Tsuda Sen

A Western agricultural scholar in the early Meiji period. Born on July 6, Tempo 8, as the fourth son of Kojima Zen'emon Yoshichika, a samurai of the Sakura domain in Shimousa Province (Chiba Prefecture). His childhood name was Sen'ya, later Sen'ya. In 1851 (Kaei 4), he was adopted into the Sakurai family. In 1857 (Ansei 4), he went to Edo to study Dutch and English studies. In 1861 (Bunkyu 1), he became the adopted son-in-law of Tsuda Daitaro, a shogunate official, and was employed as an interpreter for the foreign affairs magistrate. In 1867 (Keio 3), he traveled to the United States with Fukuzawa Yukichi and others as an attendant to the accountant and censor Ono Tomogoro, and returned to Japan after being impressed by Western agricultural methods. In 1869 (Meiji 2), he worked at the Tsukiji Hotel, and in 1871, he was appointed as a consultant to the Hokkaido Colonization Commission. In 1873, he attended the Vienna World Exposition, where he became acquainted with the Austrian agronomist Daniel Heublenk, and the following year wrote "Three Agricultural Principles," proposing a method of increasing rice and wheat production through the use of pollen mediation and other methods. It was widely publicized, but its effectiveness was debated at the time. In 1875, he founded Gakunosha, and in 1876, Gakunosha Agricultural School. In the same year, he published "Nogyo Zasshi" (Agricultural Journal), and in 1880, "Hokkaido Kaitaku Zasshi" (Hokkaido Development Journal), and worked to popularize Western agricultural methods. Around this time, he converted to Christianity, and was involved in the founding of the school organization that would become Aoyama Gakuin. After 1897, he retired from all business activities and engaged in social activities such as anti-alcohol and anti-smoking campaigns. He died on April 24, 1908. Tsuda Umeko, founder of Joshi Eigaku Juku (the precursor to Tsuda University), was Sen's second daughter.

[Funatsu Isao]

"Tsuda Umeko" by Takako Yamazaki (1962, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治初期の西洋農学者。天保(てんぽう)8年7月6日、下総(しもうさ)国（千葉県）佐倉藩士小島善右衛門良親(よしちか)の四男に生まれる。幼名千弥(せんや)、のち仙弥。1851年（嘉永4）桜井家の養子となる。57年（安政4）より江戸に出て蘭(らん)学、英学を学ぶ。61年（文久1）幕臣津田大太郎の婿養子となり、外国奉行(ぶぎょう)通弁に採用される。67年（慶応3）勘定吟味役小野友五郎の随員として福沢諭吉らとともに渡米、西洋農法に感銘を受けて帰国。69年（明治2）築地(つきじ)ホテル館に勤務、71年北海道開拓使嘱託となる。73年ウィーンの万国博覧会に出席、このとき知遇を得たオーストリアの農学者ダニエル・ホイブレンクの説をもとに翌年『農業三事(さんじ)』を著し、花粉媒助などによる米麦の増産法を提唱。大いに喧伝(けんでん)されたが、その効果については当時より賛否があった。75年学農社、76年学農社農学校を設立、同年『農業雑誌』、80年『北海道開拓雑誌』を発刊、西洋農法の普及に努めた。このころキリスト教に入信、青山学院の前身になる学校組織の創設にも関与した。97年以降はいっさいの事業から退き、禁酒・禁煙運動などの社会活動を行った。明治41年4月24日没。女子英学塾（津田塾大学の前身）の創立者津田梅子は仙の次女。

［船津　功］

『山崎孝子著『津田梅子』（1962・吉川弘文館）』

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