Notable Moments

November 16, 2018

Today, we'd like to share a notable moment involving "Furusato" (Hometown), a song beloved by Inamori.

"My favorite song is 'Furusato.' I grew up in a poor family in Kyushu and moved to Kyoto, but I always remember the mountains and rivers that nurtured and raised me, and the hometown I feel grateful to. Whenever I was struggling or feeling lonely at work, I would go out into the field alone and sing this song, which I learned as a child in my hometown, to soothe myself and encourage my spirit when I felt I might falter." (From Issue 100 of the SEIWAJYUKU Journal)

At the young age of 25, Inamori was the head of a division at Shofu Industries, where he worked at the time. There were continuous labor disputes then, but Inamori did not participate in the labor union strike because he believed it was important to continue working for customers. As a result, he had a difficult time facing an impeachment trial from the labor union. At that time, he cried alone on the riverbank behind the company dormitory, humming "Furusato" and encouraging himself. It's a poignant story about Inamori's commitment to doing the right thing.

*The picture shows the current state of the riverbank from those days.