Kafū Nagai (永井 荷風, Nagai Kafū; 3 December 1879 – 30 April 1959) was a Japanese writer, editor and translator. His…Kafū Nagai (永井 荷風, Nagai Kafū; 3 December 1879 – 30 April 1959) was a Japanese writer, editor and translator. His novels Geisha in Rivalry and A Strange Tale from East of the River are noted for their depictions of life of the demimonde in early 20th-century Tokyo.
Shinobu Ishihara (石原 忍, Ishihara Shinobu; September 25, 1879 – January 3, 1963) was a Japanese ophthalmologist who…Shinobu Ishihara (石原 忍, Ishihara Shinobu; September 25, 1879 – January 3, 1963) was a Japanese ophthalmologist who created the Ishihara color test to detect colour blindness. He was an army surgeon.
Yoshiaki Hatta (八田 嘉明, Hatta Yoshiaki; 14 September 1879 – 26 April 1964), was an engineer, entrepreneur, politician…Yoshiaki Hatta (八田 嘉明, Hatta Yoshiaki; 14 September 1879 – 26 April 1964), was an engineer, entrepreneur, politician and cabinet minister in the Empire of Japan, serving as a member of the Upper House of the Diet of Japan, and five times as a cabinet minister.
Koyata Iwasaki was a Japanese industrialist who served as the fourth and last president of the unified Mitsubishi. He…Koyata Iwasaki was a Japanese industrialist who served as the fourth and last president of the unified Mitsubishi. He was the last person to hold the office before the Allied Occupation Forces ordered the dissolution of all major zaibatsu.
Hisakatsu Yabe (Japanese: 矢部 長克, December 3, 1878 – June 23, 1969) was a Japanese paleontologist and geologist. He is…Hisakatsu Yabe (Japanese: 矢部 長克, December 3, 1878 – June 23, 1969) was a Japanese paleontologist and geologist. He is from Tokyo and is a graduate of the University of Tokyo. He was an emeritus professor at Tohoku University. Yabe contributed to the development of geology in Japan. In 1918, He advocated Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line.
Shigeru Yoshida (吉田 茂, Yoshida Shigeru; Japanese pronunciation: [jo.ɕi.da (|) ɕi.ɡe.ɾɯ, -ŋe.ɾɯ], 22 September 1878 – 20…Shigeru Yoshida (吉田 茂, Yoshida Shigeru; Japanese pronunciation: [jo.ɕi.da (|) ɕi.ɡe.ɾɯ, -ŋe.ɾɯ], 22 September 1878 – 20 October 1967) was a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1946 to 1947 and again from 1948 to 1954, serving through most of the country's occupation after World War II. Yoshida played a major role in determining the course of post-war Japan by forging a strong relationship with the United States and pursuing economic recovery. Born in Tokyo to a former samurai family, Yoshida graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1906 and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He held various assignments abroad, including in China, where he advocated increased Japanese influence. From 1928 to 1930, Yoshida served as vice minister of foreign affairs, then served as ambassador to Italy until 1932. In 1936, he was considered for foreign minister in the cabinet of Kōki Hirota, but he was opposed by the Army, who strongly identified him with liberalism and friendship with Great Britain and the United States. Yoshida served as ambassador to Britain from 1936 to 1938. He largely avoided political participation during the Pacific War. During the U.S. occupation after the war's end, Yoshida served as foreign minister in the cabinets of Prince Higashikuni and Kijūrō Shidehara. Yoshida became prime minister in 1946, after Ichirō Hatoyama was purged by authorities on the verge of taking office; Yoshida served as foreign minister in his own first three cabinets. He oversaw the adoption of the Constitution of Japan before losing office after the election of 1947. He returned to the premiership in 1948, and negotiated the Treaty of San Francisco, which ended the occupation and saw the restoration of sovereignty to Japan, and a security treaty with the U.S. Yoshida pursued a strategy of concentrating on economic reconstruction while relying on an alliance with the United States for defense, a strategy known as the Yoshida Doctrine. The last years of his premiership were marked by conflict with Hatoyama, who had by then been depurged. This culminated in Yoshida being ousted and replaced by Hatoyama in 1954. Yoshida's legacy continued to play an important part in Japanese political life, particularly through his two protégés, Hayato Ikeda and Eisaku Satō, who served as prime ministers from 1960 to 1964 and 1964 to 1972 respectively. Yoshida died in 1967 and received a state funeral. His grandson, Tarō Asō, served as prime minister from 2008 to 2009.
