Masatsuna Kutsuki

A feudal lord in the late Edo period. Lord of Fukuchiyama Domain in Tanba Province (Kyoto Prefecture). He was known by the pen name Ryukyo, the title of Oki no Kami, and the title of Samon. He was famous as a scholar of Dutch studies and a researcher of old coins. He studied Dutch studies under Maeno Ryotaku, and was friends with early Dutch scholars such as Sugita Genpaku, Nakagawa Junan, Otsuki Gentaku, and Katsuragawa Hoshu, as well as Dutch trading post chiefs Titzing, Duerrekoop, and Fyt. He is particularly known for supporting Gentaku's study in Nagasaki. He devoted himself to Western geography, and translated and published "Taisei Yochizusetsu" (Map of the Western World) together with Arai Shojuro, a former Nagasaki interpreter. He collected old coins, compiled the "Shinsen Senpu", "Senkakan" and "Rosen Kikan", and his research even led to the publication of the "Western Senpu". He also learned the Sekishu school of tea ceremony from Matsudaira Fumai (Harusato) and took the name An Sohei.

[Kazuo Katagiri]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸後期の大名。丹波(たんば)国（京都府）福知山(ふくちやま)藩主。龍橋(りゅうきょう)と号し、隠岐守(おきのかみ)、左門と称した。蘭学者(らんがくしゃ)、古銭の研究家として著名。前野良沢(りょうたく)に蘭学を学び、杉田玄白(げんぱく)、中川淳庵(じゅんあん)、大槻玄沢(おおつきげんたく)、桂川甫周(かつらがわほしゅう)ら初期の蘭学者をはじめ、オランダ商館長ティツィング、デュールコープ、フェイトらとも交わった。ことに玄沢の長崎遊学を支援したことはよく知られている。西洋地理学に専念し、長崎の通詞(つうじ)出身の荒井庄十郎(しょうじゅうろう)とともに『泰西輿地図説(たいせいよちずせつ)』を訳述、刊行。古銭を収集し、自ら『新撰(しんせん)銭譜』『泉貨鑑』『弄銭(ろうせん)奇鑑』を編述し、研究は『西洋銭譜』の刊行にまで及んだ。なお松平不昧(ふまい)公（治郷(はるさと)）について石州流茶道を学び、不見庵(あん)宗非と号した。

［片桐一男］

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