The birthplace of Yataro Iwasaki, located in Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, is the house where Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of the Mitsubishi zaibatsu and a great man who led the economy of Meiji Japan, was born and raised. Although he was born into a Tosa samurai family, he was active during the turbulent period of the late Edo period and built the foundation of today's Mitsubishi Group. It is still carefully preserved as the place where Yataro began his career. The simple yet powerful house from that time conveys Yataro's childhood life and the Tosa climate that raised him.

The greatest appeal of this birthplace is its historical weight and the fact that it allows you to feel Yataro's character more up close. The old thatched roof house faithfully conveys the rural life of Tosa at that time, telling us how Yataro rose from such humble circumstances. Inside, items that Yataro is said to have used and his letters are on display, giving us a glimpse of his humanity and passion for business. Its simple appearance gives us a glimpse of the great businessman he would become.

[Trivia]
Iwasaki Yataro (1835-1885) was a Japanese businessman and founder of the Mitsubishi zaibatsu. Born into a samurai family in the Tosa domain, he moved to Nagasaki at a young age and developed an interest in shipping. After taking charge of the Tosa domain's shipping industry, he went independent in 1880 and founded Mitsubishi Shokai. With shipping as his core business, he expanded his business to include mining, shipbuilding, insurance, banking, and more, and was known as the "shipping king" and supported the Meiji government's policy of promoting industry and commerce. As a skilled businessman, he built a group of internationally competitive companies and had a huge impact on Japan's modernization.