Ichitaro Fukuzawa

2018/04/04

Ichitaro was the eldest son of Yukichi Fukuzawa. Compared to his active younger brother, Sutejiro, Ichitaro was contemplative. Shinzo Koizumi described the younger brother as "positive and brilliant," while characterizing the eldest son as "inactive and rather clumsy." It is said that some around Yukichi compared them to their great father and viewed them as "unworthy sons." However, Yukichi poured extraordinary affection into Ichitaro and his other children. To borrow Koizumi's words, "Fukuzawa was a wise father, and also a dotingly foolish father" (Explanatory notes for Yukichi Fukuzawa's "Letters to My Beloved Children").

In this article, I would like to convey Yukichi's love for Ichitaro and the figure of Ichitaro as he grew up receiving that love.

In 1863, when Yukichi was 28 years old, Ichitaro was born to him and his wife, Okin. It took Ichitaro 17 months to start crawling and 25 months to stand and walk. He began to speak at 3 years and 6 months; according to records, it can be inferred that this was roughly the same timing as his younger brother Sutejiro, who was two years younger and just over a year old at the time. While there are individual differences in child development, I would like to specifically note Ichitaro's slow growth. Furthermore, Yukichi described Ichitaro's personality in his own childcare records ("Fukuzawa Yukichi Shijo-den") as being "prone to tears" and noted that his "sensitivity" was different from other five- or six-year-old children.

Yukichi's educational policy was not severe (strict) but always centered on trust and love; no matter the circumstances, he never laid a hand on them, only scolding them with words or, on rare occasions, punishing them by putting them in a dark room. He also addressed his wife and children with the polite suffix "-san" and spoke to them with courteous language. Considering the image of a father during that period, it is clear that he was a very progressive and liberal father figure. Yukichi desired to be a "friend" to his children.

He taught them himself and even wrote their textbooks. Some of these, such as "Sekai Kunizukushi" (All the Countries of the World), which explained world affairs in a rhythmic seven-five meter, were widely published and had a great impact on society. Additionally, as a characteristic example, I would like to highlight "Hibi no Oshie" (Daily Lessons), which is still often cited today as a guideline for Keio University primary education. This was written and given to the two brothers when Ichitaro was eight years old. It begins with seven rules at the start, such as "1. Thou shalt not tell lies," and was subsequently written daily by Yukichi for the children along with the date. The reason for writing it day by day was a creative effort to keep the children interested.

While the content included universal themes, it seems to have addressed what they needed at that specific time. For example, on the first day, he preached the importance of remembering content to Ichitaro, who tended to forget what he read immediately. On the second day, he noted a lack of compassion toward insects. On the third day, he wrote about being "independent," showing his wish for them to acquire a spirit of independence at an early stage.

Afterward, while attending Yochisha and learning English, he briefly entered the preparatory school of the Imperial University with Sutejiro. However, he would develop stomach problems upon entering the dormitory; even if he recovered through home treatment, the issues would recur upon his return. Ultimately, both Ichitaro and Sutejiro gave up and went on to study at Keio University. It can be seen that he was the type who struggled to adapt to new environments, with anxiety and stress manifesting physically.

The two graduated from the Keio University main course in July 1882 and went to study in the United States the following year. At their destination, Ichitaro studied agriculture and Sutejiro studied "electricity." This was at Yukichi's recommendation. In letters addressed to them, Yukichi hoped they would become "full-fledged men in any field, whether it be agriculture or science," and wished for them to "attain mastery in one art, teach others, and actually handle affairs" so that they could be "self-supporting" and obtain "lifelong happiness" upon returning home. Similar to "Hibi no Oshie," we can see that the independence of the individual through self-support was presented here as a guideline for action.

According to "Fukuo Jiden" (The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa), he wrote over 340 letters during their study abroad; even for the prolific Yukichi, the volume is surprising. His care for Ichitaro was thorough: he advised the socially awkward Ichitaro to try to be proactive and socialize with foreigners, encouraged him to write letters to Yukichi in English to improve his skills, and provided detailed reports and consultations regarding matters within Keio and society. It was as if he were constantly encouraging Ichitaro, who struggled to adapt to his environment.

However, despite Yukichi's efforts, Ichitaro faltered halfway through his agricultural studies. Even toward this Ichitaro, Yukichi's response was warm. To Ichitaro, who had grown weary of agriculture because it involved numbers, he said that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and even if he was poor with numbers, Ichitaro had a talent for writing. He told him he wanted him to return as a master of English and that he would be satisfied even if he just became a Bachelor of Arts in Letters, so he should feel at ease studying literature. His encouraging words, "After you return home, we shall do interesting things as father and son; you must never, ever lose heart," are truly touching.

Ichitaro also troubled Yukichi regarding the matter of marriage. He requested to marry a local woman in America. Yukichi gently opposed this, but his reasoning was very characteristic of him. He explained that he could not support the idea from the perspective of livelihood, both in the case of the American woman coming to Japan and in the case of Ichitaro remaining in America. It is noteworthy that here, too, he persuaded him using the economic concept of self-support, and that as a father, he did not issue a command but spoke strictly as a provider of advice.

