Kikunae Ikeda 1864 – 1936

Biography

Kikunae Ikeda was born on October 8, 1864, in Kyoto, Japan, during a transformative period in Japanese history. He devoted his life to chemistry, pursuing scientific inquiry during an era when Japan was rapidly modernizing and embracing Western knowledge. His work contributed to the advancement of chemical science in Japan and represented the growing sophistication of research in his homeland during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Ikeda spent his professional career engaged in chemical research and study. His dedication to the field reflected the broader Japanese commitment to scientific progress during the Meiji and Taishō periods. Through his contributions to chemistry, he helped establish Japan as a nation serious about rigorous scientific investigation and innovation.

Ikeda died on May 3, 1936, in Tokyo at the age of seventy-one. His life spanned a remarkable period of transformation in Japan, from the early modern era through decades of scientific advancement. He was laid to rest at Zōshigaya Cemetery in the Minami-Ikebukuro district of Tokyo, a final resting place that reflected his significance in Japanese society. His legacy remains part of Japan’s scientific heritage.