Mi PREFACE. IN the year 1875, when I was in the service of the Japanese government at Tokio, it chanced that my place of residence was located north of the old Yedo castle grounds, while my office lay to the south of them, thus rendering it necessary for me to pass twice each day through the centre of that vast system of feudal fortifica tion. One stormy day, as I was trudging homeward in company with an inveterate pedestrian, a young Eng lishman who persisted in taking constitutional exercise in all kinds of weather, he suddenly halted at the bridge that crossed the broad moat before the Sakurada gateway and exclaimed :H ere is the spot where was enacted the most thrilling episode in modern Japanese history. On a day like this, about fourteen years ago, the de facto ruler of the Japanese empire was attacked at the head of this bridge, in the very midst of his guards, by a band of seventeen Mito ronins, and was ignominiously beheaded. For adroit ness and daring I will match the deed against any found in the annals of any nation. Being deeply interested in his graphic account of the tragedy, I eagerly read up all the narratives of the sanguinary occurrence that could be found, and came to the conclusion that the affair was worthy to be woven into the warp and woof of a romance by some novelist, little imagining, however, that I myself would ever attempt such a work. For many years the incidents of this thrilling episode in Japanese history have lain fallow in my mind.
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.
Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately pres
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.
Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately pres
