Ukita Kokichi
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese aviation pioneer, who is said to make artificial wings and fly with them. He is considered to be the first Japanese person to fly. He is also known as Chōjin Kōkichi (/Kōkichi the birdman), Hyōgu-shi Kōkichi (/Kōkichi the Paperhanger), Sakuraya Kōkichi , Bizen'ya Kōkichi , and Binkōsai .
in Hachihama, Kojima District
, Bizen Province
(now Hachihama, Tamano, Okayama
) as the second son of Ukita (Sakuraya) Seibei. When he was seven years old, his father died. Then he went to Okayama city
and became an apprentice of Hyōgu-shi, paperhanger (maker of Shōji
, Fusuma
).
Ukita studied how birds fly. He finally concluded, "Compute the ratio of the wing's area to the body's weight and use that ratio to create an artificial wing. Humans may use them to fly like a bird."
His skill of paperhanging was very useful for making wings. He made the wings' ribs of bamboo, covered them with paper and fabric and varnished the surface with lacquer from Japanese persimmons. After discarding many prototypes, Ukita tried flying from a bridge over Asahigawa-river(旭川) in the summer of 1785. Some references say that he glided several metres, but others say that he just fell. His eccentricity astonished the citizens who were out enjoying the cool evening air by the riverside. Immediately Ukita was arrested by Okayama Domain
-certified-samurais, and Lord Ikeda Harumasa (池田治政) exiled Ukita from Okayama Domain. In other accounts, Ukita was beheaded by the Tokugawa shogunate
. Kan-sa-zan(菅茶山), a contemporary scholar/poet, referred to this event in his writing.
Then he moved to Sunpu , Suruga province
(now Shizuoka, Shizuoka
) and opened a cotton shop under the name Bizen'ya Kōkichi. Once the business was established, he turned it over to his nephew and became a dental technician under the name Binkōsai. His excellent dentures established his reputation.
About his later years, there are two opinions. One says that Ukita flew again at Sunpu and was executed for a crime of rioting, but in another, Ukita moved to Mitsuke, Tōtōmi Province
(now Iwata, Shizuoka
), quietly spent the rest of his life with wife and children, and died peacefully in 1847 at age 92.
His tomb is in the Daiken-ji Temple, Iwata, Sizuoka. His posthumous name(Buddhist name) is .
Incidentally, Lord Ikeda's descendant Ikeda Takamasa (池田隆政) cancelled the exile punishment in 1997.
Biography
Ukita was born in 1757 during the Edo periodEdo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
in Hachihama, Kojima District
Kojima District, Okayama
was a district located in Okayama, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 15,872 and a density of 514.32 persons per km². The total area was 30.86 km²....
, Bizen Province
Bizen Province
was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of Honshū, in what is today the southeastern part of Okayama Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Bitchu and Bingo Provinces. Bizen borders Mimasaka, Harima, and Bitchū Provinces....
(now Hachihama, Tamano, Okayama
Tamano, Okayama
is a city located in the southern Okayama, Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 64,980, with a household number of 27,933 and the density of 627.16 persons per km². The total area is 103.61 km²....
) as the second son of Ukita (Sakuraya) Seibei. When he was seven years old, his father died. Then he went to Okayama city
Okayama, Okayama
is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.The city was founded on June 1, 1889. As of August 2010, the city has an estimated population of 705,224 and a population density of 893 persons per km². The total area is 789.88 km²....
and became an apprentice of Hyōgu-shi, paperhanger (maker of Shōji
Shoji
In traditional Japanese architecture, a shōji is a door, window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo...
, Fusuma
Fusuma
In Japanese architecture, fusuma are vertical rectangular panels which can slide from side to side to redefine spaces within a room, or act as doors. They typically measure about wide by tall, the same size as a tatami mat, and are two or three centimeters thick...
).
Ukita studied how birds fly. He finally concluded, "Compute the ratio of the wing's area to the body's weight and use that ratio to create an artificial wing. Humans may use them to fly like a bird."
His skill of paperhanging was very useful for making wings. He made the wings' ribs of bamboo, covered them with paper and fabric and varnished the surface with lacquer from Japanese persimmons. After discarding many prototypes, Ukita tried flying from a bridge over Asahigawa-river(旭川) in the summer of 1785. Some references say that he glided several metres, but others say that he just fell. His eccentricity astonished the citizens who were out enjoying the cool evening air by the riverside. Immediately Ukita was arrested by Okayama Domain
Okayama Domain
The ' was a Japanese feudal domain of the Edo period, located in modern-day Okayama Prefecture. The domain sided with the Kyoto government during the Boshin War.-List of Daimyo:*Kobayakawa clan, 1600-1602 #Hideaki...
-certified-samurais, and Lord Ikeda Harumasa (池田治政) exiled Ukita from Okayama Domain. In other accounts, Ukita was beheaded by the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
. Kan-sa-zan(菅茶山), a contemporary scholar/poet, referred to this event in his writing.
Then he moved to Sunpu , Suruga province
Suruga Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka prefecture. It was sometimes called . Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay.-History:...
(now Shizuoka, Shizuoka
Shizuoka, Shizuoka
is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in terms of both population and area. It became one of Japan's 19 "designated cities" in 2005.-Geography:...
) and opened a cotton shop under the name Bizen'ya Kōkichi. Once the business was established, he turned it over to his nephew and became a dental technician under the name Binkōsai. His excellent dentures established his reputation.
About his later years, there are two opinions. One says that Ukita flew again at Sunpu and was executed for a crime of rioting, but in another, Ukita moved to Mitsuke, Tōtōmi Province
Totomi Province
was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today western Shizuoka Prefecture. Tōtōmi bordered on Mikawa, Suruga and Shinano Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was .-History:...
(now Iwata, Shizuoka
Iwata, Shizuoka
is a city located in Shizuoka, Japan and is known for being the headquarters of the Yamaha Motor Corporation. Iwata is also home to Júbilo Iwata, a J. League soccer team, as well as Yamaha Jubilo, a rugby team. The population was 170,779 as of March 1, 2010...
), quietly spent the rest of his life with wife and children, and died peacefully in 1847 at age 92.
His tomb is in the Daiken-ji Temple, Iwata, Sizuoka. His posthumous name(Buddhist name) is .
Incidentally, Lord Ikeda's descendant Ikeda Takamasa (池田隆政) cancelled the exile punishment in 1997.
See also
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- 19th century Japanese aviation pioneer.