Toraya is one of the oldest manufacturers of traditional confectionery in Japan. According to archives in Japan, Toraya was already supplying copnfectionery to the Imperial Family in the 16th Century and the family business continues to do so today. Continuing from those early days to the present day, the ownership of Toraya has passed directly form one generation to the next and this is a truly remarkable and successful family business.
Toraya's Founding Father
By the 1600's Toraya proprietor Enchu Kurokawa, today considered to be the founding father of Toraya, had established a prosperous confectionery business in Kyoto which is referenced in Temple records as far back as 1600. Further records dated September 15, 1635, provide a clear glimpse into the company's business at the time of Enchu's death including a list of the 20 types of confectionery that Toraya served to the Empress Meisho on the occasion of her visit to her father's court of retirement.
The Edo Period - 1603 to 1868
By the late 17th Century, the Toraya name had become well known to feudal lords in many provinces including some prominent historical figures. Sales records from the time also show that Toraya's business was continuning to thrive.
The next Century however brought with it difficulties in the form of fire that devastated Kyoto in 1788. More than half of the city was burned to the ground and both the Imperial Palace and Toraya were destroyed. In order to overcome the crisis, the 9th generation owner of the business, Mitsutoshi, compiled a set of rules and an 'employee manual' aimed at reforming the shop. These standards that were clearly documented are very much in evidence in the business of Toraya today.
Shop Opening in Tokyo
The end of the Edo Period was a time of political upheaval in Japan with the transfer of the capital from Kyoto to Tokyo in 1869 proving a major turning point for the family business that had been a purvyor to the Imperial Court fo many years. After pondering whether to move to Tokyo or remain in Kyoto, Toraya moved its main operations to Tokyo, keeping the shop in Kyoto as it was. The shop was relocated several times before finally settling into its present location, Akasaka, Tokyo in 1964.
Continued Family Involvement
Surviving the Great Kanto Earthquake and turmoil of World War II, Toraya Co. Ltd was founded in 1948. In 1962, the company established a shop at the Tobu Department Store in Ikebukuro with more outlets in department stores and train stations quickly following with the total number of Toraya outlets rocketing.
The company looked overseas as well and opened a shop in Paris in 1980 and another in New York in 1993 with the aim of introducing Japanese confections overseas.
In 1973 Toraya Archives was established which seeks to catalogue and preserve ancient records, documents and other materials associated with wagashi, Japanese traditional confectionery.
The current proprietor of Toraya is the 17th generation and the company itself now boasts more than 70 shops throughout Japan, mainly in Kyoto and Tokyo. While retaining the core values the company has held for centuries, challenges to enrich the traditions and pass on a legacy to future generations that is even brighter than the one handed down to them remains a key objective for the family business,one that is widely known across Japan and must be considered as one of the oldest family businesses in the world.
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