Kanetarō Hattori founds his watch shop in Ginza, predecessor of Seiko (1881)

Kintarō Hattori established his first business, a watch and jewelry shop in Ginza, Tokyo, in 1881. This enterprise, known as Hattori Tokeiten, became the predecessor of Seiko. Hattori, a former clockmaker apprentice, leveraged his experience to sell rare imported watches, gaining popularity in the district.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Kintarō Hattori, born in Tokyo in 1860, began his career as a clockmaker apprentice at age 13. He worked in various shops, learning to sell and repair timepieces. By 1881, he opened his own watch and jewelry shop in Ginza, a district in Chūō, Tokyo, which was part of the old Kyobashi ward.

Business Operations. Hattori's shop, named Hattori Tokeiten, initially focused on retailing Swiss watches from foreign firms. The business gained popularity due to the rarity of imported watches sold, which were not available elsewhere in Japan. This success laid the foundation for his later expansion into manufacturing.

Historical Context. At the time of the shop's founding, watchmakers in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya were studying and producing pocket watches based on Western products. Hattori's shop became a significant entity in this emerging industry, eventually leading to the establishment of Seiko, a globally recognized brand.

People involved

Sources

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