• Company Overview
• Corporate Profile
• History of Takenaka
• Total Quality Management
• Offices in Japan
• Overseas Offices

History of Takenaka

Takenaka Corporation is Japan's oldest architecture, engineering and construction firm with a long history rich in tradition that spans nearly 400 years and includes creating a large number of Japan's most prominent architectural landmarks.
Since 1960, Takenaka has also established offices in many foreign countries and over the years has been the recipient of many design, technique and quality awards.

1610～

1610

Tobei Masataka, a shrine and temple carpenter, started a business in Nagoya.

1873

Constructed some of the first Western-style buildings in Japan, including the Nagoya Army Camp, Mitsui Bank's Nagoya office and the Mitsui Spinning Mill, Nagoya.

1899

Established branch office in Kobe by Toemon Takenaka, 14th generation descendant of the founder, to build Mitsui Onohama Warehouse, a brick structure.
The official founding of the company.

1900～

1909

Established Takenaka Komuten, or Takenaka Contractors, as an unlimited partnership with head office in Kobe, branch office in Nagoya and capital of ¥100,000.
Completed Nagoya branch office of Nippon Life Insurance Company, an aseismic fireproof building.

1911

Established local offices in Tokyo and Osaka.

1912

Completed Takashimaya Department Store in Kyoto, Japan's first reinforced concrete structure.

1916

Completed steel-encased reinforced concrete building for the Osaka head office of Asahi Shimbun.

1923

Head office transferred to Osaka.

1934

Completed Meiji Life Insurance Building in Tokyo.

1937

Established limited company by the same name, Takenaka Komuten, with capital of ¥1.5 million.

1938

Unlimited partnership company absorbed into new corporation and capital increased to ¥6 million. 0ffices opened in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Kobe and Fukuoka.

1945

Toemon Takenaka assumed position of chairman of the company; Renichi Takenaka elected president.

1950～

1951

Toemon Takenaka became executive advisor to the company.
Capital increased to ¥100 million.

1953

Established Technical Research Laboratories in Tokyo and Osaka.

1957

Developed an Antarctic observation facility, Japan's first prefabricated structure.
Obtained a patent on Takenaka's Caisson Process.

1958

Constructed 333-meter-high Tokyo Tower.

1959

Celebrated 60th anniversary of the company's foundation; capital increased to ¥1.5 billion.
Established New Building Research Institute in Fukagawa, Tokyo.
Patent obtained for Takenaka's Deep Foundation Process.

1960～

1960

Established Takenaka & Associates, Inc. in San Francisco.

1961

Established Takenaka Ikueikai, scholarship society.

1963

Won First Prize in the National Theatre Design Competition.

1965

Computerization introduced.

1969

Constructed new Technical Research & Development Institute to commemorate Takenaka's 70th anniversary.

1970～

1970

Established overseas offices in San Francisco and Jakarta.

1972

Training center opened.
Established overseas offices in San Paulo, Düsseldorf, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Takenaka technical exchange mission dispatched to China, the first in the Japanese construction industry.

1973

Established subsidiary company in Hawaii.

1974

Established JV company in Indonesia.

1975

Established subsidiary company in Belgium.

1977

Established JV company in Los Angeles.

1979

Celebrated Takenaka's 80th anniversary; capital increased to ¥50 billion.
Takenaka became the first nonmanufacturer to receive the Deming Prize for its TQC.

1980～

1980

Renichi Takenaka appointed chairman of the company; Toichi Takenaka elected president.

1981

Established overseas office in New York, Takenaka & Associates Inc. N.Y.

1982

Established overseas office in Kuala Lumpur.

1984

Established overseas office in Beijing.

1985

Established JV company in Beijing, subsidiary company in San Francisco and overseas offices in London and Amsterdam.

1986

Won first prize in international design competition for the New National Theatre, Tokyo.

1988

Completed Tokyo Dome, Japan's first large-scale stadium with air-supported membrane roof.
Chairman Renichi Takenaka received Deming Prize for implementation and dissemination of TQC programs.

1989

Celebrated Takenaka's 90th anniversary.
Established subsidiary company in Paris.

1990～

1992

Received the Japan Quality ControI Award.
Establishment of Takenaka's Environmental Charter.

1993

Completed Fukuoka Dome, Japan's first large-scale stadium with retractable roof.
Takenaka Technical Research Institute transferred to new premises in Chiba New Town.

1994

Won first Prime Minister's Award for meritorious contribution to the dissemination of recycling.

1995

Began Publication of the Takenaka e-Report. (Takenaka's Environmental Protection Activities Report).
Takenaka Web site set up on the Internet.
Received Environmental Agency Secretary Award of Fourth Global Environment Awards.
Great Hanshin Earthquake damage research technology briefing held in Osaka and Tokyo.

1996

Takenaka's Tokyo Main Office received ISO 9001 accreditation for its quality systems.

1997

Takenaka's Osaka Main Office received ISO 9001 accreditation for its quality systems.
Completed Nagoya Dome, Osaka Dome and International Stadium Yokohama.

1998

Takenaka's Tokyo and Osaka main offces received ISO 14001 accreditation for their comprehensive environmental management system.

1999

Takenaka's l00th anniversary.
All other Takenaka branch offices including the Office of Plant Engineering received ISO 14001 environmental management qualification.

2000～

2000

Order Received for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal III.

2001

Completed Oita Stadium "Big Eye", Sapporo Dome and Kashima Soccer Stadium (enlargement).
Order Received of New Passenger Terminal Building at Thailand's Suvanrnabumi International Airport.

2002

Takenaka was involved in 6 stadiums used during the 2002 FIFA World CupTM Korea/Japan.

2003

Completed numerous buildings constructed at large new development sites, including Roppongi Hills, Shiodome Shio-site, Shinagawa Grand Commons and Namba Parks.

2004

The Tokyo Main Office has moved to a new building in Koto Ward, Tokyo.

2005

The Tokyo Main Office Building has obtained certification for the highest evaluation rank of "S" under CASBEE (Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency).

2006

Construction of both the "City Tower Nishi-Umeda", the highest superhigh-rise base-isolated condominium building in the world, and "Midland Square", the highest building in the Chubu Region have been completed.

2007

Construction of new large-scale complexes in the center of Tokyo, "Tokyo Midtown", and "Shin-Marunouchi Building" have been completed.