Hiloakila Akashi(1839�`1910) Hiroakira Akashi was born into a medicine merchant family in the Shijodori-horikawa-nishiiru-karatsucho district of Kyoto. He organized the Kyoto Medical Research Laboratory in 1865 and the Renmasha in 1866, and studied science and medicine. He is also known for analyzing the chemical makeup of Arima hot springs and mineral springs in the Kyoto area. He entered the Kyoto government at the recommendation of Masanao Makimori, Kyoto government secretary and later governor, and of Kakuma Yamamoto, advisor to the Kyoto government, and together with them proposed various policies to promote Kyoto. Because of these policies, Kyoto was the scene for many firsts in the country,such as a major exposition (the Kyoto Exposition), Shamitsukyoku (an early bureau concerned with chemistry), Papiiru fabric, general hospitals, and meteorological observatories. Hiroakira Akashi helped to expand a wide range of businesses. For example, he was instrumental in introducing new techniques, establishing the "oriden" and "someden" centers to restore the traditional "nishijinori" weaving technique, and devoted time to cultural sightseeing policies, such as the building of the Yoshimizu hot spings on Maruyama. He left government work in 1881 to enter business, and devoted himself to medical work in later years. BACK