Japan as a country changed dramatically during the Meiji era. It can be said that the Western-style buildings in Yanagawa city are a symbol of this era of change and the one within the Ohana residence is no exception, with its extravagant tapestries on white walls and lavish chandeliers hanging from the ceilings. It’s said that banquets were often held in the Western Building. As Western culture entered Japan, the Tachibana family also changed from feudal lords to earls.
Tomoharu Tachibana was the 14th head of the clan and he protected Ohana during these changing times. Tomoharu was first living in Tokyo but later moved to Yanagawa and established Ohana as his base.
He was a forward-thinking man who believed that agriculture would lead to Japan’s advancement as a country. He built a large-scale agricultural test site on land east of Ohana, where an assortment of crop varieties were tested and the best seeds and seedlings were provided to farmers across the country. There are many varieties of mandarin oranges grown here, but the most exemplary one is the “Miyagawawase.” Miyagawawase, with its perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors, quickly became a high-grade fruit. “Thanks to the sales of mandarin oranges, Ohana survived difficult times,” as Kazuo Tachibana, the 16th head of the family who supported Ohana after World War II, wrote in his autobiography.
Despite being criticized for not going into politics or the military, Tomoharu continued to cultivate the soil and grow fruits and vegetables on his land. Agriculture soon became the backbone of Yanagawa’s economy itself, with many of his projects conducted with local farmers. Tomoharu’s legacy has been handed down for generations and the “Tachibana Koen” mandarin orange garden continues to this day.
There’s a saying, “We stand on the shoulders of giants.” What we see and achieve are only possible because of the thinkers and doers who have gone before -- just like Tomoharu, who studied agricultural techniques in the hope of developing the region and Japan. His achievements have been passed down to the present day, and who knows what kind of impact you will also have on the world 100 years from now if you have a goal in mind.
