Miaco, or Kioto, its native name, situated in the
centre of Nipon, which he never left, his person being
supposed too sacred to be exposed to the public gaze
beyond the precincts of his palace walls. The true
sovereign was the Tycoon, invested by the Mikado
as his generalissimo or alter ego. He and the Damios,
the independent princes, had their residence at
Yeddo. All these dignitaries have,O ' within the last
twenty years, been swept away by revolution, and now
the Mikado reigns supreme at the castle of Yeddo,
frequently making long journeys into the interior, to
learn with his own eyes and ears the wants of his
subjects, and is supported by responsible ministers
carrying out the enlightened views of their Royal
master. The change within a comparatively short
time has thus been tremendous, not only politically,
hut also socially. Who would have been so bold as to
predict a dozen years ago, that the Mikado would
actually attend a banquet, given in the autumn of
1879 by three Japanese scientific societies, to the
Swedish explorer of the North-east Passage, nay,
that he would personally toast Professor Nordensk-
jold, complimenting him upon his success ? The
entire country has, in fact, become Europeanized in
every way; and, I am sorry to say, the people in
the principal ports have even abandoned their picturesque
costume, and now shake hands in black hat
and coat, sometimes cutting a very comical figure in
the attempt to look “ the thing.” However, as my
visit to Japan took place in the spring, 1871, I shall
be able to represent it still in all its pristine picturesqueness,
although morally a great change had
already manifested itself,— minus Tycoon and the
Damios without power, having sulkily retired to
their paternal acres, thus ridding society of those
cut-throats, the Samourai, their two - sworded
retainers, who had in previous years committed
many a bloody deed upon unoffending Europeans.
The luxurious residences of these princes and nobles
were at this period being broken up, and the treasures
therein collected,—valuables of every description,—
enabled me to acquire many a superb specimen of
Japanese art, and manufacture in metal, ivory, and
lacquer, that were not to be bought in ordinary times.
We must now return to the pretty bay of Yeddo,
and our landing one cold morning on the quay of
Yokohama. There being no hotel in the town I was
recommended to put up at the club, a tolerably comfortable
establishment ; and after breakfast I strolled
forth to deliver one or two letters of introduction,
which led to my accepting the hospitality of the leading