Atkinson, R.W.

Japanese: アトキンソン，R.W. - あときんそん

…To establish chemistry in Japan, the Meiji government initially relied on foreign teachers, while also sending promising people abroad to study and develop them into future leaders. Robert William Atkinson (1850-1929), E. Divers (both British), Wilhelm Körner (1839-1929), and Oscar Loew (1844-1941) (both German) were in the science, engineering, and agricultural faculties, and were good at educating students. Among the early students studying abroad were Matsui Naokichi (1857-1911), Sakurai Joji, Nagai Nagayoshi (1845-1929), and Shibata Shokei (1850-1910), who became central figures in chemistry in Japan. …

From [Joji Sakurai]

…He lost his father at the age of six and was raised by his mother. In 1870 (Meiji 3), he entered the domain-run English school Chienkan, where he studied under Miyake Hide and others. He then studied under the Englishman Osborn at a language school in Nanao, Noto. In 1871, his mother sold the land that had been passed down from their ancestors and took him to Tokyo, where he lived with his two older brothers, who had come to Tokyo two years earlier. In the same year, he entered Daigaku Nanko and studied chemistry under Robert William Atkinson (1850-1929) at the renamed Kaisei School. In 1876, he went to the United States as a government student and then to University College London in England, where he studied under AW Williamson and others for five years (1876-81). He ranked first out of over a hundred students in the chemistry exam at the end of his first year and won a gold medal. …

From [Brewing]

…In Japan, in the early Meiji period, Western scientists invited by the government brought a scientific scalpel to the traditional techniques that supported brewing. Robert William Atkinson investigated sake brewing from a chemical point of view. Hermann Ahlburg isolated and named the mold that produces koji, which plays an important role in the brewing of sake, miso, and soy sauce. …

From [Sake]

...Using the spring water of Nishinomiya, known as Miyamizu, which is low in iron, and high-quality Banshu rice as ingredients, and blessed with the skills and labor of the Tanba Toji, a group of migrant farmers from what is now Sasayama Town, Taki District, Hyogo Prefecture, Nada sake has maintained its number one position in production ever since. Since 1874, when the Englishman R.W. Atkinson was invited by the government to bring science into sake brewing for the first time, traditional techniques have gradually been scientifically elucidated, and methods for treating and processing the brewing water have also been developed, and today high-quality sake is produced all over the country.
[Current brewing method]
First, the polished rice is washed, soaked in water, drained, and steamed.

*Some of the terminology that mentions "Atkinson, RW" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

Japanese:

…日本に化学を定着させるための手段として，明治政府はさしあたり御傭外国人教師に依存する一方，有望な人材を海外留学させて将来の指導者たらしめようとした。アトキンソンRobert William Atkinson(1850‐1929)，E.ダイバース(ともにイギリス人)，ケルナーWilhelm Körner(1839‐1929)，ロイプOscar Loew(1844‐1941)(ともにドイツ人)らが理学部，工学部，農学部等にいて，よく学生を育てた。一方，初期の留学生のなかから，日本の化学の中心となった松井直吉(1857‐1911)，桜井錠二，長井長義(1845‐1929)，柴田承桂(1850‐1910)らが出た。…

【桜井錠二】より

…6歳で父を失い，母の手で育てられ，1870年(明治3)藩立英語学校致遠館に入学し三宅秀らに学び，次いで能登の七尾の語学所でイギリス人オズボーンに学び，71年先祖伝来の土地を売り払った母に連れられて上京，2年前に上京していた兄2人とともに4人で暮らす。同年大学南校に入学，改名された開成学校でアトキンソンRobert William Atkinson(1850‐1929)に化学を学び，76年政府留学生としてアメリカを経てイギリスのロンドン大学ユニバーシティ･カレッジに行き，5年間(1876‐81)A.W.ウィリアムソンらに学ぶ。1学年末の化学の試験で百数十人中1位となり金牌を得た。…

【醸造】より

…日本では明治初年，政府の招聘（しようへい）した欧米の科学者たちによって，醸造をささえる伝承的技術に科学のメスが加えられた。すなわちアトキンソンRobert William Atkinsonは化学的見地より清酒醸造を調査した。清酒，みそ，しょうゆの醸造に重要な役割を果たしている麴についても，アールブルグHermann Ahlburgは麴をつくるカビを分離し，命名した。…

【清酒】より

…宮水（みやみず）と呼ばれる鉄分の少ない西宮の湧水と良質な播州米（ばんしゆうまい）を原料にし，現在の兵庫県多紀郡篠山（ささやま）町を中心とする酒造出稼ぎの農民集団〈丹波杜氏（たんばとうじ）〉の技術と労働力に恵まれ，灘酒は以後現在まで生産高において第1位を保っている。　1874年政府が招聘（しようへい）した英人R.W.アトキンソンにより，酒造に初めて科学のメスが入れられて以来，伝承的技法がしだいに科学的に解明され，醸造用水の処理，加工の方法も開発されて，現在では全国いたるところで良質な清酒がつくられている。
［現在の醸造法］
　まず精白した米を洗い，水に浸したあと水を切り，蒸気で蒸す。…

※「アトキンソン，R.W.」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について | 情報

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