It was a student of agricultural conditions, in Toyama who gossiped to me of the large expenditure by farmers of that prefecture on the marriage of their daughters.  “It is not so costly as the boys’ education and it procures a good reception for the girl from father-and mother-in-law.  The pinch comes when there is a second and third daughter, for the average balance in hand of a peasant proprietor in this prefecture at the end of the year is only 48 yen.  Borrowing is necessary and I heard of one bankruptcy.  The Governor tried to stop the custom but it is too old.  They say Toyama people spend more proportionately than the people in other prefectures.  In general they do not keep a horse or ox.  I heard of young farmers stealing each other’s crops.  Parents are very severe upon a daughter who becomes ill-famed, for when they seek a husband for her they must spend more.  So mostly daughters keep their purity before marriage.  But I know parts of Japan where a large number of the girls have ceased to be virtuous.  Concerning the priests, those of Toyama are the worst.  A peasant proprietor with seven of a family and a balance at the end of the year of 100 yen must pay 30 to 40 yen to the temple.  Some priests threaten the farmer, saying that if he does not pay as much as is imposed on him by the collector an inferior Buddha will go past his door.  Priests want to keep farmers foolish as long as they can.”

FOOTNOTES: 

[130] For prices of land, see Appendix LIV.

[131] There are about 116,000 Shinto shrines of all grades and 14,000 priests, and 71,000 temples and 51,000 priests.  There are about a dozen Shinto sects and about thirty Buddhist sects and sub-sects.

[132] It is done by wading in leech-infested water under a burning sun and pulling out the weeds by hand and pushing them down into the sludge.

CHAPTER XV

THE NUN’S CELL

(NAGANO)

It is one more incitement to a man to do well.—­BOSWELL

Eighty per cent. of Nagano is slope.  Hence its dependence on sericulture.  The low stone-strewn roofs of the houses, the railway snow shelters and the zig-zag track which the train takes, hint at the climatic conditions in winter time.  Despite the snow—­ski-ing has been practised for some years—­the summer climate of Nagano has been compared with that of Champagne and there is one vineyard of 60,000 vines.

I was invited to join a circle of administrators who were discussing rural morality and religion.  One man said that there was not 20 per cent. of the villages in which the priests were “active for social development.”  Another speaker of experience declared that “the four pillars of an agricultural village” were “the soncho (headman), the schoolmaster, the policeman and the most influential villager.”  He went on:  “In Europe religion does many things for the