Introduction
Still weak from her illness, Sanger spent much of her time in Kobe and Kyoto sightseeing with J. Noah Slee and her son, Grant. While in Kyoto, Sanger met with the activist Senji Yamamoto, who became the leader of the birth control movement in the Kansai region. As she came to enjoy Japan's physical, cultural and spiritual beliefs, she found a renewed respect for the country and its people, as the journal excerpt in Document 28A suggests. The following article (Document 28B) reflects the ambivalence of many Japanese towards birth control.
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March 28.
Left Yokohama at 10 a m for Kyoto telegram from Nagoya to call off meeting there. (New York Society).
It seems that the Police authorities have frightened all concerned about the b.c. meetings. Even the Kaizo are afraid--a cable from Juliet asking about my health. Evidentially the newspapers carried the story of my illness across to U.S.A.
My horoscope predicts an eclips of the Sun on this date & says it will have a bad effect on my trip. I am much better so we start off bags & baggage for Kyoto. The Grand Hotel is very cold & European-- It has not the atmosphere of the real kind of a hotel anywhere. Up Stairs
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there was the usual courteous sayonara's but down Stairs it was gone.American & English disregard for its effect, has no doubt caused even the bell boys & porter not to "cast pearls."
The train was crowded--the observation car was much like those in the U.S.A. while the parlor car was a sleeper turned into a day coach seats too broad for comfort. Lunch & tea served on train. At Nagoya photographer & reporter came to catch a photo of Grant & me.
We seem to be known everywhere, are pointed out in a most mysterious way.
A New Zealander on train, very talkative & amusing. Lived in
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Japan for fifteen years name Sutter, a man of seventy, but has learned to speak Japanese. Knew Besant & advocated her methods says he knows better methods now & will tell me when I come to Kobe.It was facinating to come through the country side with its millions of rice paddies--& tea fields. Old Fuji was in sight for hours and a lovely sight it was snow clad like a perfectly formed milk white breast of a voluptuous woman.
We arrived about eight oclock & came to the Miyako Hotel. Mr Moriske Hamaguchi is the proprietor and a very intelligent & charming one too.
Speaks English well & knows how to interest his guests.