名古屋から塩尻（松本・篠ノ井・新潟）・甲府を経て東京へ

25. From Nagoya via Shiojiri (Matsumoto, Shinonoi, Niigata) and Kofu to Tokyo.

Central (Chuo) Main Line of the Imperial Government Railways.

To Tokyo, 253 M. Several fine, speedy, modern, and excellently-equipped trains with good dining-, sleeping-, and other cars, make the trip daily in about 14 hrs. One the tourist should not fail to take, as it is one of the most interesting in Japan. For fares and other information consult the Rly. Time Table.

The solidly built line parallels the historic Nakasendo ('Road between the mountains'; 280 M. from Kyoto to Tokyo) over the lofty mt. ranges of Central Japan, and traverses a little-known region celebrated for its wild beauty. The charming scenery comprises a succession of stupendous mts. (known as the Japanese Alps), deep gorges down which dash roaring, foaming rivers, dense forests, and sequestered valleys, flecked here and there with primitive villages whose simple inhabitants still dream the dreams of Old Japan. The glimpses of rural life are delightful. From Nagoya, in Owari Province, the rails cross Mino, Shinano, and Kai, before entering Sagami, then Musashi, on Tokyo Bay. Fifteen yrs. were required to build the road, which presented the most serious engineering difficulties of any in Japan. When completed it was found to have cost 43,319,629 yen, exclusive of rolling-stock, or upward of 171,000 yen a mile (against approx. 40,000 yen for a line built on a level plain). For 224 M. it traverses a rocky, mountainous region in which there are 194 tunnels and 350 bridges. Sixty-five important rivers are crossed on wide bridges, conspicuous among them that over the Kiso-gawa. Some of the tunnels are built on a tremendous slant, and are marvels of engineering skill; the Sasago, 15,275 ft., is the longest in Japan. The Kobotoke, 8350 ft., has one end 135 ft. lower than the other. The Torii Tunnel, besides being 5128 ft. long, represents the highest point (3189 ft. above sea-level) reached by any rly. in the Empire. Several of the minor tunnels are unusually long — The Uto, 5429 ft.; Ohikage, 4489 ft.; Fukazawa, 3627 ft.; Makigane, 2359 ft., etc. The rly. is of great strategic as well as commercial value, forming as it does a short cut between the big trading ports of the Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean, and the wealthy prefectures of Niigata, Nagano, and Yamanashi — the former known for its vast production of oil and rice, and the others for raw silk and various things.

Nagoya (see p. 375). The rly. half-circles the city, crosses the Horikawa to the Chikusa Station, then runs northward

over an ascending, well-watered country, past Ozone and Kachigawa to 15 M. Kozoji (264 ft.), where it penetrates the hills, enters Mino Province, and follows the Tamano-gawa upward between high green mts. Fourteen tunnels are threaded before the plain (415 ft.), on which 22 M. Tajimi stands, is reached. The region roundabout (often referred to collectively as Hokeizan) is known for its many potteries, scattered over a radius of several miles, where the celebrated Seto mono or Seto yaki is made. Specimens of this fragile ware are sold at the stations hereabout, in the form of dainty, cream-colored tea-pots (dobin) decorated with black ideographs and accompanied by handleless cups, hot water, and a tiny cambric bag of native tea — the complete equipment costing 4 sen. Hard by the station (1 M.) is the well-known Buddhist temple (said to have been founded in the 14th cent.) of Eihoji, on Hokeizan. Japanese are fond of boating on the adjacent Toki River, whose banks are covered with lovely wild azaleas in early May. — Beyond a series of tunnels (chief among them, the Makigane) are the unimportant stations of Tokitsu (picturesque foot-bridge at the right, between high bluffs); Mizunami (a shipping-point for the fine gray speckled granite quarried in the adjacent hills); Kamado, and Oi (985 ft.). From 50 M. Nakatsu, on the river of the same name, comes much of the firewood used in Nagoya; the small town stands near the N.W. base of Ena-san (7466 ft.), a bulky mt. on the border-line between Mino and Shinano Provinces. Climbers customarily make the easy ascent (one day up and back; guide, ¥5) from here, for the sake of the magnificent views. The silk-mills in the town give employment to the majority of the population.

