Honda Legend

Author: Osamu Okashita
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Honda Soichiro, a man who created legends! Honda Soichiro, a man who created legends! Japan has two renowned figures: one is the founder of "Matsushita Electric," Konosuke Matsushita, and the other is the founder of "Honda Technical Research," Honda Soichiro. Honda Soichiro personally created the "Honda Legend," and books about his technological innovations, lifestyle, business theories, romantic affairs, racing career, and entrepreneurial history are published every year in dozens. Honda Soichiro can be called "Taiwan's King Wen-Kong," having built his "corporate empire" from scratch. He graduated from elementary school, was poor as a young man, and started as an apprentice. Later, Soichiro began with repairs and quickly became a billionaire in Japan. Today, not only are most of the motorcycles flying across the streets worldwide produced by Honda, but many of the small carsing around are also Honda models. In the United States, Honda consistently dominates the annual best-selling car list; in Japan, Honda holds a 62% market share in motorcycles. No wonder in the U.S. Automotive Hall of Fame, which honors inventors with outstanding contributions to the automotive industry, only Honda Soichiro is inducted, alongside America's automotive tycoon Henry Ford. Honda Soichiro's life was spent pursuing dreams. His "mechanical obsession" and "technological addiction" are well-known throughout Japan. The greatness of Honda Soichiro lies not only in his achievements in pursuing technological dreams but also in the fact that Honda's engine technology is unparalleled globally. Especially in his business philosophy, he set a model of internationality and universality. He broke the closed and specialized nature of Japanese enterprises by setting an example, and his spirit of selflessness and freedom and equality inspired many leaders of Japanese companies. This book provides a detailed account of Honda Soichiro's life, making it impossible to put down.
Chapter: A Mischievous Little Rascal
A mischievous little rascal
In November 7, 1906 (39th year of the Meiji Era), a healthy male infant was born in Tōno City, Kōmyō Village, Yata District, Shizuoka Prefecture, amidst lightning and thunder. The grandmother, Hagi, was using the hot water from the delivery room to wash the newborn's tiny hands. But the baby's hands were tightly clenched. Hagi gently lifted the hands and slowly opened them. Suddenly, she exclaimed, "Wow, what's this? This child!" It turned out that the infant, freshly arrived from the womb, was clutching something. Hagi carefully took the object from the baby's hands and was even more surprised: It wasn't a cotton needle? Hagi handed the needle to her husband, Yoshio, and her father-in-law, Isamu. Both peered closely.
"Could he have been holding it in the womb?"
"Impossible. He must have picked it up after birth."
Hagi looked at her newly arrived grandson, who couldn't even see yet and had a pale complexion, smiling gently. "It seems like he was reborn for our blacksmith shop." At the time, Yoshio was running a blacksmith shop. Isamu stroked his grandson's head, squinting his eyes. "Hmm, the shape of this head is quite good. It seems he has the wisdom to think about new things and create new tools."
There are seven (Fukujin) in Japanese mythology: Ebisu, Daikokuten, Kishinjin, Benzaiten, Jurojin, Fudō Myō-ō, and Hotei. Each has a unique head shape, reflecting the different wisdoms they hold. Seeing her grandson's square head, Isamu thought, "This child must have the wisdom to create new things."
People often refer to those who excel in fields like art as "Sōjō" (). Isamu took the character "Sō" from "Sōjō" and named the eldest son of the Honda family "Soichiro."
Kōmyō Village was surrounded by hills, and the Honda family lived on the banks of the Nimatogawa, a tributary of the (Tōno River) that flowed almost through the center of the basin. The people of the Honda family were naturally skilled and clever. Isamu, due to his frail health, struggled to support his family with only the income from farming. Fortunately, his wife Hagi's skilled hands helped improve the situation. At the time, weaving was popular in the area, and looms were usually operated by men. But Hagi not only operated them herself but also improved them. As a result, some villagers even invited her to operate and repair looms.