国産マッチ発祥の地, Memorial in Sumida City, Tokyo, Japan
Kokusan Macchi Hassho no Chi is a memorial stone in Kotobashi, Sumida City, Tokyo, marking the site where Japan's first domestic match factory operated in 1876. The dark square stone is engraved with the monument's name and stands within the grounds of a high school near Kinshicho station.
Shimizu Makoto, who had studied in France, founded Japan's first match company called Shinsuisha in the Honjo Yanagihara area of what is now Sumida in 1876. Just two years later, Japan began exporting matches abroad, launching an industry that grew rapidly through the late 1800s and into the 1900s.
The stone monument sits within a high school fence, making it part of everyday school life rather than a formal museum setting. The design includes an image of an old matchbox label from the early days of production, which visitors can examine up close.
The monument stands on the grounds of Tokyo Metropolitan Ryogoku High School in Kotobashi and can be viewed through the fence from the street. A visit works best during daytime, and it pairs well with a short walk around the nearby Kinshicho area.
Shimizu Makoto originally went to France to study shipbuilding and only turned to match production after being encouraged to do so while abroad. After his death in 1899, a second stone monument honoring him was built at Kameido Tenjin Shrine, about 1.5 kilometers to the northeast of this site.
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