Honzo Komoku Keimo

Honzogaku (empirical scientific study of plants and animals) was acknowledged as medical and medicinal science in early Edo priod. The honzo study tectbook Honzo Komoku introduced 60 types of medicine in 16 classes, systematically categorized according to animal, plant or mineral. This categorization style greatly influenced the development of honzo in Japan. In 1627, the first Japanese book, Zusetsu Honzo was published. With the influence of Dutch science in the following years and continued study of honzo, the Honzo Komoku Keimo (48 volumes) was publishied by Tanzan Ono incorporating animals and plants of Japan to the Chinese based honzo book Honzo Komoku. This book is the fourth edition which was edited and publishied by Minonokami Choshin Okabe (Kishi Wada domain, Izumi Prefecture) aiming to develop honzogaku.