The scenery now becomes wild and picturesque; the rly. runs through deep, somber valleys between lofty hills; into tunnels cut through the heart of towering mts., and over titanic granite culverts spanning confluents of the Kiso River. This stream (135 M. long), one of the San-dai-kai, or 'Three Great Rivers,' of Japan (the others being the Tone — and the Shinano-gawa), dominates the land like a tempestuous spirit and tears down through the gorges like a wild thing, bearing on its tortured bosom (in autumn and winter) thousands of peeled logs that batter the canyon wall and the rounded boulders in midstream on their swirling voyage to the sea. For many miles, the rly. keeps in sight of the river, as if mistrusting it; now rushing beside it on some spider-like bridge suspended between shoulders of the solid hills, now creeping high above it, along some ticklish terrace just wide enough for the rails and for the splendid old Nakasendo, which winds like a broad white ribbon over the mts. Tucked away in green gashes in the hills are picturesque dwellings, their feet washed by the river, their roofs covered with thin shingles held down

by scores of cobblestones. Groups of them stand far up the broad slopes as they do in Switzerland and the Austrian Tyrol, while still higher are the isolated huts of charcoal burners, advertised by the blue-black smoke curling above them. Tussocks of sword-like bamboo grass dot the slopes, which here and there sparkle with Alpine flowers. Interesting features of the river are the immense piles of logs which, wedged in between stones and rocky walls, form booms that scores of agile men with long poles work desperately to dislodge. Sometimes, too, one has the fugitive chance to see one of these booms break suddenly, and rush violently downstream while the men scamper to safety across the treacherous, churning mass. The Japanese lack of nerves is often exemplified here on the long, dizzy, slender foot-bridges of piano wire, strung high above the river, with shingles as cross-pieces, but which the men and women traverse with the swaying agility of tight-rope walkers. From hidden timber-camps on the higher slopes of the mts. wooden troughs or chutes lead through lateral gorges to the river, and down them slide endless lines of barkless trees.

Beyond 55 M. Sakashita, the Azumi-bashi, a spider-like bridge suspended 80 ft. above the river, is seen at the right. Between high granitic hills at the left a fine view is had of the stream as it sweeps in magnificently, from a broad bend. The train edges along a meager terrace cut bodily from the mt. side, far above the old pike. Certain of the slopes which hereabout have shown signs of erosion, have been sheathed with broad stone revetments that would do credit to a knight's castle. Far below them are superb retaining walls finished like jeweler's work and protected from the ravenous river by gabions in the form of long cylindrical baskets (called jakago, or 'serpent-baskets') of wickerwork, filled with cobblestones, tied with tough withes, and laid in sinuous rows along the bank of the stream. Beyond 61 M. Midono (1443 ft.), a poor town in Shinano Province (sometimes made the starting-point for the Tenryu River rapids; see p. 391), the rly. passes through the Hanamaki Tunnel, then runs along the top of a huge wall built at enormous expense; the river plunges along far below, bearing its ever-present burden of logs. Upward of 50,000 trees (pine and fir forming the bulk of them) are said to be started downstream every fall and winter, and the numerous sawmills visible from the train now use steam as an aid to the rapid deforestation of the mts. Vast quantities of timber of exceptional size and quality is produced; chiefly the beech, horse-chestnut, maple, walnut, and Spanish-chestnut — referred to frequently as the 'Five Trees of Kiso.' The house-roofs hereabout have wide, projecting eaves, like the dwellings of the Swiss peasants, and are weighted down with large stones to protect them against the high winds. Snug up

beneath these eaves hang curious farming implements, vegetables, and the miscellaneous articles usually seen in a store-room. The birds in wicker cages are thrush-like ouzels (tsugumi), which are used as decoys for others, and are mentioned at p. ciii.

71 M. Suhara. Many mt. streams plunge down the slopes hereabout and some are made to turn big overshot or undershot water-wheels that furnish power for hulling grain. Patches of pollarded mulberry trees dot the fields, and most of the house lofts are given over to the rearing of silk-worms. During the short winter, the snow lies deep over this region, which is rugged and strangely unlike the soft, effeminate Japan of the Inland Sea. At the left of the line is a locally celebrated feature, a primitive aerial ferry, Tsuri-goshi (lit., 'Suspended chair'), in the form of a series of stout piano-wires swung high above the stream, and over which, by means of another drag-wire, cool-headed travelers draw a cage like the body of an open palanquin (a contrivance in which only a steeple-jack would care to travel). The small waterfall of Ono-no-taki is soon seen at the right, sliding gracefully over a stone ledge to a quiet pool below. Near by, at the left, is the locally famous Bed of Awakening ('Nezame-no-toko') amid a bit of river scenery which some writers enthusiastically rank with the finest in Japan.

