Jokichi Takamine
Encyclopedia
was a Japan
ese chemist
.
, Toyama Prefecture
, in November 1854. His father was a doctor; his mother a member of a family of sake brewers. He spent his childhood in Kanazawa
, capital of present-day Ishikawa Prefecture
in central Honshū
, and was educated in Osaka
, Kyoto
, and Tokyo
, graduating from the Tokyo Imperial University in 1879. He did postgraduate work at University of Glasgow
and Anderson College in Scotland
. He returned to Japan in 1883 and joined the division of chemistry at the Department of Agriculture and Commerce.
He learned English
as a child from a Dutch family in Nagasaki
and so always spoke English with a Dutch accent.
takadiastase
, an enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of starch
. Takamine developed his diastase from koji
, a fungus used in the manufacture of soy sauce
and miso
. Its Latin name is Aspergillus oryzae
, and it is a "designated national fungus" (kokkin) in Japan.
In 1899, Takamine was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Engineering by what is now the University of Tokyo.
and Caroline Hitch, his future wife. He later emigrated to the United States
and established his own research laboratory in New York City
but licensed the exclusive production rights for Takadiastase to one of the largest US pharmaceutical companies, Parke Davis. This turned out to be a shrewd move - he became a millionaire in a relatively short time and by the early 20th century was estimated to be worth $30 million.
In 1901 he isolated and purified the hormone
adrenaline (the first effective bronchodilator for asthma
) from animal glands, becoming the first to accomplish this for a glandular hormone.
In 1905 he founded the Nippon Club
, which was for many years located at 161 West 93rd Street in Manhattan
.
Many of the beautiful cherry blossom trees in the West Potomac Park
surrounding the Tidal Basin
in Washington, D.C.
were donated by the mayor of Tokyo
, Yukio Ozaki
and Dr. Takamine in 1912.
In 1904, the Emperor Meiji
of Japan honored Takamine with an unusual gift. In the context of the St. Louis World Fair (Louisiana Purchase Exposition
), the Japanese government had replicated a historical Japanese structure, the "Pine and Maple Palace" (Shofu-den), modelled after the Kyoto Imperial Coronation Palace of 1,300 years ago. This structure was gifted to Dr. Takamine in grateful recognition of his efforts to further friendly relations between Japan and the United States. He had the structure transported in sections from Missouri
to his summer home in upstate New York, seventy-five miles north of New York City
. In 1909, the structure served as a guest house for Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi
and Princess Kuni of Japan, who were visiting the area. Although the property was sold in 1922, the reconstructed structure remained in its serene setting. In 2008, it still continues to be one of the undervalued tourist attractions of New York's Sullivan County.
The Takamine home in Kanazawa can still be seen today. It was relocated to the grounds of Kanazawa Castle
in 1964.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
.
Early life and education
Takamine was born in TakaokaTakaoka, Toyama
is a city situated in the northwest of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, and is the central city of its Western District. Takaoka covers the 8th largest surface area in Toyama prefecture and has the second largest population after Toyama City...
, Toyama Prefecture
Toyama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources....
, in November 1854. His father was a doctor; his mother a member of a family of sake brewers. He spent his childhood in Kanazawa
Kanazawa, Ishikawa
is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's...
, capital of present-day Ishikawa Prefecture
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
in central Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, and was educated in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, and Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, graduating from the Tokyo Imperial University in 1879. He did postgraduate work at University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
and Anderson College in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He returned to Japan in 1883 and joined the division of chemistry at the Department of Agriculture and Commerce.
He learned English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as a child from a Dutch family in Nagasaki
Nagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...
and so always spoke English with a Dutch accent.
Japan
Takamine continued to work for the department of agriculture and commerce until 1887. He then founded the Tokyo Artificial Fertilizer Company, where he later isolated the enzymeEnzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
takadiastase
Takadiastase
Takadiastase is a form of diastase which results from the growth, development, and nutrition of a distinct microscopic fungus known as Aspergillus oryzae . Takadiastase is named after Jokichi Takamine, who developed the method first used for its extraction.- External links :* History of industrial...
, an enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of starch
Starch
Starch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by all green plants as an energy store...
