Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1912-05-09
SIGHT SEEING IN
JAPANESE CITIES
TOXIC, CAPITAL OF NIPPON,
COVERS TWENTY-EIGHT
!. SQUARE MILES
Towns Abound With Strange Sights
The s1mperial I1useum
Fine Arts

Toxic, Japan, March IA, 1919
In our old Biographies Toxic was
put down on the map as "Yeddo."
1t is comparatively modern city.
In the year 1868 the Mikado moved
his capital from Kyoto, and Tokio
became the seat of the present pro-
gressive Japanese government. It Is
city of over two million inhabitants
with the emperor's palace in the CEN
ter, within a double line of moats,
and surrounded by the new govern
ment buildings. A network of ca
nails crossed by bridges, runs through
the city, and on these canals much
traffic is done in barges. Toxic bay
is on the south. The city covers
vast area, about 2S square miles, on
account of the one-story houses and
shops. There are all modern i'm
provements to be found in any city.
alongside of the narrow, crowded
sheds and small stores of old Japan.
Toxic is the political and social
center of Japan, the arts, theatres,
and all modern enterprises having
this their headquarters. Fire is
feared in Toxic more than anything
else, as the city's inflammable build
ings have been burned down and re-
built many times. There is a mod
ern fire department, and household
yaluables are stored Id small cement
or stone buildings on the premises.
for protection. A great many rows
of trees have been planted. Many
Of the narrow streets are being Wild
ened and stores rebuilt to conform to
a plan of general improvement.
Emperor is Sacred
Sightseeing in the city has to be
done systematically on account OF
the Immense distances. In shiba
park are some of the grandest tenn
pies in the Empire, built by Shoguns'
and some of the establishments are
still maintained by their families,
and some by the state. The last OF
the Shoguns is still living, an old
man over 80 years of age. The pres
ent Emperor is over 60 years OF age,
and man who has done much for
the country. He is believer IN
modern methods, and on account OF
the reverence in which the Emperor
rs held, is immensely influential.
He has selected as advisors the best
and ablest men of Japan. There is
a senate and house where popular
government is exemplified by con-
tending factions. elected by the vot-
ers who have a property qualification
for franchise right. AS showing
the veneration felt for the Emperor,
the question was recently asked In
one of the higher public schools,
what was the greatest desire of the
pupils, and the reply of nearly all the
boys was-the privilege of dying for
the Emperor. His person is consid-
cred sacred. No one is allowed to
look down on the Emperor; and
when he, goes out to ride, OF TO gar. e +.
,dden party, police are sent on ahead to
notify all persons who may be In
"a second story of a building along
the route, to come down to earth
and let the Emperor pass by. An
American recently desired to exhibit
an air ship, and had great difficulty
In getting permission as the machine
was intended to fly over the Imperial
palace and so would allow the oper-
ator to look down on the Mikado.
The aviators were finally allowed to
give their show several miles from
the palace, but warned not to ap-
proach too close. The Emperor
heard Of the incident and ordered
the aviators to bring their car to the
imperial grounds and let him see
the exhibition himself. 5.3s
Summing In Japan gsl
We took rickshaws and saw part
Of the city by day, also went around
ii, autos at night, and one evening
went Cumming" a number of tour
ist ladies' going along. Thecity gov
ernment recognizes the need Of con-.
trolling the social evil, and has set
aside one district near the center ofsI q
ths cityafor this purpose. Every
thing d conducted on quiet, Or Is.