Untitled

436
EAST ASIA.
proximity to civilised lands. The ports of the Inland Sea also enjoy
the same
privileges as inland marts, standing, as they do, at the converging point of
numerous trade routes. Ohosaka, which lies near the eastern entrance of the
Japanese Mediterranean to the north of Sakahi, which it has succeeded as a large
sea-port, occupies a central position relatively to the southern division of the great
island, while it is connected by a navigable stream with an extremely fertile and
densely peopled plain. In the surrounding waters, which present one of the easiest
approaches to the Pacific, storms are rare, and the prevailing south-west and northwest
winds elsewhere obstructing the coast navigation for months together, are here
replaced by breezes alternating with the morning and evening, and thus
facilitating the progress of sailing vessels. Thus everything combines to secure a
large trade for the sea-port of Ohosaka. Deep-sea vessels are, doubtless, obliged to
anchor at some distance from the muddy canals which intersect the city in all
directions. But the local merchants have contrived to preserve their foreign
relations, and conduct the exchanges through the medium of other ports. By
means of numerous steamers of slight draught, this emporium still retains a monopoly
of the local traffic in rice, fish, edible sea-weed, timber, and other products, which
are distributed from this place throughout the whole of South Japan. Here is
prepared the best saki in the country, and Ohosaka has also become an important
industrial centre, where are manufactured many wares formerly imported from
Europe. The fancy goods of this place are now forwarded in large quantities to
Europe, and as many as four millions of fans, worth about 26,000, were exported
in the year 1877. Watch-making has been recently introduced by a young man
who acquired a knowledge of the trade in Switzerland.
Ohosaka is the " Venice of Japan," at least in its lower districts, which are
intersected in every direction by rivers and canals, crossed by hundreds of bridges.
But one of the quarters rises gently on the north-west side towards the castle,
whose half- ruined granite walls still present an imposing appearance, owing to their
great size and solidity. From this point a fine view is afforded of the surrounding
district. The imperial mint is a model establishment, erected at great expense,
and fitted with all the appliances found in similar edifices in the West. The plant
was brought from Hong Kong, where it had proved a failure ;
but under Japanese
management it has succeeded so well that the Government has been able to dispense
with the further assistance of nearly all the original English staff.
The usurper Hideyoshi, having resolved to make Ohosaka the seat of Empire,
caused a castle and palace to be erected here in the year 1583, which were probably
the most magnificent group of buildings ever raised in Japan. The palace sur-
vived the storming of the castle by lyeyasu in 1615, and in 1867-8 the members
of the European legations were several times received within its walls by the last
of the Shoguns. Vast sums were lavished by Hideyoshi on the decorations, and
the enormous blocks used in the construction of the principal gateway still attest
the magnificent plan of the founder. In February 1868 the buildings within the
castle were set on fire by the Shogun faction, and were completely destroyed in a
few hours. Since then the fortifications have been occupied by the head-quarters