Richard Stuart Lane

“ At the restoration of the supreme authority of the emperor in 1868 the shogunate was abolished, and the population of Yedo speedily decreased. A fresh vitality was again imparted by the transfer of the court from Kioto, and the town then received its present name Tokio (eastern capital) . It has since been the seat of the imperial Government, and may be considered the centre of the political, commercial, and literary activity of Japan. It is the channel through which the stream of European civilization pours into the country, and all recent progress has there taken its rise. ”

“ Environs of Tokio.
Environs of Tokio.
The numerous residences of the old daimios were the chief characteristics of the town, especially in the Kôjimachi-ku. Many of these have been demolished and Government offices erected on their sites; some have given place to new streets and houses; others, having survived the downfall of the shogunate, still remain surrounded by large gardens, which are celebrated for their elaborate rock-work, artificial lakes, and magnificent trees. ”

“ The means of communication are imperfect; the streets of Tokio are in general irregular, and many are so narrow that they are unsuitable for carriages. The jinrikisha, a kind of chaise drawn by one or in some cases by two or more men, supplies their place to a great extent. The introduction of tramways in some parts of the town has had the good effect of diminishing the number of second-rate carriages drawn by miserable horses.
There are no reliable data as to the population of Yedo during the shogunate (see below) . ”