The suburban tea-houses of the capital possess, in many cases, attractive gardens. At Meguro, a village to the south-west of Tokio, several very good examples may be seen, which are specially visited when the p�onies are in blossom. The Ogi-ya and Ebi-ya, two tea-houses situated on the banks of the Taki-no-gawa,� a stream running through the suburb of Oji,�are much frequented in the spring and autumn. In Japan, buildings for recreation and amusement are by preference placed close to running water, and in many cases are constructed so as actually to overhang a stream, the fondness for water being carried so far that sometimes unhealthy creeks are built over in this manner. The narrow and rapid stream at Oji, shown in Plate XXX., is crossed from the tea-houses by light wooden bridges, and on the opposite bank a strip of land has been laid out as a Hill-garden, in the characteristic native style. Rounded bushes, quaintly trimmed pine-trees, and other evergreens, in addition to rocks, lanterns, and rugged stone steps, combine to produce a very picturesque effect.
