Udagawa Yōan
Illustration — Udagawa Yōan (宇田川 榕菴, 1798–1846) Udagawa Udagawa Yōan was a 19th-century Japanese scholar of Western studies, or "Rangaku". In 1837, he published the first volume of his Introduction to Chemistry, a compilation of scientific books in Dutch, which describes a wide range of scientific knowledge from the West. Most of the Dutch original material appears to be derived from William Henry's 1799 Elements of Experimental Chemistry.
Also recorded as Udagawa Yoan · Udagawa Youan
Udagawa Yōan

Public domain
- Born
- 1798 · Edo.
- Died
- 1846 · Edo.
- Nationality
- Japan
- Occupation
- naturalist · chemist · translator · botanist · illustrator
- Known for
- Seimi Kaisō
- Languages
- Japanese · Dutch · English
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Documentary summary
Illustration — Udagawa Yōan (宇田川 榕菴, 1798–1846) Udagawa Udagawa Yōan was a 19th-century Japanese scholar of Western studies, or "Rangaku". In 1837, he published the first volume of his Introduction to Chemistry, a compilation of scientific books in Dutch, which describes a wide range of scientific knowledge from the West. Most of the Dutch original material appears to be derived from William Henry's 1799 Elements of Experimental Chemistry.
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Udagawa Yōan was born at Edo. Udagawa Yōan died at Edo.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 25 September 2026
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wikidata · Q2742793 · wikipedia · Udagawa Yōan
In this article
Identity
Identity
In particular, the book contains a very detailed description of the electric battery invented by Volta forty years earlier in 1800. The battery itself was constructed by Udagawa in 1831 and used in experiments, including medical ones, based on a belief that electricity could help cure illnesses. Udagawa's Science of Chemistry also reports for the first time in details the findings and theories of Lavoisier in Japan. Accordingly, Udagawa made numerous scientific experiments and created new scientific terms, which are still in current use in modern scientific Japanese: e.g, "oxygen", "hydrogen", "nitrogen", "carbon", "oxidation", "reduction", "saturation", "dissolution" and "element". In Botanika kyō (Botany Sutra), published in 1822 in the style of a Buddhist sutra, Udagawa argued that the traditional, Chinese-influenced system of nomenclature in Japan was imprecise, and put forth the Linnean system as an alternative. He also created the word for animal: Dōbutsu. A genus of orchid, Yoania, is named after Udagawa. • Illustration — A des­crip­tion of a Volta battery in Introduction to Chemistry (Seimi Kaisō), published in 1840 • Illustration — Chemical experiments in Introduction to Chemistry (Seimi Kaisō)
Udagawa Yōan is recorded with the occupation illustrator. Recorded with the occupation naturalist. Recorded with the occupation translator. Recorded with the occupation botanist. Recorded with the occupation chemist. Recorded as naturalist, chemist, translator, botanist and illustrator. Identity and origins. The authorities additionally record the headings Udagawa Yoan and Udagawa Youan. His recorded languages were Japanese, Dutch, English and Latin. Other recorded relations include Udagawa Genshin and Udagawa Kōsai.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1798
Udagawa Yōan was born on 9 March 1798.
1846
Udagawa Yōan died on 1 January 1846.
Primary material
Documents and archives
Institutional database
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2742793: Udagawa Yōan
Scholarly · Wikimedia Foundation
reference work
- “Udagawa Yōan”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
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References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
Wikidata, structured authority record Q2742793: Udagawa YōanWikimedia Foundation
Verifiedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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