possession of the upper classes in Japan,
possibly as the result of contact with the West, is in no way
prevalent among the masses. In all the country parts that I visited
and in the large temples in the great cities there was everywhere
evidence of faith as sincere and devout as can be found in the
churches of the most Christian country in Europe. Unlike China, there
was nowhere any sign of the temples falling into decay. Every temple
in China looks like a neglected mausoleum decaying over the corpse of
a dead religion, and the priests look like sextons of a neglected
graveyard. But here in Kyoto two of the largest temples were
undergoing elaborate repairs, and in Tokio an immense new temple is
being erected in the heart of the city. In Kyoto at the Temple of
Nishi Hong Wangi I was present at a great seven days' religious
festival. From nine o'clock in the morning until six o'clock in the
evening the temple was perpetually thronged with people. I visited it
in the afternoon. In one large room a priest was preaching. His
congregation was largely composed of country people from all the
districts round, who had journeyed in with their wives and families.
There had been an abundant harvest, it was over and stored, and the
people had come to give thanks. A great part of the congregation were
blue-clad peasants with white handkerchiefs around their heads. Many
of them had brought their children with them.

The priest preached sitting down, in a quiet conversational tone. From
what a Japanese friend was kind enough to translate for me, there was
nothing esoteric in the Buddhism he was teaching. It was simply plain
lessons to the people, how to make good their simple lives
interspersed with stories and anecdotes that occasionally amused his
congregation. Following the crowd that kept streaming out from his
hall towards the larger temple, I passed under a plain portico of huge
wooden columns, severe and simple on the outside, but gorgeous with
rich carvings of gold lacquer panels and hangings of richly wrought
embroideries within. The entire floor of the great building was
crowded, and the overflow of the congregation knelt upon the flags
outside the door. With difficulty I picked my way inside. Two rows of
priests in brilliantly coloured vestments were arranged on either side
of the central figure of Buddha. Between them was the chief priest.
Behind the altar screen was an invisible choir. In alternating numbers
the solemn, s