Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-03-08
IN TIE HEART OF JAPAN.

that has Not been Rung In Twelve Hun
dred Years.
A letter dated KiOto. Japan, says: We
are now in the heart of Jppan. This
city was for many centuries the mikndo's
capital, and until ten years ago, When
the overthrow of the shozun left the
capital of that ruler de facto open, its
greater advantages led the mikado and
his cabinet to occupy it. This old capi-
tai, at one time with a population said
70 have been 1000, 900, is now reduced
to 100, 900. arose early, and was glad
to find a clear morning. 1 walked out
at side door of the inn, aud found N.Y.
self in one of the approaches to Shinto
temple. was almost under one of the
granite tout, or monuments. This one
is about sixty feet high, aud four stone
lanterns at the corners of the square
are of great size, and older than any
have yet seen. just as the sun was ris-
ing above the eastern hill, watched the
men and women as they came in front of
the'open temple door, and threw their
offerings in. Then clapping their hands
they fold them, bow the head in devo-
ton, and go away to the duties of the
day. For q moment the temple was
deserted, and man came out with his
face turned full to the rising sun-the
temple faced the south-he went through
the same devotional exercises that had
Just seen, buthe remained longer, bowed
with his head to the ground, and exhib-
tied more fervor.
We have visited several temples stu
ated on the hillsides, on the east side of
the plain on which the city is spread out.
The Oldest and largest. is known as the
Chionin, and belongs to the Joudo sect.
1t is very large, measuring in front over
200 feet. This sect never paint their
temples, and this one presents q dreary
aspect of weather. stained wood. It's age
is given as 270 years only, and it occu-
pies the site of an older one DESTROYED
by fire. Stone steps lead to the bell
tower, where hangs the great bell, said
to be the largest in Japan. 1t is sounded
only on the 18th and 25th of each month.
1t Is suspended about seven feet above
the ground. The metal at it's rim is
eleven inches in thickness. We saw an.
other bell in size little less near the site
OF another temple, resting on granite
supports, on the ground, near where it
fell. The bridge leading to a mountain
temple is of great beauty. 1t has two
arches, and each arch double; one in
verified under the other, so that the pas
sages form circles. The whole, includ-
ing the balustrade, is of cut granite. In
strong contrast with their religious es-
adjustments is the architecture of the
town. The streets are narrow and I'M
paved, the houses small and squalid,
and poverty is written everywhere.
We have just returned from visit to
Nara, one of the old capitals OF the en-
pire, distant about thirty six miles. We
drove at brisk trot for an hour before
a break occurred in the line of houses,
when we crossed branch of the Vii
river, by bridge about thousand feet
long. We entered long street of what
was once, a thousand years ago, a great
city. Away UP the slope of the hill it is
covered, wherever we went, with walls
and pavements as indestructible as the
hill itself. Granite stairs lead into the
wild forest, which now covers the site of
vast temples Of wood--broad avenues,
whose rocky pavement was worn smooth
by the feet of devout pilgrims before
Christ was born.
Here was erected, 200 years ago, the
largest bronze figure the world has ever
known. 1t weighs 450 tons, AID the
third temple now covers it, without APP
parent injury to the immense statue.
We went around it, but could form no
estimate of it's size. Our minister OF
Toxic told me that it was sixty feet from
the seat of lotus leaves to the top of its
head, and thata man could climb through
the nostril. An officer is said to have
taken chip of the casting, and an an
alysis of it gave 800 pounds of gold in
the alloy. A great halo of gilded wood
sets Off the dark features as they are re-
vealed in the shadows of the roof.
To-day we rode to Lake Bewa, distant
about seven miles, and our route Law
along the great Tokaido. The road is
about twenty feet wide, we'll macadam.
lied, with the inevitable walled ditch on
either side. 1t is the great thoroughfare
from Osaka to Toxic, and from the lake
to Kioto it was continuous stream OF
travel, many cattle, and few horses
laden with goods Of every description.
We entered the town at the south end Of
the lake, and were taken to fight OF
stone steps to climb to a temple that
overlooked the lake. We assembled them
found ourselves on the plateau excavated
IN the side of the mountain, and turned
to look upon the largest lake in Japan.
1t is sixty miles in length, but narrow
at the south end. 1t is surrounded by
rich alluvial lands. Our guide next led
us to see bell, which, be told us, had
not been rung in twelve hundred years
and pointed to small wooden building
at the head of fight of wide stone
steps. We looked in through the wooden
bars, well worn by curious visitors, and
saw, we'll supported on a strong wooden
table, bell about four feet high, with 8
bad crack, which seemed to have beer
caused by fire. 1t had on it few plain
figures as ornaments. Our guide in
formed us that it was seventeen hundred
years old, and that it had hung in an an
Gent Shinto temple that once stoot
where it now lies. For five hundred
years its tones foated over the PLACID
lake, and called the people along it,
shores to worship. Then came catas
trophe, and twelve centuries have
passed.
An Unexpected Visitor.
Some time ago large and excited
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