Dissemination Activity of Western Vegetables and Fruits by Graduates of Gakunousha Nougakkou

Abstract

Gakunousha Nougakkou, founded by Sen Tsuda, an agricultural enlightener known as a pioneer who introduced Western vegetables and fruits to Japan, was the first agricultural school in Japan. The school was open for less than 10 years from 1875 to 1884, but academic study and practical education that incorporated Western agriculture was conducted. This study aimed to clarify the role played by Gakunousha Nougakkou graduates Hayato Fukuba, Tomoharu Tachibana, Jin Tachibana and Masataro Atoji in the research and cultivation of Western vegetables and fruits. As a result, education at Gakunousha Nougakkou clearly contributed to the motivation and knowledge of cultivating Western vegetables and fruits, which in turn contributed to modernization and development of agricultural production and technology in the Meiji era.