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Portrait of Shibukawa Shunkai

Shibukawa Shunkai

1639 – 1715

Japanese astronomer

Astronomer Go player
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About Shibukawa Shunkai

Lived 1639 – 1715 (aged 75). Shibukawa Shunkai was a Japanese astronomer and go player.

Jōkyō calendar published in 1729. Exhibit in the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan. "Tenmon Bunya no Zu", written by Shibukawa Shunkai in 1677. "Tenmon Bunya no Zu" means star chart. Papier-mache globe created by Shibukawa Shunkai in 1695. One of the Important Cultural Properties of Japan. Exhibit in the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan.

born as Yasui Santetsu , later called Motoi Santetsu , was a Japanese scholar, go player and the first official astronomer appointed of the Edo period. He revised the Chinese lunisolar calendar at the shogunate request, drawing up the Jōkyō calendar which was issued in 1684 during the Jōkyō era. In 1702, he changed his name to Shibukawa Sukezaemon Shunkai and retired by 1711. As a go player, he was affiliated with the Yasui house, calling himself initially (after his father) Yasui Santetsu II. He is mentioned as a Tengen player in Yamashita Keigo's book: Challenging Tengen.

Shibukawa Shunkai (as Yasui Santetsu) is the central character in the 2012 film Tenchi: The Samurai Astronomer by Yōjirō Takita.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Positions held
Tenmonkata
Also known as
Shunkai Shibukawa, Shibukawa Harumi

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Shibukawa Shunkai's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Shibukawa Shunkai?

Japanese astronomer

When was Shibukawa Shunkai born?

Shibukawa Shunkai was born on 27 December 1639 in Kyōto.

When did Shibukawa Shunkai die?

Shibukawa Shunkai died on 1 November 1715 in Edo.

What was Shibukawa Shunkai's occupation?

Shibukawa Shunkai was an astronomer and go player.

What nationality was Shibukawa Shunkai?

Shibukawa Shunkai was Japanese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Shibukawa Shunkai

· Wikidata: Q786877

· DBpedia: Shibukawa Shunkai

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Shibukawa Shunkai. https://biography.guide/shibukawa-shunkai/

MLA: "Shibukawa Shunkai." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/shibukawa-shunkai/.

Chicago: "Shibukawa Shunkai." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/shibukawa-shunkai/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-21 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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