midzu-ame

Opening the tomb, they saw within it the corpse of the woman who nightly visited the ameya, with a living infant, laughing to see the lantern light, and beside the infant a little cup of midzu-ame.

Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan First Series Lafcadio Hearn 1877

The musical cry of the seller of midzu-ame, the sweet amber syrup which children love.

Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan First Series Lafcadio Hearn 1877

In Nakabaramachi there is an ameya, or little shop in which midzu-ame is sold -- the amber-tinted syrup, made of malt, which is given to children when milk cannot be obtained for them.

Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan First Series Lafcadio Hearn 1877

Every night at a late hour there came to that shop a very pale woman, all in white, to buy one rin [8] worth of midzu-ame.

Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan First Series Lafcadio Hearn 1877

The next night the woman came again, but bought no midzu-ame, and only beckoned to the man to go with her.

Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan First Series Lafcadio Hearn 1877