Born in the Shigyo Family (Zero-year-old)

In 1950 (Showa 25), born at Seibo Hospital in Mejiro (Shimo-Ochiai), Tokyo. The Shigyo family served as chief retainers and magistrates in the Nabeshima Domain in Saga Prefecture. His grandfather・Shigyo Hiromichi served as the representative committee member of Japan at the Paris World Exposition. He also actively served as a purveyor of fine arts for the Imperial Household, and also managed a national policy company promoting to spread Japanese Art. He was also a best friend of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and worked to spread Japanese Art overseas. His father・Shigyo Ippei after graduating from Tokyo Shoka University (old-system) entered Mitsui & Co., Ltd. He went to war as an Army lieutenant and after fighting in the Chinese front line, he returned to Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and worked as the right-hand-man of the president Mizukami Tatsuzo. Valued highly of his English ability, he assisted the dissolution of Zaibatsu (big financial combines) by GHQ, and made Douglas McArthur, the Commander at that time, say “The most fluent English speaker I have ever met.”
His mother・Chizuko is the youngest daughter of the squire Hayano-family of Ohgaki in Gifu Prefecture. As Chizuko’s father・Komiki operated a shipping company named Nisshin Kisen in Shanghai in China, Chizuko spent her childhood in 1930s Shanghai International Settlement. And Komiki was taught swordsmanship by the great swordsman・Yamada Jirokichi and he himself was quite a proficient swordsman.

Kuri-kinton (Sweet-mashed-chestnuts) Accident (3-years-old)

In 1953 (Showa 28), 3-years-old, his mother placed a boiling-hot cooked sweet-mashed-chestnut pot on the top of the cupboard, considering the safety of the child not to touch it. But he forcefully reached the pot and spilled the boiling-hot contents over his knees, and severely burned below both knees reaching the bone marrow. Mother・Chizuko carried him only wearing wooden-clogs on her feet in snow-covered road for 2 kilometers to Kawazoe Clinic, famous for the hereditary ointment for burns in Mejiro. And when the secret elixir made in Edo-era was applied, the burn rapidly began to recover. Mother carried the child on her back every day in snow-covered road 4 kilometers journey both ways to have the elixir replaced.

The Days Immersed in Cinemas (3-years-old)

Since around 3-years-old, he had been often taken to many of cinema theaters in Ikebukuro and “Lion-za” theater in Meguro to watch cinemas. The cinemas he often viewed in those days were that of the actors Ishihara Yujiro, Kobayashi Akira of Nikkatsu (motion-picture company), and War-cinemas and Jidaigeki (Period adventure cinemas) of Tsuruta Koji, Mifune Toshiro of Toho (motion-picture company). And he was deeply impressed by [Stagecoach], [My Darling Clementine] and [How Green Was My Valley] by Director John Ford, which he viewed in his childhood. In his primary and junior high school days, he went to cinemas by himself and his favorites were Julie Andrews’ [Sound of Music] and [Mary Poppins].

Drifted away to Enoshima (4-years-old)

In 1954 (Showa 29), around 4-years-old, when visiting Mother’s family-home in Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, he went for swimming in the sea with his uncle, boy cousin and his elder brother・Daisuke, he fell asleep while floating on a floating-ring, and drifted away to the coast of Enoshima, more than 10 kilometers away. He was taken into police custody and the family received a call from the police around 11:00 p.m., after which he was returned to uncle’s home. The whole family was in tumult all day long, and his uncle who went with him suffered nightmares for a while afterwards.

Finger bones broken into pieces, and “Tetsukabuto (Steel-helmet)” (5-years-old)

In 1955 (Showa 30), around 5-years-old, he liked the wheel-chain of the large cart of the charcoal dealer, and while he was playing with it, the first joint of his right index finger got caught in the chain. By completely disassembling the cart, the finger finally came out, but it was crushed. However, after a while, his fractured finger bones had naturally returned to their original state. Around this time, “Onda no Kin-chan” who was a regular gardener as well as garden designer of his home, treated him kindly. As it was the time just after the Second World War and the supply of goods were still short, Kin-chan worked every day wearing the military uniform and Tetsu-kabuto (Steel helmet) with gaiters on his legs appearing like a former Imperial Army soldier. Kin-chan allowed him to wear the Tetsukabuto as a reward to helping him, and so he carried a saw, dug holes and enjoyed the reward of wearing Tetsukabuto.

Nearly died from lung petrifaction (7-years-old)

In 1957 (Showa 32), around 7-years-old before entering primary school, he suddenly developed a high fever of 42 degrees C. and had trouble breathing. Dr. Mori Taichiro (a descendant of Mori Tahei, famous for the anecdote of the spear sung in a folklore-song Kuroda-bushi), a private practicing doctor in Mejiro and the family doctor of Shigyo family, took him to National Dai-ichi Hospital by taxi. He had petrifaction of pyothorax, yet by an artificial respirator “Iron Lung” available at National Dai-ichi Hospital his life was saved. Doctor Yamashita Kumio, the world-renown thoracic surgeon and a son of Yamashita Tomoyuki who was famed as The Tiger of Malaya, performed his operation. While staying in the hospital, he asked the doctor that he wanted to eat ice cream, but the doctor stopped him saying if he ate it, he will die. His mother became enraged by blaming the doctor for saying her son will die, and she took him to the cafeteria in the basement floor and let him eat ice cream and protested against the doctor that he did not die.

Used as a human-experimental for the human X-ray fluoroscopy (7-years-old)

While still in his recovery process in 1957 (Showa 32), he was used as a human-experimental for the human X-ray fluoroscopy imported from USA for the first time. As the Japanese doctors did not know how to operate this device well, he was irradiated three times for a long time of 6 hours, and exposed to a huge amount of radiation. From the doctor, he was told that the total amount of radiation was 20 ~ 30 times of Hiroshima-type atomic bomb, but as of those days, it was concluded only with the doctor’s one word of apology. When he overcame a fatal disease and was discharged from National Dai-ichi Hospital, and as soon as he returned home, he encountered [Hagakure (The Book of Bushi)] and took it in his hands. As he could not read Kanji (Chinese character) yet, he asked his mother to write kana-syllables to all Kanji and read it. He was captivated by the philosophical thought of Bushido Spirit “Shini-gurui (Fanatic Death)” and “Shinobu-koi (Concealed Love)” and determined to live in the spirit of Bushido. After that, he has placed “Unmei e no Ai (Amor fati: Love of Fate),” the words that philosophized Bushido as the core of his lifetime.

Entered Rikkyo Primary School (8-years-old)

In 1958 (Showa 33), he entered a missionary school Rikkyo Primary School, which his 3-years-elder brother attended, at the age of 8, a year later than the usual 7-years-old. Enrollment was permitted by the leniency of the first principal Ariga Chiyokichi. The principal told him to acquire just one favorite word from the teachings of Jesus Christ by the time of his graduation day. And learned the words “Pro Deo et Patria (For God and Country),” which are the spiritual legacy of Rikkyo’s foundation. Enchanted by these words, they became one of his lifetime creeds to this day. When he entered one year late, and though other classmates were able to write all of kana-syllabary and katakana-syllabary from their entrance day, he by all means could not write “ゆ (yu）” and so when he wrote his name up till the second term, it was “Shigyo うすけ(Usuke)” instead of “ゆうすけ(Yusuke).”

Encountered with Painter・Hayashi Takeshi, and fighting all the time (8-years-old)

Around this time, paintings donated by the painter・Hayashi Takeshi were decorated at Rikkyo Primary School. One day he gained acquaintance with the painter Hayashi and showed his watercolor painting of the cloud to him and it was greatly praised by the painter. Although he had good grades throughout primary school, he was always fighting with delinquents around Ikebukuro, Mejiro and Zoshigaya area, and his parents were summoned 150 times in 6 years, and this was a new record. He got metal bearing (to turn the gun turret of the same type of the second battleship of German Bismarck, made by German industrial conglomerate Krupp in Essen) from a neighbor who was the director of overseas technology department of NSK Ltd. Hereafter, he continued to use this bearing as his weapon in fights until his high school days.

Kanetaka Kaoru - Sekai no Tabi (The World Around Us) (8-years-old)

In 1959 (Showa 34), when he was 2nd grade of primary school, he watched the TV program “Kanetaka Kaoru – Sekai no Tabi (The World Around Us)” every week without fail. This program was planned and made by his father Ippei, Promotion Section Manager of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. at that time, and TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc.) Director Mr. Takahashi Kei. And his father knew Kanetaka Kaoru from New York branch office, and recommended her to the TV program. Mr. Takahashi Kei who was Director of TBS at that time was Ippei’s friend. When he was 2nd or 3rd grade of primary school, he visited Kanetaka Kaoru in the studio, and she treated him with loving care and gently patted him on the head.

Primary school student absorbed in reading (8-years-old)

In those days, Tsubota Jyoji, author of children’s literature who lived nearby treated him kindly. As Tsubota opened his collection of books at home as “Biwanomi Bunko (Loquat Library)” to the children and he often visited to borrow books. Since his primary school days, he did not read children’s books, instead he read through Mishima Yukio’s [Shiosai (The Sound of Waves)] and [Utsukushii-Hoshi (A Beautiful Star)], Inoue Yasushi’s [Aoki-Okami (The Blue Wolf)] and [Tenpyo no Iraka (Roof Tile of Tempyo)], Akutagawa Yasushi’s [Toshishun (Tu Tze-chun)], [Genkaku Sanbo (Genkaku’s Room)] and [Aru-ahou no Issho (Fool’s Life)], Romain Rolland’s [Jean-Christophe], Leo Tolstoy’s [War and Peace] and others. And he started to read a philosophical weekly magazine “Asahi Journal” from 5th grade. However, he held a creed not to read what the teacher recommended, and so, he has not read Miyazawa Kenji, poet and author of children’s story [Ginga testudo (The Galaxy Railway)], up to today who was the leading recommendation. He frequently visited Horindo-shoten (bookstore) in Ikebukuro-nishiguchi and remembered the exact location of all books of which shelves on every floor.

Miyazaki Ryusuke, Yanagihara Byakuren, husband and wife, treated him kindly (8-years-old)

Miyazaki Ryusuke, Yanagihara Byakuren, husband and wife, who were the neighbor of his home in Zoshigaya treated him kindly. At that time, there was an apartment house named “Bunko-sha,” which Miyazaki Ryusuke’s father Miyazaki Toten (Japanese philosopher who aided and supported Sun Yat-sen during the Xinhai Revolution) said to have built to aid and support political refugees, and he became acquainted with them when he was playing around Inari-myojin-sha (the Gracious-deity of Harvest shrine). They treated him with sweets, and he also learned the words “Muten-ni arazu (Not invisible)” and revolutionary thought from them.

Received treatment from Noguchi Haruchika (10-years-old)

Due to the serious illness and the side effects of radiation and antibiotics before entering primary school, he was weakened to the point of death number of times around 3rd and 4th grade of primary school. He received treatments from genius osteopath Noguchi Haruchika. He read Noguchi’s [Chiryo no sho (The Book of Treatment)], and learned Zen word “Sottaku-no-ki (when a chick hatches out from the egg, the first attack of pecking of both the mother hen from outside, and the chick within the egg must perfectly be simultaneous, otherwise egg shall does not break)” and mastered the roots of the mystery of Life and Zen philosophical thought through his experiences.

