suburban districts politically attached to them.
_ 15 Résumé Statistique_ (Government publication), 1892, p. 11.
_ 16 Asiatic Society Transactions_, supplement to vol. x., p. 213.
17 Batchelor, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. x., p. 211.
18 Batchelor, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. x., p. 216.
19 Miss Bird’s _Unbeaten Tracks in Japan_, vol. ii., p. 96.
20 Professor E. S. Morse, _Memoirs of the University of Tokio_, vol.
i., part i.
21 Henry von Siebold, _Notes on Japanese Archæology_, p. 14.
22 “But I must tell you one thing still concerning that island (Japan)
(and ’tis the same with the other Indian Islands), that if the
natives take prisoner an enemy who cannot pay a ransom, he who hath
the prisoner summons all his friends and relations, and they put the
prisoner to death, and then they cook him and eat him, and they say
there is no meat in the world so good!”—_The Book of Ser Marco
Polo_, London, 1875, vol. ii., p. 245.
23 Professor Milne, _Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan_,
vol. viii., p. 82.
24 Rev. John Batchelor, _Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan_,
vol. x., p. 209.
25 Hildreth’s _Japan_, etc., p. 337.
_ 26 Mittheilungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft_, etc., as reviewed in
_The Chrisanthemum_, May, 1883.
27 Rein’s _Japan_, p. 383.
28 “We know that for all points of detail and for keeping a correct
account of time, tradition is worthless.”—_The History of Rome_, by
Rev. Thomas Arnold, D.D., 1864, p. 10.
29 For easy access to this valuable Japanese work we are indebted to
the translation by Basil Hall Chamberlain, _Transactions of the
Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol. x., Supplement.
30 See Chamberlain’s translation of _Kojiki_, or _Records of Ancient
Matters_, _Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol. x.,
Supplement.
31 Satow, “Ancient Japanese Rituals,” _Transactions of the Asiatic
Society of Japan_, vols. vii. and ix.
32 Satow, _Westminster Review_, July, 1878.
33 See Appendix I.
34 Bramsen, _Japanese Chronological Tables_, p. 30.
35 I remember presenting this point to a Japanese scholar in this way,
and he answered me that he thought this great age of the Japanese
emperors no more wonderful or unreasonable than the ages of the
patriarchs in the Bible.
36 “I wished to give these legends at once with the best effect, and at
the same time with a perpetual mark, not to be mistaken by the most
careless reader,—they are legends and not history.”—_The History of
Rome_ by Thomas Arnold, D.D., 1864, Preface, p. vii.
37 For the translation of these names, and for the principal events of
these myths, we rely upon Mr. Chamberlain’s translation of the
_Kojiki_, and his admirable notes and introduction. _Transactions of
the Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol. x., Supplement.
38 This is supposed to have been one of the small islands off the coast
of Awaji in the Inland sea.
39 An island about fifty miles long in the Inland sea.
40 This probably means that the sword was ten breadths of the hand in
length.
41 The Japanese name of this most venerated goddess is
Amaterasu-ō-mi-kami.
42 There seemed to have been an old superstition about flaying from the
tail toward the head.
43 This is one of the ancient names of the Main island of Japan.
44 The name of this prince of which the translation is here given is
usually shortened to Ninigi-no-Mikoto.
45 Nakatomi-no-Muraji is also among these, who was the ancestor of the
Fujiwara family that from the reign of the Emperor Tenji attained
great political distinction.
46 Dr. Rein in 1875 was shown an old sword on the top of this mountain
which is claimed to have been carried on this occasion.—Rein’s
_Japan_, p. 214, note.
47 This canonical name was given to him in the reign of the Emperor
Kwammu, who commanded Mifune-no-Mikoto to select suitable canonical
names for all past emperors, and these have since been used.
48 See Milne’s paper on “Pit-Dwellers of Yezo and Kurile Islands,”
_Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol. x., p. 187.
49 A large number of songs are handed down in the traditions of this
period. They are in the most ancient form of the language and are
not easy to translate. We give as a specimen Jimmu’s song from
Chamberlain’s translation of _Kojiki_, _Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. x., Supplement, p. 142.
Into the great cave of Ōsaka people have entered in abundance and
are there. Though people have entered in abundance and are there,
the children of the augustly powerful warriors will smite and finish
them with their mallet-headed swords, their stone-mallet swords: the
children of the augustly powerful warriors, with their mallet-headed
swords, their stone-mallet swords, would now do well to smite.
50 For example, the organization of a parliament took place in 1890,
which in the Japanese reckoning would be 2550 from Jimmu’s setting
up his capital in Yamato.
51 See p. 32.
52 See list of emperors, Appendix I.
53 Satow, _Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol. ii. p.
113.
54 We follow in these figures the chronology which has been authorized
by the government. Appendix I.
55 E. M. Satow, “Ancient Sepulchral Mounds in Kaudzuke,” _Transactions
of the Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol. viii., pp. 11, 330.
56 Chamberlain’s translation of _Kojiki_,—_Transactions of the Asiatic
Society of Japan_, vol. x., Supplement, p. 208.
57 The roads or circuits here spoken of refer to the roads constructed
by the government along contiguous provinces and used for the
passage of troops and other government purposes. These circuits have
continued in use down to the present time.
58 Yamato-hime or Yamato-princess had been appointed high priestess of
the temples in Isé, and in that capacity had charge of the imperial
regalia which were deposited there. She is a very celebrated person
in Japanese legendary story and is said to have lived several
hundred years.
See Chamberlain’s translation of _Kojiki_, p. 183, note 7; _Asiatic
Society Transactions_, vol. x., Supplement.
59 See p. 45.
60 See Satow’s paper on the use of the fire drill in Japan,
_Transactions of Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol. vii., p. 223.
61 It is one of the favorite subjects of Japanese art to represent the
Princess Oto-Tachibana sitting upon a pile of mats and the boat with
her husband sailing off in the quieted waters.
62 The name by which these savage tribes were designated was Yemishi;
the name however is written in Chinese characters which signify
Prawn-Barbarians; in allusion to their heavy beards which gave them
the appearance of prawns. See p. 22.
63 See Chamberlain’s translation of _Kojiki_,—_Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. x., Supplement, p. 218.
64 He is chiefly notable to foreigners because he is said to have lived
through the reigns of three emperors and to have reached the age of
three hundred years.
65 She is not included in the government list of emperors, and is given
in Appendix I. as empress-regent.
66 See _Kokushian_, compiled under the Department of Education. _Ad
Locum_.
67 See Appendix I.
_ 68 Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol. x., Supplement.
69 E. M. Satow, _Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol.
ii., p. 135.
70 E. M. Satow, _Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol.
vi., p. 435.
71 Satow, “Ancient Japanese Rituals,” _Asiatic Society Transactions_,
vol. vii., p. 423.
72 E. M. Satow, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. vii., p. 109.
73 Ditto, p. 119.
74 Cotton is said to have been brought to Japan from India in the reign
of the Emperor Kwammu, A.D. 800. T. B. Poate, _Transactions of the
Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol. iv., p. 146.
_ 75 Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol. x., Supplement,
pp. 39 and 40.
76 Henry von Siebold, _Japanese Archæology_, Yokohama, 1879, p. 16. The
diagram in the text is from this work on Archæology, and shows the
variety of jewels in use in prehistoric times.
