Ryōkichi Yatabe (矢田部良吉, October 13, 1851 – August 8, 1899) was a Japanese botanist during the Meiji era.

He returned to Japan as the first professor of botany at the University of Tokyo, as well as the director of the botanical gardens.

In 1886, Yatabe led the development of teacher training in Japan as principal of the higher teaching college at the University of Tokyo.

[1] In 1899, Yatabe drowned while on summer vacation off the coast of Kamakura.

All descriptions are in Japanese, only the title and the names of the plants are in English.