At a bend in the river, where some picturesque rocks confine the stream to a narrow channel, stands an old Buddhist temple, the Rinzen-ji, while below it is a stone platform whence one commands a sweeping view of a really charming bit of scenery emphasized by the furiously swirling river. According to one tradition, Urashima Taro, the fisher-boy (see p. cclix), awoke here from his fantastic dream, and the credulous country folk will, provided they can get a listener, point out the very spot where the unfortunate lover of the Sea God's daughter opened his precious casket. They will strongly combat the more reasonable theory that the 'awakening' implies that the casual traveler will 'sit up and take notice' when he sees the beauty of the place.

75 M. Agematsu (Inn: Hakuchi, ¥2.50), a sequestered town in the midst of a labyrinth of hills (many pretty excursions), has numerous sawmills and quaint water-wheels and is usually made the point of departure for the (10 M.; 6-7 hrs.) ascent of Komagatake (Foal Mt.; a name applied to numerous peaks in Japan). The bulky granitic mass (9500 ft.) rises grandly at the N.E., and besides forming the culminating point of the Kiso Range, separates the Kiso Valley from that of the neighboring Tenryu River.

Guides (necessary, comp. p. xxvii) can be found in the village (consult the innkeeper) for ¥6 for the round trip. A number of poor rest-houses provide shelter by the wayside. Travelers bound for the rapids of the Tenryu-gawa sometimes cross the summit and descend to the villages of Ina or Akao, near the E. base, in the Inakaido District. Forests of horse-chestnut, beech, fir, and other evergreen and deciduous trees belt the lower slopes, and later merge into pine groves. Higher up one finds the creeping-pines which are characteristic features of the tops of many Japanese mts. The bronze image on one of the ridges passed in the ascent commemorates Shinmei Reijin,

the first pilgrim-mountaineer to climb to the summit. The Shinto shrine at the top is dedicated to the Spirit of the Mt. The highest point, Shakujo-ga-take, is so called from its fancied resemblance to the staff or crozier carried by wandering Buddhists. The view from the summit is grand; embracing a score or more lofty peaks, some of them smoking volcanoes.

Many queer-looking peasants plod along the broad highway beyond Agematsu. The lofty, bare, sacrosanct Ontake, astride the border-line between Shinano and Hida Provinces, is seen at the far left. For the time being, the scenery loses much of its grandiose character. — 82 M. Kiso-Fukushima (2647 ft.), end of a rly. district and the most important town (pop. 5000) in the district, stretches along both banks of the Kiso River, which here (a few miles from its source near the Torii-toge) is a shallow, nondescript stream flowing placidly between bald and monotonous hills. The bare slopes hereabout advertise the evils of deforestation. — An up-grade and 4 tunnels are features of the line to the poor town of Yabuhara, where wood combs (said to have been invented by the wife of Izanagi-no-Mikoto) are made. Beyond it, the immense stone walls built by the rly. to protect its track from landslips seem to cover the entire country. A stiffish uphill pull brings the train to the Torii-toge and tunnel mentioned above. The conspicuous pass (toge) — the watershed of the Kiso-gawa (which empties into Owari Bay) and the Shinano-gawa (which flows into the Japan Sea near Niigata) — derives its name from the huge granite torii (p. clxxxii) which is supposed to mark the 'front entrance' to the holy Mt. Ontake — whose dark, serrated cone rises a score or more miles to the left.

Ontake ('August Mt.'), or Mitake, one of the loftiest (10,400 ft.) and most sacred (2d to Fuji-san) of the Japanese peaks, and to which many thousands of pilgrims go each year, is usually approached from Kiso-Fukushima, 23 M. from the summit, at the S.E. — whence it can be reached in 10-12 hrs. on foot. Guides are plentiful (¥4), as about every person in the neighborhood has made the ascent. Throughout the summer months, an almost continuous stream of ant-like pilgrims toil up the mt. side to pray before the picturesque shrine on its summit. An alternate way (often used in the descent) is by the so-called 'back entrance,' via Odaki — a 3 hrs. walk from Agematsu through lovely scenery. The customary trail from Kiso-Fukushima is through the (7 M.) village of Kurosawa (whence a road branches off to Agematsu). The Iwo-haiden shrine marks the actual base of the mt. Here pilgrims may buy staffs and have their garments stamped with the seal certifying that they have made the ascent of the holy peak. There are several rest-houses on the slope, each marking the successive stages to the top. Six large and 2 small craters are features of the summit, one containing a lake in which pilgrims soak cloth or paper to take home with them. The shrine, from which a magnificent panorama is obtainable, is surrounded by stone and bronze images, ideographic tablets, and what-not, laboriously dragged up the steep incline.

