contacted at the
earliest opportunity and you should insist on being treated in
accordance with the provisions of international maritime law.

There are strict regulations concerning firearms and pets in all

countries and, as both need to be declared on arrival at the first port
of entry, this requirement is not repeated in the text for each
individual destination. In some countries, firearms may be confined
on board if there is a suitable locker, otherwise they must be
deposited ashore and only retrieved, under supervision, when the
boat is ready to leave the country – something that can be not only
inconvenient, but also very expensive if the port of departure is not
the same as the one of arrival and the firearm has to be taken to
that port by a customs officer. Restrictions imposed on visiting
animals are just as severe, and information on the requirements for
individual countries should be ascertained before arrival by
consulting an internet source such as noonsite.com.
Quarantine regulations in some countries are very strict and the
importation of fresh produce as well as a wide range of foodstuffs is
prohibited. In such places it is advisable to arrive with few such
stores. Occasionally, one may be allowed to consume such food on
board, but in most cases these items are confiscated on arrival and
destroyed. In some countries duty-free stores, whether spirits, wine
or beer, may be sealed on board, but in most places they must be
declared and duty paid on any excess.

Documents
The most common documents needed when clearing in are the
ship’s registration papers, radio licence, passports and vaccination
certificates. Clearance papers from the last country visited may also
be requested. Some officials may want to see the vessel’s original
insurance policy and a certificate of competence for the captain. If
firearms are carried, these should be licensed in the country of
origin, as this licence will be requested in most places. Similarly, pets
must have international health certificates and their anti-rabies and
other vaccinations should be kept up to date. Those who carry scuba
diving equipment on board may be asked to show their diving
qualification certificate before getting tanks filled. Finally, a
prescription or a letter from a doctor should accompany any personal
medication needed – specifying the medicine and why it is taken,
especially those used on a regular basis, such as heart and blood
pressure medication, diuretics, tranquillizers, antidepressants,
stimulants or sleeping pills.
A radio operator’s licence, whether for VHF, HF or amateur radio,
is required in most countries, although this is rarely checked. In
some places amateur radios can only be used legally if the operator
is in possession of a reciprocal licence issued by the country
concerned. In a few countries there are restrictions on the use of
any radio equipment while in port, while in others, such as Thailand
and New Zealand, the use of portable marine VHF radios on land is
forbidden.
 Although some forms have to be filled in on arrival, considerable
time can be saved by having some papers prepared beforehand. It is
always a good idea to have photocopies of the ship’s registration
papers as well as plenty of crew lists, with such details as first name,
surname, date of birth, nationality, gender, passport number and
date of expiry as well as details of the boat itself: name of vessel,
flag, type (sailing yacht), official registration number, gross and net
tonnage, LOA (in feet and metres), call sign, name and address of
registered owner. A ship’s stamp is greatly appreciated in many
countries where, for some strange reason, a rubber stamp has a
certain authority.

Visas
One aspect that this book tries to clear up is the subject of visa
requirements. While in some countries these requirements are quite
clear, in others the situation concerning visiting yachts is confusing.
Foreign nationals arriving on a yacht can be treated basically in three
different ways by the immigration authorities:
 Sailors are regarded as being the same as ordinary tourists
arriving by other means, in which case the usual visa requirements
apply.
Special visa requirements are applied to those arriving by yacht.
This may mean that some countries that normally grant visas on
arrival to tourists coming by air will insist that anyone arriving on a
yacht must have obtained their visa in advance. This is often
because tourists coming by air must have an onward or return
ticket to be given a visa, while arriving on a yacht is not always
regarded as a guarantee of your ability to depart by the same
means.
Sailors are sometimes given special treatment by being allowed to
enter a country without a visa, unlike tourists arriving by other
means. At times visas are granted on arrival, and occasionally are
dispensed with altogether and a shore pass issued instead.
However, in these cases such special concessions are often given
only for a limited time and may be restricted to the duration of the
yacht’s stay in port or while cruising certain areas. Usually it will
be necessary to obtain an ordinary tourist visa to visit other parts
of the country or leave by other means than by yacht.

Passports should have a validity that is well in excess of the

intended period of travel. A number of countries insist that passports
are valid for at least six months beyond the intended stay in that
country. In many Arab or Muslim states, an Israeli stamp in your
passport may result in you being turned away or experiencing
difficulties, so anyone who visits Israel should insist that their
passport is not stamped. In some countries, police, the army or
security forces do spot-checks, so you should always carry some
form of identification when ashore, even if only a photocopy of the
relevant passport pages.
For countries where a visa is required, this should be obtained well
in advance, although you should make sure that the visa will still be
valid when you arrive in the respective country as some places
stipulate that entry must take place within a certain time after the
date of issue. It is also a good idea to obtain a visa in advance for
difficult countries, even if it is stated that visas can be issued on
arrival. Obtaining a multiple-entry visa may be advisable if visiting
countries that have overseas territories or dependencies, such as
France (Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Polynesia, New Caledonia,
Reunion, Mayotte), Australia (Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Cocos
Keeling) or the USA (Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guam).
Obtaining a visa on arrival for crew joining a yacht without being
in possession of a return ticket is not always easy, and for this
reason captains are urged to meet such crew at the airport so as to
be able to explain the special circumstances to immigration. Also, in
order to pre-empt any problems for crew arriving on a single ticket,
the captain should send such crew a letter stating that this person is
joining a yacht and will also be leaving the country that way. Such a
letter may be acceptable, although some airlines refuse to allow a
person to board a flight if not in possession of a return ticket. If all
else fails, whether at the airport of departure or arrival, the crew
may need to buy a return ticket to his or her country of residence,
and if this is a standard ticket and remains unused, its cost would be
refunded later in full.
Something that must be borne in mind when cruising is that visa
regulations do change and often without warning. You should always
try to find out the latest situation before sailing to a certain country.
As most places maintain diplomatic missions in neighbouring
countries, these are the best ones to ask about changes and to
apply for any necessary visas.