Kiyokata Kaburaki (鏑木 清方, Kaburaki Kiyokata; August 31, 1878 – March 2, 1972) was the art-name of a Nihonga artist and…Kiyokata Kaburaki (鏑木 清方, Kaburaki Kiyokata; August 31, 1878 – March 2, 1972) was the art-name of a Nihonga artist and the leading master of the bijin-ga genre in the Taishō and Shōwa eras. His legal name was Kaburaki Ken'ichi. The artist himself used the reading "Kaburaki", but many Western (and some Japanese) sources transliterate it as "Kaburagi".
Takaoki Sasaki (佐々木 隆興, Sasaki Takaoki; 1878–1966) was a Japanese biochemist and oncologist known for demonstrating the…Takaoki Sasaki (佐々木 隆興, Sasaki Takaoki; 1878–1966) was a Japanese biochemist and oncologist known for demonstrating the induction of liver cancer in rats by Ortho-Aminoazotoluene with his pupil Tomizo Yoshida. In addition, he was also known as a master of fencing in Japan. He received the Imperial Prize of the Japan Academy twice (1924 and 1936). He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 14 nominations.
Katayama Hiroko (片山広子 born 10 February 1878 in Tokyo, died 19 March 1957) was a Japanese poet and translator. She did…Katayama Hiroko (片山広子 born 10 February 1878 in Tokyo, died 19 March 1957) was a Japanese poet and translator. She did many translations of Irish writers under the pseudonym Matsumura Mineko. Her husband was a noted bureaucrat. She reportedly took her pseudonym from a name she saw on a child's umbrella. She maintained a friendship with Ryūnosuke Akutagawa and he reportedly said of her "Finally I have met a woman who can be called my equal in the arena of words." She also acted as a mentor to Muraoka Hanako who is known in Japan for translating Anne of Green Gables.
Sadaji Itō (17 January 1878 – 1943) was a Japanese politician who served as Mayor of the City of Hiroshima from May…Sadaji Itō (17 January 1878 – 1943) was a Japanese politician who served as Mayor of the City of Hiroshima from May 1930 to May 1934.
Tokugoro Ito (1878-January 22, 1939) was a Japanese judoka and professional wrestler. Ito was one of the founding…Tokugoro Ito (1878-January 22, 1939) was a Japanese judoka and professional wrestler. Ito was one of the founding fathers of mixed martial arts in Brazil.
Jōji Matsumoto (松本烝治, Matsumoto Jōji; 14 October 1877 – 8 October 1954) was a legal scholar, politician and cabinet…Jōji Matsumoto (松本烝治, Matsumoto Jōji; 14 October 1877 – 8 October 1954) was a legal scholar, politician and cabinet minister in the pre-war Empire of Japan. He is also the author of the “Matsumoto Draft”, a proposal for revision of the Constitution of the Empire of Japan in the immediate post-war period.
Shiro Asano (浅野四郎, 1877–1955) was a cameraman during the early days of Japanese cinema. He is known primarily for his…Shiro Asano (浅野四郎, 1877–1955) was a cameraman during the early days of Japanese cinema. He is known primarily for his work using imported versions of the Lumiere kinetoscope and the Gaumont camera, as well as his contributions to the horror genre with his short films. He is also regarded as one of the first Japanese people to host a public film screening.
