Umehara Takeshi
Encyclopedia
was born in Miyagi Prefecture
in Tōhoku
in 1925 and graduated from the philosophical faculty of Kyoto University
in 1948. He taught philosophy
at Ritsumeikan University
and was subsequently appointed rector of the Kyoto Municipal University of Fine Arts. Noted for his prolific essays on Japanese culture, in which he endeavoured to refound the discipline of Japanese studies along more Japanocentric lines, notably in his programmatic book, in collaboration with Ueyama Shunpei
, Nihongaku kotohajime(日本学事始) 1972. Aside from his voluminous academic essays on numerous aspects of Japanese culture he has also composed theatrical works on figures as varied as Yamato Takeru
and Gilgamesh
.
He was appointed in 1987 to head the controversial International Research Center for Japanese Studies
, otherwise known by the abbreviation of Nichibunken, established by Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro to function as both a centralized academic intelligence body collecting and classifying all available information about Japanese culture, both within Japan and abroad, and as a center for the creative theorization of the alleged Japanese "uniqueness". He retired as head administrator of Nichibunken in 1995.
. Arrangements were made to have him looked after by relatives, and over New Year 1927, aged 1 year nine months, Umehara was adopted by his father’s brother Umehara Hanbei and his wife Toshi, and raised as their foster child.
Throughout his education, from primary through to tertiary level, Umehara was by his own account an indifferent student. He was in his primary school years somewhat of a Dreamy Daniel, preferring play to study, and he failed to pass the entrance exam for Asahigaoka High School. To complete his secondary education he had to commute from his home in Minamichita to Tōkai
Middle School two and a half hours away, after barely scraping through the entry exam. He gained entry in 1942 to the Hiroshima
Higher Normal School, but withdrew after only two months, and, in the following year, the managed to obtain a place at the Hachikō (Eighth Rank) High School in Nagoya, under its Principal Itō Nikichi (伊藤仁吉). Over the following two years he developed a passionate interest in the philosophies of Nishida Kitarō
and Tanabe Hajime, the intellectual leaders of what was known as the Kyoto School
(Kyōto Gakuha), a circle of conservative modernists who gave substantial theoretical backing to Japan’s imperial outreach during the period known as the 15 year war. Umehara was also attracted by the philosophy of ethics being worked out by Nishida and Tanabe’s former colleague, Watsuji Tetsurō, who had now shifted to Tokyo University. Reading their work made Umehara resolve to dedicate his life to philosophy. On graduation from his secondary schooling, Umehara won a place at Kyoto University
– the war had destroyed the lives of many other young men of his generation with academic aspirations and better credentials. By that time, both Nishida and Tanabe had retired, and Umehara’s father, a practical man with a career in the Toyota company, initially opposed the idea of him studying philosophy. At his son’s insistence, however, he relented and gave his permission. Soon after his admission however Umehara was conscripted into the army, and only managed to return to his studies in September of that year. He graduated in 1948
Miyagi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...
in Tōhoku
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
in 1925 and graduated from the philosophical faculty of Kyoto University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
in 1948. He taught philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at Ritsumeikan University
Ritsumeikan University
Ritsumeikan University has a growing reputation as one of the main private universities of Japan. It is part of a group of prestigious private universities in the Kansai area, called "Kan -Kan -Dou -Ritsu "...
and was subsequently appointed rector of the Kyoto Municipal University of Fine Arts. Noted for his prolific essays on Japanese culture, in which he endeavoured to refound the discipline of Japanese studies along more Japanocentric lines, notably in his programmatic book, in collaboration with Ueyama Shunpei
Ueyama Shunpei
is a Japanese philosopher associated with the postwar Kyoto School. He graduated in philosophy from Kyoto University in 1943, and trained in a kamikaze human torpedo squad. His main professional interest in philosophy lies in the fields of logic, and American pragmatism, especially with its...
