Japan and the Japanese

IMPERIAL PALACE. 365
higher than the others, on the top of a hill, which hath been pur-
posely flatted for the imperial palace to be built it. upon It ia
enclosed with a thick, strong wall of free-stone, with bastions standing
out, much after the manner of the European fortifications. A
rampart of earth is raised against the inside of. this wall, and at
the top of it stand, for ornament and defence, several long buildings
and square guard-houses, built in form of towers, several stories
high. Particularly the structures on that side where the imperial
residence is are of an uncommon strength, all of free-stone of an
extraordinary size, which are barely laid upon each other, without
being fastened either with mortar or braces of iron, which was
done, they say, that, in case of earthquakes, which frequently hap-
pen in this country, the stones yielding to the shock, the wall itself
should receive no damage.
" Within the palace a square white tower rises aloft above all
other buildings. It is many stories high, adorned with roofs, and
other curious ornaments, which make the whole castle look, at a
distance, magnificent beyond expression, amazing the beholders, as
do, also, the many other beautiful bended roofs, with gilt dragons
at the top, which cover the rest of the buildings within the castle.
" The side castles are .very small, and more like citadels, without
any outward ornament. There is but one passage to them, out of
the emperor's own residence, over a high, long bridge. Both are
enclosed with strong, high walls, encompassed with broad, deep
ditches, filled by the great river. In these two castles are bred up
the imperial princes and princesses.
" Behind the imperial residence there is still a rising ground,
beautified, according to the country fashion, with curious and mag-
nificent gardens and orchards, which are terminated by a pleasant
wood at the top of a hill, planted with two curious kinds of plane-
trees, whose starry leaves, variegated with green, yellow, and red,
are very pleasing to the eye, of which the Japanese affirm that one
kind is in full beauty in spring, the other towards autumn.
" The palace itself hath but one story, which, however, is of a
fine
height.
It takes in a large spot of ground, and hath several
long galleries and spacious rooms, which, upon putting on or removing
of screens, may be enlarged or brought into a narrower com
pass, as occasion requires, and are contrived so as to receive at al'