Born in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka in 1889, ISHIBASHI Shojiro attended Shojima Elementary school, Kurume Higher Elementary School and Kurume Commercial Junior High School. Upon graduating from the latter, he took over the running of the family's business on orders from his ailing father. By doing so, he sacrificed his dream to further his studies at a higher institution of commerce.

Reflecting back upon the initial days, Shojiro said, "I was determined to be involved in the business world throughout my lifetime. Upon making up my mind, my ambition expanded to include running a nationwide enterprise and doing something good for society."

In 1906 at the age of seventeen, as Shojiro took over the running of his father's "Shitate-ya" tailoring business, he first focused his efforts on specializing the business in the manufacture of Tabi, Japanese socks with the separated big toe. Next, he turned his attention to tackle the modernization of the management system. He continued to expand and develop his business, adopting a highly original and creative style of management that produced many innovations -- including the introduction of a flat rate instead of the traditional variable rate system for Tabi sizes and types. He also created the Jikatabi, rubber-soled cloth footgear with the separated big toe worn by Japanese laborers as a replacement for Waraji, ancient Japanese straw sandals that were typical footwear among workers of his time. Other innovations included the introduction of the mass production and volume sales system of rubber shoes (which were beginning to replace the traditional Japanese wooden clogs called Geta, as well as the Waraji).

Way back in 1928 when building up the mass production and volume sales system of Jikatabi and rubber shoes, Shojiro foresaw a big future demand for car tires in Japan and sought in a remarkably prescient move, to produce Japanese-made tires based simply on the knowledge that the key product in rubber industry in western countries was the car tire.

Cars in the U.S.A. during the period numbered 23 million while in Japan they numbered less than 80 thousand. Given that most of the car tires used in Japan were either imported from Europe or America or made at foreign-owned factories in Japan, there existed virtually no market for Japanese-made tires. Notwithstanding the absence of a market, Shojiro strengthened his resolve to launch the business in the new industry with the capital earned through his Jikatabi and rubber shoes business. Fuelled by the desire to promote national exports and to help the government earn foreign exchange, his bold move effectively created a new industry overnight where there was previously no such industry.

In another astute business decision, the company name "Bridgestone" was created as a marketing strategy to enhance its product image in light of the fact that foreign products were fashionable and highly regarded in Japan in those days. First, Shojiro translated his last name ﾒIshibashiﾓ into English, "Stone Bridge". He then transposed it to the better sounding "Bridge Stone", making the latter his company name and trademark.

The move proved to be a strategic one that succeeded in helping the company's products gain widespread acceptance in overseas markets, thus fulfilling Shojiro's goal of earning foreign money through the tire exports.

The Bridgestone Tire Corporation was thus established in 1931 with the goal "to produce the best tires in the world using Japanese capital and technology alone". Shortly after its establishment however, the company faced technical troubles of massive proportions: Having only just introduced the total quality control system that guaranteed the exchange of any defective tire for a brand new one, one hundred thousand tires had to be recalled for the following three years. Despite the setback, as the technology advanced, the companyﾕs reputation grew over time and consequently, sales and profits also increased steadily. Throughout the growth of the company, Shojiro had always conducted the affairs of Bridgestone Tire Corporation as President, Chairman and later, as Executive Adviser.

After the war, the business expanded dramatically as the Japanese car industry took off rapidly. Bridgestone, operating 46 plants in 23 nations, is today the No.1 company in the global rubber industry. The successes can be attributed directly to Shojiro's vision and endeavors.

Shojiro's energies and fervor were not exclusively business-oriented. He often manifested great commitment towards society and would passionately involve himself in the fields of culture and education. That dedication stemmed from his philosophy that "corporate business should not aim solely at making money. Our first and foremost goal is to produce quality products and please the customer. Money and profit are a by-product of the foregoing. We should return the benefits to society besides reinvesting them into the business."。

In 1927, the Ministry of Education decided to encourage the setting up of private medical schools around the nation. Shojiro and his brother donated a piece of property of ten thousand tsubo (1 tsubo = 3.3 square meters) and reinforced concrete school buildings at the request of the city of Kurume.

In 1928, Kyushu Medical School was founded at the present premises of the Kurume campus. The school later developed into Kurume University. Shojiro was to henceforth become increasingly and closely involved in the area of education.

In 1956, Shojiro donated the Ishibashi Cultural Center and other educational and cultural facilities to the city of Kurume as a commemorative project of the 25th anniversary of the Bridgestone Tire Corporation (present Bridgestone Corporation). The original complex of 30 thousand square meters comprised the Ishibashi Museum of Art, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, a hall, an open-air concert theater, amusement park, flower-beds and a Western-style garden in the site. Other facilities including the Cultural (Music) Hall and a Japanese garden were later added to it.

The Cultural Center today stands as a proud cultural monument in the city of Kurume attracting more than several hundred thousands visitors every year.