The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-24
THE JAPANESE CAPITOL.

Gr*d&t3Nt1E IRON S@F<fa4 6aF*& 4&sA IA =
rhsr paris 81 - nave been reZyait many
times during tae last two centuries TIE
rsvages - life ard properly wrought -
earthquakes though vel vouchs6 for.
sound "a aut0us Historians say IRA. al one
tine during fhs lass century 5I9ss9 persons
IN Tokyo perish IN q single earthquake,
while K ~aR compuae1 that IA 15e earta-
quake of 1915 no fever than 1000 lima oI-
tants % Tokyo were killed.
nave already stated the extent 20 wnscn
TIRE Telephone IS uses both In Tokyo and
Yokohama. There Is good authority for the
statement that the fifteen administrative
districts into which Tokyo Is divided nave
bsen connected ~ telephone FOR IRE origsGe
purposes for Tire last twenty years ard
that. IN fact Japan vas one OF t1e nTst
nations 70 make use Of Edison's invention.
When the present emperor left ais royal
hermitage al ktofo and selected Tokyo AZ
MS residence. ks came into place that
had been rendered magnificent by TIRE lux
uFtous hahltaffon Of the Snnguns. He Sc
ieeged as the site for his palace the former
castle Of the shoguns. IL was centrally
situated. in the very heart of Ysido, and
was strongly protected BY an inner and an
outer wall with towers At the gates. and
each % these walls was In turn encsrcied
by deep and wide nfcai.
Tire palace itself Il worthy OF modern
japan, whose whole theory Of government.
Americans must remember. IS founded on
what we have been taught 70 regard as
the absurd dogma OF me divine right OF
kings. every loyal japanese cheFishing as
a patriotic article OF faith that the emperor
is a Hnesl descendant OF the sun goddess.
and as sueh infallible In judgment aud abb
solute in p5wer. and as a coroliory that
each citizens prima duty is unauestionlng
and implicit obedience to the royal DEGREES.
The palace Is also worthy OF the emperor.
whose progressive administration has
lifted Japan from barbarism into civiliza-
ton The buildings. picturesGuely stu
ajed. blend European and japanese styles
in manner that seems typical OF the COM
pick structure Of the new japanese civil
zatiOn Itself In architecture and In fur
nishing, Il SHOWS the touch Of artists
hands.
The sights Of Tokyo would take up vol
uUes. Murray's hand book devotes some
nifty pages Of bewildering fine print TO the
city and It's environs: and that Is only a
skeleton. a framework which the tourist
is expected 10 an IN for himself Laugh
able things sometimes happen in the globe
trofters efforts TO do the city on time.
according to the guide book. / know OF
two Americans. save the mark. who went
into ceriaiA temple. and with thoughtful
Difference left their cigars on their riksha
seats When they had done the temple
have to strike a match; their cigars were
still burning.
Among the most interesting localities in
Tokyo are usually mentioned the Shiba
temples, the Enryokwan, the new tower on
Atagoyama from which there X fine view
Of tho city. Ueno park. the Shinto temple
al Shosonsha, the Buddhist temple a Asa
kausa. and the various government and
foreign buildings. II must be understood
iSf ia Led Te.1a f4f
objects OF interest, some of the most fasci-
mating OF which are not famous places AT
all. but little giimpses OF wayside scenery
and typical scenes In the life and business
Of the japanese. had the privilege Of Wis
iting most Of the noted places in and about
the city and found them well worth the
trouble.
! found no more attractive spot than
Shiba, partly because Of its historic inter-
est, partly because Of It's scenic beauty and
partly also because of the chrysanthemum
festival or bazaar. Shiba has been called
the garden OF Tokyo. II is beautifully laid
out. showing the rare aptitude OF the
Japanese for landscape gardening, It's
pretty roads we'll shaded by trees. It's his
toric interest Is derived from the temples
and the tombs OF seven Of the shoguns. 1t
was the custom TO bury the shoguns OF the
Tokugawa family alternately az Shiba and
teno. Priests are met at every turn in
the beautiful walks az Shiba, and one of
them readily conducts the visitor 10 the
various shrines and through the chapels
for a small fee. Beautiful effects i'm ara
besqne and fun relief delight the eye on
every hand while the richly ornamental
ceilings compel the admiration OF the most
fastIdious critic
] was particularly fortunate in visiting
Tokyo. and indeed Japan. in the month Of
November, for that is the season when thu
oArysanthemum. the national flower OF
Japan. is in its prime. The country has an
abundance Of towering shrubs such as the
aza3ea. the daphne. the rhododendron and
of course. the camellia and its wealth of
flowers is fully equal 10 It's garden vege-
table resources TO which I have already
referred. Many OF these grow wild so that
biil and dale are gorgeous with Wild roses
orchids. violets lilies and cameIias Along
the wide meats that skirt the old castle
walls the lotus nymphea is said in summer
10 cover The whole eNpanse from bank 10
bank with It's dsiicately tinted blossoms
VITA such a wealth Of resources and with
an Innate and refined sense OF art. II is not
strange that the japanese have brought
the art Of Horticulture 10 a high degree OF
perfection. and whether in the broader
ranges OF landscape gardening or in the
dainty arrangement and training OF a single
potted plant. equal taste is shown. But
~ he gardener fingers with It's most cares
sing touch Is the chrySanihemum In Of
fetal decorations the Order Of the Chrys-
aDth@mum IS the hiEhesj thai can be be-
slowed. belui reserved for royal person.
ages The flower itself Is In the same way
singled our from common uses
The great bazaar AZ Shiba brought otgt
thousands 81 specimens such as / have
never seen. There were chrvsantheuur,s
81 ali shanes and rolors single a "a .1,,,tl.
large and small But stranger SIN were
the designs in vaich they haa been trained
90 grow. Here Ferc Uas q boat Nth ali
the tnricacies and details OF ma plsn FOL
lowed cnt. and hundred other pretty con-
cep,ions. many Of them ewblena So. were
scattered about Tn bewfterlng profuxiou.
The Industrial and commercial life or
Tokyo Is sn that rapidly unfolding con-
tttion whtrh seems 20 characterize the on
tire empire. Factories OF various kinds
are springing up on al sides. and I had
rot ume 20 sock through even half those
that were pointed our 20 ne Cement.
furniture marches. machinery. railroad
cars. boats, books. fans. screens. pictures.
mating. bamboo ware. paper lanterns
umbrellas and hundreds 81 other articles
made in varying quantities bespeak the al
Versity % trade interests Here as else
where in japan. 81 Is har8iy possible In
estimating The to-al yaige arF rarwa -
manufacture 20 draw lire between the
output 81 The factory and the output OF
lae home. Fof while - large factory
Nith It's machinery anG its operatives is
coming 20 play an Important part kara 81
must be remembered that ire aff way OF
maainE thiags "a, home has nor died cu,
pnce more 7 wa give yoa a parallel r4sa
iU America hy asking y5u 20 Imagine ,hat
TiEnt around the ~4frnl-y ana aeaa.gtr,-