Mon 7. [7 March 1898] Bright and sunny. Mr de R. [de Rutzen] to
Tokio [Tokyo]. Shopped and Mr M. [Mainwaring] M [Maurice] and I
hired bicycles and went to the theatre street, all decorated with paper
flowers and streamers; poked about in the shops. Toy shops
delicious. I succeeded in asking the way to the Shinto temple behind
the station. Left our bicycles with a kuromaya and walked up under
the Torii blossoming plum trees everywhere. A christening was going
on. White clad priest waving a long stick with flaps of paper on it over
a mother grandmother and bundled up baby. He then handed some
papers to the old woman who bowed a quatre puttes and off they
went. Wandered round behind and saw through the trees the white
dome of Fuji for the first time. Then to a little matted bare house where
I asked for honourable tea. Off with our shoes, down we sat on the
mats our toes round a brazier and drank tea while an old woman with
blackened teeth talked to us. Sayonara and Mata Irraskai. Bought
fans in the Benten Dori, home, packed lunch and off to Tokyo,
Imperial Hotel. Mr de R. sent up his card and we all went off in
rickshaws to the Shogun tombs at Shiba, a blaze of golden colour in
the dusk, plums and almonds in flower in the back quiet courts and
cryptomerias behind. Mr de R. back to Tokio. We dined at the
Legation going out in rickshaws under the moon. Sir Ernest Satow
charming. Mr Gubbins, quite agreeable and Mr and Mrs Windeler,
English travellers, cheery but boring. Looked at lovely old prints.