Baron Sadao Araki (荒木 貞夫, Araki Sadao; 26 May 1877 – 2 November 1966) was a Japanese general in the Imperial Japanese…Baron Sadao Araki (荒木 貞夫, Araki Sadao; 26 May 1877 – 2 November 1966) was a Japanese general in the Imperial Japanese Army. He was regarded as the leader of the Kodoha, a political faction within the Imperial Japanese Army and served as Minister of the Army under Prime Ministers Inukai and Saitō. He was forced from active service in the aftermath of the February 26 incident. He later served as Minister of Education under Prime Ministers Konoe and Hiranuma. After World War II, he was convicted of war crimes and given a life sentence but was released in 1955.
Kitazawa Yasuji (北澤 保次; 20 July 1876 – 25 August 1955), known by his pen name Kitazawa Rakuten (北澤 楽天), was a Japanese…Kitazawa Yasuji (北澤 保次; 20 July 1876 – 25 August 1955), known by his pen name Kitazawa Rakuten (北澤 楽天), was a Japanese manga and nihonga artist, who was the first professional cartoonist in Japan, and the first to use the term "manga" in its modern sense. He drew editorial cartoons and comic strips during the years from the late Meiji to the early Shōwa era. He is considered by many historians to be the founding father of modern manga, and his work was an inspiration to many younger manga artists and animators.
Hasegawa Manjirō (長谷川 萬次郎, né Yamamoto, 30 November 1875 – 11 November 1969), known by his pen name Hasegawa Nyozekan…Hasegawa Manjirō (長谷川 萬次郎, né Yamamoto, 30 November 1875 – 11 November 1969), known by his pen name Hasegawa Nyozekan (長谷川 如是閑), was a Japanese social critic and journalist during the Taishō and Shōwa eras. He was one of the most important and widely read supporters of liberalism and democracy in inter-war Japan.
Tokuzō Fukuda (福田 徳三 Fukuda Tokuzō; February 12, 1874 – May 8, 1930) was a pioneer of modern Japanese economics. Fukuda…Tokuzō Fukuda (福田 徳三 Fukuda Tokuzō; February 12, 1874 – May 8, 1930) was a pioneer of modern Japanese economics. Fukuda introduced economic theory and economic history for the Social Policy School and the Younger Historical school of economics. He graduated from the Tokyo Higher School of Commerce (today's Hitotsubashi University). After he was appointed lecturer of his alma mater, he studied in Germany, under Karl Bücher among others in the field, and he earned his doctorate from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. His thesis dealt with the social and economic development in Japan (original title: Die gesellschaftliche und wirtschaftliche Entwicklung in Japan) and was supervised by Lujo Brentano. After returning to Japan, he became professor of his alma mater and later at Keiō University. During the years known as the period of "Taishō Democracy", he joined with others to establish Reimeikai, which was a society "to propagate ideas of democracy among the people." This group was formed in order to sponsor public lectures. After World War I, he defended democracy, advanced a critique of Marxian theory, and emphasized the solution of social and labour problems by government intervention rather than revolution. He is also considered a pioneer of the contemporary welfare state. As an advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs, he also worked out policy drafts. He is closely related to the Japanese liberal movement and is considered a social-liberal or social-democrat.
Bin Ueda (上田 敏, Ueda Bin; October 30, 1874 – July 9, 1916) was a Japanese writer. Born in Tsukiji, Tokyo, he graduated…Bin Ueda (上田 敏, Ueda Bin; October 30, 1874 – July 9, 1916) was a Japanese writer. Born in Tsukiji, Tokyo, he graduated from Tokyo Imperial University. His major work is Kaichoon 海潮音 (The Sound of the Tide, 1905), a collection of translations from Western poets by Ueda himself.