From Torii-toge — the highest point on the Kisokaido — the train descends through several tunnels and past unimportant stations in surroundings which recall vistas in the Rocky Mts. of the U.S.A. The views of the towering mt. range at the left are splendid. A broad upland plain stretches

away at the left of the small station of 106 M. Seba, beyond which is

108 M. Shiojiri (2451 ft. Inn: Kawakami, ¥2.50), on the great watershed between the N. and S. half of Central Japan, 144 M. from Tokyo at the E., and 42 from Shinonoi at the N.

Tokyo passengers who find themselves in the through car for Shinonoi or Nagano must change here into a Tokyo car or train, while those bound for either of the two above-named places should make sure that they are in the right car. The bento sold on the station platform usually contains good fish.

The train of the Shinonoi Line to Shinonoi Jct. (on the Shin-etsu Line, Rte. 6, p. 65) makes the run in about 3 hrs. and traverses a mountainous country dotted with upland plains devoted to the cultivation of the great staple, rice. The chief town on the line is (8 M.) Matsumoto (Inn: Marumo, ¥2.50), an important commercial center on a broad plain (in Shinano Province) surrounded by magnificent mts. Its early history is associated with the exploits of the redoubtable Takeda Shingen, who in 1549 besieged the castle (erected in 1504 by Shimadate Sadanaga) and made himself master of the region. Oda Nobunaga took it later, and during the Tokugawa régime the original name, Fukashi, was changed to Matsumoto. Toda, with an annual income of 60,000 koku of rice, ruled as daimyo at the time of the Restoration. Raw silk is now one of the chief products. The river which flows through the city is the Sai-gawa, a tributary of the Chikuma-gawa, which later becomes the broad Shinano-gawa. The inclosed, paddle-wheel boats one sees anchored in mid-stream are primitive rice-mills which get power from the current. The Asama Hot Springs, in the N.E. suburbs, have good baths and are popular resorts.

From Shiojiri the Tokyo line diverges to the right (E.) and follows the Nakasendo on an up-grade through 3 tunnels; the last, the Uto, 5429 ft. long, on a sharp incline. Sweeping views at the left as we emerge. Beyond Ono, with its silk-mills, the valley narrows and becomes very picturesque. The houses of the peasantry are nearly all adapted to silk-worm culture and the product is worked up at the numerous mills at Okaya, which we soon pass. Many of these filiature mills stand on the banks of the Tenryu-gawa, from which a certain amount of power is obtained through lines of large undershot water-wheels that present an odd sight and look like the discarded paddle-wheels of old steamboats. Upwards of 500 girls are employed in the mills, which are usually two- or three-storied, white, with slender steel chimneys and many windows. Among the choice fruits (which the Japanese usually pick green) raised in the neighborhood are excellent quinces (marumero) — which are preserved and made into jelly. The broad lake in the horseshoe-shaped pocket of the hills at the right is Suwa. The exquisite mt. peak vignetted in the V-shaped saddle between two of the hills (one of the most charming little vistas in Japan) is the matchless Fuji.

126 M. Shimosuwa (Inn: Kameya; natural hot baths; ¥3), 2616 ft., near the base of (5300 ft.) Wada-toge, on the N. shore of Lake Suwa, in Shinano Province, was formerly the castle town of the Suwa daimyos and was called Takashima. After Takeda Shingen vacated the castle in 1553 it

