『Kansas City Times』 （1909.11.13）
LITTLE FORM FOR JAPANESE
A DINNER AT THE BALTIMORE
BROUGHT OUT CORDIALITY
The Guests From the Land of the Rising
Sun Were Not Lacking in American
Ways and Chatted Readily
With New Friends
An evening of international cordiality was celebrated at the dinner given to thirty Japanese, including the members of the honorary commercial commissioners of Japan, by the commercial club in the Italian Room of the Hotel Baltimore last night. The arrangements were such as to give the members of the club and the American visitors an excellent opportunity to become acquainted with the keen little people from the Land of the Rising Sun. The three Japanese women of the party were entertained at dinner in another room by wives of the members of the club and afterward sat in the balcony of the banquet hall listening to the speeches.
NOBODY WAITED FOR INTRODUCTIONS
Cordiality was introduced over the caviare and cocktails in the anteroom of the dining hall. Nobody waited for introductions; these were effected by a simple handshake and an exchange of cards.
"Let me introduce you to an American drink" was frequently the best interchange.
"We have all kinds of American drinks in Japan," was the usual reply, after a discreet interval of politeness.
The Japanese guests had nothing to learn in social customs. A carefully planned seating diagram was distributed before going into the dining room. Then W. T. Bland, president of the commercial club and toastmaster for the occasion, took Baron Eiichi Shibusawa by the arm and led the way to table. Every American was asked to take in one Japanese and find his place for him. But it happened more often the other way. The visitors had studied the diagram, figured out not only where their seats were but who was sitting next to them, without any helpful effort on the part of their guests.
Japanese and American flags, roses pink and chrysanthemums white and yellow were the decorations of the rooms. Guests and visitors wore the special badge of the occasion and some of the Japanese wore a number of other medals. Baron Shibusawa displayed the second class Order of the Rising sun: He was outshown―outshone rather―by D. R. Francis, Commercial Commissioner of St. Louis and Kansas City, who wore the first class Order of the Rising Sun, a broad white ribbon with red borders, across his shirt front.
A SPECIAL YELL GIVEN
The solemn strains of Kimigayo, the Japanese national anthem, were played by the band after Mr. Bland proposed the health of His Imperial Highness, the Emperor of Japan. It sounded like the dignified harmonies of some cathedral chant which made still more noticeable the national contrast of the special yell given immediately afterwards by the hosts of the everning:
Rah! Rah! Rah!
A-me-ri-ca!
Nippon! Nippon!
Banzai! Rah!
The Japanese smiled with pleasure as this was repeated, substituting "Kansas City" for the second "Nippon".
Following the toast Mr. Bland made a speech of welcome to the visitors which was repeated in Japanese by Consul General Mizuno. The speeches were also printed in Japanese and copies placed at each seat at the table.
After a short address by Mayor Crittenden, Mr. Bland, raising his glass towards the balcony, where the women's party was sitting, proposed, "The Ladies of Japan and America." This was greeted with cheers, after which Baron Shibusawa made an address. His speech was translated by Motosada Zumoto, editor and owner of the Japan Times.
TALKED THROUGH AN INTERPRETER
"It is a matter of deep regret," the baron said, "that having been brought up under an old Oriental system of education I cannot talk to you without interpretation. I am greatly impressed by the friendliness of our reception to this beautiful city. Not less am I struck by the signs of energy and enterprise I have seen here."
Same facts in this regard which Baron Shibusawa, probably out of politeness, omitted to state were supplied by Mr. Francis. He pointed out in the course of an interesting speech that Japan, with considerably less cultivable area of land, provides nourishment for 50 million persons while Missouri supports 3 million. Baron Naibu Kanda also made an eloquent address in English. He complimented the club on permitting him to speak two hours before midnight instead of two hours after, as had been his fate in other cities.
The Japanese party left for Omaha in their special train over the Burlington shortly before midnight.
FEMININITY IN UNDERTONES
A Chatty Dinner for Twenty-One Most
Un-American in Its Lack of Clatter
Ever hear a company of twenty-one women around one table and engaged in lively conversation? Yes, the wheat pit in a panic; that't t it. Well, then, try to imagine twenty-one women at dinner and hardly one of them speaking above the lowest and sweetest of undertones, or laughing louder than the most enchanting and musical of gurgles. That occurred at the dinner at the Baltimore Hotel last night for the Japanese women accompanying the honorary commercial commission of their country. It was a chatty affair, but almost noiseless. At the dinner were three Japanese women and eighteen from Kansas City. If there had been twenty-one of them Japanese instead of three, their combined chatter would not have drowned out the flutter of a cherry blossom falling to the ground.
For more than three months, since landing on American soil, the members of the commission and the five women who accompany them, the wives of four men of the commission and the companion of one of the titled ladies, have been dined until they can no longer care for pink and white ice cream. Yesterday they were entertained at a luncheon and a tea and had just time to change their kimonos to get back for the dinner at the Baltimore.
Naturally, the first course of the dinner was grape fruit. "How many times have you been served grape fruit as a first course in America?" Somebody asked Madame Horikoshi. "I think every day," she replied simply, "at least when we were being entertained by your distinguished citizens."
