The pedigree of ferroic domains investigations in Japan

A part of history of the investigations in the field of ferroic domains done in Japan is reviewed, with emphases placed on activities in academia. Three topics, i.e., polarizing microscopic observations of domains, modeling of the domain walls and polarization reversals, are chosen. Observation of domains in Rochelle salt by Mitsui proved the usefulness of a polarizing microscope. The application by Ishibashi and Takagi of the Kolmogorov–Avrami model to polarization reversals in ferroelectrics has offered a very useful tool in analyzing the switching current in spite of (or because of) its simplicity.