Originally an obscure hamlet called Yedo (gate of the inlet) stood on the seashore in the district of the city now called Asa kusa, while most of the busiest parts of the present city were covered with the waters of the hay and of lagoons. Near Yedo a rude castle was built in the fifteenth century, hut the place continued without importance un til. toward the end of the sixteenth eentury, Tokugawa leyasn took possession of it, and in 1603 made it the seat of his government of the Empire. He retained the ancient name Yedo, but made it speedily the most important city in Japan and the capital in a sense never known before. levasu commanded artisans and mer to move to his new city from Kioto and Osaka. He occupied the ancient castle. and in the days of his grandson the new castle was construeted. But the most eharaeteristie and original feature of Yedo was caused by the re quirement that the feudal barons should spend a portion of every second year in the city and that in their absence members of their families he left as hostages. In eonsequenee the feudal ha rons built town mansions, surrounded them with beautiful gardens. and for the first time in the history of Japan Caine. in time of peace, into contact with each other. The result was rivalry in display and a luxury and extravagance before know a only in Kioto in connection with the Im perial Court. From this time Yedo took on the
appearance so often described by travelers. Its population was immense, and the success of the policy of leyasu is proved by the fact that it was never entered by a hostile army, nor so much as attacked or besieged. The records of the city contain accounts of many terrible catas trophes. Its slight wooden buildings furnished excellent fuel for fire, and repeatedly it was de stroyed in conflagrations, until in recent times the building of rows of brick and stone houses has furnished efficient barriers. It has also suf fered greatly from earthquakes and from epi demics. while terrible storms have destroyed thousands of dwellings. After the weakening of the Hous'e of Tokugawa, in 1S63, the require ment of residence for the barons was relaxed, and the population fell off greatly. But after the fall of the shogunate on September 13, IS6S, it was made the eastern capital, and its name was changed accordingly to Tokio. It was opened to the residence of foreigners in 1869. Though nominally only the eastern capital. yet, as the residence of the Emperor. the meeting place of the Diet, and the seat of the Government in all departments, it is in reality the only capital of the Empire, Kioto retaining an empty title merely.