Japan: its history, traditions, and religions. With the narrative of a visit in 1879 ... With ... illustrations

Front matter

t ■ ■ m R S 1 <*■* f 4 I £ m ■ ■ t m m K c m I H The 'Iemple of Miyajima, Island Sea. FnmtUpita to vol. i. JAPAN: ITS HISTORY, TRADITIONS AND RELIGIONS. WITH THE NARRATIVE OF A VISIT IN 1879. By Sir Edward J. REED, K.C.B., F.R.S., M.P., VICE-PRESIDENT OP THE INSTITUTION OP NAVAL ARCHITECTS J MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTIONS OF CIVIL ENGINEERS AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS; KNIGHT OF THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN ORDER OF ST. STANISLAUS, OF THE AUSTRIAN ORDER OF FRANCIS JOSEPH, AND OF THE TURKISH ORDER OF THE MEDJIDIE, ETC. IN TWO VOLUMES.— Vol. I. WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS. LONDON: JOHN MUEKAY, ALBEMAELE STEEET. 1880. [The Right of Translation is reserved.') LONDON : PRIMED I!Y WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMroitD .STUK.KT AN1> CIIARIKG CltOSS.

Preface

. On arriving in Japan on the 10th of January 1879, in pursuance of an invitation which he had received and accepted from his Excellency Admiral Kawamura, the minister of marine, and from some of his colleagues, the author had no intention whatever of writing even a magazine account of his visit, much less of producing a volume upon Japan. He purposed addressing a letter or two to the leading journal upon such matters of interest as might present themselves, and for more than a month after his arrival in Tokio he formed no intention of doing more than this. Early in March, however, on leaving the capital for the Inland Sea and the interior cities, it appeared desirable to take brief notes of the more interesting places and objects visited, and as these notes began to accumulate the author began to reflect upon the improbability of their ever becoming more than mere notes unless they were at once roughly developed into a narrative form during such leisure as could be secured.

He soon decided to outline the story of his travels as he proceeded with them, and this was done, as far as possible, in the form in which that story here appears. The reader will be good enough to remember, in noting the crude familiarities and inequalities of style, and the many other defects which will doubtless be found in this book, that much of it was written during those alter nations of excitement and weariness which attend rapid travelling in a strange land. Many and many a time, and a

PREFACE.

. IV day after day, during the journeys to Nara, the shrines of Ise, and the inland towns and cities, after rising before six in the morning, and travelling in jinriki-shas (hand-carriages) over jolting roads till the evening,* and then dining, the author had to find between 8 and 12 p.m. the only leisure which could possibly be obtained for recording his impressions of what he was seeing. Another difficulty opposed itself to the author of this work. The cities, the towns, the battle-fields, the temples, the shrines, the castles, and the other memorable places visited, all were memorable because of persons, events, and incidents, which, if the author might judge of others by himself, were almost entirely unknown to English readers. What signifi cance or interest, for example, would be conveyed to an Eng lish reader unacquainted with Japan and with its history by the mention of tbe personal names of Nintoku, Kobodaishi, Yoritomo, Nobunaga, or the Taiko ; or of the names of such places as Nara, Yamada, Uji, Kamakura, or even Nikko ; or of such events as the battles of Dan-no-ura or of Sekigahara, the revolts of Taka-Uji, or the siege of Odawara ?

Even if all the existing books upon Japan ever published in England had been read, many such names would still have remained meaningless to the reader ; but as it is, although so many books have been written upon Japan and upon Japanese affairs, the author knew of none which would have conveyed to English readers even a general idea of the early history of the country ; certainly of none with which the public had become familiar. Hence he inferred that some account of the history of Japan was essential to the under standing of the records of his travels, and hence also the proportions to which this work has extended. To write an outline of the history of Japan would have been an undertaking of some difficulty even to one con versant with the language and enjoying free access to the literature of the country; to one unacquainted with the language, and having access only to its translated literature, * With brief intervals, of course, for lunebeon and many ten-takings, after tlie fashion of tbe country.