Fell down from jungle-gym and cracked his Nouten (the top of his head) (12-years-old)

In 1962 (Showa 37), when he was 12-years-old, he fell down trying to jump from the top of jungle-gym in the schoolyard, to the branch of the tree standing on the boundary of schoolyard and outside road. And seriously injured by hitting his head on concrete road and cracked his skull in two. His brain tissue came out from his mouth, but health-care-room teacher rushed and put the hand into his mouth and pushed back the brain tissue, and tied up the straw rope around his head, and took him to surgery hospital next to the school. Two weeks later, he went to Noguchi Haruchika to receive the treatment. The moment he entered into the room, Noguchi said “No need to worry. No need for medical treatment. Your brain is cured,” and “Your brain became like this by [Fate], therefore, from now on (the present brain) is your normal brain.”

Stopped practicing violin in 6th grade of primary school (13-years-old)

His hearing deteriorated because of the side effects of medical treatments in his childhood, and he stopped taking violin lessons, which he started from 1st grade of primary school and stopped in the last year of primary school. At this time, he received treatment from Noguchi Haruchika once again, and the words of Noguchi "Because of your physical nature, you have ‘Music’ within your body, therefore, you do not need to play any musical instrument” enabled him to stop without a slightest reluctance.

Started newspaper-delivery to make up for his misdeeds (14-years-old)

In 1964 (Showa 39), out of his sense of guilt for having cheated his truly fond mother, such as made her buy the latest model of Sony’s tape-recorder and Nikon F camera that no one else possessed, ever since the primary school student days, and he decided to buy at least his books by himself with earned money, and delivered newspaper of Nihon Keizai Shimbun for three years of junior high school days. He earned about 30,000 yen per month from this part-time job and spent it all on books. After finishing newspaper-delivery, he changed to Rikkyo school uniform and leather shoes and went to school. And after coming home, he changed to a prewar-high-school uniform with a mantle and high wooden clog, and he intentionally soiled this uniform and wore until it became worn-out, and also hung soiled cotton towel from the waist, and put on a soiled cap.

Joined an art club instructed by a painter・Saito Masao (14-years-old)

He joined an art club throughout junior high school・high school days, and encountered and received instruction from the painter・Saito Masao. Saito was teaching at Rikkyo at that time, and as he had markedly big face and his nick name was “Gan-men (The Face)” and he was especially feared among the students. Saito commented on his painting by greatly praising, “Shigyo’s painting has a genius nature,” “Your fierce use of paints has magnetism,” “In other words, Shigyo has something prominent.”

Spent all his time reading, fighting and listening to music (14~16-years-old)

He spent 3 years of his junior high school days reading, fighting and listening to music. He listened to the record of Symphony No.5 in C minor by Ludwig van Beethoven, conducted by Bruno Walter every day from 5th grade of primary school until the graduation of university. When he listened to Beethoven, he wore navy-blue kasuri (splashed pattern) kimono handed down from his father, and put on worn-out kendo-ware hakama (loose-legged trousers), and kneeled in Seiza (the formal sitting position) facing the speaker of the record player putting a wooden sword beside him. This way of listening to the music, the novelist Gomi Kosuke commented, “It is the rightful manner as the Japanese, we Japanese sense Bushido in Beethoven,” and he called Shigyo by the nickname “Nippon-genjin (Japanese-primordial-man).” His favorite music was violin music by Fritz Kreisler, piano music by Alfred Cortot, “Écris-Moi” by chanson singer Tino Rossi, and “Kojo-no-Tsuki (The Moon over the Ruined Castle)”(conducted by Dan Ikuma, sang by Miyahara Takuya) and others.

Encountered with Mishima Yukio at Yatsugatake, in prefectural boarder of Yamanashi・Nagano Prefecture (16-years-old)

In 1966 (Showa 41), when he was 16-years-old, in his 3rd year of junior high school, he encountered with Mishima Yukio at Yatsugatake mountain-villa. As Shigyo already read all of the published Mishima literature, he vented his own theory of Mishima literature to Mishima himself. And as he had just finished reading [Jashumon (Heretical Faith)], which was serialized in the magazine “Asahi Journal” for two years, he vented his comparative literary theory of [Jashumon] and [Hi no Utsuwa (Vessel of Sorrow)] by Takahashi Kazumi, with Mishima Yukio’s [Utsukushii Hoshi (Beautiful Star)], [Kinkaku-ji (The Temple of the Golden Pavilion)] and [Kyoko no Ie (Kyoko’s House)]. The interchange with Mishima continued until the 3rd year of high school. In a view, it is said that he must be the model of Iinuma Isao, the main character of Mishima’s [Hojo no Umi (The Sea of Fertility)] Part Two [Honba (Runaway Horses)]. At that time, in the exchanged comments on literature with Mishima, when he spoke on “Kotodama-gaku (Study of the Spiritual Power of Language),” the divine nature of lily, and the divine nature of three deities Susanoo (the powerful storm god), Tsukuyomi (the god of the Moon) and Amaterasu (the god of the Sun) could be the Trinity of Judaism and Christianity in the Japanese mythology, Mishima was taking notes in details and these themes appeared often in his works.

Exchanged comments on literary theory with Mishima Yukio. (16-years-old)

Also, in 2 years later, when he was agonizing about the interpretation on Beethoven, he asked Mishima for his advice. Mishima interpreting a poem of Wang Yangming, a Chinese philosopher in the Ming dynasty, based on “Chigyo-goitsu (Integration of Knowledge and Action)” advocated in Oyomei-gaku (Wang Yangming’s school of thought), and Mishima advised that because knowledge and one’s action is inseparable, it is best to interpret with your own unique way by risking your life. All through his three years of high school, he met Mishima number of times and exchanged comments on literature and also received numbers of Mishima’s own handwritten calligraphies.

Experienced his first love (17-years-old)

In 1967 (Showa 42), his 1st year of high school, he experienced his first love. He fell in love at first sight with a schoolgirl going to Toritsu Kitazono High School, and he caught her sight in the local train of Tobu-tojo Line from Ikebukuro station to 2 stations ahead for three years of his high school days, yet he could not speak to her not even once. Just before this first love, he has experienced sensing Romanticism like that of a novel [The Sorrows of Young Werther] by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in a song “Kitagami-yakyoku” when he went to Tohoku Region on school excursion tour at the end of his third year of junior high school, and visited Chuson-ji (temple) in Hiraizumi and looked over the splendid view of Kitakami-river from the resident of Northern Fujiwara family・Koromogawa-no-tachi. When he went to see the stage of Shakespeare’s [King Lear] at Nissay Theatre, he visited Akutagawa Hiroshi, prominent actor, backstage to consult his torments of love, and Akutagawa consoled him by saying “The one who lives in one’s ideal, love will not come to fruition. By the first love not coming to fruition, one could practice one’s own unique lifetime.” By the way, the relation with Akutagawa Hiroshi started from when his father Ippei was active in the student drama club of Tokyo Shoka University days, and he participated in “New drama study society” together with the students of Keio University Kato Michio, Akutagawa Hiroshi and Hotta Zenbei and they were acquainted ever since that time.

Denguri-gaeshi (Forward-turn-head-over-heels) and the literature of love (17~19-years-old)

During the three years of high school, to drive away his wicked thoughts of love, he spent numerous days repeating “forward-turn-head-over-heels” 200~300 times, and as he could not yet speak to her, this one-sided love ended as he graduated from the high school. The thickness of accumulated notes, which he wrote down the words to speak to her, reached as much as 20 cm. Through his passionate love, the literatures he deeply comprehended were Rainer Maria Rilke’s [The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge] and [Duino Elegies], and Miguel de Unamuno’s [The Tragic Sense of Life] and [Our Lord Don Quixote]. And as for the philosophy was Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel’s [The Phenomenology of Spirit]. At the occasion of his high school graduation ceremony, Sir John Pilcher, the British Ambassador to Japan, came and introduced the British historian Arnold J. Toynbee’s [A Study of History]. He was inspired and read through the 6,000 pages of the original work, day and night without eating nor drinking in one month. After finished reading he lost 10 kg in weight, and lost his eyesight for 3 weeks. However, its philosophical thought became his root all through his lifetime. He later found that ultimately through this “practice of austerity,” he was able to get over his lost love.

Fighting all the time in high school days (17~19-years-old)

Until the graduation of high school, he wore his father’s hand-me-down prewar-high-school mantle, shabby student uniform, cap and high clogs. And he routinely kept fighting and taken into police custody number of times (about 5 times). He even took a position of a juvenile gang leader in Ikebukuro Nishi-guchi area. He got into fight with delinquents of Kokushikan High School, Korean High School, Kyokushin Karate, Yonekura Boxing Gym and others.

Became acquainted with Muramatsu Takeshi, Japanese critic and scholar of French literature. (19-years-old)

In 1969 (Showa 44), from around 19-years-old, he became acquainted with Literary critic Muramatsu Takeshi. It was when he was interested in the Old Testament and Jewish history, and he made a phone call to Muramatsu, who was the expert of the Middle East conflict, to ask him for the books he recommends and visited his residence in Yotsuya. And borrowed a book on Israeli military leader Moshe Dayan and books on the history of Israeli・Palestinian. He started to assist the activities of Japan Israel Friendship Association where Muramatsu participated.

Entered Rikkyo University, Faculty of Law. (20-years-old)

In 1971 (Showa 45), around 20-years-old, at the time of graduation of Rikkyo High School, he was chosen as one of the students to be formally admitted to Columbia University in USA. However due to the opposition of his father・Ippei, he decided to enter Rikkyo University. By the way, his scholastic mark of English was No. 1 from the first semester of the first grade of Junior high school to the third semester of the third year of high school, all through his 6 years. In University, he received guidance in Faculty of Law from Professor Tokoro Kazuhiko in the criminal law, and Professor Kimishima Jiro in the philosophy of law. And he enthusiastically studied [Keiho Yoko (The Elements of the Criminal Law)] by Danto Shigemitsu. With the guidance of Professor Kimishima, he specialized in the philosophy of law and the history of political philosophy, and fundamentally studied Hegel’s [Elements of the Philosophy of Right], Maruyama Masao’s [Nihon Seiji Shiso-shi Kenkyu (Studies in the Intellectual History of Tokugawa Japan)]. And he also studied [Das deutsche Genossenschaftsrecht] by Otto von Gierke and others in original.

Minagawa Tatsuo’s lecture course of “History of Western Music,” and record concert. (20-years-old)

In the first year of university, he took a lecture course of “History of Western Music” by Professor・Minagawa Tatsuo, specialized in Medieval・Renaissance music. At Shigyo’s home, as there were about ten thousand prewar SP records (Artur Schnabel, Fritz Kreisler, Arthur Rubinstein, Alfred Cortot and others), and two thousand LP records (Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert, Fritz Kreisler, Alfred Cortot, Enrico Caruso and others), which his father collected, he began to hold record concerts periodically inviting 10 ~ 20 guests. Through the interchange of lending and borrowing of records with Gomi Kosuke (Japanese historical novelist), he received British-made Tannoy speaker for the concert from him. And through this record concert, he became acquainted with Kobayashi Hideo (Japanese author, literary critic) and started lending and borrowing of records mainly of French Music such as Jean-Philippe Rameau, François Couperin and others. The words of Kobayashi, “Claudio Monteverdi and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina have made the European Music,” remained strongly in his impression as of those days.

