購入品・美術品

14.—Purchases; Objects of Art. Travellers will find the greatest facilities for purchases of every description in the large stores of Yokohama and Kōbe. They will also find much to attract them in Tōkyō, Kyōto, Ōsaka, and Nagasaki. The names of the best shops are given under each of these towns. Though now sometimes sold in large stores, Japanese objects of art are not produced in large workshops. In old days, when the best pieces were made, few masters employed as many as half a dozen workmen in addition to the members of their own family, and chefs d'œuvre often originated in humble dwellings, where perhaps a single artisan laboured in the most primitive style assisted by one or two children. At the

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present day, foreign influence is causing the gradual introduction of commercial principles, larger manufactures, and splendidly decked out shop-windows, but as yet only in two or three of the larger towns. Even there, the best things must often be sought in narrow lanes. It was also formerly, and is still to some extent, characteristic of the Japanese tradesman and artisan-artist to object to bringing out his finest specimens at once. The rule is that several visits are necessary before he will display his choicest articles, and that even then a long time must be spent in bargaining. A few establishments of the more modern sort have fixed prices. Japan is now almost denuded of old curios.

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Some have found their way into the museums of the country, while priceless collections have crossed the sea to Europe and America. But many of the productions of the present day are eminently beautiful, more especially the embroideries and cloisonné. It is not possible within the limits of a travelling Handbook to enter into a disquisition on Japanese art—its origin, its characteristics, and the great names that adorn its history. A whole library on this subject has come into existence within the last decade, and the views of connoisseurs differ widely even on points of prime importance.

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We must content ourselves with mentioning the names of certain art-forms unknown in Europe, and for most of which no appropriate English equivalents exist. The objects embodying these art-forms will constantly come under the traveller's notice if he frequents the curio stores. Such are The Inrō, a medicine box in segments, generally made of lacquer. The segments are held together by means of a cord, to one extremity of which a netsuke is often attached. The Kakemono or hanging scroll, generally painted, sometimes embroidered. The Kōro, or incense-burner, generally in bronze or porcelain. The Makimono, or scroll, not meant to be hung up. It is used chiefly for manuscripts which are often beautifully illustrated.

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The Netsuke, a kind of ornament for the tobacco-pouch, carved out of wood or ivory. Larger carvings in the same materials are often miscalled netsuke by foreign dealers. The Okimono, a general name for various small ornaments having no special use, but intended to be placed in an alcove or on a cabinet. We may also mention various gear appertaining to the Japanese sword and often beautifully wrought in metals and in alloys, of which latter the best known are shibu-ichi and shakudō, both formed of a basis of copper with varying admixtures of silver and gold.

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Specially noteworthy among these articles are the tsuba, or guard, and the menuki, small ornaments fixed one on each side of the hilt, and held in place by the silk cord which binds together the various parts of the handle.

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