PREFACE.

. V the task was of necessity one of much greater difficulty. It appeared to the author, however, that the difficulties were not insuperable, especially as he had many unusual facilities for the work afforded him, and he trusts that the result, which appears in the following pages, will at least furnish the general reader with that information which the author himself would gladly have received from other hands had they applied themselves to the task. It is obvious that the historical portions of this work must be mainly the results of compilation. Writers do not create history, but simply record it, the merit of their work consisting mainly in the fidelity of their statements, and in the judgment with which they are selected, grouped, and re corded. It is very desirable, however, that the reader should know on whose authority the records rest, and for this reason the author has been scrupulously careful to cite his authorities, and to give exact quotations where that could be done consistently with the immediate object in view.

He has freely used the ' Transactions ' of the Asiatic Society of Japan, which embody extremely valuable but of course detached masses of information, the principal contributors being, or having been, officers of the British Legation in Tokio, the chief of them all, estimated by the extent and value of his work, being Mr. Ernest Satow. The author has likewise made free use of the works composed by officers of the imperial Japanese government for presentation at the various foreign exhibitions of Japanese arts and manufactures, most notably that on Japanese Education 'which formed part of the exhibit of Japan at Philadelphia in 1876, and that published in France by his friend Mr. Matsugata, the vice-minister of finance, for use at the Exposition Universelle of 1878. Both of these (of which the latter is in French) are extremely valuable compilations of historic and other facts, and reflect great credit alike upon their authors and upon the administration of the public departments under the existing government of Japan. To the author and translator of the ' Kinse Shiriaku ' are elsewhere offered the acknowledgments so largely due. The author is much VI

PREFACE.

. indebted likewise to Mr. W. G. Aston, M A. (the assistant of Mr. Ernest Satow at the British Legation, Tokio), whose writings, especially those on the Japanese language, are standard works. From Mr. Griffis's American work, entitled ' The Mikado's Empire,' have been made several quotations, for which the author would express his best thanks. The first perusal of this work created so favourable an im pression upon the mind of the present author that another work seemed almost unnecessary ; but a further acquaintance with the American volume tended to greatly weaken this impression, partly on account of the book appearing in considerable part to be composed of detached essays or articles so brought together as to be wanting in historic sequence, and partly, and still more, on account of insufficient acknowledgment of the sources whence the work is derived.* The key in which Mr. Griffis has pitched his work is likewise somewhat too high for pleasant perusal in our country.

But notwithstanding these drawbacks, ' The Mikado's Empire ' is a highly interesting and instructive hook, and one from which the present author has, as will he seen, frequently derived advantage. Since the author's return to England he has received from Captain Pfoundes the ' Budget of Notes ' just referred to in a footnote, from which he has occasionally taken interesting facts and illustration. * I find, for example, that an am bitious passage of ' The Mikadu's Empire,' on the casting of Nitta's sword into the sea, is taken without acknowledgment, almost literally, from a guide-book (' The Yokohama Guide '), published three years before — an appropriation so flagrant as to be only excusable in any degree, and iu no degree justifiable, upon the assumption that Mr. Griffis was him self the writer of the guide-book.

But even if that were so, it is most inconvenient, and in a literary sense wrong, for the passage to appear without notice of quotation in two such totally separate books. Since reaching England, Capt. Pfoundes has favoured the authorwith a copy of parts of his ' Fu so Miuii Bukuro ' (or ' Budget of Japanese Notes '), re printed in 1875 from the Japan Mail, aud iu this are several pas sages which appear in the text of Mr. Grillis, published two years later, with no acknowledgment that can be traced except in an appendix, where other passages are avowedly quoted from Capt. Pfouudes's work. These circumstances, however explained greatly detract from the merit and' value of Mr. Griffis's brilliant bool as au original work.

PREFACE.

