18 Facts About Takuji Iwasaki

Takuji Iwasaki was a Japanese meteorologist, biologist, ethnologist historian.

Takuji Iwasaki was a meteorologist at the Ishigaki Weather Station, Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture.

Takuji Iwasaki discontinued high school and became a trainee at the Central Meteorological Station.

Takuji Iwasaki worked at the weather stations of Nemuro and Sapporo.

Takuji Iwasaki was stationed at the Ishigaki Weather Observatory in the Yaeyama Islands 1899 when he married.

Takuji Iwasaki became the director of Yaeyama Library, which later became the Yaeyama branch of the Okinawa Prefectural Library.

Takuji Iwasaki started the first kindergarten on the island, and took part in a venture enterprise of culturing black pearls in Kabira Bay with Mikimoto Kokichi.

Takuji Iwasaki only spoke a Sendai dialect, and up until his death, conversation with local people was very difficult.

In 1932, Takuji Iwasaki retired from the Ishigaki Observatory but remained as a part-time worker.

Takuji Iwasaki died there on May 2,1937, at the age of 69.

In 2001, Takuji Iwasaki was made an honorary citizen of Ishigaki.

Takuji Iwasaki proposed that all buildings in typhoon-prone Ishigaki Island be built in concrete, including his observatory.

Takuji Iwasaki observed every typhoon which hit Ishigaki Island, and during one storm in 1914, a small stone hit his right eye and he lost his sight in that eye.

Takuji Iwasaki has been famous for his studies in the fields of biology.

Takuji Iwasaki bred butterflies such as Oogomadara and Konoha Cho, and observed their behaviour.

Snakes named in honor of Takuji include Iwasaki Sedaka Hebi and Iwasaki Wamon Beni Hebi.

Takuji Iwasaki bred the poisonous Sakishima habu and devised ways to cope with the snake.

Takuji Iwasaki had collected a number of folklore and local songs, and tried to introduce the culture of Ishigaki Island through Yanagita Kunio and Orikuchi Shinobu.