Eiichi Shibusawa was born in Tempo 11 (1840) late Edo period as a son of a wealthy farmer family at Chiarai-jima (Blood-wash Island) of presently Saitama prefecture."
"Blood-wash?"
"Yes, it is the same town name now too. There are various opinions about the origin of the strange place name, like 'A lot of blood has been spilled here in the old times, ..."
For Eriko's cutting in, Suga nods and promotes her talk noticing her wish.
Eriko, looking up and searching her memory for her specialty slowly, responds to Suga's favor.
"You say it was in 1840 that time. Around the year in France famous modern artists were born. For example, Cezanne, Rodin, Monet, Renoir, Rousseau and Gauguin. Exactly the dawn of the modern art. Eiichi Shibusawa was about the same age with them, wasn't he? Isn't it an interesting coincidence?"
Then immediately Eriko promotes Tsubune to talk with a little excitement. She seems to have an idea.
"Something similar may have happened in the music world in Europe, right?
Tsubune, being puzzled, looks up his guess in mind in the electric dictionary and makes his speech.
"You are right. it was in the middle of 19th century when various things happened in the classical field too. In Europe the days of classical music had just passed and it was when the romantic music was the height. There were such composers as Mendelssorn, Wagner and Brahms. At the same time, such famous composers of folklore and impressionism were born, like Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Grieg, Mahler, Debussy, Sibelius, ..."
He likes classical musics in a stereo sound rather than watching TV at home at night. So, he is now enjoying himself.

The elderly senior is also pleased with the unexpected development.
"Surely in those days from the end of Edo period to the beginning of Meiji period the modern art and the culture bloomed all over Europe, didn't they? Though Japan was in a long national isolation policy at that time, on the other hand, it created the unique culture like kabuki and ukiyoe."
Then he returns to the main point.
"Shibusawa was a small man of a little taller than 150 cm, but hot-blooded in his young days. He learned kendo (martial art) at Chiba practice hall. When became an adult, he behaved as if he had been a loyal supporter of the Emperor. There is an episode that he plotted the takeover of Takasaki Castle and the burning of Yokohama town."
Leaving the pamphlet on the table, Suga adds his revived memory as follows.

After that he was employed by the Shogunate, and visited the World Expo in Paris, France, as an attendant in Keio 3 (1867). Taking advantage of the visit he toured around the European countries. Therefore it can easily be imagined that he saw such European arts with his own eyes through his stay over there, and even the active stages of the famous artists...

"He visited the exhibitions and concerts for sure. It would not have been strange for him to make friends with such artists and musicians. He might have had a conversation problem because of his poor ability of foreign languages, but he had a lot of courage."
The senior continues his talk.

During his stay in Europe the Meiji Restoration occurred and Tokugawa Shogunate collapsed. On account of it he had to return to Japan in nearly two-year stay there before term. However, this experience became the foundation for him to spread his wing greatly in the political and economic world. Besides, the Restoration Government must not have missed this man. By its strong request, he took part in the new Government, where he energetically planned and promoted the essential part of the country like postal service, monetary system, banks and railroads.

"These are his works by the age of early 30s. After that he immediately left government service and showed his true worth by promoting modernization of the country as a private person in the economic world."
At this point elderly Suga is lively. Their all glasses of beer are forgotten in solitude.
"First of all, the foundation of active firms in every field, ... banks, railroads, ships, paper companies, chemical industry, steel companies, electric power, ... In short, he was involved in the rise of most of the fields in which they say there are more than 500 companies related to him."
Tsubune traces the pamphlet and murmurs to himself.
"First National Bank, Tokyo Electric Power, Tokyo Gas, Nippon Yusen, Ohji Paper, ...."
Suga hurries to the next.
"He also put his strength on social welfare, public works and girl's education. He contributed to found Japan Women's University and Tokyo Women's School. Everything is connected with his experience of the European culture through World Expo in Paris."
Suga is going to wrap up Old Shibusawa's matter, saying,
"He was graceful when he resigned from the business world. He quickly retired at the age of 70, though he had to have something to do with the social services because the world could not let him alone. He died in Showa 6 (1931) at the age of 91, just a half year after he settled the resignation problem of the college president Sano."
Noticing Eriko does not seem satisfied, Suga adds.
"There is no limit to Old Shibusawa's story. Well, this is another anecdote."

He did not only play an active part in the business field, but he was a tractor for Japan like putting the Government to shame. He was a cosmopolitan and a strong patriot. The Russo-Japanese War broke out when he was 64 years old. He did well during the war as a person of merit behind the throne, saying "I will work as a soldier. I will do whatever impossible." The Manchurian Incident occurred just after his death. If alive then, how would he have been involved in it? After that incident, Japan went wrong at the worst and finally got caught in the Second World War.