The "Ohara family," which laid the foundation for the development of Kurashiki that connects to the present day.
The 7th head of the family, Ohara Magosaburo, served as the president of KURABO INDUSTRIES LTD. while also engaging in various social contribution activities based on the wealth he gained from his business.
Facilities such as Ohara Museum of Art and Kurashiki Central Hospital were also established as part of these activities.
The "69th Ohara Magosaburo and Soichiro Memorial Lecture," to be held on July 25, 2025 (Friday), has its roots in the "Kurashiki Sunday Lecture" founded by Magosaburo in 1902, and has been passed down to the present day while adapting to the times.
This lecture series invites a diverse range of speakers each year and is held free of charge for the public.
What kind of stories will we hear this year? We interviewed about the thoughts behind the lecture.
About the 69th Ohara Magosaburo and Soichiro Memorial Lecture
The "Kurashiki Sunday Lecture" founded by Ohara Magosaburo was taken over by his eldest son, Soichiro.
Furthermore, even after Soichiro's passing, it has been passed down through people who inherited that spirit, changing its name and form while transcending the times to the present day.
Currently, the "Ohara Magosaburo and Soichiro Memorial Lecture" is held once a year in late July, organized by the "Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Yurin-kai."
The 69th lecture will be held on July 25, 2025 (Friday) at the Kurashiki Community Center, Grand Hall.
The lecturer will be Seii Kondo, former Commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, who is scheduled to give a lecture titled "The Flow of Human Civilization - Where Are We Now?".
About Yurin-kai
The "Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Yurin-kai," which organizes the lecture, is composed mainly of companies, organizations, and individuals related to the Ohara family.
The term "Yurin" is derived from a phrase in the Analects: "Virtue is not solitary; surely it has neighbors."
This phrase was favored by Ohara Magosaburo, and in modern language, it means "A person of virtue is never alone; there will always be those who understand and empathize with them."
Additionally, the Ohara family villa "Yurin-so," located across from the Ohara Museum of Art, was named after this phrase.
Main activities include organizing this lecture, social education activities, and operating the "Ohara House Katalyzer" to introduce the history of the Ohara family, including Magosaburo and Soichiro.
Regarding the Lecture - Interview with Masaru Mushiake, Representative Director of Yurin-kai
In relation to the upcoming lecture, we spoke with Masaru Mushiake, the Representative Director of the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Yurin-kai.
Please tell us about the history of Yurin-kai
Mushiake (honorifics omitted)
In 1943, the predecessor of Yurin-kai, the Keido-kai, was established as a voluntary organization, and it was reorganized into Yurin-kai in 1969. It was based in the Ohara Museum of Art and was responsible for a series of activities related to organizing lectures.
By the way, I previously served as the deputy director of the Ohara Museum of Art, and at that time, my two staff members and I were conducting activities on a small scale.
Later, in April 2010, it was reorganized into a general incorporated foundation Yurin-kai with the aim of promoting the legacy of Ohara Magosaburo and Soichiro and advancing activities.
Since then, we have started organizing ancient documents and materials passed down in the Ohara family and have expanded our activities, including holding research presentations.
In April 2015, it became a public interest incorporated foundation Yurin-kai, and a plan was proposed to open the former Ohara family residence (now "Ohara House Katalyzer") which had been closed to the public.
Renovation work was carried out, and it was opened to the public in April 2018 as "Ohara House Katalyzer."
Currently, we are active with two main pillars: organizing the "Ohara Magosaburo and Soichiro Memorial Lecture" and operating the "Ohara House Katalyzer" along with related educational and cultural activities.
Please tell us about the history of the lecture
Mushiake
This lecture series originates from the "Kurashiki Sunday Lecture" started by Ohara Magosaburo in 1902.
It was initiated as part of social education, where Magosaburo invited a diverse range of speakers to Kurashiki, allowing the public to attend for free, and by 1925, a total of 76 lectures had been held.
The speakers were notable figures, including Shigenobu Okuma and Inazo Nitobe, who are now recorded in history textbooks.
After Magosaburo's death in 1943, the lecture series was temporarily suspended due to World War II and other factors.
After the war, his eldest son, Ohara Soichiro, revived the lecture series in 1955 under the name "Ohara Keido Memorial Lecture."
"Keido" was named after the pen name of Ohara Magosaburo (a name used apart from his real name).
Similar to Magosaburo's "Kurashiki Sunday Lecture," a diverse range of speakers were invited to Kurashiki, and the lecture has been held annually since then.
Soichiro passed away in 1968, but Yurin-kai took over the lecture activities.
