Tawara Kuniichi

A scholar of ferrous metallurgy. Born in Hamada, Shimane Prefecture, in 1872. Graduated from the Department of Mining and Metallurgy of the Imperial University College of Technology (now the Faculty of Engineering, the University of Tokyo) in 1897 (Meiji 30). After studying abroad at the Freiberg Mining University in Germany, he became a professor at his alma mater in 1902 (Meiji 35), where he taught ferrous metallurgy until his retirement in 1932 (Showa 7). During this time, he was also selected as the dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and devoted himself to research and educational activities in engineering as a comprehensive science. He is known for being the first to introduce a large metallurgical microscope to Japan, establishing methods for metallography, contributing to the development of metallurgical engineering in cooperation with Honda Kotaro of Tohoku Imperial University, and pioneering the field of technological history, including the ancient method of smelting iron sand and the scientific study of Japanese swords. He received the Imperial Academy Prize in 1921 (Taisho 10) and the Order of Culture in 1946 (Showa 21).

[Kenichi Iida]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鉄冶金(やきん)学者。明治5年、島根県浜田に生まれる。1897年（明治30）帝国大学工科大学（現、東京大学工学部）採鉱冶金学科卒業。ドイツのフライベルク鉱山大学留学を経て1902年（明治35）母校の教授に就任、以来1932年（昭和7）の停年退官まで鉄冶金学講座を担当した。この間、工学部長にも選ばれ、総合的な科学としての工学の研究、教育活動に尽くした。日本に初めて大形金属顕微鏡を導入して金属組織学の方法を確立し、東北帝国大学の本多光太郎に協力して金属工学の発展に寄与したほか、古来の砂鉄製錬法ならびに日本刀の科学的研究など、技術史分野の開拓で知られている。1921年（大正10）帝国学士院賞、1946年（昭和21）文化勲章を受けた。

［飯田賢一］

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