As they both sit and sleep on their matting-covered floors, we now see why
the Japanese never wear any boots or clogs in the house. To do so would
make their beautiful and spotless mats dirty; so all shoes are left at
the door, and they walk about the house in the tabi, the thick glove-like
socks.




CHAPTER VII

IN THE HOUSE (_continued_)


Even supposing that a well-to-do Japanese has a good deal of native
furniture--such as beautifully painted screens, handsome vases, tables of
ebony inlaid with gold or with fancy woods, and so forth--yet he does not
keep them in the house. He stores them away in a special building, and
a servant runs and fetches whatever may be wanted. When the article has
served its purpose, it is taken back again.

This building is called a godown. It is built of cement, is painted black,
and bears the owner's monogram in a huge white design. It is considered
to be fireproof, though it is not always so, and is meant to preserve the
family treasures in case of one of the frequent fires. It may be stored
with a great variety of furniture and ornaments, but very few see the light
at one time.

The Japanese does not fill his house with all the decorations he may own,
and live with them constantly. If he has a number of beautiful porcelain