Kishichiro Okura

Who was Kishichiro Okura?

Baron Kishichiro Okura studied at Trinity College, Cambridge from 1903 to 1906 but he did not graduate from Cambridge University. He was a son of Okura Kihachiro who as an entrepreneur built up the Okura-gumi and founded the giant Okura Zaibatsu and the Okura Shogyo Gakko which later became Tokyo Keizai University in 1949.

Okura competed in the first ever car race held at Brooklands in Surrey on July 6, 1907 and came second. He is one of the pioneers who introduced the motor car to Japan. He was the President of the Imperial Hotel, and the Okura luxury hotel chain is still an important one in Japan today.

Okura Kishichiro was a primary patron in the establishment of the Nihon Ki-in or Japanese Go Association in 1924, organizing and supporting professional go players in Japan following the Meiji Restoration and subsequent ceasing of government support for the four go houses.