Tues. 8 [8 March 1898] Sunny and fine. Mr M [Mainwaring] and Mr de
R [de Rutzen] arrived at 10.30. We went off to Ueno in rickshaws with
2 men apiece, going like the wind at great danger to life and limb.
Exquisite Shogun tombs, Ieyasu's temple, doves, cryptomeria
avenues, Jie Daishi's temple with a praying wheel at the door. Great
columned Honjwanji[?] temple. Then to a tea house where we said
our honourable insides were empty, sat on the mats and eat pickled
vegetables, rice and broiled fish, saki, tea before and after and pipes
to follow. Then to Asakusa, wax works, beasts to be fed, fish to be
caught, dwarf trees, a temple of Kwannon. Swarms of people. Back
through streets of little shops and to the Meijiza theatre where we
found the stage box reserved for us and saw 3 scenes, a temple
scene, a larmoyant between two male women at which the whole
theatre relapsed into sniffles and tears and a ship scene. Mr M and I
sat on the floor, we had tea between the acts and horrid mixtures of
rice and fish were brought to us. Acting excellent and stage
managing do. Little men dressed and veiled in black always ready to
creep in and arrange the stage. Left at 5.30. Mr M and Mr de R. back
to Yokohama. Dined at 7. M [Maurice] to the Yoshiwara. I wrote
letters and read. [Small Japanese drawing, framed with red and gold
material and paper, attached to page]