Unbeaten Tracks in Japan by Isabella Lucy Bird
 

I'm reading a book "Unbeaten tracks in Japan" by Isabella Bird (in Japanese).



Isabella Bird travelled Japan and other Asian countries alone from 1878.

She reports Japan very severely. For example, she told "Japanese foods are not good with fishes and rice.

As I'm reading this book during my commuting, I'm still reading near the end of volume 1.

I found some interesting facts she wrote. Here I point out two issues.

1) She had never seen the beggar in Japan during her trip.
Japanese people might hide all beggars when foreigner passes through. But she travelled only in big cities but also small villages and paths. It is impossible to hide all beggars from her all over the travell.

2) SAMURAI Police
In those days, Japanese police systems was in their early age. And most of all police men were ex-SAMURAIs. They were not literally but real SAMURAIs who will not work for the money bu for the SAMURAI spirit. Therefore, citizens really respect and worship policemen.

This is still the basis of the tradition between citizens and policemen right now.

3) Religional issue
She wrote about the Japanese people from the religional point of view and also what the Japanese (in those days) think about religion from her point of view.This is very interesting for me.