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Shibusawa Eiichi Q&A

Below are a few commonly asked questions about Shibusawa Eiichi.  Click section titles or individual questions or scroll down the page to view the answers.

  1. Eiichi the Man
    1. When and where was Shibusawa Eiichi born?
    2. What sort of family did Shibusawa Eiichi come from?
    3. What was Shibusawa Eiichi’s favorite food?
    4. What were Shibusawa Eiichi’s last words?
    5. When and how did Shibusawa Eiichi die?
    6. Where is Shibusawa Eiichi buried?

  2. Eiichi the Entrepreneur
    1. Did Shibusawa Eiichi really establish 500 companies?
    2. What happened to the companies? Are any of them still around today?
    3. What happened to the First National Bank?
    4. What was the last company established by Shibusawa Eiichi? The last organization?

  3. Terminology
    1. What are aidama?
    2. What does Seien mean?
    3. What was the Ryumonsha?


  1. Eiichi the Man
    1. When and where was Shibusawa Eiichi born?

      Eiichi was born on Monday, March 16, 1840 (corresponding to the 13th day of the second month of the 11th year of Tenpo in the Japanese lunar calendar).  He was born in the town of Chiaraijima in the Hanzawa district of Musashino province.  The area is now part of Fukaya in Saitama prefecture.



    2. What sort of family did Shibusawa Eiichi come from?

      Eiichi was born into the Nakanchi, or main branch of the Shibusawa family.  The Shibusawa were said to be one of the village’s original families and were held in high esteem.  In addition to farming, the family was involved in sericulture and other cash businesses.  In Eiichi’s father’s time the family became heavily involved in the production and sale of indigo balls and became one of the richest families in the village.  Eiichi’s father was strict but his mother was very deeply compassionate and Eiichi grew up loving his studies.



    3. What was Shibusawa Eiichi’s favorite food?

      In 1916 Eiichi is said to have expressed a like for foods high in sugar and fat.  He liked receiving gifts of sweets and for dinner enjoyed eating tempura, eel, kenchin-jiru (a miso-based soup with vegetables and tofu), and vegetables (eggplant and potatoes).
      His daily menu was varied.  For breakfast he would have oatmeal (with milk and sugar) and soup, two soft boiled eggs, two slices of toast, fruit, and black tea.  For lunch he would eat Western-style food.  For dinner he would have either Japanese or Western-style food.  If eating Japanese he would go to a traditional restaurant such as Tokiwa or Shinkiraku or Hyoya (alternately read as Hisagoya).  If eating Western he would go to the Imperial Hotel, Chuo-tei, or Seiyoken in Tsukiji or Ueno.



    4. What were Shibusawa Eiichi’s last words?

      According to the Shibusawa Eiichi denki shiryo (Shibusawa Eiichi Biographical Materials), Eiichi’s health stabilized on November 8, 1931 after a sudden illness.  The same day he is said to have told a group of important financial figures who visited him that “I have lived my life in good faith as an Imperial subject and a citizen of Tokyo.  I would like to continue to serve to the age of 100 but because of the illness and through no fault of my own I fear that this illness will be difficult to overcome.  Even if I pass away, however, I will continue to be with you in spirit to protect your projects and your health.  Please do not grieve but continue on the work we have begun.”



    5. When and how did Shibusawa Eiichi die?

      On October 14, 1931 Eiichi underwent abdominal surgery for intestinal stricture of the large intestine at his home in Asukayama.  The surgery was performed by Professor Shioda Hiroshige of Tokyo Imperial University.  Eiichi’s health improved in early November but worsened again and he died on Wednesday, November 11, 1931.  He was 91 years old.



    6. Where is Shibusawa Eiichi buried?

      The Shibusawa family grave is located in plot 11-1 of the Otsu section of the Tokyo Metropolitan Yanaka Cemetery.


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  2. Eiichi the Entrepreneur
    1. Did Shibusawa Eiichi really establish 500 companies?

      Shibusawa Eiichi is said to have been involved with 500 companies, but he did not “establish” all of them. While he did establish some companies himself, in other cases he provided advice, helped to raise funds and secure human resources, or acted as a mediator in disputes. Thus, it would be true to say that Eiichi was involved in the establishment or management of approximately 500 companies. He was also involved with about 600 organizations related to social and public works.



