Abstract
Sedimentology is a basic discipline in geological sciences established only in the midst of the 20th century. It had, however, a history of pre-sedimentology as long as that of geology itself. Reviewing the history of sedimentology, the establishment and development of sedimentology in Japan are discussed on the following topics: (1) stratigraphy and lithology, (2) proposal of the term “Sedimentology”, and (3) the process of establishment of sedimentology and its development in the four stages, 1950-1960, 1960-1980, 1980-2002, and since 2002. A special mention is made of the first introduction of the term “Taiseki-gaku” (sedimentology in English) in 1929 by Tsugio Yagi, a professor of Tohoku University, which was much earlier than the proposal of the term “Sedimentology” by Hakon Wadell in 1932. In this respect, a tribute of praise should be paid to Tsugio Yagi not only in Japan but also internationally.
