Kaemon Takashima

Kaemon Takashima was a Japanese businessman who became engaged in his family business of lumber trade at the age of 14. Although he made great profit from lumber dealings, a storm saddled him with debt. He, then, took advantage of the difference in the monetary exchange rate and profited from foreigners. In 1861, because such dealings were illegal at that time, he was sent to prison. During his six years in prison he mastered the art of divination.

After his release from his imprisonment, he was back in the timber business, and invested in various business ventures. His business success, according to some of the examples demonstrated from his 1886 published book Takashima Ekidan, many of his business decision were based on his divination practice. He founded Aichi Cement Corporation, assumed the presidency of Hokkaido Colliery and Railway Co.Ltd., ran the development and settlement enterprise in Ishikari and Tokachi, and successively held the post as president of Tokyo Street Railway.

In recognition of his distinguished services, Takashima was the first civilian admitted to the presence of the Emperor Meiji, who deigned to give him three sets of silver cups. Although in 1877 he retired from the business world in his mid-forties, he contributed 10,000 yen for naval defense appropriation and was awarded the Fourth-Class Order.

He devoted his time to studying divination under the pseudonym of “Donsho.” In 1886 English and Chinese translations of “Takashima Divination” were published and consequently the Takashima Divination was established. It was said that the government officials never failed to consult him about important politics.

In 1914, he died at the age of 83, as he predicted in a memorial tablet.