77 For the so called cave dwellings see p. 68.
_ 78 Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. v., p. 110.
79 See p. 32.
80 In the _Kojiki_ it is said that the king of Kudara sent with Wani
the _Confucian Analects_ in ten volumes and the _Thousand Character
Essay_ in one volume. It conflicts seriously with the chronology of
this period to learn, as both Mr. Satow and Mr. Chamberlain have
pointed out, that the _Thousand Character Essay_ was not written
until two centuries after the date assigned to the advent of Wani.
81 The _Kojiki’s_ statement is that the elder brother was banished to
Iyo.
82 The name, “Island of the Dragon-Fly” had already been given to the
Main island by Jimmu Tenno.
83 In these early days a _muro_ or excavation of the earth, roofed with
timber, was often used as a residence. See p. 68.
84 In this story the princes are represented as boys, but as they fled
on the murder of their father by the Emperor Yūriyaku before his
accession, this must have been at least twenty-eight years before;
so that they could not have been less than forty years of age.
85 After the triumph of Buddhism a temple called Tennoji was erected
near this place in honor of this image, which was miraculously
rescued from the sea and is still preserved at this temple.
86 See the laws which he compiled and published as found in the 12th
volume of _Dai Nihon Shi_, Appendix IV.
87 This must mean that improved methods of silk culture were
introduced, for we have seen that this art was already known to the
Japanese.
88 Bramsen’s _Japanese Chronological Tables_, Tokio, 1880, p. 18.
89 The author is indebted to the valuable paper read before the Asiatic
Society of Japan by Willis Norton Whitney, M.D., for much of the
information concerning medicine in Japan.—_Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. xii., part iv., p. 329.
90 For an enumeration of these boards and the officers and duties of
each, see Walter Dickson’s _Japan_, p. 72.
91 See a note by Mr. Satow in Adams’ _History of Japan_, London, vol.
i., p. 24.
_ 92 Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. iii., part i.
_ 93 Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. x., Supplement.
94 The _Kojiki_ has been translated into English by Professor B. H.
Chamberlain, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. x., Supplement.
95 See Mori Arinori’s introduction to _Education in Japan_, New York,
1873, p. 17.
96 See a paper on “Abdication and Adoption,” by Mr. Shigeno An-Eki,
translated by Mr. Walter Dening, in _Asiatic Society Transactions_,
vol. xv., p. 72.
97 His predecessor died A.D. 661, and there was an _interregnum_ during
which Tenji was regent till A.D. 668, when he was made emperor.
98 See p. 47, note.
99 Quoted in Henry von Siebold’s _Japanese Archæology_, Yokohama 1879,
p. 8.
100 See p. 58.
101 Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook of Japan_, London, 1884.
102 For ten years preceding 794 the capital was a wanderer.
103 See the _Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan_, vol. viii.,
p. 88. The inscription is in part as follows:
Castle of Taga,
Distant from the capital, Ri 1500
Distant from the frontier of Yezo, Ri 120
Distant from Hitachi, Ri 412
Distant from Shimotsuke, Ri 274
Distant from Makkatsu, Ri 3000.
_ 104 Education in Japan_, New York, 1873, p. 17.
105 See p. 47.
106 These instances are taken from the paper on abdication and adoption,
by Shigeno An-eki, as translated by Mr. Walter Dening, _Asiatic
Society Transactions_, vol. xv., p. 74.
107 See Chamberlain’s _Things Japanese_, under the article on
abdication. Yokohama, 1892.
108 See p. 66 _et seq._
109 At the time that Dickson collected his statistics of the families of
the court, two of the Sugawara family were teachers of the young
emperor. Six families of _kuges_ count their descent from the
Sugawara. Dickson’s _Japan_, London, 1869, p. 59.
110 See chapter on “Education in the Early Ages,” by Otsuki Sinji, in
_Japanese Education_, New York, 1876, p. 64.
111 While I write these lines there is hanging before me a _kakemono_
representing Sugawara Michizané, which it has been proposed to hang
in every public school under the care of the Department of
Education, as an emblem of the true scholarly temperament.
112 See p. 132.
113 See Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 383.
114 He was born in A.D. 1146 and therefore was twelve years older than
Yoshitsuné.
115 Doves are not eaten by the Minamoto to this day, owing, it is said,
to this miraculous interposition in behalf of Yoritomo.
116 About A.D. 1618 Hakoné was created a barrier to separate the eastern
from the central provinces. Persons were not allowed to go through
this barrier without a passport.
117 In A.D. 1286, more than a century after his death, a monument was
erected to Kiyomori in Hyōgo which still exists. Satow and Hawes’
_Handbook_, p. 338.
118 The title of shōgun is said to have been created by the Emperor
Sujin, who divided the empire into four military divisions, each
commanded by a shōgun or general. When Yoshinaka assumed control in
Kyōto at the time of his victory he was appointed _sei-i-shōgun_
(barbarian compelling general). Subsequently Yoritomo secured the
supreme military authority and having resigned the civil offices
held by him he was appointed by imperial edict _sei-i-tai-shōgun_ or
great barbarian compelling general.
See G. Appert’s _Ancien Japon_, vol. iii., p. 84; also Satow’s note
to Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. i., p. 42.
119 Adams, in his _History of Japan_, vol. i., p. 37, gives a quaint
quotation from _Nihon-Gwaishi_ as follows: “The crimes of the Heishi
against the imperial family were atoned for by their services, and
heaven therefore would not cut off their posterity. And this
probably was right.”
120 See Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 57.
121 There are almost as many legends current concerning Benkei as his
master. Their first encounter was upon the Gojō bridge in Kyōto,
where Benkei prowled for the purpose of robbing passengers.
Yoshitsuné, then only a youth of sixteen years, displayed so much
agility and swordsmanship that the veteran robber yielded to him,
and ever after followed him as his faithful body servant. The
_Japanese Fairy World_, by W. E. Griffis, contains the legend of
Benkei stealing a huge bell five feet high from the monastery at
Miidera, and carrying it on his shoulders to Hiyēsan (see p. 93).
When Yoshitsuné was compelled to flee from the vengeance of his
brother, he came with Benkei, both disguised as begging priests, to
a guarded barrier. The custodians refused them passage, but Benkei,
who was cunning as well as strong, pulled out from his bosom a roll
of blank paper and pretended to read a commission from the abbot of
Hōkōji, in Kyōto, authorizing the two travellers to collect funds
throughout the country for casting a great bell for their temple.
The custodians were deeply impressed with this holy message and
allowed the travellers to pass without further question.
122 There are many legends, existing among the Ainos, of Yoshitsuné
having lived among them and taught them improved arts of hunting and
fishing. There is a wooden image of him at the village of Upper
Piratori, which is saluted (not worshipped) in token of honor to his
memory. Rev. John Batchelor, who has lived as a missionary among the
Ainos many years, is of the opinion that this reverence is largely
due to a desire on the part of the Ainos to conciliate their
Japanese masters. It has seemed not unreasonable to suppose that the
traditions concerning Yoshitsuné among the Ainos have been carried
from the Main island by the retreating tribes, and that Yoshitsuné
never lived with them in Yezo, but was only familiar with them in
the wild regions of Mutsu and Dewa.