Sada Yacco or Sadayakko (川上 貞奴, Kawakami Sadayakko; Japanese pronunciation: [ka.wa.ka.mʲi (|) sa.da.jaꜜk.ko], July 18…Sada Yacco or Sadayakko (川上 貞奴, Kawakami Sadayakko; Japanese pronunciation: [ka.wa.ka.mʲi (|) sa.da.jaꜜk.ko], July 18, 1871 – December 7, 1946) was a Japanese geisha, actress and dancer.
Hisaakira Hijikata (土方 久徴, Hijikata Hisaakira; October 8, 1870 – August 25, 1942) was a Japanese businessman, central…Hisaakira Hijikata (土方 久徴, Hijikata Hisaakira; October 8, 1870 – August 25, 1942) was a Japanese businessman, central banker and the 12th Governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ).
Sazanami Iwaya (巖谷 小波, Iwaya Sazanami; 4 July 1870 - 5 September 1933) was a Japanese writer, children's author, oral…Sazanami Iwaya (巖谷 小波, Iwaya Sazanami; 4 July 1870 - 5 September 1933) was a Japanese writer, children's author, oral storyteller, German literature scholar, journalist and haiku poet from the Meiji and Taishō eras. His birthname was Sueo Iwaya (巖谷季雄, Iwaya Sueo). Pseudonyms include Sazanami Sanjin (漣山人), Rakutenkyo (楽天居) and Ōe Sazanami (大江小波). He is regarded as a pioneer of Japanese children's literature who ushered the history of modern children's literature by publishing Japan's first original children's story, “Koganemaru” (Hakubunkan, 1891).
Gōtarō Mikami (三上 剛太郎, Mikami Gōtarō; 15 November 1869 – October 1964) was a Japanese medical doctor during the…Gōtarō Mikami (三上 剛太郎, Mikami Gōtarō; 15 November 1869 – October 1964) was a Japanese medical doctor during the 1904–1905 Russo-Japanese War noted for his work with the Red Cross.
Junnosuke Inoue (井上 準之助, Inoue Junnosuke; May 6, 1869 – February 9, 1932) was a Japanese financier and statesman of the…Junnosuke Inoue (井上 準之助, Inoue Junnosuke; May 6, 1869 – February 9, 1932) was a Japanese financier and statesman of the Taisho and Showa eras. He was the 9th and 11th Governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ), and Minister of Finance in 1923-1924 and 1929-1931. He was assassinated during the League of Blood Incident in 1932.
Tatsuko Miyake (三宅 竜子, Miyake Tatsuko, née Tanabe, 4 February 1868 − 18 July 1943), known by her pen name Kaho Miyake…Tatsuko Miyake (三宅 竜子, Miyake Tatsuko, née Tanabe, 4 February 1868 − 18 July 1943), known by her pen name Kaho Miyake (三宅 花圃, Miyake Kaho), was a Japanese novelist, essayist, and poet. She has long been associated with joryū bungaku ("women's literature"), acknowledged as the first woman to have written in the modern period. Her most notable work is Yabu no uguisu (藪の鶯, lit. "Warbler in the Grove"), published in 1888.
Atsushi Yasuda (安田篤 Yasuda Atsushi; September 8, 1868 – May 12, 1924) was a Japanese lichenologist. For a time, he was…Atsushi Yasuda (安田篤 Yasuda Atsushi; September 8, 1868 – May 12, 1924) was a Japanese lichenologist. For a time, he was the only lichenologist in Japan.
Kōda Shigeyuki (幸田 成行; 23 July 1867 – 30 July 1947), pen name Kōda Rohan (幸田 露伴; Japanese pronunciation: [koː.da (|)…Kōda Shigeyuki (幸田 成行; 23 July 1867 – 30 July 1947), pen name Kōda Rohan (幸田 露伴; Japanese pronunciation: [koː.da (|) ɾoꜜ.haɴ]), was a Japanese author. His daughter, Aya Kōda, was also a noted author who often wrote about him. Kōda wrote "The Icon of Liberty", also known as "The Buddha of Art" or "The Elegant Buddha", in 1889. A house in which Kōda lived, Kagyū-an (蝸牛庵; snail cottage), was rebuilt in 1972 by the Meiji Mura museum. Kōda was one of the first persons to be awarded the Order of Culture when it was established in 1937.
