Founder: Ichiro Akiyama

薬研
Ichiro Akiyama, whose home town was Hiramachi in Fukushima Prefecture, came to Tokyo on October 7, 1916. Carrying just a bedroll and wearing just a lined kimono, he had only 3.06 yen in his pocket. And the train fare to Ueno was 1.94 yen. After first learning the business at Hoshi Seiyaku for about ten years, on October 11, 1925 he set off on his own to set up a small tablet making company. On its dirt floor the factory housed one druggist's mortar, one tablet making machine, and one pulverizing machine, implements which today are treasured as relics of the company's history.

 

 


Akiyama Laboratories: founded in 1925

A young man put up a clearly written black lettered sign reading "Akiyama Laboratories" in a second story window in a corner of Tokyo. The date was October 11, 1925. The place was the commercial district of Tamukai Tokoshi Aza, Hiratsuka mura O-aza, Ebara gun, Tokyo (today the address is known as 1-9 Tokoshi, Shinagawa ku). The brand new sign caught the eye of passers by. The building it was in was by no means impressive. It was just an ordinary two story structure, with no fancy decorations, and without a rich display of products as in a commercial establishment. It was a small factory. Only two people worked there, the young man and his wife. This one small factory is where Aikyama Jozai Co., Ltd. began, and the young man who put the "Akiyama Laboratories" sign in its entranceway was it founder, Ichiro Akiyama (then 32 years old).