Cruising permits
In some countries, cruising boats are subjected to special
regulations or restrictions concerning their movement. In most
places, if a cruising permit or transit log is required, it is issued at
the first port of entry, so it is not necessary to make any
preparations in advance. Any restrictions on the freedom of
movement of yachts, which do not require a cruising permit to be
obtained in advance, are mentioned in the section of that country.
Also mentioned are the few countries where such permits must be
secured in advance. There are various reasons why restrictions on
the movement of cruising boats are imposed, the main ones being
the protection of remote communities from intrusion, the
preservation of marine parks and nature reserves, or the wish of
authorities to keep foreign sailors away from sensitive military areas
or detention centres. Restrictions are also increasingly imposed on
genuine cruising boats because of the fear by local authorities that a
boat chartering illegally might slip through their net. In some places
any crew changes are regarded with deep suspicion and boat
owners have occasionally been asked to prove that those joining
them were not charter guests. After many years of tolerance or
ignorance, the authorities in most countries frequented by charter
boats are now aware of what is happening and are trying to get the
charter operators to make some contribution to the economy of the
country whose beauty they so readily exploit. It is unfortunate that
genuine cruising boats have been caught up in this situation, but
sailors should try to understand that some of these countries have
few resources apart from their picturesque scenery, so their
attempts to recoup some of the revenue that others are making out
of it should not be condemned too harshly. The same line of thought
should be applied to the fees sometimes charged for cruising
permits. These fees, which give access to some of the most beautiful
and unspoilt areas of the world, are rarely more than one would pay
for two or three nights in a marina anywhere in Europe or North
America.

Arrival procedure
Most countries show little tolerance towards those who infringe their
rules and cruising sailors have faced stiff fines, and even prison
sentences, for ignoring local laws and regulations. A basic
requirement of every country is that vessels arriving from a foreign
destination must proceed directly to an official port of entry. The
local port authority has to be contacted at the earliest opportunity
on VHF Channel 16 unless otherwise stated (such as a different
channel or different name of the authority to be contacted). Arrival
procedure is given only for major or more frequented ports, and if
landfall is made at a port that has no individual description, Channel
16 is the normal one to call.
There are special regulations for the EU that differ between EU
and non-EU-flagged vessels. EU-flagged vessels with only EU
nationals on board arriving in an EU port directly from another EU
port do not have to complete any formalities, except in Greece.
Immigration must be contacted if there are non-EU citizens aboard.
Customs must be notified if there is anything to declare, such as
firearms. Both EU and non-EU-flagged yachts that arrive in an EU
port from a non-EU port must fly the Q flag when entering the 12-
mile limit. Customs and immigration must be contacted on arrival.
These regulations also apply to vessels arriving from an EU country
in offshore island groups such as Madeira, the Canaries, Azores or
the French Caribbean as these vessels are considered to have left
the EU and to have arrived from a non-EU destination.
Non-EU nationals must be in possession of a Schengen visa when
arriving in an EU country that has signed the Schengen Agreement
(see below). The exception is Greece where both EU and non-EU
vessels must clear in on arrival and obtain a transit log, wherever
they are arriving from.

Departure procedure
In most countries, vessels departing for a foreign destination must
complete clearing out formalities and be issued with a departure
certificate (known as zarpe in Spanish-speaking countries). It is
imperative to obtain this document as it is usually requested when
clearing into the next country.
On departure from an EU port to a non-EU destination, customs
and immigration must be notified by both EU and non-EU vessels.

The European Union (EU)

On 1 January 1993 all countries belonging to the EU became a single
market by enforcing the Single European Act and merging into a
common customs and Value Added Tax (VAT) zone. VAT is a special
tax applied to both goods and services. Because of the lifting of
customs controls within the EU, the flying of the Q flag is no longer
obligatory if you sail from one EU country to another.
The importation of duty-free goods from one EU country into
another is no longer permitted. Where the single market has made a
great difference is in lifting all restrictions on the importation of duty-
paid goods. In the case of goods bought in normal shops or
supermarkets, there are practically no limits, provided the goods are
purchased for your own consumption, although for larger quantities
you may have to prove this. Especially in some of the Nordic
countries, there are severe restrictions on the importation of
alcoholic drinks, even from another EU country.
There are 28 countries in the EU at the time of writing, but the
United Kingdom may leave by 2019. How Britain’s departure from
the EU will affect the movement of sailing yachts, both to and from
the UK, has yet to be decided. In the meantime the existing
regulations remain unchanged. The other 27 maritime nations are:
Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the
Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
and the UK (see above). Island groups belonging to some of those
countries, such as the Azores, Madeira, Canaries, Channel Islands or
Åland, have a special status and this will be explained in the relevant
section. Different regulations also apply in dependent territories,
such as Gibraltar or Greenland.
 A vessel owned by a resident of the EU has the right to free
movement throughout the EU, provided VAT has been paid on that
vessel in one of the EU countries. Although there is no legal time
limit on the length of time a EU-registered boat can spend in any EU
country, some occasionally enforce local regulations once the boat
has been in that country for over six months.
Customs regulations have been largely harmonized and non-EU-
flagged vessels may now spend a period of 18 months within the
EU, whether in one EU country or several. Non-EU-flagged vessels
remaining inside the EU for over 18 months, and being used by the
owner or the crew during this period, must be imported and VAT
paid on the value of the boat. The preferred way to overcome this
restriction by those who wish to have longer in the EU is to leave
just before the expiry of the 18-month period and spend some time
in a non-EU country, with the clock being restarted on the return to
the EU.

The Schengen Agreement

The commitment of European states to the free movement of
persons led to the creation of the Schengen Agreement, which was
signed by Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the
Netherlands in June 1990. By 2009, a total of 28 countries, including
all European Union countries (except Ireland and the United
Kingdom) and three non-EU countries (Iceland, Norway and
Switzerland) had signed the Schengen Agreement. It must be
stressed that Schengen visa holders are not allowed to live
permanently or work in the European Union.
The removal of internal borders between the participating states in
the Schengen Agreement means that the criteria for who is allowed
across the external borders of Schengen countries is of crucial
importance. The Schengen countries have therefore committed
themselves to abide by a common policy on issuing visas that are
valid for the entire Schengen area. Nationals of the following
countries do not require a Schengen visa: members of the European
Union, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco,
New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Switzerland and the USA.
 Citizens of non-EU countries who do not require a visa to visit a
Schengen country are still usually (but not always) subject to a 90
day limit on the length of their stay in any 6 month period. This 6
month period starts on the first day of entry into a Schengen Area
country. In principle, a new stay of 90 days can be restarted at the
end of such a new 6 month period.
Nationals of the following countries do not require a Schengen
visa for stays of up to 90 days: Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Brunei,
Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel,
Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino,
Singapore, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela.

