Nobuo Matsunaga (松永 信夫, Matsunaga Nobuo; December 6, 1921 – September 25, 2007) was a Japanese footballer and manager.…Nobuo Matsunaga (松永 信夫, Matsunaga Nobuo; December 6, 1921 – September 25, 2007) was a Japanese footballer and manager. He played for the Japan national team. His brother Akira Matsunaga and Seki Matsunaga also played for Japan national team.
Masao Sasakibara (佐々木原 正夫, Sasakibara Masao; 1921–2005) was an ace fighter pilot in the Imperial Japanese Navy during…Masao Sasakibara (佐々木原 正夫, Sasakibara Masao; 1921–2005) was an ace fighter pilot in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Participating in many of the Pacific War battles and campaigns as a member of several units, Sasakibara was officially credited with destroying 12 enemy aircraft. He was seriously injured while supporting the Ke operation during the Guadalcanal Campaign, but survived after a lengthy stay in the hospital. He returned to Japan in June 1945 and survived the war.
Kihachiro Ueda (上田毅八郎) was a Japanese painter. His primary subject matter is Japanese ships. During the Second World…Kihachiro Ueda (上田毅八郎) was a Japanese painter. His primary subject matter is Japanese ships. During the Second World War, Ueda was an anti-aircraft gunner assigned to several merchant ships. He served on about 28 merchant ships, and 6 of those were attacked and destroyed while he was aboard. During his spare time, he would draw ships. On 13 November 1944, while assigned to Kinka Maru, he was severely injured during a U.S. air raid on Manila Bay. He lost the use of his right hand, but subsequently was able to draw and paint with his left hand. His painting of the Ōryoku Maru (sunk 15 December 1944) is part of the Hell Ship Memorial Project's display at the Subic Bay Historical Center, Philippines. Ueda started working with the model company Tamiya Corporation in the early 1960s. Ueda illustrated most of the package artwork for Tamiya's Waterline Series (which consists of about 150 models). Ueda died on 26 June 2016.
Shōji Ōtake (大竹 省二, Ōtake Shōji; 15 May 1920 - 2 July 2015) was a Japanese photographer famous for portraits and nudes.…Shōji Ōtake (大竹 省二, Ōtake Shōji; 15 May 1920 - 2 July 2015) was a Japanese photographer famous for portraits and nudes. Ōtake was born in Yokosuka (which later became Ōsuka, then Kakegawa), Shizuoka on 15 May 1920, the oldest son of a father who worked in the sake industry and a mother who performed on the koto and (transverse) flute. The boy's mother died when he was six, and he moved to the house of his father's elder sister, his younger brother moved to another house, both in Yokosuka, while his father tried and failed in the transportation industry and quickly moved to Tokyo. A year later, the boy moved to the house of a rich family, still in Yokosuka. He started at school, quickly showing an aptitude for drawing, gaining a special mention in a national contest. Shōji moved to Tokyo with his father in 1928, living in Nippori with his father's new wife. He became a keen photographer when very young. Ōtake joined the army, but was able to work as a photographer. In 1947 he managed to attach himself to GHQ, for which he photographed singers and actresses at the Ernie Pyle Theatre. From 1949 he became involved in a succession of photographic organizations, as he continued work as a photojournalist. Starting in 1951, he spent five years photographing classical and other musicians from around the world during their stays in Japan; these photographs were published in Asahi Camera and in 1955 were collected in the highly praised book World Musicians. He was also publishing nude photographs in the magazines Camera and Photo Art. From the 1950s through the 1970s, Ōtake moved to become the top photographer of women in Japan. For five years from 1971, Ōtake photographed housewives and "OL" nude (sometimes together with their babies or small children, also nude) on Nippon Television; this work too was later collected into books. By the 1980s, Ōtake's fame and commercial success as a portraitist and photographer of nudes had eclipsed his earlier and very different work. Republication within the volume dedicated to him of the series "Shōwa Shashin Zenshigoto" (1982), and the publication the following year of Haruka naru uta, brought it great acclaim. Besides photography, Ōtake has also worked as television screenwriter and an essayist. As a photographer, he remained active into his late 80s. Among the photographers who have trained under Ōtake are Mineko Orisaku and Sanae Numata.
