Nippon Kogaku KK 1930's-40's Japan Address

[Rangefinder Man]

Hello Nikon Collectors
I wanted to ask if anybody knows what Nippon Kogaku's KK Japanese address was during the late 1930's to 1940's. I know it is a weird question, but I think I might have found some orignal paperwork from that time and I think it might have there address on it. Thanks.

[David Murphy]

Here's a try:

Nippon Kogaku K.K.
Shinagawa, Tokyo

(from the the Nikon S manual back cover)

[steamer]

Is it in Japanese? if so scan it and post it and I can get someone to look at it.
Cheers
Steve

[bob cole]

Hello Nikon Collectors
I wanted to ask if anybody knows what Nippon Kogaku's KK Japanese address was during the late 1930's to 1940's. I know it is a weird question, but I think I might have found some orignal paperwork from that time and I think it might have there address on it. Thanks.


According to the Nikon expert, Peter Braczko's 460-page "The Complete Nikon System," Nippon Kogaku K.K., which was a subsidiary of Mitsubishi and began in July of 1917, began producing in Oi, Japan, in 1918. The next date Braczko mentions is 1967 when he says Nikon opened a plant in Yokohama while other plants followed in Sagamihara in 1971, Tochigi in 1963, Mito in 1968, Sendai in 1977 and Kumagaya in 1989...

Braczko relates that the "parent firm," presumably Mitsubishi, began producing optical glass in Oi, Japan in 1918, with government contracts, producing its first opera glasses by 1920, followed by a glass research lab in 1923, its first microscope in 1925 and the production of lenses after 1932 under the name Nikkor.

He further states that Canon [then known as Seiki Kogaku] produced the first Japanese 35mm camera in 1935 and that its lens was made by Nippon Kogaku and had the name Nikkor on it...The first Nikon, he said, followed in 1948...

Thus, during the Thirties and Forties, one might guess ---it's just a guess-- that Nippon Kogaku operated in Oi , Japan... Except for the guess, all of this comes from Braczo, page 8-9...2000...In English, translated from the German edition...

regards, bob cole

[steamer]

Oi is in Tokyo's Shinagawa ward.

[NIKON KIU]

Check out this page:
http://www.nikonhs.org/history.html
Its difficult to figure where the address was,during that time period, since Nippon Kogaku was reduced to one factory after the end of the second world war, compared to many many factories before and during the war.
After the war the Ohi(Oi) factory was the one that remained.
Kiu

[Rangefinder Man]

Is it in Japanese? if so scan it and post it and I can get someone to look at it.
Cheers
Steve

Here is the images of a map to Canon's (Seiki Kogaku) factory and the reverse side of the map. I got it from a deceased estate. Thanks.

[Rangefinder Man]

I'm getting the form translated by a fellow collector, who understands chinese and has said that the caracters are based on the chinese language. He said it looks like a quotation form. I'll keep you informed.

[steamer]

Just after a quick look I can see the paper is dated 1967
it seems to be an order form with places for part name and total
The Japanese people couldn't tell me what the heading was because the characters are old fashioned.

[NIKON KIU]

OK, here is my take.
Back in the 1960s, the English speaking customer walks into the Nippon Kogaku headquarters looking for parts or repair to his Canon, at the parts counter, they realize he doesn't speak much Japenese so they find an employee that speaks some english and he draws a Map on one of their order forms( I work in a car dealership and we have such forms) and sends the English speaking customer to Canon(Seiki Kogaku) for his needed part or service!
Hence this map with the instructions to get there.
Sounds right?
Kiu

[Rangefinder Man]

OK, here is my take.
Back in the 1960s, the English speaking customer walks into the Nippon Kogaku headquarters looking for parts or repair to his Canon, at the parts counter, they realize he doesn't speak much Japenese so they find an employee that speaks some english and he draws a Map on one of their order forms( I work in a car dealership and we have such forms) and sends the English speaking customer to Canon(Seiki Kogaku) for his needed part or service!
Hence this map with the instructions to get there.
Sounds right?
Kiu

I got this from a estate of a returned US serviceman who was in Japan around 1945-46. I don't know if the date is correct (can't read Japanese/Chinese characters), but the details sound correct going by my friend. My collector friend is a Chinese translator, so I hope he can give me more details.