FACILITIES
The section on facilities in this book only gives a general idea of
what standard and range of services are available. For important
destinations that are also well covered by cruising guides, such
information is by force succinct, whereas the information is more
detailed for places that are less frequented by yachts and are not
covered by a cruising guide. Similarly, individual marinas or yacht
clubs are only mentioned in less frequented places. A useful website
that lists marinas worldwide is www.marinas.com.
In most parts of the world local yacht clubs welcome visiting
sailors and allow them to use their facilities either on a reciprocal
basis if the visitor’s home yacht club has such an arrangement for its
members, or for a fee in case of longer stays. Yacht club staff and
their members are often the best source of information on local
conditions, repair and other facilities, as well as giving tips on
sightseeing. It is always advisable to contact such yacht clubs in
advance, and ideally to have your own club let you have or send a
letter of recommendation directly to the host club.
The use of local agents is mentioned in several instances, whether
to complete arrival formalities, arrange a transit of the Panama or
Suez Canals, or obtain a cruising permit. As individual agents often
change, existing ones are not listed, but they can be found easily by
consulting the relevant country’s page on noonsite.com or by doing
an internet search. It is advisable to agree any fees with such agents
in advance and also obtain a written list of services included in the
agreed fee, as well as any additional charges that may have to be
paid on top of the agency fee. This precaution also applies to any
work being done on the boat, where a written estimate should
always be requested in advance.

CHARTER
The section on charter lists only established companies operating
their own yachts. Wherever bareboats are available, these are
mentioned in preference to skippered or crewed yachts. It is always
advisable to deal with charter operators directly and, if possible,
avoid the use of agents or intermediaries. If in any doubt, it is
strongly recommended to ask the person or company making the
offer if it has its own fleet in the country concerned, and insist that
details of its base are given, so as to check if this is indeed correct.
It is just as important to choose the location carefully, especially in
areas with consistent prevailing winds, such as the Caribbean or
Aegean, so as not to end up at the finish of a charter far downwind
of the base where the boat needs to be returned to.

CRUISING GUIDES
All cruising guides listed were in print when this book was updated
(February 2017), but it should be borne in mind that a more recent
edition may now be available or perhaps a new and more up-to-date
publication. Also mentioned are a number of cruising guides that can
be downloaded from the internet, either free or at a cost. At the end
of the book, all cruising guides are listed again arranged by region.

WEBSITES
The listed websites are usually the official tourist board sites of that
country or websites that are particularly useful to visitors.
There are several websites that list general cruising information.
These are not mentioned under specific countries, but should be
consulted to check or update some of the information given in this
book. There are also various international cruising associations that
publish valuable cruising information, such as the Seven Seas
Cruising Association, which anyone is welcome to join. The British
Cruising Association and Royal Cruising Club (RCC) have informative
websites featuring reports from their widely travelled members. The
RCC is the custodian of the Pilotage Foundation, a charitable project
that supports the publication of cruising guides for less frequented
areas that may not be commercially viable.

www.noonsite.com
www.sail-world.com
www.cruising.org.uk
www.rcc.org.uk
 Another Random Document on
Scribd Without Any Related Topics
The Project Gutenberg eBook of When I Was a
Boy in Japan
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Title: When I Was a Boy in Japan

Author: Sakae Shioya

Release date: November 11, 2017 [eBook #55939]

Most recently updated: October 23, 2024

Language: English

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BOY IN JAPAN ***
 TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:
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WHEN I WAS A BOY
IN JAPAN

BY
SAKAE SHIOYA

ILLUSTRATED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS

BOSTON
LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.
 Published, August, 1906.
Copyright, 1906, by Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co.
All Rights Reserved.
When I Was a Boy in Japan.
Norwood Press
Berwick & Smith Co.
Norwood, Mass., U. S. A.
 PREFACE
Japanese boys have not been introduced very much to their little
American friends, and the purpose of this book is to provide an
introduction by telling some of the experiences which are common
to most Japanese boys of the present time, together with some
account of the customs and manners belonging to their life. I can at
least claim that the story is told as it could be only by one who had
actually lived the life that is portrayed. I have endeavored to hold
the interest of my young readers by bringing in more or less of
amusement. The little girl companion is introduced to widen the
interest and add somewhat more of the story element than would
otherwise be present. The sketches composing the various chapters
are necessarily disconnected, but they form a series of pictures,
priceless at least to the author, which foreign eyes have seldom been
allowed to see.
Sakae Shioya.

Yale University, 1905.

 CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.: My Infancy.
How I Looked—My Name—Walking
—In Tea Season—My Toys
—“Kidnapped”—O-dango 9
CHAPTER II.: At Home.
Introduction—Dinner—Rice—
Turning to Cows—A Bamboo
Dragon-fly—A Watermelon Lantern
—On a Rainy Evening—The Story of
a Badger 23
CHAPTER III.: The Village School.
A Mimic School—Preparations—The
School—How Classes Are
Conducted—Out of Tune—A Moral
Story—School Discipline—Playthings
—“Knife Sense” 35
CHAPTER IV.: In Tokyo.
Where We Settled—A Police Stand—
Stores—“Broadway”—Illumination—
The Foreign Settlement 51
CHAPTER V.: My New School.
Tomo-chan—The Men with Wens—A
Curious Punishment—How I
Experienced It—Kotoro-Kotoro 62
CHAPTER VI.: Chinese Education.
My Chinese Teacher—How I Was
Taught—Versification—My Uncle—
Clam Fishing—A Flatfish 76
CHAPTER VII.: An Evening Fête.
My Father—His Love for Potted
Trees—A Local Fête—Show Booths
—Goldfish Booths—Singing Insects
—How a Potted Tree Was Bought 91
CHAPTER VIII.: Summer Days.
A Swimming School—How I Was
Taught to Swim—Diving—The Old
Home Week—Return of the
Departed Souls—Visiting the
Ancestral Graves—The Memorable
Night—A Village Dance 102
CHAPTER IX.: The English School.
A Night at the Dormitory—
Beginning English—Grammar—
Pronunciation—School Moved—
Mother’s Love 114
CHAPTER X.: A Boy Astronomer.
What I Intended to Be—My Aun
View—My Parents’ Approval—My
Uncle’s Enthusiasm—The Total
Eclipse of the Sun 128
CHAPTER XI.: In the Suburbs.
A Novel Experiment—Removal—Our
New House—Angling—Tomo-chan’s
Visit 143
 ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
Sakae Shioya Portrait Frontispiece
A Japanese House 22
A Japanese School Scene 40
The Japanese “Broadway” 56
A Typical Japanese Street 90
A Japanese School of the Present Day 120

WHEN I WAS A BOY IN JAPAN

 CHAPTER I
MY INFANCY
How I Looked—My Name—Walking—In Tea Season—My Toys
—“Kidnapped”—O-dango.

