OLIPHANT.—NOTES ON JAPAN. g] 
to be seen the most magnificient ané imposing temples of which the Empire can 
boast. The population of Kioto is said to be half a million, and it has had the 
reputation of being the principal manufacturing town in the Empire. It is situat- 
ed as nearly as possible in the centre of Dai Nipon, the largest and most important 
island in the Japanese group, and which now demands a brief descriptive notice. 
According to Kainipfer, its length measured along the middle of the island exceeds 
900 miles, and its average width may be estimated at more than 100 miles—its 
surface may, therefore cover an area of about 100,000 square miles. It is traversed 
in its whole length by a chain almost of uniform elevation, and in many places 
crowned with peaks covered with perpetual snow. This chain divides the streams 
which flow to the south and east, and which fall into the Pacific Ocean, from those 
which pursue a northerly course to the sea of Japan. Very many of its peaks are 
voleanie—among the most important of these is the Fusyanuner, the highest 
mountain in Japan. Its elevation is estimated at about 11,000 feet above the 
sea level. It has been quiescent for upwards of a century ; itssummit was sheathed 
‘with snow when we saw it at midsummer. The volcanoe of Pries, situated on an 
island under which we passed, was in action. Nipoa is divided into upwards of 
50 separate provinces, and contains the capital city of the Empire: Yedo. The 
first point in it at which we touched was the port of Simoda, situated on the 
promontory of Idsu, and opened to foreign trade by Commodore Perry in 1852. 
As this port is under the new treaty to be closed to foreigners, it is scarcely 
necessary to allude to it. At no time favourably situated for trade, and under all 
circumstances a dangerous harbour, the anchorage was totally destroyed by an 
earthquake, which took place in December, 1854. Placed at the extreme end of a 
mountainous promontory, to pass from which into the interior of the island it is 
necessary to cross a mountain range 6000 feet high, and inhabited by a poor 
population of fishermen, Simoda can never offer attractions to the merchant, or 
give us cause to regret that it is no longer available for commercial purposes. The 
promontory of Idsu forms the eastern shore of the Bay of Yedo The distance 
from Simoda to that city is about eighty miles. At Uraga the opposite shores 
approach to within ten miles of each other, and the straits which are thus 
formed afford scenery of much picturesque beauty. Eighteen miles from Yedo, 
and situated in a curvature of the western shore, lies the new port of Kanagawa, 
affording secure anchorage within half-a-mile of the land. Connected with 
Yedo by an excellent road, practicable for wheeled vehicles, and containing a. 
considerable population already, Kanagawa possesses many advantages as a focus 
of trade. As, however, we did not land here, I do not venture to describe it 
further, the more especially as it has now been open to Europeans for upwards . 
of two months, and we shall doubtless ere long have a full account of it from some 
of the pioneers of commercial enterprise who have already gone to establish them- 
selves there. Foreigners are permitted by treaty to go into the interior for a 
distance of twenty-five miles, except toward Yedo. The Logos river, distant _ 
about ten miles from this city, is their limit in that direction. 
Fortunately, no such restriction applied to us, and we were enabled, during a 
residence of ten days in that most interesting capital, to acquire some informa- 