See paper by Rev. J. Batchelor, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol.
xvi., part 1, p. 20.
123 Ōye-no-Hiromoto was a powerful adherent of Yoritomo, and was a
member of his administrative council. He was the ancestor of the
Mōri family, who afterward became famous as the daimyōs of Chōshū.
124 We owe to Kaempfer, perhaps, the erroneous notion which has been
repeated by subsequent writers that there was both an ecclesiastical
and a temporal emperor. This was never true. There has been only one
emperor, who, in the Japanese theory, was the direct descendant of
divine ancestors and who has always been the supreme authority. From
the time of Yoritomo, however, the administration was in the hand of
an hereditary shōgun who always received the commission of the
emperor for the performance of his duties. See Kaempfer’s _Histoire
de l’Empire du Japon_, vol. i., p. 182.
125 The Japanese term is _Shikken_, which is usually translated
_regent_.
126 A travelling palanquin.
127 See _Travels of Marco Polo_, second edition, London, 1875, vol. ii.,
p. 240.
128 In the year A.D. 1890 two pictures were brought to light which
represent the events of this memorable battle. They are believed to
have been painted about A.D. 1294 by Naganori and Nagatoki, painters
of the Tosa school. They have been in the family of one of the
captains in the Japanese army of that day, and while the figures of
the men and horses are not well drawn the pictures in other respects
have great historical value. Alongside of the scenes represented,
legends are written in explanation. It is said that these valuable
historical pictures are likely to come into the Household Department
and thus be more carefully preserved than they are likely to be in a
private house.—_Japan Weekly Mail_, 1890, p. 581.
129 For a description of this locality, which is justly famed in
Japanese annals, see Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 56.
130 See Chamberlain’s _Handbook_, 1891, p. 337.
131 Quite an animated and interesting controversy took place a few years
ago with reference to this suicide of Kusunoki. Popular opinion
strongly justifies the act and rewards with its highest approval the
memory of the patriot. But Mr. Fukuzawa, one of the most radical of
the public men of to-day and an active and trenchant writer,
condemned the act as indefensible and cowardly.
132 Mr. Griffis says that when he resided in Fukui in A.D. 1871—more
than five hundred years after the event,—he saw the grave of the
heroic Nitta almost daily strewed with flowers.—_The Mikado’s
Empire_, 1876, p. 190.
133 Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 356.
134 It is an evidence of the feeling which still exists towards the
Ashikaga shōguns that in 1863 these figures were taken from the
Tō-ji-in and beheaded and the heads pilloried in the dry bed of the
Kamogawa, at the spot where it is customary to expose the heads of
the worst criminals. Several of the men who were guilty of this
outrage were captured and were put into the hands of various daimyōs
by whom they were kept as prisoners.—Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p.
357.
135 See the full account of tea ceremonies in Chamberlain’s _Things
Japanese_, 1892, p. 404.
136 The official list of emperors will be found in Appendix I. The names
of the northern which are not included in this list are as follows:
DATE OF ACCESSION.
Kōmiō, 1996 years from Jimmu, 1336 A.D.
Shukō, 2009 years from Jimmu, 1349 A.D.
Go-Kōgen, 2012 years from Jimmu, 1352 A.D.
Go-Enyū, 2032 years from Jimmu, 1372 A.D.
Go-Komatsu, 2043 years from Jimmu, 1383 A.D.
137 See _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. xiii., p. 139.
138 It is said that in this disastrous time the poverty of the country
was so great that when, in A.D. 1500, Go-Tsuchimikado died at his
palace in Kyōto, the corpse was kept for forty days because the
means for the usual funeral expenses could not be had. M. von Brandt
as quoted in Rein’s _Japan_, p. 261.
139 Mr. W. A. Woolley, in a paper read before the Asiatic Society of
Japan, gives an account derived from Japanese sources as follows:
“Amongst those who landed on this occasion was one of the _Literati_
of China, who acted as interpreter between the foreigners and the
chief of the island Hyōbu-no-jō Tokitada. [Since both the Chinese
and Japanese used the same ideographic characters, they could
understand each other’s writing but not speech.] In reply to
questions the interpreter is represented as having described his
friends the foreigners as being ignorant of etiquette and
characters, of the use of wine cups and chop sticks, and as being,
in fact, little better than the beasts of the field. The chief of
the foreigners taught Tokitada the use of firearms, and upon leaving
presented him with three guns and ammunition, which were forwarded
to Shimazu Yoshihisa, and through him to the shōgun.”—_Asiatic
Society Transactions_, vol. ix., p. 128.
140 See _Adventures of Mendez Pinto_, done into English by Henry Cogan,
London, 1891, pp. 259 etc.
141 Hildreth’s _Japan_, etc., 1855, p. 27, note.
_ 142 Adventures of Mendez Pinto_, p. 281.
143 This is the name by which Pinto calls this city (see _Adventures of
Mendez Pinto_, London, 1891, p. 265); the real name, however, at
this time was Fumai, and is now Ōita.
144 The author himself saw in Japan in 1874 the native hunters using an
old-fashioned matchlock, in which the powder was fired by a slow
burning match, which was brought down to the powder by a trigger.
This kind of firearm, which was in use in Europe in the fifteenth
century, was taken to Japan by the Portuguese, and continued to be
used there until the re-organization of the army introduced the
modern form of gun.
145 In the accounts given by the biographers of Xavier, it is said that
there were two companions of Anjiro who in the subsequent baptism
received the names of John and Anthony.
146 This was the name of the seminary in Goa where Anjiro had been
educated.
147 See Coleridge’s _Life and Letters of St. Francis Xavier_, London,
1872, p. 237.
148 Bouhour’s _Life of Xavier_, p. 274.
149 In the _Life of St. Francis Xavier_ by Bartholi and Maffei the
following circumstance is given: “It seems that a rat had invaded
the sanctuary and gnawed the ornaments of the altar. The sacristan
appealed to the saint thus: ‘Father Francis! people say that you
passed from this life in the vicinity of China; that you were a
saint, that your body still remains entire and incorrupt at Goa. Now
here am I your sacristan; and I ask is it consistent with your honor
that a rat should have the audacity to gnaw the ornaments of your
altar? I demand his death at your hand.’ On opening the door of the
sanctuary the next morning the sacristan found the culprit quite
dead.”
150 See Woolley, “Historical Notes on Nagasaki”, _Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. ix., p. 129.
151 For these facts concerning Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, and the condition
of the country during their times, the author is largely indebted to
the _Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, by Walter Dening, Tokio, 1890.
152 The word _daimyō_ means _great name_, and was used in reference to
the ownership of land; _shomyō_ means _small name_, and was at first
employed to indicate the small land-owner. But the word never
obtained currency, the small land-owner always preferring to call
himself a daimyō. See Chamberlain’s _Things Japanese_, p. 84.
153 The element of comedy shows itself from the beginning in Hideyoshi’s
character when he adopted the calabash, in which he had carried
water, as his symbol of victory. He added a new one for each
victory, and at last adopted a bunch of calabashes for his
coat-of-arms. Afterwards he had this constructed of gold, which was
carried as the emblem of his triumphant career.
