Tsuzuki Toyoji (続豊治)
Toyoji TSUZUKI (March, 1798 - March, 1880) was a carpenter in Japan. He constructed the first western-style ship "Hakodate Maru". Naritoyo FUKUSHI was his second son.
Toyoji, who was born in Matsumae as a ship carpenter's son, was adopted by Goro TSUZUKI, a ship carpenter, because his father died when he was young. He moved into Hakodate at the age of six and learned ship building skills there. From the age of 18 he worked for Takadaya Shipbuilding Company, however, the company was closed in 1833. On this occasion Toyoji quit a ship carpentry job and became a Buddhist alter maker. However, in 1855 he had an interest in the structure of an American ship that was calling at Hakodate, and became a ship carpenter again. On this occasion Toyoji was appointed as a reception servitor for foreign ships by Hakodate bugyo (magistrate). The next year he built two ships modeled after western-style ships. Owing to this achievement he was appointed as a "Daikugashira (construction prefect) and started to build Hakodate Maru. Hakodate Maru, completed in July 1857, was a schooner type ship with two masts or more, and Toshihiro HORI, the Hakodate bugyo, having attended the launching ceremony, returned to Edo on board the ship. Owing to this achievement Toyoji was appointed as the chief of ship carpenters for Hakodate official ships. Toyoji continued buildings ships and in 1875 after Meiji Restoration, corresponding to a policy of encouraging building western-style sailing ships made by the Hokkaido Development Commissioner, he engaged in building them and built twelve schooner type ships until he died in 1880.
The Hakodate Maru built by Toyoji was restored in 1988 and is on display in Okawa Town in Hakodate city. This was intended for the Commemorative Exhibition of Opening the Seikan Tunnel held in the same year, and Toyoji's descendants purchased the restored ship after the exposition, then presented it to Hakodate City. Toyoji is enshrined in Hokkaido Jingu Shrine for his great achievement for development.