Genzaemon Abe

Background

Genzaemon Abe was born in 1810 in Rikuzen (Miyagi Prefecture), Japan. He was called Eiji in his younger years.

Career

He was called Eiji in his younger years. When he was 20 years old, he built two large ships, the Shinwa Ma-ru and Tsugen Ma.ru, which plied between Yedo and Matsumae (Hokkaido). The marine products brought by those ships to the Shogun's capital earned him a great fortune.

Achievements

• During the famines which struck Japan in the latter part of the Shogunate regime, he gave away rice and coins to thousands of sufferers. He also caused large acreages of barren land to be converted into rice paddies.