124 We owe to Kaempfer, perhaps, the erroneous notion which has been repeated by subsequent writers that there was both an ecclesiastical and a temporal emperor. This was never true. There has been only one emperor, who, in the Japanese theory, was the direct descendant of divine ancestors and who has always been the supreme authority. From the time of Yoritomo, however, the administration was in the hand of an hereditary shōgun who always received the commission of the emperor for the performance of his duties. See Kaempfer’s _Histoire de l’Empire du Japon_, vol. i., p. 182. 125 The Japanese term is _Shikken_, which is usually translated _regent_. 126 A travelling palanquin. 127 See _Travels of Marco Polo_, second edition, London, 1875, vol. ii., p. 240. 128 In the year A.D. 1890 two pictures were brought to light which represent the events of this memorable battle. They are believed to have been painted about A.D. 1294 by Naganori and Nagatoki, painters of the Tosa school. They have been in the family of one of the captains in the Japanese army of that day, and while the figures of the men and horses are not well drawn the pictures in other respects have great historical value. Alongside of the scenes represented, legends are written in explanation. It is said that these valuable historical pictures are likely to come into the Household Department and thus be more carefully preserved than they are likely to be in a private house.—_Japan Weekly Mail_, 1890, p. 581. 129 For a description of this locality, which is justly famed in Japanese annals, see Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 56. 130 See Chamberlain’s _Handbook_, 1891, p. 337. 131 Quite an animated and interesting controversy took place a few years ago with reference to this suicide of Kusunoki. Popular opinion strongly justifies the act and rewards with its highest approval the memory of the patriot. But Mr. Fukuzawa, one of the most radical of the public men of to-day and an active and trenchant writer, condemned the act as indefensible and cowardly. 132 Mr. Griffis says that when he resided in Fukui in A.D. 1871—more than five hundred years after the event,—he saw the grave of the heroic Nitta almost daily strewed with flowers.—_The Mikado’s Empire_, 1876, p. 190. 133 Satow and Hawes’ _Handbook_, p. 356.