History of YUASA

The history of YUASA TRADING (“the Company”) dates to 1666,
when Ietsuna Tokugawa, the fourth shōgun of the Tokugawa dynasty.
The Company started business as a charcoal merchant. In its fifth year,
the Company switched its business line to wholesaling cutting tools.
It was the first innovation that the Company made,
which set the stage for starting the business of handling machines,
tools, and equipment, a business that has lasted for 350 years and counting.
Since then, the Company has taken on the challenge of creating innovation as a pioneer in the industry.

  • 1666Foundation of Business

    Shokuro Yuasa, the founder of the Company, started as a wholesaler of charcoal to swordsmiths. With the end of the Warring States period (Sengoku jidai) and as swordsmiths one after another switched their businesses to manufacturing mattocks or knife smithing, in the fifth year after starting business, he closed the charcoal wholesale business and switched to being a wholesaler of metal instruments, which marks the starting point of the Company.

  • 1674 Opened outlet in Edo (Tokyo)

  • 1688Establishment of the store name "Sumiya"

  • 1780Birth of the Spirit of Service with Good Products

    The sixth generation descendent of the founder, who demonstrated shrewd business acumen, stamped on the extremely sharp razors a mark saying, "Sumiya* offers no guarantee" (meaning no quality assurance), and distributed them to post towns along the Tokaido Road. When people used them, they were surprised by how smooth and sharp they cut, spreading the good reputation of how smooth and the razors guaranteed by Sumiya would cut, resulting in the name of Sumiya becoming known nationwide. 　
    *Sumiya was the name of the Company in the Edo era.

  • 1909Japan's first domestic production of Western hardware

    YUASA IRON WORKS was established in Sakai, Osaka to take on the challenge of domestic production of hardware, which had previously relied on imports from overseas. In addition to manufacturing wrenches and pickaxes, the Company succeeded in the first domestic production of hinges and frying pans.

  • 1910Sales office established in Hankou (now Wuhan), China (first overseas expansion)

  • 1918Establishment of Yuasa Storage Battery Co., Ltd.

    As part of scientific research on metals, the 12th generation established a laboratory in his own residence in Kyoto to conduct prototype research on storage batteries, and established Yuasa Storage Battery Battery Co., Ltd.

  • 1919Establishment of Yuasa Shichizaemon Shoten

    The 12th generation promoted reforms and new businesses one after another, such as a major revision of store regulations, establishment of a factory (Yuasa Iron Works), establishment of Yuasa Storage Battery Co., Ltd. The Company had 138 employees (6 at the head office in Kyoto, 46 at the Tokyo branch, 46 at the Osaka branch, and 40 at the overseas branches) and 2 million yen in capital at the time of its establishment.

  • 1940Changed company name to Yuasa Hardware Co., Ltd.

  • 1962Yuasa Hardware Co., Ltd. was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange

  • 1969The YUASA Yamazumi Shareholding Association,a sales partner group, was founded

  • 1977The YUASA TANKYOKAI, a supplier group, was founded

  • 1978Changed company name to Yuasa Shoji Co., Ltd.

  • 1978Starting as a System Trading Company
    for Machinery and Housing

    The private exhibition, Grand Fair was sponsored and
    co-sponsored by the YUASA Yamazumi Shareholding
    Association, a network of the Company sales partners, and
    the YUASA Tankyokai, a network of the Company to become
    a system trading company for machinery and housing

  • 1983The YUASA Growing Association, a sales partner group, was founded

  • 1992Yuasa Shoji Co., Ltd. merged with Yuasa Sangyo (Yuasa Trading Co., Ltd.).
    The new company retained the names Yuasa Shoji Co., Ltd. in Japanese and Yuasa Trading Co., Ltd. in English

  • 2009Challenge to Social Issue Business

    With the aim of contributing to the global environment through our business, the Company started an environmental and energy-saving business. In 2013, the Company became the first in the industry to launch a full-scale resilience business (disaster prevention and mitigation, business continuity planning [BCP]). Both businesses have now grown to have net sales of more than 30 billion yen.

  • 2014Head office relocated to Kanda

  • 2016Reached the 350th anniversary since the foundation of the Company

  • 2020Becoming a “TSUNAGU” Service Integrated Shosha Group

    Looking ahead to the 360th anniversary of our founding in 2026, the Company published the long-term vision YUASA VISION 360, which aims to transform the business structure from selling products to selling services. In 2020, the Company established the catchphrase, “TSUNAGU” Service Integrated Shosha Group, with the aim of solving social issues by creating “TSUNAGU” (connecting) innovation that demonstrates the Groupʼs comprehensive strengths.

  • 2021Formulation of Sustainability Declaration

    In order to further evolve the management foundation that has been handed down for more than 350 years, we have formulated a "Sustainability Declaration" based on our corporate philosophy.

    Read more

  • 2022 Changed the market classification of the Tokyo Stock Exchange to the prime market

  • 2023Kicking off Medium-Term Management Plan ‒ Growing Together 2026

    As the final stage toward the realization of YUASA VISION 360,
    the Company have promoted the medium-term management plan Growing Together 2026, which covers the three-year period starting from April 2023.

    Read more