Hanshichi Yamaguchi

Image: From "Yamaguchi-o: Oita-ken no Kishuku" (The Venerable Yamaguchi: A Distinguished Resident of Oita Prefecture)

Ryukei Yano (Fumio), who wrote the preface to the autobiography of Hanshichi Yamaguchi, evaluated that if Yamaguchi had entered the business world, his wealth and fame would have been dozens of times what they were, stating, "People from Nakatsu have many footholds in the business world due to their connections with Yukichi Fukuzawa and Hikojiro Nakamigawa; therefore, it is not difficult to establish oneself when entering it."

After gaining business experience starting with the Keio University Press, he became a politician because he could not bear to see the hardships of the political world. He supported Nakatsu, the hometown of Fukuzawa, in both politics and the economy, and maintained a close relationship with Fukuzawa throughout his life. However, along with his father Hiroe, he is a figure who is rarely mentioned in previous research. This article provides an overview of Hanshichi, who was a leading figure in the political and business circles of Oita Prefecture.

Hanshichi Yamaguchi was born in Nakatsu Takajomachi in 1853. His father was Hiroe Yamaguchi, who was close to Fukuzawa, and his mother was Den, the eldest daughter of Riha Tojo. His childhood name was Katsumi, and he changed his name to Hanshichi when his father changed his own name after the Meiji Restoration. He was sickly as a child and often stayed indoors, but from the age of six, he studied Chinese classics under Engan Hashimoto, who was Fukuzawa's uncle-in-law. He stayed and studied at Engan's private school, Seikyudo. Although he was not good at swordsmanship or jujutsu, he reportedly showed talent in Chinese classics. He also received instruction in gunnery from Kakuzo Hamano, the father of Teishiro Hamano, who served as the President of Keio University. Kakuzo was a master of gunnery who was knowledgeable in arithmetic and metallurgy, and was a student of Shuhan Takashima. Hanshichi was born in the year of Perry's arrival, and due to such social conditions, studying gunnery abroad was permitted and actively pursued in Nakatsu. Under his father, who was well-informed about world affairs, Hanshichi had the opportunity to encounter various fields of study.

Hanshichi had his coming-of-age ceremony at 14, but it was held a year early so that he could accompany his father, Hiroe, on his assignment to Edo. At that time, there were two types of domain orders for going to Edo: "zaiban," which involved staying in Edo for one year to perform duties, and "tachikaeri," which involved returning home as soon as the business was finished. Hiroe had been ordered to "tachikaeri." It was unusual to bring a son along for such a short-term trip to the capital, but it seems Hiroe intended to enroll Hanshichi in Fukuzawa's Juku. Hiroe and Hanshichi traveled to Osaka by sea and met with senior domain officials at the Osaka warehouse residence. Subsequently, due to sudden changes in the situation such as the Choshu Expedition, Hiroe's trip to the capital was canceled, and Hanshichi's enrollment in Keio University was not realized. After that, while serving as an artilleryman, he continued his studies at Seikyudo.

When Hanshichi was 17, another opportunity to enter Keio University arrived. Fukuzawa returned to Nakatsu with his nephew, Hikojiro Nakamigawa. At that time, Hanshichi was considering studying Chinese classics in Hiji, but he was moved by "Yukichi Fukuzawa's persuasion and Nakamigawa's argument for the uselessness of Chinese classics," changed his plans, and hurriedly went to Tokyo. Hanshichi left a description of Fukuzawa's party during the trip to Tokyo in his autobiography, which brings to mind the scene of young men heading toward a new era. For example, Hanshichi and others from Nakatsu had the appearance of samurai with tea-whisk topknots, haori and hakama, and two swords, but Fukuzawa and Nakamigawa already had short hair and were dressed casually. Nakamigawa carried one sword, but Fukuzawa was reportedly empty-handed.

Furthermore, Nakamigawa told Hanshichi that a samurai appearance like his would already be a laughingstock in Tokyo, and recommended a haircut as a "baptism of civilization." Nakamigawa pressed Hanshichi and the others, saying, "I'll be your barber," but his skill was apparently not very good. Hanshichi, who was reluctant, and Nakamigawa, who was trying to cut his hair for fun, shouted at each other, "You're unskilled!" and "You're a coward!" It eventually turned into a major uproar involving Fukuzawa's mother, Jun, and Hanshichi ended up with a hairstyle like a spotted cat.

He also records that Eiji Asabuki, who was devoted to National Learning at the time, debated with Fukuzawa dozens of times but was defeated, surrendered, and accompanied them to Tokyo. The party included sons of very high-ranking samurai, and these episodes convey the lively atmosphere of young men going to Tokyo to study, transcending the barriers of social status.

After arriving safely in Tokyo, Hanshichi entered Keio University in Shinsenza. Hanshichi was enrolled from 1869 to 1872 and studied under Fukuzawa and Tokujirō Obata. Hanshichi seems to have sensed the spirit of "learning while teaching, teaching while learning," and was impressed by the fact that the names of Fukuzawa and Obata were listed alongside the Keio students and that there was no fixed graduation year.

He also entered the school around the time Keio University moved to Mita, and studied while living in the dormitory and supervising repair work. Later, he returned to Nakatsu with Tokujirō Obata, who went to take up a post as the first principal of Nakatsu City School, but he frequently went to Tokyo and stayed within Keio to continue his studies. Around this time, because many of Fukuzawa's works were being sold, he became involved in the establishment of the Keio University Press along with Asabuki and others. When profits were expected and business performance stabilized, Hanshichi was put in charge of opening a branch in Shimonoseki as a Kansai branch, marking his first step into the business world. Although the Shimonoseki branch was not successful, he subsequently entered several other businesses, including the dry goods trade, and lived a life traveling between Nakatsu, Osaka, and Tokyo.