. VII The appearance since the author's return of Mr. Mounsey's able and engaging volume on the Satsuma rebellion has made it unnecessary for the present author to re-write the full story of that tragic revolt, or to do more with reference to it than briefly summarise the facts which Mr. Mounsey has so well recorded in detail. For valuable notes upon the arts of Japan the author is much indebted to his friend Professor Anderson, of the Imperial Naval Medical College, Tokio ;* for others, upon the language of the country, to Captain Brinkley, E.A., of that city, whose mastery of the Japanese tongue, both theoretical and practical, is said by those who are judges of the matter to he very great; and likewise to Mr. Hyde Clarke, whose valuable and suggestive notes upon Japanese ethnology and language are given in the text.

It affords the author much pleasure to acknowledge the aid which he has received from Mr. E. Stuart Lane, the accomplished English Secretary of the Japanese Legation in London, whose connection with that Legation has been, within the author's knowledge, of very marked value to both Governments. In Japan the author was much assisted by his learned friend Mr. Kondo Makoto, and by Mr. Murakami. The thanks and acknowledgments of the author are most respectfully tendered, in the largest sense and in the highest degree, to His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Japan, and to his ministers, for the opportunity the author had of visiting their country under the highest auspices, and for the uniform and unwearying kindness shown to him and to his son throughout a stay which lasted three months. Similar thanks and acknowledgments, differing only in degree, are due to many others in the country from whom great kindness and many valued presents were received, among whom should he mentioned the governors and vice-governors of the Kens passed through, the chief priests of the great Shinshu sections (eastern and western) of the Buddhist faith, troublesome surgical operation, in a manner which even tho sufferer could not fail to admire. * The author is likewise indebted to Professor Anderson for the voluntary performance of a lengthened and

PREFACE.

. and the leading native merchants of Osaka, Kioto, Nagoya, Tokio, and Yokohama. The author would repeat here what he has elsewhere said, and express his conviction that the unbounded kindness shown to himself and son were due in no small degree to the fact that the Emperor, the ministers, and the people of Japan are heartily desirous of promoting friendly inter course, courtesy, and good feeling with the Western nations, and with none so much as with ourselves. That their sentiments may he warmly and generously reciprocated by us, from our own gracious Queen and her ministers down wards, is the earnest desire of the author. Most of the illustrations of this work have heen engraved by that accomplished artist Mr. Josiah J. Whymper, chiefly from photographs, hut in several instances from pencil sketches by the author's son, E. Tenn Keed.

Eight of the full-page blocks were engraved in Japan, by native engravers, from the works of Hokusai. A list of the Emperors of Japan, and of the year-periods, are given among the appendices at the end of the second volume. E. J. E. NOTE ON THE SPELLING AND PEONUNCIATION OF JAPANESE NAMES. In translating Japanese words into English, the system usually followed by English scholars has been that of representing consonant sounds by corresponding English consonants, and vowel-sounds by the vowels, taking their Italian pronunciation, as follows:— A resembles tbe a in father, but is shorter. E resembles the ey in they, but is shorter. In a syllable terminated by a consonant,* it is like e in pen. I is like i in machine. In a syllable terminated by a consonant, it is like i iu fin. 0 is like o in so, or, before a terminatory consonant, like o in on.

U, as in put, or in rural. Ai is like ai in our aisle. Ae is properly a-e, but is often pronounced as ai. Au is like oio in cow. I have adopted the above system in the text of this work. In studying Japanese it is necessary to carefully discriminate between short and long vowels, as the meaning often depends upon the difference, and they are consequently usually distinguished by marks or lines above them. Having to employ proper names only or mainly,' I have myself taken little or no notice of these differences, for two reasons : first, because, while being undoubtedly troublesome to the general reader, these marks appear to me to furnish very imperfect be is not said to be terminated by a consonant. When two consonants come together in the body of a word, the first belongs to the vowel which precedes it, as in bekkd, tortoise-shell.

