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While in [[Nagasaki]], he met with [[Isaac Titsingh]] and other agents of the [[Dutch East India Company]], as well as with a number of [[Chinese in Nagasaki|Chinese traders]]. He marveled at Dutch technologies, especially optics (microscrope, telescope, periscope, etc.) and maps, and wrote that the Chinese differed from Japanese only in dress, language, and behavior; in other words, he recognized no ethnic or racial difference between the people of China and Japan. His treatments of ethnic/racial difference were tied into theories about the influence of geography and climate upon temperament. Since China and Japan are geographically and climatically quite similar, he described no ethnic difference between the two peoples; however, he described Dutchmen as "cold" (i.e. distant and reserved), and Ryukyuans as "too warm in personality to pass for [Japanese], although they resemble the Japanese physically,"<ref>Yonemoto. p93.</ref> the result, in his thinking, it would seem, of their origins in climatically cold and warm places, respectively.

While in [[Nagasaki]], he met with [[Isaac Titsingh]] and other agents of the [[Dutch East India Company]], as well as with a number of [[Chinese in Nagasaki|Chinese traders]]. He marveled at Dutch technologies, especially optics (microscrope, telescope, periscope, etc.) and maps, and wrote that the Chinese differed from Japanese only in dress, language, and behavior; in other words, he recognized no ethnic or racial difference between the people of China and Japan. His treatments of ethnic/racial difference were tied into theories about the influence of geography and climate upon temperament. Since China and Japan are geographically and climatically quite similar, he described no ethnic difference between the two peoples; however, he described Dutchmen as "cold" (i.e. distant and reserved), and Ryukyuans as "too warm in personality to pass for [Japanese], although they resemble the Japanese physically,"<ref>Yonemoto. p93.</ref> the result, in his thinking, it would seem, of their origins in climatically cold and warm places, respectively.

Following his return, in [[1783]], he and a group of scholars including [[Koishi Genshun]] took part in the dissection of a human body.

Following his return, in [[1783]], he and a group of scholars including [[Koishi Genshun]] took part in the dissection of a human body. He is also known to have constructed an electric dynamo, as [[Hiraga Gennai]] had also done.

Two years later, in [[1785]]/9, Nankei left for the east ([[Tohoku|Tôhoku]]), returning once again a summer after his departure, this time via the [[Sea of Japan]] coast. Having praised the spread of education (especially [[Confucianism|Confucian schools]]) into western Japan in his writings from that trip, he strongly criticized the relative lack of education he discovered in eastern Japan, including the relatively low levels of literacy compared to more central areas of Japan. Moving beyond Tôhoku into [[Ainu]] lands in [[Ezo]], he spoke of the inferiority of the Ainu lifestyle, and unlike some other major travelers/writers of his time, advocated for the incorporation more fully of the Ainu into the Japanese cultural sphere.

Two years later, in [[1785]]/9, Nankei left for the east ([[Tohoku|Tôhoku]]), returning once again a summer after his departure, this time via the [[Sea of Japan]] coast. Having praised the spread of education (especially [[Confucianism|Confucian schools]]) into western Japan in his writings from that trip, he strongly criticized the relative lack of education he discovered in eastern Japan, including the relatively low levels of literacy compared to more central areas of Japan. Moving beyond Tôhoku into [[Ainu]] lands in [[Ezo]], he spoke of the inferiority of the Ainu lifestyle, and unlike some other major travelers/writers of his time, advocated for the incorporation more fully of the Ainu into the Japanese cultural sphere.

His ''[[Saiyuki (Nankei)|Saiyûki]]'' ("Journey to the West") and ''[[Toyuki (Nankei)|Tôyûki]]'' ("Journey to the East"), accounts of the two journeys, were both published in [[1795]]. Several artists contributed to the illustrations of the ''Tôyûki'', chief among them [[Maruyama Ozui|Maruyama Ôzui]], head of the [[Maruyama school]].

After several experiences getting lost, or facing difficulties due to weather along with his traveling companion Yôken, Nankei composed a series of five rules for himself as a traveler: Do not ford a river on foot, do not eat strange foods, do not travel by night, do not travel by sea, and do not associate with low-class women.

Nankei had by this time gained some prominence; he was appointed an Imperial physician in [[1786]] and granted the title of [[Iwami province|Iwami]]-no-suke, and was invited to [[Emperor Kokaku|Emperor Kôkaku]]'s investiture ceremony the following year. In addition to writing numerous books on medicine, Nankei also compiled a volume on Chinese poetry, and one on Japanese poetry. In [[1796]], he was called to official service, and took the tonsure shortly afterwards, continuing to write and to study medicine. Sequels to his ''Saiyûki'' and ''Tôyûki'' were published in 1796 and 1797 respectively. His travel writings are organized more thematically, rather than in a geographically chronological order. He does not focus on the narrative of his own travels so much as on the surprising and strange things he saw or found, and on ruminations about them.

 

Nankei had by this time gained some prominence; he was appointed an Imperial physician in [[1786]] and granted the title of [[Iwami province|Iwami]]-no-suke, and was invited to [[Emperor Kokaku|Emperor Kôkaku]]'s investiture ceremony the following year. In addition to writing numerous books on medicine, Nankei also compiled a volume on Chinese poetry, and one on Japanese poetry. In [[1796]], he was called to official service, and took the tonsure shortly afterwards, continuing to write and to study medicine. Sequels to his ''Saiyûki'' and ''Tôyûki'' were published in 1796 and 1797 respectively. His travel writings are organized more thematically, rather than in a geographically chronological order. He does not focus on the narrative of his own travels so much as on the surprising and strange things he saw or found, and on ruminations about them. Despite being a physician and herbalist, he shows far less skepticism, or rational empiricism, than certain other travel writers (e.g. [[Furukawa Koshoken|Furukawa Koshôken]]) when presented with local legends and other fantastic stories.

Nankei retired to [[Fushimi]] at the age of 50, and died two years later, in [[1805]].

Nankei retired to [[Fushimi]] at the age of 50, and died two years later, in [[1805]].

==References==

==References==

*"[http://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%A9%98%E5%8D%97%E8%B0%BF Tachibana Nankei]." ''Nihon jinmei daijiten'' 日本人名大辞典. Kodansha, 2009.

*"[http://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%A9%98%E5%8D%97%E8%B0%BF Tachibana Nankei]." ''Nihon jinmei daijiten'' 日本人名大辞典. Kodansha, 2009.

*Plutschow, Herbert. ''A Reader in Edo Period Travel''. Global Oriental, 2006. pp75-88.

*Plutschow, Herbert. ''A Reader in Edo Period Travel''. Global Oriental, 2006. pp75-88.

*Yonemoto, Marcia. ''Mapping Early Modern Japan''. University of California Press, 2003. pp90-97.

*Yonemoto, Marcia. ''Mapping Early Modern Japan''. University of California Press, 2003. pp90-97.