Kumaji Kimura

Japanese: 木村熊二 - きむら・くまじ

Year of death: February 28, 1927
Year of birth: 25 January 1845 (3 March 1845)
Pastor and educator. Second son of Sakurai Sekimon (Ichitaro), a Confucian scholar of Izushi Domain (Hyogo Prefecture). Adopted by the head of the Seido-to-ko Kimura Biwazan, he studied at the Shoheizaka Gakumonsho. Married Taguchi Uokichi's sister, Abumi. In 1870 (Meiji 3), he accompanied Mori Arinori to the United States, where he studied at Hope College and New Brunswick Theological Seminary, obtaining a priest's qualification, and returned to Japan in 1883. In 1885, he opened Meiji Girls' School, and in 1891, Komoro Gijuku in Shinshu. While spreading Christianity, he also devoted his life to the education of young people and guidance in fruit cultivation. His life as a man who dedicated himself to steady evangelism and education can be seen in the "Kimura Kumaji Diary" (Tokyo Woman's Christian University Institute of Comparative Culture).

(Shimoyama Toshiko)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：昭和2.2.28(1927)
生年：弘化2.1.25(1845.3.3)
牧師,教育家。出石藩(兵庫県)儒臣桜井石門(一太郎)の次男。聖堂都講木村琶山の養子となり,昌平坂学問所に学ぶ。田口卯吉の姉鐙と結婚。明治3(1870)年森有礼に従い渡米,ホープカレッジ,ニューブルンスウィック神学校で学び,牧師資格を取得,15年帰国す。18年明治女学校を,26年信州に小諸義塾を開き,キリスト教伝道のかたわら青年子女の教育,果樹栽培指導などに尽力貢献した。その地道な伝道,教育に一生を献げた人となりは,『資料木村熊二日記』(東京女子大学比較文化研究所)からもうかがえる。

(下山孃子)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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