I had read about this person previously in researching the Japanese shrine consolidation efforts.
While it's impact on removing ancient buildings and protected forrests was significant (even though it was terminated before completion), it's effects on how Japanese people understand shinto were massive, and continue to this day.
The entire hierarchy of deities was invented by this effort, but is viewed today as shinto's founding principles.
Minakata Kumagusu resisted these efforts, and otherwise was able to infuse some concepts of natural preservation into the emerging modern Japanese state.
I would say that very few individuals, who are not born to wealth, achieve his level of accomplishment in the sense of having an impact on high level decisions of government.
I had read about this person previously in researching the Japanese shrine consolidation efforts.
While it's impact on removing ancient buildings and protected forrests was significant (even though it was terminated before completion), it's effects on how Japanese people understand shinto were massive, and continue to this day.
The entire hierarchy of deities was invented by this effort, but is viewed today as shinto's founding principles.
Minakata Kumagusu resisted these efforts, and otherwise was able to infuse some concepts of natural preservation into the emerging modern Japanese state.
I would say that very few individuals, who are not born to wealth, achieve his level of accomplishment in the sense of having an impact on high level decisions of government.