Yasuzaemon MATSUNAGA 松永安左エ門 was a native of IKI, Ishida-cho.
This town gave to great hero!
The statue and photo of MATSUNAGA shows his piercing eyes which must have intimidated people easily. =:-o
He was nicknamed the "Mr. Electric King of Japan".
He himself wrote that the calligraphy「不老 Furou」.
「不老 Furou」 means "ageless".
「今やらねばいつ出来る わしがやらねば誰がやる」means "If not now, then when? If not me, then who?".
It’s cool. ;)
He entered the Keio university adoring Yukichi FUKUZAWA and later became a entrepreneur.
1905, He is said to have lost all his money. then he said this.
「人間は商売をするために生まれてきたものではない。金を貯めるために生まれてきたものでもない。政治をするためでもない。社会に出た人間としてまず自分の生活を立てることは大切だが、金儲けにためには早回りして、いかなる手段も断行した私。
しかし、これも少し考えてみると、自分の知恵、才覚でやったようでも、多かれ少なかれ、人の、社会のお世話になっている。そう考えると、今後の自分の行動は、国家社会にできるだけ奉仕することが必要と思うようになった。」
...They die well that live well.
This Museum has been built on the former site of the house where he was born, in recognition of his achievements.
Yasuzaemon MATSUNAGA Memorial Hall
■Address: 360-3, Ishidachoindoojiura, Iki-shi, Nagasaki
■Phone number: 0920-44-6688
■Traffic: It is five minutes on foot from port of Indoji
■Admission charges: It is 20% off more than 50 yen, 15 people lower than 100 yen for adults, junior high student
■Opening time: From 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
■Closed days: Every Wednesday, the year-end and New Year holidays (from December 29 to January 3)
For more information, refer to 創立録 電力中央研究所
and more.....
His life was dramatized in 2015 as "Oni to yobareta otoko" (A man called Ogre) in NHK Historical Drama.
"The Autobiography of yasuzaemon MATSUNAGA"
松永安左エ門翁 / むぎ焼酎壱岐 玄海酒造株式会社 is a shochu brand produced by GENKAISHUZO, a sake brewer in Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture.
Let's raise a glass a national hero!