passed to other hands, to be burned by Nobunaga's soldiery in 1582, and reconstructed by Hineno Takayoshi in 1590. Tokugawa Ieyasu reinstated Suwa Yoritada in his family domain in 1601, and thenceforward his descendants occupied the old keep until the Restoration. Many of the kinsmen of the aforetime feudal barons are now engaged in sericulture, and the silk produced in the neighborhood and spun in the local mills ranks with the finest in Japan. Legend intimately associates the town with Kami (upper) Suwa at the opposite end of the lake. An improbable narrative (translated from the Kojiki) relates that the forebears of the Japanese anciently made their winter home at Shimosuwa, and their summer residence at Kamisuwa; erecting a spring shrine (Haru-no-miya) at the latter place, and an autumn shrine (Aki-no-miya) at the former. Thenceforward elaborate festivals marked the days on which the august deities are supposed to have shifted their abode. Time was when the symbolical transfer was made in a gayly decorated boat which, laden with the paraphernalia of the twin shrines, was conducted across the lake amid pomp and gorgeous display. Later the upper shrine was transferred bodily to Shimosuwa. One of the pair now stands near the inn, the other about ⅓ M. away, and both at the respective ends of a triangle each of whose sides is 8 cho long. A clumsy, bulky car weighing several tons, constructed of massive timbers in imitation of the sacred ship of former days, and drawn at a snail's pace by hundreds of men clad in queer costumes, starts over the road between the shrines Feb. 19 and Aug. 1 of each year, and several days of jollity are usually required to bring it safely to port. The curious mediaeval procession, a bizarre survival of feudal times, attracts thousands of country folks, and the inns are always crowded. The governor presides, and there is general rejoicing. — The region roundabout is volcanic and there are several hot mineral springs (sulphur, alum, etc.) in the neighborhood, with temperatures ranging from 113° to 150° F. — A few min. run along the left shore of the lake brings the train to 130 M. Kamisuwa (Inn: Botan-ya, Suwa Hotel, etc., ¥2.50 and upward) on the S.E. shore, also with hot springs whose waters are piped into the inns. Sericulture is also the special occupation of most of the people here, and in many of the houses one sees the womenkind sitting before pans of warm water in which cocoons are immersed, winding the sericeous product of the worms on to primitive reels.

Lake Suwa, or Suwa-ko (3½ M. east and west; 2 M. wide; about 30 ft. deep, and 2598 ft. above sea-level), sometimes called Ga-ko, or Goose Lake, one of the best known skating-resorts in Japan, often freezes, in Jan.-Feb., 1 to 2 ft. thick, and hither many Tokyo (9 hrs. by rail) and Yokohama people repair to enjoy the short season. The rly. company sells round-trip tickets from Tokyo at reduced rates (usually ¥5, 2d cl.), and certain of the tourist agencies (T. Minami & Sons, 3, Rogetsucho, Shiba Tokyo; Thos. Cook & Son, Yokohama, etc.) plan trips (including rooms and meals at the

inn) for an inclusive charge of about ¥5 a day. The best skating is near Shimosuwa — out of reach of the biting winds which tear over the saddle of the pass (at the S. end) and ruffle the water so that it does not freeze smoothly. Here, too, hot water and gases often spurt up from the lake-bed and make dangerous air-holes. When warm weather prevents the ice from forming, skaters repair to Yamanaka Pond, about 1½ M. from Shimosuwa. Suwa-ko lies in a beautiful inclosed valley between bulky mts. and receives its waters from Wada-toge, Tateshima, and other heights. Carp (and shrimps) abound and the natives catch them in winter through holes in the ice. In summer, the shallow reaches of the shore are flecked with pondweed and other water-plants. Formerly its waters covered the fine rice-plain which stretches away westward, but owing to the deepening of its natural outlet, the Tenryu River, it is gradually diminishing.