Shunpei Uto (鵜藤 俊平, Utō Shunpei; born 1 December 1918, date of death unknown) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer who won…Shunpei Uto (鵜藤 俊平, Utō Shunpei; born 1 December 1918, date of death unknown) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer who won two medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Mutsuo Sugimura (杉浦 睦夫, Sugiura Mutsuo; March 13, 1918 – August 26, 1986) was a Japanese engineer famous for being the…Mutsuo Sugimura (杉浦 睦夫, Sugiura Mutsuo; March 13, 1918 – August 26, 1986) was a Japanese engineer famous for being the first to develop a Gastro-camera (a present-day Esophagogastroduodenoscope). His story was illustrated in the NHK TV documentary feature, "Project X: Challengers: The Development of a Gastro-camera Wholly Made in Japan". Sugiura graduated from Tokyo Polytechnic University in 1938 and then joined Olympus Corporation. While working at this company, he first developed an Esophagogastroduodenoscope in 1950. He died in 1986 at the age of 68.
Noboru Terada (寺田 登, Terada Noboru; November 25, 1917 – September 26, 1986) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer. At the…Noboru Terada (寺田 登, Terada Noboru; November 25, 1917 – September 26, 1986) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer. At the 1936 Olympics he won the gold medal in the 1500 m event with a margin of 10 seconds. In 1994 he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Chujiro Endo (遠藤 忠二郎, Endō Chūjirō; born September 20, 1917, date of death unknown) was a professional baseball player.…Chujiro Endo (遠藤 忠二郎, Endō Chūjirō; born September 20, 1917, date of death unknown) was a professional baseball player. He played pitcher, first base and outfield for the Dai Tokyo, Nagoya Baseball Club, and Tokyo Senators baseball teams from 1936 to 1939. He attended Waseda University. He died in combat during military service in World War II, place and date of death unknown.
Kinsaku Nakane (1917 – 1 March 1995) was a landscape garden designer, builder, restorer, and professor. He was the…Kinsaku Nakane (1917 – 1 March 1995) was a landscape garden designer, builder, restorer, and professor. He was the president of the Nakane Garden Research Institute and president of the Osaka University of Fine Arts. Nakane studied city planning in college and became interested landscape architecture on a vacation trip in Kyoto, Japan. There he learned about Japanese architecture and landscape architecture, professions he was not familiar with before his trip. He visited structures such as the Silver Pavilion, Ryoan-ji Temple, and the Katsura and Shugakuin detached palaces. He inspired by what he saw in Kyoto, and consequently turned down a position in the Tokyo Metropolitan City Planning Department after graduation to better understand what he saw in Kyoto. Nakane returned to Kyoto where he lived the rest of his life. He had a son, Shiro Nakane, who also made contributions to landscape architecture. Shiro Nakane took over as president of Nakane and Associates, a garden research center and landscape consultancy that was founded by Nakane in 1966. Nakane, by the end of his career, had projects in multiple countries, not just in Kyoto, Japan. Nakane died from a heart attack in Kyoto, Japan on 1 March 1995; he was 77 years old.
Shigeo Sugiura (杉浦 重雄, Sugiura Shigeo; 10 May 1917 – 10 April 1988) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer. At the 1936…Shigeo Sugiura (杉浦 重雄, Sugiura Shigeo; 10 May 1917 – 10 April 1988) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer. At the 1936 Olympics he won a gold medal in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, setting a new world record.
Shogo Kamo (加茂 正五, Kamo Shōgo; December 12, 1915 – September 14, 1977) was a Japanese football player. He played for…Shogo Kamo (加茂 正五, Kamo Shōgo; December 12, 1915 – September 14, 1977) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. His brother Takeshi Kamo also played for Japan national team.
Yasuji Miyazaki (宮崎 康二, Miyazaki Yasuji) (October 15, 1916 – December 30, 1989) was a Japanese swimmer who competed at…Yasuji Miyazaki (宮崎 康二, Miyazaki Yasuji) (October 15, 1916 – December 30, 1989) was a Japanese swimmer who competed at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Miyazaki was born in Kosai, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He was selected for the Japanese Olympic team for the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics at the age of 15, and was one of the youngest members. In the semi-finals of the 100 m freestyle event, he surpassed the Olympic record previously set by American champion Johnny Weissmuller with a time of 58.2 seconds, and won the gold medal. The following day, as part of the team competing in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay event, he won a second gold medal, with the team setting a new world record of 8 minutes 58.4 seconds. After his return to Japan, he entered Keio University and retired from competitive sports.