154 See Dening’s _Life of Hideyoshi_, p. 207.
155 In Chamberlain’s _Things Japanese_ the estimate is given that at
this most prosperous time the number of Japanese professing
Christianity was not less than six hundred thousand, p. 297.
156 See the letter which the ambassador from the Prince of Bungo
presented on this occasion. Hildredth’s _Japan_, etc., p. 89.
157 In the First Part (1873) of _Mittheilungen der Deutschen
Gesellschaft für Natur und Völkerkunde Ostasiens_, p. 15, the times
of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, etc., are termed “die zeit der usurpatoren,”
the time of the usurpers. But Nobunaga and Hideyoshi were no more
usurpers than the Tokugawas, who succeeded them by force of arms.
158 Mr. Satow with rare literary insight has identified this Kuroda with
the Condera Combiendono of the Jesuit fathers. _Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. vii., p. 151.
159 See Shiga’s _History of Nations_, Tōkyō, 1888, p. 128.
160 Dening’s _Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, p. 274.
161 See Dening’s _Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, p. 278.
162 See p. 189.
163 His original name was Nakamura Hyoshi, the family taking its name
from the village where he was born. Then at his induction to manhood
A.D. 1553 his name was changed to Tokichi Takayoshi. At another turn
in his career he became Kinoshita Tokichi Takayoshi. In the year
A.D. 1562 he received permission to use the name Hideyoshi instead
of Tokichi, and A.D. 1575 his name was again changed to Hashiba,
which the Jesuit fathers wrote Faxiba.
164 See Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 341.
165 The facts here related concerning this most interesting episode in
the life of Hideyoshi are chiefly taken from a paper furnished by
Mr. J. H. Gubbins to the _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. viii.,
p. 92.
166 The Emperor Ōgimachi retired from the throne A.D. 1586, and was
succeeded by Go-Yojō, then sixteen years old. It shows of how small
account the emperors had become, that this change in the head of the
nation is scarcely mentioned in the histories of the time.
167 The spies and guides employed by Hideyoshi were priests of the Shin
sect of Buddhists, who after the fall of Kagoshima were discovered
and crucified. A decree was also issued that every inhabitant of
Satsuma who was connected with this sect must renounce his creed. To
this day there exists among the people of Satsuma a general
hostility to the Buddhists which can be traced to this trying
episode. See _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. viii., p. 143.
168 See p. 178.
169 See p. 186.
170 See Dening’s _Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, pp. 148, 344.
171 When Father Valignani came to Japan in A.D. 1577 it is said that he
brought as one of his presents a beautiful Arabian horse. It is not
improbable that some of the improved breeds, now seen in the
southern provinces, owe their origin to these valuable horses sent
over as presents.
172 See Chamberlain’s _Things Japanese_, 1892, p. 298, note. According
to Charlevoix this indiscreet speech was made by a Spanish captain.
See Gubbin’s paper, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. vi., part
ii., p. 16.
173 For the text of this edict see Dickson’s _Japan_, p. 172.
174 See Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, 2d ed., p. 72.
175 See Dening’s _Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, p. 405.
176 See Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. i., p. 66.
177 See Dening’s _Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, p. 263.
178 We are indebted to Mr. W. G. Aston for a full and clear account of
Hideyoshi’s invasion of Korea, which he had derived not only from
Japanese books and documents, but from Korean sources which, until
his researches, were inaccessible. See _Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. vi., p. 227; ix., pp. 87, 213.
179 The peculiarly Eastern form of expression is noticeable in
announcing these presents: “You will find enclosed a list of some of
the poor productions of our country, which we beg you will refrain
from laughing at immoderately.”
180 He became one of the most famous heroes of Japan, and is worshipped
under the name of Seishōkō, at a shrine connected with the temple of
Hommonji at Ikegami. Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 30.
181 See Mr. Satow’s identification of this name. _Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. vii., p. 151.
182 See Mr. Aston’s paper, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. ix., p.
90.
183 A Japanese scholar could read such a document in the ideographic
Chinese characters without translation; but Taikō Sama was not a
scholar and therefore was not aware of the purport of the document
until it was translated to him.
184 See Mr. Aston’s description of this humiliating scene as given in
_Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. ix., p. 217; also Dening’s
_Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, p. 360.
185 See Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 369.
186 See Dening’s _Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, p. 380.
187 See Mr. Satow’s paper entitled “The Korean Potters in Satsuma,”
_Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. vi., p. 193; also as referred
to in Mr. Satow’s paper, Mr. Ninagawa’s _Notice Historique et
Descriptive sur les Arts et Industries Japonais_, part v., Tōkyō,
1877.
188 “In point of fact, however, making Ongoschio (Ieyasu) regent was
placing a goat in charge of a kitchen garden.”—_Warenius_, p. 20.
189 See Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 368.
190 See the pedigree of Ieyasu as given in _Mittheilungen der Deutschen
Gesellschaft_, etc., Heft i., p. 19.
191 See Dening’s _Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, p. 377.
192 This covenant is said to have been signed with blood in accordance
with a custom still occasionally prevalent, in which a drop of blood
is drawn from the middle finger and sealed by pressing it with the
thumb nail. Rein’s _Japan_, p. 297, note.
193 See Dening’s _Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, p. 397.
194 This place receives its name from a barrier that was erected in the
ninth century to control the travel towards the capital. Its meaning
is, “Plain of the Barrier.” See Chamberlain’s _Handbook_, p. 268.
195 See Dening’s _Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, p. 399.
196 This proverb is quoted as having been used by Hideyoshi when
remonstrating with Nobunaga about following up his victory over
Imagawa Yoshimoto. See Dening’s _Life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi_, p.
156.
197 Kiyomasa was a bitter enemy of the Christians, owing no doubt to the
rivalry and antagonism which had sprung up with Konishi, who was a
Christian, in the Korean war. He is termed Toronosqui by the Jesuit
fathers from a personal name Toronosuke which he bore in his youth,
and he is characterized as “_vir ter execrandus_,” on account of his
persecution of the Christians in his province. Perhaps on account of
this fierce opposition he was greatly admired by the Buddhists, and
is worshipped under the name of Seishōkō by the Nichiren sect at a
shrine in the temple of Hommonji at Ikegami. Another monument to his
memory is the Castle of Kumamoto, which he built and which still
stands as one of the best existing specimens of the feudal castles
of Japan. As an evidence of its substantial character, in A.D. 1877,
under the command of General Tani, it withstood the siege of the
Satsuma rebels and gave the government time to bring troops to crush
the rebellion.
198 The plural of this word is here and elsewhere used in its English
form, although no such plural is found in Japanese.
_ 199 Ancien Japon_, par G. Appert, Tōkyō, 1888, vol. ii.
200 A full account of the Castle of Yedo will be found in a paper by Mr.
J. R. H. McClatchie in the _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. vi.,
part 1, p. 119.
201 See p. 207.
_ 202 Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. xi., p. 124.
203 See p. 204.
204 See Dickson’s _Japan_, p. 227.
205 His beatification was decreed by the pope in 1609, and his
canonization in 1622.
206 Hildreth’s _Japan_, etc., p. 176.
207 The Jesuit historians relate with malicious satisfaction how one of
the Spanish friars, in a dispute with one of Adams’ shipwrecked
company, to sustain the authority of the church appealed to the
miraculous power which its priests still possessed. And when the
Hollander challenged an exhibition of such power, the missionary
undertook to walk on the surface of the sea. A day was appointed.