Mori Arimasa came to the record concert. (20-years-old)

In 1970 (Showa 45), 20-years-old, through Mr. Kagawa who was his father’s junior in the university and also junior in Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and served as the Düsseldorf Branch Manager and Paris Branch Manager, Mori Arimasa (Japanese philosopher, scholar of French literature) also came to the record concert and discussed on John Calvin’s [Institutes of the Christian Religion], and also on music. With Mori Arimasa, he traveled to Lake Suwa, Nagano Prefecture to see Omiwatari (God’s Crossing). And Mori Arimasa played Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Passacaglia in C” on pipe organ at Cathedral Church in Mejiro and “Toccata und Fuge in d-Moll” at the chapel of Rikkyo University for him.

Operated beach-house at Tomiura beach in Chiba Prefecture. (20, 23-years-old)

During the summer vacation of first and third year of the university, he operated a beach-house named “Chugoro” at Tomiura beach in Chiba with friends. He cooked for dozens of guests and received a good reputation of “Meal is delicious.” He swam in the daytime, and read the complete works on the beach as his routine and read through the complete works of Paul Valéry, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Shimomura Torataro, Tanaka Michitaro, Hatano Seiichi, Kuki Shuzo.

His body weakened and be in danger of death. (21-years-old)

In 1971 (Showa 46), due to the side effects of medicines he used since his childhood, he was in danger of death. He lost 24 kg weight for not being able to eat because of hormonal metabolic disorder. Bodily pain run through his internal organs, eyes, ears, nose and mouth, and he was in danger of death, and his doctor has given up. At that time, he repeatedly listened to Mozart’s Requiem in d-Moll “Lacrimosa,” and endured the pain reading Rainer Maria Rilke’s [Duino Elegies], Miura Giichi’s [Hiten (Sorrows of the Heavens)], Origuchi Shinobu’s (Japanese ethnologist, linguist, folklorist, novelist and poet) [Kindai Hisho-shu]. He miraculously recovered, and at the school yard of Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan, where he visited for his rehabilitation walking exercise, he encountered Japanese leading architect Kurokawa Kisho and exchanged discussion on American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and discussion on the architecture of American architect Mies van der Rohe. In his 4th year of the university, he was recommended by the professors to complete the doctorial course of Tokyo University postgraduate school, and Professor Kamishima introduced a leading political scientist and political theorist Maruyama Masao to him. With Maruyama Masao, he discussed not only the philosophy of law but also on German composer Richard Wagner and others, and appreciated music together, and Maruyama came to his home concert number of times.

He entered Taisho Kaijo Kasai Hoken Co., Ltd. (Insurance company), and resigned shortly after. (24-years-old)

In 1974 (Showa 49), around 24-years-old. Although he had a choice of entering Tokyo University postgraduate school, he gave up on going due to the confrontation with his father. As he wished to work in relation to ship and sea, he entered Taisho Kaijo Kasai (Marine・Fire Insurance). He was at once assigned to Utsunomiya branch office in Tochigi Prefecture. However, in the new employee training, when he was shown a salary payment table and knowing the fact that the salary was determined up to 40 years ahead, he was mentally shocked, and after a while, he resigned the company. In consequence, he was disinherited by his father, and his uncle who was the vice-president of Mitsui Oil Exploration Co., Ltd. advised him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation test.

Entered Misaki Senpaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. (24-years-old)

In no time, he entered Misaki Senpaku Kogyo Co., Ltd., a middle-size shipbuilding company with 350 employees, located in Miura-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture. It was established by Hirai Ken, the president, after the war, who graduated from the prewar education system Daishi High School (Kanazawa Prefecture), and Tokyo Imperial University Mechanical Engineering Department, and served as a technical officer building warships during the war. Shigyo was in charge of ship-building sales, and learned from president Hirai, “Philosophical Thought of Kotsu-ryoku (Bone-power),” which is the most significant potential-energetic-power, and “Theory of 3 percent・97 percent” which indicates that when faced with a problem, the important matters are only 2 or 3 out of 100. Around this time, he lived with seamen from India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaya, Papua New Guinea and others at a dock-house named “Jyozan-so,” and he was respected by the seamen as he was good and strong at fighting. And his senior who disliked him, dropped a lump of iron weighing 2~3 tons by 30-tons-load-crane over him. He avoided at the last minutes and was saved.

Encounter the boss of Misaki・Akkan-Masa (Villain-Masa). (25-years-old)

In 1975 (Showa 50), around 25-years-old, encountered the president of Okutsu Suisan (fisheries)・Okutsu Masagoro (commonly known as Akkan-Masa) who was the boss of the whole area of Misaki. He was known to be the best boatman of Japan, managing Japan’s No. 1 tuna-catch large-scale fishing fleet, and he was in mid-80-years-old yet active and never been defeated in fighting. Usually, he rode in chauffeured Mercedes Benz wearing double-breasted suit with necktie, yet he wore slippers on his feet and went everywhere. He always carried Japanese-evergreen-oak wooden sword, and very much feared by the residents. As Shigyo gained favor of this Akkan-Masa, he was entrusted with the refit and inspection of Akkan-Masa’s possessing ship “Zenkomaru,” as well as the new shipbuilding.
And he was allowed to live in the former Okutsu residence with Japanese garden in Miura city as a caretaker and watchman. In front of the Squire-gate of the former Okutsu residence, the remains of the Aizu clan’s gun-battery spread out.

Akkan-Masa broke his canine-tooth. (25-years-old)

In 1975 (Showa 50), when he and Akkan-Masa drove to Odawara by Toyota・Starlet 1000cc, and at the time he sung “Suishiei no Kaiken (Meeting at Shuishiying; where the ceasefire treaty of the Battle of Lüshun was signed between Anatoly Stessel and Nogi Maresuke, in 1905 during the Russo-Japanese War),” Akkan-Masa who revered General Nogi shed tears of deep emotion. In those days, he often went to Yokosuka and kneeled in the formal Seiza position in front of Battleship Mikasa in the morning, and when he had big fight with sailors on the street of Misaki harbor Akkan-Masa saved him. And when he recited a poem of German poet Hermann Hesse’s “White Cloud (Weiße Wolken)” before Akkan-Masa, by second time, he readily memorized and fluently recited it himself. At the occasion of playing a wooden-sword match with Akkan-Masa, he was struck by a severe blow on his underjaw, and his lower canine tooth was broken and the swelling on his face did not subside for about half a month. When Akkan-Masa died in the mid-90s, he put this canine tooth in Akkan-Masa’s coffin to see him laid in his last place of rest.

Started trading new ships with unified Vietnam. (26-years-old)

In 1976 (Showa 51), when he was 26-years-old, received three new shrimp-trawl boat order from Vietnam, and it was the first memorable trade between Japan and the unified Vietnam. In those days, he traveled back and forth between Tokyo and Misaki on business with Vietnam, and he often came across Tsubota Jyoji, a scholar of children’s literature who lived near his parents’ house, and they had hearty talk on Andromeda Nebula, the cosmos, life and mystery night after night.
At that time, Embassy of The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and Misaki Senpaku were proceeding a project of building new ships together, under the command of Ambassador to Japan, His Excellency Nguyen Giap. He encountered composer Mayuzumi Toshiro at Embassy of Viet Nam and cooperated in Tibetan independence movement, and Muramatsu Gou also took part in this movement. And he encountered the 14th Dalai Lama there.

Met Glenn Gould in New York. (27-years-old)

In 1977 (Showa 52), around 27-years-old, traveled to the USA to help his friend with his tuition who was studying at a state graduate school in Texas. And at that time, Mayuzumi Toshiro contacted his best friend Leonard Bernstein, an American composer and conductor, and arranged him to meet Glenn Gould, a Canadian pianist, at the recording studio in Manhattan, New York. He had a hearty talk with Glenn Gould on the music theory of Ferruccio Busoni’s, an Italian pianist and composer, arrangement of Johann Sebastian Bach, and literary theory on Mishima Yukio’s [Kinkaku-ji (The Temple of Golden Pavilion)], [Haru no Yuki (Spring Snow)], and also on Haiku and Tanka.
After this meeting, he went to Dallas and visited the Alamo. Although Shigyo helped his best friend who was in financial difficulty, it has mentally burdened him, and later their friendship was broken. He realized the fearfulness of money.

Fell in love at first sight with a girl-student at Ryugaku (Study Abroad) Center in Rikkyo University. (27-years-old)

At Ryugaku Center of Rikkyo University, he fell in love at first sight with a girl-student of the master’s course in Graduate School of Christian Studies, and it led to a passionate romance. She studied a Swiss Reformed theologian Karl Barth, a Romanian historian of religion Mircea Eliade and a Japanese philosopher Hatano Seiichi, and was scheduled to study Islam in comparative religion to Christianity in Iraq. And as her father was a Rector of Nippon Sei Ko Kai (The Anglican-Episcopal Church in Japan), He decided to marry her and resign from Misaki Senpaku and become a Rector himself. Therefore, he was scheduled to enter Central Theological College two years later. His favorite books in those days were [Ai to ninshiki no shuppatsu (The Beginning of Love and Understanding)] by a Japanese essayist and playwright Kurata Hyakuzo, [Ai no mujyo ni tsuite (On the impermanence of Love)] by literary critic Kamei Katsuichiro, [Fragments d’ (un Journal intime)] by a Swiss literati and philosopher Henri-Frédéric Amiel, and [Glück (Happiness)] by a Swiss philosopher Carl Hilty. However, in 1978 (Showa 53), just before their marriage, she suddenly said farewell and left him broken-hearted.

Failed in attempting self-determined death at Jyogashima, Kanagawa Prefecture. (28-years-old)

Because of this lost love, he decided to die by himself. And the moment he kneeled down to disembowel himself, with the sword forged by the first Nobukuni, which his great-grandmother brought when she married into Shigyo family, he was blown away by a gust of wind and tumbled down the reef. Upon that instant he was struck by a sense of charging into the rising Sun before his eyes and lost his consciousness and self-disembowelment failed.
Through this experience of unity with the Sun, he has realized a solid sense of unity with the mystery of Life, which is “Negative” Energy fulfilling the Cosmos. And he reconstructed Life-theory such as Goethe’s “Theory of Colors” and “Morphology,” Miki Shigeo’s “Hassei-gaku (Embryology),” by the Quantum theory of Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg and Schrödinger.

Started to pay a daily visit to Meguro Fudo (Black-eyed Fudo) for a year (29~30-years-old)

1979~80 (Showa 54~55), around 29~30-years-old, 1 month after the incident of disembowelment failure, he started to pay a daily visit to Meguro Fudo for 1 year. He managed to secure time without fail from the heat-resistant material company where he was temporarily transferred at that time, or Misaki Senpaku Tokyo Office, or his parents’ home and despite of natural calamities, he accomplished his daily visit. On the last day of the fulfillment of the vow which was New Year’s Eve, Ebony-black Object forced into his body, and several hours later his testicles were swollen and had a fever of 41 degrees C. At nearby hospital he was told to cut off his testicles on the very day, but he ran away from the hospital. After that, he was finally saved by Dr. Tsuchiya Fumio of Teishin Hospital, who served as Emperor Showa’s court physician. The cause was diagnosed as “hormonal abnormalities caused by the shock of massive electromagnetic wave penetrating the body,” and the doctor said that it will cure in time and he was able to avoid further problem.

