XXXI. GENSHUN KOISHI.

A physician named Genshun Koishi lived in Kyōto.  He was a pupil of Dokushōan Nagatomi and was an ardent student of medicine.  We were not acquainted with each other, but when he read my A New Book of Anatomy, he began to feel ucertain of the traditional knowledge of anatomy.  Holding dissections himself many times and finding that what was mentioned in A New Book of Anatomy was accurate, he was deeply impressed.  After that, he wrote me often and asked me various questions on things he was unable to understand.

In autumn of 1785 (the 5th year of Tenmei Era), I accompanied my liege lord on a trip to his province.  On the way back to Edo, I spent some time in Kyōto.  Genshun visited me ay and night to ask me questions.  Some time later, he came to Edo for study and stayed for about a year mainly studying under Gentaku and had many dissections with our group.  He did not learn the language, but after he went back to Kyōto, I am told, he always lectured on A New Book of Anatomy to the students of his school, explaining the substance of its solid system.  This was one of the causes to incite the people of Kansai district to the new learning.

Dr. Ogata's note: 1743-1808

XXVII. SŌKICHI HASHIMOTO.

There lived in Ōsaka a man named Sōkichi Hashimoto.  He made a living and supported his old parents by painting family crests or store signs on oiled paper umbrellas.  He had little education, but was a rare genius.  The wealthy merchants of Ōsaka recognized his unusual ability and helped him go to Edo to be under Gentaku's tutelage.

Short as his stay was, he worked very hard and acquired a general knowledge of the Dutch language.  After he went back to Ōsaka, he studied by himself, and later became a physician.  The more learned he became, the more enthusiastic he grew in advocating the necessity of Dutch learning.  He translated some Dutch books also.  I hear that he is now an influential leader in Dutch study in Kansai area and its vicinity.

It was in the beginning of Kansei Era (1789-1801) that Sōkichi came to Edo.  For some time after he went back to Ōsaka, Genshun Koishi (mentioned in Section XXXI), I am told, also supported his ambition and encouraged him.

Dr. Ogata's note: 1763-1836

XXXIII. SAISUKE YAMAMURA.

Here is a character named Saisuke Yamamura, a retainer of Feudal Lord Tsuchiura.  Through the introduction of his uncle Kozaemon Ichikawa, he came to me with the object of studying the Dutch language.

As I was quite old then, I had left all affairs concerning Dutch learning to Gentaku.  Gentaku started teaching him with the 25 Dutch letters.  Gifted with excellent intellect, Saisuke exhibited a great interest in Dutch learning, especially in connection with geography which was his favorite subject.  He revised Hakuseki's Universal Geography (Sairan Igen) with some new translations, enlarging it to 13 volumes.  A copy of this book was presented to the Shōgun through the recommendation of Ritsuzan; Yamamura received some informal orders for translation from the Shogunate, but he died rather young to our great regret before he could finish them.

Concerning universal geography, even the Chinese scholars were not well informed in those days.  All this, I should say, we owe to the extension of Dutch learning into such a field as this.

Dr. Ogata's note: 1735-1794, he was well posted in astronomy, humanities and natural history

XXXIV. TSUNE-EMON ISHII.

Tsune-emon Ishii was originally a Dutch translator named Seikichi Baba in Nagasaki.  He transferred his family profession to another person, came to Edo and became a retiner of Feudal Lord Shirakawa about the middle of Tenmei Era (1781-1789).  The liege ordered him to translate the Cruydt-Boeck (natural history) by Rembertus Dodonaeus into Japanese.  More than 10 volumes of translation was done, but Ishii died before he could complete the whole work.

The translation of Halma's Dictionary into Japanese was originally started by Sanpaku Inamura, but Ishii helped him quite largely.

Ishii came to Edo not primarily for taking an official post as a translator, but he rendered a useful service, as Edo was at the height of Dutch learning then.

XXXV. HONSHŪ KATSURAGAWA.

I have written about the Katsuragawa family previously.  Honshū was a rare genius.  He had a masterly knowledge of everything Dutch.  Being famous all over the country and his sincere efforts having reached the Shōgun's ears, he was often ordered to do translation for the Shogunate.  Probably, the manuscripts of those translations are still preserved in the Katsuragawa household.  I hear that he wrote such works as the Selected Dutch Drugs (Oranda Yakusen) and the Maritime Surgery (Kaijō-biyōhō), but they were not rendered into books.  He died without reaching his 60th year.