Fukuzawa seems to have supported these business ventures; Hanshichi recalls asking Fukuzawa when he was in a good mood to introduce him to the Governor of Kyoto Prefecture. In addition, along with his father Hiroe, he worked to improve transportation networks to facilitate the transport of goods between Hita and Nakatsu. He also participated in the management of the Inaka Shinbun, which was started by Fukuzawa's second cousin Sotaro Masuda and became a breeding ground for the Freedom and People's Rights Movement. Thus, Hanshichi devoted himself to the development of Nakatsu from an early stage.

Around 1877, Hanshichi was mainly active in the business world, but after the Political Crisis of 1881, he found himself in the political world. The Freedom and People's Rights Movement was active in Nakatsu, and Hanshichi's relatives reportedly supported the Liberal Party, but Hanshichi himself, as one who followed the lineage of Keio University, wanted to contribute to society strictly from a business perspective. Since Hanshichi's father, Hiroe, was an extremely capable financial official, Hanshichi may have been influenced by his father, as he had a strong interest in finance and the economy.

However, upon learning that bureaucrats from Keio University had been dismissed due to the Political Crisis of 1881, Hanshichi changed his mind, believing that while the improvement of business was necessary, the improvement of politics should be its root, and he became interested in politics. In 1882, he participated in the formation of the Hoshu Constitutional Progressive Party and thereafter became active as a prefectural assembly member, working energetically as vice-chairman from 1888. Hanshichi's autobiography records in detail his activities as a local politician, such as the state of the prefectural assembly, meetings with Shigenobu Okuma, and negotiations with the central political world.

In 1890, when the Imperial Edict on the Establishment of the Diet was issued, election preparations became active, and Hanshichi was drawn into them. In May of that year, Hanshichi was summoned to an election council for Oita and Nakatsu and went to Tokyo. The council members included Eiji Asabuki and Tokujirō Obata, and discussions were held regarding candidates to run for the Oita 6th District of the House of Representatives. There was Hanshichi and one other candidate, and since the two were close, election adjustments were reportedly made.

A letter from Fukuzawa remains regarding this candidacy for the House of Representatives. In a letter dated July 8, 1890, addressed to Hanshichi's father, Hiroe, he describes the nationwide craze for the election as "children's play or adults' madness," maintaining a calm stance. Later, regarding a by-election when the candidate who defeated Hanshichi passed away, Fukuzawa sent letters to Hiroe and Hanshichi advising Hanshichi to give up on running, on the grounds that the local impression might not be good.

Hanshichi was elected in the 3rd House of Representatives election in 1894. People who had studied at Nakatsu City School or Keio University cooperated in Hanshichi's election campaign, suggesting that a faction centered on Fukuzawa and Keio University had emerged in Nakatsu and Oita. However, Hanshichi lost in the 4th election, ending his short term as a member of the Diet.

After finishing his term as a member of the House of Representatives, Hanshichi retired once, but he would return to the political and business circles of Oita Prefecture, triggered by the silk reeling industry. In 1895, he became the president of the Hoshu Silk Reeling Company, which was founded through the efforts of influential figures in Nakatsu. Regarding the spinning and silk reeling industry in Nakatsu, companies had been established under the leadership of Fukuzawa and Obata, and female workers were actively sent to the Tomioka Silk Mill for training. However, it was decided to establish a more modern and large-scale factory, and Hanshichi was the one elected as the representative at that time.

Thereafter, Hanshichi participated in companies such as Yabakei Railway, as well as spinning, gas, cement, and railway companies. He also seems to have worked hard on banking; upon the establishment of the Oita Agricultural and Industrial Bank, he used his personal connections to arrange for shareholders, and later became the president. Regarding Hanshichi's business activities from the late 1890s onward, rather than actively moving to establish them himself, he often participated because he was sought after as a mediator. His autobiography also highlights descriptions of personnel mediation and adjustments with political party factions more than business content. He did not completely retire from politics either; during the split of the Constitutional Nationalist Party and the establishment of the Rikken Doshikai, he could be seen traveling between Nakatsu and Tokyo, working energetically.

Furthermore, during the reorganization of Oita Bank, he worked with Toyoji Wada, Junnosuke Inoue, and others to compensate for huge losses and rebuild the bank. They approached several banks, including Yasuda Bank, but received no favorable response. Just as both Wada and Yamaguchi were at their wits' end, the Hirooka family came to the rescue.

The Hirooka family was of the lineage of the wealthy merchant Kajimaya, and Kajimaya had managed the Nakatsu Domain's warehouse residence as a kuramoto since the Edo period. Hanshichi had relationships with employees of Daido Life Insurance Company and Kajima Bank, and since Kajima Bank was considering expanding into Kyushu, he proposed approaching the Hirooka family. At a meeting between Keizo Hirooka and Hanshichi, Wada, and Inoue held at the Inoue residence, the response was taken under consideration. Although Kajima Bank initially declined due to the poor management status of Oita Bank, Hanshichi stayed in Tokyo for a long time to continue negotiations and eventually turned the situation around. These efforts bore fruit, and Oita Bank newly opened on January 29, 1924.

After Hanshichi retired in 1929, he spent the rest of his life mainly in Beppu. Hanshichi's eldest son, Ryukichi, was born around the time of the Satsuma Rebellion, and his son, Kazuo Yamaguchi, became a diplomat and later published a book regarding Fukuzawa's travels abroad.