On Thursday, February 12, 2026, the 20th-anniversary symposium for Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku, “The Ohara Family’s Contributions to Society,” was held.
The symposium marked its 20th anniversary and 200th session, and the large hall at Kurashiki Community Center was nearly full, with around 240 attendees, creating an atmosphere of great excitement.
Here is a look at the symposium.
The information presented is current as of the article’s publication in February 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku?
Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku is an organization dedicated to studying the history and culture of the Bitchu and Kurashiki region and contributing to cultural advancement.
The monthly lectures are open to the public, and anyone can attend for free.
Counting from the first session on October 20, 2005, “On-site Study Session: The History of Kanryuji Temple (Lecturer: Kanryuji Temple’s head priest, Murata Ryuzen),” the February 12, 2026 session marked the milestone of 20 years and 200 sessions.
Perhaps for that reason, around 240 people attended that day. This was reportedly the highest attendance ever.
20th-Anniversary Symposium: “The Ohara Family’s Contributions to Society”
The event began with greetings from Murata Ryuzen, chair of Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku and head priest of Kanryuji Temple, followed by the talks and symposium.
The program for the day was as follows.
- Video of “Ohara Magosaburo’s Funeral” (provided by the Yurin-kai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation)
Murata Ryuzen (chair of Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku and head priest of Kanryuji Temple) - Heads of the Ohara Family Through the Generations
Yamamoto Taro (Historical Records Preparation Office, General Affairs Division, Kurashiki City) - Comparing Eiichi and Keizo Shibusawa with Ohara Magosaburo and Soichiro as Patrons
Kimura Masato (advisor to “Kaze o Amu Kai,” Yoshiicho Community Development Council) - About Ohara House Katalyzer (Former Ohara Family Residence, a Nationally Designated Important Cultural Property)
Mizushima Hiroshi (Yurin-kai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation) - Symposium and Q&A
Video of “Ohara Magosaburo’s Funeral” (provided by the Yurin-kai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation)
As the video “Ohara Magosaburo’s Funeral” (which, judging from the historical context, may be footage on 8mm film) played, Murata Ryuzen explained the funeral at the time.
The Ohara family had been parishioners of Kanryuji Temple since the mid-Edo period. To rebuild the temple, which had fallen into disrepair during the Meiji period, the sixth-generation head, Koshiro, and the seventh-generation head, Magosaburo, reportedly made substantial donations and built the temple gate and memorial tablet hall.
Many memorial tablets, including those of the Ohara family, are enshrined in the memorial tablet hall. The talk also shared the story that Magosaburo’s memorial tablet is kept in three places: at his home (now the Buddhist altar room at Ohara House Katalyzer), at Kanryuji Temple, and at Ninnaji Temple in Kyoto.
Heads of the Ohara Family Through the Generations
Next, Yamamoto Taro, an advisor to Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku and a member of the Historical Records Preparation Office in Kurashiki City’s General Affairs Division, gave a talk on “Heads of the Ohara Family Through the Generations.”
Looking back at the achievements of successive heads of the Ohara family, he explained that the spirit of contributing to society had been passed down through the generations, even before the best-known seventh-generation head, Magosaburo.
He focused in particular on the fifth-generation head, Kiyohisa, and the sixth-generation head, Koshiro.
When rice prices soared, Kiyohisa used his personal wealth to provide relief at the request of people in need. Koshiro established KURABO INDUSTRIES LTD. and built an economic foundation, and the talk emphasized his efforts to support education, including starting what would now be called a scholarship program.
Building on that foundation, the seventh-generation head, Magosaburo, established research institutes for labor science and agriculture, as well as a hospital and an art museum. Yamamoto explained that his aim was not simply charity, but transforming the structure of society.
The eighth-generation head, Soichiro, carried on that vision and expanded the family’s activities into the folkcraft movement and environmental conservation through the Takahashi River Basin Alliance.
Comparing Eiichi and Keizo Shibusawa with Ohara Magosaburo and Soichiro as Patrons
Next was a talk by Kimura Masato, advisor to “Kaze o Amu Kai,” the Yoshiicho Community Development Council.
He discussed what we can learn from the similarities and differences between Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “Shibusawa of the East,” and Ohara Magosaburo, known as “Ohara of the West,” and their successors, Keizo and Soichiro.
First, comparing Eiichi Shibusawa, the father of Japanese capitalism, with the Ohara family, he explained that both shared the belief that “wealth should be returned to society.”
He noted Shibusawa’s close ties to the Bitchu region and said that both men were driven by the conviction that “the private sector should take the lead in improving society,” investing generously not only in the pursuit of profit but also in workers’ welfare and academic research.
He analyzed that while Shibusawa was based in Tokyo and took a nationwide and global perspective, the Ohara family was rooted in the Kurashiki region and shared its work with the world from there.
About Ohara House Katalyzer (Former Ohara Family Residence, a Nationally Designated Important Cultural Property)
The final talk was given by Mizushima Hiroshi of the Yurin-kai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation.
He introduced highlights of “Ohara House Katalyzer,” which opened to the public in 2018.
He emphasized that the residence is more than simply a preserved old house; it has been thoughtfully designed to convey the Ohara family’s spirit. He introduced exhibits such as “Words Pouring Down,” displaying sayings by successive family heads; the “Cube Tree,” which presents complex personal and support networks in three dimensions; and an exhibit where visitors can listen to letters between Magosaburo and Soichiro.
Symposium and Q&A
At the symposium, the speakers reunited to discuss the history and spirituality of the Ohara family in depth.
One topic that stood out during the Q&A was the relationship between Ohara Magosaburo and Christianity.
Ohara Magosaburo is said to have met Ishii Juji, a Christian, and to have become devoted to Christianity under his influence. It was striking to hear that, as time passed and he reached old age, he may have distanced himself from Christianity.
It was also reaffirmed that Kurashiki’s distinctive spirit of self-governance, which does not rely on “the authorities,” helped cultural heritage such as museums flourish to the present day. The importance of passing this history on to the next generation was discussed.
From the Writer
The two-and-a-half-hour lecture gave me new insights into the Ohara family, whom I had thought I already knew quite a lot about.
I was especially surprised to hear that the idea I had held—that Ohara Magosaburo was devoted to Christianity—was only one aspect of him during a certain period, probably when he was young. Indeed, given that he provided financial support for the construction of the memorial tablet hall at Kanryuji Temple and, above all, that his funeral was Buddhist, it seems more natural to think that he was not “Christianity alone.”
And I have great respect for the organizers, who have kept up 20 years of activities and 200 lectures.
Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku is run through membership fees and the organizers’ efforts, without relying on “the authorities” (subsidies).
Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku will likely continue next month, too, with free admission for anyone on the second Thursday of every month from 2 p.m. I hope even one more person will join those supporting its operation.
Articles about Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku
20th Anniversary Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku Symposium: “The Ohara Family’s Contributions to Society” Information
![[Held Thursday, February 12] 20th Anniversary Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku Symposium: “The Ohara Family’s Contributions to Society” — Learn about Kurashiki’s history at a free lecture series that has continued for 20 years and 200 sessions](https://media.kuratoco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/02123733/a6e9841f003a79529a74b7a1043e4dff.jpg)
| Name | 20th Anniversary Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku Symposium: “The Ohara Family’s Contributions to Society” |
|---|---|
| Date | February 12, 2026 (Thursday) 2:00–4:30 p.m. |
| Location | Kurashiki Community Center Main Hall |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
| Website | Official Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku Website |
What would you like to know about Kurashiki?
Enter a search term to find articles on this site
