author
Philipp Franz von Siebold
1796–1866
A German doctor and naturalist who opened a remarkable window between Europe and Japan, he became one of the best-known Western scholars of Japan in the 19th century. His travels, collections, and writing helped introduce Japanese plants, animals, and culture to European readers.
1 Audiobook
Reize van Maarten Gerritsz. Vries in 1643 naar het Noorden en Oosten van Japan volgens het journaal gehouden door C.J. Coen, op het schip Castricum
by Maarten Gerritszoon Vries, Cornelis Janszoon Coen, Philipp Franz von Siebold
About the author
Born in Würzburg in 1796, Philipp Franz von Siebold studied medicine and natural science before entering Dutch service and traveling to Asia. In 1823 he arrived at Dejima, the Dutch trading post at Nagasaki, where he worked as a physician and teacher during Japan's long period of limited contact with the West.
Siebold is remembered for the way he combined medicine, travel, and close observation. He collected plants, animals, maps, and cultural objects, and his research made him an important early interpreter of Japan for European audiences. His major works, including Flora Japonica and Nippon, helped spread knowledge of Japanese natural history and society far beyond Japan.
His life was also shaped by controversy: after leaving Japan in 1829, he was barred for a time because of the so-called Siebold incident, connected to restricted maps and other materials. He later returned to Japan and remained a lasting figure in the history of cultural and scientific exchange between Japan and Europe.