, 1859-01-21
INTERESTING FROM JAPAN.

INTERESTING FROM JAPAN.
The subjoined inter sting information concern.
ing the japanese, is from letter, written on
board the U. S. ship PO9lGtan, to the N T.
HeraW, dated Shanghai, China, Sept 8, 1865.
We remained, after signing the new treaty
between japan ard the United States on thc
Goth August, at Simoda until the 9TH inst, af.
ter returning from Kanagawa. during whi, h
time we saw great deal of the people, and
learned much Of them from Mr. HAIRS This
gentleman, who has now been at Simoda for two
years, aud who is n man Of remarkable ObServa.
tion, has collected more interesting and reab'c
information in regard to those almost unknown
people than is contained in all the books ever
written aboat Japan. lie has been twice 10
Jcddo, had several interviews with the Emper.
or, and constant association with the mobiles
lie has also been in company with the wife of
kinano.no-kami, Of whom he speaks in high
terms | asked him If she was any lairer t'lan
the wives Of the merchants whom We every dav
saw, and he replied, yes, but that if tie at r
had never been more exposed To the weather
than she, they would be equally Eiir II WIS
his impression that all Japanese sprang from the
same parentage, which Is opposed TO the views Of
some writers, who proclaim the nobility to be a
ruling caste. Upon another occasion, asked
him when he thought they would send Minis.
ter to the United States, and he replied that the
exact time had not yet been determined " or,
but that he th1ught that by next spring one
would be on his way. They asked me, he con-
tin ied, il the United States would rroviie p
s. amer to carry him as far as the tNmus 4
Panama; and ! tod them that ! luld not AZ :
swer positively, but that | thought they would.
They are very anxious to send one, and remark.
cd to me that II would only be return Of the
Al.
already sen ling several to Japan.
lrsked him il there was any Japanese Of abil-
ity among the nobility who would be likely to
fill such post with credit, and he replied, "Yes,
several !" and spoke Of the Prince Of Iligo rs
one Of the most prominent then asked, far.
ther, If HigO-nc hami was man Of large wealth
u he would he llacly to make a grand i'p'sy,
&c. to which he replied, that the Government
would OF course pay his expenses; but that rs
TO his making a display, he thought he would
travel from New York 10 Washington, with is
suit Of twenty or thirty, with as little regard to
show and parade as had been eyinced when be
visited us at kanagawa from Jcddo. There was
another thing which he told me that surprised
me greatly. He said that it was a very mistak-
en- idea that the people of Japan were in favor Of
Intercourse with foreigners, while the nobility
and Emperor were opposed to IT. it was just the
contrary. Upon one occasion, when the Prince
had advocated a certain liberal foreign policy
meaSuoe, cards had been posted, threatening the
death Of the officials who should bring Il about
In fact, he said, were it not for this opposition
on the part of the people, the Government would
at once throw japan open to the world; as It
was, however, they were obliged TO proc'ed with
extreme caution.
Ihave already mentioned that Mr.. Harris has
been to Jeddo twice, and that he had seen the
in hfe ySal. ~
THIS tIct upon one occasion, when some one a'ked
him what the Emperor looked like, and If he
lived in grand styleG
In reply, he said that il was the fashion in
Japan to ask how old he was, and how many
children he had, he had easily satisfied himself
upon these and similar points. The Emperor
was thirty-six years old, had one legal wife, and
as many secondary ones as he desired As for
his palace and style Of living, the former was
very large and comfortable, but extremely plain,
while the latter could hot certainly cost him more
than five hundred dollars year, his clothing in-
ciuded. It was great mistake which carly wri-
tiers had made when speaking Of the magnif-
cence Of the Court Of Jeddo-if any existed, he,
Mr.. H., had never seen anything oft
asked him if there were really two Emperors
in Japan, or il the celestial one was merely a
myth, kept up to deceive the people?
"Oh, yes!" he replied; "that is, there lives
at Miaco, in the strictcst retirement, the nomi-
nal Emperor Of Japan. lie has two titles-Ten-
sin, or Son Of Heaven, and Mikado, or Emperor.
lie has twelve legal wives, and as many second
ary ones as he desires, and is believed never to
din. They acknowledge that his body pcrishcs
and is buried, but insist that his spirit passes
into that Of the body which succeeds him, and
that he Is thus kept among them. They say that
Japan Is peopled solely by his offspring and ven.
crate him accordingly as their common father
Every one who approaches him must kncel, even
the Tai-koon, or Great Ruler, who lives at jed
do, and who is generally called Emperor. II is
the law Of Japan, that this ra-Koon shall Wis t
the Son Of Heaven once in every seven years
but as the former does not like TO kneel to him.
he has been gradually throwing cold water upon
the custom, until now he does not go at all. He
contents himself with sending high officer once
a year to act for him. This Tai-Koon, or Great
Ruler, as his title implies is virtually the En-.
peror. lie is not all-powerlul, however, though
the most powerful man in Japan, the laws being
as binding upon him as upon the meanest Of his
SUBJECTS. lie is q man Of very liberal views,
and asked earnestly as TO our form Of Govern.
mcnt, habits, and customs, &C. Of course,
gave him great idea Of our country, though
not at the expense Of those Of Europe. He seems
to sec, however, that we are destined at no dis
tant day to be more powerful still, and fees
toward US accordingly. was asked, upon the
occasion, il, in case Of any difficulty with Eng
land or France, we would not give them the ben.
eft Of our good Offices. This speaks as plainly
Of The nature offhcir feeling toward US as acts
could