I suppose I don’t need to tell you exactly, my little friends, when and
where I was born, because Japanese names are rather hard for you
to remember, and then I don’t want to disclose my age. Suffice it to
say that I was once a baby like all of you and my birthplace was
about a day’s journey from Tokyo, the capital of Japan. I wish I
could have observed myself and noted down every funny thing I did
when very small, as the guardian angel, who is said to be standing
by every cradle, will surely do. But when my memory began to be
serviceable, I was well on in my infancy, and if I were to rely on that
only, I should have to skip over a considerable length of time. How I
should dislike to do this! So, my little friends, let me construct this
chapter out of bits of things my mamma used to tell me now and
then.
When I was born, my father was away. Grandma was very proud to
have a boy for the first-born, and at once wrote him a letter saying
that a son was born to him and that he was like—and then she
wrote two large circles, meaning that I was very, very plump. Do you
know how a plump Japanese baby looks? I have often wondered
myself, and have many a time watched a baby taking a bath. Let us
suppose him to be one year old and about to be put into warm
water in a wooden tub. His chin is dimple-cleft, his cheeks ripe as an
apple, and his limbs are but a continuation of his fat trunk. And how
jolly the elfin is! After the queer expression he has shown on being
dipped has passed away and he realizes what he is about, he will
make many quick bows—really, I assure you, to show his thanks for
the trouble of washing him. At this, mother, sister, and the maid
assisting them give a burst of laughter, when, with a scream of
immense delight, he will strike his fists into the water, causing a
panic among the well-clad and not-ready-to-get-wet attendants.
With royal indifference, however, he will then try to push his fist into
his mouth, and not grumbling at all over his ill-success, he will set
about telling a story with his everlasting mum-mum. Now he is taken
out and laid on a towel. Glowing red, how he will move his arms and
legs like an overturned turtle! Well, that is how I looked, I am very
sure.
In Japan, in christening a child, we follow the principle of “A good
name is better than rich ointment.” I was named Sakae, which in the
hierographic Chinese characters represents fire burning on a stand.
The idea of illumination will perhaps suggest itself to you at once,
and indeed, it means glory or thrift. And my well-wishing parents
named me so, that I might thrive and be a glory to my family. So I
was bound to be good, wasn’t I? A bad boy with a good name would
be very much like a monkey with a silk hat on.
Now begins my walking. Now and then mamma or grandma would
train me, taking my hands and singing:
“Anyo wa o-jozu,
Korobu wa o-heta.”
But my secret delight—so I judge—was to stand by myself, clinging
to the convenient checkered frames of paper screens, which covered
the whole length of the veranda. When I went from one side to the
other, at first without being noticed—of course walking like a crab—
and then suddenly being discovered with a shout of admiration, I
used to come down with a bump, which, however, never hurt me—I
was so plump, you know. I must describe here a sort of ceremony,
or rather an ordeal, I had to pass through when I was fairly able to
stand and walk without any help. For this I must begin with my
house.
My house stood on the outskirts of the town, where the land rose to
a low hill and was covered with tea-plants. We owned a part of it
hedged in by criptomerias.
We were not regular tea dealers, but we used to have an exciting
time in the season preparing our crop. Lots of red-cheeked country
girls would come to pick the leaves, and it was a sight to see them
working. With their heads nicely wrapped with pieces of white and
blue cloth, jetting out of the green ocean of tea-leaves, they would
sing peculiarly effective country songs, mostly in solos with a short
refrain in chorus. But they were not having a concert, and if you
should step in among them, they would make a hero of you, those
girls. And then we had also a good many young men working at tea-
heaters.
Here they likewise sang snatches of songs, but their principal
business was to roll up steamed leaves and dry them over the fire.
But when work is combined with fun, it is a great temptation for a
boy, and I, a lad of five or six, I remember, would have a share
among them, and, standing on a high stool by a heater and baring
my right shoulder like the rest, would join more in a refrain than in
rolling the leaves.
But I was going to tell you about the ceremony I had to pass
through, wasn’t I? Well, it happened, or rather somebody especially
arranged it so, I suspect, that I should have it just at the time of this
great excitement. The ceremony itself is like this. They take a child
fairly able to walk, load him with some heavy thing, and place him in
a sort of a large basket shaped like the blade of a shovel. Now let
him walk. The basket will rock under him, the load is too heavy for
him, and he will fall down.
If he does, it is taken for granted that he has in that one act had all
the falls that he would otherwise meet in his later life. So, if he
appears too strong to stumble, he will be shaken down by some
roguish hands before he gets out of it.
I was to go through this before august spectators—country girls.
They liked to see me plump, because some of them were even more
plump than I. At any rate, from everywhere they saluted me as
“Bot’chan,” “Bot’chan.” If I had returned every salute by looking this
way and that, I should have broken my neck. But it was customary
to make a bow anyway, and I was ordered by my mamma to do so.
On this occasion I made two snap bows with my chin, which excited
laughter. Now a basket was produced, a brand-new one, I
remember, and I was loaded with some heavy rice cake. I stood up,
however, like Master Peachling of our fairy-tale, who is said to have
surprised his adopted mother by rising in his bathtub on the very
day of his birth! I was then placed in the basket and made to walk.
I looked intently at the basket, not because it was new, but because
it gave me a queer motion, the ups and downs of a boat, a new
sensation to me, anyway. Attracted, however, by the merry voices of
the crowd, I looked at them, and suddenly, being pleased with so
many smiling faces, raised a cry of delight, when down I came with
a loud noise. A roar of laughter broke out with the clapping of
hands. The noise buried my surprise and I also clapped my hands
without knowing who was being cheered.
As the first-born of the house, I must have had lots of playthings.
But there were two things I remember as clear as the day. One was
a sword, all wood, however. As the son of a samurai, I should have
had to serve my lord under the old régime and stake my life and
honor on the two blades of steel. And so even if the good old days
were gone, something to remind us of them was kept and made a
plaything of. But really, I liked my wooden sword. The other thing
was a horse—a hobby-horse, I mean. I don’t know just how many
horses I had, but I wanted any number of them. I had some
pictures, but they were all of horses. If not, I would not accept the
presents. And with these two kinds of treasures I enjoyed most of
my childhood days, the sword slantingly on my side, and the horse,
which I fancied trotting, under me, while I shouted “Haiyo! haiyo!”
Although I had my own name, people called me “Bot’chan,” as I
have said, because it is a general term of endearment, and papa and
mamma would call me “Bô” or “Bôya.” Among those who addressed
me thus, I remember very well one middle-aged woman who often
came to steal me from mamma, and by whom I was only too glad to
be stolen.
We had a long veranda facing the garden, on which I passed most of
my days. There I rode on my hobby-horse or played with my little
dog Shiro, who would go through all sorts of tricks for a morsel of
nice things. Suddenly my laugh would cease and nothing of me
would be heard. Wondering what the matter was, mamma would
open the paper screen to see, and lo! not a shadow of me was to be
seen. Even Shiro had disappeared. Attacked with a feeling
something akin to horror, she used to picture—so I imagine—a
winged tengu (a Japanese harpy) swooping down and carrying me
away to some distant hill. But soon finding recent steps of clogs on
the ground, coming to and receding from the veranda, she would
nod and smile at the trick. She knew that I had been kidnapped by a
good soul!
Now I want to give you some reasons why I liked this woman. First
of all, it was because she always carried me on her back. The only
way to appreciate what it is to be tall, would be to be a grown-up
man and a small child at the same time. And that is exactly the
feeling that I had. I could see lots of curious things over the
forbidden hedges. I could even see things over the house-tops; they
were all one-story, and built low, though. In a word, I always felt
while on her back like a wee pig who had first toddled out into a
wide, wide world. And then she would carry me through town. What
life there was! After crossing a bridge which spanned the stream,
coming from the beautiful lake on the north and going a little way
along a row of pine-trees, we would come on a flock of ducks and
geese on their way to the water. What a noise they made,—quack,
quack! Then we would begin inspecting rows of houses, open to the
street and in which all sorts of things were sold. Men, women, and
children, as well as dogs, seemed to be very much occupied. Then I
would spy some horses laden with straw bags and wood. Real
horses they were, but I was rather disappointed to find them so big
and their appearance not half so good as in my pictures. My faith in
them always began to shake a little bit, but still I used to persist in
thinking that my hobby-horses and pictures were nearer the reality
than those we met on the street. And wasn’t it curious that my belief
was at last substantiated by seeing a Shetland pony in America after
some twenty years? Ah, that was exactly what I had in mind!
Then I would hear a merry prattle on a drum—terent-tenten, terent-
tenten. Ah, here would come boy acrobats dressed in something like
girls’ gymnasium suits, with a small mask of a lion’s head with a
plume on it, on their heads. A funny sort of boy, I thought, but on
my woman’s giving them some pennies, they would perform all sorts
of feats which interested me never so much. The woman used to
shake me to make sure that I was not dead, as I kept very quiet,
watching.
The woman’s house was just behind the street, and she was sure to
take me there. Here was another reason why I liked her very much.
She seemed to know just what I wanted. She would set me on the
sunny veranda and bring me some nice o-dango (rice dumpling).
This she made herself, and it was prepared just to my liking, covered
well with soy and baked deliciously. I was in clover if I only had that!
I will describe one of my visits, which will well represent them all.
The day was calm and bright, and while we were feasting—she had
some of the good things, too—her pussy sat on one end of the
veranda and was finishing her toilet in the sun. Even the sparrows in
this peaceful weather forgot that they were birds of air, and fell from
the trees and were wrestling noisily on the ground. Only the pussy’s
move broke up their sport. By this time we were very near the end
of our business. Turning from the sparrows, my woman glanced at
me and sat for a moment transfixed with the awful sight I
presented. There I was with my cheeks and nose all besmeared with
brown soy, stretching my sticky hands in a helpless attitude, and
licking my mouth by way of variation. She now broke into laughter
and was scrambling on the floor, weak with merriment. But my mute
appeal was too eloquent; indeed, I was all ready to shed tears with
an utter sense of helplessness when she hastened to bring a wet
towel and wipe my face and hands clean and nice, with, “Oh, my
poor Bot’chan!”

