Engelbert Kaempfer

• Born: 1651
• Died: 1716

Engelbert Kaempfer, a native of Germany, served as the chief medical officer for the Dutch East India Company on Dejima from 1690-1692.

He had a talent for languages, and learned Japanese rather quickly. During his brief time in Japan, he interacted with many Japanese scholars and students, engaging in much cultural and informational exchange. Kaempfer also published a number of materials on his experiences in Japan, introducing various elements of Japanese knowledge to the West. Among these was Amoenitatum Exoticarum, published in Germany in 1712, which contained the first description in a European publication of Japanese soybeans, and the most detailed description yet of the processes of producing miso and soy sauce.

References

• Marc Jason Gilbert. "Paper Trails: Deshima Island: A Stepping Stone between Civilizations." World History Connected 3.3 (2006). Accessed 4 Jan. 2013.