Kintarō Hattori facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kintarō Hattori
Born	November 21, 1860 Kyōbashi, Tokyo
Died	March 1, 1934 (aged 73) Tokyo, Japan
Citizenship	Japanese
Occupation	Watchmaker, businessman
Known for	Founder of Seiko

Kintarō Hattori (服部 金太郎, November 21, 1860 – March 1, 1934) was a clever Japanese businessman. He became one of Japan's most important watchmakers in history. Kintarō Hattori also started the famous company Seiko. Today, Seiko is one of the biggest watchmakers in the world. He was also a member of the Japanese Red Cross.

Kintarō Hattori's Early Life

Kintarō Hattori was born in 1860 in Kyōbashi, Tokyo. His family were successful merchants. When he was 13, Kintarō started learning about business and how to fix things. The next year, he began working for Kobayashi Denjiro. This person was a big watch and clock seller in Japan. Kintarō learned a lot at the Kameda Clock Shop. In 1877, he opened his own shop. It was called 'Hattori Clock Repair Shop' in the Ginza area.

Building a Watchmaking Business

In 1881, when Kintarō Hattori was 21, he started his first business. It was called "K. Hattori & Co." He opened his own shop for making watches. When he was 25, K. Hattori began trading with Swiss companies. These companies were based in Yokohama. He focused on selling imported Swiss watches to other businesses and directly to customers.

After almost 20 years of selling Swiss watches, Hattori decided to make his own. He set up a watchmaking factory in Tokyo. He named this factory "Seikosha".

Expanding Production and New Products

His first Japanese-made watches were very successful. Because of this, Hattori traveled to Europe. He wanted to see and buy new machines. This would help him keep up with Western technology. Hattori returned to Japan with new equipment. This led to many new production lines.

When he was 35, he launched a line of pocket watches. These were called the "Timekeeper." A few years later, in 1899, he released his first alarm clocks. By 1905, Hattori's business had grown across Japan. He also had operations in Shanghai and Hong Kong. He became the biggest watch and clock dealer in Japan.

In 1913, when Hattori was 53, Seikosha made something special. They introduced the first Japanese wristwatch. It was called the "Laurel."

The Birth of Seiko

In 1917, K. Hattori & Co. became a larger company. It was renamed "K. Hattori & Co., Ltd." Today, this company is known as Seiko Group Corporation. In 1924, the "Seiko" brand was officially launched.

His company later changed watchmaking forever. They introduced the first quartz movement in watches. This made Seiko one of the world's largest watch manufacturers. Kintarō Hattori passed away in 1934 in Tokyo, Japan. He was 73 years old.

Kintarō Hattori's Legacy

Kintarō Hattori was a very important person in Japan's watchmaking history. He helped create the entire industry. His achievements include starting the first watchmaking factory in Japan, "Seikosha," in 1892. Kintarō Hattori also founded the watch and jewelry shop K. Hattori. This shop is in the Ginza area of Tokyo. Today, it is known as Seiko Group Corporation and is famous worldwide as Seiko.