Shigeo Arai (新井 茂雄, Arai Shigeo; August 8, 1916 – July 19, 1944) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer who competed at the…Shigeo Arai (新井 茂雄, Arai Shigeo; August 8, 1916 – July 19, 1944) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer who competed at the 1936 Olympics. He won a gold medal in 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, setting a world record. In the individual 100 m race, he finished almost simultaneously with Masanori Yusa and Masaharu Taguchi and was awarded a bronze medal. Those Games were the only international competition for Arai, though he won three national titles in the 100 m and four in the 200 m freestyle between 1937 and 1940. While serving in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, he was killed in action in Burma.
Ryoei Saito (齊藤 了英, Saitō Ryōei; April 17, 1916 – March 30, 1996) was the honorary chairman of Daishowa Paper…Ryoei Saito (齊藤 了英, Saitō Ryōei; April 17, 1916 – March 30, 1996) was the honorary chairman of Daishowa Paper Manufacturing in Japan. He was noted for his purchase of expensive art. Specifically, at consecutive auctions by Christie's and Sotheby's in New York in mid May 1990, Saito bought Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet and a second, smaller version of Renoir's Bal du moulin de la Galette for $82.5 and $78.1 million, respectively. At the time, these were the two most expensive paintings sold, either at auction or through private sales. Taking inflation in account, they remained the two most expensive paintings until the private sale of Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I in June 2006. It took 25 years before Saito's public auction price was broken, through the sale of Picasso's Les Femmes d'Alger ("Version O") at Christie's, New York, in May 2015. Saito died of a stroke six years after his acquisitions. Three years later, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, after failing to locate the Van Gogh for an exhibition, expressed concern that both paintings may have been cremated with the owner, since Saito had mentioned in the early 1990s, after having to pay $24 million in taxes for them, that it would be better to do so, in order to avoid colossal death duties for his children. Only in 2007 did it became publicly known that the painting had been sold in 1997 or 1998 to the Austrian-born investment fund manager Wolfgang Flöttl.
Reizo Koike (小池 禮三, Koike Reizō; December 12, 1915 – August 3, 1998) was a Japanese swimmer who specialized in the 200…Reizo Koike (小池 禮三, Koike Reizō; December 12, 1915 – August 3, 1998) was a Japanese swimmer who specialized in the 200 m breaststroke.
Saburo Ito (Japanese: 伊藤 三郎, Itō Saburō, 18 July 1915 – 19 January 1978) was a Japanese breaststroke swimmer who…Saburo Ito (Japanese: 伊藤 三郎, Itō Saburō, 18 July 1915 – 19 January 1978) was a Japanese breaststroke swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. In 1936 he finished fifth in the 200 metre breaststroke event. In 1938, he graduated from Meiji University and he started working at Showa Steel Works. In 1941, he participated in the Battle of Hong Kong as a member of the Japanese 23rd Army . On 22 December 1941, he was reported to have suffered from a wound during battle. He served as the director of the swimming department at Meiji University, and he was a director at the Japan Swimming Federation and the Vice President of the Saitama Swimming Federation. He died of bladder cancer on 19 January 1978.
Shozo Makino (牧野 正蔵, Makino Shōzō; May 15, 1915 – February 12, 1987) was a Japanese Olympic swimmer. He won a silver…Shozo Makino (牧野 正蔵, Makino Shōzō; May 15, 1915 – February 12, 1987) was a Japanese Olympic swimmer. He won a silver medal for the Men's 1500 meter freestyle event in the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and a bronze medal for the Men's 400 meter freestyle event in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Makino was born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and was a graduate of Waseda University. On August 30, 1931, while still a middle school student, he set a new world record for the Men's 800-meter freestyle with a time of 10 minutes 16.6 seconds.
