Johannis de Rijke
Encyclopedia
Johannis de Rijke was a Dutch
civil engineer
and a foreign advisor to the Japanese government
in Meiji period
Japan
.
. He was the third of seven children born to farmer and part-time dike worker Pieter de Rijke and his wife, Anna Catharina Liefbroer. He obtained a position with the Dutch Ministry of the Interior as an apprentice to Jacobus Lebret, under whom he studied mathematics, earthwork construction, and hydraulic engineering practices.
building the Oranje lock
which closed off the IJ
from the Zuiderzee at Schellingwoude
near Amsterdam
. Rijke was the chief construction foreman. When van Doorn was invited to travel to Japan in 1872, he encouraged Rijke to join him in re-designing the port of Osaka
.
. During the next thirty years, these three civil engineers developed a range of flood control
and water management projects. He improved the ports of Tokyo
, Yokohama
, Nagasaki
, Ujina (Hiroshima
), Hakata (Fukuoka
), Mikuni (Sakai
) and Niigata
. His breakwater at the port of Yokkaichi
is recognized by the Japanese government as an Important Cultural Property
.
Rijke also developed plans to improve riparian zones of several Japanese rivers. Notably, his groundwork and planning caused separation of the Kiso River
, Nagara River
and Ibi River
near Nagoya, also known as the . Importantly, Rijke was responsible for the construction of a tunnel channel from Lake Biwa
to Kyoto
.
He is also credited with building the Tokyo Kanda River sewer network.
After 1891, Rijke was appointed an Imperial officer of the Meiji Home Ministry
, where he rose to the position of Vice Minister in this Japanese government bureaucracy. He later served as a instructor in the Imperial College of Engineering
.
to help develop plans to improve the navagability of the Yangtze River
.
In 1901, he returned to China to participate in the Yellow River
flood control project.
, 2nd class, and returned to the Netherlands in 1903. In the Netherlands he was appointed Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau
and on January 13, 1911 to Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion. In Belgium
, he was knighted in the Order of Leopold
He died at the age of 70 in Amsterdam
. He is buried in the Zorgvlied cemetery in Amsterdam.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
and a foreign advisor to the Japanese government
O-yatoi gaikokujin
The Foreign government advisors in Meiji Japan, known in Japanese as oyatoi gaikokujin , were those foreign advisors hired by the Japanese government for their specialized knowledge to assist in the modernization of Japan at the end of the Bakufu and during the Meiji era. The term is sometimes...
in Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
Japan
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...
.
Early life
Rijke was born in Noord-BevelandNoord-Beveland
Noord-Beveland is a municipality in the southwestern Netherlands and a former island, now part of the Walcheren-Zuid-Beveland-Noord-Beveland peninsula....
. He was the third of seven children born to farmer and part-time dike worker Pieter de Rijke and his wife, Anna Catharina Liefbroer. He obtained a position with the Dutch Ministry of the Interior as an apprentice to Jacobus Lebret, under whom he studied mathematics, earthwork construction, and hydraulic engineering practices.
Career
In 1865, Rijke worked for Cornelis Johannes van DoornCornelis Johannes van Doorn
was a Dutch engineer and foreign advisor in Japan during the Meiji period. He was invited to the country in 1872 and worked on hydraulic engineering projects on the Edo River and on port facilities at Nobiru in Sendai Bay. He designed Japan's first western-style waterway, the Asaka Canal, which...
building the Oranje lock
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
which closed off the IJ
IJ (bay)
The IJ is a river, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront. The name derives from the generic Germanic term for "water" and is similar to other Aa/Ee names for bodies of water. In Dutch, the name consists of the digraph ij, which is...
from the Zuiderzee at Schellingwoude
Schellingwoude
Schellingwoude is a former village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It was located in the municipality of Amsterdam, on the northern border of the IJ. It is now a neighbourhood of the city of Amsterdam....
near Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Rijke was the chief construction foreman. When van Doorn was invited to travel to Japan in 1872, he encouraged Rijke to join him in re-designing the port of 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...
.
Japan
In September 1873, Rijke arrived in Japan together with van Doorn and George Arnold EscherGeorge Arnold Escher
George Arnold Escher was a Dutch civil engineer and a foreign advisor to the Japanese government during the Meiji period.He was the father of the graphic artist M. C...
. During the next thirty years, these three civil engineers developed a range of flood control
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
and water management projects. He improved the ports of Tokyo
Port of Tokyo
Port of Tokyo is one of the largest Japanese seaports and one of the largest seaports in the Pacific Ocean basin having an annual traffic capacity of around 100 million tonnes of cargo and 4,500,000 TEU's....