The Spaniard prepared himself by confession, prayer, and fasting. A
great crowd of the Japanese assembled to see the miracle, and the
friar, after a confident exhortation to the multitude, stepped,
crucifix in hand, into the water. But he was soon floundering over
his head, and was only saved from drowning by some boats sent to his
assistance.—Hildreth’s _Japan_, etc., p. 140.
208 “This will seem to you less strange, if you consider how the Apostle
St. Paul commands us to obey even secular superiors and gentiles as
Christ himself, from whom all well-ordered authority is derived: for
thus he writes to the Ephesians (vii. 5): ‘be obedient to them that
are your temporal lords according to the flesh, with fear and
trembling in the simplicity of your heart, as to Christ; not seeming
to the eye, as it were pleasing men, but as the servants of Christ
doing the will of God from the heart, with a good will seeming as to
the Lord and not to men.’ ”
The above is an extract from an Epistle of St. Ignatius, the 26th of
March, 1553, which is still regarded as authoritative and is read
every month to each of the houses. It was supplied to me by Dr. Carl
Meyer and verified by Rev. D. H. Buel, S. J. of St. Francis Xavier’s
College, New York City. Dr. Meyer has also pointed out that the
Second General Congregation, 1565, severely forbids any Jesuit to
act as confessor or theologian to a prince longer than one or two
years, and gives the minutest instructions to prevent a priest from
interfering in any way with political and secular affairs in such a
position.
209 This edict of Ieyasu is given by Mr. Satow in his contributions to
the debate on Mr. Gubbins’ _Review of the Introduction of
Christianity into China and Japan_. Fifteen rules to guide the
Buddhist priests in guaranteeing the orthodoxy of their parishioners
are also given.—_Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. vi., part i.,
p. 46.
210 See Gubbins’ paper, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. vi., part
i., p. 35.
211 See Mr. Satow’s contributions to the debate on Mr. Gubbins’ paper,
_Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. vi., part i., p. 51.
_ 212 Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. vi., part 1, p. 35.
213 See chapter xi. of a _Description of the Kingdom of Japan and Siam_,
by Bernhard Warenius, M.D., Cambridge, Printing-House of John Hayes,
Printer to the University, A.D. 1673. The volume is in Latin, which,
as well as a translation of the same in manuscript, has been
furnished to me by Mr. Benjamin Smith Lyman, of Philadelphia.
Warenius was a Lutheran, and need not be suspected of being
prejudiced in favor of the Jesuits. See also _History of the Martyrs
of Japan_, _Prague_, 1675, by Mathia Tanner, containing many
engravings of the horrible scenes, such as burnings, crucifixions,
and suspensions in the pit, etc.; also _Histoire des Vingt-six
Martyrs du Japon, Crucifié à Nagasaqui le 5 Février, 1597_, par D.
Bouix, Paris, 1862.
214 See Woolley’s “Historical Notes on Nagasaki,” _Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. ix., part 2, p. 134; also Mr. Satow’s
contributions to the discussion of Mr. Gubbins’ paper, _Asiatic
Society Transactions_, vol. vi., part 2, p. 52. Specimens of the
metal plates are in the Uyeno Museum of Tōkyō.
215 See Kæmpfer’s _Histoire de l’Empire de Japon_, tome i., p. 287.
216 In the narrative which we give of this insurrection we have relied
chiefly upon the accounts of Mr. Gubbins in his “Review of the
Introduction of Christianity,” _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol.
vi., part 1, p. 36; of Mr. Woolley in his “Historical Notes on
Nagasaki,” _do._, vol. ix., part 2, p. 140; and on Dr. Geerts’ paper
on the “Arima Rebellion and the Conduct of Koeckebacker,” _do._,
vol. xi., p. 51. Mr. Gubbins and Mr. Woolley had access to Japanese
authorities, and we have in their papers been enabled to see this
bloody episode for the first time from a Japanese standpoint. Dr.
Geerts has rendered an invaluable service in giving us translations
of letters written by Koeckebacker, the head of the Dutch factory
during the events, which show us how this insurrection was regarded
by the Dutch East India Company.
217 A _rônin_ was a retainer who had given up the service of his feudal
master, and for the time being was his own master.
218 See Dr. Geerts’ paper, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. xi., p.
75.
219 The ships in use at this time among the Japanese were far less
seaworthy than those of European nations. The accompanying figures
given by Charlevoix, although probably somewhat fanciful, show the
impractical character of the vessels of that time.
220 See Dr. Geerts’ paper, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. xi., p.
111.
221 Mr. Koeckebacker says: “The rebels counted in all, young and old, as
it was said, about forty thousand. They were all killed except one
of the four principal leaders, being an artist who formerly used to
gain his livelihood by making idols. This man was kept alive and
sent to Yedo.”—Dr. Geerts’ paper, _Asiatic Society Transactions_,
vol. xi., part 1, p. 107.
There is a tradition that a number of the prisoners who were
captured at this castle were hurled down from the rocks of the
island now called Papenberg in Nagasaki harbor. But Dr. Geerts
ridicules this notion and says: “A little local knowledge would show
it to be impossible to throw people from the rocks on Papenberg into
the sea, as the rocks are by no means steep bluffs, but possess an
inclined shape and a shore. A little knowledge of the Dutch language
would further show that the name Papenberg means ‘mountain of the
priest,’ in allusion to the shape of a Roman Catholic priest’s cap
or bonnet.”—_Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. xi., part 1, p.
115.
222 See Dr. Geerts’ paper, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. xi.,
part 1, pp. 110 and 111.
223 A Japanese writer thus sums up the result of the effort to introduce
Christianity into his country: “After nearly a hundred years of
Christianity and foreign intercourse, the only apparent results of
this contact with another religion and civilization were the
adoption of gunpowder and firearms as weapons, the use of tobacco
and the habit of smoking, the making of sponge-cake, the
naturalization into the language of a few foreign words, and the
introduction of new and strange forms of disease.”—Shigetaka Shiga’s
_History of Nations_, Tōkyō, 1888. The words introduced into the
language from the Portuguese, except several derived from
Christianity, are as follows: _tabako_, tobacco; _pan_ (_pāo_),
bread; _kasutera_ (from Castilla), sponge-cake; _tanto_, much;
_kappa_ (_capa_), a waterproof; _kappu_ (_copa_), a cup or wine
glass; _birōdo_ (_vellendo_), velvet; _biidoro_ (_vidro_),
glass.—Rein’s _Japan_, p. 312.
224 See Mr. Satow’s contributions to the discussion of Mr. Gubbins’
paper, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. vi., part 1, p. 61; also
Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 22; also Griffis’ _Mikado’s Empire_,
p. 262; and Professor Dixon’s paper on the Christian Valley,
_Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. xvi., p. 207.
225 See Chamberlain’s _Things Japanese_, 1892, p. 300.
226 See _Legacy of Ieyasu_, cap. xv.
227 The _Confucian_ classics consist of the Four Books, viz.: _The Great
Learning_, _The Doctrine of the Mean_, _The Confucian Analects_, and
_The Sayings of Mencius_; and the Five Canons, viz.: _The Book of
Changes_, _The Book of Poetry_, _The Book of History_, _The Canon of
Rites_, and _Spring and Autumn_ (_Annals of the State of Lu_, by
Confucius). Chamberlain’s _Things Japanese_, 1892, p. 92.
