Yasushi Nishimura – International Society for Archaeological Prospection

A visit to Japan

The time when we were first in contact was in the early 1970s. One of the elder colleagues from the Nara National Research Institute of Cultural Properties sent several aerial photographs to him asking whether some image enhancement could be applied. Through Irwin’s processing the moat of a mounded tomb, which was under a paddy field, became clear.

Information

We have to inform everyone of the sad news that our visiting researcher Mr. Nishimura Yasushi passed away today. He was the director of our laboratory and leader of archaeological prospection in Japan.
Future plans will be announced later…

KANEDA Akihiro
Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properities.
Centre for Archaeological Operations.
Kaneda-a3t@nich.go.jp

A colleague, mentor and friend

With great sadness we have learned that Yasushi Nishimura has passed.

A lasting impression

In 1995 I had the opportunity to spend three weeks in the Nara National Cultural Properties Research Institute, Japan, hosted by Nishimura San. This was by far my most memorable research visit, especially as Nishimura San had taken it upon himself to introduce me to Japanese archaeology and culture.

A kind man

I had the privilege of knowing Nishimura San personally. He was a very kind man and I would like to tell a personal story: Several years ago, my wife and I visited Japan and we were walking around in Nara. Suddenly I saw the street name of Nishimura San’s office. Spontaneously we decided to go to his office and met him there indeed. He was about to move his office. Nevertheless, he immediately stopped his work and gave us a personally guided tour of Nara during a whole day. What a nice touch! I still have a slice of a tree used for the building of the houses he gave me at the end of the day…

Always generous

In 2008 our daughter was studying Japanese in Tokyo as part of her degree course. My wife, Kath, and I went out to visit her and when we told Yasushi of our visit and our love of the gardens in Japan he insisted on giving us all a personal guided tour of gardens and temples in Kyoto, including a very peaceful time in Ryoan-ji (first picture) and a fascinating in-depth guided tour around all of the nationally important ACCU Nara complex.

The passing of a great friend

It was with great sadness that I heard of the the death of Yasushi Nishimura. When, in 2005, ISAP bestowed Honorary Membership for the first time, Yasushi's name was agreed without any disagreement. He was the perfect ambassador for our discipline. In ISAP NEWS I wrote: 'Up until his recent retirement from the Nara National Cultural Properties Research Institute, Dr Nishimura was the only national government employee responsible for directing research activities related to developing the field of archaeological prospection in Japan.

Encouragement

We would like to record our gratitude to Yasushi Nishimura for encouragement in applying GPR in Greek archaeology. The late 1980s when he visited us in Greece was a critical time in that development.