Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
(81) Itinerant oil-seller measures out (from a square measuring-box) oil into a customer's
kettle. The various tubs contain oil for different uses. A strap over his left shoulder holds
up his right sleeve. The object in his left hand acts as funnel and strainer.
Household equipment was modest and simple. Apart from that for eating and sleeping,
it included drawers for storing clothes, either set in free-standing chests, or incorporated
into the structure, filling for example the space under the stairs where there was an upper
story. If there was a room for entertaining guests, it would have a supply of square or cir-
cular cushions for them to sit on. In winter it would have heating in the form of a large
bowl, full of charcoal ash, in which were half-buried live coals. Close at hand would be
ironimplements likelargechopsticks,withwhichtohandlethecharcoal.Therewouldalso
be provided a tray with smoking utensils. Tobacco was smoked in a pipe with a very small
bowl, just about big enough to take a modern cigarette; old tobacco-pipes often became
cigarette holders in modern times. The tobacco used was cut very fine, and one bowlful
was enough for only one or two puffs before the ash was knocked out into a section of
bamboo that was provided as an ashtray. There was also a receptacle for live coals on the
tobacco-tray, and a container for tobacco. The guest used his own pipe, which he carried in
acase.Whensomeonecalledatahouseorshop,evenifhedidnotremovehisfootwearand
“go up,” but only sat on the edge of the raised floor, a tobacco-tray would be provided so
that he could enjoy a pipe. Tobacco had, of course, been brought in by the Portuguese, and
like King James in England, Ieyasu had tried to discourage its use; in 1612 there were or-
dinances prohibiting its cultivation, but they were quite ineffective, and smoking was very
widespread, among women as well as men.
