Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 13.djvu/605

GEOGRAPHY.] JAPAN 577 account of the beauty of its mountain scenery, is the Koshiu-kaido. It unites Tokio and Kofu, the chief town in the province of Kai, and is 77 miles in length ; from Kofu a continuation of it joins the Nakasendo at Shimo- no-suwa, in the province of Shinano, some 32 miles further. To the west of Kioto lie many other roads, but they are of less importance because there is little traffic in the Sanindo, while that of the Sanyodo is conducted in junks which ply on the Inland Sea. In the islands of Shikoku and Kiushiu the roads are stated to be very bad, particularly in the mountainous regions lying in the southern portion of the latter, on the confines of the provinces of Hiuga, Higo, and Satsuma. The question of road superintendence is one of which the Japan ese Government has fully realized the importance. At a general assembly of the local prefects held at Tokio in June 1875 there was brought forward a bill to classify the different roads throughout the empire, and to determine the several sources from which the sums necessary for their due maintenance and repair should be drawn. After several days discussion all roads were eventually ranged under one or other of the following heads : I. National roads, consisting of Class 1. Roads leading from Tokio to the various treaty ports. Class 2. Roads leading from Tokio to the ancestral shrines of Japan in the province of Ise, and also to the various fu ("cities"), or to the military stations. Class 3. Roads leading from Tokio to the various Teen ("prefecture") offices, and those forming the lines of connexion between the various /wand military stations. II. Ken (" prefecture ") roads consisting of Class 1. Roads connecting different prefectures, or leading from the various military stations to their several out posts. Class 2. Roads connecting the head offices of the various cities and prefectures with their several branch offices. Class 3. Roads connecting noted localities with the chief town of such neighbourhoods, or leading to the seaports convenient of access from those localities. III. Village roads, consisting of Class 1. Roads passing through several localities in succes sion, or merely leading from one locality to another. Class 2. Roads specially constructed, for benefit of irrigation, pasturage, mines, manufactories, &c. , consequent upon measures determined by the local population. Class 3. Roads constructed for the benefit of Shint6 shrines, Buddhist temples, or for cultivation of rice-fields and arable land. Of the above three headings, it was decided that all national roads should be maintained at the national expense, the regulations for their repair, cleansing, &c., being entrusted to the care of the prefectures along the line of route, but the cost incurred being paid from the imperial treasury. Ken roads are to be kept up by a joint contribution from the Government and from the particular pre fecture, each paying one-half of the sum needed. Village roads, being for the convenience of the local districts alone, are to be maintained at the -.xp<;nse of such districts under the general super vision of the corresponding prefecture. The width of the national roads was determined at 7 ken 1 for class 1, 6 ken for class 2, and 5 ken for class 3 ; the prefecture roads were to be from 4 to 5 ken ; and the village roads were optional, according to the necessity of the case. On most of the high roads run small stage waggons of various sizes, but these are as a rule badly made, insecure, and for the conveyance of passengers alone. In the mountainous regions, and especially in the hills immedi ately behind the foreign settlement (Kobe) at Hiogo, in the province of Setsu, small bullock cars are to be seen. These are roughly made of untrimrned timber, and are anything but strong ; each rests on three wheels of solid wood, and is drawn by one bullock. They are, however, very useful for the conveyance of blocks of stone from the hills, and for rough country work. In the large towns, and also on all fairly level roads, passengers may travel in small two-wheeled carriages called jin-riki-sha ; these are in shape like a miniature gig, and are as a rule drawn by a single coolie, though for rapid travelling two men are 1 1 inches. usually employed. In the city of Twkio alone there exist over 10,000 of these jin-riki-sha, and various improve ments as regards their style, shape, and build have been introduced since 1870, the year in which they first came into use. Many are of sufficient size to carry two persons, and on a good road they travel at the rate of about 6 miles an hour ; the rate of hire is about 5d. per Japanese ri, or about 2d. per mile. For the transport of baggage or heavy goods large two-wheeled carts are in use ; these are pushed along by four or six coolies. Until very lately the only vehicle employed in travelling was the palanquin. Of these there were two kinds, viz., the norimono, a large litter carried by several bearers, and principally used by persons of the better class, and the kago, still to be seen in hilly districts where carriages cannot pass. The kago is a mere basket-work conveyance, slung from a pole carried across the shoulders of two coolies ; and it is easy to see that the substitution of the wheeled jin-riki-sha drawn by only one man was a great improvement as regards both economy of labour and facility of locomotion. In country districts, and wherever the roads are stony or narrow, long strings of pack-horses meet the eye. These animals are shod with straw sandals to protect the frog of the hoof, and their burden is attached by ropes to a rough pack-saddle without girths. They go in single file, and move only at a walk. To their necks is attached a string of small metal bells, a survival of the ancient usage whereby a state courier was provided with bells to give timely warning of his approach at the different barriers along his route, and so to guard against any impediment or delay. The peasants also often employ oxen as beasts of burden in hilly regions ; these animals, too, are shod with straw sandals, having a portion raised so as to fit into the cleft in the hoof. Burdens of moderate weight are usually carried by coolies, one package being fastened at each end of a pole borne across the shoulder. In remote districts even the Government mails are thus forwarded by runners. In all the post- towns and in most of the larger villages are established transport offices, generally branches of some head office in the capital, at which travellers can engage jin-riki-sha, kago, pack-horses, and coolies, or make arrangements for forwarding baggage, &c. The tariff of hire is fixed by the Government, and this is paid in advance, a stamped receipt being given in return. Most of the inns in the Travel- post-towns subscribe to one or another of the so-called lin p travelling guilds, each of which has a head office in 8 ull(ls - Tokio, and often in Kioto and 6zaka. Upon application at this office, the traveller can obtain a small book furnish ing general information as to the route by which he pro poses to proceed, such as the distances between the halting places, the names of rivers and ferries, and hints as to places of interest along his road. It also contains a full list of the inns, &c., enrolled on the books of that guild, a distinction being made between lodging-houses and places where meals alone are provided. To this list each landlord is obliged, at the traveller s request, to affix his stamp or seal at the time of presenting his account ; and by this system cases of incivility or overcharge can be reported at the head office, or application made there in the event of articles being forgotten and left behind at any inn. The Japanese themselves seldom travel in the interior except under this system, and were foreign visitors only to follow their example they might avoid a good deal of the incon venience they not unfrequently experience. Towns. The towns and villages are very numerous along Cities, the line of^the great roads. The three great cities are Tokio (Yedo), Ozaka, and Kioto. The last-named was the ancient capital, and had been in existence for centuries before Tokio, and also for a very considerable time before XIII. 73