HISTORY

Zensuke Osawa Signs at the time of establishment Wall Clock Founded in Kyoto Signs of J.Osawa Co. Seoul Branch Greenland bicycle High class French made clock Boat made by Glastron Co. Bell Howell 8mm camera Tokyo headquarters from 1970 to 2003 Pierre Deroche Bionic golf grove Viva Heart Louis Erard Big Max Links & Kings Rose & Fire Dietrich Lars Lasen
1890 Zensuke Osawa established a factory in Kyoto to produce a wall clock called a "bon-bon" clock.
1893 Began wholesaling of imported pocket watches.
1894 Began export toys, bone handicrafts and leather items to China and Southeast Asia,and Japanese fans to Italy and Spain.
1895 Began operations as a local distributor for imported watches,bicycles and conveyor belts for use in factories.
1899 Established Sydney branch.
(Beginning of Japan's Australia trade.) Cotton fabricks became popular as "Osawa cloth"
1902 Supplied Zic conveyor belts to Osaka Armory.
Started selling Rochester oil lamps,Jackson hardware joints,Singer sewing machines and Columbia gramophones from the U.S.A.
1904 The "Westfields",bicycle by Osawa,adopted by Kyoto Postal Office to deliver telegrams.
1915 Imported products in demand thanks to the war economy.
Started selling gas pipes made by US Steel and Bethlehem,wooden screws from American Screw and rubber products from Dunlop,U.K.
1916 Started trading with Russia.
1919 J.Osawa & Co.,Ltd., incorporated with initial capital of \3 million.
1921 Obtained top share of imported-watch market.
1926 Simons parts Div. (Later Automotive Products Dept.) started importing Ford auto part.
Began selling New Imperial motorcycles.
1927 Became the authorized dealer for General Motors in the Kyoto and Shiga area.
1928 Won 1st place in a nationwide contest for marketing Chevrolet automobiles.
Became sole distributor of Bell & Howell of U.S.A.
1931 Deliverd Bell & Howell 16mm projectors to 57 elementary schools in Kyoto.
1933 Completed construction of JO Studio in Uzumasa, Kyoto, Began filming Daimai News.
1936 Produced "New Soil”、Japan's first movie jointly produced,with collaboration of JO Studio, Towa and a German movie company.
1937 JO Studio,Photo Chemical Reserch Institute, PCL Movie Production Co. and Toho Movie Distribution Co. merged and established Toho Movie Company.
1939 Began selling the Kyoto JO Electric Car.
1943 Merged Toho Movie Co. and Tokyo Takarazuka Theater to establish Toho Co.,Ltd. (President:Yoshio Osawa).
1946 Established a joint stock company made up of Nittoh Watch Co. and Citizen Watch Co. to produce wrist watches.
1949 Began marketing Primoflex cameras manufactured by subcontractor, Tokyo Optical Instrument Co.,Ltd.
Signed a distribution contract with Mamia Camera Co.,Ltd. Began exporting Japanese cinefilms and importing TV and radio broadcasting equipment.
1951 Received an order from Japan's first commercial broadcasting company, Tokyo Radio Broadcasting Co.
(currently Tokyo Broadcasting Systems, Inc.) for a 50Kw transmitter.
1953 Estalished Tokyo Agfa Laboratories Inc., Japan's first color film developing and printing labs.
1954 Began selling of Agfa-color Negative Films T.K.
1955 Established Osawa & Co., (U.S.A) Inc.
1958 Started selling Dunlop golf balls.
Established Japan Cine Equipment Co.,Ltd. (later Japan Bell & Howell Co.,Ltd.).
1961 Began selling Dymo tape-writers.
1962 Became sole distributor of Decker power tools of the United States.
1963 Appointed sole distributor of Mamia Camera Co.,Ltd.
1964 Listed on the second section of Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Became sole distibutor in Japan for Omega watches.
Started selling jewelry.
1965 Began marketing Blue River diamonds. Established Nihon Wiper Blade Co.,Ltd., and began manufacturing wiper blades.
1969 Appointed sole distributor of AMF Ben Hogan golf clubs.
Began selling AMF Voit Arnold Palmer golf clubs.
Appointed sole distibutor of Foot-Joy golf shoes.
1970 Listed on the section of Tokyo and Osaka Stock Exchanges.
1971 Appointed sole distributor in Japan of Lyle & Scott sports wear.
Began handling Interluebke system furniture of Germany.
Began selling 16mm cine cameras from Arnold Richter KG in Germany,
and Image Converter High Speed cameras from Hadland Photonics Ltd. in the U.K.