228 An accurate and amusing account of the printing of a modern
newspaper in Japan is given in Mr. Henry Norman’s _Real Japan_, p,
43 _et seq._
229 For a history of the city of Yedo, and reference to the disasters to
which it has been subject from fires, earthquakes, and pestilences,
see Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 6. See also “The Castle of
Yedo,” by T. R. H. McClatchie, _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol.
vi., part 1, and “The Feudal Mansions of Yedo,” _Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. vii., part 3.
230 See Dickson’s _Japan_, p. 294.
231 Those who desire a fuller explanation of this complicated and
difficult matter are referred to Dr. Yoshida’s _Staatsverfassung und
Lehnwesen von Japan_, Hague, 1890, and to the paper on “The Feudal
System in Japan,” by J. H. Gubbins, Esq., _Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. xv., part 2; also to the introduction by
Professor Wigmore, _do._, vol. xx., Supplement, p. 25.
232 In the _Legacy of Ieyasu_ will be found the following statement:
“The _fudai_ are those _samurai_ who followed me and proffered me
their fealty before the overthrow of the castle of Ōsaka in the
province of Sesshū. The _tozama_ are those _samurai_ who returned
and submitted to me after its downfall, of whom there were
eighty-six.”—See _Legacy of Ieyasu_, cap. vii.
_ 233 Ancien Japon_, vol. ii.
234 Dickson’s _Japan_, p. 303.
235 See _Legacy of Ieyasu_, cap. xiv.
236 See _Legacy of Ieyasu_, cap. xxxvii.
237 For the general history of the sword, see Mitford’s _Tales of Old
Japan_, vol. i., p. 70; T. R. H. McClatchie’s, The sword of Japan,
_Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. vi., p. 55; Chamberlain’s
_Things Japanese_, 1892, p. 396. For the mode of manufacture, see
Rein’s _Industries of Japan_, p. 430; and especially for the
artistic decoration of swords, see Satow and Hawes’ _Hand-book_, p.
114.
238 I have been told by a young Satsuma _samurai_ that when he was a boy
it was a test of skill with the sword, to set a chop-stick (which
was about six inches long) on its end and before it could fall over
to draw a sword from its scabbard and cut it in two.
239 For an account of _hara-kiri_ see the “Story of the Forty-Seven
Ronins” in Mitford’s _Tales of Old Japan_, vol. i., p. 1.
240 See _Legacy of Ieyasu_, cap. xxxi.
241 See _Legacy of Ieyasu_, cap. xxviii.
242 T. R. H. McClatchie, “The Castle of Yedo,” _Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. vi., part 1, p. 131.
243 As illustrative of Buddhism at its greatest splendor we give here
the figures of the great bronze image of Buddha at Kamakura, and of
the great bell at the temple of Daibutsu in Kyōto. [Transcriber’s
Note: This bell is shown as the Frontispiece to the book.] The
former was erected about A.D. 1252 after plans initiated by Yoritomo
before his death. The statue in its sitting posture is nearly fifty
feet in height. It is constructed of separate plates of bronze
brazed together. Formerly it was enclosed in a temple, but this was
twice destroyed by tidal waves, and since its last destruction in
1494 it has not been rebuilt.
The bell given in the illustration is that at the temple of
Daibutsu, the inscription on which is said to have offended Ieyasu.
It is nearly fourteen feet in height and nine feet in diameter. Its
weight is more than sixty-three tons.—See Satow and Hawes’
_Handbook_, p. 368.
244 In the account given by Don Rodrigo de Vivero, the late governor of
Manila, of a visit made in 1608 by him in behalf of Spanish trade,
Yedo is described as a city of seven hundred thousand inhabitants,
and Sumpu, which he calls Suruga, where the emperor (as he
denominates Ieyasu) lived, is estimated to contain from five to six
hundred thousand inhabitants. He was so pleased with the country
through which he travelled that he declares, “if he could have
prevailed upon himself to renounce his God and his king he should
have preferred that country to his own.”—See Hildreth’s _Japan_,
etc., pp. 145, 147.
245 These letters were written from Japan between 1611 and 1617. They
were printed in part in Purchas’ _Pilgrimes_, and are included in
the publications of the Hackluyt Society. From the latter source
they were printed in pamphlet form by the _Japan Gazette_ at
Yokohama, 1879. It is from this last source these references are
taken.
246 First letter of Adams in pamphlet edition. Yokohama, 1878, p. 8.
247 This name, Nova Spania or New Spain, was first given to the
peninsula of Yucatan, and was afterward extended to the territory of
Mexico conquered by Cortez. Finally it was given to all the Spanish
provinces extending on the Pacific coast from Panama to Van Couver’s
island. Acapulco was the principal harbor on the Pacific coast.—See
Prescott’s _Conquest of Mexico_.
248 Captain Cocks in his “Diary,” contained in Purchas’ _Pilgrimes_,
part 1, book iv., gives an account of a visit he made to Yedo in
1616, on the business of the English trade, at which time he visited
Adams’ seat, which he calls “Phebe,” doubtless mistaking the sound
of the real name “Meni.”—See Chamberlain’s _Things Japanese_, 1892,
p. 15.
249 His place of burial was identified in 1872 by Mr. James Walter of
Yokohama on a beautiful hill near Yokosuka, where both he and his
Japanese wife lie buried. His will, which was deposited in the
archives of the East India Company in London, divided his estate
equally between his Japanese and English families. His Japanese
landed estate was probably inherited by his Japanese son. His
personal estate is stated at about five hundred pounds sterling.—See
_Letters of William Adams_, p. 39.
250 Hildreth’s _Japan_, etc., p. 142, quoted from Purchas, vol. i., p.
406.
251 Hildreth’s _Japan_, etc., p. 157.
252 See _Letters of William Adams_, No. 1.
253 See Purchas’ _Pilgrimes_, part 1, book iv.
254 These privileges are given in full by Hildreth, p. 169, taken from
Purchas.
255 Mr. Satow has collected many facts concerning the history of
printing in Japan, and among others has shown that printing with
movable type in Korea was used as early as 1317, that is one hundred
and twenty-six years before the date of the first printed book in
Europe.—_Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. x., p. 63.
256 A translation of this document was made by Mr. J. F. Lowder and
published in Yokohama in 1874. We are indebted to W. E. Grigsby,
Esq., formerly professor of law in the University of Tōkyō, for a
valuable paper on the _Legacy of Ieyasu_ in which a careful analysis
is given and a comparison of its details is made with the provisions
for the regulation of early communities elsewhere.—See _Asiatic
Society Transactions_, vol. iii., part 2, p. 131.
257 Ieyasu may have had in mind a shocking example of _junshi_ (dying
with the master) which occurred in his own family. Tadayoshi, his
fifth son, to whom had been assigned an estate in Owari, died young,
and five of his retainers, in order to follow their master,
committed _hara-kiri_ in accordance with the old feudal custom. This
is believed to have been almost the last instance of the kind, and
must have touched Ieyasu very closely.—_Mikado’s Empire_, by W. E.
Griffis, D.D., p. 272.
