The Creativity to found a company growing a business with the Sharp pencil

In 1915, Sharp founder Tokuji Hayakawa invented the innovative twist-type Hayakawa Mechanical Pencil - later dubbed the Sharp Pencil. This pencil represented the culmination of painstacking efforts by Tokuji after he had completed an apprenticeship in metalworking and had launched a business in 1912 in a crowded neighborhood of old tokyo. The Sharp Pencil served as the origin of our corporate name. With beauty and functionality in tune with the Taisho *1 Modern ethos of that period, the pencil was a hit product that led to a flourishing business. Since that time, an attitude of giving sincere thought to the people who use product - and of harnessing originality and creativity in the pursuit of convenience and quality - has been the foundation of Sharp.