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JAPAN. 



JAPAN. 



cultivated, but only employed in making cloth ; the cordage is made 

 from differeut kinds of nettles. Besides the different trees mentioned 

 they plant the Tamish-tree (from which they make excellent varnish 

 for furniture), the cedar, the bamboo-cane, and the camphor-tree, 

 though all these trees are also found in a wild state. They extract 

 a blue dye-stuff as a substitute for indigo from several kinds of 

 polygonum. 



The horses are of a middling size, but strong. The number is 

 small, as horses are used only for the saddle and by the princes. Homed 

 cattle are still less numerous. The Japanese do not use either their 

 flesh or their milk, and they are kept only for drawing carts or for 

 ploughing such fields as lie almost constantly under water. Buffaloes 

 are found only in some districts. Sheep and goats are not kept. 

 Swine are found only at Nagasaki, where they have probably been 

 introduced by the Chinese, as the Japanese do not eat them. Fowls, 

 ducks, and geese are plentiful, but principally valued for their eggs, 

 of which the Japanese are very fond. Of wild animals hares, deer, 

 bears, and other animals are met with. Fish is extremely plentiful, 

 and numerous villages are inhabited by fishermen only. Their rocky 

 coasts are covered with oysters and several other kinds of shell-fish, 

 and many families live exclusively on them. Even the flesh of the 

 whale, of which some kinds are rather numerous along these coasts, 

 is eaten. 



Japan abounds in mineral wealth. Gold seems to be very plentiful 

 in several provinces, but is not worked everywhere. The government 

 seems to use corrective means to prevent such undertakings. Silver 

 is not abundant ; but copper, which contains a good deal of gold, is 

 extensively worked, and supplies the most important article of export. 

 Iron is said not to be common, but still there is enough for the con- 

 sumption of the country. Some tin-mines are also stated to be 

 worked. Salt in great quantity is made in several districts along the 

 southern coast, where there exist salt-lagunes. Of other minerals 

 only fine clay is mentioned, which is used in the manufacture of china ; 

 the porcelain is equal, if not superior, to that of China. The sea gives 

 pearls and ambergris. 



All travellers speak of the populousness of the country and the 

 extent of the villages, which frequently occupy two English miles and 

 more in length. In some more fertile districts they are so close to 

 one another as to form nearly one continuous street ; as, for instance, 

 in the plain which extends from the harbour of Osacca to Heaco. 

 The smaller towns commonly contain five hundred houses, and the 

 larger two thonsand and upwards, and though they have generally 

 only two stories they are occupied by a comparatively large number 

 of persona. 



I. The Island of Kioosioo is extremely well cultivated, and gene- 

 rally fertile, with the exception of its eastern coast bordering on the 

 Boongo Channel, which is mountainous, barren, and, comparatively 

 speaking, thinly inhabited. In several places there are considerable 

 manufactures of cotton-cloth, silk goods, and paper. The best known 

 towns of importance are Nagasaki, Sanga, and Kokoora. 



tfaijcuaki, the only place as yet open to foreigners, lies on a penin- 

 sula formed by the deep bay of Omoora, in 32° 46' N. lat, 129° fil' 

 £. long. Its harVtour is spacious and deep, extending in length about ' 

 four miles, with an average width of more than a mile. At its entrance 

 is the small island of Papenberg, where the water is 22 fathoms deep, 

 but it grows shallower as it proceeds inward, so that opposite to the 

 town it has only a depth of i fathoms ; so far it runs north-east, it then 

 turns north, and has less depth. The town is built on its eastern 

 shores, in a narrow valley which runs eastward, and on the inclosing 

 slopes. It is well-built and clean. The houses generally are only one 

 story high, timber framed, the interstices being filled with clay, and 

 the whole coated with cement. Each house is furnished with veran- 

 dahs ; oiled silk is used for glass. There are some good buildings in 

 the town, as the palaces of the two governors, and those of some 

 princes and noblemen of the empire, but especially the temples 

 (above 60 in number), within and without the town. There are some 

 manufactures of gold and silver. The population is variously estimated ; 

 some make it amount to 18,000, others to 60,000, Nagasaki is one 

 of the five imperial towns of the empire. 



Sanga, situated on a fine and well-watered plain at the northern 

 extremity of the large bay of Simabarra, the capital of the fertile 

 province of Fisen, is a very large and populous town, with canals and 

 rivers running through its wide and regular streets. It has consi- 

 derable porcelain manufactures. Sanga is fortified ; it is 60 miles N.E. 

 from Nagasaki. 



Kokoora, built near the entrance of the Strait of Simonoseki, has a 

 shallow harbour, but carries on a considerable tnulo. The town was 

 found in a thriving state in 1775 when visited by Thunberg. 



IL The Island of Sitkokf has not been visited by Europeans. 

 According to a Japanese geographer, cited by Kiimpfer, it contains 

 many mountainous and barren districts, and less fertile tracts than 

 the other large islands. 



III. Nipou, or Nifon, which constitutes the main part of the Japanese 

 •mpire, is stated to be well cultivated and fertile, with the exception 

 of a few barren tracts of moderate extent. It contains the lairgest 

 towns, and the manufactured articles produced in this island are 

 considered the best. The most important towns visited by Europeans, 

 along its southern side, ore : — 



Simonoseki, built at the fool of a mountain, on the shore of the 

 narrow strait which bears its name, and which is only one mile and a 

 half wide. It is not very large, but it rarries on a very active coasting 

 trade with all the districts to the east of it. 