A Japanese House.
 CHAPTER II
AT HOME
Introduction—Dinner—Rice—Turning to Cows—A Bamboo
Dragon-fly—A Watermelon Lantern—On a Rainy Evening—The
Story of a Badger.

Our family consisted of father, mother, grandmother, and two

children besides myself, at the time when I was six years old. I don’t
remember exactly what business my father was in, but my
impression is that he had no particular one. He had been trained for
the old samurai and devoted most of his youthful days to fencing,
riding, and archery. But by the time he had come of age, that
training was of no use to him professionally, because, as quickly as
you can turn the palm of your hand, Japan went through a
wonderful change from the old feudal régime to the era of new
civilization. So my father, and many, many others like him, were just
in mid-air, so to speak, being thrown out of their proper sphere, but
unable to settle as yet to the solid ground and adapt themselves to
new ways. My mother came also of the samurai stock, and, like most
of her class, kept in her cabinet a small sword beautifully
ornamented in gold work, with which she was ready to defend her
honor whenever obliged to. But far from being mannish, she was as
meek as a lamb, and was devoted to my father and her children. My
grandmother was of a retiring nature and I cannot draw her very
much into my narrative. But she was very good to everybody, and
her daily work, so far as I can remember, was to take a walk around
the farm every morning. She was so regular in this habit that I
cannot think of her without associating her with the scent of the
dewy morning and with the green of the field which stretched before
her. She died not many years after, but I often wonder if she is really
dead. To me she is still living, and what the great poet said of Lucy
Gray sounds peculiarly true in her case, too.

“—Yet some maintain that to this day

She is a living child;
That you may see sweet Lucy Gray
Upon the lonesome wild.

