About IMAYO

Yohei Imanishi was the head clerk of Fujiya, a fancy goods store that had been in business for 17 generations in the neighborhood of Kyoto's Toji Temple, renowned for its five-storied pagoda. He married his master Seibei's daughter Kinu and opened his own store in 1861 in the same neighborhood. This store would later become Imayo.
At first the new store kept the name of its predecessor, "Fujiya". The company still has a sign from that era which reads "Fujiya Fancy goods store." Wartime requisitioning forced the store to move to the Narutaki area of Kyoto, and the name was then changed to "Imayo Shoten" after founder Yohei Imanishi. The name was shortened to the current "Imayo" in 1966 when the company underwent corporate reorganization.
On the company's 150th anniversary in 2012, aiming to redefine the company as a collective of artisans working to uphold the core concept of a "shining heritage," the Japanese characters used to write the name "Imayo" were changed to better reflect this ideal. While cultivating global talent, we stand by our guiding principle of "o-mo-shi-ro-no-ha-na-za-ka-ri" ("the allure of blooming flowers")--offering a full range of fun, elegant, and tastefully refined products. Forever pursuing good design and quality, as dedicated artisans we are committed to carrying on our shining heritage.