The birthplace of Yataro Iwasaki, who laid the foundation for the Mitsubishi Zaibatsu. Feel the history in the garden where he nurtured his childhood dreams and the storehouse with its family crest.
Approximately 10 minutes by car from Aki Station on the Tosa Kuroshio Railway Gomen-Nahari Line. Approximately 20 minutes by rental bicycle. Show route
Op.Hours
9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Cld.Days
Mondays (or the next business day if Monday is a national holiday), New Year's holidays
Fee
Free
INFO
Entry into the house and photography within the grounds are prohibited.
Yataro Iwasaki was born into a family of low-ranking samurai in Tosa. He devoted himself to learning from a young age and studied at Toyo Yoshida's Shorinjuku, later blossoming as an official of the Tosa Domain. During the turbulent times of the late Edo period, he focused on the shipping business and established Tsukumo Shokai (later Mitsubishi Shokai). He took on the government's transportation needs during the Taiwan Expedition and the Seinan War, earning enormous profits and laying the foundation for the Mitsubishi Zaibatsu.
In his birthplace, a stone garden remains, modeled after the Japanese archipelago and created by Yataro in his childhood. It is said that Yataro created this garden with the dream of conquering the world, offering a glimpse into the origins of his ambition. You can also see the 'Three-Tiered Diamond' family crest on the tiles of the storehouse, which became the prototype for the Mitsubishi Group's logo.
Near his birthplace, on Mt. Myoken, is Hoshi Shrine, where Yataro prayed for success in life. It is said that when Yataro studied in Edo, he vowed, 'If I do not achieve my goals, I will not return to climb this mountain again.' When visiting his birthplace, be sure to visit Mt. Myoken and trace Yataro's footsteps.
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