Japan and the Japanese

270 JAPAN. A. D. 1C90 1692.
steward (the same forming a part of the imperial domains), who
collected the rent, forming, with the house-tax, the entire imperial
revenue. This rent amounted to four parts in ten of the crop ;
whereas inferior landlords exacted six parts in ten. Grain was
delivered in kind ; garden grounds, orchards and woods, paid a
compensation in money.
We may close this account of Nagasaki with a description of
the Mat*uri, or public spectacle exhibited on the birth-day of the
god Suwa, the patron of the city, one of the occasions on which the
Dutch were permitted to leave the island of Desi/na, for the pur-
pose of witnessing the spectacle. This festival was, and still is,
celebrated at the expense of ten or eleven streets, uniting each year
for that purpose ; so that every street is called upon thus to con-
tribute once in seven or eight years, except that in which the courtesans
reside, which must pay every year. The celebration consists
in processions, plays, dances, &c., and as something new must
always be got up, at least in the way of dress,
it is attended with
heavy expense.
The temple of Suwa, according to Kiimpfer's description, stands
not far from the town, upon the mountain Tutla. A fine stair-case,
of two hundred stone steps, leads up to it. The temple court,
somewhat lower than the Mia itself, extends down the declivity of
the mountain. At the entry of this court, next the is
gate,
a
long,
open room, or
gallery, where plays are acted, for the diversion both
of Suwa and his worshippers. This room is curiously adorned with
many pictures and carved images, placed there by devout worship-
pers in fulfilment of vows made in some moment of exigency.
Further off stand some small chapels of wood, clean and neat, but
without ornaments. In the same court stand the temples of Mu-
rasaki and Simios, each of whom has also his Mikosi, or small
eight-angular shrine, curiously adorned, and hanging in beautiful
polls, wherein their images or relics are carried about upon festi-
vals. Kiimpfer also observed, in the same enclosure, another small
chapel, built in honor of the god and lord of thousand legs, hung
about with numbers of his clients, that is, with legs of all sorts and
sizes, given by his worshippers.
There are several festivals sacred to Suwa, of which the chief ii