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Japanese physician and scholar Sugita Genpaku. Author Ishikawa Tair艒.

Top 10 Interesting facts about Sugita Genpaku

Sugita Genkapu was a Japanese physician who was born on 20th October 1733 in the Wakasa-Obama estate of feudal Lord Wakasa. The son of a physician, Hosen Sugita who was the official doctor of Feudal Lord Wakasa.Genpaku’s mother died during childbirth.

Sugita Genkapu studied surgery under Gentetsu Nishi under the age of 17 years. He also studied Confucianism Under Saburoenom Miyase. At the age of 25 years old he moved away from his father home after being consented from his liege lord to begin working as medical practitioner.

Sugita’s  primary business was located at 4- chrome Nihonbashidori and was attached to the home of painter Sekkei kusimoto. Genkapu was also a philosopher known for his interpretation of Kaitai Shinsho(New book of Anatomy) and a founder of Rangaku (Western learning)and ranpo(Dutch style medicine) in Japan.

Sugita was one of the first Japanese scholars in Edo(Modern day Tokyo)to study the Dutch language. Moreover, the first Japanese physicians to study Western medicine teachings in Japan.

 Let鈥檚 learn more about Genpakus

1. He was a Domain Doctor

Sugita Genpaku Memorial Obama Municipal Hospital, Obama, Fukui prefecture, Japan. Author 663highland.

Genpaku became a Domain doctor in 1765. This was when a group of a curator of Dutch trading house (the Kapitan) and Dutch translators paid a visit to the feudal government in Edo.

In the same year, Genpaku and Gennai HIRAGA visited the inn of Genemon NAGASAKIYA where the group was staying. At that time, Zensaburo NISHI, a Dutch translator, criticized Genpaku against lead on Dutch due to its difficulty.

Genpaku took the advice and gave up mastering the language. In 1769, Genpaku’s father, Genpo, died. Genpaku succeeded both the reigns of the family and the family business as a court physician, he started working in the second city residence of the Domain in Shinohashi.

2. He Translated a Dutch book

Genpakus got to translate a Dutch book of anatomy. The book was called Ontleedkundige Tafelen.It was originally published in German.

The book was originally written by a physician and professor Johann Adam Kulmus in 1734. Genpaku was inspired to translate the Dutch text after witnessing the dissection of a female criminal.

Sugita was inspired by the German drawings of human organs, the drawings accurately portrayed the organs and vasculature he saw during the dissection.

The German drawings were more anatomically comprehensive and accurate than Chinese texts. After the dissection he and his colleagues made it their academic mission to produce a Japanese translation.

The translation took three full years and eleven manuscripts to produce the first translation of the text entitled Kaitai Shinsho in 1774.

3. Genpaku Published many other Works Including Medical, Political, and Historical 

This is a drawing of Japanese physician and scholar Sugita Genpaku (1733-1817). Author Emma Dyer.

Sugita  published a book by the name Yoka Taisei which meant (A Handbook of Surgery). He also published Teriakaho-San which meant (concerning Theriac).

Genpaku also published Yojo-Schichi-Fuka which was a book about the Seven Articles About Hygiene. He published a book that was about Conversations with the shadows of men. The book was a work on medical politics and ethics. The book was called Kei-ei Yawa.

Sugita also worked on a book called Rangaku Koto-hajime. The book was about the history of the development of Rangaku. In 1975 a book he worked on was published a book called Oranda Iti Mondo which stood for Dialogues on Dutch Medicine.

4. Genpaku Lost his Property to Fires

Genpaku was forced to relocate his medical practice from Nihonbashid艒ri-d艒ri to Hakoya-ch艒 in 1759 and later to Horidome-ch艒 in 1762. He did this due to losing his property from fires.

Later he then left Horidome-ch艒 and moved to property owned by Feudal Lord Sakai around 1770. Under the rule of the Tokogawa shoguns, Sugita lived in a period of Japanese isolation from the Western world and most of East Asia.

The period of isolation, sakoku, was driven by the shogun’s desire to stop the spread of Christianity multiplied largely by Portuguese missionaries.

5. Sugita Genpaku Taught Ranganku

Genpaku took on many students in the field of Ranganku, including Gentaku Otsuki from 1757 to 1827. He was considered one of his most fastidious students in the study of Dutch.

After six years of study under Genpaku, Otsuki went on to study Dutch more closely in Nagasaki. This helped him to become a proficient Dutch translator.

Otsuki went on to revise the translation of Kaitai Shinsho which was published in 1788. He publish an original text Y艒i Shinsho meaning the New book on surgery in 1790.

Otsuki is most recognized for his work Rangaku Kaitai meaning Ladder to Dutch study which was published in 1788. It was a text associated with fostered Dutch and Western learning in Japan.

6. Genpaku continued to Collect Dutch Texts and Build a Robust Medical Library

Genpaku mentored many students in Ranganku. The students included Gentaku Otsuki, Shojuro Arai, and Genzui Udagawa.

After Sugita was done mentoring the students. Genpaku began to spend more time working as a physician than as a scholar. One of Genpaku鈥檚 last students was Genshin Udugawa, he was a man who came to Genpaku through a mutual passion in the Dutch language.

7. He Wanted to Adopt a Son to take over his Work

 At that time in his old age, Genpaku was looking to adopt a son who could succeed him in taking his work. This included his home, profession, and legacy of medical service to Japan.

Genpaku initially took Genshin in as a student and prospective son to inherit his estate. Genshin was a young man who appeared to be temperamental and did not heed Genpaku鈥檚 wishes to correct his behavior.

 As a result of his character Genpaku disowned him. A few years passed and Genshin continued his studies of Ranganku and bettered his ambitions.

Genpaku re-welcomed him as a son, and left him to inherit his estate after he changed his behaviour. This was after gaining favor of the Udagawas who were friends .

8.He Handed over his Family Reign to his Son and Retired

In 1976,Genpaku’s father died and he succeed both the family reigns and family businesses as a court physician.

In 1807, Genpaku handed over the reigns of the family to his son, Hakugen, and retired from the job.

9.A statue was Built in his Remembrance 

This is a statue of Genpaku Sugita in Obama City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. Author Haruno Akiha.

The statue of Genpaku Sugita is found in Obama City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. It is established in front of Sugita Genpaku Memorial Obama Municipal Hospital.

10.Genpaku’s Tomb is in Eikanin of Atago (Minato Ward), Tokyo Prefecture

The most famous portrait of Genpaku is the one drawn by Tairo ISHIKAWA, which is now in the custody of the Library of Waseda University.

In conclusion, Genpaku is the most admired for his achievement in spreading the Western studies across Japan.

Also, Genpaku eagerly encouraged young doctors and medical researchers, contributing to building an organization for the Western studies to develop distant in future.