Akira Matsunaga (松永 行, Matsunaga Akira; 21 September 1914 – 20 January 1943) was a Japanese footballer. He played for…Akira Matsunaga (松永 行, Matsunaga Akira; 21 September 1914 – 20 January 1943) was a Japanese footballer. He played for the Japan national team. His brother Nobuo Matsunaga and Seki Matsunaga also played for the Japan national team.
Tadao Horie (堀江 忠男, Horie Tadao; September 13, 1913 – March 29, 2003) was a Japanese football player. He played for…Tadao Horie (堀江 忠男, Horie Tadao; September 13, 1913 – March 29, 2003) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Keisuke Kinoshita (木下 惠介, Kinoshita Keisuke; December 5, 1912 – December 30, 1998) was a Japanese film director and…Keisuke Kinoshita (木下 惠介, Kinoshita Keisuke; December 5, 1912 – December 30, 1998) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. While lesser-known internationally than contemporaries such as Akira Kurosawa, Kenji Mizoguchi and Yasujirō Ozu, he was a household figure in his home country, beloved by both critics and audiences from the 1940s to the 1960s. Kinoshita's films were marked by a sense of sentimentality, purity, and beauty, and often featured experimentation in both technique and subject matter. Kinoshita entered the film industry in 1933 as a film processor. He moved on to the position of camera assistant, then assistant director. In 1943, Kinoshita was promoted to director and released his first film, Port of Flowers. A prolific filmmaker, Kinoshita directed 43 films in the first 23 years of his career, and then five more after a stint in television production. Among his best known films are Carmen Comes Home (1951), A Japanese Tragedy (1953), Twenty-Four Eyes (1954), She Was Like a Wild Chrysanthemum (1955) and The Ballad of Narayama (1958).
Hatsu Ando (Japanese: 安藤はつ, 20 January 1912 – 4 December 1985) was a Japanese politician. She was one of the first…Hatsu Ando (Japanese: 安藤はつ, 20 January 1912 – 4 December 1985) was a Japanese politician. She was one of the first group of women elected to the House of Representatives in 1946.
Itaro Nakajima (13 March 1911 – 1993) was a Japanese sprinter. He competed in the men's 200 metres, the men's 4 x 100…Itaro Nakajima (13 March 1911 – 1993) was a Japanese sprinter. He competed in the men's 200 metres, the men's 4 x 100 meters relay, and the men's 4 x 400 meters relay events at the 1932 Summer Olympics events at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Tameo Ide (井出 多米夫, Ide Tameo; November 27, 1908 – August 17, 1998) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Tameo Ide (井出 多米夫, Ide Tameo; November 27, 1908 – August 17, 1998) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Fuku Akino (秋野 不矩, Akino Fuku; July 25, 1908 - October 11, 2001) was a Japanese painter. She was born in Futamata…Fuku Akino (秋野 不矩, Akino Fuku; July 25, 1908 - October 11, 2001) was a Japanese painter. She was born in Futamata, Iwata-gun, Shizuoka Prefecture (currently, Nimata Town, Tenryu Ward, Hamamatsu City). She became known by her paintings of Indian themes, landscapes and peoples.
Kazuo Noda (野田 一雄, Noda Kazuo; 30 June 1908 – 31 March 1995) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1924…Kazuo Noda (野田 一雄, Noda Kazuo; 30 June 1908 – 31 March 1995) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics and in the 1928 Summer Olympics. He was born in Shizuoka. In 1924 he was eliminated in the first round of the 400 metre freestyle event as well as of the 1500 metre freestyle competition. He was also a member of the Japanese relay team which finished fourth in the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay event. Four years later he helped the Japanese relay team to qualify for the final of the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay competition when he swam in the semi-final. His compatriots won the silver medal, but Noda did not swim in the final and was not awarded with a medal.
Seiichi Katsumata (勝間田 清一, Katsumata Seiichi; 11 February 1908 – 14 December 1989) was a Japanese politician who…Seiichi Katsumata (勝間田 清一, Katsumata Seiichi; 11 February 1908 – 14 December 1989) was a Japanese politician who briefly served as the chairman of the Japan Socialist Party from 1967 until 1968. He also served in a few other positions, such as chairman of policy deliberation, Diet Committee chairman, House of Representatives vice-chairman. He was also known to be a spy for the Soviet Union.
