Dr. Kintaro Okamura (1867 to 1935) Icones of Japanese Algae | Prominent Algologists around the World

Dr. Kintaro Okamura 

                  Kintaro Okamura (May 5, 1867 - August 21, 1935) was a legendary Japanese Phycologist and today known as "Father of Phycology in Japan". He devoted his entire life studying seaweeds from two perspectives: flora and the development of seaweed mariculture in Japan. Okamura (1928) presented a significant paper in which he pointed out that the distribution patterns of seaweeds were closely correlated with two currents warm known as 'Kuroshio' and cold known as 'Oyashio', the view still has widespread support. 

              He was very prolific and published more than 200 scientific research papers. Among them 'Illustrations of Marine Algae of Japan' and seven volumes of 'Icons of Japanese Algae' most sought after even today. He also produced writings of literary essays best was 'Shumi karamita Kaiso to Jinnsei (Seaweeds and human life: a tasteful reading). 

            In addition these he was also known professional phycologists to give seaweeds their own Japanese names, examples are 'Nori' for Porphyra; 'wakame' for Undaria, these are now even used in international commercial trade. It would be almost unbelievable to note one person collects and publish such a large number of algae (approximately 1000 species during his entire lifetime). In recognition of his distinguished services to education and research, the Emperor of Japan conferred on him the 'Decoration of Third Class of Order of Sacred Treasure'. 

Data compiled by: Dr. Vaibhav A. Mantri, Principal Scientist & Divisional Chair, CSIR-CSMCRI, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India.

Source Credit:  "Prominent Phycologists of the 20th Century" by David J Garbary and Michael J. Wynne (Eds)