Philipp Franz von Siebold

Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796 - 1866) was the first Westerner to teach medicine in Japan. He was a resident physician on Dejima Island Nagasaki from 1823 until 1829. He was noted for his study of Japanese flora? and fauna?. He conducted research with the cooperation of the interpreters (institutionalised by the Shogun) and Japanese students (Rangaku?).

When he was expelled from Japan in 1829, he went to Leiden?, where he authored Nippon in 1832. In a specially built glasshouse? at his estate 'Deshima' he cultivated the plants he imported from Japan to endure the Dutch climate. Trivial, matter-of-fact, garden-plants like the hosta? and the hortensia? were imported by Siebold

Quite characteristically 'Siebold' is almost unknown to the Dutch but a hero to the Japanese ('Siborut-san').