Nippon --- know it all!

福沢諭吉 ふくざわ ゆきち
Ichimanen (10,000 yen)

Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835-1901)
Writer, teacher and political theorist of the Meiji era (1868-1912), Yukichi Fukuzawa is considered one of the founding fathers of modern Japan. He had a profound influence on Japanese education and his book, Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning) advanced the principles of equal opportunity, social morality and the importance of higher education. Fukuzawa is the founder of one of Japan's most prestigious institutions, Keio University.

樋口一葉 ひぐち いちよう
Gosenen (5000 yen)

Ichiyo Higuchi (1872-1896)
Despite dying at age 24, Ichiyo Higuchi is firmly established in contemporary Japanese literature. She took up writing to support her family after the death of her father and older brother, publishing her first major work Otsugomori (Last Day of the Year) in 1894. Takekurabe (Growing Up), Nigorie (Troubled Waters) and Jusanya (The Thirteenth Night) followed and were received with critical acclaim. Her success was short-lived, with Higuchi dying of tuberculosis in 1896.

野口英世 のぐち ひでよ
Senen (1000 yen)

Hideyo Noguchi (1876-1928)
World famous bacteriologist Hideyo Noguchi is responsible for significant advances in the study and treatment of yellow fever and syphilis. Inspired to study medicine following extensive treatment for burns he had suffered as a child, Noguchi obtained his medical licence at the age of 20. He moved to the US where he worked for the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research and discovered the agent causing syphilis. He is also respected for leading a team in Ecuador, developing a vaccine for yellow fever and saving countless lives.

紫式部 むらさきしきぶ
Nisenen (2000 yen)

Murasaki Shikibu (circa 979-1016)
The literary works of Murasaki Shikibu date from the imperial court of the Heian period (794-1185), where she was a maid of honour. Shikibu was given a man's education, unusual for a woman of her time, and authored The Tale of Genji, The Murasaki Shikibu Diary and The Murasaki Shikibu Collection. The Tale of Genji is a fictional account of an emperor's son and his romantic life. It is considered a classic of Japanese literature for its depiction of the aristocratic culture and customs of the time.

新渡戸稲造 にとべ いなぞう
Gosenen (5000 yen) - *No longer printed

Inazo Nitobe (1862-1933)
A man of multiple achievements, Inazo Nitobe is best known for being one of the first undersecretary generals of the League of Nations and as the author of Bushido: the Soul of Japan. Published in 1900 and translated into many foreign languages, his book (meaning 'the way of the warrior'), was an international bestseller at a time when imperial Japan was accumulating political and military power. At the League, Nitobe is known largely for contributing to the settlement of the territorial dispute between Sweden and Finland.

夏目漱石 なつめ そうせき
Senen (1000Yen) - *No longer printed

Soseki Natsume (1867-1916)
Soseki Natsume (real name Kinnosuke Natsume) is a literary giant of the Meiji era, renowned for producing works that are considered as Japanese classics today. His maiden writing, Wagahai wa neko de aru (I am a Cat) gave him wide public acclaim in 1904, with novels Botchan (Little Master) and Kusamakura (Grass Pillow) following to cement his success. Many of his writings have been translated into numerous languages today, proving to be popular all over the world.

聖徳太子 しょうとくたいし
Ichimanen (10,000 yen) - *No longer printed

Shotoku Taishi (574-622)
According to the Nihonshoki (The Chronicles of Japan), Shotoku Taishi was a political advisor of the Asuka period (574-622) who established the 12 official ranks at court. He is also said to be responsible for promulgating The Seventeen-article Constitution and was active in engaging diplomacy with the Chinese emperor. The Seventeen-article Constitution is a Confucian-influenced document that focuses on the morals and virtues expected of government officials, aimed at cementing the emperor's authority.