Sennosuke Yamaguchi

Image: From the catalog "Special Exhibition: Yukichi Fukuzawa and Kanagawa" [2009]

Today, Hakone is renowned as one of Japan's leading international tourist destinations, attracting many travelers from all over the world. According to the "Reiwa 6 (2024) Hakone Tourist Survey Report" published by Hakone Town, the total number of tourists reached 20.31 million, surpassing the 20 million mark for the first time in six years since the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the increase in foreign tourists has been remarkable, reaching 493,000, an increase of 143.3% over the previous year. This symbolizes the vitality of inbound tourism and demonstrates the universal appeal of Hakone.

At the origin of today's prosperity were people surrounding Yukichi Fukuzawa: Masae Fukuzumi and Sennosuke Yamaguchi (1851–1915). In particular, it was Sennosuke Yamaguchi, the founder of the Fujiya Hotel, who laid the foundation for what we now call inbound tourism.

Sennosuke was born on May 5, 1851, in Aoki-cho, Kanagawa-shuku, Tachibana-gun, Musashi Province (now Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama City), as the fifth son of the Kampo physician Shozui Onami. Later, at the age of 10, Sennosuke was adopted by Kumezo Yamaguchi and took the surname Yamaguchi. He studied at the Obata Kangaku Juku in Asakusa and spent his youth engaged in his adoptive family's business in Yokohama, where the foreign settlement was located.

What defined his international perspective was his experience traveling to the United States in 1871 at the age of 20. His days in San Francisco were by no means glamorous; he faced many hardships, working as a laborer and washing dishes, but these experiences fostered his indomitable spirit. During this time, he felt that the livestock industry would be beneficial for Japan's future. After working for three years in a foreign land to save money, he returned to Japan with seven head of breeding cattle. However, judging that it was too early to start a livestock business in Japan at that time, he entered Keio University in 1874 to resume his academic studies. However, Yukichi Fukuzawa advised him, "Given his nature, he is better suited to enter the business world and make a name for himself rather than continuing his studies" ("Keio University Biographies of Famous Figures"), and Sennosuke entered the path of business.

Through his experiences abroad, Sennosuke likely gained a firsthand feel for Western lifestyle, culture, and business practices, as well as a concrete image of the Western service industry. This practical experience became the source of the inspiration that later led him to start a full-scale hotel business for foreigners.

Sennosuke's challenges in his youth were not limited to an individual's adventure story. They were an attempt to find practical answers to the national challenge of how Japan, which had just opened its doors to the world, should face the globe and create new industries. The entrepreneurial spirit hidden within him became firm through this overseas experience, leading to the founding of a hotel in Hakone, his next stage, in 1878.

Sennosuke's launch of a hotel business exclusively for foreigners in Hakone was more than just a commercial activity; it held significant meaning in supporting Japan's modernization and internationalization. Upon returning to Japan from his experience in the United States, Sennosuke witnessed firsthand the inconvenience foreign travelers felt regarding accommodations. As a first step, in 1878, Sennosuke purchased the "Fujiya" inn located at Miyanoshita Onsen in Hakone. He then renovated it for foreigners and opened the "Fujiya Hotel." With the reception of foreign travelers in mind, he introduced innovative measures for Japan at the time, such as gradually equipping guest rooms with beds and providing Western cuisine using ingredients like butter and milk. This became the pioneer of full-scale resort hotels in Japan.

Sennosuke's vision was not limited to the founding of the hotel. He envisioned the Fujiya Hotel not merely as an accommodation facility, but as an international exchange hub to promote the appeal of Japanese culture and nature to the world. Because of this grand vision, the Fujiya Hotel received high praise from many foreigners shortly after its opening and grew into an entity symbolizing Japan's internationalization.

In order to show the international community that Japan after the Meiji Restoration was a "civilized nation," it was essential to develop infrastructure to properly receive foreigners visiting Japan. Fukuzawa, who often stayed in Yumoto and Tonosawa, believed that transportation was important for regional development. In his 1873 contribution to the Ashigara Shimbun, "Consultation on Hakone Road Repair," he proposed the excavation of main roads in Hakone as part of transportation network development. Fukuzawa spoke of his vision for innovation in Hakone's transportation infrastructure, saying, "We shall allow rickshaws to pass through the Hakone mountains, and in a few years, we shall plan to break through the mountains and build a railroad." Through the efforts of Masae Fukuzumi and others, transportation routes were created from Odawara to Yumoto and then to Tonosawa.

Sennosuke also felt the inconvenience of transportation for foreign travelers and, in 1887, invested his private funds to construct a road of about 7 km from Tonosawa to Miyanoshita. This made it possible for rickshaws and horse-drawn carriages to pass. This road later became part of National Routes 1 and 138.

