The program "Platinum Family: A Glimpse into the Lives of a Glamorous Family" (TV Asahi, Tuesdays at 7pm *excluding some regions) introduces the lifestyles of "glamorous families." On May 19th, the program will air a "Platinum Family & Tuesday's Yoshizumi Kotaro Combined Special," featuring Tamihiko Shiraishi, the 10th head of the Shiraishi family, who run a family business with a history of approximately 260 years in Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
The Shiraishi family's grand mansion occupies a plot of land approximately 3,000 tsubo (about 10,000 square meters), and a portion of the house, surrounded by a long wall, is designated as a nationally registered tangible cultural property. The ceilings of all 20 or so rooms have different designs, and a large glass window at the back of the 27-tatami mat meeting room offers a panoramic view of the garden. The luxurious space is filled with the finest architectural techniques and materials of the Taisho era, including a tokonoma (alcove) made of rare wood and a Buddhist altar with beautifully hand-carved details.
The book reveals surprising connections, such as the existence of a room named by Takasugi Shinsaku, stemming from the fact that the sixth-generation son of the Shiraishi family belonged to the Kiheitai (a militia) and provided financial support, and that former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife, Akie, has also visited the house.
The Shiraishi family was so wealthy that they were members of the House of Peers until the early Showa period and were major shareholders of the South Manchuria Railway. Shares worth approximately 2.2 billion yen in today's value still exist, and their total assets at the time are said to be worth more than 10 billion yen in today's value. Minoru continues the family business today, but demand has decreased with the times, and there was a period of nearly 10 years when there were almost no sales.
That's when Minahiko decided to take action, opening the storehouse to the public for free for cultural events and developing revitalization projects that utilize the family business. He is striving to connect tradition to the future while responding to new needs, and the Shiraishi family's business is also revealed.
