uman body, the ways in which it is disturbed, how to recover your own
and take advantage of the shiftings of the center of gravity of the
other person. The first thing that is taught is how to fall down without
being hurt, that alone is worth the price of admission and ought to be
taught in all our gyms. It isn't a good substitute for out-of-door
games, but I think it is much better than most of our inside formal
gymnastics. The mental element is much stronger. In short, I think a
study ought to be made here from the standpoint of conscious control.
Tell Mr. Alexander to get a book by Harrison--a compatriot of his--out
of the library, called "The Fighting Spirit of Japan." It is a
journalist's book, not meant to be deep, but is interesting and said to
be reliable as far as it goes. I noticed at the Judo the small waists of
all these people; they breathe always from the abdomen. Their biceps are
not specially large, but their forearms are larger than any I have ever
seen. I have yet to see a Japanese throw his head back when he rises. In
the army they have an indirect method of getting deep breathing which
really goes back to the Buddhist Zen teaching of the old Samurai.
However, they have adopted a lot of the modern physical exercises from
other armies.

The gardens round here are full of cherry trees in blossom--and the
streets are full of people too full of sake. The Japanese take their
drunkenness apparently seasonly, as we hadn't seen drunken people till
now.

TOKYO, April 2.

We have had another great day to-day. This morning rose early and wrote
letters, which were not sent in spite of the haste, as we decided the
slow boat was slower than waiting for a later and faster one. So you
ought to get many letters at once. The day has been sunshiny and bright,
but not at all sultry, so perfect for getting about. We went to the art
store to get some prints which we had selected the day before and then
on to call on a Professor of Political Economy, who is also a member of
Parliament, radical and very wide awake and interesting, quite like an
American in his energy and curiosity and interest. We visited and
learned a lot about things here and there and then he took us to lunch
at his mother-in-law's house. They have a beautiful house in Japanese
style, with a foreign style addition, like most of the houses of the
rich, the Japanese part having no resemblance whatever to the foreign,
which is so much less beautif