He was apprenticed to a metal working business at the age of nine.
When 19 he patented the invention of a belt buckle which used metal teeth to grip the leather instead of holes.
On the success of the buckle he set up a company 116 years ago which he named after himself.
However, after another successful invention, he renamed the company after a feature of this product – a mechanical pencil.
The company went on to be an innovative powerhouse pioneering flat panel displays and becoming a leading player in flash memory.
Moral: A founder’s spirit can live on for generations
Yea indeed Skipoer and DontAgree Hayakawa it was and his company was re-named Sharp after his propelling pencil (of which i have a replica – a very proud possession).
Sharp: Tokuji Hayakawa
A great story: Tokuji Hayakawa & Sharp