Social

Saturday, May 28 1921: an expulsion order issued to Vasily Eroshenko

1921 (Taisho 10) On Saturday, May 28, the Ministry of the Interior issued an expulsion order to the blind Russian author of children’s stories, Vasily Eroshenko, who was staying in Japan. Eroshenko arrived in Japan via Shanghai two years ago after an expulsion order was issued in India on charges of communist propaganda. He had just been arrested on May Day, May 1, because his activities, such as attending a convention of the Socialist League, were considered dangerous in Japan. Eroshenko was sheltered at Shinjuku Nakamuraya. During her stay in Japan, Eroshenko interacted with cultural figures such as Akita Ujaku, Eguchi Kan, and Ichiko Kanchika, and was well known among...
Economy

Saturday, May 28, 1921: a sericulture expert Masukichi ICHINOSE died

On Saturday, May 28, 1921 (Taisho 10), a sericulture expert Masukichi ICHINOSEdied at the age of 55. In 1898 (Meiji 31), Ichinose, a sericulture expert in Ichikawamisato Town, Yamanashi Prefecture, discovered a mulberry sapling that was resistant to harmful insects and had a high yield, making it ideal for sericulture. From mulberry seedlings of the variety name “Nezumi gaeshi” purchased from mulberry seedling traders in Oshimura, Ichise discovered three seedlings of good quality different from the usual Nezumi gaeshi, bred in its own mulberry field and distributed to the neighborhood. In 1916, it won first prize at the (Taisho 5) competition and expanded nationwide as “Ichinose-Kuwa”. These seedlings contributed to...
Birthday

Friday, May 27, 1921: Nobuo Murakami, French chef, was born

On Friday, May 27, 1921 (Taisho 10), Nobuo Murakami, fondly known as the “Musch Murakami” French chef, was born in Matsueda-machi, Kanda Ward, Tokyo. This place is present Kanda Iwamoto-cho, Chiyoda Ward. Nobuo Murakami’s father, Nobutaro Murakami, and his mother, Iyo, ran a restaurant called Banzaitei. In 1933 (Showa 8), he graduated from Third Nippori Elementary School and worked at a Brazilian coffee shop in Asakusa. In 1939 (Showa 14), he was hired as an apprentice at the Imperial Hotel, and the following year became a regular employee. During the Pacific War, he went to the Chinese front as an army soldier, and after the war, he was detained in...
Art

Thursday, May 26, 1921: a Western-style painter, Kinkichiro Honda died

On Thursday, May 26, 1921, a Western-style painter, Kinkichiro Honda died at his home in Iriyamazu, Omori, Ota-ku (Taisho 10). He was 70 years old. Honda was born in 1851 (Kaei 3) and is a former feudal retainer of Hiroshima Domain. He entered the Western studies school (Shudo Junior and Senior High Schools), a domain school in Hiroshima, and studied Western military science. He learned English from Fumio Nomura, who was a professor of Western studies at the time. Later, as a journalist, Nomura launched a satirical magazine called “Marumaru Chinbun” and was also active as a Freedom and People’s Rights Activist. Honda went to Tokyo after the Hiroshima clan...
Social

Wednesday, May 25 1921: Shobei IIZUKA opens a vegetable store called “Musashiya”

1921 (Taisho 10) Wednesday, May 25 Today is rather a local event in Shinjuku-ku. Shobei IIZUKA opens a vegetable store called “Musashiya” in Ichigaya Tanimachi. Later, it developed into a supermarket “Shinjuku Marusho”, which expanded into the Tokyo metropolitan area with a focus on Shinjuku. Many residents of Shinjuku have shopped at Marusho, a supermarket located in Yotsuya-sanchome. There is now a magnificent monument called “Daikon Tower” in Marusho’s birthplace. It is along Yasukuni street near Akebonobashi and near Sumiyoshicho intersection. On the surface, Daikon means a big soul, but in fact, the hidden name comes from Joke, which means vegetable radish. There are also statues of founder Shobei Iizuka...
Economy

Tuesday, May 24 1921: Hanshin began to expropriate land for a new line

1921 (Taisho 10) Tuesday, May 24 Hanshin Electric Railway began to expropriate land for the Hoden Line (The current Hanshin Nanba Line). Under the name of Tokikazu Ikematsu, governor of Osaka Prefecture, an advertisement for land expropriation was announced in the official gazette. The targeted land is the “Oaza Dekijima, Kawakita-mura, Nishinari-gun, Osaka” near the mouth of the local river, Kanzaki River, and is currently in the vicinity of Dekijima Station on the Hanshin Namba Line. At that time, a large-scale railway expansion was also carried out in Osaka by the active policy of the Seiyukai. The Hoden Line opened 3 years later in 1924 (Taisho 13). The Hanshin Koshien...
Academic

Sunday, May 22 1921: the 11 th Japan Academy Awards ceremony was held

1921 (Taisho 10) On Sunday, May 22, the 11 th Japan Academy Awards ceremony was held at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. Zennosuke TSUJI (Study of the History of Japanese Buddhism) and Gennosuke FUSE (anatomical study of the brain) were rewarded. Hikoshichiro MATSUMOTO (study of starfish) and Kunikazu TAWARA (Research on Japanese swords) received the Imperial Academy Award. Yoshizumi TAWARA (study of puffer toxin) received Duke Katsura Memorial Prize. https://twitter.com/KoichiYoshizuka/status/1331696711530590210 Zennosuke TSUJI, who was famous for his study of Japanese Buddhist history, is also known for reevaluating Okitsugu TANUMA. He fairly evaluated the achievements of Tanuma, who had a strong image as a corrupt politician, and described him as...
Birthday

May 22 1921: Kim Jong-oh, a Korean General, was born

1921 (Taisho 10) Sunday, May 22 Kim Jong-oh, a Korean General, was born in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. While he was a student of the Faculty of Law at Chuo University in Japan, he went to war as a student and became an army lieutenant. After the war, he joined the Korean Army. In the Korean War, he was active in the Battle of Chuncheon and the Battle of Hakuba Highland. After the armistice, he served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Chief of the Army General Staff. He died at the age of 1966, 44. The Battle of Hakuba Highlands was one of the fierce battles...
Social

May 21, 1921: cigarettes “Air Ship” was sold.

On Saturday, May 21, 1921, (Taisho 10) a pack of 10 cigarettes consisting of 10 sen “Air Ship” was sold by the Monopoly Bureau. In 1910 (Meiji 43), it was named so as to reflect a growing interest in the sky as seen in the appearance of airplanes, and sold in a pack of 50. The superb package design of the airplane in the back of the mountain is popular. The price in 1938 (Showa 13) was 18 sen. After saying “I see. Thank you.” the husband sat in a corner and grabbed a handful of Air Ship brand cigarettes which he had taken into his earlobe, but he couldn’t...
Birthday

Friday, May 20 1921: Former Nissan Chairman Yutaka Kume was born.

1921 (Taisho 10) Friday, May 20 Former Nissan Chairman Yutaka Kume was born in Tokyo. After graduating from Tokyo Prefectural Sixth Junior High School (Current Metropolitan Shinjuku High School), he enrolled in the Department of Aeronautical Engines, Faculty of Engineering, Tokyo Imperial University, where he was involved in the manufacture and repair of military aircraft during World War II. After the war, he joined Nissan Motor Company in 1946 (Showa 21). After that, he served as General Manager of Engineering Department of Zama Plant and General Manager of Yoshiwara Plant. Kume became the president of Nissan Motors in 1985 (Showa 60). He led Nissan’s golden age in the bubble economy....