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bring one to the summit of the pass, from which there is a rapid descent through a picturesque glen to Ôsawa, 312 ri from the town of Yonezawa. The whole distance from Fukushima is 12 ri, the 6 ri in the centre being difficult climbing. The road is an excellent specimen of military engineering in the olden time,—it succeeds in rendering travelling as difficult as may be without making it absolutely impossible.
The plain of Yonezawa, about 12 ri long and varying in breadth from 5 to 17 ri, is perfectly flat, and the lofty mountains by which it is hemmed in appear in the distance to rise perpendicularly from its sides. From the centre of the plain no break whatever is visible through this mountain wall, but on the north a tortuous gorge with only a moderate ascent communicates with the plain of Yamagata, and on the north-west is the outlet of the Matsu kawa, a large river that rises from Adzuma yama in the south-east, flows past the town, traverses the whole extent of the plain, forces its way though the mountains and eventually reaches the Sea of Japan at Sakata. Just before leaving the plain it becomes navigable for small boats, but the upper part is too shallow and irregular. No attempt is made to guide or confine the water; and nearly every year the floods carry away all the bridges. The chief summits of the surrounding mountains are Adzuma, Kabuto yama, so called from its resemblance to a helmet, Iide san, and Asahi yama. The famous mountain Gas-san in Mogami may he seen in very clear weather breaking through the northern horizon. It is stated that the snow never quite disappears from Iide san, and the phrase “Iide san no yuri wa kiyetara” is used as the local equivalent for the Greek Kalends.
The plain thus enclosed does not all belong to the Okitama Ken, a portion called Yashire Go on the right bank of the Matsu kawa was taken from the late daimiô after the war, and is now included in the Yamagata Ken. The whole plain forms the Okitama Kôri, the southern division of Uzen, and is about midway between the Pacific and the Sea of Japan, the town of Yonezawa being
