About “NAGOMI”
From “Yokan-YONEYA” to NAGOMI-YONEYA
Even in the world of Japanese confectionary, we have already established a reputation as a long-established shop.
But our philosophy is that, rather than sitting back on the laurels of tradition, we must evolve as we move into the future.
With this in mind, we formed a corporate vision aimed at creating a culture of Japanese confectionary for the 21st Century.
This vision is embodied in the word “NAGOMI.” The emblem shown on the curtain at the entrance to the shop comprises two characters in two interesting circles. The first of these characters (on the left) means peace or harmony, and the second (on the right) taste or flavor. Combined, they are read “NAGOMI.” We have incorporated these characters into the name of the shop to mean spiritual harmony combined with delicious taste and tradition combined with innovation.
The design that combines gentle curves with boldly written calligraphy represents our commitment to resolutely tackle new challenges. The idea of “NAGOMI” is our starting point.
Company
Established in 1899 (Meiji 32), we are a long-established company engaged in the production and sale of items such as Japanese confectionary with its head office in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture.
Taking a hint from “Kuri-Kan,” a type of Shojin-Ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) confectionary made using chestnuts, our famous “Kuri-Yokan” was first made using a variety of chestnut known as “Shiba chestnuts.
” Although we succeeded in achieving the top Yokan sales volume in Japan during the early days of the Showa Era (1926 - 1989), production was discontinued due to the regulation of raw materials imposed in 1944.
“YONEYA HONTEN Corporation” was established in December 1945, marking the postwar resumption of business.
The company first made inroads into Tokyo with an exhibition of its products at an event known as “The Exhibition and Sales marking the Restoration of Japanese Confectionary” held at the Tokyo Mitsukoshi department store in 1950.
Subsequently, the company went on to show its products in cities such as Osaka and Sapporo. Now, the company operates over 20 directly-managed shops in Chiba Prefecture.
YONEYA Factory No. 2
The most important section of our company is the Production Department, where the ultimate priority is on quality. Here, we pursue methods of producing traditional tastes with absolute safety. Techniques amassed down through the long years of our history and cutting-edge automation technologies are combined here to realize the traditional taste and spirit of YONEYA.
Committed to making our delicious confectionary available to as wide a customer base as possible, our Production Department is the very origin of our corporate vision of “NAGOMI.”
The History of YONEYA
A brief history of YONEYA spanning a period of more than one hundred years from its foundation in 1899 (Meiji 32) to the present is presented below.
Meiji Era (1868 – 1912)
| April 1899 | Established |
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Taisho Era (1912 - 1926)
| March 3, 1914 | Exhibited Yokan at the Tokyo Taisho Exposition and won the Silver Medal. |
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| November 1922 | Exhibited products at the Peace Exposition and won the Silver Medal. |
Showa Era (1926 - 1989)
| December 1945 | Incorporated under the name “YONEYA HONTEN Corporation.” |
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| February 1950 | Kenichi Morooka appointed as president. |
| March 1950 | Exhibited products at the Tetsudou Kousaikai Exhibition and won the first prize. |
| November 1950 | Exhibited products at the Exhibition and Sales marking the Restoration of Japanese Confectionary |
| March 1955 | Exhibited Yokan products at the National Confectionary Exposition and won the Honorary President Award. |
| August 1958 | Exhibited products at the Brussels World Fair and won the Gold Medal. |
| October 1959 | Exhibited products at the 45th London Bread and Confectionary Exposition and won the Gold Medal. |
| April 1961 | Exhibited Yokan products at the 15th National Confectionary Exposition and won the Honorary President Award. |
| November 1961 | Won the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Award for a hygienic factory. |
| April 1962 | Launched the sale of canned Mizu-Yokan (soft sweet-bean jelly). |
| December 1966 | Opening of the YONEYA Drive-in in Narita City. |
| September 1970 | Launched the sale of the first-ever pocket-sized Yokan called “YONE-Pack.” |
| February 1973 | Exhibited products at the 18th National Confectionary Exposition and won the Honorary Award exempt from examination by the judges. |
| August 1974 | Opening of Factory No.2 at the Nogedaira Industrial Park in Narita City |
| November 1982 | Opening of a tour center in Factory No.2. |
| October 1987 | Completed the computer-controlled automatic logistics and warehousing system |
Heisei Era (1989 - )
| August 1990 | Changed the company name to YONEYA Corporation. |
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| November 1995 | Opening of the YONEYA Sightseeing Center. |
| May 1998 | Takaaki Morooka appointed as Representative Director. |
| October 1998 | Opening of the NAGOMI-YONEYA Katsutadai Shop (The first roadside shop). |
| June 2002 | Factory No.2 acquired ISO14001 (Environment Management System) certification. |
| October 2002 | Renewal and opening of the NAGOMI-YONEYA Flagship Shop and inauguration of the Narita Yokan Archives Museum. |
| May 2005 | Yasuhiko Morooka appointed as Representative Director and President. |
| September 2005 | Factory No.2 acquired ISO9001 (Quality Management System) and HACCP certifications. |
| February 2007 | Factory No.2 launched operation of a new environmentally-friendly boiler system. |
| March 2007 | Awarded the 12th Regional Economy “Hometown and Spirit Prize.” |
| April 2007 | Renewal and opening of the Iidacho Café “NAGOMI STAGE”. |
| March 2008 | Won the “Kikka Eiko Award” for its Peanuts Monaka. |
| April 2009 | Factory No.2 acquired OHSAS18001 (Occupational Safety and Health Management System) certification. |
| August 2009 | The number of visitors to the Narita Yokan Archives Museum topped 200,000. |
| October 2009 | Ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of the company’s establishment. |
| February 2010 | Presented with the “Eiichi Shibusawa Prize” by the Governor of Saitama Prefecture. |
| September 2011 | Renewal and opening of the YONEYA Sightseeing Center. |
| May 2013 | Won the Honorary President Award at the 26th National Confectionary Exposition for its Peanuts Monaka. |
| March 2015 | Opening of the NAGOMI-YONEYA JR Narita Station Shop. |
| May 2015 | Yoshikazu Morooka appointed as Representative Director and President. |
| March 2016 | The number of visitors to the Narita Yokan Archives Museum topped 300,000. |
