Mitsukuri Genpachi (箕作元八)
Genpachi MITSUKURI (June 26, 1862 - August 9, 1919) was a historian who was born in Edo (present-day Tokyo).
Brief Personal History
Mitsukuri graduated from the Zoology Department of the University of Tokyo. He then went on to study at the University of Freiburg in Germany, but he found handling microscopes difficult due to his nearsightedness, so he changed his research field to Western world history.
Supervised by Heinrich von Treitschke and Leopold von Ranke at the University of Heidelberg, University of Tubingen, and the like, Mitsukuri received his doctorate from the University of Tubingen in 1891.
Mitsukuri went back to Japan in 1892. He became a professor at Higher Normal School, and then in 1893, he gained his position as a professor of Daiichi Koto Chugakko (the first High School). In addition, he went to study in France and other countries in 1900-1901 to develop his research on political history and the French Revolution. After Mitsukuri returned to Japan, he began to teach modern French history as a professor of the University of Tokyo in 1902. Writing books such as "Seiyoshi Kowa" (A Lecture on Western World History), "Furansu Daikakumeishi" (History of the Great French Revolution)" and "Naporeon Jidaishi" (History of Napoleon Era), Mitsukuri made a remarkable contribution to the community of historians to let them recognize the significance of the study of Western world history.
Mitsukuri suddenly died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 58.
Genealogy
Genpachi was the fourth son of Shuhei MITSUKURI, while Genpachi's mother Tsune was the third daughter of Genpo MITSUKURI. Dairoku KIKUCHI, a mathematician, and Kakichi MITSUKURI, a zoologist, were the elder bothers of Genpachi.
Mitsukuri and his wife Mitsu (a daughter of 進十六) had two sons and three daughters: the first son, Shukichi MITSUKURI, was a chemist with a Doctorate of Science, and also was a composer; the second son, Yosuke, was known as an industrial technician. The first daughter, Ayako, married Kenzo KONO who was a medical scientist and an expert of ophthalmology; the second daughter Nuiko and the third daughter Utako married 矢野矢 and Yoshiyuki HOTTA, respectively.
A wife of Takamasa YOSHIZAKA, Fukuko, was a daughter of Kenzo and Ayako KONO.
Literary works
Seiyo-shi Ko (Introduction to the Western World History), coauthored with Yonezo MINEGISHI, Rokumei-kan, 1899
Seiyo-shi Ko Yokai (Summary of Introduction to the Western World History), Rokumei-kan, 1899
Seiyo-shi Sansho Zuga (Graphical Handbook of Western World History for Reference), coauthored with Yonezo MINEGISHI, Rokumei-kan, 1899
Seiyo Ryaku-shi (Brief History of the Western World), coauthored with Yonezo MINEGISHI, Rokumei-kan, 1902
Rekishi Sowa (Collection of Historical Stories), Hakubunkan, 1907
Seiyo-shi Kowa (A Lecture on Western World History), Kaisei-kan, 1910
Seiyo-shi Kyohon (A Guide to Western World History), Kaisei-kan, 1911
Seiyo-shi Shinwa (New Stories on Western World History) vol.1-9, Hakubunkan, 1911-1918
Nan-tei shisetsu-shu (Collection of Articles on History), Meguro-shoten, 1914
Seiyo-shi Wa (Lecture on Western World History), Toado-shobo, 1915
Shigan ni Eizuru Sekai Taisen (World War viewed by Historian Eyes), Hakubunkan, 1918
1914 nen 1919 nen Sekai Taisen-shi (History of World War in 1914-1919), Fuzanbo, 1919
Furansu Daikakumei-shi (History of the Great French Revolution), Fuzambo, 1919-1920 (later published by Academic paperback library, Kodansha Ltd.)
Dai Juhachi Seiki Furansu Bunka-shi, Shakaishugi Undo-shi (History of French culture and Socialism Movement of the 18th Century), Fuzambo, 1922
Seiyo Kaiji-shi (Western Maritime History), Fuzambo, 1923
Naporeon Jidai-shi (History of Napoleon's Era), Fuzambo, 1923
Genpachi MITSUKURI, Taio 'Ebira no Ume Nikki' (Genpachi MITSUKURI's Diary of His Stay in Europe, named as 'a diary of plum inserted in the quiver of arrow'), edited by Fumiko IDE and Michio SHIBATA, Tokyo University Press, 1984