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singers are found on these streets, but those who specially delight the children are the men who, by dint of breath and fingers, work a paste made of wheat-gluten, into all sorts of curious and gaily-smeared toys such as flowers, trees, noblemen, fair ladies, various utensils, the foreigner, the jin-riki-sha, &c. Nearly every itinerant seller of candy, starch-cakes, sugared peas, and sweetened beans has several methods of lottery by which he adds to the attractions on his stall. A disk having a revolving arrow, whirled round by the hand of a child, or a number of strings which are connected with the faces of imps, goddesses, devils or heroes, lends the excitement of chance, and when a lucky pull or whirl occurs, occasions the subsequent addition to the small fraction of a cent’s worth to be bought. Men or women itinerates, carrying a small charcoal brazier under a copper griddle, with batter, spoons, cups and shoyu sauce to hire out for the price of a cash each to the little urchins who spend an afternoon of bliss, making their own griddle-cakes and eating them. The seller of sugar-jolly exhibits a devil, taps a drum and dances for the benefit of his baby-customers. The seller of mochi does the same with the addition of gymnastics and skilful tricks with balls of dough. In every Japanese city, there are scores, if not hundreds, of men and women who obtain a livelihood by amusing the children.
Some of the games of Japanese children are of a national character and are indulged in by all classes. Others are purely local or exclusive. Among the former are those which belong to the special days, or matsuri, which in the old calendars enjoyed vastly more importance than under the new one. Beginning with the first of the year, there are a number of games and sports peculiar to this time. The girls, dressed in their best robes and girdles, with their faces powdered and their lips painted, until they resemble the peculiar colors seen on a beetle’s wings, and their hair arranged in the most attractive coiffure, are out upon the street playing battledore and shuttle-cock. They play not only in twos and threes, but also in circles.
