Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 21. (Budapest, 2002)

Monika BINCSIK: The Trade in Japanese Art during the Meiji Period with Special Reference to Lacquer, as Mirrored in the Collections at the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Eastern Asiatic Arts, Budapest

hotels and clubs in Yokohama. These tell us that a total of 2370 foreigners put up at the Grand Hotel and the Club Hotel in 1888.

19 To begin with, the foreign quarter in Yokohama recalled Dejima to many.

20 It consisted of a narrow strip of land bounded by the sea to the north, by swamps to the south and traversed by canals running from west to east. It could be easily sealed off, but at the same time it was relatively defensible against the Japanese attackers. (111. 4) A kyoryûchi (settlement) was an area delineated in a commercial treaty concluded during the bakumatsu period in which foreigners could live and carry on trade.

21 To facilitate residence and trade, permits were issued allowing land to be rented and buildings to be constructed. In the case of Yokohama, Yamashita (Kannai), the commercial district, and Yamate, the residential one, belonged to the kyoryûchi. The area where foreigners could live was limited to the area of the kyoryûchi, while free commercial activity was confined to the "open port". On the other hand a "walking zone" was established that stretched for ten ri in all directions from the area covered by the kyoryûchi.

22 In this zone excursions could be freely made. The kyoryûchi system operated for almost forty years, until 1899 when new treaties came into force.

23 Despite the initial problems, a considerable number of foreign traders settled in Yokohama following the opening of the port. Many were engaged in the China trade and wanted to set up branches in Japan, but many others arrived who were new to commercial activity. Accordingly, intensive construction work began as early as the 1860s. Initially, trade in Yokohama was not without its problems, but slowly it increased and the small village gradually evolved into a town. After the fire of 1866 the townscape changed to a large degree. The marshy part was filled, thus permitting the town to spread southwards. The number of Western-style masonry buildings increased, and changes were even made to the town's kyoryûchi administrations. The Meiji government attempted to strengthen its influence in the kyoryûchi by negotiating modifications to the treaties and the withdrawal of the British and French garrisons in the town; these troops left in 1875. Trade gradually picked up and became more varied; the population of the kyoryûchi grew in size. In 1899 a new commercial treaty came into force, according to which Japanese laws and the decisions of Japanese courts applied to foreigners as well as to Japanese. In return, foreigners could settle and trade anywhere on the territory of Japan. With this Yokohama's kyoryûchi period came to an end. During the Meiji era (1867-1912) foreigners played the leading role in Yokohama commerce, but with the passage of time more and more Japanese staff were employed in their businesses. Later on Japanese trading houses gradually grew in strength, adopting Western methods and taking on certain elements of Western culture. In the kyoryûchi there were many restaurants operated by Japanese, and Japanese food shops and art businesses also opened. Very many Japanese worked in the silk trade. The flourishing of commerce had, of course, a beneficial effect on the development of social life. Horseracing and other sporting activities, theatre performances and concerts acquired an importance in the life of the kyoryûchi, forming a part of business life also. Also important were newspapers and other publications suited to the disseminating of information vital to commerce.

24 Until the construction of the Ösanbashi pier (1894), passengers and cargo were taken from ship to shore in small boats. A picturesque sight greeted passengers about to leave their vessel: small unpainted craft and in the stern parts (for steering purposes) loudly shouting Japanese, who seemed slight in build to European eyes. Passengers were driven to the hotels by exotic jinrikisha;

25 almost every traveller devotes a couple of lines to these in his or her account. There they could at last feel dry land beneath their feet and enjoy Western food.

26 In all likelihood, most travellers would find Honmachi, "Main Street" most attractive, with its enticing shop windows and photographer's studios, which offered tourists hand-coloured photographs showing Japanese landscapes and cus-