In polite society in Japan a point blank question is unknown. It was a Chinese envoy, not a Japanese, you remember, who asked every American woman he met, first, "How old are you?" and then "How many children have you?" The Japanese ask no questions. And yet the conversation of these adorable little creatures with American women they meet is limited almost exclusively to questions and replies on the part of the strangers, and replies on their own. When their hostesses want to make the visitors feel at home they show interest by asking questions. Last night the visitors answered, smiling always, without the tremor of an eyelash. There they sat at the dinner, as picturesque as if they had just stepped off a painted fan, ladies of the decoration indeed. They tasted daintily everything that was set before them and smiled with a smile that seemed to say it was good.
After four month's continual feasting, one would perhaps get used to anything.
Mme, Midzuno, the wife of the consul general, who has lived a year in New York and adopted European dress upon her arrival here, returned to her kimono last night, in compliment to her hostesses, and recognizing her interest in her native costume. At the Country Club luncheon she wore a New York gown, cloak, hat and furs, but last night she was in a kimono of wistaria silk crepe, with a border in harmonious shades. She doesn't know what size her shoes are, but they look about member ones; last night she wore the strawsori and tabi like her sisters of Japan. Her obi was handsomely embroidered and fastened to her back with a yellow brocaded sash. She wore the commercial club badge and on the third finger of her left hand was her wedding ring.
"Is it your wedding ring?" she was asked. She laughed and blushed through her clear olive skin. "I am afraid it is an American custom I have pick up in your countree," she replied with engaging candor. "Wiz us, we wear no wedding ring. Yaz," she added with a little deprecatory gesture. "It is my wedding in America."
Baroness Kanda and Mme Horikoshi were also in dinner dress; at least they had changed their kimonos since the afternoon. The Baroness wore a gray crepe, embroidered in yellow butterflies and with a conventional design in threads of gold.A pearl and diamond pin fastened the sash which held her gorgeous obi. Mme. Horikoshi was in a bright blue kimono embroidered in pink chrysanthemums. The wide sleeves of their kimonos were lined with contrasting colors, and they all wore the white brocaded silk eri―folded neckcloths inside their kimonos, the white edge just showing at their throats. When toasts were proposed the Japanese women raised their goblets to their lips, hardly tasting. Toasts were drunk to the Empress of Japan and to the women of Japan, the Kansas City women proposing them. Not to be outdone in politeness―the Japanese can't be outdone in politeness―the Baroness Kanda, the ranking lady of her party in the absence of Baroness Shibusawa, who was ill yesterday and unable to leave her car, proposed a toast to the President of the United States.
From time to time a delegation of men from the commercial club dinner in the banquet room adjoining interrupted the gossip of the women's dinner by bringing the distinguished members of the commission in to speak to them. Baron Shibusawa, Baron Kanda and interpreters came first. Baron Shibusawa, who speaks little English, addressed the party first in his own tongue. What he really said may never be known, but what Baron Kanda, a college professor of Tokio, whose Enghish is flawless and who interpreted for him, adding a few compliments on his own account, announced that he had said was as urbane, as polished and as courtly as could be imagined.
Other members of the commission and Governor Francis of St. Louis addressed the party. Across his manly bosom Governor Francis wore the decoration, scarlet and white, presented to him by the Emperor of Japan in recognition of his services as president of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
"Isn't it a relief to get back into your charming native costume after our impossible style of dress?" was one of the questions asked Mme. Midzuno.
"Oh, no," she replied promptly. "I like mooch better your American dress. It is so much freer and more comfortable." And she said it so earnestly, so sincerely. Just an instance of the perfect Japanese politeness.
"How many children have you?" Baroness kanda was asked. "Oh,I have many," she answered. "I var' large family."
Then seeing that it was useless to attempt to elude the query gracefully she replied: "I have eight, madam. Four sons and four daughters."
When the dinner had finished the women went up to the balcony of the main banquet room to listen to the speeches of the commercial club dinner at which their husbands were being entertained. Copies of the speeches in Japanese were furnished the three guests of honor. When the orchestra played "America" the Japanese members in the banquet room and the ladies of their party in the balcony above stood with their hosts and hostesses and actually joined in the singing.
And when they left their American hostesses they really seemed reluctant. "Charming evening," said Mme. Midzuno, and she smiled in a way that can't be forgotten.
The American hostesses were:
Mrs. E. M. Clendening, Mrs. W. T. Bland, Mrs. Fred Fleming, Mrs. J. C. Swift, Mrs. Frank Moss, Mrs, Leon Smith, Mrs. Henry Allen, Mrs. John Townley, Mrs. William Moses, Mrs. D. M. F. Weeks, Mrs. W. B. Hill, Mrs. ThorntonCook , Mrs. Jay H. Neff, Mrs. F. D. Crabbs, Mrs. F. P. Neal, Mrs. H. B. Topping Mrs. John Ransom.
P.O.P. GIFTS TO THE VISITORS
Each of the Women in the Party
Received a Souvenir
The Priests of Pallas sent one of their souvenirs of this year to each of the five women in the Japanese party. The souvenir is a handsome cloth brush.
（『渋沢栄一伝記資料』第32巻p.324-329掲載）
参考リンク
- 都市詳細 ボルチモィア - 渡米実業団
〔渋沢栄一記念財団 渋沢栄一〕
http://www.shibusawa.or.jp/eiichi/1909/city/c40_baltimore.html