Here the first k belongs to e, and consequently belt is said to terminate by a consonant. Cases like ten, heaven, require uu explanation." * In their ' English-Japanese Dic tionary ' (which with Mr. Aston's and other works I have consulted in pre paring tbis Note) Mr. Satow aud Mr. Masakata give the following foot note : " A single consonant in the body of a Japanese word belongs to the succeeding vowel, and forms with it a syllable, as in tabeta, ate. Here the t belongs to a, and consequently PRONUNCIATION OF JAPANESE NAMES. X indications of the true Japanese pronunciation of the words affected by them ; and, secondly, because the whole system of rendering Japanese words into English is undergoing a great change, at least under the hands of some industrious English scholars in Japan : au is being written for the long o; shiya for sha ; chiyo for cho; and so forth.

Thus the title which I have written simply as Shogun, and which has usually been written Shogun by the English in Japan, is now being written Shiyaugun, and Kioto as Kiyauto. It was obviously impossible for me to undertake to bring all the Japanese names which I have had occasion to employ into conformity with this new system, whatever may be its merits ; and on the whole I have considered it best to adopt the simplest forms. By attending to the indications given in the earlier part of this note, the reader will have no difficulty in giving approximate pronunciations to the Japanese proper names, etc. The final e is generally more or less accented, but I have omitted the accent from it where the form of the word seemed sufficient of itself to suggest as much accentuation as is necessary. CONTENTS.

( VOL. I.) Introduction Page xxiii CHAPTEE I. THE LAND AND ITS INHABITANTS. Japan consists of four great, and many small, islands — Its nearness to Russia, China, and Korea — Its extent and area — The Kurile, Loo-choo, and Yayeyama islands — The mountains of Japan — Its harbours, rivers, and lakes — Its climate — The winters less rigorous than was anticipated ; the hot season short — Effects of the Kuro-shiwo, or "black current," and of the Oya-shiwo, or " cold current " — The Japanese Mediterranean, or Inland Sea — This is shallow, and therefore variable in temperature — Dr. Rein's favourable description of the climate — Our own experiences of it — The geology of Japan — Volcanic disturbances — A summary record of its chief earthquakes — The god Daibutsu of Nara decapitated — The summit of the sacred mountain, Fuji, shaken in — The wreck of the frigate Diana by an earthquake — Typhoons — Dr. Maget's recommendation of Japan as a sauatarium — The measure of its heat and humidity — The origin of the Japanese people — 'Extraordinary ages of their god-ancestors — The first emperor's father, aged 836,042 years — Dr. Kaempfer's theory of a Japanese migration from Babel — The theory of an Aino origin — The Japanese a Tungusic race— Their route from Mantchuria, by Korea — The mixture of races — The men not usually of small stature — The women small but pleasing, and often beautiful in appearance — Defacing customs dying out — Improving condition of the people Pages 1-18 CHAPTEE II THE GOD-PEBIOD.

Japanese mythology abundant and varied — The sacred books Kujiki and Nihonhi — Their origin and authorship — Their alleged errors — "In the beginning" — The Lord of the Centre of Heaven— The Lofty and CONTENTS. XII Divine Producers — The Japanese account of the Creation — The Male and Female-who-Invite — The production of land and sea — Amaterasu, the sun-goddess — Origin of the Divine Insignia of the Imperial Power — Ninigi-no-mikoto, the " Sovran Grandchild " — His descent by the Floating Bridge of Heaven — The brother of the sun-goddess — His misbehaviour and its consequence — The winning of the sun-goddess from the cave — The origin of the religious symbols of Japan — Legends of the gods — The divine descent of the Mikados — Jimmu-Tenno, the first emperor — The Mikados themselves gods — Newer views — The old views said to be reconcilable with science . .

