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are so many toy-shops, or so many fairs for the sale of the things which delight children. Not only are the streets of every city abundantly supplied with shops, filled as full as a Christmas stocking with gaudy toys, but in small towns and villages one or more children’s bazaars may be found. The most gorgeous display of all things pleasing to the eye of a Japanese child is found in the courts or streets leading to celebrated temples. On a matsuri, or festival day, the toysellers and itinerant showmen throng with their most attractive wares or sights in front of the shrine or temple. On the walls and in conspicuous places near the churches and cathedrals in Europe and America, the visitor is usually regaled with the sight of undertaker’s signs and gravedigger’s advertisements. How differently the Japanese act in these respects, let any one see by visiting Asakusa, Kanda, Miôjin, or one of the numerous Inari shrines on some great festival day.
We have not space in this paper to name or describe the numerous street-shows and showmen who are supposed to be interested mainly in entertaining children; though in reality adults form a part, often the major part, of their audiences. Any one desirous of seeing these in full glory must ramble down Yanagi Chô from Sujikai in Tokio, on some fair day, and especially on a general holiday.
Among the most common are the street theatricals, in which two, three or four trained boys and girls do some very creditable acting, chiefly in comedy. Rarce shows in which the looker-on sees the inside splendors of a daimio’s yashiki or the fascinating scenes of the Yoshiwara, or some famous natural scenery, are very common. The showman, as he pulls the wires that change the scenes, entertains the spectators with songs. The outside of his box is usually adorned with pictures of famous actors or prostitutes, nine-tailed foxes, devils, of all colors, dropsical badgers and wrathful husbands butchering faithless wives and their paramours, or some such staple horror in which the normal Japanese so delights. Story tellers, posturers, dancers, actors of charades, conjurers, flute-players, song-
