Shima Kakoku facts for kids
Shima Kakoku (島 霞谷, 1827–1870) was a very important Japanese artist and photographer. He was one of the first people in Japan to use photography. He was born in what is now Tochigi Prefecture.
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Shima Kakoku: A Pioneer Photographer
Early Life and Art
Shima Kakoku was born in 1827. His father loved to paint, and perhaps this inspired Kakoku to become an artist too. In 1847, Kakoku went to an art school in Edo, which is now the big city of Tokyo.
While at art school, he met another student named Ryū. They became friends and later married in 1855. After they got married, Kakoku and Ryū traveled around the Kantō region of Japan. They might have shown their artwork to people as they traveled. Kakoku also had some of his pictures printed in books as illustrations.
Discovering Photography
At some point, Kakoku and Ryū learned how to take photographs. This was a new and exciting skill at the time! In the spring of 1864, Ryū took a picture of Kakoku. This photograph is very special because it's the oldest known photo taken by a Japanese woman.
The photo was made using a method called the wet-plate collodion process. This was a common way to take pictures back then. A special glass plate was covered with chemicals and had to be used while still wet. A print of this early portrait is still kept safe by the Shima family today.
From about 1865 to 1867, the Shimas ran their own photographic studio in Edo. This was a place where people could go to have their pictures taken.
A Legacy of Innovation
After running their studio, Kakoku took a job teaching at a school called Kaiseijo. Later, he worked at a medical school that was a part of what would become the University of Tokyo.
While working there, Shima Kakoku invented something very important for printing. He created the first Japanese movable type. Imagine having individual letters that you can arrange to print words! This made it much easier to print books, especially medical textbooks, which was a big step forward for Japan.
Shima Kakoku passed away in 1870. After his death, his wife Ryū moved back to her hometown of Kiryū. She continued their work by opening her own photographic studio there. Shima Kakoku is remembered as a true pioneer in both art and photography in Japan.
