An enthusiastic traveller, describes the
women of Japan as the most "fascinating,
elegant ladies he ever saw in any country
in the world," and "having a natural grace
which it would be impossible to describe, so
that they would, at their first début, be
admired at Saint James's or any other court
in Europe." From this glowing eulogy we
now turn to the rougher sex.

The Japanese, as well as the Chinese, by
some peculiar mode of culture, can increase
or diminish the size of flowers and trees.
A plum-tree in blossom, a fir-tree, and a
bamboo have been seen growing in a box
only one inch wide and three inches long.
Whilst, on the other hand, the plum-trees,
and cherry-trees that are planted about
their temples and in their gardens and
public walks have blossoms as large as
roses. But this is not all: they have
found a method for promoting the growth
and development of the human body, which
puts all their discoveries with regard to the
vegetable kingdom in the shade.

They can produce men of barbaric proportions,
of almost fabulous size and strength;
and, with a due appreciation of the fitness of
means to an end, they set these monsters
apart, and train them for wrestlers. The
Japanese wrestlers are described by an officer
of the United States Japan Expedition at
some length. It is quite possible that the
tales of an American traveller should be
received, to say the least, with as much
reserve as we accord to the tales of ordinary
travellers. But here is the story as we
find it.

Five-and-twenty human monsters come
tramping along like so many elephants.
They are enormously tall in stature, and
immense in weight of flesh. They are not
encumbered by clothing; wearing round the
loins a coloured cloth adorned with fringes,
and emblazoned with the armorial bearings
of the prince in whose service they may
happen to be. This scant costume fully
reveals their gigantic proportions, their
bloated fulness of fat, and breadth of muscle.
The princes, their proprietors, are proud of
them, and lead them up to the astonished
spectator, who is commanded to inspect them
minutely, to feel the firmness of the well-
rounded muscles, and to poke and pinch them
as he would a prize animal. So he attempts
to grasp huge solid arms, and pass his hands
over enormous necks which fall in folds of
massive flesh like the dewlap of a prize ox;
and when astonishment is expressed at this
wonderful exhibition of animal development,
the monsters give a grunt expressive of
gratified vanity.

As a preliminary to the more serious duties
of their calling, they exhibit feats of strength:
they run about with heavy sacks of rice,
which some pile on their shoulders, others
lift with their teeth and carry in the mouth
as a dog does a basket; while others again,
with sacks of rice in their arms, do a little
ground and lofty tumbling.

When this part of the performance is at an
end, attendants hurry forwards to cool the
monsters with fans, and to clothe them in
richly ornamented robes of the Japanese
fashion.

No spectacle in Japan is complete, or even
possible, in which both spectators and
performers do not make several changes of
costume. On the stage this is a matter of course
with actors and actresses, but it is also
extended to the audience. Ladies who go to the
play are accompanied by numerous servants
and a munificent wardrobe; and in the course
of the spectacle, which begins in the morning
and ends late at night, they retire several
times, and when they return it is in new and
gorgeous attire.

The wrestlers are dressed and led out for
show, and then they are undressed again; and
a space being prepared, and a ring formed,
they are divided into two opposing parties.
These two parties stand in the ring, glaring
at one another; then they tramp heavily
backward and forward so as to show their
points, and enable the spectators to make up
their betting-books.

After this they retire; and all, with the
exception of two, are again clothed in full
dress, and take up their position on the front
seats round the ring. The two who have
been reserved now come forward, with the
simple cloth bound round their loins, and
walk with slow and deliberate steps into
the centre of the ring. They stand eyeing
each other with a wary look, glaring with a
brutal ferocity, each watching a chance to
catch his antagonist off his guard. And as
the savage nature comes more and more
to the surface, they assume the look and
even the movements of two wild fierce bulls.
As they continue to eye each other, they
stamp heavily on the ground, pawing the
earth, as it were, with impatience; and then
they stoop, grasp handfuls of earth, and fling
it with an angry toss over their backs.
They crouch down low, still keeping their
eyes fixed one on the other, and watching
each movement; then in a moment there is
a sudden spring, a great shock as the massive
frames strike one another, a rebound; and
then the two monsters become one monster,
with many limbs heaving and struggling,
with great muscles rising in distinct outline,
with bloated faces, and gushes of purple
blood.

Prize-fighting in Japan is very much like
prize-fighting in England. But perhaps in
Japan they recognise the nature of the
exhibition more truly than we do, and it is
quite in character with the rest of the scene,
and a legitimate demonstration, when the
next antagonist lowers his head and rushes
at his opponent bellowing like a bull.

Let us leave the wrestlers, they will all
struggle in succession, and with a like result,