Directory_and_Chronicle_1910

OSAKA

Osaka is the second city in Japan in point of size and commercial importance and has not inaptly been termed the Venice of the Far East, owing to the manner in which it is intersected by canals. Considering the extent to which the factory system of indus- trialism now holds sway, the town recalls Manchester rather than Venice. Osaka is essentially Japanese, though a go-ahead and progressive city, and possesses much of interest to the foreign visitor. The population is close upon a million. It is situated in the province of Setsu, and is built on the banks of the river Aji, about five miles from the sea. The river is only navigable for small vessels, and on the opening of the railway to Kobe the foreign trade of Osaka commenced to decline. Almost all the foreign firms which at one time were established in the latter city have removed to Kobe. Hopes were very generally entertained in Osaka of a recovery of the city's lost position in this respect, and to that end a new harbour was partially constructed to accommodate ocean-going steamers. The works have, however, been temporarily abandoned. The most imposing and at the same time the most interesting object to be seen in Osaka is the Castle, erected in 1583 by the famous warrior Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and which was carried by Yeyasu, the founder of the House of Tokugawa Shoguns, after a famous siege in 1615. Though less extensive than that of Tokyo, it is a much grander and more striking edifice, and is indeed, next to that of Nagoya, the finest example of the ancient feudal castles of Japan. It is now occupied by the Osaka garrison, and forms the headquarters of one of the six great military districts, and it has also within its inclosure an extensive military arsenal. The city is the seat of the provincial government, which is called Fucho, in contradistinction to most of the other provincial governments, which are termed Kencho. Osaka is the seat of numerous industries, including cotton spinning mills, shipbuilding yards, iron works, and sugar refining. The number of factories, mills or works in Osaka in 1908 was returned as 6,673, but only ten of these employed more than one thousand hands. The Imperial Mint is aso located here. This establishment is in active operation and turns out a coinage not surpassed by any in the world. The trade statistics of Osaka in recent years have shown remarkable growth. In 1900 the imports amounted to yen 9,741,436 and the exports to yen 9,626,595, showing an increase of nearly 40 per cent. on the previous year's returns. In each succeeding year there was steady growth in imports, while exports jumped up astonishingly. In 1904 the figures were: imports yen 16,977,392, and exports yen 20,790,208. The returns for 1905 showed a further increase in the trade of Osaka, the imports amounted to 18,499,831 yen, while the exports increased to 55,938,208 yen. The imports in 1906 amounted to yen 24,878,715, and the exports to yen 59,910,227, while in 1907 imports amounted to yen 34,005,261, and exports to yen 58,752,200. This shows the trade to have more than doubled in three years, but these are abnormal figures, due to the military movements following on the termination of the war The returns for 1908 showed a decline of 23 per cent. on those of the previous year. The population returns show 600 foreigners, mostly Chinese, residing in the district of Osaka. In 1909 a third of the city was destroyed by fire, the total damage being estimated at yen 25,000,000.

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