Shima Kakoku
Encyclopedia
was a pioneering Japanese
photographer and artist. He was born in modern-day Tochigi Prefecture
. Possibly inspired by his father, who was an avid painter, in 1847 he entered an art school in Edo
(now Tokyo
) where he met Ryū
(surname unknown; 1823–1900), a fellow student. The two married in 1855 and soon began moving about the Kantō region
, possibly exhibiting their works along the way. At this time Shima seems to have had some pictures published as book illustrations. At some point the couple learned photography, and in the spring of 1864 Ryu photographed Kakoku, thereby creating the earliest known photograph by a Japanese woman. A wet-plate
print of this portrait remains in the Shima family archives. The Shimas operated a photographic studio
in Edo in about 1865 to 1867, until Kakoku accepted a teaching position at Kaiseijo
. Later, Shima worked at Daigaku Tōkō ' onMouseout='HidePop("32613")' href="/topics/University_of_Tokyo">University of Tokyo
), and while there invented the first Japanese movable type
, for the printing of medical textbooks. Shima Kakoku died in 1870, and his wife returned to Kiryū where she opened her own photographic studio.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
photographer and artist. He was born in modern-day Tochigi Prefecture
Tochigi Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...
. Possibly inspired by his father, who was an avid painter, in 1847 he entered an art school in Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
(now Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
) where he met Ryū
Shima Ryu
was a Japanese artist and pioneering photographer. Originally from Kiryū, in what is now Gunma Prefecture, she studied at an art school in Edo where she met Shima Kakoku , a fellow student. The two married in 1855 and soon began moving about the Kantō region, possibly exhibiting their works along...
(surname unknown; 1823–1900), a fellow student. The two married in 1855 and soon began moving about the Kantō region
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
, possibly exhibiting their works along the way. At this time Shima seems to have had some pictures published as book illustrations. At some point the couple learned photography, and in the spring of 1864 Ryu photographed Kakoku, thereby creating the earliest known photograph by a Japanese woman. A wet-plate
Collodion process
The collodion process is an early photographic process. It was introduced in the 1850s and by the end of that decade it had almost entirely replaced the first practical photographic process, the daguerreotype. During the 1880s the collodion process, in turn, was largely replaced by gelatin dry...
print of this portrait remains in the Shima family archives. The Shimas operated a photographic studio
Photographic studio
A photographic studio is both a workspace and a corporate body. As a workspace it is much like an artist’s studio, but providing space to take, develop, print and duplicate photographs. Photographic training and the display of finished photographs may also be accommodated in a photographic studio...
in Edo in about 1865 to 1867, until Kakoku accepted a teaching position at Kaiseijo
Bansho Shirabesho
The ', or "Institute for the Study of Barbarian Books," was the Japanese institute charged with the translation and study of foreign books and publications in the late Edo Period. Founded in 1857, it functioned as a sort of bureau of the Tokugawa Shogunate. It was renamed ' in 1862, and ' in 1863...
. Later, Shima worked at Daigaku Tōkō ' onMouseout='HidePop("32613")' href="/topics/University_of_Tokyo">University of Tokyo
University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
), and while there invented the first Japanese movable type
Movable type
Movable type is the system of printing and typography that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document ....
, for the printing of medical textbooks. Shima Kakoku died in 1870, and his wife returned to Kiryū where she opened her own photographic studio.