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TOKYO
A great part of the remaining area forming the district north of the castle, a few years ago covered by paddy fields, is to-day covered by "suburbs" of great extent, well served by the municipal tramway system. There are also extensive pleasure gardens, such as Asuka-yama, and neat little villages. The part west of the palace contains 50 temples, and a number of nobles' palaces. The district on the south of the palace, with an area of about 17 square miles, contains about 60 temples. The most remarkable among them is Fudo-sama in Meguro.
Several great fires have swept Tokyo during the last two decades, and these have led to great improvements and widening of the streets. The last of these broke out on September 1st, 1923, following upon a very severe earth- quake. The casualties due to this terrible visitation were as follows, accord- ing to a return issued in November by the Home Office:-Dead 68,215; missing (believed to be dead), 29,304; injured, 42,135. The number of houses des- troyed is said to have been 316,000, or 71 per cent. of the whole of the build ings of the city; and no fewer than 1,360,000 people were rendered home- less.
Tramways have been extended in all directions; very frequent service is maintained with Yokohama. The whole of the city is lighted by electricity. Lines of telegraphs, amounting in all to 200 miles, connect the various parts of the city with one another, and with the country lines. The main streets are broad and well kept.
The soldiers and police are dressed in uniform on the western model. Though large numbers appear in European garb, the native dress still com- monly worn, and in the case of the women has practically not at all been superseded.
The environs of Tokyo are very picturesque and offer a great variety of pleasant walks or rides. Foreigns will find much to interest them in the country round. The finest scenery is at the northern and western sides of the city, where the country is surrounded by beautiful hills, from which there. is a distant view of the noble mountains of Hakone, while beyond rises in solitary grandeur the towering peak of Fuji-san covered with snow the greater part of the year. The population of Tokyo as disclosed by the Census of 1930 was 2,070,529.
The native Press is represented by some 20 daily papers, and many monthly and fortnightly publications. There is a daily paper run by Japanese in the English language called the Japan Times, which is repre- sentative of Japanese interests, and the Japan Advertiser, which for many years was published in Yokohama, is now published in the capital. There are 1,225 schools of different classes, including several universities, as distinct from the Imperial, or official. The best hotel for foreigners is the Imperial. There are also the Tokyo Station Hotel, Marunouchi Hotel, and others patronised by foreigners.
DIRECTORY OF FOREIGN FIRMS
(For Japanese firms see Classified List of Trades) (Government Depts., Embassies and Legations see pages 261-264)
AALL & Co., LTD., Import and Ex- port-3, Marunouchi C.; Telephs. 925 and 926 (Marunouchi); P. O. Box 41 (Central); Cable Ad: Aall Cato N. B. Aall, managing direc
tor
Johan Brandt, director Ths. Seeberg, manager
ABRAHAM & CO., LTD., L. D.-Chiyoda Shintaku Building, Kyobashi-ku; Teleph. 3798 (Kyobashi); P.O. Box 101 (Central); Cable Ad: Abraham
J. Hara, director
ACME TRADING CO., INC.-1, Gorobei- cho, Kyobashi-ku; Teleph. 3239 (Kyobashi); Cable Ad: Acmetrado