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Householdgodsformanessentialpartofthefurnishingofeveryhouse。Inthisone，attheleftoftheentrance，therearetenwhitewands，withshavingsdependingfromtheupperend，stuckinthewall；anotherprojectsfromthewindowwhichfacesthesunrise，andthegreatgod——awhitepost，twofeethigh，withspiralsofshavingsdependingfromthetop——isalwaysplantedinthefloor，nearthewall，ontheleftside，oppositethefire，betweentheplatformbedofthehouseholderandthelow，broadshelfplacedinvariablyonthesameside，andwhichisasingularfeatureofallAinohouses，coastandmountain，downtothepoorest，containing，asitdoes，Japanesecurios，manyofthemveryvaluableobjectsofantiqueart，thoughmuchdestroyedbydampanddust。Theyaretruecuriositiesinthedwellingsofthesenorthernaborigines，andlookalmostsolemnrangedagainstthewall。Inthishousetherearetwenty-fourlacqueredurns，ortea-chests，orseats，eachstandingtwofeethighonfoursmalllegs，shodwithengravedorfiligreebrass。Behindtheseareeightlacqueredtubs，andanumberofbowlsandlacquertrays，andabovearespearswithinlaidhandles，andfineKagaandAwatabowls。Thelacquerisgood，andseveraloftheurnshavedaimiyo’screstsingolduponthem。OneurnandalargecoveredbowlarebeautifullyinlaidwithVenus’ear。Thegreaturnsaretobeseenineveryhouse，andinadditiontherearesuitsofinlaidarmour，andswordswithinlaidhilts，engravedblades，andrepoussescabbards，forwhichacollectorwouldgivealmostanything。Nooffers，howeverliberal，cantemptthemtosellanyoftheseantiquepossessions。“Theywerepresents，“theysayintheirlow，musicalvoices；“theywerepresentsfromthosewhowerekindtoourfathers；no，wecannotsellthem；theywerepresents。“Andsogoldlacquer，andpearlinlaying，andgoldniello-work，anddaimiyo’screstsingold，continuetogleaminthesmokydarknessoftheirhuts。SomeofthesethingsweredoubtlessgiftstotheirfatherswhentheywenttopaytributetotherepresentativeoftheShogunandthePrinceofMatsumae，soonaftertheconquestofYezo。Otherswereprobablygiftsfromsamurai，whotookrefugehereduringtherebellion，andsomemusthavebeenobtainedbybarter。Theyaretheonepossessionwhichtheywillnotbarterforsake，andareonlypartedwithinpaymentoffinesatthecommandofachief，orasthedowerofagirl。
Exceptinthepooresthouses，wherethepeoplecanonlyaffordtolaydownamatforaguest，theycoverthecoarsematwithfineonesoneachsideofthefire。Thesematsandthebark-clotharereallytheironlymanufactures。Theyaremadeoffinereeds，withapatternindullredsorbrowns，andare14feetlongby3feet6
incheswide。Ittakesawomaneightdaystomakeoneofthem。Ineveryhousethereareoneortwomovableplatforms6feetby4and14incheshigh，whichareplacedattheheadofthefireplace，andonwhichguestssitandsleeponabearskinorafinemat。Inmanyhousestherearebroadseatsafewincheshigh，onwhichtheeldermensitcross-legged，astheircustomis，notsquattingJapanesefashionontheheels。Awater-tubalwaysrestsonastandbythedoor，andthedriedfishandvenisonorbearfordailyusehangfromtherafters，aswellasafewskins。Besidesthesethingsthereareafewabsolutenecessaries，——lacquerorwoodenbowlsforfoodandsake，achopping-boardandrudechopping-knife，acleft-
stickforburningstripsofbirch-bark，atriply-cleftstickforsupportingthepotsherdinwhich，onrareoccasions，theyburnawickwithoil，thecomponentpartsoftheirrudeloom，thebarkofwhichtheymaketheirclothes，thereedsofwhichtheymaketheirmats，——andtheinventoryoftheessentialsoftheirlifeisnearlycomplete。Noironentersintotheconstructionoftheirhouses，itsplacebeingsuppliedbyaremarkablytenaciousfibre。
Ihavebeforedescribedthepreparationoftheirfood，whichusuallyconsistsofastew“ofabominablethings。“Theyeatsaltandfreshfish，driedfish，seaweed，slugs，thevariousvegetableswhichgrowinthewildernessoftallweedswhichsurroundstheirvillages，wildrootsandberries，freshanddriedvenisonandbear；
theircarnivalconsistingoffreshbear’sfleshandsake，seaweed，mushrooms，andanythingtheycanget，infact，wh
