In 1920 , after being denied re-entry into British ruled Sri Lanka and other British colonies in Asia , Nyanatiloka went to Japan with his German disciples Bhikkhu Vappo ( Ludwig Stolz ) and Sister Uppalavaṇṇā ( Else Buchholz ) . He taught Pali and German at Japanese universities for five years , including at Taisho University where he was assisted by the legendary eccentric Ekai Kawaguchi , and at Komazawa University where he taught with President Yamagami Sogen ( 山上曹源 ) , who had also studied Pali in Sri Lanka . He also met with Japanese Theravada monks , but could not stay in any monasteries in Japan . He lived through the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake , which destroyed Tokyo , but was surprised to see universities reopen just two months later . Nyanatiloka continued working on his translations of Pali texts during this period . In 1921 he visited Java , where he contracted Malaria , and Thailand , where he apparently hoped to stay since it was a Theravada Buddhist country . Although he was given a pass and visa by the Thai ambassador in Japan , he was arrested in Thailand on suspicions of being a spy and was deported after a few weeks . By way of China he returned to Japan
1923 Great Kantō earthquake
1923 Great Kantō earthquake
Nyanatiloka