Omiai (Marriage meeting) was arranged, and met his wife Atsuko (30-years-old)

1981, around 30-years-old, 4 days after completing the daily visit to Meguro Fudo, arranged marriage meeting was settled at a single stroke, and he encountered Atsuko who became his wife. She studied [Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji) in the faculty of Japanese Literature of Gakushuin University and a pupil of Japanese linguist Ono Susumu (Professor Emeritus of Gakushuin University).
Under the name of Microscience Laboratory, he personally started the practical study of fermentation of microorganisms and their relation to foodstuffs. Around this time, Iwanami Shoten, Publishers has started the publication of “The Complete Works of Uchimura Kanzo” and the total of 40 volumes became the fundamentals of his research studies and resulted in pursuing a unique philosophical thought named “Zettai-Fu (Absolute-Negative).”

His wife Atsuko passed away shortly after giving birth to his daughter Mayumi (33-years-old).

In 1981 (Showa 58), the married life with his wife Atsuko continued for 2 years and 2 months, however she contracted scirrhous breast cancer and compelled to fight against the disease. She was already pregnant when the cancer was found, and she was determined to give birth to the baby without having the cancer treatment. By receiving Seitai (Osteopathy treatment) from Ms. Usui Eiko, the top disciple of Noguchi Haruchika (the founder of Noguchi Seitai), and also received treatment from Dr. Shigeno Tekkan using Chinese herbal medicine and unique diet therapy. In May, 1983 she gave birth to her daughter Mayumi. And shortly after, she passed away.

Established BIOTEC Co., Ltd. (33-years-old)

In 1984, around 33-years-old, as he has lived through numerous diseases and life-threatening experiences since his childhood, he has determined himself to set the mystery of life “Absolute Negative,” and enhancement of the physical health, as the subject of his life time research study. And after the death of his wife Atsuko, he established Kinshoku・Mineral Enzymatic-food company Biotec Co., Ltd. (Presently Nihon Seibutsu Kagaku Co., Ltd.).
When Biotec Co., Ltd. was founded, an office was set up in a room in a building in Nihonbashi-honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. The products are not just an ordinary health food that benefits health, but the products that “Complement the combustion of one’s life-energy, and properly live through one’s own life and die.” For the scientific verification to back up this philosophical thought of “Absolute Negative” is based on the studies of intestinal bacterium by Dr. C.E. Dolman of Canada, immunology and microbiology of Louis Pasteur, study of mucus-fungi by Minakata Kumagusu, and microbiology of Sir Alexander Fleming. At the time of the product development, a friend of his father Dr. Toguri Eizo, the president of St. Marianna University School of Medicine, has helped and allowed him to use the facility and laboratory of the microbiology class. Dr. Toguri Eizo is the younger brother of Toguri Ikuko who was known as Tokyo Rose.

Days devoted to research studies (36-years-old)

In 1986 (Showa 61), established Nihon Seibutsu Kagaku Co., Ltd. (Presently Nihon Kingaku Kenkyujo Co., Ltd.) as the manufacturing division. As he lost his wife just before founding, he could not manage or clean the house, there was no air conditioning and heating, and the books were piled high. As he was immersed in his research studies even after the tatami mat fell through due to the weight of the books, and under such condition, his body became freezing cold during the winter season and his stomach was upset and lost several kilos of weight, and contracted very serious stomach cramps. And due to the pain of stomach cramps he rolled around the room for 10 hours, yet even in such condition he read through one volume of Iwanami-shinsho without fail.

The first factory was established in Fujioka-shi, Gunma Prefecture (36-years-old)

BIOTEC Co., Ltd. has achieved increasing growth ever since the foundation in 1984, and the customers have constantly visited Nagatani Building in Nihonbashi day to day. Starting from the research study of his own physical cure, he continued research studies in Microscience Research at his home, and also in the office in a building in Nihonbashi, Chiyoda-ku, and continued research studies of Fungi and calcination of oyster shells. And in this year, the first factory was established in Fujioka-shi, Gunma Prefecture, and set out for the preparation of the full-scale production of Kinshoku・Mineral Foods.

The first factory became too small and moved to the new factory in the same Fujioka-shi, Gunma Prefecture (37-years-old)

In 1987 (Showa 62), with the expansion of production, created a production system for stable supply of Kinshoku・Mineral Foods in a one-story factory. Operation of manufacturing-process-line of culture-medium, fungi-inoculation, cultivation and extraction became possible. Gold・Silver product packages were designed adopting the image of children’s song “Tsuki no Sabaku (Desert in the Moon).” This song chants a prince and a princess travelling across the desert riding on the gold and silver saddled horses, and this is one of his most beloved songs, and he superimposed their passion to pursue their adoration as the guiding principle of the way to advance the enterprise.

“Oshare (Stylishness) incident,” “Omelet incident occur (37-years-old)

Around this time, there was an incident that totally changed his dressing style occurred and it has been talked about long afterwards as “Oshare-jiken (Stylishness incident).” Since his young days, he was not at all interested in clothes and belongings, and his appearance nor face. He considered it is enough to be dressed cleanly and properly and wore several white-shirts cleaned repeatedly for long years. However, as the white-shirt was discolored over the years, and one day an employee told him that he had always thought that it was a gray shirt, and then he completely changed his mind. He newly made all of his suits and neckties, and his trade mark bow-ties, suitable and paying respect to the persons he meets as the president of the company. He renewed to British gentleman style, and adopted a straight-back hairstyle to look elderly and mature. And also, regarding food, when he tried to eat an omelet at a famous delicious omelet restaurant, the first time the restaurant was closed. The second time, the omelet was sold out just by the customer in front of him. The third time he was not able to eat because of TV coverage in the restaurant. So being annoyed, he unwillingly went into Soba-restaurant but the soba was hard and rubberlike, and tasted awful. Through these experiences, he has come to realize that he was no longer able to live as he likes or wishes, and destined to live accordingly to his destiny.

Moved BIOTEC Co., Ltd. to Toranomon, Minako-ku (38-years-old)

In 1988 (Showa 63), ever since the foundation, business has grown steadily, and moved the head office from Nagatani Building in Nihonbashi to Amakasu Building in Toranomon, Minako-ku. Moving from several rooms of rental flat to spacious floor all at once, and as there were only about 10 employees, they said that they felt the office was enormously spacious. For 23 years before moving to Kouji-machi in 2011, the business was promoted based in this place, and 4 floors of this building were used when moving out.

Ancient Shiitake-mushroom emerged. New factory of Nihon Seibutsu Kagaku Co., Ltd. was built (39-years-old)

In Jan.07, 1989 (Showa 64), Emperor Showa passed away and the era name was changed to Heisi. When the seed-fungi prepared in this year has grown and the cap of Shitake, which is the fruit body has opened, and it embraced countless spores lined under its cap and the Shiitake with enormous energy has emerged. At that time, upon consulting the leading authority of Fungi and Mushroom, he acknowledged it to be the figure of the foundation seed of Shiitake in the time when dinosaurs lived. This seed-fungi being the parent, and its descendant is linked to the present products. The emergence of this ancient Shiitake was the fruition of the deep research study of ancient woods and water focusing on the utmost importance on Life-energy.
And by deciding to adopt new production method, a new annex was built in order to set a large-size Spray-dryer. Along with the enlargement of single-story building, high-ceiling production room was built. By this total integrated production system, every process including powdering and tableting was realized in our own factory.
Spray-dryer has realized to produce the fine-power, which is the source of Kinshoku, from extracted liquid-concentrate evaporated by heated-air. With a large-size machine of approx. 8 meters height and approx. 3 meters diameter, Kinshoku extracted-liquid sprayed from a height of 8 meters falls into fine-powder. With the installation of the gigantic machine, visitors to the factory tour have increased.

Produced BIOTEC pocket-notebook (40-years-old)

In 1990 (Heisei 2), the first original item BIOTEC pocket-notebook was produced and distributed to the customers and the related people. After moving the office to Toranomon, Minato-ku, business continuously grew steadily. At first, the office was only in the 3rd floor of Amakasu Building. In 1991, the reception to welcome the customers was ready in the 1st floor. And in 1993, the 2nd floor was expanded as the space to serve the customers. In 1990, as for the company’s item, the original pocket-notebook, which the 3-sides are covered with pure-gold and the cover is made from real-leather (the highest quality sheepskin) and being distributed to the customers and the related people. The design of the product packages, company’s hand-paper-bag and pocket-notebook are well considered and determined to give good influence to the way of living and the life.

Striving for the research-study of Kinshoku・Mineral, and obtained 5 patents. (41-years-old)

In 1991 (Heisei 3), during the starting period, he continued the research-study based on immunology and microbiology of Louis Pasteur, mucus-fungi-study of Minakata Kumagusu, and microbiology of Alexander Fleming, and fortunately he was allowed to use the facilities of Dr. Toguri Eizo laboratory, the president of St. Marianna University. And after the research-study facility of the factory was fully equipped, he immersed himself in research-study regardless of in the company, his home or factory. As the result of his effort, he obtained 5 patents of cultivation of Basidiomycota-mycelia and separate-extraction-method of active ingredients and others. The manufacturing method which leads to obtaining patents are fully utilized in producing the products, and both Kinshoku, Mineral Foods are fully devised to bring out their maximum life-energy. Technically, as they have high life-energy, there was difficulty in processing them. And he overcame the technical barriers which the professional processors have given-up, one after another by the conviction of “Can accomplish it without fail.”

Question-and-answer style study session starts (42-years-old)

In 1992 (Heisei 4), started to write manuscripts that are the source of his later books [Ikuru (To Live)] [Tomo-yo (Dear Friends)] (by Kodansha Co., Ltd.), [Seimei no Rinen (Philosophy of Life)] (Kodansha Editorial). At the same time, he started a study session with increasing business relations, members of The Mycological Society of Japan and many of the university relations who wish to listen to Shigyo-philosophical-thought. At the start, contents were organized into in-house issues, and after 2 years, the contents of these questions and answers, study sessions, and manuscripts have led to the quarterly issue of “Megahealth” (presently issue and sale has finished).

Started to issue quarterly “Megahealth” (44-years-old)

In 1994 (Heisei 6), issue of the quarterly “Megahealth,” an in-house issue to disseminate the unique Life-energy Combustion-theory and Thought・Philosophy has started. Since then, it was continuously issued for 10 years until 2003. “Megahealth” is a unique word (coined by Shigyo Sosyu) meaning an active “Positive Health Method” such as a living-way that believes in infinite life-energy, aspiration, and inquisitiveness. At the study session, as he continuously answered to all the questions on the spot without hesitation, the participants said that they have experienced being awakened to the truth number of times. And he wrote on his life-theory that he grasped through his own experiences and contemplation, and his heart-felt favorite poems for every issue. It was printed in typography intended to convey the contents more profoundly to the readers. (Because of the printing-house circumstances it was changed to offset printing in the midway.) In the same year, produced private-edition by typography of [Daihyoteki Nihonjin (Representative Men of Japan)] by Uchimura Kanzo as the memento of celebrating the 10th anniversary of the founding of the company.

