Electronics and machinery
Canon キヤノン
A camera named after a Buddhist goddess
Canon started in 1933 as a small laboratory in Tokyo trying to build a high-quality camera to rival Leica. Its first prototype, the Kwanon, was named after Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. The name later became Canon.
- Founded
- 1937
- Shōwa 12
- Founder
- Gorō Yoshida, Saburō Uchida and Takeshi Mitarai
- Started in
- Tokyo
- Status
- Still trading
- Age 89 years
Timeline
-
1934 (Shōwa 9)
Builds the Kwanon prototype camera.
-
1937 (Shōwa 12)
Precision Optical Industry is founded.
-
1947 (Shōwa 22)
Renames itself Canon Camera Company.
-
1969 (Shōwa 44)
Becomes Canon Inc. as it moves into copiers and office equipment.
Years in brackets are the Japanese era year. Japanese era converter →
Did you know?
The first logo showed Kannon with a thousand arms, sitting on a lotus flower.
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Dates follow the companies' own published histories where available. Trademarks belong to their owners; this page is not affiliated with any company listed.