Shizuo Fujieda (藤枝 静男, Fujieda Shizuo; December 20, 1907 - April 16, 1993) was a Japanese writer. Shizuo Fujieda's…Shizuo Fujieda (藤枝 静男, Fujieda Shizuo; December 20, 1907 - April 16, 1993) was a Japanese writer. Shizuo Fujieda's first profession was of an ophthalmologist. For many years before becoming a full-time author he wrote only when he was free from his work as an ophthalmologist. Fujieda's literary career began rather late. He was already 39 when his first short story was published in a literary magazine. Fujieda knew Shūgo Honda and Ken Hirano, two literary critics, from his school days. It was that duo who gave him his pen name. Naoya Shiga, one of the best known writers of the time, was an inspiration to Fujieda. When Fujieda was 20 he had met the famous writer. After several years of stagnation as a writer, Fujieda finally established himself as a writer of the autobiographical "I-novel." He rose steadily to prominence in this genre. The effort to explore the self is evident in Fujieda's works. This deep exploratory prose is the hallmark of Fujieda's. There are also significant portions in his stories that bear a strong resemblance to reality, to his life. In the story Kuki atama (Head of Air), the protagonist is, like Fujieda once was, an ophthalmologist. His stories also deal with subjects such as relations between father and son and between siblings but in unusual settings. In his story Ikka danran (Happy Family Circle), the protagonist falls through into a grave and is met by his father and five siblings.
Zuigaku Rempo Niwa Zenji (1905–1993) was a Japanese Zen master. He was born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. His father…Zuigaku Rempo Niwa Zenji (1905–1993) was a Japanese Zen master. He was born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. His father was a schoolmaster and his mother was a farmer. After graduating from Tokyo University, he became the head official in Tokei-in and later studied at Antai-ji. At the age of 50, Niwa became the 77th abbot of the Eihei-ji monastery. He also received the imperial title of Jikô Enkai Zenji (“Great Zen Master of Compassion, Ocean of Plenitude”). An avid practitioner of zazen, he rebuilt the zendo (meditation hall) so that the young people in training could better engage in this essential practice. His dharma heirs include Gudō Wafu Nishijima and Moriyama Daigyo as well as several teachers affiliated with the Taisen Deshimaru Lineage in Europe. Zenji (literally, "Zen Master") is an honorary title given to the senior Eihei temple (Eihei-ji), headquarters of the Sōtō school, founded in the thirteenth century by Master Dogen. Outside of Zen, he created brush calligraphy. His work was often credited to various pseudonyms. Niwa died in 1993.
Kikuko Kawakami (川上 喜久子, Kawakami Kikuko; 9 February 1904 – 26 October 1985) was a Japanese writer active during the…Kikuko Kawakami (川上 喜久子, Kawakami Kikuko; 9 February 1904 – 26 October 1985) was a Japanese writer active during the Shōwa period of Japan. Her maiden name was Shinoda Kikuko.
Masauji Hachisuka (蜂須賀 正氏, Hachisuka Masauji; February 15, 1903 Tokyo – May 14, 1953 Atami), 18th Marquess Hachisuka…Masauji Hachisuka (蜂須賀 正氏, Hachisuka Masauji; February 15, 1903 Tokyo – May 14, 1953 Atami), 18th Marquess Hachisuka, was a Japanese nobleman, ornithologist and aviculturist.
Kumeko Urabe (Japanese: 浦辺 粂子, romanized: Urabe Kumeko), born Kimura Kume (木村 くめ, Kimura Kume), (October 5, 1902 –…Kumeko Urabe (Japanese: 浦辺 粂子, romanized: Urabe Kumeko), born Kimura Kume (木村 くめ, Kimura Kume), (October 5, 1902 – October 26, 1989) was a Japanese movie actress, one of the first in the country. She worked on stage and in film and television. Urabe was born in a rural part of Shizuoka Prefecture. She lived in several homes while growing up, as she relocated with her father, a Buddhist priest, among the temples to which he was assigned. Urabe completed her education in Numazu, and left school in 1919 to join a theatre company, touring under various stage names as an actor and dancer. In 1923, Urabe auditioned at the film studio Nikkatsu, and adopted the name Kumeko Urabe, by which she was known for the rest of her life. She appeared in her first film the following year, and continued to act until 1987. She worked with such directors as Kenji Mizoguchi and Mikio Naruse, and performed in over 320 films, including Ikiru, Older Brother, Younger Sister, Portrait of Madame Yuki, She Was Like a Wild Chrysanthemum, and Street of Shame. She also starred in television dramas, including thirteen episodes of Toshiba Sunday Theatre between 1958 and 1980. In the following decade, she carved a niche as a Grandma idol, until her death in 1989.
