History of Modern Astronomy in Japan

Kogure Tomokazu has been Professor Emeritus of Kyoto University since 1990. He obtained his Doctor of Science degree from the Department of Astronomy at Kyoto University in 1961. From 1966 to 1967 he pursued the spectroscopic study of Be stars at Paris Observatory’s Meudon laboratory. In 1976, after spending 6 years as a professor of physics at Ibaraki University, he returned to Kyoto University as a professor of galactic astronomy. His research fields include: the spectroscopic study of Be stars, interstellar gas dynamics, the physics of star forming regions, and the history of astrophysics. He has written several books, such as “Interstellar Physics”,1994,  Goto shobo (in Japanese). “Emission Line Stars”, 2002, Goto Shobo (in Japanese), “Astrophysics of Emission-Line Stars” , (co-work with Kam Ching Leung),2007,  Springer, and “History of Modern Astronomy – The rise of astrophysics and pioneers―”, 2015,  Kyoto University Press (in Japanese).

• Preface.- Chapter 1. Astronomy in Tokugawa period.- Chapter 2. Astronomy from Meiji to Taisho period 1868 – 1926.- Chapter 3. Astronomy in Early Showa. I. Tokyo 1926 – 1945.- Chapter 4. Astronomy in Early Showa. II. Kyoto 1926 – 1945.- Chapter 5. Astronomy in Early Showa. III. Sendai 1926 – 1945.- Chapter 6.  Postwar development of Astrophysics 1946 – 2000 (Part I. Instrumentation).- Chapter 7.  Postwar development of astrophysics 1946 – 2000 (Part II. Astrophysics).- Chapter 8. Education and Popularization of Astronomy 1946 – 2010.- Index.

“The aim of the book is to offer a research review paper in each field, based on published papers. The result is a laborious work that exhaustively shows readers the circumstances in which Japan was able to participate in world astronomical research after the Edo period. Since then, Japanese astronomy research has greatly developed through the promotion of many international collaborative projects.” (Hideyuki Kobayashi, Journal for the History of Astronomy, Vol. 56 (2), February, 2025) “I cannot but help admiring his enthusiasm and efforts in writing this book. As one of the author’s compatriots, I welcome the publication of this book and encourage overseas astronomical historians and scientists to read it in order to correctly understand the modern history of astronomy in Japan.” (Tsuko Nakamura, Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 24 (4), 2021)“The book abounds with portraits of nearly forty Japanese gentlemen, with detail of their education and careers, together with clear, well-illustrated, well-referenced, concise summaries of their astronomical achievements. … I was generally impressed. After a slow start in the 19th Century, we read an intriguing story of just what an industrious and hard-working nation can achieve.” (David W. Hughes, The Observatory, Vol. 141 (1285), December, 2021)