Born into a family of physicians in Würzburg, Germany.
He arrived at Dejima in Nagasaki as physician to the Dutch trading post.
He opened the Narutaki school outside Nagasaki, treating patients and teaching Western medicine and science to young Japanese such as Takano Chōei.
He accompanied the head of the trading post to Edo to meet the shogun, eagerly studying Japan's plants, animals and geography on the way.
His daughter Ine was born to the Japanese woman Kusumoto Taki; Ine later became Japan's first woman obstetrician.
As he prepared to leave, it was discovered that he had a forbidden map of Japan; the next year he was expelled.
Back in Europe he began publishing his great work Nippon, presenting Japan's nature and culture.
With the ban lifted after Japan opened, he came back and was reunited with his daughter Ine.
Invited by the shogunate, he served as an adviser on foreign affairs.
He left Japan and returned to Europe.
He died in Munich, Germany.
Takano ChōeiMogami TokunaiŌtsuki GentakuMamiya RinzōKusumoto IneUdagawa Yōan
Ōshio HeihachirōWatanabe KazanMizuno TadakuniMatthew C. PerryUtagawa HiroshigeUtagawa KuniyoshiTakashima ShūhanUdagawa Yōan
People of the Edo period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.