The Itsukaichi Constitution (五日市憲法)
The Itsukaichi Constitution is one of the constitution drafts which were made at the beginning of the Meiji period. It is given a sobriquet "the Japanese Imperial Constitution." The constitution draft consists of 204 Articles in total and 150 Articles which mention basic human rights put emphasis on the assurance of civil rights. It is believed that one of the members of the Itsukaichi Learning and Debating Society, Takusaburo CHIBA made the draft in 1881. The draft was found by Daikichi IROKAWA in the earthen storehouse (storehouse with thick earth and mortar walls) of the Fukazawa family in Itsukaichi Town, West Tama District, Tokyo (the present Akiruno City, Tokyo) in 1968.
The draft contains some epoch-making contents for the period, such as civil rights, which has some affinities with the present constitution of Japan.
The Itsukaichi Constitution is recorded as one of the ancient documents of the tangible cultural assets of Tokyo, and the place where the residence of the Fukawaza family used to be located (where the earthen storehouse still remains) is designated as one of the ancient sites. The Itsukaichi Constitution used to be kept in Tokyo Keizai University; however, it was transferred to the Akiruno City central library and is now maintained there.