About
Watahan & Co., Ltd.

Corporate History

A history that dates back over 400 years, beginning in 1598

1500s Played an active role as vassal of the Oda family.
Oda Nobunaga (1534 - 1582) is the most famous warlord in Japan.
1582 After Honno-ji Incident, moved to Iida city, Nagano Prefecture.
Honno-ji Incident (1582): forced suicide of Oda Nobunaga by the rebellion of Akechi Mitsuhide, one of his most trusted generals, while staying at the Honno-ji Temple in Kyoto.
1598 Founded as a cotton business in Iida City.
(Watahan, the company name, derived from the name of the owner, Wataya Hanzaburo.)
Middle in the Edo Period Received permission to adopt a surname and to wear a pair of swords. Used family name Nohara.
Late in the Edo Period Achieved the highest rank "Higashi Ozeki" in the family status ranking list.
1868 Changed business from cotton to a hardware shop.
1949 Established Watahan Doutetsu Kanamono Co., Ltd. (current Watahan & Co., Ltd.) with a capital of 200,000 yen.
1953 Established "Ryukyo Scholarship Foundation" for students in the local Han-i district who wished to attend high school.
Started assistance according to Japan Scholarship Foundation.
1957 Started to donate school supplies to new elementary and junior high school students in family on welfare in Nagano and Shizuoka Prefectures(currently expanding the districts where there are stores and business offices sequentially).
1961 Established the new facility in Matsumoto City, Nagano and began steel frame construction business.
1962 Established the long roof manufacturing factory in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka and build the foundations of exterior roof construction.
1964 Established Watahan dormitory (later Seigaryo) to support students in the Han-i district who wished to attend high school.
Opened Watahan Store Iida as a general household product store.
1965 Began to deal with Mexican Opal business.
Started greening business by using the climate and natural features of Nagano Prefecture.
1966 Completed the Watahan Nohara Building at Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo as the Tokyo Head Office of Watahan Nohara Group.
1967 Opened a store in Mishima City, Shizuoka, along with a series of business offices in the Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Tokai, Kansai, Kyusyu and Okinawa areas.
1969 Opened Living Store Ina which deals with furniture and interior.
1970 Built Shizuoka Factory and increased the capacity of steel frame manufacturing.
Later, developed steel frame and bridge contract construction business, based on steel frame construction technologies.
1972 Started interior construction business.
1977 Established Watahan Home-Aid Co., Ltd for DIY chain store business.
Opened Nagaike store (first store) in Nagano prefecture.
1979 Opened Mexico-based affiliate Watahan de Mexico, S.A. DE C.V. to export Mexican made plant raw materials.
1980 Supported the establishment of social welfare corporation Watahan Nohara Sekizenkai.
Opened Villa Ryokufuen, a low-cost social welfare facility for the elderly.
1981 Opened the Konan store and advanced to Aichi Prefecture.
1983 Developed cover method which renovates roofs without stopping operations of the factory.
1987 Developed double-decker multi-story parking garage construction for home use and build the foundations of self-driving multi-story parking garage construction.
1991 Completed its headquarters building in Iida City, Nagano.
1992 Watahan Home-Aid Co., Ltd. introduced POS systems in all stores.
1995 Opened the Pharmaceutical Laboratory in Kanagawa Prefecture.
1999 Commemorated the 400th anniversary of its foundation and contributed around 400 art works to Iida City.
2000 Opened a social welfare corporation "Kuwanomi" a western region day service center.
Shizuoka Factory, Iida Factory, the Steel Frame Business Department acquired ISO 9001.
2001 Villa Ryokufuen acquired ISO 9002, as the first low-cost social welfare facility for the elderly in Nagano Prefecture.
2002 Began operation of the Nagano Distribution Center.
2003 Restructuring of Watahan Group and became a holding company.
2005 Introduced regular delivery of commodities to the Nagaike store and converted into super shopping center.
Opened "Kazakosi-no-sato" a special nursing home for the elderly.
2007 Introduced fresh food to the Nagaike store and made it a full line super shopping center.
Later, converted into super shopping centers sequentially.
Opened the Candelilla processing and refining factory in Mexico.
2008 Started "my 'special hometown' painting competition" as part of community youth development.
2010 Mitsuba Trading Co., Ltd. (current Watahan Trading Co., Ltd.) joined the group.
2012 Began operation of the low temperature distribution center.
Installed the recycle stations which collect used paper and plastic bottles at the stores.
2013 Opened "cotton 1598 Iida showroom" for the community communication place.
Later, expanded to stores sequentially.
2014 Established Right at Home Co., Ltd. for the purpose of home-visit care service.
Listed with second section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Opened "Watahan Ginza Gallery" to introduce world living.
2015 Kishi Co., Ltd. (current Watahan Fresh Market Co., Ltd.) joined the group and entered food supermarket business.
Opened "Emi-no-sato" for a special nursing home for the elderly.
Acquired the naming rights of "Watahan Iida Baseball park".
Listed with first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
2016 Jmart Co., Ltd.(current Watahan Jmart Co., Ltd.) joined the group. Expanded store network to Yamanashi, Kanagawa, Tokyo, Saitama Prefectures.
Established Myanmar-based affiliate SHIN WATAHAN Co., Ltd. for the purpose of overseas development of Parking.
Won a silver medal at Chelsea Flower Show held by Royal Horticultural Society.
Opened "Watahan football park FUTSAL POINT Shiojiri".
Developed "the rainwater storage column".
Released the extra-large sliding sash "GLAMO".
2017 Established Watahan Partners Co., Ltd. as a cooperative purchasing company of Watahan groups.
2018 Opened the Kani store and advanced to Gifu Prefecture.
Abelnet Co., Ltd.(current Watahan.com Co.,Ltd) joined the group.Watahan.com Co.,Ltd.
2019 Marusan Mihara Shoten Co., Ltd.(current Watahan Mihara Shoten Co., Ltd.) joined the group.
Science Home Co., Ltd. joined the group.
2020 Rigna Co, Ltd. joined the group.
Hoshiman.Co., Ltd.(current Watahan Drug Co.,Ltd.) joined the group.
2021 Taiyo Co.,Ltd. joined the group.
Yume house INC. joined the group.
Fuggicosi Co.Ltd.(current Rigna Co, Ltd.) joined the group.
Watahan Shurui Co., Ltd. joined the group.
2022 Transferred to the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
AIC Co.Ltd.(current Watahan Real Estate Co, Ltd.) joined the group.
Watahan Farm Co., Ltd. joined the group.