Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-07-24
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To Judge from the active plans
which are under way for the great
international exposition at Toxic in
1912, one would think that Japan was
too busy to take seriously all the
talk of war with the United States
which is going the rounds of the
press at the present time. Certainly,
international shows and international
conflict do not go together, and it is
doubtful whether the busy little is
land kingdom of the mikado will
choose the destructive policy OF
war rather than the constructive
one Of stimulating her industries and
commerce by a great worlds fair.
That Japan can fight she demon
strated in the recent conflict with
Russia, and that she can enter as
heartily into the commercial and
industrial competition of the world
she is demonstrating more clearly
every year, and from now until 1912
she will be desperately busy prepar-
ing for what she hopes will be the
biggest world exposition ever held.
AS a sort of prelude to that greater
event of five years hence, there is
now being held at Toxic an industrial
exposition which, while in it's inspira-
ton purely municipal undertaking,
is in reality national in its charac-
ter, and as such worthy the study of
those interested in Japan's industrial
development.
To the foreign sightseer there is
much in the present show to warrant
not only one visit but several and
gives him a faint hint of the large
things which may be expected in
1912.
The site of the exposition is Uyene,
the largest public park in Japan. This
park is situated on elevated ground in
the northeastern part of Toxic and
covers about 1873 acres of ground.
Like everything else found in Japan,
Uyene park has a history linking it
with the days of the old civilization,
W fs IN the ka1 were pegmitted to
the Shoguns ruled the land from
Toxic, then Yeddo. The park is as.
sumed to have derived the name by
which it is generally known from the
fact that back in the days of the old
Tokugawa Shogunate, a feudal lord
from Uyeno, in liza province, had a
residence on this site. In order tc
insure submission to the Shoguns the
| the feuda1 lords were compelled tt
live in Yeddo, where they could be
kept conveniently under the watchfu
eyes Of the real rulers. Later. one
of the Tokugawa Shoguns spent {
fortune in building here a temple, ri
valing a famous one at the imperia
capital. Like everything else con
nected with the Shogunate, this wa:
swept away in the great contest o
1868, which restored the imperial fam
lily to actual power and ushered in tn
glorious era, the Meiji. The Japan o
to-day reckons it's time from that aus
picious event, this year, A. D. 1907, he
ing the fortieth year Of the Meiji
Uyeno was the scene of the frs
great exposition of the new era, tina
of 1877 In 1879 the grand reception
to General Grant was held there, an
since then Uyeno has always been Sc
lected for the big affairs at the ne
tional capital. 1t has been great
beautified by the unrivaled skill 9
famous native landscape artists unit
to-day it is unquestionably one Of tn
most beautiful spots on earth.
This years exposition was col
ceived as a means to the encourage
ment of the post bellum developme1
of all branches of domestic industr.
to pave the way to the great expos
ton of 1912. The outlay for bull
ings has been something over 1000
600 yen. While most of these al
temporary, some are of a semipe
manent character and will be uti
lied in that greater show of five yea
hence.
About one-third of the park Is e
closed in the three compounds with
which are located the large building
and the smaller ones of the differe]