Japan and the Japanese illustrated . themselves. Meanwhile, modern life has invaded the cities and the country all aroundthe antique miako. The Taikoun has developed civil and military institutions inhis modern monarchy, and already the smoke of the steamers before the ports of theInland Sea announce the approach of the Christian civilization of the West. These circumstances lend a tragic interest to the actual situation of the ancienthereditary and theocratic Emperor of Japan, that invisible Mikado of whom one isnot permitted to speak even while describing his Court. But he also must come out
Japan and the Japanese illustrated . themselves. Meanwhile, modern life has invaded the cities and the country all aroundthe antique miako. The Taikoun has developed civil and military institutions inhis modern monarchy, and already the smoke of the steamers before the ports of theInland Sea announce the approach of the Christian civilization of the West. These circumstances lend a tragic interest to the actual situation of the ancienthereditary and theocratic Emperor of Japan, that invisible Mikado of whom one isnot permitted to speak even while describing his Court. But he also must come outof the mysterious darkness which surrounds him. The force of events will ])ring himto light upon the scene of contemporaneous li|>U;iilLl IciN UK TU THE TROPLE BY ORDEU OF THK MuuulN. CHAPTER V. THE DECADENCE OF THE MlKA DOS. A CHAPTEi; IN T]1K AXCIKNT JIISTdUY (iF JAPAN. — ITS DELINKATH iN BY PICTURES.—THKSAPPING UF THE IMPERIAL POWER.—THE BEGINNING OF THE END. More than two Imndrecl years ago, iiiulcr the third Siogouii of the dynasty of lyeyas,the successful usurper of the civil and military power of the Mikados, the peace ofthe Empire being secnrc, ami the dominion of the Siognuii uncontested, it liappened N 90 LIFE IN JAPAN. thiit the latter made a visit of courtesy to his lord aud master, the dispossessedEmperor. This strange event produced a profound sensation; the native artists appliedthemselves to reproducing the most interesting scenes of the voyage of the Siogouuand of his interview with the Mikado. The zeal with which they endeavoured to satisfythe curiosity of their contemporaries has bequeathed to us documents that throw lightupon an entire epoch of the history of Japan, which
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookidjapanjapanes, bookyear1874
