New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-08
JAPAN.
THE CITY OF YEDO.-..S

THE CITY OF YEDO.-..NO. J.
vr,>, u,pnop AND poRrs-rHE CITY FROM THE
w.rrR-srsHT.s SEEING IN yEDe-THE STREETS
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AND THEIR AT
ryNpAsrs-ylEw FROM ATAGo-ExTEST AND
pop,I ALTON OF THE CTTY-RRINCEs AND THEIR
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AND sHOPPING-CRowDs
AND POLICE. .
From Our Own Correspondent
KASAGAwA, Japan, Dec, 1861.
The steamer Hartford was to leave her an
.boraps IN Yokohama Bay at O'Clock on the
morning of Nov. !, for Yedo. An hour before
that time Heco ond myself were on the quay
yainly trying to hurry of the reluctant boatlnen
who were to put us aboard. But there was no
burrvipg the natives from their breakfast and
their morning pipe and we stood shivering IN
the cold morning wind tin we had nearly lost
our passage, and quite lost our reputation
for amiabhity. We were, however, aboard
in time to see the anchor up and the
steamer turn her bows toward the head
of Yedo Gulf Heeo is the young Japanese
who with several others, was rescued few years
since from wrecked junk and taken to California,
where be was kindly cared for, and acquired a
knowledge OF our language, our institutions, our
business ways, and social life, which knowledge he
has brought back 10 these shores TO the mutual
benefit of himself aud his countymen. He seems
TO have improved his absence more than any Of the
rest OF his unfortunate cOuntrymen.
From the anchorage ut Yokohama to that at
Yedo, distance Of IL or IA miles, we passed low
shores and flat country. Gne OF houses seldom
brokeA extends from Kanagawa to Yedo following
the line of the coast. The waters OF the bay oppo-
site the CITY of Yedo are shallow that the Hart
ford yns obliged to anchor FIVE miles from the shore,
distance ct which the city, built little only above
the water-level, is ndistiacty seem Yedo occupies
n large plain out of which rise q few knobs on the
north west side and the head Of the gulf which
bears its name. The approach TO the city from the
water-side is guarded by FIVE forts These are rec
tangular earthwOrks faced with stone, with guns
mounted en- barbette having no formidable front TO
any attacking foe, particularly as they are huddled
together, and TO some extent cover each others
fire.
A good half Autumn day remained, and was
too impatient TO see the great city in whose shadow,
as il were, had sat 30 long, not TO jump into the
cutter that was alongside, to get party ashore.
We passed between the neat walled forts with their
trim escarps of turf, about which there were no
sisns of lite. These forts have been built since
Perrys visit, and mast have been erected with great
outlay of labor, as they mile and a half from
the shore, from which they are wholly isolated.
There were few indications Of AN approach to
g1eat city. No ships crowding wharyes laden
with merchandise lew boats were plying the haIbor,
score perhaps Of junks lay idly at their anchorage,
and doiting the bay at long intervals was small
feet of fishing boats We seemed rather 10 be ap-
preaching an extinct city than the largest existing
one of the world Picturesque spots along the bay
were occupied by tea-houscs and places OF pleasure
resort Tie few elevations that broke the level
monotony were occupied by temples, whose high
walls ard peaked roofs were begirt with hedge rows
and enbosOmed in the bbade Ot oyerhangng trees.
The white walls Of Princes Enclosures show out
here aud there from among shrubbery, and rising
above the humber roofs were the mosque-hke
shroi that denoted the residences of the great chiefs
of the empire. The boat landed ia at the Custom
House wharf which 10 u SOLID work Of cut masonry,
with steps leading up from the waters edge. We
were, on landing within small inclosure cut out
of the city by high fence and barred gates, where
a number Of yokuninf' were in readiness TO receive
as No sounds of great citys life broke over the
walls, aud for aueht We could see or hear We might
have been in a cattle pound Of the smallest village
at home m ut the entrance TO ledO The fakunns
we've very civil and at once prOf,red 10 escort US
whithenOever we would CO.
Sight seeing in YedO IL no trifling matter. In the
first Place one must needs be mounted, for the city
covers too great area TO be- seen otherwise. Nor
is il either agreeable prudent "a go about on foot
III
every street would eiecually block up the wsyj nor
would the foot traveller be from insolcce and
violence nj the hands OF the numerous sanna or sol
diers who constitute 20 large proportion OF the
population. Yedo ia emphaticslly n Court city
Within its walls each hereditary kann must reside
even other year, aud be brings With him numer-
Gus re;inue Of retainers or samrai, who bold them
selves accountable TO their lege lsrd more than to
the Imperial Government They follow the fortunes
Of their master, and if he happen TO be hostile 10
foreigners, they scIuple not TO show the same dis
like by malignant looks or insol.nt acts whenever
fitting occasion Offers. Nor il the mounted visitor
exempt from insults, ms has repeatedly been shown;
and quite lately when the captain Of Prussian
Ergatc was driven from his horse and compelled 10
seek refuge in an open shop. Whether Oh lVot or
mounted, an escort guard OF Yakunins accompanies
the visitor; and even they are powerless always to
protect
We bad ordered our horses 10 be sent up to US
from the settlement below, but they would no. ar.
rive tin tire following morning; 80 We conented our
selves with a walk 10 the bill Of Atago, the most
elevated ground within the city, and commanding
view O, lie entire circumference. On our way
thither we passed through many streets which, like
MI the streets Of Yedo. were spacious and ceany.
For the latter virtue, Yedo may rank with the beet
kept cities oi the world and would put ~ shame
own great metropolis. As in other Japanese towns,
the streets daily and many times day swept by
the inhabitants, and IN accumulation OF nth or
garbage ia nowhere 10 be reen The public couve-
nieuces which in China and often in japan NO
many pubic nuissucoe in ledo are kept so wholly
out Of the observation Of any ot tie nses that thelr
existence would not be known. Sewerage by well
paved cutters and suhionanean trunksis thoroughly
effected, the Rowing through the center of the
city ~ Offsets Of canals and the bay read
ny draising every part.
In passing through any quarter Of the city, the
Hlta nj tke Mr. ~ mud