He wore “Tokko-tai (Special attack corps)” uniform at the company year-end dinner meeting (48-years-old)

In 1998 (Heisei 10), ever since the foundation, year-end dinner meeting to review the company activity of the year are held with the whole member including the president. 1998 was the 15th anniversary of the foundation, and he read out his salutation titled “Jyugo seiso kyorai no ji (Fifteen years’ time recurrence).” “To work together means live together wondering and above all die together” (quoted from “Fifteen years’ time recurrence”).
Produced sake-goblet engraved with Shigyo-family informal crest “Kage-zakura (Shadow cherry blossom)” to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the foundation, and handed out to the employees and celebrated as the companion working together. Kage-zakura is the image of a cherry blossom seen through from the back looking up in the moonlight at night. Since then, among the commemorative items many are engraved with “Kage-zakura.” And this family crest is the corporate emblem. As this year marks the 15th anniversary, by drinking Mizu-sakazuki (drinking water from sake-goblet at what may be a final parting to mark) with his family, employees, relations attending the year-end dinner-meeting and solidified the bond of working together. Kage-zakura sake-goblet and Special-attack-corps-uniform was for this sake.

Started to write [Miyo-ginmaku-ni (Mementos in the Cinema)] (49-years-old)

In 1999 (Heisei 11), from his childhood days, his mother and grandmother took him to cinema-houses, and since then as a great cinema-lover, he has been watching tens of thousands of movies. From few years before, he realized the value and the power of the cinemas, and since he realized their power, he decided to recommend them to related people and started “Sosyu Recommending Cinemas” as one of the enterprise activities. He chose the cinemas that he was profoundly touched and moved, believing that they would definitely be “Nourishment of Life,” and wrote his personal opinion to each one of the cinemas. This was later gathered into [Miyo-ginmaku-ni (Mementos in the Cinema)].

Factory received an award from the Governor of Gunma Prefecture (50-years-old)

In 2000 (Heisei 12), Nihon Seibutsu Kagaku Co., Ltd. received an award as the factory for improving food hygiene. Many of the award-winning companies other than our company were major companies, and it was unprecedented to receive an award on the scale of our factory at that time. In addition, the time required from the construction of the factory to receiving the Governor’s award was the shortest and the fastest.

He gives himself a pseudonym “Sosyu” (51-years-old)

In 2001 (Heisei 13), at the turning point of his 50-year-old of life, and looking back his life, he took a pseudonym “Sosyu” with the increasing determination to live through his life pursuing the aspiration of his youth. The origin of the pseudonym is taken from “Somo Kukki (Rise of the noble-minded Patriots of the common-man)” advocated by Yoshida Shoin (one of the most distinguished intellectuals in the late years of the Tokugawa shogunate) and the words as well as the philosophical-thought are the driving force of the Meiji Restoration. He has named himself under the soulful wish to live through his life in solitude as a Somo (a humble common man) and sacrifice his life for the human-kind and the country. He acknowledged the origin of the name to be “Sosyu origin.”

New product GIALEN starts to be on sale (51-years-old)

“GIALEN,” Reish-mushroom Mycelium origin, after over 10 years of research・development, the sales starts as the new product. As SANLEM is effective for activating the whole body, GIALEN is the product characteristic of approaching the whole “Nerves.” It relieves the stress of living in the present society, helps good quality sleep, improves the function of cerebral nerves that coordinate intuitive power・sensibility, and greatly supports the nervous function, it is truly the product of the Twenty-first century, and we highly felicitated the birth of this product. Regarding the products, not only GIALEN, he tastes each new lot himself and commercialized only those that he was satisfied with its quality.

Purchased calligraphy of Yamaoka Tessyu (51-years-old)

Purchased calligraphy of Yamaoka Tessyu which is the first artwork of Shigyo Sosyu Collection. The words calligraphed expressed the genuine friendship of sharing aspirations with each other, and he named it “Tomodachi no Sho (Friends’ Calligraphy)”. The content is “Ishi o haite tomo ni sanshoku o mite zashi, sho o makura nishi onajiku usei o kikite nemuru (Sweep the dust on the Rock and view the Mountain sitting together, listening to the rainfall with Book as pillow and sleep together).” It came out to be truly suitable for the first artwork of the art collection.

The days of Waka-poems streaming out like a rage, and reached 5000 poems (52-years-old)

In 2022 (Heisei 14), ever since taking pseudonym “Sosyu,” Waka-poems streamed out like a rage. And composed 1200 poems in 3 months, in few years it was over 5000 poems. At first, Waka was streaming out ceaselessly all the time, when he was standing, sleeping, or driving a car, and took a memo right away every time. Part of Waka-poems are published in the Quarterly Meagahealth, and the entire Wakas remain in the memo of draft. Through this experience, he himself realized that Waka-poem could be chanted only with the heart of sincerity named Sekishin (Red heart), and that neither logic, intelligence, criticism nor critique could compose it.

Accumulation of Shigyo Sosyu Collection starts (52-years-old)

Ever since purchasing a calligraphy by Yamaoka Tesshu which is named “Calligraphy of Friends” at the end of the previous year, as if Tesshu himself is assembling his friends, artworks which became [Yugoku no Geijyutsu (The Art of Passion ̶ Sosyu Collection ̶ )] later were increasingly accumulated. At first, mainly Yamaoka Tesshu, Hakuin, Togo Heihachiro, and after that, many other Japanese pictorial arts and calligraphy collections increased year by year.

At Gassan Forge Plant in Nara Prefecture, made Katana (Japanese sword) (52-years-old)

He visited “Gassan Forging Plant” in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture to make Mamori-gatana (Talisman Japanese Sword) for the enterprise, and ordered Mr. Gassan Sadatoshi, distinguished Gassan-school swordsmith having 800 years tradition, to make the sword. He made the first forge of the sword himself. At that time, he ordered a long sword and short sword, and they were completed after nearly one year of forging. Since then, he has ordered number of swords by Mr. Gassan.

Visited Nara again to have briefing with Mr. Gassan (52-years-old)

Visited Kashihara Shrine, Omiwa Shrine, Muro-ji, Asuka-dera and others, and photographed sceneries and Daikokuten (God of wealth) statue. At this time, at Nara Prefecture Complex of Man’yo Culture, he viewed an image of “Hitomaro” (Kakinomoto no Hitomaro) painted by the artist Yasuda Yukihiko for the first time. Impressed by the artworks of Yukihiko which depicts the most beautiful soul of the Japanese, and it motivated him to accumulate numerous artworks of Yukihiko. And later, this “Hitomaro” became one of Shigyo Sosyu Collection.

Encountered painter Toshima Yasumasa, and asked him to paint his portrait (52-years-old)

He found Toshima’s painting published in [Gekkan Bijyutsu] July 2000 issue for the first time and astonished by its artistry. He intuitively wanted this artist to paint his portrait, and asked through an acquaintance, yet at first, Toshima intended to refuse the offer, as he did not accept the ordered painting and he was determined to choose the model himself. However, the moment they actually met, they were on the same wavelength, and Sosyu’s enthusiasm for the portrait request was comprehended and the production from the following year was promised.

Created the word [Yojo (Foster Constancy)] (52-years-old)

To express his own life-philosophy in one word, and create the word to display the fundamental philosophy, he gave birth to the word [Yojo (Foster Constancy)].
“I suppose Yojo is an unfamiliar word. It certainly is true, it is the word I coined. Transliterate it means Tsune o Yashinau (Constancy is Fostered). Yo (Foster) is an act of embracing something within own-self and nurturing it with affection. Jo (Constancy) refers to the process of trying to be constant and balanced, having a shape, and trying to make something as a matter of course within oneself, and also represents the maintenance and development of that process.”
([Ikuru (To Live)] from Yojo-ki (Chronicle of Foster Constancy)

Yasuda Yukihiko’s Japanese painting [Ako ei Shi (Ako Chants Poem)] joined Shigyo Sosyu Collection (53-years-old)

In 2003 (Heisei 15), among the artworks of Yasuda Yukihiko, the first of the collection “Ako Eishi (Ako Chants Poem),” the figure of Sugawara no Michizane in his youth chanting for the first time in public is being depicted. Ever since the release of GIALEN, we have been hearing numerous reports of the improvement of nervous system of the physical constitution, and the fact that the painting of Sugawara-no-Michizane, who is regarded as “god of learning” namely, “god of nerves,” came at this time to our collection, we have sensed that the energy of “GIALEN” is being demonstrated.

Katana (Japanese Sword) ordered to Mr. Gassan Sadatoshi finished being forged (53-years-old)

Daito (Long-sword) ordered to Mr. Gassan Sadatoshi was finished being forged, and with this Daito he visited Kashihara Jingu, which enshrines Emperor Jinmu. At this time, he was planning to visit and pray in usual manner, however, unexpectedly, he was led into the main shrine for special visit, and received the prayer in the inner shrine. And this Katana became a special Mamori-gatana (Talisman-sword) infused with the Nation-founding energy of Emperor Jinmu. On the blade-skin of Tan-to (Shorter-sword) finished being forged one month later, fluctuation-wave of deep mountains and valleys of Yoshino, where being the base of the Japanese Restoration many times is sensed.

Portrait painting by Toshima Yasumasa starts (53-years-old)

Private atelier for Maestro Toshima was made in Toranomon Head office, and portrait production has started. Portraits of Shigyo Sosyu were altogether 6 pieces, “Iwa no Sosyu (Sosyu of Adamantine),” “Yoru no Sosyu (Sosyu of Night),” “Haru no Sosyu (Sosyu of Spring),” “Yume no Sosyu (Sosyu of Dream),” “Kuro no Sosyu (Sosyu of Black),” “Miseraretaru Tamashii ̶ Shigyo Sosyu no Zo (Enchanted Soul ̶ Portrait of Shigyo Sosyu ̶)” (the last work) were depicted. And when Sosyu suggested Toshima to make sculpture that he had not made in nearly 40 years, Toshima agreed and started making the sculpture. Toshima considered portrait painting to be the collaboration with the painter and the model, and the production became a fierce battle confronting life against life.
“Toshima started his work with bursting passion. I became an object of being depicted for the first time in my life. I was able to witness the life-risking production that only genuine artist possesses before my eyes. Toshima’s attitude towards painting was as fierce as a torrent. It was truly life-risking and far beyond my imagination. I was convinced of the meaning of the word “Mi o kezuru (Sacrifice own-self)” for the first time” ([Koko no Realism (Solitary Realism)] from Chapter 2 Muten ni arazu (Not Pointless) ̶ Toshima Yasumasa no Konseki (Vestiges of Toshima Yasumasa) ̶ .
After finishing the day’s painting, feast of hearty talk on art, literature, music and everything were held.

