3-065-562 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

A Japanese dinner party, 1874. '"We were asked by some Japanese at Kiyoto to a banquet...we were taken to the house called Nakamuraya, at the top of Gien-street. A row of slippers made of carpet stuff, laid at the entrance-door, showed us that we had to take off our boots. The floor was carpeted, and a table in the European style occupied the centre of the dining-room. The dinner was a la Russe: the European lamps and bouquets of flowers gave a cheerful appearance to the room...Presently I became aware that seated at table with us were some gorgeously-dressed singing and dancing girls; their faces painted ghastly white, their lips green, and their teeth black, they were indeed lovely...The tablecloth was removed, and saki replaced the claret...we pledged each other in tiny porcelain cups, and then the dancing began. Diverse graceful attitudes were assumed by the performers; sometimes all the corps de ballet would join in, at other times one single girl would dance a story to the tune of a song, reciting the story with a guitar accompaniment...Dance followed dance and song followed song. The girls then asked me to dance; I did so, and great was the delight of the company"'. From "Illustrated London News", 1874.