日本郵船株式会社創立満三十年記念帖 / 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション

Transportation business and Others

Shibusawa fostered many companies that support the infrastructure of Japanese society, including traffic, transportation and electric power.

Transportation business

In 1885 (Meiji 18), when Mitsubishi Mail Steamship Company and Kyodo Unyu Kaisha merged to form Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Shibusawa supported the company's development as a director.

Four Japanese steamship companies operating on the Yangtze River in China merged in 1907 (Meiji 40) to form Nisshin Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha. Shibusawa served as founding chairman. The image shows the Hankou branch.

In 1881 (Meiji 14), Japan's first privately owned railroad company, Japan Railway Company (Nihon Tetsudo Kaisha), was established. Shibusawa was involved in the management of the company as an officer.

Joubu Railway (later Chichibu Railway) was in financial difficulties, but the company's management sought guidance from Shibusawa, and the railway successfully started operations in 1914 (Taisho 3).

東洋汽船
Asano Soichiro founded the company in 1896 (Meiji 29) to manage foreign shipping routes. In 1926 (Taisho 15), the cruise ship division was transferred to Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line), and the company began to specialize in the cargo business.
北海道炭礦気船株式会社編,北海道炭礦汽船
Hokkaido Tanko Tetsudo Kaisha (later to become Hokkaido Tanko Kisen) was established in 1889 (Meiji 22) by Shibusawa and other founders.

Other business

For the purpose of entertaining foreign guests, Shibusawa and others established the Tokyo Hotel (later the Imperial Hotel) in 1887 (Meiji 20).

In order to introduce Kabuki theater to foreign countries, Shibusawa became the founding chairman and the Imperial Theater was completed in 1911 (Meiji 44).

杉浦善三著,玄文社
After the opening ceremony in 1911 (Meiji 44), from March 4 to April 3, the kabuki Yoritomo (written by Yamazaki Shiko), Igagoe Dochu Sugoroku, and Hagoromo were performed at the Imperial Theater.

In 1897 (Meiji 30), Shibusawa founded Shibusawa-soko-bu in the Shibusawa Residence in Fukagawa, Tokyo, and in 1909 (Meiji 42), he established Shibusawa Warehouse Co., Ltd.

The Tokyo Chamber (Tokyo Kaigisho), the precursor to the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce (Tokyo Shoho Kaigisho) began its gas business in 1873 (Meiji 6) with the establishment of a gas department. Shibusawa served as chairman of the board of directors of Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., which was established after the gas business was sold.

Shibusawa and others established Japan's first stock exchange, Tokyo Kabushiki Torihikijo, in 1878 (Meiji 11).

東京電灯
Shibusawa and others initiated the establishment of Tokyo Dento Kaisha (Tokyo Electric Light Company, later Tokyo Dento Kabushiki Kaisha) in 1882 (Meiji 15). The Tokyo Electric Light Company began operations in 1886 (Meiji 19) and built a thermal power plant in Tokyo to supply electricity.

Economic organizations

From 1878 (Meiji 11) to 1905 (Meiji 38), Shibusawa served as president of economic organizations such as the Tokyo Shoko Kaigisho, the Tokyo Shokokai and the Tokyo Shogyo Kaigisho, and devoted himself to improving the status of the business world.