Natsume Sōseki (; Japanese: 夏目 漱石; born Natsume Kinnosuke (夏目 金之助); 9 February 1867 – 9 December 1916) was a Japanese…Natsume Sōseki (; Japanese: 夏目 漱石; born Natsume Kinnosuke (夏目 金之助); 9 February 1867 – 9 December 1916) was a Japanese novelist, poet, and scholar. He is considered one of the greatest writers in modern Japanese history and is often called the first modern novelist of Japan. Sōseki's fiction explored themes of individualism, loneliness, and the conflict between traditional Japanese values and the rapid Westernization of the Meiji era. His major works include I Am a Cat (1905), Botchan (1906), Sanshirō (1908), Kokoro (1914), and his unfinished final novel Light and Dark (1916). Born on the cusp of the Meiji Restoration, Sōseki had a turbulent childhood, having been given up for adoption twice. He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University and became a scholar of English literature. In 1900, he was sent by the Japanese government to study in London, where he spent two miserable years marked by poverty, racial alienation, and a severe nervous breakdown. Upon his return to Japan, he succeeded Lafcadio Hearn as a lecturer in English literature at Tokyo Imperial University. In 1905, he achieved fame with the publication of the satirical novel I Am a Cat. This success prompted him to begin a prolific writing career, and in 1907, he resigned from his university post to become a full-time author for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, a move that marked the birth of the professional artist in modern Japan. For the rest of his life, Sōseki published a novel a year while also writing poetry and literary criticism. His work is characterized by its psychological depth, its blend of humor and pessimism, and its exploration of the human ego. Throughout his adult life, he suffered from severe stomach ulcers and recurring bouts of mental illness, including paranoid delusions, which deeply affected his work and personal life. Sōseki died from complications of his stomach condition in 1916 at the age of 49, leaving his final novel, Light and Dark, unfinished. His influence on Japanese literature is profound, and he remains one of the country's most beloved and widely read authors. His portrait appeared on the 1,000-yen banknote from 1984 to 2004.
Tsuda Umeko (津田 梅子; born Tsuda Ume (津田 梅); December 31, 1864 – August 16, 1929) was a Japanese educator who founded…Tsuda Umeko (津田 梅子; born Tsuda Ume (津田 梅); December 31, 1864 – August 16, 1929) was a Japanese educator who founded Tsuda University. She was the daughter of Tsuda Sen, an agricultural scientist, and at the age of 7, she became Japan's first female exchange student, traveling to the United States on the same ship as the Iwakura Mission. Originally named Tsuda Ume, with ume referring to the Japanese plum, she went by the name Ume Tsuda while studying in the United States before changing her name to Umeko in 1902.
Baron Ijūin Hikokichi (伊集院 彦吉, Ijūin Hikokichi; 22 July 1864 – 26 April 1924) was a Japanese diplomat and politician…Baron Ijūin Hikokichi (伊集院 彦吉, Ijūin Hikokichi; 22 July 1864 – 26 April 1924) was a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as minister of foreign affairs and Japanese ambassador to the Qing dynasty.
Ishii Fudeko (born Watanabe Fude, 27 April 1861 (Bunkyu-1) – 24 January 1944 (Showa-19)) was a pioneer of modern…Ishii Fudeko (born Watanabe Fude, 27 April 1861 (Bunkyu-1) – 24 January 1944 (Showa-19)) was a pioneer of modern education for Japanese girls, and one of the first founders of welfare for people with mental disabilities in Japan.
Kintarō Hattori (服部 金太郎, November 21, 1860 – March 1, 1934) was a Japanese businessman and one of the first and most…Kintarō Hattori (服部 金太郎, November 21, 1860 – March 1, 1934) was a Japanese businessman and one of the first and most important Japanese watchmakers in history, as well as the founder of Seiko, one of the world's largest manufacturers of watches. He was a permanent council member of the Japanese Red Cross.