Currently, the "Ohara Magosaburo and Soichiro Memorial Lecture" is held annually around July 27, in honor of Magosaburo's birthday on July 28, 1880, and Soichiro's death on July 27, 1968.
Including the time of the Ohara Keido Memorial Lecture, this year marks the 69th anniversary of this historic lecture series.
Are there any lectures that left a strong impression on you?
Mushiake
All the lectures have been interesting and memorable, but particularly the lectures in 2006, 2010, and 2016 stand out in my memory.
I vividly remember the 2006 lecture when architect Tadao Ando spoke, as there were so many people that not everyone could fit in the hall.
Ando is a renowned architect, and since he frequently gives lectures, he has many fans, leading to a large number of attendees from afar.
In the 2010 lecture, we had the honor of hosting Dr. Akira Yoshino from Asahi Kasei, who later won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2019, to speak on the topic of "The Development Process and Future Developments of Lithium-Ion Secondary Batteries."
This lecture was made possible due to the connection with Asahi Kasei, which has a facility in Mizushima, and we offered the invitation to Dr. Yoshino.
In the 2016 lecture, Dr. Junichiro Kawaguchi, who served as the project manager for the Hayabusa asteroid probe at JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), spoke.
He gave a lecture titled "Challenging the Age of Great Voyages in the Solar System" about the Hayabusa project.
How are the lecturers selected?
Mushiake
As noted on the Yurin-kai website, we have invited speakers from diverse fields, including both humanities and natural sciences, up to the present day.
For candidates, we select several each year at Yurin-kai and prioritize them for invitations.
Since there are often scheduling conflicts even after making requests, we have established this system.
Please tell us about the lecturer for this time
Mushiake
The upcoming lecturer, Seii Kondo, graduated from the University of Tokyo and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, building a career as a diplomat, having served as the Ambassador of the Japanese Government to UNESCO, among other positions.
After serving as the Commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs from 2010 to 2013, he is currently the President of the International Fashion Professional University.
In parallel, he also serves as the Representative Director of the General Incorporated Association Humanistic Knowledge Support Forum.
The Humanistic Knowledge Support Forum was established by Kenichiro Ohara, and he also serves as a co-representative director.
Additionally, among the directors of the Humanistic Knowledge Support Forum are many active individuals, such as Shinichi Fukuoka, who is involved in the theme project (Signature Pavilion) of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo currently being held (July 2025), and Sachiko Nakajima.
Kondo Seiichi is not directly involved in the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo, but the title of this presentation, “The Flow of Human Civilization - Where Are We Now?,” is related to the Expo's theme, “Designing a Future Society Where Life Shines,” and I expect to hear an interesting talk.
What kind of people would you like to attend?
Mushiake
Since this is a public lecture, I would like many people of all ages and genders to attend.
In particular, I would love for the younger generation, who will carry the future, to come and listen.
With the cooperation of the speakers, we will hold a dialogue with local youth from 4 PM to 5 PM before the lecture starts.
What kind of dialogue will that be?
Mushiake
Last year (2024), the director of the Ohara Museum of Art, Miura Atsushi, participated, and young people mainly from the art club of Seiryo High School engaged in the dialogue. Since Professor Miura is an emeritus professor at the University of Tokyo, the students were very interested, thinking, “I can talk to a professor from Todai.”
Also, the year before last (2023), we had Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate and special professor at Nagoya University, Noyori Ryoji, so many high school students, especially those preparing for entrance exams, participated in the dialogue.
By the way, this year, we are planning a dialogue between Professor Kondo and students from Okayama University. I am looking forward to seeing what kind of dialogue will unfold.
Conclusion
I attended this lecture for the first time last year and contributed an article to Kurashiki Tocotoco.
After actually attending the lecture, I was strongly impressed by the fact that for many years, this local city of Kurashiki has continued to invite prominent figures from various fields and hold lecture activities.
As the saying goes, “Virtue does not stand alone; it must have neighbors,” the noble ideals of social education activities promoted by Ohara Magosaburo and Soichiro have transcended time, creating many understanding and sympathetic individuals, and have been passed down to the present day.
I hope that many people, regardless of age or gender, will come to listen on July 25.
No reservation is required, and attendance is free, so why not drop by casually after work or school?
Data for the 69th Ohara Magosaburo and Soichiro Memorial Lecture “The Flow of Human Civilization - Where Are We Now?”
| Name | 69th Ohara Magosaburo and Soichiro Memorial Lecture “The Flow of Human Civilization - Where Are We Now?” |
|---|---|
| Date | July 25, 2025 (Friday) 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM |
| Location | Kurashiki Community Center, Large Hall |
| Participation Fee (Tax Included) | Free |
| Website | Yurin-kai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation |
