磯 永吉（1886－1972）は，戦前の台湾において稲の品種改良に従事し，試行錯誤の末に台湾の気候風土に最も適した品種「蓬莱米」の開発に成功した農学者である．蓬莱米の開発は，台湾の農業を大きく発展させただけでなく，当時食糧不足に陥っていた日本の危機を救う等，多大な貢献に寄与した．
さて，磯 永吉が広島県福山市の出身という縁から，2020年７月13日から31日までの期間，福山市立大学附属図書館において，特別展示【台湾蓬莱米の父　磯 永吉】が開催された．そこでは，御遺族から貸与頂いた磯 永吉の著書や写真をはじめとする多数の貴重な資料が展示された．しかしながら，特別展は短期間に加えて，
コロナ禍という状況下であったこともあってか，広く周知されるまでには至らなかった．一過性のものに終わらせないためにも，本稿では展示資料を中心として，磯 永吉の生涯とその功績について，改めて論述しておきたい．

Mr. Eikichi ISO (1886-1972), a Japanese aguriculturalist, was engaegd in rice-breed improvement in Taiwan, and was, through trials and errors, successful in giving birth to a new rice-breed “Hourai” that came to fit the Taiwanese climate. The improved rice-breed “Hourai” contributed not only to the development of Taiwan’s agriculture but also to the rice provision to the Japanese people during their food shortage period.
As Mr. ISO’s hometown was Fukuyama, Hiroshima prefecture, the Fukuyama City University Library held a special display titled “Mr.Eikichi ISO: The Father of Taiwan Hourai Rice-Breed” from July 13 to 31, 2020. This display was made possible by his bereaved family provided the library with a lot of his valuable materials including writings and photo-graphs. As the display period was short and took place during the current worldwide epidemic of New Corona Virus (COVID-19) as well, most people unfortunately missed it.
This paper therefore, aims once again to discuss Mr. ISO’s life and accomplishments as are told through the many display materials.