Page 416 Page 416
YOKOHAMA-TOKIO.
401
Wheeler, Dr. E.—97, Bluff
Whitfield & Dowson, engineers, &c.,
Yokohama Iron Works-69
George Whitfield
Jules P. Darbier
W. Mann
J. Deniaud
Wilkin & Robison, merchants-3
Alfred John Wilkin
Richard Durant Kobison
B. Gillett
John Leckie
J. T. Esdale
F. J. dos Remedios
Winstanley, J., auctioneer and commission
agent-70
Wylde, W., gunsmith—31
Yokohama Furniture Repository-73
E. J. Moss
Ziegler & Co., merchants-47
Chas. Ziegler
J. R. Merian
M. E. Van Delden
TOKIO.
The capital of Japan [until the Restoration called Yedo] is situated at the north of the Bay of Yedo, has a circumference of 24 miles, and covers a surface of nearly 36 square miles. The Sumida, or Great River, runs through the city, dividing Tokio proper from the districts on the east side called Honjo and Fukagawa.
Tokio as viewed from the bay is a charming city, being well situated on un- dulating ground, and possessing abundant foliage. The city is divided into fifteen grand divisions, each of which is again subdivided into smaller sections. The houses, and even the public offices, are all numbered, which method is adopted in every town and village throughout Japan. The Castle of Tokio occupies a commanding position on a hill a little to the westward of the centre of the city. It is enclosed in double walls, and surrounded by a moat. Within the Castle formerly stood the Imperial Palace and several public offices, but the destructive fire of the 3rd of April, 1872, levelled these ancient and magnificent buildings, leaving only the surrounding lofty turrets and walls. Since this great disaster, by which more than 5,000 houses were destroyed, the Mikado bas taken up his residence temporarily ir. one of the Daimios' palaces at Akasaka, while the public offices are now located in new brick or stone buildings in various places near the Castle. The Imperial Garden called Fukiage is situated within the enclosure of the Castle. It is tas efully laid cut in the pure native style, and contains fine forest trees, rare and beautiful plants of all kinds, a large pond, cascades, &c., and is most carefully kept. This fine garden will well repay a visit, and admission can readily be obtained by visitors.
Between the castle and the outer walls, a large area was until recently occupied. by the numerous palaces of the Daimios, but nearly all these feudal erections have now given place to smart brick or stone buildings, used as Public Offices, Barracks, Government Schools, &c., so that at the present time hardly any of the Daimios' palaces remain to illustrate what old Yedo was like in the time of the Shogunate. They were, however, large plain long buildings of a single high storey, ordinarily whitewashed, and without any pretensions to architecture.
The remaining portion of the city outside the walls is very densely inhabited, and may be called the commercial district of Tokio. It has a circumference of 24 miles and covers an area of about 29 square miles. The most important part of the
Hosted by
Page 416 Page 416