Junyu Kitayama (北山 淳友, Kitayama Junyu) (January 29, 1902 – January 19, 1962) was a Japanese Buddhist philosopher…Junyu Kitayama (北山 淳友, Kitayama Junyu) (January 29, 1902 – January 19, 1962) was a Japanese Buddhist philosopher, metaphysical humanist, writer, religious scholar, translator, and university teacher. He was director of the Japan Institute Berlin and also a judo teacher.
Kaijin Akashi (Japanese: 明石 海人) was the pen name of Shōtarō Noda (野田勝太郎, 5 July 1901 – 9 June 1939), a Japanese poet…Kaijin Akashi (Japanese: 明石 海人) was the pen name of Shōtarō Noda (野田勝太郎, 5 July 1901 – 9 June 1939), a Japanese poet whose writing was inspired by his diagnosis of leprosy and confinement to a leper colony.
Masaji Tabata (Japanese: 田畑政治) (December 1, 1898 – August 25, 1984) was a Japanese educator, journalist, and swimming…Masaji Tabata (Japanese: 田畑政治) (December 1, 1898 – August 25, 1984) was a Japanese educator, journalist, and swimming coach. He was a key figure in Tokyo's successful bid to host the 1964 Summer Olympics. He served as the president of the Japanese Olympic Committee from 1973 to 1977.
Chiyo Sakakibara (Japanese: 榊原千代; 15 July 1898 – 28 April 1987) was a Japanese journalist, educator and politician. She…Chiyo Sakakibara (Japanese: 榊原千代; 15 July 1898 – 28 April 1987) was a Japanese journalist, educator and politician. She was one of the first group of women elected to the House of Representatives in 1946. In 1948 she was appointed Deputy Secretary of Justice, also becoming the first woman appointed to a cabinet post.
Masayoshi Uchida (内田 正練, Uchida Masayoshi; 7 January 1898 – 14 February 1945) was a Japanese swimmer. He competed in…Masayoshi Uchida (内田 正練, Uchida Masayoshi; 7 January 1898 – 14 February 1945) was a Japanese swimmer. He competed in two swimming events and the diving at the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was killed in action during World War II.
Suzuki Keiji (鈴木敬司, Keiji Suzuki; February 6, 1897 – September 20, 1967) was a Japanese army intelligence officer…Suzuki Keiji (鈴木敬司, Keiji Suzuki; February 6, 1897 – September 20, 1967) was a Japanese army intelligence officer during the Second World War. Operating primarily in Burma, he helped form the Burma Independence Army and was an advocate for Burmese independence, described as a "Japanese Lawrence of Arabia". The Burmese refererred to him by the nom de guerre Bo Mogyo, meaning "Thunderbolt Commander".
Ko Matsubara (松原后, Matsubara Ko; born 30 August 1996 in Hamamatsu) is a Japanese footballer who plays for J.League club…Ko Matsubara (松原后, Matsubara Ko; born 30 August 1996 in Hamamatsu) is a Japanese footballer who plays for J.League club Júbilo Iwata.
Ikuro Takahashi (高橋 郁郎, Takahashi Ikurō; 1892–1981) was a Japanese botanist, specializing in citrus, who was hailed as…Ikuro Takahashi (高橋 郁郎, Takahashi Ikurō; 1892–1981) was a Japanese botanist, specializing in citrus, who was hailed as the "father of citrus" especially in his native Shizuoka Prefecture. After graduating from the prefectural nōgakko (ja) or "agricultural college," he enrolled in the apprenticeship/internship system established by the then-Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce, and learned his skills at the local state-run agricultural experiment station under the Horticultural Department. After a stint in Kumamoto Prefecture, he returned to the old department which was being reorganized as the ministerial Horticultural Experiment Station, where he served as horticultural engineer (1921). Later he served his home prefecture, and was appointed the first head of the Shizuoka Prefectural Citrus Experiment Station, which was his own brainchild (1940). His chief work includes Kankitsu ("Citrus"), which went through some five revisions. He was the long-time chief writer and editor of Kajitsu Nippon, a journal of fruit agriculture. He published the scientific name Citrus sulcata hort. ex. Ik.Takah. (or I.Takah.) for a type of citrus known as sanbokan.
