Miyamoto Jinshichi

Birth Place	Waji-mura, Fuchi-gun (Waji-cho, Nishi-ku)
Birth	September 18, 1863
Death	September 24, 1940

Overview

Miyamoto Jinshichi is the founder of Nihon Keisen Kabushikigaisha, a textile manufacturing company in Hamamatsu. He was closely associated with the establishments of the three important companies in Hamamatsu: Teikoku Seibō Kabushikigaisha (Teibow Co., Ltd.), Nippon Gakki Seizō Kabushikigaisha (Yamaha Corporation), and Nihon Keisen Kabushikigaisha. As the president of Nihon Keisen, he contributed immensely to the development of Hamamatsu's textile industry. Miyamoto supported Ikeya Shichizō to invent a machine to dye fabrics, and established Momen Chūgata, the predecessor of Nihon Keisen. While there were invitations from Tokyo, he stayed in Hamamatsu with the brief that it was his task to develop the city since he was a Hamamatsu man.

His achievements include: succeeding in trading with china, assisting mechanization in the textile industry, and supporting foundations of Hamamatsu Industrial Research Institution and Hamamatsu Industrial School.

Biography

1863	Miyamaoto was born in Waji-mura, Fuchi-gun (Waji-cho, Nishi-ku). His parents, who owned a draper's shop called Marusan Gofukuten, brought up him with strict discipline.
1975	A massive fire in the city burned down the shop. As they sold the goods left to the fire victims at moderate price, the shop earned people’s trust and popularity. The Hamamatsu Branch of Resona Bank stands now at the place the shop used to be (Ta-machi, Naka-ku).
1882	He married at the age of 20.
1889	Miyamoto became a councilor at the year after the formation of Hamamatsu Town.
1893	He was elected as a counselor of the newly formed Hamamatsu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
1896	He supported the establishment of Teikoku Seibō inspired by the first hat manufacture company in Japan he visited while he was in Tokyo for medical treatments. He became an auditor of the company. When he became a director of the company, he promoted the policy to manufacture items according to orders took at its appointed stores.
1989	He became a director of Nippon Gakki, which was established a year before, and continue to hold the post for next 30 years.
1899	Ikeya Shichizo earned a patent for his Katamengata Noridukeki (Single Side Sizing Machine) with the support from Miyamoto and Miyamoto’s father.
1900	Ikeya completed the definitive version of the above machine. Yamaha Torakusu commended this machine. In the same year, Miyamoto found Momen Chūgata at age of 37, and became the president. They also earned a patent for a machine that starches both sides later.
1904	Around the time when Japanese-Russo War began, the above company started making profits by selling cloths to East Asia.
1906	Since he believed that cloths making and dyeing are inseparable, he established a department in Shizuoka Prefectural Industrial Research Institute to research on dyeing methods (the predecessor of Hamamatsu Industrial Research Institute).
1909	He became the vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
1911	He was elected as a councilor at the first city council election in Hamamatsu. With the brief that money runs projects, he contributed to the development of banks and their mergers.
1918	He was strongly motivated in education. Thus, he established Hamamatsu Industrial School in 1918 and Hamamatsu Industrial Research Institution in 1920.
1919	Miyamoto, Nakamura Toukichi, and other associates established a hydroelectric company at Tenryu River and became its director.
1923	He became the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He handled the confusion of The Great Kanto Earthquake well, and peacefully settled the labor dispute in the company. Miyamoto scrambled to make Kawakami Mikaichi the president of Nippon Gakki later on.
1928	He earned the Medal of Honor with Green Ribbon.
1928	Eikyūsha, the association of textile industry of Enshū, welcomed him as the chairman to achieve its management’s turnaround.
1930	Marusan Gofukuten, his parent’s shop, closed.
1931	He resigned the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and became its adviser. He also resigned the president of Nihon Keisen.
1933	He held the post of the establishment chairmen of Hamana Boseki Kabushikigaisha, a cotton-spinning company.
1933	Hamana Boseki was established and he became the chairman.
1940	A bronze statue of him was built inside Tenji Temple, locates in Ikegawa-cho. (However, Japanese army requisitioned the statue during the WWII. Now a stone statue of him built by volunteers stands.) “Miyamoto Jinshichi Den” (The story of Miyamoto Jinshichi) was published in the same year. (190 pages)
1940	He died at the age of 78 on September 24.

Personality

When there were only couple cars in Hamamatsu, he already owned one to run his busy life. As people made envious comments about it, he gave the car to his driver for him to start taxi business because he decided that it isn‘t good to cause resentment among people. He believed that one shouldn’t rest when their business is going well. On the contrary, the better the business gets, one has to employee more ideas to improve it. He liked to paint and dance.

Social Contributions

Donations to Shizuoka Ikueikai, a scholarship foundation in the prefecture. (He was a councilor of the foundation)

Donations to Shuyōdan, an association that provide social education to youth.

Donations to Social Welfare Organization Saiseikai Imperial Gift Foundation, Inc.

Reference

“Teikoku Sibō”

“Enshū Ijinden Daiikkan“ (Stories of Great Figures of Enshū vol.1)

“Hamamatsu Sangyōshi" (the History of Hamamatsu's Industry)

“Nihon Keisen Hyakunenshi” ( 100 Year History of Nihon Keisen)