Although Ichitaro changed his field of study from agriculture to literature, he ultimately failed to obtain a degree (Sutejiro did obtain one). He returned to Japan in 1888 after traveling through Europe with Sutejiro to broaden his horizons. For his children, Yukichi held garden parties within Keio to report their return. While one could view Yukichi's actions as a parent as being too soft, this was an era when many students studying abroad suffered from mental illness or committed suicide. The fact that Ichitaro, who was poor at environmental adaptation and socializing, was able to safely complete five years of life abroad and return home may have been thanks to Yukichi's daily letters.

After returning home, he taught at Keio University for a while, lecturing on English literature and history in the college (which made Yukichi very happy). From the mid-1890s, he became involved with the "Jiji Shinpo" newspaper, primarily writing about new research in Western science and providing commentary on new publications. He fully utilized his linguistic skills, translating foreign anecdotes without losing the humor of the original texts.

After the death of his father Yukichi, Ichitaro served as the Shatō of Keio University (an honorary position separate from the President that does not handle practical affairs; Yukichi also held this position in his later years) from 1907 until his death in 1938, and at one point concurrently served as President. In his later years, except for attending Juku ceremonies, he spent his days at home immersed in reading, and he seemingly ceased to appear in social circles outside of Mita Hill.

Regarding this reading, it was so persistent that his son-in-law, Kango Koyama, described his love for books as "rather a peculiar obsession." According to his friend Seishichi Iwasaki, his volume of reading and memory were so extraordinary that "if there was a point of academic doubt in most theories or disputes, he could explain almost anything if asked." Thinking back to the boy who would forget the content of the books he read, one is struck with admiration for his growth. At the same time, one is surprised by the extremity of it.

According to his children and grandchildren (Ichitaro married Katsu Minoda in 1889 but divorced after about a year; the following year, he remarried Ito Osawa, the sister-in-law of Saburo Utsunomiya, and had one son and two daughters), he was usually kind and gentle, but he hated getting books dirty and would never lend them to anyone. He had several books he could not part with and was so thorough that he would carry them with him even when traveling. He was a person who was almost too tidy about everything, clearly distinguishing his own belongings; if someone were to touch them, he would become very ill-tempered and would scold even his own children severely and glare at them. In a memorial essay by his son Hiroshi Fukuzawa, it is written, "Since everything was like this, we children, having become adults, went beyond wonder and just laughed." It is possible that Yukichi's education and guidance, which could be seen as excessive or overprotective, were due to these unique traits of Ichitaro.

As written at the beginning, in response to those around him who called them "unworthy sons," Yukichi reportedly told his senior disciple Kakugoro Inoue, "From the perspective of the science of heredity, there is no reason for there to be an unworthy son at all. Even if Ichitaro and Sutejiro lack my literary talent, prudence, or vigor, it is by no means a fault. That Ichitaro is not only filial to his parents and affectionate to his siblings but also respects the family rules and is kind to people is the inheritance of my parents or ancestors, and must be thought of as the remaining virtue of our ancestors." Furthermore, in memorial essays published after Ichitaro's death, words can be found such as, "He devoted his whole soul to Keio University," "His conduct was absolutely pure and innocent, and he was a person who practiced the teachings of the late Yukichi Fukuzawa exactly as they were," and "His respect and affection were truly deep and sincere. The principles of the late teacher were the principles of the Shatō, and what the late teacher loved or hated was what the Shatō loved or hated."

Even allowing for the fact that these are memorial essays, one can sense that he respected the family rules and was kind to people, just as Yukichi had hoped. He was also a good father and grandfather at home (especially serving as emotional support for his granddaughters Atsuko and Masa, who lost their mother Yuki early on). Furthermore, Ichitaro played a certain role in the compilation of "Shūshin Yōryō: Fukuzawa's Moral Code" (a 29-article explanation of independence and self-respect from various angles), which is the culmination of Yukichi's spirit. Ichitaro was a member of this compilation team and wrote the second draft. Of the final 29 articles, about 10 of Ichitaro's proposals, mainly concerning the independence of the family, were used as reference. It is clear that Ichitaro deeply understood Yukichi's spirit.

Additionally, the senior disciples traveled across Japan to give speeches, wishing to spread "Shūshin Yōryō: Fukuzawa's Moral Code" throughout the country. Ichitaro was also a member of that speaking tour. Considering Ichitaro's nature up to that point, one senses an extraordinary level of resolve.

Ichitaro was a child who caused much concern regarding his development. However, due to the deep affection and meticulous care of his father Yukichi—which could even be taken as "foolish"—he was able to lead a life where he demonstrated his own quiet merits without exploiting his father's name. While it is said that his results in the eyes of the world did not match those of Yukichi, in his heart, I want to say that he respected the family rules of the Fukuzawa family, inherited a deep love, and played a certain role in watching over the development of the Keio University that Yukichi created.