, Yokohama
Port of Yokohama
The is operated by the Port and Harbor Bureau of the City of Yokohama in Japan. It opens onto Tokyo Bay. The port is located at a latitude of 35.27.–00°N and a longitude of 139.38–46°E. To the south lies the Port of Yokosuka; to the north, the ports of Kawasaki and Tokyo.-Facilities:Yokohama Port...
, 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...
, Ujina (Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
), Hakata (Fukuoka
Fukuoka
Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan...
), Mikuni (Sakai
Sakai, Fukui
is a city located in Fukui, Japan. It lies to the north of Fukui City. It was founded on March 20, 2006, by the merger of the towns of Harue, Maruoka, Mikuni, and Sakai of the former Sakai District, which was dissolved in this merger....
) and Niigata
Niigata, Niigata
is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....
. His breakwater at the port of Yokkaichi
Yokkaichi, Mie
is a city located in Mie, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 314,393. The total area is 205.53 km².The closest major city is Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture....
is recognized by the Japanese government as an Important Cultural Property
Important Cultural Properties of Japan
The term is often shortened into just are items officially already classified as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and judged to be of particular importance to the Japanese people....
.
Rijke also developed plans to improve riparian zones of several Japanese rivers. Notably, his groundwork and planning caused separation of the Kiso River
Kiso River
The is a river in Japan roughly 193 km long, flowing through the prefectures of Nagano, Gifu, Aichi, and Mie before emptying into Ise Bay a short distance away from the city of Nagoya. It is the main river of the Kiso Three Rivers and forms a major part of the Nōbi Plain...
, Nagara River
Nagara River
The has its source in the city of Gujō, Gifu Prefecture, and its mouth in the city of Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, Japan. Along with the Kiso River and Ibi River, the Nagara River is one of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. Previously, the river was named Sunomata River . With a length of , it...
and Ibi River
Ibi River
The is a tributary of the Kiso River located in Gifu and Mie Prefectures in Japan. Along with the Nagara and Kiso rivers, the Ibi is the third of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. It is one of Japan's first-class rivers...
near Nagoya, also known as the . Importantly, Rijke was responsible for the construction of a tunnel channel from Lake Biwa
Lake Biwa
is the largest freshwater lake in Japan, located in Shiga Prefecture , northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto. Because of its proximity to the ancient capital, references to Lake Biwa appear frequently in Japanese literature, particularly in poetry and in historical accounts of battles.-...
to 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:...
.
He is also credited with building the Tokyo Kanda River sewer network.
After 1891, Rijke was appointed an Imperial officer of the Meiji Home Ministry
Home Ministry (Japan)
The ' was a Cabinet-level ministry established under the Meiji Constitution that managed the internal affairs of Empire of Japan from 1873-1947...
, where he rose to the position of Vice Minister in this Japanese government bureaucracy. He later served as a instructor in the Imperial College of Engineering
Imperial College of Engineering
The Imperial College of Engineering was founded as a university at Tokyo in 1873, though its predecessor the existed from 1871. The name "Kobu Daigakko" dates from 1877. In modern-day parlance it would have been called an institute of technology....
.
China
In 1876, Rijke traveled to ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
to help develop plans to improve the navagability of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
.
In 1901, he returned to China to participate in the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
flood control project.
Later life
Rijke was awarded the Order of the Sacred TreasuresOrder of the Sacred Treasures
The is a Japanese Order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan as the Order of Meiji. It is awarded in eight classes . It is generally awarded for long and/or meritorious service and considered to be the lowest of the Japanese orders of merit...
, 2nd class, and returned to the Netherlands in 1903. In the Netherlands he was appointed Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
and on January 13, 1911 to Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion. In Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, he was knighted in the Order of Leopold
He died at the age of 70 in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. He is buried in the Zorgvlied cemetery in Amsterdam.
Honors
- Order of the Sacred TreasuresOrder of the Sacred TreasuresThe is a Japanese Order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan as the Order of Meiji. It is awarded in eight classes . It is generally awarded for long and/or meritorious service and considered to be the lowest of the Japanese orders of merit...
, 1889 (4th class); 1892 (3rd class); 1903 (2nd class) - Order of Orange-NassauOrder of Orange-NassauThe Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
, 1911. - Order of the Dutch LionOrder of the Dutch LionThe Order of the Netherlands Lion is an order of the Netherlands which was first created on 29 September 1815 by King William I of the Netherlands....
, 1913. - Order of Leopold (Belgium).