Ekai Kawaguchi

Connected Sites: 5

Definition
Ekai Kawaguchi (1866-1945). A Japanese monk who travelled to Nepal and Tibet between 1899-1915 being the first person from Japan to visit those countries. Studied in a Zen monastery in Kyoto (not inscribed). Early advocate of pan-Asianism and initiator of Nepali-Japanese cooperation. Has appeared on a Nepalese stamp (Dec 2002). At the time of "The Great Game" his visits to Tibet were "of interest" from an espionage point of view and he became friends with the British spy Sarat Chandra Das.

Map

Connected Sites

  • Potala Palace
    Potala Palace
    China
    Inscribed: 1994
    4.14
    79
    11
    First reached Lhasa in 1901 from Darjeeling. Is said to have had an audience with the 13th Dalai Lama Thubten Gyatso (1875-1933). He stayed 2 years in Tibet including a period at Sera Monastery (not inscribed) - but eventually had to flee back to Darjeeling.
  • Mahabodhi Temple Complex
    Mahabodhi Temple Complex
    India
    Inscribed: 2002
    2.91
    51
    7
  • Kathmandu Valley
    Kathmandu Valley
    Nepal
    Inscribed: 1979
    3.81
    163
    10
    A commemorative shrine of his visit exists at Bodnath
  • Mountain Railways of India
    Mountain Railways of India
    India
    Inscribed: 1999
    3.42
    84
    8
    Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
  • Lumbini
    Lumbini
    Nepal
    Inscribed: 1997
    2.47
    62
    9
    The Asoka pillar identifying Lumbini as the birthplace of The Buddha had been discovered in 1896. On a return journey to Nepal Kawaguchi visited it in 1912. He was shocked at the existence of Hindu animal sacrifices there and lobbied the Nepalese government to prohibit them.