Kuichirō Totsuka (戸塚 九一郎, Totsuka Kuichirō; 27 March 1891 – 13 October 1973) was a Japanese bureaucrat and politician.…Kuichirō Totsuka (戸塚 九一郎, Totsuka Kuichirō; 27 March 1891 – 13 October 1973) was a Japanese bureaucrat and politician. A career official of the Home Ministry, he served as governor of Tokushima Prefecture, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, and Fukuoka Prefecture, as the 25th Director-General of the Hokkaidō Agency, and after the war as a member of the House of Representatives, Minister of Labour, Minister of Construction, and Director-General of the Hokkaido Development Agency.
Sōgen Asahina (朝比奈宗源, Asahina Sōgen; January 9, 1891 – August 25, 1979) was an influential Japanese Rinzai zen master…Sōgen Asahina (朝比奈宗源, Asahina Sōgen; January 9, 1891 – August 25, 1979) was an influential Japanese Rinzai zen master and founder of Nippon wo Mamoru kai. He was also a prolific writer and a calligrapher. Born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Asahina graduated from Nihon University. He studied at Myōshin-ji in Kyoto and at Engaku-ji in Kamakura. He rose to become the head (kanchō (管長)) of the Engaku-ji branch of Rinzai Zen. Also, he was a professor at Komazawa University. Asahina's works include Zen (bilingual, English and Japanese; 1954), Nippon no Zen (1959) and commentaries on the Hekiganroku and Rinzairoku. Asahina was also an accomplished calligrapher. Television shows, including Mito Kōmon and Ōoka Echizen, featured his writing in their title screens. His writing can also be seen in the memorial to Gichin Funakoshi at Engaku-ji.
Gakuryō Nakamura (中村岳陵, Nakamura Gakuryō) (1890–1969) was a Japanese Nihonga painter and designer. He received a…Gakuryō Nakamura (中村岳陵, Nakamura Gakuryō) (1890–1969) was a Japanese Nihonga painter and designer. He received a commission to decorate the Hōmei-den state banquet hall of the Tokyo Imperial Palace. He designed the tapestry works for the decorations of the wall called “Toyohata-gumo (A Pretty Bank of Clouds)”. He was also commissioned to decorate the Ume-no-Ma audience room, a hall that has an area of 152 square meters or 46 tsubo. His “Kouhaku-bai” drawing is at the centre of the wall.
Mokutarō Kinoshita (木下 杢太郎, Kinoshita Mokutarō; August 1, 1885 – October 15, 1945) was the pen-name of a Japanese…Mokutarō Kinoshita (木下 杢太郎, Kinoshita Mokutarō; August 1, 1885 – October 15, 1945) was the pen-name of a Japanese author, dramaturge, poet, art historian and literary critic, as well as a licensed doctor specializing in dermatology during Taishō and early Shōwa period Japan. His other pen names included Hori Kason (堀花村), Chika Isshakusei (地下一尺生), Sōnan (葱南) and others. As professor of dermatology and a noted leprosy researcher, he served at four universities (South Manchuria Medical College, Aichi Medical College, Tohoku Imperial University, Tokyo Imperial University).
Akira Aoyama (Japanese: 青山士, September 23, 1878 - March 21, 1963) was a Japanese civil engineer who led the projects of…Akira Aoyama (Japanese: 青山士, September 23, 1878 - March 21, 1963) was a Japanese civil engineer who led the projects of the drainage canals of the Arakawa River, Tokyo, and the Shinano River, Niigata Prefecture. He also worked as one of the leaders of the land surveyor teams during the construction of the Panama Canal.
