HISTORIC KANSAI :GLORY OF GOOD OLD DAYS SEEN NEAR KANSAI INT'L AIRPORT6/6/2007
By Junzo Tanaka
It is situated very close to Kansai International Airport. It is a Western-style residence packed with the pride and glory of Kansai in the good old days. The Tajiri Historic House in Tajiri Town, Osaka Prefecture, under the nickname of the 'Ailand (love land) House,'is the one (photo).
Let's take a brief look back on the Japanese history in connection with the construction of the house. Japan's modernization started with the Meiji Restoration of 1868 (the first year of the Meiji period). To create the nation's economic foundation, the government poured its energies into the promotion of the textile industry. The industry became internationally competitive and turned a locomotive for the Japanese economy before long thanks to the acquisition of technology from advanced countries, including Britain, as well as self-help efforts.
The center of the textile industry then was in Kansai, and the area became Japan's Manchester. The leader of Kansai's textile industry was Fusazo Taniguchi (1861-1929). The building that was turned into the historic house was built in 1923 as Taniguchi's villa.
The historic house is about 10 minutes'walk from Nankai Electric Railway's Yoshiminosato Station, south of Rinku Town Station, the gateway to Kansai International Airport. If you come close to the house, the scenery's atmosphere turns elegant. The triangular roof. The elegant-colored walls. Beautiful boarding inside, without any gnarl on the wooden floors and walls. And light leaking out from the stained glass.
In the 1940s, the villa left Taniguchi's hands. After owned by several people, it became under the jurisdiction of Tajiri and was opened as a historic house in 1993. Its layout and interior remain as they were.
Taniguchi was born near the historic house in 1861. His family was poor because of his father's business failure, and from the age of 15 he worked for a cotton wholesaler. He tried to become independent but successively failed. However, he gradually consolidated his position in the spinning industry. He launched the reorganization of the industry comprising many small firms at that time, and this served as the driving force for Japan's textile industry to catch up with its counterparts of advanced countries. Osaka Spinning Co., which Taniguchi founded, grew later to be Toyobo Co., a sparking plug for the Japanese economy.
Taniguchi is also known as a person who saved companies in financial plight and improved the labor environment for workers. He stuck to his belief that he 'will never allow a recession to influence salaries.'In his personal history and activities can be seen the fresh mettle of people during the period of Japan's burgeoning industry.
The villa was used as a health and welfare facility for his employees. The town of Tajiri, which took it over, is providing the whole historic house for musical concerts and wedding ceremonies. The house is a pleasant example of historic assets made available in modern living.
From Kansai Window Kippo News May 23rd, 2007