“O’er rough and smooth she trips along,

And never looks behind;
And sings a solitary song
That whistles in the wind.”

Only you would have to make Lucy seventy years old to fit my
grandmother.
The introduction being over, let us attend a dinner, or rather give
attention to a description of one. We do not eat at one large dining-
table with chairs around it. We each have a separate small table
about a foot and a half square, all lacquered red, green, or black,
and sit before it on our heels. A rice bucket, a teapot, some saucers,
a bottle of soy, and so forth, are all placed near some one who is to
specially serve us. We used to sit in two rows, father and
grandmother facing each other, mother next to father, with the
young sister opposite my brother and myself. The younger children
usually sit next to some older person who can help them in eating.
No grace was said, but I always bowed to my elders before I began
with “itadakimasu” (I take this with thanks), which I sometimes said
when I was very hungry, as a good excuse and signal to start eating
before the others.
Rice is our staple food and an almost reverential attitude toward it
as the sustainer of our life is entertained by the people. And I was
told time and again not to waste it. Once a maid, so my mother used
to tell me, was very careless in cleaning rice before it was cooked.
She dropped lots of grains on the stone floor under the sink day
after day, and never stopped to pick them up. One day, when she
wanted to clean the floor, she was frightened half to death by finding
there ever so many white serpents straining their necks at her. She
really fainted when the goddess of the kitchen appeared to her in
her trance and bade her to take all those white serpents in a basket
and wash them clean. As she came to herself, she did as she was
told, trembling with horror at touching such vile things, some of
which, indeed, would try to coil themselves around her hands. But
as the last pailful of water was poured on them, lo! what were
serpents a moment ago were now all turned into nice grains of rice
ready to be boiled. Now if there is one thing in the world I hate, it is
a serpent; the mere mention of it makes my flesh creep. So you see
I took care to pitch every grain of boiled rice into my mouth with my
chop-sticks before I left my table.
Another story was told me concerning the meal. The Japanese teach
home discipline by stories, you know. This was a short one, being
merely the statement that if anybody lies down on the floor soon
after he has eaten his meal, he will turn into a cow. Now a number
of times I had found cows chewing their cuds while stretched upon
the ground. So I thought, in my childish mind, that there must be
some mysterious connection between each of the three in the order
as they stand: eating—lying down—cow. So, naturally, I avoided the
second process, and, after eating, immediately ran out-of-doors to
see what our man, Kichi, was doing.
Kichi worked on our little farm, and I usually found him cleaning his
implements after the day’s work. We were great friends, and he
used to present me with toys of his own making, which were very
simple but indeed a marvel to me. Once he picked up a piece of
bamboo and made a chip of it about a twelfth of an inch thick, a
third of an inch wide, and three inches and a half long. Then he
sliced obliquely one-half of one side and the other half of the same
side in the opposite direction, so that the edges might be made thin.
He also bored a small hole in the middle and put in a stick about
twice as thick as a hairpin and about four inches long, the sliced side
being down. He then cut off the projecting end of the stick, when it
was tight in the chip. The dragon-fly was now ready to take flight.
He took the stick between his palms and gave a twist, when lo! it
flew away up in the air.
I was delighted with the toy, and tried several times to make it fly.
But when I used all my force and gave it a good long twist, why, it
took such a successful flight that it hit the edge of the comb of our
straw roof and stuck there, never to come down. I was very sorry at
that, but Kichi laughed at the feat the dragon-fly had performed, and
said that the maker was so skilful that the toy turned out to be a real
living thing! It was perched there for the night. Well, I admired his
skill very much, but did not want to lose my toy in that way. So I
made him promise me to make another the next day, reminding him
not to put too much skill in it.
It was summer, the season of watermelons. We had a small melon
patch and an ample supply of the fruit. Here was a chance for Kichi
to try his skill again. One evening he took a pretty round melon and
scooped the inside out so as to put in a lighted candle. So far this
was very ordinary. He scraped the inner part until the rind was fairly
transparent, and then cut a mouth, a nose, and eyes with eyebrows
sticking out like pins. He then painted them so that when the candle
was lighted a monster of a melon was produced. How triumphant a
boy would feel in possessing such a thing! I hung it on the veranda
that evening when the room was weirdly lighted by one or two
greenish paper lanterns, and watched it with my folks. I expressed
my admiration for Kichi’s skill, and with boyish fondness for
exaggeration mentioned the fact that a toy dragon-fly of his making
had really turned out to be a living thing. All laughed, but of course I
made an effort to be serious. But no sooner were we silent than,
without the slightest hint, the melon angrily dropped down with a
crash. I screamed, but, being assured of its safety, I approached it
and found the skull of the monster was badly fractured, in fact, one
piece of it flying some twenty feet out in the garden. The next
morning I took the first opportunity to tell Kichi that his toy was so
skilfully made that it sought death of its own accord.
Well, I started to tell what I did evenings, but when it was wet I had
a very tedious time. Nothing is more dismal to a boy than a rainy
day. To lie down was to become a cow. So one rainy evening I
opened the screen, and, standing, looked out at the rain. But this
was no fun. The only alternative was to go to one of the rooms. Now
there is no chair in a Japanese house, and to sit over one’s heels is
too ceremonial, not to say a bit trying, even for a Japanese child. So
my legs unconsciously collapsed, and there I was lying on my back,
singing aloud some songs I had learned. Presently I began to look at
the unpainted ceiling, and traced the grain. And is it not wonderful
that out of knots and veins of wood you can make figures of some
living things? Yes, I traced a man’s face, one eye much larger than
the other. Then, I had a cat. Now I began to trace a big one with a
V-shaped face. A cow! The idea ran through me with the swiftness
of lightning, and the next moment I sprang to my feet and shook
myself to see if I had undergone any transformation. Luckily, I was
all right. But to make the thing sure, I felt of my forehead carefully
to see if anything hard was coming out of it.
The room now lost its attraction. And I ran away to the room where
my grandmother was. Opening the screen, I said:
“Grandma!”
“Well, Bô?”
“May I come in? I want you to tell me the story of a badger,
grandma.”
I was never tired of hearing the same stories over and over again
from my grandmother. There was at some distance a tall tree,
shooting up like an arrow to the sky, which was visible from a
window of her room. It was there that the badger of her story liked
to climb. One early evening he was there with the cover of an iron
pot, which he made with his magic power appear like a misty moon.
Now a farmer, who was still working in the field, chanced to see it,
and was surprised to find that it was already so late. He could tell
the hour from the position of the moon, you know. So he made
haste to finish his work, and was going home, when another moon,
the real one this time, peeped out of the wood near by. The badger,
however, had too much faith in his art to withdraw his mock moon,
and held it there to rival the newly risen one. The farmer was
astonished to find two moons at the same time, but he was not slow
to see which was real. He smiled at the trick of the badger, and now
wanted to outwit him. He approached the tree stealthily and shook it
with all his might. The badger was not prepared for this. Losing his
balance, he dropped down to the ground, moon and all, and had to
run for his life, for the farmer was right after him with his hoe.
I laughed and grandma laughed, too, over her own story, when the
paper screen was suddenly brightened.
“The badger’s moon!” I cried, and climbed up to my grandmother.
“Yes, I am a badger,” said a voice, as the door was opened. And
there stood my mother with a paper lantern she had brought for the
room.
 CHAPTER III
THE VILLAGE SCHOOL
A Mimic School—Preparations—The School—How Classes Are
Conducted—Out of Tune—A Moral Story—School Discipline—
Playthings—“Knife Sense.”

