70 Extracts from Diary in Japan. 



and most valued of all. Cupressus obtusa (hinoki) is much 

 esteemed for its durability, closeness of grain, silky appear- 

 ance, and freedom in working ; it is used for all tlie best 

 temple fittings, &c. 



The timber most commonly used in the rough framing and 

 roofs of houses is the matz (pinus massoniana). There are 

 seven species of oak, three evergreen and four deciduous. 

 The deciduous oaks are seldom allowed to attain large 

 growth, but are cut young for charcoal, oars of boats, &c. 

 The everg^^een oaks are large trees and truly magnificent ; 

 one, the kashi (quercus glauca), has immense glossy leaves, 

 and is used for planes and other carpenters' tools, being very 

 hard and of close grain. The ash (fraxinus excelsior) is fine 

 timber, but seldom utilised, being chiefly burned for charcoal ; 

 the wood is like the European ash, as also the foliage, but is 

 more robust. The walnut is largely grown, although the 

 timber is not utilised. 



The houses generally are built of timber, with heavy 

 timber roof, tiled, frequently of two stories; the peculiarity is 

 that all the windows and doors slide in grooves, economising 

 space ; the windows axe framed in small squares and covered 

 with paper, with a sliding shutter outside, which is closed in 

 wet and stormy weather. The houses are without fireplaces, 

 but are warmed by hibachis, an earthenware or bronze vessel 

 containing lighted charcoal ; the houses are scrupulously 

 clean, the floors generally matted with rush matting. The 

 higher class houses are heavily framed, diagonally lathed 

 outside, and faced with flat tiles, which are nailed on verti- 

 cally and the joints seamed with lime mortar; these houses 

 are dry, cool, and comfortable. 



The cities and towns are all much alike, with narrow 

 streets, unpaved, but frequently macadamised. Lately, brick 

 houses and wide streets ha\^e been adopted in Yedo and 

 Yokohama by advice of Europeans, and they are much 

 approved. The streets of Yokohama are wide and altogether 

 of European appearance— this town having been chiefly 

 occupied by Europeans and Americans for a considerable 

 period. Yedo has now also given way to the same innova- 

 tion ; and Ginza= — the main street leading from the railway 

 station to Nihom Bashi (one of the chief bridges) — has omni- 

 busses continually running, and hundreds of horse-drawn 

 vehicles, also thousands of Jinrikishas — a small, hooded 

 vehicle, on two wheels three feet in diameter, with springs. 