Ogata Gekkō (尾形月耕; 1859 – 1 October 1920) was a Japanese artist best known as a painter and a designer of ukiyo-e…Ogata Gekkō (尾形月耕; 1859 – 1 October 1920) was a Japanese artist best known as a painter and a designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints. He was self-taught in art, won numerous national and international prizes, and was one of the earliest Japanese artists to win an international audience.
Aeba Kōson (饗庭 篁村; August 15, 1855 – June 20, 1922) was a Japanese author, theater critic, and calligraphy master. His…Aeba Kōson (饗庭 篁村; August 15, 1855 – June 20, 1922) was a Japanese author, theater critic, and calligraphy master. His real name is Yosaburou Aeba (饗庭與三郎). He was also called "The Master of the Bamboo Hut" (竹の屋主人). He was born in Shitaya Ryuusenji-cho in Taitō Ward, Tokyo. Among his works is his translation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue. He is buried in Somei cemetery in Tokyo.
Baron Kikuchi Dairoku (菊池 大麓; 17 March 1855 – 19 August 1917) was a Japanese mathematician, educator, and education…Baron Kikuchi Dairoku (菊池 大麓; 17 March 1855 – 19 August 1917) was a Japanese mathematician, educator, and education administrator during the Meiji era. After earning degrees in mathematics and physics from St John's College at the University of Cambridge, he became one of the first Japanese professors of mathematics at the University of Tokyo. Later in his life, he served as president of the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Gakushuin, and the Riken Institute.
Baron Ishimoto Shinroku (石本 新六; 20 January 1854 – 2 April 1912) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and…Baron Ishimoto Shinroku (石本 新六; 20 January 1854 – 2 April 1912) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and Minister of War under the Second Saionji Cabinet from 1911 to 1912.
Clara Matsuno (松野 クララ, Matsuno Kurara; 2 August 1853 – 1931), born Clara Louise Zitelmann, was a German-born educator…Clara Matsuno (松野 クララ, Matsuno Kurara; 2 August 1853 – 1931), born Clara Louise Zitelmann, was a German-born educator, a pioneer in the kindergarten movement in Japan.
Sone Tatsuzō (曽禰 達蔵; January 3, 1853—December 6, 1937) was a Japanese architect noted for his use of western…Sone Tatsuzō (曽禰 達蔵; January 3, 1853—December 6, 1937) was a Japanese architect noted for his use of western architectural styles in the later Meiji period. One of the famous disciples of Josiah Conder.
Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林 清親; 10 September 1847 – 28 November 1915) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, best known for his…Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林 清親; 10 September 1847 – 28 November 1915) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, best known for his colour woodblock prints and newspaper illustrations. His work documents the rapid modernization and Westernization Japan underwent during the Meiji period (1868–1912) and employs a sense of light and shade called kōsen-ga inspired by Western art techniques. His work first found an audience in the 1870s with prints of red-brick buildings and trains that had proliferated after the Meiji Restoration; his prints of the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894–95 were also popular. Woodblock printing fell out of favour during this period, and many collectors consider Kobayashi's work the last significant example of ukiyo-e.
