Tokyo, July 18.
An event which is of the greatest imparlance to. all Japanese. males, especially to those whose age is twenty-five or forty-two, is the val known to Nipponese as the Matsuri, Festival". Tt is one at_which the "malign spell of evil. spirits" can he-east off, and at this ceremony, quite a turbulent one incidentally, a "deity" for a day is chosen from amongst the ordinary "The manner in which the "god" of this turbulent ceremony selected ix as follows:—As the day for the festival draws near, the} nigh priest of the temple or shrine draws a name from a list of all men. in' the neighbourhood, wri {to the bearer of it to call on him, ang Vbehold, 8, "cod" has been lowed with immunizing powers for a fall year—and, lo a "gold® has. been The high priest and Jassistants then instruct. the chosen tone in. the ritual he must follow, give him the names of his body-Ruards chosen from the same. list ind admonish him to conduct him seit inthe ensuing interval Sicha manner ax befits only the mnerally about. fortnight—in
kami or deities. Then a day is set apart for the Hadaka Mats and people come from far and near.
thousands, to. take part jeeremonies, to touch the "god" possible, to touch one of the] who. have touched the ity" or to. obtain now sacred—that he lesser gods" has worn 'They "come in. the firm' belief that by doing any of] these things, they have been invest fed. with efficacy of power to ward ff all disease, bad" luck and so] forth which are attributed to the malign influence of evil spirits.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.