Account of the Founding of Seki Ranch

At an age when comfort and retirement might seem enough, a doctor and his wife leave their familiar home to build a ranch in Hokkaido. They spend their savings, cultivate their own food, and dream of a community founded on diligence, thrift, and mutual aid.

Seki Kan records the venture in vivid, unsparing detail: mountain journeys, enormous butterbur leaves, swarms of biting insects, affectionate horses, bear attacks, and the struggle to save every coin. The death of his wife and his son’s departure for war test his resolve, while the loss of dozens of horses threatens the enterprise itself.

Preserved in a 1912 volume, this account offers an intimate view of an elderly physician’s determination and of the beliefs shaping his settlement project. Its imperial loyalties, descriptions of Ainu inhabitants, and moral judgments remain visible alongside grief, gratitude, and moments of humor. This complete English translation includes the preface, all five sections, the charitable society’s statement, and the original verse. AI-assisted translation, prepared and edited by Valentin Sarić.