Unbeaten Tracks in Japan

Goal: to visit the forgotten people of Japan

Two generations before the islands of Japan attempted to become the Empire of Japan and rule nations much bigger than themselves, Isabella Bird visited the country to see not only what strides the country had made toward modernization, but to spend time visiting where most tourists wouldn't even dream of traveling. She recorded what she saw. By this time, she knew that her writing would sell, so she wrote back to her sister knowing that she could then edit the letters and get a book published. The Japanese knew that she was an author. They were transparent with her and took her into their homes and communities to give the whole world a picture into life in their corner of the world. She hired a young Japanese man (Ito) to go along with her in her travels, translating and arranging food and shelter. However, it is apparent that she came to understand the language and procedures for getting help. She saw Ito's good and bad sides, and he certainly had feelings about foreigners; however, they parted at the end of several months of traveling together with mutual respect and admiration for each other.

The following are what I observed as I read the book. Isabella felt safe in her travels. When someone told her something might be dangerous, that was just when she was determined to give it a try. She stayed where other travelers stayed and ate the food provided. Her greatest complaints were about the fleas and the staring eyes of the curious Japanese. She started her journey with the idea that she would see the countryside of Japan, and then go north in their island chain to see a people they had conquered and considered beneath themselves. Isabella wanted to see for herself. Her descriptions of the Ainos (they call themselves Ainu) people are mixed. It seems that they treated her very fairly and kindly. She seemed to almost enjoy them more than the Japanese people. She did describe their dependence on drinking sake and spending all their earnings on sake. During her several months in the islands, she either walked, rode on horseback or donkey, or was sometimes conveyed by kuruma (rickshaw). About half of the time, there were unusual amounts of rain and it seemed that crossing bodies of water on the islands were mainly done by fording them. She didn't seem to flinch. She describes the common ladies of Japan as blacking their teeth to show their beauty (I read now that this was done with lacquer). Her passport in Japan seemed to tell government officials that she could go anywhere in the country. She had only a few try to dispute her written permission.