The Tenryu River, which rises in Lake Suwa and flows out of its W. side later to pour its waters into the Totomi Nada near Hamamatsu (on the Tokaido), 135 M. distant and 2598 ft. below, is one of the best-known of the Japanese rivers and is celebrated for its fine rapids. Though somewhat difficult of access, the stream is popular with persons fond of rapid-shooting. The usual custom, for travelers coming to Shimosuwa from Tokyo or Yokohama, is to proceed on foot or by jinriki (in 2 days, with 2 men, at an approx. cost of ¥10-15) to (47 M.) Tokimata (Inn: Ume-no-ya, ¥2.50), where the rapids begin. The intervening towns are 22 M. Ina (Inn: Tomiya), and 28 M. Iida (Inn: Shogodo). At Tokimata the innkeeper will (if advised beforehand) arrange for a boat. — An alternate way, the best for travelers ascending the Nakasendo from Nagoya, is to alight at Midono Station (Inn: Ina-ya, ¥2; see p. 386) and do the 25 M. to Tokimata on foot (in about 12 hrs.) or in a jinriki (2 men necessary; ¥9, in about 11 hrs.) — which the station-master will have ready if the traveler will advise him in advance. The road is mountainous (guide necessary if the trip is made alone) and there are some stiffish climbs. The inclusive cost of the journey from Yokohama and return, for 3-4 pers. (3 days' steady going) is approx. ¥50 each. The cost of a boat for a similar party for the 90 M. trip (10-12 hrs.) down the river is ¥50-60. [A fortnight is sometimes required to haul the craft back upstream.] Four boatmen (sendo) generally accompany each craft (fune), but when the river is high (dangerous) they often refuse to go. The boats (usually 45 ft. long, 3½ wide, and 2½ deep) resemble exaggerated canoes made of flexible cryptomeria boards, dovetailed and further secured with wooden pegs. Elasticity rather than rigidity is aimed at, since the craft often scrapes over the river-bed or bumps into rocks. Three of the sendo employ oars of evergreen oak 9 ft. long, and the steersman one 12-15 ft. long. The traveler with time to spare may, by waiting a day or so at Tokimata (good trout-fishing in the river), get passage down the rapids in an ordinary passenger boat (infrequent service) for ¥4-5. Where a special boat is hired, a clear understanding should be reached with the boatman before embarking, and the exact point of disembarkation be agreed upon. Otherwise an attempt may be made to put one ashore at a point where the rapids end, miles from a station, where rikishas may not easily be obtained. The traveler should insist upon being landed at Kashima (12 M. from Hamamatsu, 3 hrs. by jinriki, ¥2; or 2 hrs. by basha or tramway, 50 sen), or at Nakano (4½ M. from Hamamatsu, ¥1 by jinriki in 1½ hrs., or by tramway). — A start from Tokimata should be made about 7-8 A.M. so that a short halt may be made at Nishimoto (11 A.M.) for luncheon, and Kashima reached about 6 P.M. Vaseline or some similar substance, as a protection for the face against wind- or sun-burn, will be found useful; likewise goggles. There are 30 or more rapids, and the vertiginous downward course is through magnificent scenery. The river flows first through Shinano, then crosses Totomi Province. About 3 M. below Tokimata it enters a rocky canyon, then for 5-6 hrs. it races seaward over a long series of rapids between scarped ravines and perpendicular walls that rise sometimes a thousand or more feet above it. The boatmen are skillful and accidents to foreigners are rare; 50 or 60 natives are drowned in the river each year. The last portion of the trip is uninteresting, with a sluggish current.

From Kamisuwa the rly. continues across the valley in a S.E. direction to 135 M. Chino, a poor town where consider-

able isinglass is made; acres of the small wood frames containing the product cover the ground roundabout. The rly. now climbs into the hills and affords magnificent views (right) of Fuji-san, the Kai Komagatake, Hoozan, and other bulky mts. 142 M. Fujimi (3224 ft.) stands on the elevated watershed between the Fuji-kawa and the Tenryu-gawa. From the Harano-chaya, or 'Tea-house of the Plain,' which stands here, one gets entrancing views of Fuji and of the great range of bulky giants that rise in pointed grandeur against the horizon. The region is like a vast park, with glorious views and inspiriting mt. air. Four tunnels are threaded on the downward glide to 148 M. Kobuchizawa, beyond which the line skirts the lower (S.) flank of Yatsugatake; passes 156 M. Hinoharu, and traverses the Anayama Tunnel (1591 ft. long) at an elevation of 1881 ft., to 163 M. Nirasaki, in the valley of the Kamanashi-gawa — whose wide bed glistens with the white granitic particles washed down from the rocky giants above. Superb views of the N. side of Fuji-san (the opposite of those from Gotemba, on the Tokaido) are had at the right.

172 M. Kofu (1001 ft.), the present capital of Yamanashi Prefecture and of Kai Province, with 50,000 inhabs., was formerly called Fuchu (Chinese: 'Chief town'), and during the Kamakura shogunate was the residence of the Ichijo Daimyo. Inns: Sadoko Hotel; Bosenkaku, etc., native; from ¥3 and upward. The clean and attractive city stands on a broad and productive plain dotted with mulberry plantations and vineyards — the grapes (budo) enjoying a national reputation for excellence. The beautiful rock-crystals (p. cxxii) for which Kai Province is noted are found in the near-by mts., and are sold in the local shops (best specimens in the Tokyo or Yokohama curio-establishments). Kofu is known for its silken fabrics and for its excellent dried persimmons (Kofu-kaki) which come into the market in Nov. The big stone monument at the rly. station commemorates the completion of the Sasago Tunnel. A matsuri, of considerable local importance, is held yearly on April 15, when the townspeople pray that the Fuefuki-gawa may not overflow its banks and inundate the plain. The foothills of the surrounding mts. afford many delightful excursions; Mt. Mitake, at the N., once had magnificent temples, but these are now decayed and are of scant interest. The entire country roundabout is intimately associated in history with the exploits of the celebrated Takeda Shingen (1521-73) who made Kofu his chief stronghold.