Onoe Kikugorō V (五代目 尾上菊五郎, Godaime Onoe Kikugorō; 4 June 1844 – 18 February 1903) was a Japanese Kabuki actor, one of…Onoe Kikugorō V (五代目 尾上菊五郎, Godaime Onoe Kikugorō; 4 June 1844 – 18 February 1903) was a Japanese Kabuki actor, one of the three most famous and celebrated of the Meiji period, along with Ichikawa Danjūrō IX and Ichikawa Sadanji I. Unlike most kabuki actors, who specialize in a particular type of role, Kikugorō, as a kaneru yakusha, played both tachiyaku (male heroes) and onnagata (women) roles and was best known for his roles in plays by Kawatake Mokuami. Kikugorō was also known as one of the chief actors in the "modern" subgenre of kabuki plays known as zangirimono ("cropped hair plays"), featuring Western-style clothes and hairstyle. Kikugorō was a popular figure in ukiyo-e woodblock prints, especially in those by Toyohara Kunichika. He was also featured on Japanese postage stamps, and performed in one of the first motion pictures ever made in Japan, Momijigari, as Taira no Koremochi. The "Ten Old and New Plays" (新古演劇十種, shinko engeki jisshu) associated with the Onoe family were chosen by Kikugorō V and his son Onoe Kikugorō VI, and include many of the plays for which Kikugorō V was himself most famous.
Tani Tateki (谷 干城; 18 March 1837 – 13 May 1911) was a statesman and lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army in…Tani Tateki (谷 干城; 18 March 1837 – 13 May 1911) was a statesman and lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army in Meiji period Japan. He was also known as Tani Kanjō.
Takayoshi Sekiguchi (1836-1889) was a Japanese policeman and politician in the Edo Period and the first Governor of the…Takayoshi Sekiguchi (1836-1889) was a Japanese policeman and politician in the Edo Period and the first Governor of the Shizuoka Prefecture. He was one of the founders of Shizuoka Girls' School.
Kondō Isami (近藤 勇; November 9, 1834 – May 17, 1868) was a Japanese swordsman and samurai of the late Edo period. He was…Kondō Isami (近藤 勇; November 9, 1834 – May 17, 1868) was a Japanese swordsman and samurai of the late Edo period. He was the fourth generation master of Tennen Rishin-ryū and was famed for his role as commander of the Shinsengumi.
Kanagaki Robun (仮名垣 魯文) was the pen name of Nozaki Bunzō (野崎 文蔵) (9 February 1829 – 8 November 1894), a Japanese author…Kanagaki Robun (仮名垣 魯文) was the pen name of Nozaki Bunzō (野崎 文蔵) (9 February 1829 – 8 November 1894), a Japanese author and journalist.
Oguri Kozukenosuke (Oguri Tadamasa, 16 July 1827 – 27 May 1868) was a statesman of the Tokugawa government in the last…Oguri Kozukenosuke (Oguri Tadamasa, 16 July 1827 – 27 May 1868) was a statesman of the Tokugawa government in the last stage of the Edo period, and he is often regarded as a rival of Katsu Kaishu. At the time when the power of the Tokugawa government was diminishing, he took the posts of finance magistrate twice, and that of the foreign magistrate once. Also, he decided to construct the first arsenal in Japan (Yokosuka arsenal), and this decision contributed to the Meiji Restoration.
Kawatake Mokuami (河竹 黙阿弥; Japanese pronunciation: [ka.wa(ꜜ).ta.ke (|) mo.kɯ.a.mʲi, ka.wa.ta.ke mo.kɯꜜ.a.mʲi], 1 March…Kawatake Mokuami (河竹 黙阿弥; Japanese pronunciation: [ka.wa(ꜜ).ta.ke (|) mo.kɯ.a.mʲi, ka.wa.ta.ke mo.kɯꜜ.a.mʲi], 1 March 1816 – 22 January 1893), born Yoshimura Yoshisaburō (吉村 芳三郎) was a Japanese dramatist of Kabuki. It has been said that "as a writer of plays of Kabuki origin, he was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Japan has ever known". He wrote 150 or so plays over the course of his 58-year career, covering a wide variety of themes, styles, and forms, including short dance pieces, period plays (jidaimono), contemporary genre pieces (sewamono), tragedies and comedies, as well as adaptations of foreign (Western) stories, though he is perhaps most famous for his shiranamimono, plays featuring sympathetic or tragic rogues and thieves. For the greater part of his career he wrote under the professional name Kawatake Shinshichi, only taking the name Mokuami on his retirement from the stage in 1881.
