1. Takadaya Kahei was a Japanese merchant credited with transforming the trading outpost of Hakodate in Japan's northern island of Hokkaido into a thriving city.
12 Facts About Takadaya Kahei
1. 2.
Takadaya Kahei is recognised for opening the northern Etorofu sea route to the Kuril island fisheries and helping settle territorial disputes with Russia over the islands.
3.
Takadaya Kahei was born to a farming family, but left his birthplace when was 13, to work in Kobe as a sailor.
4.
Takadaya Kahei earned sufficient money to purchase his own Kitamaebune trading ship and sailed to Hakodate in the summer of 1796.
5.
Takadaya Kahei set up a business in the town, which at the time was a small trading outpost.
6.
Takadaya Kahei is reputed to have made a fortune through trade by importing sake, salt, rice and other staples to Ezochi and exporting herring, salmon and kelp to Honshu.
7.
Takadaya Kahei later developed trading routes to the Kuril Islands and operated many fisheries around Nemuro, a town on Hokkaido's east coast.
8.
Takadaya Kahei repaired streets, cultivated the land and forested trees for lumber.
9.
Takadaya Kahei paid for workmen from Osaka to sink new wells and donated water pumps for fire fighting.
10.
Takadaya Kahei acquired a status as one of the most famous merchants in the era for his role in the Golovnin Incident.
11.
In 1812, during a dispute over the Kuril Island territorial waters, Takadaya Kahei was captured by Petr Rikord, captain of the Russian navy sloop in retaliation for the Japanese capture of explorer Vasily Golovnin.
12.
At the age of 50, Takadaya Kahei returned to his birthplace of Awaji Island.