At the age of six I was sent to school. For some time before the fall
opening, I was filled with excitement and curiosity and looked
forward to the day with great impatience. As our neighbors were few
and scattered and I did not have many playmates, I wondered how I
should feel on coming in contact with so many boys, most of whom
were older than I. And then there was study. I had a faint idea what
a learned scholar such as Confucius was, and felt as if a plunge into
school a day or two would half convert me into that obscure ideal.
Weeks before, I insisted on having a mimic school at home to
prepare myself a little for the august event, and with my mother as
teacher I learned the numerals and the forty-eight letters of the
Japanese alphabet by heart. I wished to do just as I would at school,
and so I used to go outdoors and with measured steps approach the
porch. Entering the house, I sat down before a table and bowed
reverentially. When my mother was there before me, I cheerfully
began to study, well, for five minutes or so, but when I found her
not quite ready I was mercilessly thrown out of humor, and only her
exaggerated bows for apology would induce me to dry my sorrowful
tears.
The few days before the opening of the school were taken for my
preparation. I needed copy-books, a slate, an abacus, which is a
frame strung with wires on which are wooden beads to be moved in
counting and reckoning, and a small writing-box, containing a stone
ink-well, a cake of India ink, a china water-vessel, and brushes. I
must have also a round lunch set, the three pieces of which can be
piled one upon another like a miniature pagoda, and then, when
empty, be put one within another to reduce the size. A pair of chop-
sticks went with the set of course. Now all must be purchased new
as if everything had a new start. And then a new school suit was
procured together with a navy cap. These were all ready a day
before, and were exhibited on the alcove.
My younger brother was possessed of the school mania at the sight
of these last, and insisted that he would have his set, too. And so
mimic ones were procured, and these formed a second row together
with his holiday suit.
And then came the night before I was to go. I played the part of a
watch-dog by sleeping right near my property. In fact, I went to bed
early, but I could not sleep till after everybody had retired for the
night. And then I dreamed that my abacus stood up, its beads
chattering on how to start the trip in the morning. It was joined by
the copy-book, made of soft, Japanese paper, which parted hither
and thither in walking, as a lady’s skirt,—a Japanese lady’s, I mean.
The chairman was my navy cap. I did not know how they decided,
but they must have come to a peaceful agreement, as they were
found, when I awoke in the morning, exactly in the same place,
lying quiet.
The next morning I set out with my father for the school. The faces
of every one in the house were at the door looking at me. I made
every effort to be dignified in walking, but could not help looking
back just once, when my face relaxed into a smile, and I felt
suddenly very shy. But as I heard my younger brother struggling to
get away from my mother to follow me, I hastened my steps to turn
round a corner of the road.
The school was a low, dark-looking building, with paper-screened
windows all around like a broad white belt, and with a spacious
porch with dusty shelves to leave clogs on. When we arrived, we
were led into a side room, where we met the master or principal,
and soon my father returned home, leaving me to his care. I felt
somewhat lonesome with strangers all around, but kept myself as
cool as possible, which effort was very much like stopping a leak
with the hands. A slight neglect would bring something misty into
my eyes. But now all the boys—and girls, too, in the other room—
came into one large room. Some forty of the older ones and fifteen
of those who had newly entered took their seats, the older ones
glancing curiously at the newcomers. But we were all in back seats
and so were not annoyed with looks that would have been felt
piercing us from behind. The desk I was assigned to was a miserable
one; not only was it besmeared with ink ages old, but cuts were
made here and there as if it were a well-fought battleground. But I
did not feel ashamed to sit there, as I thought that this was a kind
of place in which a Confucius was to be brought up.

A Japanese School Scene.

