11 Facts About Tsuda Sen

Tsuda Sen was a politician, educator and writer in Meiji period Japan.

Tsuda Sen was one of the founders of Aoyama Gakuin university, and the father of noted author and educator Tsuda Umeko.

Tsuda Sen was hired by the Tokugawa bakufu as an interpreter, and accompanied Fukuzawa Yukichi on a mission to purchase warships in the United States in 1867.

Tsuda Sen opened the first western style hotel in Tsukiji in 1867, near the foreign settlement.

Tsuda Sen spent time with the Hokkaido Colonization Office, where he made close contacts with future Prime Minister Kuroda Kiyotaka.

In 1873 Tsuda Sen attended the Vienna Expo, where he met Sano Tsunetami, and where he received a lesson on Western agricultural techniques, particularly artificial crop pollination.

Tsuda Sen initially sold the corn by mail advertisement, and is thus the first such entrepreneur in Japan.

Tsuda Sen established a magazine, Nogyo Zasshi, aimed at the agricultural market.

Tsuda Sen played an important role in establishing Christian schools, such as Aoyama Gakuin, Doshisha University, Friend's Girls' School, and Tokyo School for the Blind and Deaf.

Tsuda Sen was involved in most of the work to create the early foundation of Aoyama Gakuin.

Tsuda Sen died on the Tokaido line train of a cerebral hemorrhage, and his funeral was held in the auditorium of Aoyama Gakuin, and his grave is at Aoyama Cemetery.