Oaacca, one of the five imperial towns, and the most commercial 

 place in the empire, is situated in the northern angle of the Gulf of 

 Osacca, on the banks of the river Yedogawa, which, near the town, 

 divides into three branches, and, before it falls into the sea, into 

 several more. The middle or principal branch of the river, though 

 narrow, is deep and navigable. From its mouths, as far up as the 

 town and higher, there are seldom less than a thousand barges going 

 up and dorni. Several navigable canals, which derive their water 

 from the river, traverse the principal streets of the town, and serve as 

 means for conveyance of goods. The banks of the river and of the 

 canaVi are of freestone, coarsely hewn, and formed into ten or more 

 steps, so as to resemble one continued staircase. Numerous bridges, 

 built of cedar-wood, are laid over the rivers and canals ; some of them 

 are of large dimensions, and beautifully ornamented. The streets 

 are narrow but regular, and intersect at right angles ; though not 

 paved, they are very clean. A narrow pavement of flat stones runs 

 along the houses for the couvonience of foot-passengers. The houses are 

 not above two stories high, and are built of wood, lime, and clay. At 

 the north-eastern extremity of the city is a large castle. The population 

 is very great According to the exaggerated accounts of the Japanese an 

 army of 80,000 men may be raised from among its inhabitants. Many 

 of the residents are very wealthy men, especially the merchants, 

 artists, and manufacturers. The Japanese themselves call Osacca the 

 universal theatre of pleasure and diversion; and plays are daily 

 exhibited in public and private houses. In its neighbourhood the 

 best saki, a kind of strong beer obtained from rice, is made, and 

 exported into the other provinces. 



South of Osacca, on the shores of the same gulf, is the town of 

 Saiai, on imperial town, which however has never been visited by 

 Europeans. 



Meaco, or Kio, the residence of the ecclesiastical emperor, or Da'iri, 

 is about 20 miles N. from Osacca, and contains more than 500,000 

 inhabitants, besides the numerous court of the Dalri. It stands in a 

 plain surrounded by mountains, the slopes of which are laid out in 

 gardens and dotted with temples. The city is nearly four miles long 

 and three miles wide. The Dairi resides on the northern side of tho 

 city, in a particular ward, consisting of 12 or 13 streets, and separated 

 from the city by walls and ditches. On the western part of the town 

 is a strong castle, built of freestone, where the Kubo, or secular 

 emperor, resides when he comes to visit the Dairi. The streets are 

 narrow, but regular, and always greatly crowded. The houses are like 

 those at Osacca. Heaco is the principal manufacturing town of the 

 empire : here every kind of manufacture is carried to great perfec- 

 tion. Nearly every house has a shop, and the quantity of goods which 

 they contain is astonishing. At the same time Meaco is the centre of 

 science and literature, and the principal place where books are 

 printed ; it is also the residence of the lord-chiefjustice of the empire, 

 who is invested by the emperor with supreme authority over all 

 officers of government The town is united by a wide canal to the 

 river Yedogawa, which flows not far from its walls. 



Kwano and Alia are two very considerable and thriving towns on 

 the Quif of Blia, each containing 2000 or 3000 houses, and cari-ying on 

 a considerable trade with the neighbouring districts. 



Yedo, Yedda, or Jeddo, the capital of the empire, is situated at 

 the northern extremity of the gulf of tho same name, in an extensive 

 plain. According to the Japanese it is about 10 miles long, 7 miles 

 wide, and is nearly 30 miles in circuit. All travellers agree that it 

 is the largest and most populous town in the empire, but none of 

 them venture to state the probable number of its inhabitants. The 

 population is stated by some to be only 700,000, by others it is carried 

 to 1 ,200,000 ; but it is clear from what has been already stated that 

 nothing certain is known by foreigners on this subject. A large river 

 runs through the town and sends off a considerable arm, which 

 incloses tho Imperial palace, that of the Kubo, or secular emperor. 

 There are several good bridges over the river. The principal is 

 called Niponbas, or the Bridge of Japan, and from it the mile-stones 

 are counted, which are erected aloug the principal roads that traverse 

 the empire. Yedo is not so regularly built as Meaco, and the private 

 houses are constructed like those of Os.icca ; but as the families of 

 all the hereditary princes, lords, and noblemen are obliged to reside 

 at the court the whole year round, the town contains a great number 

 of fine palaces, though they are not above one story high. Kows of 

 trees are planted along the numerous canals which traverse the town, 

 to prevent the fires from spreading, which are very common. Yedo 

 is not less famous for its manufactured goods than Miaoo. The 

 palace of the Kubo is built in the middle of the town. It consists of 

 five palaces or castles, and some large gardens behind it, and is more 

 than 8 miles in circumference. 



IV. The Island of Yeso is very imperfectly known. On its western 

 coast are high mountains which rise at several parts into high peaks. 

 The island contains many extinct and active volcanoes. Its onstiini 

 and southern coasts seem to be very thickly inhabited. The southern 

 extremity of the island presi'Uts a deeply indented peninsula, the 

 narrowest part of which, between Volcano Bay on the south coast, 



