Japan and the Japanese illustrated . men, for whom the sword is at once an emblem of Ijraveryand a title to nobility. When the son of a Samoiuai is too little to carry armsat his belt, he is seen walking, with a koskei, or even an elder sister, followinghim respectfully, and holding in her right hand, by the middle of the scabbard, asword suitable to the height of the diminutive personage. In another year or twofencing will become the principal occupation of life. The Taikoun selected a numljer of his young yakounines, and sent them toNagasaki, to learn the use of fire-arms, under the tu
Japan and the Japanese illustrated . men, for whom the sword is at once an emblem of Ijraveryand a title to nobility. When the son of a Samoiuai is too little to carry armsat his belt, he is seen walking, with a koskei, or even an elder sister, followinghim respectfully, and holding in her right hand, by the middle of the scabbard, asword suitable to the height of the diminutive personage. In another year or twofencing will become the principal occupation of life. The Taikoun selected a numljer of his young yakounines, and sent them toNagasaki, to learn the use of fire-arms, under the tuition of tlie Dutch were not very well received when they returned to the capital, and werequartered in the barracks for the purpose of instructing the new Japanese former comrades shouted Treason! and threw themselves on them witli armsin their hands. There were victims on Ijoth sides. Nevertheless the decline of thesword is inevitable. Notwithstanding the traditional prestige with which tlie privileged. 192 LIFE IN JAPAN. caste still endeavour to surround it, notwithstanding the contempt in which it affectsto hold the military innovations of the Government, that democratic arm themusket has been introduced into Japan, and with it an incalculable social revolutionhas become a fact which the representatives of the feudal rerjime resent bitterly butvainly. Tlie conduct of their chiefs has precipitated the catastrophe. Conspiracies inthe palace and j^olitical assassinations multiply themselves at Yeddo with frightfulrapidity. It is averred that not only several ministers of state, but two Taikouns,have successively died violent deaths since the opening up of Japan. The same fatehas befallen the Gotaiio, or Regent Ikammon-no-Kami, the governor of the youngsovereign, who died in 186G. His palace is situated on a hill, in the southern portionof the Sakourada Cjuarter, in front of the wide ditches and the high walls formingthe exterior enclosure of the ci
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookidjapanjapanes, bookyear1874
