Chapter 4
Astronomy in Early Showa. II. Kyoto
1926–1945
Abstract Since its establishment, Kyoto Imperial University has been imbued with
a spirit of independence in all colleges of the humanities and natural sciences. This
sprit was cultivated over the long history of Kyoto as the former capital of Japan for
around 1000 years.
Astronomy was no exception. The first professor of astronomy, Shinjo Shinzo,
developed his own view of astrophysics. His scholarly spirit was taken up by his
disciples for about a half century (Kogure 2008).
In this chapter, the development of astrophysics is traced through the lives and
works of Yamamoto Issei, Araki Toshima, Takeda Shin’ichiro, and Miyamoto
Shotaro. In addition, the history of Chinese and Japanese astronomy is presented
through the works of Noda Churyo, Yabuuchi Kiyoshi, and Watanabe Toshio,
together with some postwar studies.
4.1 Yamamoto Issei and Variable Stars
4.1.1 Early Life and Observations of Novae
To the east of Lake Biwa extend fields and hills. On one of the hills, Kami-Tanakami
Mura (上田上村、now the city of Otsu), Yamamoto Issei (山本一清, 1889–1959)
was born into an old family from the area. In the Edo era, this family, though
common people, was permitted to use the surname and wear a sword (Miyamoto
et al. 1959, Kibe 1959).
Yamamoto entered Dai-San High School (old) in Kyoto in 1907 and then the
Science and Technology College of Kyoto Imperial University in 1910. He studied
astronomy under Shinjo in the Department of Physics. He was the first student of
astronomy in Kyoto. In 1913 he graduated and entered the graduate school in
astronomy. In the same year he married Kawasaki Eiko (川崎英子), who supported
her husband’s astronomy through the popularization of astronomy even after Issei’s
death (Fig. 4.1).
Yamamoto had been interested in observations of variable stars and novae. The
first event was the appearance of a nova in the constellation Gemini in 1912. He
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
T. Kogure, The History of Modern Astronomy in Japan, Historical & Cultural
Astronomy, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57061-3_4
81
Astronomy in Early Showa. II. Kyoto
1926–1945
Abstract Since its establishment, Kyoto Imperial University has been imbued with
a spirit of independence in all colleges of the humanities and natural sciences. This
sprit was cultivated over the long history of Kyoto as the former capital of Japan for
around 1000 years.
Astronomy was no exception. The first professor of astronomy, Shinjo Shinzo,
developed his own view of astrophysics. His scholarly spirit was taken up by his
disciples for about a half century (Kogure 2008).
In this chapter, the development of astrophysics is traced through the lives and
works of Yamamoto Issei, Araki Toshima, Takeda Shin’ichiro, and Miyamoto
Shotaro. In addition, the history of Chinese and Japanese astronomy is presented
through the works of Noda Churyo, Yabuuchi Kiyoshi, and Watanabe Toshio,
together with some postwar studies.
4.1 Yamamoto Issei and Variable Stars
4.1.1 Early Life and Observations of Novae
To the east of Lake Biwa extend fields and hills. On one of the hills, Kami-Tanakami
Mura (上田上村、now the city of Otsu), Yamamoto Issei (山本一清, 1889–1959)
was born into an old family from the area. In the Edo era, this family, though
common people, was permitted to use the surname and wear a sword (Miyamoto
et al. 1959, Kibe 1959).
Yamamoto entered Dai-San High School (old) in Kyoto in 1907 and then the
Science and Technology College of Kyoto Imperial University in 1910. He studied
astronomy under Shinjo in the Department of Physics. He was the first student of
astronomy in Kyoto. In 1913 he graduated and entered the graduate school in
astronomy. In the same year he married Kawasaki Eiko (川崎英子), who supported
her husband’s astronomy through the popularization of astronomy even after Issei’s
death (Fig. 4.1).
Yamamoto had been interested in observations of variable stars and novae. The
first event was the appearance of a nova in the constellation Gemini in 1912. He
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
T. Kogure, The History of Modern Astronomy in Japan, Historical & Cultural
Astronomy, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57061-3_4
81