Takeda Harunobu, the eldest son of Nobutora, who afterwards took the name of Shingen, stands out prominently as one of the most picturesque figures of his time. Dominating, fierce, and of piratical instincts, he rebelled against his father (who built the castle at Kofu in 1519 and ruled the province therefrom), and after deposing and imprisoning him, assumed the government of Kai Province and embarked on a war with neighboring daimyos which endured for 20 yrs. Being a fighter and a skillful strate-

gist, he erelong became the master of that extensive territory embraced within the provinces of Shinano, Kai, Hida, a part of Kozuke, and Suruga. He warred against the powerful Ieyasu, aided the warrior-priests of Hieizan in their frantic but ineffectual efforts to rid themselves of the implacable Oda Nobunaga, and was finally killed in Mikawa Province while besieging the castle of Noda. Apprehensive lest his death interfere with the realization of his plans, he ordered that it be concealed and that his body be placed in a stone coffin and sunk to the bottom of Lake Suwa. The former command was obeyed, but instead of being buried in the lake he was interred in the Eirinji Temple, near Kofu, where his tomb may still be seen. The Japanese regard him as a splendid type of the impetuous feudatory princes of the Middle Ages — those turbulent times which preceded the lasting peace established by the great Ieyasu and maintained by his long line of Tokugawa shoguns.

Kofu is sometimes made the starting-point for the descent of the Rapids of the Fuji River, via Minobu to Iwabuchi, on the Tokaido.

The Fuji-kawa, one of the most important of the Japanese rivers, is formed by the union of the Fuefuki-gawa and the Kamanashi-gawa, whose waters flow down from the high mts. which form the boundary of Kai Province. After draining the plain on which Kofu stands, and skirting the N., then the W., base of Fuji-san, it discharges into Suruga Bay, 75 M. distant and 1000 ft. below. Travelers who intend to shoot the rapids proceed customarily (by tramway, in 2 hrs.; fare, 30 sen) to (12 M.) Kajikazawa (Inn: Yorozuya, ¥2), a town just beyond the S.W. limit of the plain, where a boat with 4 men is hired (¥11-12) for the (7-8 hrs.) trip to (45 M.) Iwabuchi. Regular mail-boats (Yubin-bune) which carry passengers (¥1.50) leave daily and may be availed of. In flood-time all boats (kobune) are prohibited from starting until the waters recede to a certain level. Scores of boats carry merchandise hence to the rly. and the sea, and on the downward journey one is scarcely ever out of sight of lithe craft speeding down the rapids or being laboriously hauled up by chanting boatmen. At certain points the scenery is wild and picturesque, with inspiring views of Fuji and other lofty mts. At one place a locally famous Tsuri-bashi, or Suspension Bridge, is passed (left). It is 165 ft. long, constructed of stout piano-wire, and is suspended 30 ft. above a swift tributary of the river which here forms an islet near the bank. The cool-headed peasants navigate it speedily and with unconcern, but foreigners find the passage a trying one, since near the center the bridge sways in a sickening way.

Leisurely travelers interested in Buddhist temples may like to land at Hakii village (midway of the journey; the boatmen will stop for the night for ¥3-4 extra) and visit (2 M.; ¾ hr. walk) the Kuonji, founded by Nichiren (p. cci) in 1273. The dreary town of Minobu (Inn: Matsuya, ¥2) stands in a valley between lofty mts. and has a few poor shops dedicated to the sale of rosaries and pseudo-relics of the famous bonze. The temple is the headquarters of the Hokke-shu and has repeatedly been scourged by fire. That of 1875 destroyed all the old buildings. Some of the newer ones erected in 1880 were burned in 1911. Those that remain are decorated in exuberant colors and differ so little from other fanes of the Empire that they are scarcely worth a special visit. A picturesque and representative type of the temples of this sect is mentioned at p. 108. Nichiren's ashes are preserved in a crystal reliquary (shown for a small fee), and on the chief festival in May, they are revered by the many pilgrims who foregather here.

