[Fig. 55.--Fishermen's Huts in Hakodate.]
[Fig. 56.--Fishermen's Huts in Enoshima.]
In the city no outbuildings, such as sheds and barns, are seen. Accompanying the houses of the better class are solid, thick-walled, fire- proof buildings called _kura,_ in which the goods and chattels are stowed away in times of danger from conflagrations. These buildings, which are known to the foreigner as "go-downs," are usually two stories in height, and have one or two small windows, and one door, closed by thick and ponderous shutters. Such a building usually stands isolated from the dwelling, and sometimes, though rarely, they are converted into domiciles. Of such a character is the group of buildings in Tokio represented in _fig. 57_, belonging to a genial antiquary, in which he has stored a rare collection of old books, manuscripts, paintings, and other antique objects.
[Fig. 58.--Kura, or Fire-proof Buildings in Tokio.]
Fig. 58.--Kura, or Fire-proof Buildings in Tokio.
Fig. 58, copied from a sketch made by Mr. S. Koyama, represents another group of these buildings in Tokio. These _kura_ belonged to the famous antiquarian Ninagawa Noritani. In these buildings were stored his treasures of pottery and painting. Often light wooden extensions are built around the _kura,_ and in such cases the family live in the outside apartments. An example of this kind is shown in _fig. 59_, which is an old house in a poor quarter of the city of Hakodate. The central portion represents the two-storied _kura,_ and around it is built an additional shelter having a tiled roof. In case of fire the contents of the outer rooms are hurriedly stowed within the fire-proof portion, the door closed, and the crevices chinked with mud. These buildings usually survive in the midst of a wide-spread conflagration, while all the outer wooden additions are consumed. Further reference will be made to these structures in other portions of the work. It may be proper to state, however, that nearly every shop has connected with it a fire-proof building of this nature.
It hardly comes within the province of this work to describe or figure buildings which are not strictly speaking homes; for this reason no reference will be made to the monotonous rows of buildings so common in Tokio, which form portions of the boundary-wall wall of the _yashiki;_ and, indeed, had this been desirable, it would have been somewhat difficult to find the material, in their original condition, for study. Many of the _yashikis_ have been destroyed by fire; others have been greatly modified, and are now occupied by various Government departments. In Tokio, for example, the _yashiki_ of the Daimio of Kaga is used by the educational department, the Mito _yashiki_ for the manufacture of war material, and still others are used for barracks and other Government purposes. As one rides through the city he often passes these _yashikis,_ showing from the street as long monotonous rows of buildings, generally two stories in height, with heavy tiled roofs. The wall of the first story is generally tiled or plastered. The second-story wall may be of wood or plaster. This wall is perforated at intervals with small heavily-barred windows or hanging bays. The entrance, composed of stout beams, is closed by ponderous gates thickly studded with what appear to be massive-headed bolts, but which are, however, of fictitious solidity. The buildings rest on stone foundations abutting directly on the street, or interrupted by a ditch which often assumes the dignity of a castle moat. These buildings in long stretches formed a portion of the outer walls of the _yashikis_ within which were the separate residences of the Daimios and officers, while the buildings just alluded to were used by the soldiers for barracks.