1974 Opened Mikado Jewelry & Watch Ltd. In Hong as a retail business.
1975 Signed a contract with AMF Inc. to markket Head skis,tennis rackets and tennis shoes.
Began sales of Holmgaard glassware and Poggenpohl system kitchens.
1984 Filed a petition for application of the Corporate Rehabilitation Law with Tokyo District Court.
1985 appointed sole distributor of WD-40 lubricant rust preventative in Japan.
Began selling Sailboard from Germany.
Began selling JVC car audio equipment in a tie-up with Victor Co., Ltd.
Obtained from Seibu Department Stores the right to sell Kosta Boda glassware.
Began selling Godiva chocolates from Belgium.
1986 Acquired licensing and ditribution rights for Trussardi in Japan.
Acquired sub-distribution rights in Japan of Lacoste products.
Began selling Takeo Kikuchi watches.
1987 Began marketing Trussardi jeans and Alfa Romeo automobiles.
1988 Made a business tie-up with Motorola U.S.A. to market mobile radio systems.
Established Chrysler Japan Sales Limited and Nina Ricci Prestige KK.
Began selling Kenzo watches.
1990 Published book commemorating Osawa's centenary.
1991 Began distributing Zero-Halliburton bags and Blue Coral car chemicals.
1992 Began marketing Ashworth golf wear, Krizia watches and Trussardi Action casual wear.
1993 Began selling Katharine Hamnett, Jean Louis Scherrer, Rykiel Homme and Guess brand watches.
1994 Began marketing Guess casual wear and Aya New York fashion jewelry.
Opened Coach leather bag shop in Hibiya. Started business with Inchcape Group.
1995 Began marketing adabat caddie bags and Multimedia Projectors.
Celebrated 30th anniversary of Blue River jewelry.
Began selling Vivienne Westwood watches.
Opened a series of retail stores-two shops for Lacoste wear, four shops for Godiva chocolates,
two shops for Coach bags and one shops for Guess apparel.
1996 Began marketing Saucony (US) running shoes.
Entered into a business partnership with Belanger, a leading US car wash system producer.
Established Gourmand Japan, Inc. jointly with Campbell Soup Co. for the sale of Godiva chocolates.
Opened Gallery Orrefors & Kosta Boda in Marunouchi, Tokyo.
Began marketing Swiss-made Zenith mechanical wristwatches.
1997 Entered into business partnership with Wako Industrial Co.,Ltd, to strengthen the automotive filter element business.
1998 Acquired distribution rights for sports gear of Spalding,(Topflite, Etonic, basketball, etc.)
Began marketing McHenry Metals (US) golf clubs.
1999 Began marketing Fila watches and Patrick Cox watches.
Began selling Cutter & Buck golfwear.
2000 Began marketing Opex watches, Nomos watches, Theresienthal glassware,
Bally golf shoes,Burton caddiebags and Kevin Burns putters.
2003 Transferred business to Unimat Group on March 1st., and started business as J. Osawa Group Co., Ltd.
2004 Began marketing Pathfinder(US) business bags and traveling bags.
2005 Began marketing Andiamo(US) historic luggage brands in America.
2005 Began marketing Swiss-made Pierre Deroche wristwatches.
2006 Began marketing Bric's(Italy) casual bags.
2007 Began marketing Bionic(US) golf groves.
2008 Began marketing Duca Del Cosma(Italy) golfgoods.
2009 Began marketing Green ON(US) GPS navigation for golf.
2010 Began marketing "Mirror by Kawi Jamele" jewelry brands designed by miria kato.
2011 Began marketing Antica(Italy) casual accessories.
2011 Began marketing Viva Heart golfwear.
2012 Began marketing Kate Spade NewYork(US) wristwatches.
2012 Began marketing Swsiss-made Louis Erard wristwatches.
2013 Merged with Chelsea Co. , a member of the same Unimat Group, in April
2013 Began marketing Big Max(AUT) golf bags.
2014 Merged with a company of the same Unimat Group, in April.
2014 Demerged from the Merged Company, Ltd. in July.
2014 Began marketing Links & Kings(US) golfbags.
2015 Began marketing Rose & Fire(US) golfbags.
2015 Began marketing Swsiss-made Dietrich wristwatches.
2015 Independed from the Unimat group on November 19.
2016 Began marketing Lars Lasen(DNK) wristwatches.
Began marketing Thorlos(US) sports socks.
2018 Began marketing ECCO(DK) golfshoes.
Began marketing ROSASEN(US) golfbags.