XVIII.] 
JAPANESE TEMPLES. 
375 
dynasty and removed to Tokio. It already gives a striking 
picture of the change which has taken place in the land. Only the 
imperial family and the great men of the country were formerly 
permitted to enter the sacred precincts of Gosho. Now it 
stands open to every curious native or foreigner, and it has 
even as an exhibition building been already pressed into the 
service of industry. Alongside 
the large buildings there are 
several small ones, of which 
one was intended to protect 
the Emperor-deity during 
earthquakes ; the others formed 
play-places for the company of 
grown children who were then 
permitted to govern the country. 
Much more remarkable and 
instructive than the now de¬ 
serted imperial palace are the 
numerous temples at Kioto, of 
which we visited several. We 
were generally received by the 
priests in a large vestibule, 
whose floor was covered with a 
fine woollen carpet and was pro¬ 
vided with tables and chairs of 
European patterns. The priests 
first offered us Japanese tea, 
cigars, and sweetmeats ; then we 
examined some valuable articles exhibited in the room, consisting 
of bronzes, works in the noble metals, splendid old lacquer work, 
and a number of famous swords dedicated to the temple. These 
were the only things that our freethinking Governor treated with 
reverence ; for the rest neither the priests nor their reiiques 
seemed to inspire him with any particular respect. 
BUDDHIST PRILST. 
