Sekisui Nagakubo (·vΫΤ 1717–1801)
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Geographer, sinologist and astronomer. During Edo era, Ibaraki Prefecture was an advanced region in the geographical field of which Sekisui became the main figure.
The first one ever to know the shape of Japan?
Sekisui Nagakubo was born as a farmer's child in Taga County, Akahama-Mura (½κSΤlΊ, nowadays Takahagi-Shi s). Until then, the maps of Japan were more or less clearly indicating the shape of the country and its different provinces (such as local Hitachi-No-Kuni ν€Μ).
However, when Sekisui wrote in 1775 his "Revised Complete Map of Japanese Lands and Roads" (uό³ϊ{`nHφS}vor Kaisei-Nihon-Yochi-Zenzu), he made history by being the first one ever to mention the geographic coordinates. Thanks to this,the shape of Japan was totally known, with the exception of Ezo area (ΪΞn now Hokkaido kCΉ).
On an accuracy level, his work is inferior to that of Tadataka Inou (Ι\h) and his "Maps Inou" (uΙ\}vor Inou-Zu, 1821) based on location measurements, but Suiseki's map is a remarkable and fastidious research work since he wrote it by cross-checking previous works on the subject without proceeding to any measurement. The "Maps Inou" were kept secret by the Shogunate and remained unpublished for a long time whereas Sekisui's maps were printed on a large scale. That is why the "Mito Sekisui Maps" (u ΛΤ }vor Mito-Sekisui-Zu) were widespread until the beginning of the Meiji Restoration (1868).
Sekisui is also responsible for creating many other colorful maps such as the "Revised and Complete World Map" (uό³n S}vor Kaisei-Chikyuu-Bankoku-Zenzu). He even wrote the very first historical map, which was entitled "Map of Local and Successive Emperors in China by Province and County" (uyπγBSvn}vor Toudo-Rekidai-Shuugun-Enkaku-Zu).
Participation in the editing of the "Great Chronicles of Japan" (uεϊ{jvor Dai-Nihonshi)
Suiseki did become famous in the geographical field. However, he was also a Sinologist and became the tutor of 6th Mito Lord Harumori (‘Ϋ) in his last years. Moreover, he was in charge of compiling the geographical volume of the "Great Chronicles of Japan" when he worked at the Shōkō Hall (²lΩor Shōkō-Kan) under President Suiken Tachihara (§΄¬).
He also submitted memorials such as "Notice on Farming Ills" (u_―Ύvor Noumin-Shikkoku) and "Reflections on Annual Tribute" (uNvlvor Nengu-Kou) as part of the heavy reform process undergone by Mito domain. Both alarmed for the peasants' struggle with life and argued the tax collection method being according to him one great factor for extreme poverty. As Suiseki was himself from an agricultural background, his works contain a great relevancy of the peasant community's real state of affairs.
