VISIT TO JAPAN

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22237, 30 October 1937, Page 14

VISIT TO JAPAN

Commander Rhodes Interviewed “A VERY PLEASANT COUNTRY” v After spending a month’s holiday In Japan, Commander E. G. Rhodes, of Christchurch, said in an interview last evening that he would retain only the happiest of memories of a very pleasant holiday there. “Were it not for the occasional troops one saw embarking, presumably for China, the large numbers of tourists in Japan would have had no idea at all that Japan was at war,” he said. The Japanese he encountered were charming, courteous, and hospitable people, and he was quite positive that the activities in China were not desired by the people themselves. “The military party in power is t 9 blame for the trouble,” Commander Rhodes said. He was accompanied on holiday by Mr E. Levin, of Fielding, and returned to Christchurch yesterday. It is six weeks since he left Japan. “I do not know how much things have changed in the last few weeks,” he said, “but, war or no war, when I was there it was a delightful country.” He was surprised to find that there was no difficulty in obtaining European food wherever he went, and in the hotels where he stayed there was not only very good food, very good accommodation, and excellent service, but also prices were very moderate. “The Japanese take every care to make the tourist feel at home,” he continued. There were a great many other visitors in the country when he was there. The World Federation of Education was held during his visit and, although it was difficult to estimate, he thought that there might have been 3000 delegates, a big percentage of them coming from the United States. A taxi could be hired in any city for the equivalent of £1 8s New Zealand currency for a whole day with no limit on mileage, and the tram services were really splendid. They were always punctual. Commander Rhodes said that one did not need to know the language to travel by rail. All-that was needed was an accurate watch and a time-table with the station marked at which one wanted to disembark. Commander Rhodes travelled m the Japan-ese-built 17,000-ton liner Asama Maru. “It was the most comfortable ship I was ever in, ’ he said, “The ship’s company was entirely Japanese and service was excellent.” It was a shock to him to learn that a few weeks later the Asama Maru had been wrecked by the big typhoon when in Hong Kong harbour. Commander Rhodes said he would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone a holiday visit in Japan, so long as war conditions did not change materially there. One could miss the New Zealand winter, the people were very pleasant, and it cost no more to stay in a first-class hotel there than it cost to stay in a hotel in New Zealand. If the situation in China eased, he would be keen to go back to Japan next yeai,