and Göttingen Universities, he visited many other universities and observatories in
Western Europe.
After returning home, he moved to Sendai as a professor of physics in charge of
geophysics and astronomy. In Sendai, he continued his study of physical lithology
along with making astronomical observations at Mukaiyama Observatory. He took
on a heavy workload as the Dean of the College of Science and died from erysipelas
suddenly in 1924 at age 50.
Kusakabe was widely known as a pious physicist. His faith and focus were the
extermination of civilian superstitions. He traveled to many places around the
country from south to north in order to collect lithological data and earthquake
records. In parallel with these works, he also collected superstitious beliefs among
local people and published an instructive book entitled Pious Physics – Zodiac and
Auspicious Days on the rational interpretations of astrological phenomena
(Kusakabe 1924).
In this book, Kusakabe argued that all superstitions and legends had reasonable
origins in ancient times, but later on they were interpreted literally or religiously. For
example, the auspicious days (吉日) in the calendar were selected based on astrological phenomena that were related to systematic motions of planets in the sky.
Another example was the Tanabata Festival (七夕祭), which is celebrated on July
7 every year around the country. Tanabata originated in a legend of China about two
stars at both side of the Milky Way. One is the Cowherd star (Altair) and the other is
the Weaver star (Vega). While the cowherd boy loved the Weaver, they were
permitted to meet each other across the Milky Way only once a year on July
7. This story of lovers meeting had become celebrated as the Tanabata Festival in
Japan. On this day people show off bamboo branches decorated with many ornaments and strips of colored paper on which they write their wishes. While this
festival is based on a Chinese legend, people do not think about its origins. Kusakabe
suggested some astronomical reasoning behind this legend. One of its plausible
origins is a legend in the region of the Han River (漢江) in China. According to
Uozumi, the Milky Way in the sky flows in parallel with the Han River once a year
on a night in early July. This astronomical event was dramatized as a love story and
handed down from generation to generation (Uozumi 1982). Kusakabe cited many
examples and gave them reasonable explanations to superstitions and legends in
Japan.
5.1.4 Ishiwara Jun and Theoretical Physics (Nishio 2011)
Ishiwara Jun (石原純, 1881–1947) was born in Tokyo, the eldest son of Ishihara
Ryo (石原量, Christian priest, descendant of a samurai). His mother died when he
was 6 years old. His father was in poor health and retired early from the priesthood.
As a result, Jun’s life was difficult. After a 3-year course of study at Dai-Ichi High
School (old) in Tokyo, he entered Tokyo Imperial University thanks to financial
support of relatives. He studied theoretical physics under Nagaoka Hantaro in the
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5 Astronomy in Early Showa. III. Sendai 1926–1945
Western Europe.
After returning home, he moved to Sendai as a professor of physics in charge of
geophysics and astronomy. In Sendai, he continued his study of physical lithology
along with making astronomical observations at Mukaiyama Observatory. He took
on a heavy workload as the Dean of the College of Science and died from erysipelas
suddenly in 1924 at age 50.
Kusakabe was widely known as a pious physicist. His faith and focus were the
extermination of civilian superstitions. He traveled to many places around the
country from south to north in order to collect lithological data and earthquake
records. In parallel with these works, he also collected superstitious beliefs among
local people and published an instructive book entitled Pious Physics – Zodiac and
Auspicious Days on the rational interpretations of astrological phenomena
(Kusakabe 1924).
In this book, Kusakabe argued that all superstitions and legends had reasonable
origins in ancient times, but later on they were interpreted literally or religiously. For
example, the auspicious days (吉日) in the calendar were selected based on astrological phenomena that were related to systematic motions of planets in the sky.
Another example was the Tanabata Festival (七夕祭), which is celebrated on July
7 every year around the country. Tanabata originated in a legend of China about two
stars at both side of the Milky Way. One is the Cowherd star (Altair) and the other is
the Weaver star (Vega). While the cowherd boy loved the Weaver, they were
permitted to meet each other across the Milky Way only once a year on July
7. This story of lovers meeting had become celebrated as the Tanabata Festival in
Japan. On this day people show off bamboo branches decorated with many ornaments and strips of colored paper on which they write their wishes. While this
festival is based on a Chinese legend, people do not think about its origins. Kusakabe
suggested some astronomical reasoning behind this legend. One of its plausible
origins is a legend in the region of the Han River (漢江) in China. According to
Uozumi, the Milky Way in the sky flows in parallel with the Han River once a year
on a night in early July. This astronomical event was dramatized as a love story and
handed down from generation to generation (Uozumi 1982). Kusakabe cited many
examples and gave them reasonable explanations to superstitions and legends in
Japan.
5.1.4 Ishiwara Jun and Theoretical Physics (Nishio 2011)
Ishiwara Jun (石原純, 1881–1947) was born in Tokyo, the eldest son of Ishihara
Ryo (石原量, Christian priest, descendant of a samurai). His mother died when he
was 6 years old. His father was in poor health and retired early from the priesthood.
As a result, Jun’s life was difficult. After a 3-year course of study at Dai-Ichi High
School (old) in Tokyo, he entered Tokyo Imperial University thanks to financial
support of relatives. He studied theoretical physics under Nagaoka Hantaro in the
122
5 Astronomy in Early Showa. III. Sendai 1926–1945