Pages 19-38 CHAPTEE III. THE SHINTO EELIGION. The early religion of the Japanese — Probably a natural and independent religious system — The kami, or gods of the country — The Kami-nomiclii, " or way of the gods," must be learnt by studying the sacred writings — Its primal principle obedience to the god-Mikado — Good gods to be worshipped, and bad gods propitiated — Prayer of the Mikado — The worship of ancestors enjoined — Prayer to the god and goddess of wind — Other prayers — The gods of the sun and moon — The Rough Spirit and Gentle Spirit — The kami-dana, or Penates — The rituals of the Shinto religion — The harvest prayers and ceremonies — The divine descent of the priestly houses — Mr. Satow's translation of a very ancient ritual or norito — The necessity of distinguishing the ancient religion from its modern forms — Tendency of modern Japanese commentaries — Shinto a religious system in a true sense — Its influence upon the early Mikados — Their efforts at improvement, and devotion to their people — "Sujin the Civiliser" — The belief of the early Japanese in the helpfulness of their gods — Simplicity of their forms of worship — Shinto ceremonials contrasted with those of Buddhism and Roman Catholicism — The practice of purification — Respect for life — Simple demeanour of Shinto priests — Temples and votive offerings . . . 39-63 CHAPTEE IV.

BUDDHISM IN JAPAN. The primitive religions of India — Vedism — Brahmanism — Reactions against the doctrine of sacrifice — Shakyamuni Gautama, the founder of Buddhism — His life and teachings — The doctrine of Nirvana — Extinction or tranquillity ? — The Buddhistic use of idols — Spread of Buddhism — Curious analogies with Christianity — Buddhistic cosmogony — The elevated morality and purity of Buddhism — The doctrine of transmigration — Introduction of Buddhism to China, 250 b.c. — Its progress there, and spread to Korea — Its introduction thence into Japan — Its slow progress there — Its prince-patron, Shotoku Taishi— Story of his CONTENTS. XIII life— The first intercourse between Japan and China— Revival of Shinto under the Nara empresses— Subsequent revival of Buddhism— Its spread under the empress Shotoku — The temples of Hiyei-san—Kobo daishi, the founder of the Shingon sect— Buddhism powerful in the state — Its priests resort to armed force— Later Buddhist sects in Japan — Shinran Shonin, the founder of Shin-shu—Its doctrines of salvation by faith in Amita Buddha— Original account thereof by a Shin-shu priest of Kioto— The Protestant Buddhists of Japan— Nichiren and his sect— The " Ranters of Buddhism "—Obstacles to the spread of Christianity in Japan — Kwannon, the goddess of a thousand hands- List of principal Buddhist sects — The influence of European civilisation upon them — A recent discourse on Infinite Vision, with a debate fiereon Pay es 64-99 CHAPTEE V. THE DESCENT OP THE OBOWN.

The dynasty of Japan the oldest in the world — Commencement of the historic period — The first emperor, Jimmu — The Japanese year 1 — Comparison of Christian and Japanese chronology — An interregnum — Descent of the crown by nomination — The successor of Jimmu-Tenno — A dozen successive emperors— The quasi-empress Jingu-Kogo — Her invasion of Korea — Ojin, the god of war — Generous contention of two brothers — Romantic suicide of one, and accession of the other to the throne — Nintoku, the self-denying emperor — His successors — Assassination of Anko-Tenno — Another generous contention of brothers — The consequent regency of their sister — Descent of the crown by election of the nobles — The system of concubinage — The rise of Buddhism — Its influence upon the occupancy of the throne — The first empress ascends the throne — Prince Shotoku-Taishi — His successor — Another empress, who abdicates, and aften ten years resumes the crown — A plot frustrated, and an emperor slain — The thrones of Nara — A Twice-em press again — Attempt of a favourite priest to change the dynasty — The god consulted and the priest exiled — Assumption of the governing power by the Fujiwara regents — Dethronement of an emperor by a regent — Another attempt to subvert the dynasty — The " revolt of Shohei and Tenkei" — The " new emperor" — Other revolts — Numerous abdications of the throne — Troublous times— The power of the Taira family — Boy-emperors — The overthrow of the Taira — Four contemporary ex-emperors — Disputed successions — Alternate successions — The house of Hojo — An emperor exiled by a subject — Wars and troubles — The fall of the Hojo — The rise of the Ashikaga Shoguns — Taka-Uji — The dynasty divided — Northern and southern emperors — The alternate succession restored — The power of the Ashikagas — Further disputes — Orderly succession since the fifteenth century — Other empresses — The present emperor — The future succession 100-118 CONTENTS.