While being the manager of the hotel, Sennosuke, along with his wife Hisako, personally strove to serve foreign travelers. He acted as a guide and provided advice on currency exchange, travel precautions, meals, and lodging. He also devoted himself to increasing guest satisfaction by greeting guests upon arrival and departure, consulting on itineraries, and going to the station to meet foreign travelers dressed in a kimono and sandals. His wife Hisako, the second daughter of his adoptive father Kumezo Yamaguchi, was fluent in English and had shared joys and sorrows with Sennosuke since the hotel's founding. She handled customer service with a constant, homely, and kind heart, including shopping for ingredients. There are records of foreign travelers who fell ill and recovered thanks to the dedicated nursing provided by the Yamaguchis.

It is clear from the records left by foreign travelers of the time that the vision Sennosuke drew did not end as a mere ideal. Those records are documented in "60 Years of Reflection," a 60-year history of the hotel. For example, in 1881, shortly after the founding, a British guest, Mr. Arthur H. Crow, recorded that while the Fujiya Hotel was owned by a Japanese person, it was operated and equipped in a European style.

However, looking at the records, it becomes clear that the Fujiya Hotel played a role beyond that of a hotel exclusively for foreigners. For example, the Japanologist Basil Hall Chamberlain loved the place so much that he had his own library in a corner of the hotel grounds. It served as an international space where people met and comfort was provided across language and cultural barriers, and as an important hub for cross-cultural exchange where visitors could truly relax while experiencing Japan's natural beauty and culture. It is no exaggeration to say that such an outstanding reputation was built upon Sennosuke's accumulated experience and Fukuzawa's foresight.

The interaction between Sennosuke and Fukuzawa continued thereafter. Fukuzawa's strong trust in Sennosuke can be seen in a letter Fukuzawa addressed to him dated April 29, 1889.

In this pleasant season of spring warmth, I pray for your continued health and prosperity. I am writing to inform you that Mrs. Knapp and her son will be visiting Hakone for a stay of two or three nights. I would appreciate it if you could take care of everything for them. In fact, my son was prepared to accompany them, but due to unavoidable circumstances, he is unable to do so. As the lady's Japanese is insufficient, there may be cases where she is troubled; please take this into account and assist her in any way possible. I am writing this simply to make this request. Sincerely yours. Tonshu.

                                                                                                            Yukichi

April 29
To Mr. Sennosuke Yamaguchi

In this letter, Fukuzawa requests Sennosuke to take full care of the wife and child of Arthur May Knapp during their visit to Hakone. In particular, his concern that "the lady's Japanese is insufficient, there may be cases where she is troubled" and his heartfelt request to "assist her in any way possible" show that Fukuzawa placed absolute trust in Sennosuke's international competence and character, recognizing the Fujiya Hotel as a place worthy of embodying Japan's civilization and enlightenment.

The deep trust from the leadership of Japan's internationalization, as symbolized by this single letter, was a major factor that further developed Sennosuke's business and solidified his historical reputation.

Two years after this letter, Sennosuke built the Main Wing that remains today. At that time, concerned about the danger of fire from lamps, he introduced thermal power generation to light the entire building. Later, he switched to hydroelectric power using the river's flow and further founded the Miyanoshita Hydroelectric Power Limited Partnership, supplying electricity to surrounding villages. Sennosuke's activities expanded beyond the hotel business to the town planning of Hakone.

The Fujiya Hotel was a groundbreaking attempt to sublimate the Japanese spirit of "omotenashi" into a form that people all over the world could understand and enjoy. It is no exaggeration to say that it built the prototype of the "high-quality service" that forms the core of Japan's inbound tourism today. The heart of his achievement lies in the fact that, based on a deep understanding of different cultures, he built a bridge of trust connecting Japan and the world in the form of hospitality.

As mentioned at the beginning, modern Hakone is bustling as a world-class tourist destination. Fukuzawa already expected such a state at that time. In the Jiji Shinpo editorial "Foreigners Should Be Welcomed" dated June 18, 1891, he wrote, "If Paris is a paradise for humans, our country of Japan is the world's playground." Westerners who have heard of the unique beauty of Japanese art, the excellence of its mountain and river scenery, and the elegance of its customs come to visit with friends and family to see them. He noted that when they visit, they not only spend money in various places but also promote the beauty of Japan after returning home. He concluded, "If foreigners come to visit, we shall not refuse them but rather welcome more and more of them. It is my hope to further open the country by utilizing the convenience of civilized transportation and make the Great Empire of Japan truly the world's playground." In this editorial, he also introduced the increasing trend of visiting Westerners as a "true story of Mr. Sennosuke Yamaguchi, the proprietor of the Fujiya Hotel in Miyanoshita, Hakone."

The background of this editorial included concerns about the deterioration of foreigners' impressions of Japan due to the attempted assassination of the Russian Crown Prince during his visit to Japan the previous month, as well as the wariness toward foreigners among some Japanese people.

When we see the prosperity of Hakone today, we should remember that at its source lie Yamaguchi's legacy and Fukuzawa's expectations.