Kimiko and Other Japanese Sketches — Lafcadio Hearn

Seen at night the street is one of the queerest in the world. It is narrow as a gangway; and the dark shining wood-work of the house-fronts, all tightly closed, -- each having a tiny sliding door with paper-panes that look just like frosted glass, -- makes you think of first-class passenger-cabins. Really the buildings are several stories high; but you do not observe this at once -- especially if there be no moon -- because only the lower stories are illuminated up to their awnings, above which all is darkness.