XIV CHAPTEE VI. EABLY HISTOBY, ENDING 1000 A.D. The Japanese Pantheon — The first emperor, Jimmu, accepted as historic — His conquests and subsequent career — The emperor Sujin — Commencement of relations between Japan and Korea — Revolts in the west, east, and north— Yamato-Dake", "the Warlike" — His romantic career — Disguised as a dancing-girl he beguiles and slays the arch-rebel — The sacred sword "Grass-mower" — Yamato-Dake's wife offers herself to the sea god — Further relation with Korea — Naval architecture and navigation — Introduction of written characters and writing ; and afterwards of Chinese literature — Simplicity of life of the early emperors — The influx of skilled persons from Korea and China — The emperor Tenji : administrator, inventor, and reformer — The offices of Dai-jo- Dai-jin and Nai-Dai-jin created — The reforming empress Jito : an advocate of " woman's rights " — Progress of education and art — The imperial residence becomes more settled — The city of Nara — The Nara empresses; the glory of their reigns — The founding of Miako, or Kioto — The " Chateau of Peace," a Chateau of Contention and War — Commencement of the struggles of the middle ages — The house of Fujiwara : its rise and eminence — The Sugawara family : its literary fame — Contests between Fujiwara-Tokihira and Sugawara Michisane — Exile and death of Michisane' — His deification as the god Tenjin — The coming greatness of the Taira and Minamoto — A conspiracy discovered — The power of the Fujiwara culminates — The arts of peace still pursued Pages 119-136 CHAPTEE VII.

THE TAIBA AND THE MINAMOTO — THE WABS OF THE BED AND WHITE FLAGS, 1000-1200 A.D. The Taira red flag, and the Minamoto white flag— Indications of the struggles to come — Oppressive power of the Fujiwara house — Military tendencies of the Buddhists — Revolts of the Ainos — Yoshi-ye, afterwards Hachiman-Toro— Rising military power of tin. Taira and Minamoto — Their first contest at Kioto — The famous archer Tametomo — The great power of Taira-Kiyomori— A "cloistered emperor" immoral and conspiring— The Minamoto depress the Taira — The Taira revenge themselves : their ascendency — A conspiracy — The peasant girl Tokiwa becomes the mother of the renowned Yositsune, the Bayard of Japan — His brother Yoritomo the founder of Kamakura — Yoritomo marries Masago, of the house of Hojo— Hatred of the Taira, and affection for the Minamoto— The city of Kamakura — Yoshinaka, the " Morning Sun General" — Overthrow and pursuit of the Taira : a prose epic thereon— Ascendency of the Minamoto — A review of the CONTENTS.

XV character and acts of Yoritomo — He becomes Sei-i-Shogun, " Barbarian Subjugating Great General " — His system of government — His royal court at Kamakura — His sceptre was his sword — Decay of his dynasty — His grave visited — What native historians say of him. Pages 137-155 CHAPTEE VIII. THE HOJO DOMINATION, Family struggles of the Minamoto and the Hojo — Masago imprisons her father — Efforts of the emperor Go-Toba to assert the imperial rights — Contest between the emperor and his minister — Two brothers become Mikado and Shogun — Good and patriotic services of the Hojo house — Invasion of Japan by the Mongol Tartars — Fall of the Hojo — Masashige, or " Nanko," whose temple is at Hiogo — Undertakes to restore the emperor — Escape of the emperor from Oki — Nitta Yosisada — His desertion from the Hojo to the imperial cause — His military success— The eastern provinces support him — His attack upon Kamakura — His appeal to the god of the sea — His victory, and overthrow of the Hojo — Taka-Uji, the first of the Ashikagas — Restoration of the emperor Go- Daigo 156-166 CHAPTEE IX.

