Therearewithinthecitytenprincipalsquaresormarket-places,besidesinnumerableshopsalongthestreets.Eachsideofthesesquaresishalfamileinlength,andinfrontofthemisthemainstreet,fortypacesinwidth,andrunninginadirectlinefromoneextremityofthecitytotheother.Thereisanabundantquantityofgameofallkinds,suchasroebucks,stags,fallowdeer,hares,andrabbits,togetherwithpartridges,pheasants,francolins,quails,commonfowls,capons,andsuchnumbersofducksandgeeseascanscarcelybeexpressed.
Atallseasonsthereisinthemarketsagreatvarietyofherbsandfruits,andespeciallypearsofanextraordinarysize,weighingtenpoundseach,thatarewhiteintheinside,likepaste,andhaveaveryfragrantsmell.Therearepeachesalso,intheirseason,bothoftheyellowandthewhitekind,andofadeliciousflavour.Fromthesea,whichisfifteenmilesdistant,thereisdailybroughtuptheriver,tothecity,avastquantityoffish;andinthelakealsothereisabundance,whichgivesemploymentatalltimestopersonswhosesoleoccupationitistocatchthem.
Oneachsideoftheprincipalstreet,therearehousesandmansionsofgreatsize,withtheirgardens,andneartothese,thedwellingsoftheartisans,whoworkinshops,attheirseveraltrades.Theinhabitantsofthecityusepapermoneyascurrency.Themenaswellasthewomenhavefaircomplexions,andarehandsome.Thegreaterpartofthemarealwaysclothedinsilk,inconsequenceofthevastquantityofthatmaterialproducedintheterritoryofKin-sai.Theyarefriendlytowardseachother,andpersonswhoinhabitthesamestreet,bothmenandwomen,fromthemerecircumstanceofneighborhoods,appearlikeonefamily.Intheirdomesticmannerstheyarefreefromjealousyorsuspicionoftheirwives,towhomgreatrespectisshown,andanymanwouldbeaccountedinfamouswhoshouldpresumetouseindecentexpressionstoamarriedwoman.Tostrangersalso,whovisittheircityinthewayofcommerce,theygiveproofsofcordiality,invitingthemfreelytotheirhouses,showingthemhospitableattention,andfurnishingthemwiththebestadviceandassistanceintheirmercantiletransactions.