It
is built on the same plan of three enclosures as all the _yashgis_,
though on a very different scale from the one at Tokio. There, the
Tycoon reigns in undisturbed sovereignty. Here, he appears as a humble
servant of his rightful master--really his prisoner. The late Tycoon,
after the last battle, fought at this place, fled to his castle at
Osaka, where, though he might have held out for an indefinite period,
he preferred to surrender. Two of his Ministers came to him and
represented that he must not only think of himself, but of the party
who supported the Shogunate, and that as he had betrayed them by false
hopes he had no choice but to perform Hara-kiru. This he refused to
do, although they set him the example; and he is now living as a
private individual on an estate in the country, not far from Tokio,
where he amuses himself with hunting, shooting, and fishing. It is
said that it is possible he may one day join the ministry of the
present Mikado.
From the Tycoon's palace we drove to the 'Toshio,' or court quarter of
the town, where the Mikado and all his relatives live, in palaces,
surrounded by large gardens, enclosed in whitewashed walls. We saw the
whole of Tako Sama's household furniture and wearing apparel, the
celebrated swords of Yoritiome, called the 'knee-cutter' and the
'beard-cutter,' from their wonderful sharpness, and many other
interesting objects.
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