Miyo Ginmaku ni (Mementos in the Cinema) ̶ Sosyu Recommended Cinemas ̶ ] published (53-years-old)

The movie reviews written on his unique viewpoint (Sosyu personal opinion) became popular, and the number of “Sosyu Recommended Cinema” increased exponentially. Finally it was compiled into private edition [Mementos in the Cinema ̶ Sosyu Recommended Cinemas ̶ ] and started to sell. At this point, Sosyu Recommended Cinemas were 595. Thereafter cinemas continuously increased, and as of 2019 (Reiwa 1) they were 765 pieces and the supplements are printed periodically. And at present, it is possible to read all of “Sosyu personal opinion” including the newest cinema in Shigyo Sosyu Official Web Site. The photograph used in the front page of [Mementos in the Cinema ̶ Sosyu Recommended Cinemas ̶ ] is a photograph taken when visiting the residence of Shiga Naoya (prominent novelist), at the time when he was invited to the celebratory party of an acquaintance Swordsmith Mr. Gassan Sadatoshi when he was designated as an Intangible Cultural Asset of Nara Prefecture. Soon after this, tea-ware named “Tanuki (raccoon-dog)“ made by Shiga Naoya joined the Collection.

Created Furoshiki (Wrapping-cloth) undyed with his own handwritten character “Namida (Tear)” (54-years-old)

In 2004 (Heisei 16), as a memento of the 20th anniversary of the foundation of BIOTEC, Shigyo Sosyu himself wrote a Kanji character “Namida (Tears),” and undyed it on Furoshiki. Attached to this memento was the words explaining this “Namida (Tears).” It says [“Namida” o shiri “Namida” o dakishimete ikirukoto niyotte Ningen wa Shin no Yume o hagukumu-koto ga dekirunodesu, “Namida” dakega Shin no Tomoshibi o shiru Chikara o Ningen ni ataeteiru noda to watashi wa tsukuzuku to omotte irunodesu (Living by knowing “Tears” and tightly embracing “Tears,” human beings can foster true Dreams, I intently think that only “Tears” could give human beings the power to perceive the True Light).]

Osaka Branch Office opened (54-years-old)

Since the foundation, customers have spread all over Japan, and in Kansai area, as the customers increased centering Osaka・Kyoto・Hyogo, and Osaka branch office was opened. It was opened in Captain Building along Midosuji, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, and currently the western Japan region including Shikoku, Chugoku region, Kyushu・Okinawa region are in charge. Trademark of Osaka branch office is a stuffed Kumataka (Hawk eagle) decorated at the entrance, and it is a very rare item that is seldomly made. In those days, he wanted to keep living hawk, yet it was not possible, so he obtained a stuffed Kumataka instead.

Statue of Michiomi-no-mikoto (Lord Michiomi) by Kumakawa Keiun joined the Collection (54-years-old)

Shigyo Sosyu Collection continuously increased in large numbers, and also the works of Kumakawa Keiun, contemporary first rank Buddhist sculptor, were collected. As he has been searching to obtain the statue of Michiomi-no-mikoto, who is the ancestor of Otomo-clan, and finally he asked Mr. Kumakawa to produce wood-carving statue. Michiomi-no-mikoto is a warlord and right-hand man of the First Emperor Jinmu, and the ancestor of Shigyo family. The fact that the statue of Michiomi-no-mikoto who accompanied the military expedition to the east of Emperor Jinmu, was completed at the time of opening Osaka branch office and enforcing the development in the west region, we have gained a great strength with it. Other than Michiomi-no-mikoto, production was requested one after another such as Jinsa-Taisho (Guardian Deity of Buddhism), Mizu-kagami-Tenjin (Defied Spirit of Sugawara-no-Michizane). And superexcellent works joined the Collection.

Collection of a Monstrous Zen-priest Nantenbo starts (54-years-old)

The chance came at the time of obtaining Sho (Calligraphy) of Kengo (Great swordsman) Miyamoto Musashi. Nantenbo has written the note of authentication on the box containing the Sho, and at first sight Sosyu was captivated by its brush-stroke, and began to investigate the personage. And found out that he was such a distinguished Zen-priest that Yamaoka Tesshu and General Nogi had practiced Zen meditation under him. Fascinated by the personage, calligraphies and legends over a picture of Nantenbo he continued collecting them, and the number collected is perhaps the largest in the world.

Tablet of “GIALEN” Reishi-mushroom-mycelium-origin-fungi-food starts to be on sale (55-years-old)

In 2005 (Heisei 17), GIALEN Powder-food was previously on sale, however, the powder was much too fine and so it was difficult to tabletize it. After repeated research studies and repeated trial production, commercialization of GIALEN (tablet) was realized.

In June, Kyushu Branch Office opened (55-years-old)

Kyushu Branch Office was opened in Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi. It will be the second branch following the opening of the Osaka branch in the previous year. Tenjin (the deified spirit of Sugawara-no-Michizane) is the place noted in relation with Sugawara-no-Michizane who is the deity-of-learning as well as the guardian-deity of people who died a regrettable death while embracing patriotism in their heart. This office was opened under a vow to reciprocate even slightly to those patriots. This Kyushu Branch Office, in its 8 years sales activities, increased a great number of customers as well as built ties through regional relationship. However, in 2012, because of personnel change due to the death of the sales manager Uehara Akiko, the office is closed at present.

Artist Toshima Yasumasa passed away. Age at death 72 (56-years-old)

In 2006 (Heisei 18), in autumn of the previous year, Toshima Yasumasa was diagnosed as the terminal stage of rectum cancer and pronounced only six months to live, and Toshima wished to “Paint Shigyo as the model to my last moment.” And he started the painting of his last work “Miseraretaru Tamashii (Enchanted Soul̶Portrait of Shigyo Sosyu̶)” (size 50). Toshima devoted all his energy to this work, and collapsed the day after completing this work, and thereafter lay until his death. They had hearty talk together to his last, and Toshima said, “Enchanted Soul̶Portrait of Shigyo Sosyu̶” is the novel start of my artwork, and it opened up a new field and I want to continue painting. In the same year July, he breathed his last. At his funeral, in accordance with his will, “The St. Matthew Passion” by Bach was played at the funeral hall.

Toshima’s mementos and artworks were transferred and his achievements are to be manifested to the public (57-years-old)

In 2007 (Heisei 19), transferred and preserved Toshima Yasumasa’s over 800 pieces of artworks and mementos, and his residential atelier in Inagi-shi, Tokyo. While maestro Toshima was in life, his artworks occupied all of his living space, and there was hardly any living environment. His residence packed with sculptures, materials, nearly 3000 LP records were completely reformed and finally preserved as the main building of Memorial Gallery of Toshima Yasumasa. At present, it is used mainly as storing materials, and the artworks are exhibited at the permanent exhibition site at Kouji-machi.

Bee pollen processed food “MEGA POLLEN” started to be on sale (58-years-old)

In 2008 (Heisei 20), “MEGA POLLEN” made from the world’s best quality Bee-Pollen gathered by bees, from the wildflower fields remaining ever since the ancient times in the historically distinct limited area of Spain. Bee-Pollen is a perfect nutritional food containing all of essential nutrients, and its value is known ever since the ancient times in Europe. “MEGA POLLEN” is an excellent product for taking nutritional balance.

Established Memorial Gallery of Toshima Yasumasa. Became the director of the Gallery (58-years-old)

Preparing from the previous year, established Memorial Gallery of Toshima Yasumasa after reform of Toshima’s residential atelier was completed. Mr. Toshima Tomotsugu, the eldest son of Toshima Yasumasa took the post of Honorary Director, and Sosyu took the post of Director. Having transferred all of Toshima’s over 800 artworks, materials such as mementos, letters, photos and memos, and manage them collectively and restored and preserved them. And started activities for manifesting of his artworks and the management of exhibitions.

Lending the artwork collection of Yasuda Yukihiko to “Yamatoshi Uruwashi (Japan is Beautiful)” Exhibition (58-years-old)

Artworks of Yasuda Yukihiko of Shigyo Sosyu Collection were exhibited at “Yamatoshi Uruwashi (Japan is Beautiful)” Exhibition held at MIHO MUSIUM, and also at The Chiba City Museum of Art. Lending request was responded as Yukihiko’s artworks have increased in numbers and became a large collection. MIHO MUSEUM is a beautiful art museum by world-famous architect Ieoh Ming Pei that integrates nature and architecture, located in the mountain of Shiga Prefecture. When attending the opening ceremony, he visited Takebe Shrine, which enshrines Yamatotakeru no Mikoto (Prince Yamatotakeru), and Kusabira Shrine the only shrine in Japan that enshrines Mushroom, which is closely related to our enterprise.

Lending Kwon Jin Kyu’s “Jikoku zo (Self-engraved Figure)” (a memento of Toshima Yasumasa) to “Kwon Jin Kyu” Exhibition (59-years-old)

In 2009 (Heisei 21), at Musashino Art University, a Korean genius sculptor who graduated the University, “Kwon Jin Kyu” Exhibition was held. And a self-engraved figure of Kwon Jin Kyu, which was a memento of Toshima Yasumasa was displayed. Toshima Yasumasa in his student days, often visited Kwon’s boarding house who was his university senior, and had Kwon show him his small works of plaster. Toshima truly esteemed Kwon Jin Kyu, and he often spoke of it to Sosyu. Toshima obtained numbers of Kwon’s sculpture works, and they are kept by Memorial Gallery of Toshima Yasumasa at present.

Lending the Collection to “Yasuda Yukihiko” Exhibition (60-years-old)

In 2010 (Heisei 22) March, the Collection was lent out to “Yasuda Yukihiko” Exhibition held both at New Otani Art Museum and Kawasaki Shimin Museum at the same period. The theme of New Otani Art Museum was “Rekishi-ga Tanjyo no Kiseki (Locus of the Birth of History Paintings),” and the theme of Kawasaki Shimin Museum was “Hana o Mederu Kokoro (Admiration for Flowers),” and Sosyu has contributed articles to the respective Exhibition catalogue “Yukihiko ga Iru (Yukihiko Exists)” and “Miyabe to Aware no Hazama (Threshold between Chivalrous Grace and Pathos of Nature).”

The first Literary works [Ikuru (To Live)] and [Tomo-yo (Dear Friends)] are published by Kodansha Ltd. (60-years-old)

In December, the first literary works of Practical Philosophy Essay [Ikuru (To Live)] and Poetry Essay Collection [Tomo-yo (Dear Friends)] were published by Kodansha Ltd. These two books are the addition and correction to the articles printed in in-house quarterly “Megahealth” issued from 1994 for ten years. He had never thought of publishing books publicly, until this first publication, however, becoming the director of Memorial Gallery of Toshima Yasumasa, and to manifest the artworks of Toshima Yasumasa to the world, he thought it necessary to inquire his own thought to the world, and decided to publish. [Ikuru (To Live)] [Tomo-yo (Dear Friends)] were designed by Mr. Kikuchi Nobuyoshi, a leading figure in the world of book design, and the books have gone through many editions as a long-seller.

BIOTEC Co., Ltd. Head Office Building Completed (61-years-old)

In 2011 (Heisei 23), BIOTEC Co., Ltd. new Head Office Building was completed in Kouji-machi, Chiyoda-ku. In the Head Office Building, the permanent exhibition site of Shigyo Sosyu Collection and Memorial Gallery of Toshima Yasumasa was opened. All floors of the company building in Kouji-machi, which has 6 floors above ground and 1 floor below ground, were created for BIOTEC Enterprise including Art Project. Shigyo Sosyu supervised from the construction stage to the design, resulting in clear-cut, beautiful, sturdy and austere construction. It was a year of momentum to advance forward by further embracing unchanging thought and aspiration from the old days, and to be the novel BIOTEC with the new company building.