, Nihongaku kotohajime(日本学事始) 1972. Aside from his voluminous academic essays on numerous aspects of Japanese culture he has also composed theatrical works on figures as varied as Yamato Takeru
Yamato Takeru
, originally Prince Ousu was a Japanese legendary prince of the Yamato dynasty, son of Keikō of Yamato, a legendary monarch who is traditionally counted as the 12th Tennō or Emperor of Japan. The tragic tale of this impressive figure is told in the Japanese chronicles Kojiki and Nihon Shoki...
and Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh was the fifth king of Uruk, modern day Iraq , placing his reign ca. 2500 BC. According to the Sumerian king list he reigned for 126 years. In the Tummal Inscription, Gilgamesh, and his son Urlugal, rebuilt the sanctuary of the goddess Ninlil, in Tummal, a sacred quarter in her city of...
.
He was appointed in 1987 to head the controversial International Research Center for Japanese Studies
International Research Center for Japanese Studies
The , or Nichibunken , is an inter-university research institute in Kyoto. Along with the National Institute of Japanese Literature, the National Museum of Japanese History, and the National Museum of Ethnology, it is one of the National Institutes for the Humanities...
, otherwise known by the abbreviation of Nichibunken, established by Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro to function as both a centralized academic intelligence body collecting and classifying all available information about Japanese culture, both within Japan and abroad, and as a center for the creative theorization of the alleged Japanese "uniqueness". He retired as head administrator of Nichibunken in 1995.
Early years
His mother Ishikawa Chiyo died early while Umehara was being breast-fed, and his father was still a student at Tohoku UniversityTohoku University
, abbreviated to , located in the city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture in the Tōhoku Region, Japan, is a Japanese national university. It is the third oldest Imperial University in Japan and is a member of the National Seven Universities...
. Arrangements were made to have him looked after by relatives, and over New Year 1927, aged 1 year nine months, Umehara was adopted by his father’s brother Umehara Hanbei and his wife Toshi, and raised as their foster child.
Throughout his education, from primary through to tertiary level, Umehara was by his own account an indifferent student. He was in his primary school years somewhat of a Dreamy Daniel, preferring play to study, and he failed to pass the entrance exam for Asahigaoka High School. To complete his secondary education he had to commute from his home in Minamichita to Tōkai
Tokai
Tōkai in Japanese may refer to:* Tōkai region, a subregion of Chūbu* Tōkai, Ibaraki, a village, also nown as "Tokaimura" * Tōkai, Aichi, a city* Tōkai University, a private university in Tokyo...
Middle School two and a half hours away, after barely scraping through the entry exam. He gained entry in 1942 to the 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...
Higher Normal School, but withdrew after only two months, and, in the following year, the managed to obtain a place at the Hachikō (Eighth Rank) High School in Nagoya, under its Principal Itō Nikichi (伊藤仁吉). Over the following two years he developed a passionate interest in the philosophies of Nishida Kitarō
Nishida Kitaro
was a prominent Japanese philosopher, founder of what has been called the Kyoto School of philosophy. He graduated from The University of Tokyo during the Meiji period in 1894 with a degree in philosophy. He was named professor of the Fourth High School in Ishikawa Prefecture in 1899 and later...
and Tanabe Hajime, the intellectual leaders of what was known as the Kyoto School
Kyoto School
The Kyoto School is the name given to the Japanese "philosophical movement centered at Kyoto University that assimilated western philosophy and religious ideas and used them to reformulate religious and moral insights unique to the East Asian cultural tradition." However, it is also used to...
(Kyōto Gakuha), a circle of conservative modernists who gave substantial theoretical backing to Japan’s imperial outreach during the period known as the 15 year war. Umehara was also attracted by the philosophy of ethics being worked out by Nishida and Tanabe’s former colleague, Watsuji Tetsurō, who had now shifted to Tokyo University. Reading their work made Umehara resolve to dedicate his life to philosophy. On graduation from his secondary schooling, Umehara won a place at Kyoto University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
– the war had destroyed the lives of many other young men of his generation with academic aspirations and better credentials. By that time, both Nishida and Tanabe had retired, and Umehara’s father, a practical man with a career in the Toyota company, initially opposed the idea of him studying philosophy. At his son’s insistence, however, he relented and gave his permission. Soon after his admission however Umehara was conscripted into the army, and only managed to return to his studies in September of that year. He graduated in 1948