258 Notwithstanding this positive prohibition left by Ieyasu,
occasionally the strength of the old feudal habit was too great for
the more merciful spirit. It is said when the third shōgun of the
Tokugawa family (Iemitsu) died, two of the daimyōs, Hotta of Sakura
and Abe of Bingo, committed _hara-kiri_. Hotta’s sword, still
stained with blood, is retained in the _kura_ of the daimiate at
_Tōkyō_, and on the anniversary of the event is shown to the
_samurai_, who appear on the occasion in full dress.
259 See _Asiatic Society Transactions_, vol. xx., Supplement, in which
Prof. J. H. Wigmore has undertaken to publish the material
discovered by him, with a valuable introduction on the
“Administrative and Commercial Institutions of Old Japan.”
260 See Whitney’s “Notes on Medical Progress in Japan,” _Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. xii., part 4, p. 276.
261 See a description of this process in Kaempfer’s _History of Japan_,
and also in Whitney’s “Medical Progress,” _Asiatic Society
Transactions_, vol. xii., part 4, p. 289.
262 See Griffis’ _Life of Matthew Calbraith Perry_, p. 296.
263 The term emperor was employed in this letter in accordance with the
usage of the Jesuit Fathers, the Dutch writers, and William Adams,
all of whom designated the shōgun as emperor, although this term
could be properly applied only to the Tennō at Kyōto.
_ 264 Official Narrative of the Japan Expedition_, vol. i., p. 80.
_ 265 Official Narrative of the Japan Expedition_, vol. i., p. 231.
266 See the _Official Narrative of the Japan Expedition_, vol i., p. 233
_et seq_; also Griffis’ _Life of M. C. Perry_, p. 314 _et seq_; also
Bayard Taylor’s _India, China, and Japan_, 1855, p. 411 _et seq_.
267 I have received from Mr. F. S. Conover, who was a member of the
Japan expedition as lieutenant of the navy, many interesting details
of experiences in Yedo which I have incorporated in my account.
268 “The question of landing by force was left to be decided by the
development of succeeding events; it was of course the very last
measure to be resorted to, and the last that was to be desired; but
in order to be prepared for the worst, the Commodore caused the
ships constantly to be kept in perfect readiness, and the crews to
be drilled as thoroughly as they are in the time of active
war.”—_Japan Expedition_, vol. i., p. 235.
269 See the _Kinsé Shiriaku_, a history of Japan from 1853 to 1869,
translated by E. M. Satow, Yokohama, 1876.
270 See Nitobe’s _Intercourse between the United States and Japan_, p.
39.
271 See _Treaties and Conventions between Japan and Other Powers_, p.
735.
272 See the _Constitutional Development of Japan_, by Toyokichi Iyenaga,
Ph.D., Johns Hopkins Press, 1891, p. 12.
273 See p. 279.
274 See selections from a pamphlet by a German resident at Yokohama
given in Mossman’s _New Japan_, pp. 142, 143, and quoted in Nitobe’s
_Intercourse between the United States and Japan_. “The reason the
Tycoon breaks his promise is because he cannot keep it, and the
reason he cannot keep it, is because he had no right to give it.”
275 See Nitobe’s _Intercourse between the United States and Japan_, p.
59.
276 Prince Hotta was at this time president of the Council of State
(_Gorōjiu_) and had charge of this first audience. I have seen in
the possession of his descendant, the present occupant of the
beautiful family _yashiki_ in Tōkyō, the original of the memorandum
showing the arrangement of the rooms through which Mr. Harris was to
pass, and the position where he was to stand during the delivery of
his congratulatory remarks.
277 In a despatch to the Secretary of State, dated November 25, 1856,
Mr. Harris explains the condition of the negotiations in reference
to a commercial treaty. He narrates his interview at Hongkong with
Sir John Bowring, who told him that he was empowered to negotiate a
commercial treaty. Mr. Harris shrewdly observes: “I shall call their
(the Japanese government’s) attention to the fact that by making a
treaty with me they would save the point of honor that must arise
from their apparently yielding to the force that backs the
plenipotentiary and not to the justice of their demands.”
278 Although Kanagawa was made an open port for trade by these treaties,
the adjoining village of Yokohama was found practically better
suited for the purpose. The very proximity of Kanagawa to the
_Tōkaidō_, which led foreigners to prefer it when the treaties were
made, proved to be an objection in the disordered times that
followed. On this account Yokohama rapidly rose to the importance
which it still holds.
279 The word means Curtain Government, in reference to the curtain with
which the camp of a general was surrounded. The term is equivalent
to Military Government, and is used to designate the shōgun’s as
distinguished from the emperor’s court.
280 See _The Life of Ii Naosuke_, by Shimada Saburo, Tōkyō, 1888; also
the _Constitutional Development of Japan_, by Toyokichi Iyenaga,
Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, 1891, p. 15.
281 Mr. Heusken who had gone to Japan with Mr. Townsend Harris in 1858
was a Hollander by birth. The Dutch language at that time was almost
the only medium through which communication could be had with the
Japanese. A native interpreter turned the sentiment into Dutch, and
then a person who understood both Dutch and English translated it
into the latter tongue. This circuitous system of interpretation
was, however, soon remedied by native scholars learning English, and
by English and American scholars learning Japanese.
282 See _American Diplomatic Correspondence_, November 27, 1861.
283 A full account of this affair may be found in Alcock’s _Capital of
the Tycoon_, and in the _Life of Laurence Oliphant_.
284 A translation of this paper cited from the correspondence presented
to Parliament is given in Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. i., p.
138.
285 See Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. i., p. 139.
286 In Mr. Satow’s translation of _Kinsé Shiriaku_ (p. 18) it is said
that the _bakufu_ ordered the house of Mito to arrest the men who
had broken into the English temple residence, but they made their
escape into Ōshiu and Dewa.
287 See the account of the negotiations of this embassy with Earl
Russell in Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. i., p. 177 _et seq._
288 One of the officials naïvely told the American minister when
speaking of the reception of the embassy in the United States: “We
did not believe you when you told us of the friendly feeling of your
country for us; but we now see that all you said was true.”
289 The daimyō was really his own son who had been adopted by his
brother, the former daimyō, and who on the death of his brother had
succeeded him as daimyō. Shimazu Saburō was therefore legally the
uncle of his own son.
290 Dr. J. C. Hepburn, a resident in Kanagawa at this time, attended to
the wounded men at the U. S. Consulate. In a letter to me after
reading the above account, he says that, “it was the common report
at the time that Richardson did ride into Satsuma’s train and that
he (Satsuma) said, ‘Kill him.’ It was the general belief that
Richardson brought the whole catastrophe on himself.”
291 In addition to Terashima there were in the company Mori Arinori,
Yoshida Kiyonari, Hatakeyama Yoshinari, and others. They became
deeply imbued with the spirit of western institutions and with the
principles of constitutional liberty and toleration. Their influence
upon the new career of their country was marked and salutary.
Through the agency of Mr. Laurence Oliphant a part of them became
misled with the delusions of Thomas Lake Harris, and with him
removed to Brocton on the shores of Lake Erie, U. S. where they
resided for a time as members of the Brotherhood of the New Life.
They had as associates in this singular community Lady Oliphant and
her distinguished son, and like them were called upon to perform the
ordinary menial employments connected with the community.
