Nakanishi Godo

Wild bird researcher. Born on November 16, 1895 in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. Childhood name Tomitsugu. At the age of 10, under the instruction of his foster father Gogen, he undertook an ascetic fast in the mountains of Chichibu and became familiar with birds. At the age of 15, he converted to Buddhism and took the Buddhist name Godo. He entered the Tendai Buddhist Academy. At the age of 20, he published the poetry collection Shomyo (1916). He remained a Buddhist monk until he was 30, and continued to write poetry. He then devoted himself to raising and observing birds, insects, and fish, and at the age of 36, he published Living with Insects and Birds (1932). Two years later, he founded the Wild Bird Society of Japan and began publishing its journal Wild Birds (1934). At the same time, he started bird watching events at the foot of Mount Fuji, laying the foundations for the bird watching boom. He called for the abolition of keeping birds as pets, which was popular at the time, and later spearheaded a movement to completely abolish mist nets, dedicating his life to enlightening and spreading the idea of ​​wild bird conservation. He received the Japan Essayist Club Award for Living with Wild Birds (1956) and the Yomiuri Literature Prize for Definitive Edition of Wild Bird Records. He wrote 114 major works. He was the head priest of the Tendai sect of Mount Hiei. He received the Medal with Purple Ribbon, the Person of Cultural Merit, and the Order of the Rising Sun, Third Class, among other awards. He died of liver cancer on December 11, 1984.

[Eiji Fujiwara]

"Nakanishi Godo, The Definitive Collection of Wild Birds, 16 volumes (1962-1986, Shunjusha)" ▽ "Kotani Haruno, My Father, Godo (1985, Nagata Shobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

野鳥研究家。明治28年11月16日石川県金沢市に生まれる。幼名富嗣(とみつぐ)。10歳で養父悟玄の教化により秩父(ちちぶ)山中で断食の苦行を行い鳥に親しむ。15歳で仏門に帰依(きえ)し法名悟堂。天台宗学林に入学。20歳で歌集『唱名』（1916）を出版。以後30歳まで仏門にあって作詩作歌活動を展開。その後、鳥虫魚の飼育観察に取り組み、36歳で『虫・鳥と生活する』（1932）を出版。2年後に日本野鳥の会を創立し機関誌『野鳥』（1934）を発刊。同時に富士山麓(さんろく)での探鳥会を始め、探鳥ブームの基礎を築いた。当時流行していた飼い鳥の廃止を訴え、のちにかすみ網の全廃運動の陣頭にたち、野鳥保護思想の啓蒙(けいもう)普及に生涯を捧(ささ)げた。『野鳥と生きて』（1956）で日本エッセイスト・クラブ賞、『定本野鳥記』で読売文学賞を受賞。主要著作114点。比叡(ひえい)山天台宗権僧正(ごんそうじょう)。紫綬褒章(しじゅほうしょう)、文化功労者、勲三等旭日(きょくじつ)中綬章などを受けた。昭和59年12月11日肝臓癌(がん)で死去。

［藤原英司］

『中西悟堂著『定本野鳥記』全16巻（1962～1986・春秋社）』▽『小谷ハルノ著『父・悟堂』（1985・永田書房）』

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