In the monthly magazine [Seiron], the serialization of “Kongen-e (To the Origin)” starts (61-years-old)

In the monthly opinion magazine [Seiron], serial interview of Shigyo Sosyu “Kongen-e (To the Origin) ̶ Sosyu Ritsugen (Sosyu Statement) ̶” was published. Interview by Chief Editor Mr. Kuwahara was conducted once every month for 2 years. Mr. Kuwahara read Shigyo Sosyu’s books and was impressed and requested an interview. And this interview articles finally became the source of the manuscript of [Kongen-e (To the Origin)] (Kodansha Ltd.). And the artworks of Yasuda Yukihiko of Shigyo Sosyu Collection adorned the cover of [Seiron] during this series. Because this cover and Shigyo’s unique short text attached to it were well received, after the serial interview was completed, the opening gravure series introducing his art collection “Yugoku no Geijyutsu (The Art of Passion)” was printed for two years (this later became the source of the book [Yugoku no Geijyutsu (The Art of Passion)]).

Director and Sales Manager Uehara Akiko passed away of illness (62-years-old)

In 2012 (Heisei 24), Director and Sales Manager Uehara Akiko, who had supported the business as the right-hand person of Sosyu since the foundation of the company, passed away of illness (Age at death: 50). Since the founding period, she worked passionately to let as many people as possible know the excellency of BIOTEC products and the Shigyo philosophy, and was admired by many customers. And she was also in charge of the contact for the publication and assisted in the serial interview of [SERON], but she passed away without fulfilling her resolution, leaving the last 4 interviews behind. As an employee who has made a great contribution to the company, her portrait is still displayed in the company.

[Kongen-e (To the Origin)] is published (63-years-old)

In 2013 (Heisei 25), based on the interview articles in [Seiron], Philosophy・Literature Essay [Kongen-e (To the Origin)] was published from Kodansha Ltd.. The purpose of the [Seiron] interview is to regain Kyoyo (Cultural-intelligence) that has been lost at present, and many books and quotations are introduced in this book, and concepts such as “individuality”, “view of life and death”, “hope”, “parting”, and “passion” are contemplated based on the unique life combustion theory.

Sosyu’s Mother Chizuko passed away (Age at death: 88) (64-years-old)

In 2014 (Heisei 26), Sosyu’s mother Chizuko passed away at the age of 88. He was a mother’s child since his childhood, and loved her dearly and lived with her until she passed away. The day that his mother died, an interview was scheduled to talk on his own half a lifetime for bimonthly magazine [Rekishitsu] by Wac inc. A few minutes before the interview was about to begin, he received a call that his mother had passed away, but interview began without the interviewer being informed. The interview proceeded with his hidden thought that talking about childhood memories is talking about memories with his mother, and it is the best memorial service for his mother. In these serial interviews, anecdotes and episodes of his mother were constantly featured.

Created the miniature of “Kaze no Sosyu (Sosyu of the Wind)” (right) as a memento of the 30th Anniversary of the Foundation of BIOTEC (64-years-old)

Requested the production of the miniature of Shigyo Sosyu’s head statue “Kaze no Sosyu,” which Toshima Yasumasa created in his later years, to a long-established foundry “Nosaku” in Takaoka-shi, Toyama Prefecture. Elaborate bronze statue miniatures, each one with different facial expressions and shades, were completed. The bottom-boards are lacquered to give a glossy contrast, and the miniatures came out to be the mementos with gravitational waves that the wind could be sensed when displayed.

Lending the Collection to “Musashi Fuchu Five Fiery Oil Painters” Exhibition (65-years-old)

In 2015 (Heisei 27), Toshima Yasumasa’s artworks were exhibited at “Musashi Fuchu Five Fiery Oil Painters” Exhibition held at Fuchu Art Museum (May 16 – Jul. 5). Toshima’s large painting of size over 100 was displayed for the first time. As one of the orthodox Western-style painters who were active in Musashi Fuchu, it was the first opportunity to be featured in a public art museum.

At Embassy of Spain in Japan “Realismo Solitario - El arte de Toshima Yasumasa -” Exhibition was held (65-years-old)

Artworks of Toshima Yasumasa were exhibited at Embassy of Spain in Japan “Realismo Solitrio - El arte de Toshima Yasumasa -” Exhibition. For the first time, Toshima Yasumasa’s large scale solo exhibition was held at a public institution. The number of visitors exceeded 5,000, which was the highest number of visitors ever for an event held by the Spanish Embassy. Furthermore, with the cooperation of the Spanish Ambassador, the Cultural Counselor, and the Spanish Embassy in Japan, it was an opportunity to spread Toshima Art to many Spanish relevant people. In NHK’s Sunday Art Museum, this exhibition was featured in the Art Scene.

Published [Tamashii no Nensho e (To the Combustion of the Soul)] (65-years-old)

[Tamashii no Nenshou e (To the Combustion of the Soul)] a dialogue with Shimizu Katsuyoshi, the bookstore manager “Dokusho no Susume (Encouragement on Book Reading)” is published from East Press. The personalities of the two independent self-esteems talking the same language collided, and it was said to be a dialogue between a villain and villain. Ignoring all the question items that had been prepared for the dialogue, it became like an open talk freely discussing on the spot. Talking uninhibitedly on any theme, it is one volume that inquires how to live combusting one’s soul.

Produced Suzu (Bell) as a memento for the 33rd Anniversary of the death of his wife Atsuko (65-years-old)

Performed a ceremony of the 33rd Anniversary of the death of his beloved wife Atsuko who died at the age of 27. Surprisingly, the first anniversary of the death of his mother Chizuko was performed in the same year. His mother and his wife had very close relationship while they were alive, and they were to rest in the same grave after 33 years. As narrated in his autobiography [Oh, Popoi!], it is truly what “Kikka no Chigiri (Pledge of Chrysanthemum Flower)” is in [Ugetsu monogatari (Tale of Ugetsu)], accomplishing the promise by death.

Starts to narrate his half-lifetime in serialized interview articles of [Rekishitsu]. His daughter Shigyo Mayumi joined his company as successor. (66-years-old)

In 2016 (Heisei 28), in [Rekishitsu], bimonthly magazine by Wac inc., the interview articles narrating his half-lifetime “Bushido e no Michi (The Way to Bushido)” are serialized for two years. During this series, both his father and mother have passed away. The content of the interview was from his childhood to adulthood, and he actually narrated numerous memories of his patents. And he also narrated in details for the first time about his wife Atsuko and the time when his daughter was born, and just at this timing, his daughter joined the company as his successor.

Published [Koko no Realism (Solitary Realism)- The Art of Toshima Yasumasa -][Yugoku no Geijyutsu (The Art of Passion)][Rou ni Manabu (Learn in Old Age)] (66-years-old)

In [Solitary Realism - The Art of Toshima Yasumasa -] the lifetime and the art of Toshima Yasumasa is narrated, and the essay by Professor of Kokugakuin University Ms. Koike Hisako is contributed. [The Art of Passion] introducing the quintessence and the artworks of Shigyo Sosyu Collection is published by Kodansha Editorial Ltd. And a book inquiring how to age [Learn in Old Age] (Joint authorship: Shimizu Katsuyoshi, Yoshida Shinsai, Nishida Fumio, Terada Issei) was published by HS Co., Ltd. Lecture meeting celebrating the publication of [Solitary Realism] by Professor Koike Hisako was also held at Instituto Cervantes de Tokio.

In NHK Sunday Art Museum “Granada・Tamashii no Gafu ̶ Toshima Yasumasa ・Koko no Realism (Granada・Painting Collection of the Soul̶Toshima Yasumasa・Solitary Realism)” was broadcasted (67-years-old)

In 2017 (Heisei 29), in the main part of NHK art program “Sunday Art Museum,” the artworks of Toshima Yasumasa were featured. NHK has obtained reports including Toshima’s artwork activities in Spain, and followed his life and footmarks. Sosyu also cooperated fully in the production of the program, and the program was filmed in Memorial Gallery of Toshima Yasumasa. After the broadcast, many people who were impressed by Toshima’s artwork and life who was a not-known painter, visited the Memorial Gallery from all over Japan, and spread among the art lovers.

Republished [The Tragic Sense of Life] by Miguel de Unamuno (67-years-old)

[The Tragic Sense of Life] has been his favorite book since his youth, and it has been a definitely influenced book in building his own thoughts, yet it was out of print for a long time. However, as he frequently introduced it in his own books, the number of inquiries from readers increased and the demand for resale increased, so he approached the publisher Hosei University Press, and the reissuing was realized. Upon the reissue, he contributed his words on the book-band.

Changed the Company name (67-years-old)

Prior to the completion of the Head Office Factory, changed the company name Biotec Co., Ltd. and Nihon Seibutsu Kagaku Co., Ltd. And changed Sales・Enlightenment Division to Nihon Seibutsu Kagaku Co., Ltd. (Former Biotec Co., Ltd.), and Research-study・Manufacturing Division to Nihon Kingaku Kenkyujo Co., Ltd. (Former Nihon Seibutsu Kagaku Co., Ltd.). Since this time, BIOTEC is used as the all-inclusive term including Art・Publishing Activities (Noncommercial-Enterprise).

New・Head Office Factory completed (67-years-old)

Nihon Kingaku Kenkyujo Co., Ltd.・New Head Office Factory was completed and relocated. From Fujioka factory in Gunma Prefecture, moved to newly built Research Laboratory・Factory at “Kawasaki Micon City” (A creative city that gathers companies specializing in research and development of cutting-edge technology) in Aso-ku, Kawasaki-shi. The first time he visited this place, he intuitively decided to adopt a new manufacturing method that he had researched and demonstrated for many years. The quality of the products were tremendously enhanced, by taking a 180 degree conversion from the conventional Hot-air-drying method to Vacuum・Freeze-drying method, and also adopting the technology, which highly concentrates undiluted fungal solution in a vacuum in a short time. While effectively utilizing these machineries, the select few staffs of Research-study・Manufacturing Division, perform the prototype of capitalistic manufacturing process of “Manufacture (Factory Handicrafts)” and produce the products. As a memento of the completion of the new factory, we have created a crystal figurine which the factory building emerges fantastically. And at the completion ceremony, he read aloud his thoughts and conception of devoting his life to the enterprise as “Sogyo o Omou (Contemplate the Enterprise Foundation).”

[Oh, Popoi!], [Philosophy of “Akogare (Adoration)”] published. [Seimei no Rinen (Identity of Life)] published (67-years-old)

[Identity of Life I・II] compiling unique theory of Combustion of Life was published from Kodansha Editorial. And a philosophical essay [Philosophy of Akogare (Adoration)] contemplating on the theme of “Adoration,” and serialized in [Rekishitsu] (WAC inc.) narrating his half -lifetime was compiled into [Oh, Popoi! ̶ Return to the Days ̶] were published from PHP Institute, Inc. Later on, the founder of YellowHat and an advisor of NPO corporation ‘Nihon o Utsukushikusuru Kai’ Mr. Kageyama Hidesaburo has introduced [Philosophy of Akogare] in his book. Mr. Kageyama, an enthusiastic book reader, has highly praised it as the most excellent of all the books he has ever read, and Sosyu was greatly overwhelmed by this comment.

