Takigawa Benzo (瀧川辨三)
Benzo TAKIGAWA (1851-1925) was a Japanese entrepreneur, politician, and a heavyweight of the business world in Kobe City. He was a former member of Kizokuin (the House of Peers) and the former president of the Kobe Chamber of Commerce.
He was nicknamed as 'King of Match in Japan.'
His adopted heir was Gisaku TAKIGAWA (1874-1963), who was the former president of the Kobe Chamber of Commerce, the former president of Kobe Nikka Jitsugyou Kyoukai (the association of Japan-China businesses in Kobe City), and the former president of Toyo Match Inc.
Benzo was born the second son of Sukeichi TAKIGAWA, a retainer of the Choshu Domain, at Chofu in 1851.
In 1868, he fought the Battle of Hokuetsu.
He studied at Kaisei School in Osaka and graduated from Telegraph School at Kobusho (the Ministry of Industry) later.
He came to the fore thanks to the success of a match manufacturing company (Seirin Corporation), which he founded in Kobe City in 1884.
After absorbing many companies, Seirin Corp. was renamed as Toyo Match, Ltd., and Benzo was called 'King of Match in Japan.'
He got involved in the development of infrastructure in Kobe such as gas, water, and electricity supply systems and port building.
He also founded Takigawa Junior High School by investing a huge amount of money.
He held various posts in a row, such as the president of the Kobe Chamber of Commerce and a member of the House of Peers, and passed away in 1925. He died at the age of 75.