Health was key to Gonshiro’s way of thinking as well as his enthusiasm for work. No matter how outstanding one’s talents may be, they are meaningless if not utilized. Making use of such talent, however, is no easy task. Here Gonshiro explains how staying healthy is key to effectively demonstrating one’s talents. He also believed that one could improve one’s health by taking a keen interest in the work at hand. He maintained that work and health could complement one another, and even held a lecture entitled “Enjoying work is the foundation for better health and enhanced efficiency.”

Gonshiro’s apprenticeship in the foundry began with inconsequential tasks: babysitting, cleaning, and running errands. Not allowed to undertake any work himself, he spent his days watching and learning from his master and senior apprentices. It was then that Gonshiro took matters into his own hands, seeking to gain acceptance by making something himself. As it happens, the mold he made on his day off was a success, and thereafter Gonshiro was allowed into the workshop. Accepting the environment he was put in, he opened up his own path to great effect.

Gonshiro’s ideas and techniques were developed at the worksite. He was convinced that this was where problems could be solved, and never strayed far. Later, Gonshiro would ask graduate engineers to first accumulate experience in the company’s factories, before applying what they had learned to their engineering. On the other hand, he was also well aware of the limits of this hands-on approach, and was open to learning the latest techniques and sciences from overseas for the sake of his engineers. This dual outlook gave rise to numerous new products and innovations.

When the decision was made to begin production of iron water pipes, the lack in Japan of expertise and material on the matter left those involved at a loss. Iron pipes needed to be of a uniform thickness to deal with water pressure. Complications led numerous competing companies to back out, but Gonshiro persisted, and went about researching the issue himself. The passion and tenacity he displayed was unchanged from his time as an apprentice. Spurring him on was the joy of seeing his efforts pay off, and the fun that came with the challenge of testing new mechanisms and ideas. This inquisitive spirit and sheer concentration, like that of an athlete in training, led to one development or invention after another.

Gonshiro explains that a firm belief that something can be achieved will lead to success, while anything else will lead to failure. If one goes about a task with little confidence that it will succeed, then that task becomes impossible. A strong conviction eliminates worry, boredom, discontent, despair, and other negative thoughts, and enables the individual to overcome any hurdle. The water pipe business began as an unknown. Later, however, the techniques it developed would go on to astonish leading international pipe engineers. At the core of this success was Gonshiro’s conviction and effort.

In 1937, on a radio program entitled Talking about Business, Gonshiro said that the most important thing for aspiring businessmen is “to act on good ideas instantly, no matter what the task.” When he was still in training, Gonshiro paid careful attention to his surroundings, and would absorb new ideas and techniques and try them out straight away. When it came to the development of new techniques for castings and cast iron pipes, be it implementing new ideas from abroad and other companies, or purchasing patents and production rights, he did whatever it took to lead the developments to commercialization.

In these remarks by Gonshiro, which concluded a business lecture, it is clear to see that his hands-on approach was, in the end, all for the consumer. It is said that Gonshiro would ask his buyers to keep material costs as low as possible. At the time, business was for profit, and profit would be spent however one pleased. Gonshiro, however, injected the majority of the company’s profit into new factories, equipment, and technological improvements. His aim was to give back to the company’s customers and to society as a whole.

As an apprentice, for long periods Gonshiro was assigned meaningless tasks, and wasn’t given the chance to create his own castings. Regardless, he made no fuss, absorbed himself in the work at hand, and came up with his own ways to complete the job. This experience was a starting point for the future development of the casting business. Later, Gonshiro was concerned that, compared to machinery, cast metal wasn’t getting the attention it deserved. Convinced that casting was key to the development of heavy industries and thereby the entire nation, Gonshiro donated funds to The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research at Osaka University

When Gonshiro began his apprenticeship at the foundry, the tasks he was given were entirely unrelated to casting—babysitting, cleaning, and running errands. Despite being frustrated that he had come all the way to Osaka to run simple errands, he took a different tack—he looked at how he could keep the children in his care happy, how he could make things cleaner, and how he could complete his errands more quickly. The more enthusiastic he was about the tasks, the more interesting they became. This mindset also led him to want to try new things. Gonshiro’s attitude was praised by those around him, and he became a favorite. In the quote above, he speaks of the importance of honest, dedicated work.

This is an excerpt from Gonshiro’s speech at the company’s 50th anniversary celebrations. It communicates clearly his attitude toward work—overcoming issues through conviction and effort, a deep-rooted belief in a hands-on approach, and a desire to contribute to people’s lives and solve social problems. It was at this time that Gonshiro went about building a welfare system for his employees. They were offered, among others, daily necessities at low prices, and low-interest loans for important family ceremonies and unexpected disasters. This was the basis for the Kubota Welfare Association, which was established later following the war. As we can see, Gonshiro was also passionate about his employees.

If you don’t try, you’ll never know. Gonshiro recommended instant action. He also said that coming up with an idea is only 20 to 30% of the process. The remaining 70 to 80% needed to bring that idea to fruition would require effort, as well as the courage to take the first step. He was also worried about higher education, warning that the narrow-mindedness and rigid thought processes it cultivated would hinder future developments. Gonshiro was a strong advocate of the hands-on approach at the worksite, which he believed nurtured both creativity and a flexible mindset, while he also had great respect for education that would bring about technological innovations. This multifaceted mindset of his would continue to be the catalyst for numerous inventions and business expansions.