Kawamoto Komin

A Dutch scholar and pioneer of chemistry in Japan. He was the third son of Kawamoto Shuan, a physician of Sanda Domain in Settsu Province (Hyogo Prefecture). His given name was Yutaka, his childhood name Keizo, he was commonly known as Shumin, later Komin, and his pen name Yuken. In 1829 (Bunsei 12) he was ordered by the domain to study under Adachi Choshun, a Dutch physician in Edo, and the following year, in 1830, he became a pupil of Tsuboi Shindou and studied Dutch. In 1833 (Tenpo 4) he was appointed physician for the domain and lived in Edo, and in 1835 he married Aoji Hayashimune's third daughter, Hideko. In 1836 he was confined to the domain residence after a suspected sword fight incident, and then lived under house arrest in Uraga, but in 1841 he returned to Edo and continued his medical practice and Dutch studies research. From 1851 (Kaei 4) to 1856 (Ansei 3), he translated and published 15 volumes of "Kikaikanran Kougi" (The General Meaning of Qikaikanran), a substantial expansion of his father-in-law Linzong's "Kikaikanran" (1827), which explained physical phenomena such as astronomy, physical properties, chemistry, heat, electricity, and light. Around 1856, he also completed a draft translation of "Hyokasudoshamitsu Shingen" (The Source of Heikasudoshamitsu). This is a practical chemistry book for artillerymen, but it explains the basics of quantitative chemistry based on atomic theory. He also engaged in practical activities such as manufacturing chemicals and prototyping matches, daguerreotypes, beer, and telegraphs, and gained the favor of Shimazu Nariakira, the lord of the Satsuma domain. In 1856 he became an assistant professor at the Bansho Shirabesho (Institute for the Investigation of Foreign Documents), became a professor in 1859, and in 1860 (Man'en 1) became a central figure when the Seirenkata (Refining Department) was established. During this time he translated and wrote "Chemistry New Book" (completed in 1861), the first book to use the word "chemistry" in its title, and wrote chemical reaction formulas using Chinese element symbols. In 1868 he returned to Mita and opened a private school for Dutch and English studies with his heir Shishi Seiichi, but moved to Tokyo in 1870 and died the following year, in the 4th year of the Meiji era, at the age of 62. It is significant that Yukimin's translations and books made it possible to study atomic chemistry systematically at the end of the Edo period.

[Masao Uchida]

"The History of Physical Chemistry in Japan before the Meiji Period" edited by the Japan Academy (1964, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) ▽ "The Life of Yukitomi Kawamoto, by Yuji Kawamoto and Kazumasa Nakatani (1971, Kyoritsu Shuppan)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

蘭学(らんがく)者、日本の化学の先駆者。摂津国（兵庫県）三田(さんだ)藩医川本周安の三男。名は裕、幼名敬蔵、通称周民のちに幸民、号は裕軒。1829年（文政12）藩命により江戸の蘭医足立長雋(ちょうしゅん)に学び、翌1830年坪井信道(しんどう)に入門して蘭語を修めた。1833年（天保4）藩医に任ぜられて江戸に住まい、1835年青地林宗の三女秀子と結婚。1836年刃傷(にんじょう)らしき事件のため藩邸に幽閉されたのち浦賀に蟄居(ちっきょ)したが、1841年江戸に戻り、医業と蘭学研究を続けた。1851年（嘉永4）から1856年（安政3）にかけて『気海観瀾広義(きかいかんらんこうぎ)』15巻を翻訳刊行し、岳父林宗の『気海観瀾』（1827）を大幅に増補して、天文、物性、化学、熱、電気、光などの物理現象を解説した。また1856年ころ『兵家須読舎密(せいみ)真源』訳稿を完成。これは砲術家のための実践的化学書であるが、原子論に立脚して定量的化学の基礎を述べたものである。また化学薬品の製造やマッチ、銀板写真、ビール、電信機の試作など実際的活動をも手がけ、薩摩(さつま)藩主島津斉彬(なりあきら)の知遇を得た。1856年蕃書調所(ばんしょしらべしょ)教授手伝となり、1859年教授職、1860年（万延1）精煉方(せいれんかた)設置とともにその中心人物となった。この間、初めて書名に化学の名を用いた『化学新書』を訳述し（1861年完稿）、漢字の元素記号を用いて化学反応式を記した。1868年三田へ帰り、嗣子(しし)清一とともに蘭学と英学の塾を開いたが、1870年東京へ移り翌明治4年62歳で死去した。幸民の訳著書によって幕末期に原子論的化学の体系的学習が可能となったことの意義は大きい。

［内田正夫］

『日本学士院編『明治前日本物理化学史』（1964・日本学術振興会）』▽『川本裕司・中谷一正著『川本幸民伝』（1971・共立出版）』

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