Katakura Kanetaro

Japanese: 片倉兼太郎 - かたくら・かねたろう

Year of death: February 13, 1917
Year of birth: November 29, 1850 (January 12, 1850)
A representative silk-reeling capitalist in Japan during the Meiji and Taisho periods. Born into a wealthy farming family in Misawa Village, Suwa County, Shinano Province (Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture). In 1873, together with his younger brother Mitsuharu, they started a 10-person reeling machine, and in 1888, they established a 32-kettle mechanical silk-reeling factory on the banks of the Tenryu River in their village. Later, Mitsuharu's other brothers and cousins also joined the business, and the profits gained became a shared asset, and the family came together to expand the mechanical silk-reeling business. In 1928, Kanetaro formed the Katakura Group, with himself as the group's leader, and led the family's business. From the late Meiji period onwards, they established many silk-reeling factories outside the prefecture, and after his death in 1920, Katakura Silk Spinning Co., Ltd., which was established to take over the silk-reeling business of the Katakura Group, was said to be the largest silk-reeling company in the world. From 1903 onwards, the family began managing farms and forests in Hokkaido, Korea and other areas, and in the interwar period they diversified into insurance and chemical fiber manufacturing, becoming one of the regional conglomerates. Even after turning 60, he continued to be youthful and energetic, to the point that he said, "I only feel like I've just graduated from elementary school." His youngest brother, Saichi, was adopted, and after the death of the first, he took on the name Kanetarou II. In 1934, when the second Kanetarou died, his heir Shuichi took on the name and became the third Kanetarou. The thatched roof house where he was born still stands, giving the impression of a wealthy farmer. <References> Adachi Rien, "The Career History of the First Katakura Kanetaro," "The 20th Anniversary Journal of Katakura Silk and Spinning Co., Ltd."

(Bin Matsumura)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：大正6.2.13(1917)
生年：嘉永2.11.29(1850.1.12)
明治大正期のわが国の代表的な製糸資本家。信濃国諏訪郡三沢村(長野県岡谷市)の豪農の家に生まれる。明治6(1873)年に実弟光治と共に10人取りの座繰製糸を始め,さらに11年には32釜の器械製糸場を自村の天竜川河畔に設置する。のち光治のほかの弟や従弟らも経営に参加し,得られた利益を共有資産として,一族一致団結して器械製糸経営を拡大させていった。28年には片倉組を結成して兼太郎自ら組長となり,一族の経営を統率した。明治後期以降,県外にも多くの製糸工場を設置していき,没後の大正9(1920)年に片倉組の製糸経営を継承して設立された片倉製糸紡績株式会社は世界最大の製糸会社といわれた。また明治36年以降,一族は北海道,朝鮮などで農場・山林経営に乗り出すとともに,両大戦間期には保険業,化繊工業などへの経営多角化を進めて地方財閥のひとつに数えられるに至った。60歳を超えても「まだ尋常小学校を卒えたくらいにしか思っていない」と語ったというほど,常に若々しく精力的な活動を続けた。末弟佐一が養嗣子となり,初代没後,襲名して2代兼太郎となる。昭和9(1934)年,2代兼太郎没により,嗣子脩一が襲名し3代兼太郎となる。いかにも豪農の家と思わせる茅葺屋根の生家は現存。<参考文献>足立栗園『初代片倉兼太郎君事歴』,『片倉製糸紡績株式会社20年誌』

(松村敏)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

<<: Genshu Katakura - Genshu Katakura

>>: Japanese anchovy (katakuchi iwashi) - Katakuchi iwashi (English spelling)