292 It should be stated here that a despatch to the British envoy from
Earl Russell arrived just after the sailing of the expedition in
which he says: “That Her Majesty’s government positively enjoin you
not to undertake any military operation whatever in the interior of
Japan; and they would indeed regret the adoption of any measures of
hostility against the Japanese government or princes, even though
limited to naval operations, unless absolutely required by
self-defence.” Had this order arrived in time, it is probable that
the expedition would not have sailed.—_Correspondence Respecting
Affairs in Japan_, 1875, No. 1, p. 45.
293 It will be remembered that the United States at this time had
occasion to use all her ships-of-war at home in the civil war that
was raging.
294 See _Treaties and Conventions between the Empire of Japan and Other
Powers_, p. 318.
295 The only additional circumstance that deserves mention in this
connection is that in response to a widely expressed public
sentiment the Congress of the United States in 1883 refunded to
Japan $785,000.87, her share in this indemnity.—See _Treaties and
Conventions between the Empire of Japan and Other Powers_, p. 320.
296 See translation of _Kinsé Shiriaku_, Yokohama, 1876, p. 59.
297 See translation of _Kinsé Shiriaku_, Yokohama, p. 50.
298 See translation of _Kinsé Shiraku_, Yokohama, p. 24.
299 See citation in Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. i., p. 260.
300 Toyokichi Iyenaga, Ph.D., in his pamphlet on the _Constitutional
Development of Japan_, p. 17, traces the evolution of the present
parliamentary institutions to the conferences which were held at
this and subsequent times.
301 Among these was Sanjō Saneyoshi, who afterwards for many years was
the prime minister of the restored government.
302 See Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. i., p. 431.
303 The annalist from whom Adams quotes gives the number of houses
burned as 27,000. Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. i., p. 434.
304 See the Genji Yumé Monogatari and Satow’s note in Adams’ _History of
Japan_, vol. i., p. 407.
305 This distinguished soldier is better known under the name of Saigō
Takamori. He was originally an ardent anti-foreign partisan, and
through this sentiment became an advocate of a restoration of the
emperor. His services in this revolutionary movement were rewarded
by a pension granted and accepted by the emperor’s express
command.—See Mounsey’s _Satsuma Rebellion_, London, p. 22.
306 In this reconciliation of the Satsuma and Chōshū clans the court
noble, Iwakura Tomomi, took a prominent part, and after the
restoration was complete he became one of the principal officers in
the new government, holding the office of _Udaijin_ until his death.
He is best known to foreigners as the head of an embassy which
visited western countries in 1872-3.
307 See this memorial as given in Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. ii.,
p. 24.
308 See Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. ii., p. 24.
309 See Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. ii., p. 37.
310 Translation of _Kinsé Shiriaku_, Yokohama, p. 30.
311 Translation of _Kinsé Shiraku_, Yokohama, p. 80.
312 See translation of _Kinsé Shiriaku_, Yokohama, p. 82.
313 See translation of _Kinsé Shiriaku_, Yokohama, p. 82.
314 With that talent for nicknaming which the Japanese exhibit, the
leading party in the new government was called _Sat-chō-to_; derived
from the first syllables of the clans, Satsuma, Chōshū, and Tosa.
315 See Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. ii., p. 84.
316 The numbers here given, of 10,000 troops in the rebel army and 1,500
in the imperial army, are much less than those claimed by the
Japanese authorities, but Mr. Satow who had means of ascertaining
the truth gives the numbers as stated in the text. See Adams’
_History of Japan_, vol. ii., p. 99, note.
317 An incident connected with this return illustrates both the times
and customs of the country. Hori Kura-no-kami, a prominent retainer
of the ex-shōgun, besought his master to commit _hara-kiri_ as the
only way in which his own honor and the dignity of the Tokugawa clan
could be preserved. He offered to join him in this tragic ceremony,
but the ex-shōgun declined to end his life in this way. Thereupon
the devoted retainer retired and in the presence of his own friends
himself committed _hara-kiri_.
_ 318 American Diplomatic Correspondence_, April 3, 1868.
319 An English translation of this memorial will be found in Black’s
_New Japan_, vol. ii., p. 84. It shows what prejudices the statesmen
of that day had to overcome. See also _American Diplomatic
Correspondence_, 1868, p. 727.
320 See _Kinsé Shiriaku_, Yokohama, p. 116.
321 See _Kinsé Shiriaku_, Yokohama, p. 125. Also _American Diplomatic
Correspondence_, March 14, 1871.
322 This house was one of the five regent families (_go-sekké_) all of
the Fujiwara clan, from whom the _kwambaku_, _daijō-daijin_, or
_sesshō_, the highest officers under the emperor, were always filled
and from which the emperors selected their wives.—Dickson’s _Japan_,
p. 52.
323 See Chamberlain’s _Things Japanese_, 1892, p. 300.
324 Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol. ii., p. 126. _American Diplomatic
Correspondence_, May 30, 1868.
325 Iyenaga’s _Constitutional Development of Japan_, p. 33.
326 See the despatch of Sir Harry Parkes, _British State Papers_, Japan,
1870.
327 See Iyenaga’s _Constitutional Development of Japan_, p. 35.
328 See _British State Papers_, 1870, Japan.
329 A translation of this memorial will be found in the _British State
Papers_, 1870, Japan; also cited in Adams’ _History of Japan_, vol.
ii., p. 181.
330 See an analysis of the daimyōs who joined in this memorial in
_British State Papers_, 1870, Japan.
331 See _British State Papers_, 1870, Japan.
332 See Prince Azuki’s _Memorial_.
333 See Kido’s Original _Memorial_.
334 See Mounsey’s _Satsuma Rebellion_, pp. 247, 248.
_ 335 Treaties and Conventions between Japan and Other Powers_, Tōkyō,
1864, p. 646.
_ 336 Treaties and Conventions between Japan and Other Powers_, Tōkyō,
1884, p. 171.
337 This castle was built by Katō Kiyomasa after his return from the
Korean war. It still stands, being one of the most notable castles
of Japan.
338 See p. 47.
339 See p. 380.
340 This able document was prepared by Count Itō Hirobumi. An official
translation was published at Yokohama in 1889.
341 In the official list Jingō is not reckoned, and the time of her
reign is counted with that of her son and successor.
342 From _Japanese Chronological Tables_, by William Bramsen, 1880.
The system of counting from year-periods (_nengō_) was introduced
from China. These periods of Japanese history do not correspond to
the reigns of the emperors. A new one was chosen whenever it was
deemed necessary to commemorate an auspicious or ward off a malign
event. By a notification issued in 1872 it was announced that
hereafter the year-period should be changed but once during the
reign of an emperor. The current period, _Meiji_ (Enlightened
Peace), will therefore continue during the reign of the present
emperor.
The numbers in the second column of this table indicate the years as
counted from the founding of the empire by Jimmu Tennō. According to
the official chronology this occurred B.C. 660.
343 Translated from the chronology of the shōguns in _Mittheilungen der
deutschen Gesellschaft fur Natur und Volkerkunde Ostasiens_, Heft 3,
1873.
344 The translation of these laws of Shōtoku Taishi was furnished by Mr.
Tsuji Shinji, late vice-minister of state for education, and by Mr.
Matsumoto Kumpei.