Hayashi Shihei

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Hayashi Shihei
Statue of Hayashi Shihei in Kōtōdai Park, Sendai
Born	August 6, 1738
Died	July 28, 1793
Pen name	Kumusai shujin
Occupation	Scholar
Nationality	Japanese
Subjects	Military strategy, geography

In this Japanese name, the family name is Hayashi.

Hayashi Shihei (林子平, Hayashi Shihei^? August 6, 1738 - July 28, 1793) was a Japanese military scholar and a retainer of the Sendai Domain. His brother was one of the Sendai domain's official doctors. Years before Commodore Perry sailed into Japan in 1853, Hayashi was pushing for Japan to adopt Western military science and the reeducation of the samurai. He complained of the lack of organized drill exercises, and stressed the importance of chōren, or teamwork drill, rather than mere individual martial training.

Together with Takayama Hikokurō and Gamō Sanbei, Hayashi is known as one of the "Three Excelling Men of the Kansei Period" (Kansei no san-kijin 寛政の三奇人).

His grave is in Sendai. A plaque commemorating his accomplishments can also be found at the site of Sendai Castle.

[edit] References

(Japanese) Japanese Wiki article on Hayashi (20 Sept. 2007)
(Japanese) Japanese Wiki article on the "Kansei no san-kijin" (20 Sept. 2007)
Dore, Ronald P. (1965). Education in Tokugawa Japan. (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul), p. 171.