Yoshioka Yayoi (吉岡 彌生; April 29, 1871 – May 22, 1959) was a Japanese physician, educator, and women's rights activist.…Yoshioka Yayoi (吉岡 彌生; April 29, 1871 – May 22, 1959) was a Japanese physician, educator, and women's rights activist. She founded the Tokyo Women's Medical University in 1900, as the first medical school for women in Japan. She was also known as Washiyama Yayoi.
Motojirō Ozaki (尾崎 元次郎, Ozaki Motojirō; 5 October 1870 – 9 January 1945) was a Japanese politician and businessman…Motojirō Ozaki (尾崎 元次郎, Ozaki Motojirō; 5 October 1870 – 9 January 1945) was a Japanese politician and businessman, member of the House of Representatives and of the House of Peers.
Sakichi Toyoda (豊田 佐吉, Toyoda Sakichi; 19 March 1867 – 30 October 1930) was a Japanese inventor and industrialist who…Sakichi Toyoda (豊田 佐吉, Toyoda Sakichi; 19 March 1867 – 30 October 1930) was a Japanese inventor and industrialist who founded Toyoda Automatic Loom Works (later Toyota Industries). The son of a farmer and sought-after carpenter, he started the Toyoda family companies. His son, Kiichiro Toyoda, would later establish Japan's largest automaker, Toyota. Toyoda is referred to as the "King of Japanese Inventors".
Shin'ichi Kasai (笠井 信一, Kasai Shin'ichi; 22 July 1864 – 25 July 1929) was a Japanese bureaucrat in the Home Ministry…Shin'ichi Kasai (笠井 信一, Kasai Shin'ichi; 22 July 1864 – 25 July 1929) was a Japanese bureaucrat in the Home Ministry and politician who served as governor of Iwate Prefecture (from 1907 to 1913), Shizuoka Prefecture (1913–1914), and Okayama Prefecture (1914–1919), before becoming Director-General of the Hokkaidō Agency from April 1919 to May 1921. He was then appointed to the House of Peers.
Shimooka Renjō (下岡 蓮杖; March 24, 1823 – March 3, 1914) was a Japanese photographer and was one of the first…Shimooka Renjō (下岡 蓮杖; March 24, 1823 – March 3, 1914) was a Japanese photographer and was one of the first professional photographers in Japan. He opened the first commercial photography studio in Yokohama, and in Japan he is widely considered the father of Japanese photography.
Lady Saigō (西郷局 or 西郷の局 Saigō no Tsubone; 1552 – 1 July 1589), also known as Oai, was one of the concubines of Tokugawa…Lady Saigō (西郷局 or 西郷の局 Saigō no Tsubone; 1552 – 1 July 1589), also known as Oai, was one of the concubines of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the samurai lord who unified Japan at the end of the sixteenth century and then ruled as shōgun. She was also the mother of the second Tokugawa shōgun, Tokugawa Hidetada. Her contributions were considered so significant that she was posthumously inducted to the Senior First Rank of the Imperial Court, the highest honor that could be conferred by the Emperor of Japan. During their relationship, Lady Saigō influenced Ieyasu's philosophies, choice of allies, and policies as he rose to power during the late Sengoku period, and she thus had an indirect effect on the organization and composition of the Tokugawa shogunate. Although less is known of her than some other figures of the era, she is generally regarded as the "power behind the throne", and her life has been compared to a "Cinderella story" of feudal Japan. Once she was in a respected and secure position as the official concubine and mother to Ieyasu's heir, Lady Saigō used her influence and wealth for charitable purposes. A devout Buddhist, she donated money to temples in Suruga Province, where she resided as the consort of Ieyasu, first in Hamamatsu Castle and later in Sunpu Castle. As she was quite near-sighted, she also established a charitable organization that assisted visually impaired women with no other means of support. Lady Saigō died at a fairly young age, under somewhat mysterious circumstances. Although murder was suspected, no culprit was identified. Lady Saigō bore four children: she had a son and a daughter (Saigō Katsutada and Tokuhime) while married, and she later bore two sons as the consort of Tokugawa Ieyasu: Tokugawa Hidetada and Matsudaira Tadayoshi. Among the descendants of Lady Saigō was the Empress Meishō (1624–1696), one of very few women to accede to the Chrysanthemum Throne as empress regnant.
