As a child, Sakuji Yoshimura read about
the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb by British archaeologist Howard Carter in
1922. Since then, he has dreamt of becoming an archaeologist like Carter.
After attending Waseda University,
Yoshimura spent a year surveying all major monuments in ancient Egypt, from
Alexandria to Abu Simbel. This was the first ever field study of
its kind carried out by a Japanese person.
“During this research, I realized that
Egypt deserves that I dedicate my whole life to it,” said Japanese Egyptologist
Yoshimura, President Higashi Nippon International University.
The above was part of a documentary
about Yoshimura displayed in an event held at the Japanese Ambassador’s
residence in Cairo to celebrate his being awarded the Decoration of the Order
of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, by the Emperor of Japan for
his achievements in academic exchanges and promotion of cooperation for
scientific research between Japan and Egypt over many years.
Yoshimura had started his excavation
activities in Egypt in 1966. Since then, he has conducted several joint
archaeological excavation projects and his team is continuing its
archaeological activities on the fields today.
“The list of his achievements is
countless, and his successful achievement is made possible by his devotion to
Egyptology, who has opened ways singlehandedly as a pathfinder,” Ambassador Oka
Hiroshi said.
Among his numerous achievements is the
project, which is internationally highly acclaimed, to excavate and restore the
Second Khufu Boat in co-operation with experts of both countries and with the
support of Japan International Cooperation Agency.
When Yoshimura decided to carry out
excavations in Egypt, he joined Cairo University after graduating from Waseda
University, where he worked hard to obtain rights to archaeological excavation,
while studying Egyptology.
Famed archaeologists Zahi Hawass and
Supreme Council of Antiquities’ (SCA) Secretary General Mostafa Waziry attended
the celebration on November 30.
It was announced that a huge
archaeological project in the Pyramids area will be carried out by the joint
Japanese-Egyptian mission in the near future.
The Egyptian side is headed by Waziry
and the Japanese by Yoshimura. Yoshimura, now 80, is still in search of new
discoveries.
Source: Egyptian
Gazette