Looking awhile on what was going on, I found the boys were divided
into three classes. The method of teaching was curious; one class
alone was allowed to have a reading lesson, while the other two
were having writing or arithmetic, that is, the teaching was so
arranged that what one class was doing might not disturb the
others. I was struck, even in my boyish mind, with the happy
method, and learned the first lesson in management. And then
reading was done partly in unison with the master, in a singsong
style, and the effect was pleasing, if it was not very loud. The class
in arithmetic, on the other hand, sent out a pattering noise of pencils
on the slates, which in a confused mass would form an overtone of
the orchestra. A writing lesson taken in the midst of such a company
was never tiresome. Indeed, anything out of tune would send the
whole house into laughter, and such things were constantly
happening.
I was not slow in becoming acquainted with the boys. As I went into
the playground for the first time, I felt rather awkward to find
nobody to play with. But soon two boys whom I knew thrust
themselves before me and uncovered their heads. And from that
moment the playground became a place of great interest to me. Two
friends grew into five, eight, ten, and fifteen, and in three days I felt
as if I possessed the whole ground.
As things grew more familiar, I found almost every boy was striving
a little bit to be out of tune. When singsong reading was going on,
pupils echoing responsively the teacher’s voice, some wild boy would
suddenly redouble his effort with gusto, and his voice, like that of a
strangled chicken, would soar away up, to the great merriment of
the rest. And then often a boy, whose mind was occupied with a
hundred and one things except the book, engaged in some sly
communication with another, unconscious of the teacher’s approach,
when he would literally jump into the air as the master’s whip
descended sharply on his desk. We sat by twos on benches, and
when one boy saw his companion carelessly perching on the end of
the bench, just right for experimenting the principle of the lever, he
would not miss a moment to stand up, presumably to ask some
question. But no sooner had he called to the teacher, than the other
fellow would shoot down to the floor with a cry, and the bench come
back with a tremendous noise. But this was not all. When the boys
could not find a pretense to make a noise, they would stealthily
paint their faces with writing brushes. Two touches would be enough
to grow a thick mustache curling up to the ears. When the teacher
faced a dozen of those mustache-wearing boys who were unable to
efface their naughty acts as quickly as they had committed them, he
could do nothing but to burst into undignified laughter.
One day a strange method of discipline was instituted. The teacher
must have been at a loss to bring the urchins to behave well. It was
the last hour, the only hour, I think, the boys kept quiet. They did so
partly because the course bore the great name of ethics, but more
because moral stories were told. And the boys did not care whether
the stories were moral or not, as long as they were interesting. Here
is one of the twenty-four Chinese stories that teach filial duty:
There was once a boy by the name of Ching who had an old mother.
He was a good boy, and did what he could to please her. The
mother, however, often asked for things hard to get. One day in
winter she wanted some carp for her dinner. It was very cold, and
the lake where Ching used to fish was all frozen. What could he do?
He, however, went to the lake, looked about the place to find out
where the ice was not thick, and, baring himself about his stomach,
lay flat to thaw it. It was a very difficult thing to do, but at last the
ice gave way, and to his great joy, from the crevice thus made, a big
carp jumped out into the air. So he could satisfy his mother’s want.
Not only the boys who listened intently, but also the teacher, got
interested as the story grew to the climax, and the latter would
gesticulate and eventually impersonate the dutiful boy, showing
surprise at seeing a carp jumping ten feet into the air. This called
forth laughter which was meant for applause. But the teacher soon
came to himself and called silence. One day, after telling this story,
he said that it was yet half an hour before the time to close, but he
would dismiss us. “But,” he continued, “you can go only one by one,
beginning with those who are quiet and good. This is to train you for
your orderly conduct in study-hours, and if any one cannot keep
quiet, even for half an hour, he shall stay in his place till he can do
so.” This was a severe test. An early dismissal, even of five minutes
before the time, had a special charm for boys, but to-day we could
march out half an hour earlier. And then what a lovely day it was in
autumn! The warm sun was bright, and the trees were ablaze with
golden leaves. Persimmons were waiting for us to climb up and feast
on them. After a moment the boys were as still as night. One by one
a “good” boy was called to leave; they went like lambs to the door,
but no sooner were they out, than some stamped on the stairs
noisily and shouted and laughed on the green, which act showed
that the teacher did not always pick the right ones. I naturally
waited my turn with impatience. I thought I was a pretty good boy.
At least I had Confucius for my ideal, and those who had it were not
many. I never did mischief, except once, and that was really an
accident. I dropped my lunch-box in my arithmetic class, and chased
it, as it had rolled off quite a distance. Half the school laughed at
me, and that was all. I was now musing on my ill-luck when a call
came to me at last. It was still a quarter of an hour before closing
time, and I thought the teacher knew me, after all.
Within a month after I entered the school, I made a new discovery
as to a schoolboy’s equipments. I had thought that they consisted
only of books, copy-books, an abacus, and such things. But these
form only a half of them. The other half are hidden to view: they are
in the pockets, or in the sleeves, I should have said. During the
recess a strong cord will come out and also a top about two and a
half inches in diameter, and with an iron ring a quarter of an inch
thick. A Japanese top is a mad thing. When it sings out of the hands
and hits that of the opponent, sending it off crippled, it makes you
feel very happy. Another thing is a sling. It is as old as the time of
David, but it was perfectly new to me. When a pebble shoots out
and vanishes in the air, you feel as though you were able to hit a kite
circling away up in the sky. And another thing! It is a knife, the
broad-bladed one. With it they cut a piece one and a half feet long
out of a thick branch of a tree and sharpen one end of it. Selecting a
piece of soft ground, the boys in turn drive in their own pieces and
try to knock over the others. The game depends much on one’s
strength and the kind of wood one selects. But there is a pleasure in
possessing a cruel branch that will knock off three or four pieces at a
blow. Oh, for a knife and a top! I thought. I disclosed the matter to
my mother, who thought a top was all right and bought me one. But
as for the knife, she gave me a small one, fit only to sharpen a
pencil with. I felt ashamed (I blush to confess, though) even to
show it to my schoolmates. If I had had money, I would have given
my all just for a knife. But money was a mean thing; the possession
of it was the root of all evil—so it was thought, and, indeed, I was
penniless. But I must have a decent knife—decent among boys. If I
could only get one I would give my Confucius for it.
One day I saw my Kichi—we had kept up our meeting ever since. I
talked to him about a knife. He did not tell me how I could get one
because I talked only about what the possession of a good knife
would mean to a boy. It was a rather general remark, but I disliked
to go right to the point. It would be too much to presume on his
kindness, you know. And then I rather wanted him to offer. He,
however, produced his own favorite knife and cut a thick piece of
deal right away to show how sharp it was. Well, I thought he had a
knife sense, anyway. So I kept talking about it day after day, and
each time I talked of it he showed me his, and tried it on a piece of
wood.
One day there was a town festival and in the evening I was allowed
to go with Kichi to see it. Kichi’s manner that night was very strange;
he appeared as if he had a chestful of gold. He asked me in a
fatherly manner what I liked, and said he could buy me all the
booths if I wished him to. I never felt so happy as then. I thought
my patience had conquered him at last. And to make a long story
short, I came to own a splendid knife, better than any other boy’s at
the school! That night I slept with it under the pillow.
The next morning the first thing I did was to go to thank Kichi.
“Hello, Kichi,” I shouted. “Thank you very much for the knife.”
“Oh, good morning, Bot’chan. Let me see your knife,” he said. “But I
am sorry that I played a joke on you last night. It was your mother
who paid for it. You must go and thank her for it.”
“Well, never!” I gasped. But being told how she handed him the
money when we started, I gave him a slap—a mild one, though—on
his face and ran immediately to my mother, thinking that after all
she had something more than a mere knife sense.
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