Beyond Kofu the rly. dips into a small valley dotted with vineyards, then ascends past Isawa and Kusakabe Stations to 183 M. Enzan, beyond which the 4th tunnel is Ohikage, 4489 ft. long; the 5th, Fukazawa, 3627 ft. long; the 6th, Yokobuki, 1403 ft., and 7th, Tsukuse, 1135 ft. — Beyond 192 M. Hajikano the train crosses the Nitsukawa and enters the famous Sasago Tunnel, which is nearly 3 M. long, 2153 ft. above the

sea, and pierces the heart of Sasago Mt. (3500 ft.), at the junction of Kai, Sagami, and Musashi Provinces — which latter we soon enter. 196 M. Sasago. The train now descends into the valley of the Sasago River, past several villages where silk-worms are reared.

202 M. Otsuki. A tramway runs hence through the valley of the Katsura-gawa to (12 M.) Yoshida (about 2 hrs.; 48 sen), at the N. foot of Fuji-san, and the point of departure for Shoji; Rte. 3, p. 40. The scenery is now attractive. The train crosses several narrow ravines, at the left of one of which is seen the locally celebrated Saru-hashi, or Monkey Bridge (112 ft. long, and 150 ft. above the river), a spider-like affair which only an educated monkey would be willing to cross without inward trepidation. A series of long tunnels and several rivers mark the line hence to 211 M. Uenohara. 216 M. Yose is the usual starting-point for the descent of the rapids of the Katsura-gawa. The 6th tunnel beyond is the Kobotoke, 8350 ft. long, and 981 ft. above the sea. From this point the line descends sharply to 222 M. Asakawa, a favorite place with Tokyo holiday-makers, who go hence (¼ hr. by jinriki, 20 sen) to Takao-zan, a lofty hill (1600 ft.) where there is a Buddhist temple (1 hr. walk from the foot) in a fine grove of cryptomerias and maple trees. During the annual festival in April, the place is usually crowded. The old highway, visible at times from the train, is the Koshu-kaido, which links Tokyo with Koshu (Kai) Province, and over which, in feudal times, many a picturesque daimyo procession wound its way.

225 M. Hachioji Jct. (460 ft.), 28 M. from Tokyo, is an important silk-manufacturing center. A branch rly. runs hence in a S.E. direction to 26 M. Higashi-Kanagawa, across the bay from Yokohama. 230 M. Hino, near the Tama-gawa, is a popular resort of Tokyo people; cormorant-fishing (see p. 396) is practiced here between May and Sept. A covered boat (yane-bune) can be hired for ¥2-3; the fishermen wade out into the stream, and the small trout (ayu) which the cormorants catch may be cooked in a near-by inn. From 231 M. Tachikawa Jct. a branch rly. runs to (and beyond) 11 M. Ome, where considerable cotton is manufactured. From 235 M. Kokubunji Jct. a rly. branches N. to 18 M. Kawagoe, a sometime important town with a daimyo's castle built in 1457 by Ota Mochisuke. — 239 M. Sakai, is also a favorite resort of Tokyo merry-makers, who congregate at (1 M.) Koganai, where a fine avenue of cherry trees extends for nearly 3 M. along the Tamagawa-josui (the upper stream of the Tama-gawa, whence Tokyo gets a part of its water-supply) and presents a charming sight in early April. In 1735 the shogun, Yoshimune, had 10,000 cherry trees brought hither from Yoshino, in Yamato, and from the flowery banks of the Sakura-gawa (Cherry River) in Hitachi, and planted here;

multitudes of people come to see them in season and to stroll beneath the lovely pink-and-white canopy.

241 M. Kichijoji is near a lakelet called I-no-kashira, whence, in olden times, the Yedo Castle drew its water-supply; Ieyasu is said to have visited the place in 1600 and to have found the water so excellent for making tea that he ever afterward used it for that purpose. Picnickers come here in April to see the cherry blossoms, and in May the azaleas. At Horinouchi, 1 M. to the S. of (245 M.) Nakano, there is an old Buddhist temple (the Myohoji, of the Nichiren sect) with some good sculptures and an effigy of Nichiren said to have been carved in 1261. 247 M. Okubo has azalea gardens which are worth seeing in the season. 248 M. Shinjuku is also a station on the Tokyo Belt Line. 252 M. Tokyo. (See p. 109.)