Mitsutarō Yamaoka (Japanese: 山岡光太郎; 7 March 1880 – 23 September 1959), also known as Umar Yamaoka (Japanese: ウマル・ヤマオカ) was a Japanese Islamic and Judaic scholar known for being the first Japanese pilgrim to Mecca.[1][2][3][4]

Biography

Yamaoka was born in Fukuyama, Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.[2][3]

Yamaoka studied Russian at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. He became a military volunteer in the Russo-Japanese War and graduated university in 1905.[2][3]

In 1909, Yamaoka met Abdurreshid Ibrahim. Ibrahim highly advised him to convert to Islam at a stay in Mumbai. He converted to Islam and accompanied him on a pilgrimage to Mecca, making himself the first ever Japanese pilgrim to Mecca. After Mecca, Yamaoka also visited Mount Ararat, Medina, Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo, and Istanbul. He returned to Japan via Russia in 1910.[1][2][3][4]

Yamaoka published a book titled 「アラビヤ縦断記」 "Arabian Longitudinal Records" in 1912, which was insisted to the Meiji Emperor and Empress Shōken. He also wrote articles about Islam and translated some parts of the Quran.[1][2][3]

In 1923, Yamaoka moved to Cairo for a year, then to Istanbul for three years, and returned to Japan in 1927.[1][2]

Yamaoka died of old age on 23 September 1959.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "メッカを巡礼した最初の日本人". Arab News (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-03-31.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Taqiyuddin, Hirofumi Oki @ Adil Abu (1998). Umar Mitsutaro Yamaoka (1880-1959): A Study of His Thought and Contributions to Da'wah. Kulliyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Umar Mitsutaro Yamaoka: The First Hajji from Japan - Muslim Ink". www.muslimink.com. 2022-08-21. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
  4. 1 2 世界大百科事典内言及. "山岡光太郎(やまおかみつたろう)とは？ 意味や使い方". コトバンク (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-03-31.
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