Hangai Seiju

更新日:2021年03月29日

Hangai Seiju: 1858-1932

Born the eldest son of Hangai Tsunekiyo, a feudal retainer of the Soma clan.

Hangai grew up during the violent transition period between the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Restoration. He engaged in the rebuilding of the Nakamura Domain on the teachings of Ninomiya Sontoku. With the abolition of the domain system, he had doubts about the plan for the samurai family to take up farming again. Convinced that industrial promotion and development were the road to modernization, he set his sights on becoming an industrialist.

He studied at the private tutoring school of Nishikoori Bango and continued on at Miharu Shihan School. After teaching for 2 years in Adachi District, Fukushima Prefecture, he returned to his hometown and started down the path of an industrialist, beginning with the brewing of Japanese sake. He organized a silkworm consultation association and promoted silk farming, gave employment to the samurai family by founding the Soma habutae-weave silk textile industry and promoting mechanization. He also introduced the production of soft rush using oversaturated paddies and the Soma rush mat weaving industry. Furthermore, he established the Odaka Bank, and put much of his efforts towards opening a the Hirusone Power Station.

Besides all that, he had a comprehensive vision for the modernization of the Tohoku area during the Meiji period through tourism as he conceptualized and directed the fire festival that now is synonymous with the Odaka summer season. Through all this, he left behind footprints as a pioneer in implementing the promotion of regional development.

He opposed the buy-out of land at unfairly lowered prices that occurred with the establishment of the Joban train line, and displayed a rebellious spirit in his fight against Nippon Railway. He was detained for 8 months following the opening of the railway, and during that time suffered from an eye disease that caused him to lose sight in one of his eyes. This became a turning point in his life, as he turned his mind’s eye from the life of the profitable businessman to that of a philosophical and pondering industrialist. Aiming to construct a utopia, he cultivated Yonomori (Tomioka Town) and ran the Hangai plantation. In order to commemorate the settlement of the plantation, he planted 300 cherry blossom trees. This was the start of Yonomori Park.

He wrote a representative book called “The Future Tohoku” (将来之東北, Shourai no Touhoku) (published by Maruyama House in 1906), with the preface written by Nitobe Inazo, Hara Takashi, and Uchimura Kanzo. This book contains the analysis of the current state of Tohoku at the time broken down into over 100 categories, as well as a list of extremely concrete policies for the future of the area.

He founded the hydroelectric company Iwaki Mizuden Co., Ltd, and launched into the world of politics in 1912 with the creed of governing the nation and providing relief to the people. He served as a member of the Lower House for 3 terms, 9 years in total. In 1913, he founded the Odaka Powdered Silver Factory. In his later years, he devoted his passion to the founding of “職業宗” (Shokugyoushuu).

He passed away on February 16, 1932. His work entitled “我職業宗” (Waga Shokugyoushuu) was published posthumously.

(Works cited: “Odakachou Shi” (小高町史) “Odaka no Rekishi Tokubetsuhen 1・Jinbuntsuhen Odaka no Jinbutsu” (おだかの歴史特別編1・人物編 おだかの人物))

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