. Takamine developed his diastase from koji
Koji
koji or kōji may refer to:*Koji, the common name of the fungus Aspergillus oryzae*Koji Ishikawa , picture-book author and illustrator*Koji Kondo , composer of video game music...
, a fungus used in the manufacture of soy sauce
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
and miso
Miso
is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley and/or soybeans, with salt and the fungus , the most typical miso being made with soy. The result is a thick paste used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso...
. Its Latin name is Aspergillus oryzae
Aspergillus oryzae
Aspergillus oryzae is a filamentous fungus . It is used in Chinese and Japanese cuisine to ferment soybeans. It is also used to saccharify rice, other grains, and potatoes in the making of alcoholic beverages such as huangjiu, sake, and shōchū...
, and it is a "designated national fungus" (kokkin) in Japan.
In 1899, Takamine was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Engineering by what is now the University of Tokyo.
United States
Takamine went as co-commissioner of the Cotton Exposition to New Orleans in 1884, where he met Lafcadio HearnLafcadio Hearn
Patrick Lafcadio Hearn , known also by the Japanese name , was an international writer, known best for his books about Japan, especially his collections of Japanese legends and ghost stories, such as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things...
and Caroline Hitch, his future wife. He later emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and established his own research laboratory in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
but licensed the exclusive production rights for Takadiastase to one of the largest US pharmaceutical companies, Parke Davis. This turned out to be a shrewd move - he became a millionaire in a relatively short time and by the early 20th century was estimated to be worth $30 million.
In 1901 he isolated and purified the hormone
Hormone
A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...
adrenaline (the first effective bronchodilator for asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
) from animal glands, becoming the first to accomplish this for a glandular hormone.
In 1905 he founded the Nippon Club
Nippon Club (New York)
The Nippon Club of New York City is a private social club in New York City founded in 1905 by Jokichi Takamine for Japanese Americans and Japanese nationals....
, which was for many years located at 161 West 93rd Street in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Many of the beautiful cherry blossom trees in the West Potomac Park
West Potomac Park
West Potomac Park is a U.S. national park in Washington, D.C., adjacent to the National Mall. It includes the parkland that extends south of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, from the Lincoln Memorial to the grounds of the Washington Monument...
surrounding the Tidal Basin
Tidal Basin
-External links:*-References:...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
were donated by the mayor of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Yukio Ozaki
Yukio Ozaki
was a liberal Japanese politician, born in modern-day Sagamihara, Kanagawa. Ozaki served in the House of Representatives of the Japanese Diet for 63 years, from 1890-1953...
and Dr. Takamine in 1912.
In 1904, the Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
of Japan honored Takamine with an unusual gift. In the context of the St. Louis World Fair (Louisiana Purchase Exposition
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
), the Japanese government had replicated a historical Japanese structure, the "Pine and Maple Palace" (Shofu-den), modelled after the Kyoto Imperial Coronation Palace of 1,300 years ago. This structure was gifted to Dr. Takamine in grateful recognition of his efforts to further friendly relations between Japan and the United States. He had the structure transported in sections from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
to his summer home in upstate New York, seventy-five miles north of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1909, the structure served as a guest house for Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi
Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi
was a member of the Japanese imperial family and a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Meiji and Taishō periods. He was the father of Empress Kōjun , and therefore, the maternal grandfather of the present emperor of Japan, Akihito.-Early life:Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi was born in...
and Princess Kuni of Japan, who were visiting the area. Although the property was sold in 1922, the reconstructed structure remained in its serene setting. In 2008, it still continues to be one of the undervalued tourist attractions of New York's Sullivan County.
The Takamine home in Kanazawa can still be seen today. It was relocated to the grounds of Kanazawa Castle
Kanazawa Castle
is a large, well-restored castle in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. It is located adjacent to the celebrated Kenroku-en Garden, which once formed the castle's private outer garden.-History and description:...
in 1964.
Further reading
- Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission: Japan's participation
External links
— Dr. Jokichi Takamine: Japanese father of American Biotechnology.— Production of Microbial Enzymes and Their Applications.- History of Industrial Property Right, Jokichi Takamine Taka-Disatase, Adrenaline, Japan patent Office.