Michiyo Tsujimura facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michiyo Tsujimura
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Tsujimura in 1948
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| Born | 17 September 1888 |
| Died | 1 June 1969 (aged 80) Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan
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| Occupation | Agronomist, biochemist |
Michiyo Tsujimura (辻村みちよ, 17 September 1888 – 1 June 1969) was a brilliant Japanese scientist. She studied plants and chemicals, especially focusing on green tea. She made history by becoming the first woman in Japan to earn a special high-level degree in agriculture.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Michiyo Tsujimura was born in 1888 in what is now Okegawa, Japan. She went to the Tokyo Prefecture Women's Normal School and graduated in 1909. Later, she studied biochemical science at the Tokyo Women's Higher Normal School.
While there, she learned from a famous biologist named Kono Yasui. Kono Yasui inspired Michiyo to become interested in scientific research. Michiyo finished her studies in 1913. After graduating, she worked as a teacher at Yokohama High School for Women. In 1917, she moved back to Saitama Prefecture to teach at Saitama Women's Normal School.
Her Amazing Research Career
Michiyo Tsujimura's journey in research began in 1920. She joined Hokkaido Imperial University as a laboratory assistant. At that time, women were not allowed to be students at the university. So, Michiyo worked for free in the Food Nutritional Laboratory. There, she studied the nutrition of silkworms.
In 1922, she moved to the Medical Chemical Laboratory at Tokyo Imperial University. Sadly, this lab was destroyed in the big 1923 Great Kantō earthquake in September 1923. Because of this, she moved to RIKEN in October 1923. At RIKEN, she became a research student. She worked in the lab of Dr. Umetaro Suzuki and focused on nutritional chemistry.
Discovering Vitamin C in Green Tea
In 1924, Michiyo Tsujimura and her colleague, Seitaro Miura, made an exciting discovery. They found vitamin C in green tea! They published their findings in a science journal. This discovery was very important. It helped increase how much green tea Japan could sell to countries like the United States.
More Discoveries About Green Tea
Michiyo continued her research on green tea. In 1929, she found a special plant compound called catechin in green tea. The next year, in 1930, she was able to get tannin from green tea in a pure crystal form.
Her hard work paid off. In 1932, she earned her doctorate degree in agriculture from Tokyo Imperial University. Her thesis was about the different parts of green tea. This made her the first woman in Japan to receive such a degree in agriculture!
She didn't stop there. In 1934, she found another compound called gallocatechin in green tea. A year later, in 1935, she got a patent for her special method. This method was about how to get vitamin C crystals from plants.
Michiyo was promoted to junior researcher at RIKEN in 1942. Then, she became a full researcher in 1947. In 1949, she became a professor at Ochanomizu University. She also taught at Tokyo Women's Higher Normal School starting in 1950. She was even the first dean of the Faculty of Home Economics there.
Later Life and Honors
Michiyo Tsujimura retired from Ochanomizu University in 1955. However, she continued to give lectures part-time until 1961. She also taught as a professor at Jissen Women's University in Tokyo from 1955 to 1963. After that, she became a professor emeritus, which is an honorary title for retired professors.
Her amazing research on green tea was recognized in 1956. She was awarded the Japan Prize of Agricultural Science. In 1968, she received a high honor called the Order of the Precious Crown of the Fourth Class.
Michiyo Tsujimura passed away in Toyohashi on June 1, 1969, at the age of 80. Her 133rd birthday was celebrated with a special Google Doodle on September 16, 2021. This showed how important her contributions to science were.
See also
In Spanish: Michiyo Tsujimura para niños
