Identifier: oldnewjapan00holl (find matches)
Title: Old and new Japan
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Holland, Clive, 1866-1959 Smyth, Montagu
Subjects: Japan
Publisher: London : J.M. Dent & Co. New York : E.P. Dutton & Co.
Contributing Library: Northeastern University, Snell Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Northeastern University, Snell Library

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, around whichsoft-winged moths circle to their doom, and she, too, whosees that the proper food is prepared and set out on theButsudan or kami-dana. As each child of the household grows up, it gathersfrom various sources and receives on various occasionsamulets ; and these, though always worn when in full dressor on ceremonial occasions, are many of them too preciousto be permitted to run the risk of loss in play, and so it isone of the many little duties of the mother (or other femalerelative taking her place) to guard them carefully as talis-mans against the risks and evils which surround the livesof children. Many of these amulets—those in particulargiven on the occasion of the miya mairi—are merely slipsof wood or pieces of paper written upon, and bearing theseal of the temple issuing them. Some of these charmsare supposed to be safeguards against certain kinds ofsickness ; others to preserve the sight; others to guardfrom accident; and yet others to give the possessor a good
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j*A -• A JAPANESE WELL. THE JAPANESE HOME 69 kind of handwriting; or to act as general safeguardsagainst ill and evil spirits ; and yet others to ensure pros-perity in the childs future life. All these are kept togetherby the mother, and when the little owners reach years ofdiscretion pass into their own keeping. They are, as a rule,finally stored carefully away in some little-used drawer orother suitable receptacle, where they remain until the deathof their owner. Amongst the many curious and super-stitious treasures which are hoarded and held in esteem bythe Japanese, none is more remarkable than the smallparcel of white paper marked with the name of the child,which contains a portion of the umbilical cord saved at thetime of each individuals birth, and preserved till his orher death, and then buried with its owner, so as tofurnish him or her with the means of a reincarnation. Though a fortune-teller is consulted with reference tothe lucky days for important events, such as the co

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