THE SIMULTANEOUS DYNASTIES. Ambition of successful generals— Distribution of confiscated fiefs unsatisfactory — Discontent of Ashikaga-Taka-Uji — His abrupt departure from the court — His letter of accusations against Nitta — His capture of, expulsion from, and efforts to regain Kioto — The emperor consults Kusunoki (Nanko) — His wise advice rejected — His memorable address to his son — The great battle of Minatogawa — Kusunoki commits hara-kiri — His fame as a patriot — His son Masatsura defeats Taka-Uji's general — His interview with the emperor — His gallant death — Taka- Uji again enters the capital — Retreat of the emperor — Enthronement ofKomio — Two emperors and two courts— Kioto and Yoshino — The northern and southern dynasties — Defeat and heroic death of Nitta — Ashikaga-Taka-Uji reigns at Kamakura— He makes the Shogunate hereditary in his family — Diversified views of his character —Tho murder of Prince Morinaga— The wars of the rival dynasties — The southern emperors— The legitimate sovereigns . . 167-177 CHAPTEE X. THE ASHIKAGA SHOGUNS.

Supreme power of the Ashikagas — Rivalries and contests— Capture and recapture of Kamakura— Assassination of Mochi-Uji — Assassination CONTENTS. XVI of Shogun Yoshinori — The imperial insignia carried off — Their recovery — Terrible contests in Kioto in the fifteenth century — Rebellion of Katsumoto — Partisan contests — Two large armies meet in the capital— Flight of the court — The city fired— The Mikado taken to the palace of the Shogun — The war of brothers — The Shogun Yoshi masa — Progress of the arts — The Shogun Yoshitane imprisoned, restored, and again deposed — Further battles in Kioto — The introduction of muskets and cannon — Decline of the Ashikagas, and rise of Nobunaga — Disturbed state of the country in the sixteenth century — Nobunaga's victory in 1560 a.d. — He is commissioned by the emperor to pacificate the country — He overthrows the false Shogun — Appear ance of Tokugawa Iyeyasu — The battle of Anaga war— Conspiracy and overthrow of the last Ashikaga Shogun — Review of the Ashikaga period Pages 178-187 CHAPTEE XI.

NOBUNAGA AND HIDEYOSHI. Ota Nobunaga the son of a warrior— He adopts his father's profession — Fuller display of his character — Return of the pursuits and pleasures of peace — Public acts of Nobunaga — He is made " Great Minister of the Bight" — Hideyoshi, afterwards the Taiko — Originally a letto, or groom — Was patronised by Nobunaga — He becomes a great general — Takes rank with Iyeyasu — The three greatest generals of Japan — Buddhists and Christians — Nobunaga protects Christianity and attacks Buddhism — Padre Organtin's interview with Nobunaga — The Jesuit church, or " Temple of tbe Southern Savages " — Persecution of the Buddhists— Luxurious priests — Splendid rituals and unseemly lives — The gorgeous temples of Mount Hiyei destroyed — Butchery and conflagration — Fortified temple of the Shin Buddhists in Osaka — Its siege and ultimate surrender — Its priests scattered — Nobunaga, attacked by rebels, slays himself — The " Later Hojo " of Odawara — Hideyoshi appoints a child-successor to Nobunaga — Himself takes the real power — Defeat of Shibata— The " Seven Spearmen of Sedsagatake " — Romantic deaths — Shibata slays his wife by her desire — Fighting in the Kuanto — The later Hojo overthrown — Other rebels subdued — Hideyoshi declares war against Korea — Invades Korea and threatens China — Christians burnt at Nagasaki — The Jesuit priesthood — Ambition of Hideyoshi — He becomes the Taiko — His character reviewed — Anecdotes concerning him ...... 188-203 CHAPTEE XII.