Obata Tokujiro - Obata Tokujiro

Western scholar, educator, and president of Keio Gijuku. He was the second son of Obata Atsuzo, a feudal lord of Nakatsu Domain, Buzen Province (Oita Prefecture). He studied Chinese classics at Hanko Shinshukan and became president of the school, but on the recommendation of Fukuzawa Yukichi, he went to Edo in 1864 (Genji 1) to study English at Fukuzawa's school, where he served as president and also became an assistant professor of English at the shogunate's Kaiseisho. His books on science enlightenment, such as "Natural Disasters" and "Natural History: A New Edition and Supplement," were welcomed by the public and contributed to the dissemination of scientific knowledge. He played a leading role in the intellectual world, writing "An Encouragement of Learning" with Fukuzawa and working hard to launch the "Jiji Shimpo" newspaper. He became the first member of the Tokyo Academy in 1879 (Meiji 12), and was later recommended to the House of Peers.

[Toshihiko Kikuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

洋学者、教育家、慶応義塾塾長。豊前(ぶぜん)国中津藩（大分県）の藩士小幡篤蔵の二男。藩黌(はんこう)進修館で漢学を修め、塾長となったが、福沢諭吉の勧めで1864年（元治1）江戸に出て福沢の塾に入り英学を学び、塾長を務め、また幕府の開成所英学助教ともなった。『天変地異』『博物新編補遺』などの科学啓蒙(けいもう)書は人々に歓迎され、科学知識の普及に貢献した。福沢とともに『学問のすゝめ』を著し、また『時事新報』の創刊に尽力するなど思想界の指導的役割を果たした。1879年（明治12）初の東京学士院会員となり、のち貴族院議員にも推された。

［菊池俊彦］

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