Portrait of Shibusawa Eiichi, adopted on the New 10,000 yen bill

Provisional Designs of the New
10,000yen note. Announced by the
 Ministry of Finance, April 9, 2019.
(Source: The Ministry of Finance)

The banknotes in Japan are 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen, and 1,000 yen. (2,000yen bill was issued in 2000,
but this was in commemoration of the Okinawa Summit held in 2019.)

These Japanese banknotes’ designs are renewed almost every 20 years due to prevent counterfeiting. The current banknotes were circulated from 2004, therefore, the Ministry of Finance has announced that a new series of the Bank of Japan note will be issued in 2024.

In this renewal, the portrait of Eiichi Shibusawa has been adopted for the new 10,000yen bill.

The Ministry of Finance introduces Mr. Shibusawa as follows;

Plate of Shibusawa Warehouse’s birthplace,
and the emblem of the company
(Shibusawa family's trademark)
2-37-28 Eitai, Koto city

Shibusawa Eiichi (1840 – 1931) was a business leader and entrepreneur in early modern Japan who was
involved in the founding of around 500 businesses and economic organizations, including the First National Bank, the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce (now the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry), and the Tokyo Stock Exchange. His dedication to improving society extended to education, social welfare, and private-sector diplomacy.

The relation between Shibusawa and Koto city

Photo of Shibsawa's house
2-37 Eitai, Koto city

Shibusawa had lived at Fukagawa-Fukuzumi in Koto city (current Eitai 2-37) at the age from 36 to 48
years old, and was a member of the Fukagawa City Council from 49 to 64 years old. His residential place is now owned by the Shibusawa Warehouse Co., one of his established companies, and a part of his former house is retained in Aomori prefecture.

This house will be transferred to Koto city by Shimizu Corporation, a construction company, in 2023. Because his house was built by Mr. Shimizu Kisuke II whose family established Shimizu Corporation.

The life of Shibusawa is now aired on NHK, Shibusawa’s former house will be back in 2023, and a new 10,000 yen note will be issued in 2024.

Please come to Koto city to meet Shibusawa’s history.

By TO

How many types of "Sushi" have you ever tried?

 March 3rd is Hina-Matsuri, the Doll's festival for girls, and we eat special Sushi named Chirashi-zushi. There are a variety of "Sushi" in Japan, and I will show you some of them.

 1.  Chirashi-zushi (Mixed-sushi) 

 

Chirashi-zushi

Stripped baked egg, boiled shrimps, salty-sweet mushrooms, cubed cucumbers, etc. are on vinegar rice. We often eat Chirashi-zushi on celebratory occasions.

If the toppings are raw fish, we call it as Kaisen (fresh seafood) Chirashi-zushi.  

2.  Nigiri-zushi

Nigiri-zushi is the most common type of sushi. If someone just says "Sushi", it might mean Nigiri-zushi. Nigigiri-zusi is a bite-sized vinegar rice ball with a sliced raw fish or shellfish on top.

3.  Maki-zushi (Rolled-sushi)

Top: Nigiri-zushi
Middle: Maki-zushi
Bottom: Inari-zushi

All ingredients are rolled with vinegar rice in a sheet of dried seaweed. We often eat Maki-zushi at a school's sports festival or at a picnic.

If most of the ingredients are raw fish, we call it as Kaisen (fresh seafood) Maki-zushi. Be sure not to take Kaisen type of sushi to an outdoor event because raw fish goes bad under the sun.

4.  Temaki-zushi (Hand-rolled-sushi)

Temaki-zushi

Raw fish and some vegetables are rolled with vinegar rice in a sheet of dries seaweed. We eat Temaki-zushi at home rather than at a restaurant, such as when friends and families get together at home.

5.  Inari-zushi

Vinegar rice is packed in a fried Tofu bag which tastes salty-sweet. As raw fish is not included in Inari-zushi, people who don't want to eat raw fish might be able to eat this sushi.

From early 18 centuries to the middle of 20 centuries, Sushi, especially Inari-zushi, was often eaten as a fast food and there were lots of sushi stalls in Tokyo. You can see a replica of Inari-zushi stall at Fukagawa Edo Museum (https://www.kcf.or.jp/fukagawa/).

Replica of Inari-zushi stall
(Fukagawa Edo Museum)

By Yasuko