[Toshima Yasumasa no mita Spain (Spain in the Sight of Toshima Yasumasa)] Exhibition was held at Instituto Cervantes de Tokio (67-years-old)

[Spain in the Sight of Toshima Yasumasa] Exhibition was held at Spanish government manage Instituto Cervantes de Tokio in Rokuban-cho, Chiyoda-ku. Together with the representative artworks Toshima depicted in Spain, the photos and valuable materials of the places Toshima visited and the models were displayed. And it turned out to be one of the exhibitions that recorded the highest number of visitors ever. The National newspaper of Spain “EL PAÍS” also published an article about the lifetime of Toshima and the exhibition. And the exhibition was introduced in NHK “Sunday Museum” Art-scene.

Cooperated in republishing of Waka collection [Hiten (Sorrow of the Heaven)] (67-years-old)

He was very fond of Waka poems of Waka poet Miura Giichi and kept reading as his heart support since his youth. However, Giichi’s leading waka collection [Hiten] was out of print for a long time, and seeing that it is difficult to obtain it, by collaborating with Kodansha Editorial, he cooperated in republishing Miura Giichi’s Waka collection [Hiten] as the definitive edition. He also wrote contribution “On Republishing [Hiten].”

Interchange with Mr. Sasaki, a master of Spanish thought studies begins (67-years-old)

He met Mr. Sasaki for the first time in Fukushima in the summer. From 40 years ago he enthusiastically read books of Mr. Sasaki Takashi, and also captivated by his translation of Unamuno’s literatures. To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Establishment of Japan-Spain Diplomatic Relation, and the 800th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Salamanca University, Sosyu planned to publish [Jyonetsu no Tetsugaku (Philosophy of Passion)Unamuno and the Battle of “Life”] (Hosei University Press),which is the organized biography and thesis of Unamuno by Mr. Sasaki. To ask for his cooperation, visited Minamisoma-shi, Fukushima Prefecture, the disaster-stricken area of the nuclear power plant, where Mr. Sasaki resided.

Held a dialogue with Kobe University Medical Student・Sahori Nobuya for 3 days in midsummer (67-years-old)

A dialogue was held with Kobe University Medical student・Sahori Nobuya for 3 days in midsummer, and passionately exchanged the opinions about literature, religion, thought, philosophy, medicine and Shigyo literature. The manuscript of this dialogue later became the publication source of [Kajitsu Retsuretsu (Summer Sun like the Blazing Fire, fervently impassioned summer days)] (Kodansha Editorial Ltd.). Heated dialogues from evening to midnight has created a legendary and rich book.

In management magazine [Shuchi] by PHP Institute, Inc., dialogues with the Chief priest Yokota Nanrei, the Chief administrator of the Engakuji were serialized (68-years-old)

In 2018 (Heisei), dialogue was printed in a bimonthly management magazine [Shuchi] published by PHP Institute, Ltd., four consecutive times from the March, April issue. The first dialogue was held at Engakuji Temple, the second at Nihon Kingaku Kenkyujo Co., Ltd., the third at Ryuunin Temple, and the fourth at Yasukuni-jinja Shrine. Later, these dialogues were compiled and became the base of the publication of [Kaze no Kanata e (Beyond the Wind)- The Living Way of Zen and Bushido -].

[Velázquez no Christ (The Christ of Velázquez)] [(Jonetsu no Tetsugaku (Philosophy of Passion)] published. Hosted “Ima Unamuno o Tou (Now, Seek after Miguel de Unamuno)” Exhibition (68-years-old)

Being the year of celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Establishment of Japan-Spain Diplomatic Relation, and the 800th Anniversary of the Foundation of Salamanca University, participated in the Japan-Spain friendship project in the form of publication and holding an exhibition. Supervised [Philosophy of Passion - Unamuno and the Battle of “Life”] by Mr. Sasaki, a biography and theses of Unamuno, which Sosyu has continuously and enthusiastically read. And Sosyu supervised the translation of [The Christ of Velázquez] translated by Abe Misaki. In May and June, exhibiting a homage to Unamuno by Toshima Yasumasa “Now, Seek after Miguel de Unamuno” Exhibition was held at Spanish-Japanese Cultural Center in Salamanca University, where Unamuno was the president. And in September and October, at Embassy of Spain in Japan, exhibition was held under the same title. As the people of Salamanca still admire Unamuno, and were pleased to know that Unamuno was loved in Japan as well. In addition, though artworks of Toshima Yasumasa were exhibited for the first time as an official solo exhibition in Spain, people from all over the world including Salamanca visited the venue. The number of visitors was the highest in the history of Spanish-Japanese Cultural Center.

Published [Kajitsu-Retsuretsu (Summer Sun like the Blazing Fire)] [Kaze no Kanata-e (Beyond the Wind)̶The Living Way of Zen and Bushido̶] (68-years-old)

Books with completely different type of dialogue partners, one being a medical student of Kobe University, and the other being the chief administrator of the Enkaku-ji division of Rinzai-sect Yokota Nanrei priest, were published respectively from Kodansha Editorial Ltd., and PHP Institute, Inc., in the same year. The dialogue with a young man in the prime of his youth became specialized in literature, and it came out to be a book with contents that could be called a reading guide reviewing Sosyu’s past literary works. The dialogue with Yokota priest became the ultimate dialogue between the two who practice “Zen and Bushido,” which are the religious thought and behavioral philosophy that form the basis of the Japanese, in the religious world and business world respectively, and it came to fruition in this book.

Launched the official website of BIOTEC Enterprise and enhanced Shigyo Sosyu Official website (69-years-old)

In 2019 (Heisei 31), with the relocation of Nihon Kingaku Kenkyujo, Co., Ltd. to Kawasaki-shi, Kawasaki Micon City (a creative city that gathers companies specializing in research and development of cutting-edge technology), a comprehensive homepage of BIOTEC was established. In Art and Publishing enterprise, homepage was established previously in 2015, and when Toshima Yasumasa’s solo exhibition was held at the Spanish Embassy, the activities were distributed to the world with the cooperation of the Embassy. After that, in 2019, the entire activities of the parent BIOTEC are also distributed. In BIOTEC Official Homepage, in “Megahealth News” written by Shigyo Mayumi, activities and trends of the company and enterprise are informed, and also by Mail Magazine contents are informed twice a month. In Shigyo Sosyu Official WEB Site, “Shigyo Sosyu Photo Studio” tracing his life with photos, and a huge number of Sosyu’s quotations “Sosyu Goroku (Sosyu Quotations),” and in “Sosyu Zayumei (Sosyu Favorite Sayings)” introducing one favorite words of a great figure once every week, and WEB version of “Miyo Ginnmaku ni (Mementos in the Cinema)” and other various contents are enthusiastically renewed.

Published [Higan e (To the Sorrowful Prayer) - Matsushita Konosuke and Today - ] (69-years-old)

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Matsushita Konosuke’s death, PHP Institute published [Higan e (To the Sorrowful Prayer) - Matsushita Konosuke and Today - ] based on the lectures of Shigyo Sosyu approaching the heart of Matsushita Konosuke’s philosophical thought and humanized management. The content is inquiring the present world “The Sorrowful Prayer” of Matsushita Konosuke who built up Japan after the war and died lamenting the future of Japan as one human being.

Appeared on Imagineer Co., Ltd., Kyoyo (Cultural-intelligence) media 10mtv Opinion (69-years-old)

Sosyu appeared on a program distributed by Imagineer Co., Ltd., a cultural-intelligence media 10mtv Opinion. Each episode covers a wide range of topics, such as on Matsushita Konosuke, the collapse of civilization, the business management, the human magnetism, and the art collection, and the lectures condensed into 10 minutes have been well-received, and it has entered the ranking many times and has become a legendary program with a large number of “likes.” Distribution is still ongoing. (As of September 2019).

Held a lecture meeting by the invitation of Dr. Inokuchi Kiyoshi, Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Medicine of Kyushu University (69-years-old)

At Centennial Hall of Kyushu University by the invitation of Dr. Inokuchi Kiyoshi, Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Medicine of Kyushu University, at NPO Hito no Kyoiku no Kai 2019 Forum [Biological Human Education Theory of “Psychic-Energy”], Sosyu gave a lecture titled “Shin no Ningen to wa nanika (What is the Genuine Human Being?).” And with Dr. Inoguchi, he talked on the theme of “Gendai ni okeru Ningen-do no jissen (Practice of the Human-way in the present age),” and the energy of the two surged and confronted, and the dialogue ended with a heated atmosphere.

Cooperated in the reissue project of [Kuenandara Kuuna (Do not Eat, if not able to Eat)] (69-years-old)

He engaged himself in the reissue project of the book, which supported and saved his life in the most difficult time at his young age, when he lost his wife and just started the business, written by Barefoot Zen priest Seki Daisetsu [Kuenandar Kuuna] (Goma Shobo Shinsha). His overflowing emotion is expressed in the bibliography and book band. It entered the Amazon-ranking and the bookstore-ranking, and favorably on sale.

[Ikuru (To Live)] (2010, Kodansha Ltd.)
[Tomo yo (Dear Friends)] (2010, Kodansha Ltd.)
[Kongen e (To the Origin)] (2013, Kodansha Ltd.)
[Tamashii no Nenshou e (To the Combustion of the Soul)] (Joint authorship: Shimizu Katsuyoshi, 2015, East Press)
[Koko no Realism (Solitary Realism)̶The Art of Toshima Yasumasa̶] (2016, Kodansha Editorial Ltd.)
[Yugoku no Geijyutsu (The Art of Passion)] (2016, Kodansha Editorial)
[Rou ni Manabu (Learn in Old Age)] (Joint authorship: Shimizu Katsuyoshi, Yoshida Shinsai, Nishida Fumio, Terada Issei, 2016, HS Co., Ltd.)
[Seimei no Rinen I (Identity of Life I)] (2017, Kodansha Editorial Ltd.)
[Seimei no Rinen II (Identity of Life II) (2017, Kodansha Editorial Ltd.)
[“Akogare” no Shiso (Philosophy of “Adoration”)] (2017, PHP Institute, Inc.)
[Oh, Popoi!̶Sonohibi he Kaeramu (Return to the Days)̶] (2017, PHP Institute, Inc.)
[Jyonetsu no Tetsugaku (Philosophy of Passion)̶Unamuno and the Battle of “Life”̶] (Supervised: Shigyo Sosyu, Written by: Sasaki Takashi, 2018, Hosei University Press)
[Velázquez no Christ (The Christ of Velázquez)] (Translation supervised: Shigyo Sosyu, Translation: Abe Misaki, 2018, Hosei University Press)
[Kajitsu Retsuretsu (Summer Sun like the Blazing Fire)] (2018, Kodansha Editorial ltd.)
[Kaze no Kanata e (Beyond the Wind ̶The Living Way of Zen and Bushido)] (Joint authorship with Yokota Nanrei, 2018, PHP Institute)
[Higan-e (To the Sorrowful Prayer)]̶Matsushita Konosuke and Today̶] (2019, PHP Institute)
[Gendai no Kosatsu (A Study of Actuality̶Live Solely by Own-self̶)] (2019, PHP Institute)
[Miyo Ginmaku ni (Mementos in the Cinema̶ Sosyu Recommended Cinemas̶)] (2003, Memorial Gallery of Toshima Yasumasa)