Ichizō Kobayashi

Ichizō Kobayashi (小林 一三, Kobayashi Ichizō, January 3, 1873; Nirasaki, Yamanashi, Japan - January 25, 1957; Ikeda, Osaka, Japan {aged 84} ) was a Japanese corporate leader and industrialist, but today he is best remembered as the founder of the perennially popular all-female Takarazuka Revue. What began as a scheme to boost passenger numbers on his railway line grew into a national institution. He is best known as the founder of Hankyu Railway, the Takarazuka Revue, and Toho, Japan's major film studio. He represented Japanese capital in government.