    2. What happened to the companies? Are any of them still around today?

      Roughly sixty percent of the approximately 500 companies with which Shibusawa Eiichi was involved still exist and are in business in some form or other today, with many having undergone mergers, nationalization, or other changes over the years. Examples include Oji Paper (Oji Holdings), Toyo Cotton Mills (Toyobo), Ishikawajima Shipyard (IHI Corporation), and the Imperial Hotel. A further thirty percent of the companies were dissolved or otherwise failed. The status of the remaining ten percent is unknown, but they are assumed to be no longer in existence. For more detailed information please refer to the Name Change Charts of Companies Related to Shibusawa Eiichi.



    3. What happened to the First National Bank?

      The First National Bank (Dai-Ichi Kokuritsu Ginko) exists today in the form of Mizuho Bank. The First National Bank was founded by Shibusawa Eiichi in 1873 as Japan’s first commercial bank. In 1896, it was renamed First Bank Ltd. (Kabushiki Kaisha Dai-Ichi Ginko) and subsequently underwent various changes before merging with Nippon Kangyo Bank in 1971 to become Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank. Mizuho Bank emerged in 2013, after a merger with the Fuji Bank and The Industrial Bank of Japan and other subsequent changes. For more detailed information please refer to the chart for Banks: Daiichi/Kangyo/Kogin (Japanese only) from the Name Change Charts of Companies Related to Shibusawa Eiichi.



    4. What was the last company established by Shibusawa Eiichi? The last organization?

      According to the Shibusawa Eiichi denki shiryo (Shibusawa Eiichi Biographical Materials), the last company established with Eiichi’s assistance was Japan Air Transport Company (Nihon Koku Yuso Kaisha [Japanese only]), established on October 20, 1928. Eiichi served as the chairman of the organizing committee until the company began operations. Once operations began, however, the role of president was assumed not by Eiichi but by Nishino Keinosuke. This is just one example of how Eiichi was involved in starting a company even though he was not directly involved in the management of the new company.
       
      According to the Denki shiryo, Eiichi’s last involvement in an organization related to social and public works was the Sakashita Incident Commendation Committee (Sakashita Jiken Hyoshokai [Japanese only]), which was founded to honor lordless samurai from the Mito domain. Eiichi was named a representative incorporator together with former Minister of the Imperial Household Tanaka Mitsuaki and Tokugawa Kuniyuki from the Mito branch of the Tokugawa family.



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  3. Terminology
    1. What are aidama?

      Aidama, or ‘indigo balls’ are a natural dye made from the indigo plant (Japanese: tade-ai, Latin: persicaria tinctoria).  The cultivation of indigo plants and the production of indigo balls being separate processes, the first step in making indigo balls begins with the dye-producers purchasing indigo leaves from indigo farmers.  These leaves are then allowed to ferment for about three months before being pounded and formed into balls.  The region in which Shibusawa Eiichi was born and raised was a supply centre for the raw materials for the Bushu type of indigo dye. 



    2. What does Seien mean?

      Seien was Shibusawa Eiichi’s penname and is written with the characters 青 (ao or sei, ‘blue’ ‘young’) and 淵 (fuchi or en, ‘deep pool’).  On December 24, 1929 Eiichi explained the meaning for his penname with the following explanation: “I was given my penname, Seien, by Ranko-sensei when I was 18 years old.  [Editor: Ranko-sensei is another name for Odaka Junchu, who was Eiichi’s cousin and teacher]  At that time there was a deep pool near my house so it was known as the ‘cabin above the deep pool’ (fuchinoue goya).  As a result I became known as ‘Seien.’”  When Eiichi told this story the deep pool no longer existed but there was said to be a spring in the same spot.



    3. What was the Ryumonsha?

      The Ryumonsha originally began in 1886 as a study group for students lodging at the Shibusawa residence in Fukuzumicho, Tokyo.  The group was started not by Shibusawa Eiichi, but by the students themselves.  The name Ryumonsha was chosen by Eiichi’s teacher and cousin Odaka Junchu and the group was lead by Eiichi’s eldest son Tokuji.  At first the study group was for close friends but later on they set rules, began publishing a magazine called the Ryumon zasshi (now published under the title Seien), and began sharing their thoughts and opinions with society at large.  Members continued to turn to Eiichi for advice and guidance and membership increased over the years.  In 1924 the group was incorporated as a foundation.  Following the war, the foundation became the Shibusawa Seien Memorial Foundation – Ryumonsha and then in 2003 changed its name again to the Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Foundation, under which name it continues to be active today.

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