History
Founding and a Miracle Across the Seas
Leather town, Asakusa
Kadoya is Japan's oldest leather jacket manufacturer. Its spirit of challenge and innovation has remained unwavering for 90 years since its founding. Kadoya has been operating in Asakusa since its establishment.
Kadoya was founded in Asakusa, its birthplace, in 1935, six years before the start of World War II.
The store's name at the time of its founding was "Kadoya Leather Clothing Store." It was a tailor shop. In Asakusa, a town of artisans, many similar tailor shops were operating at the time.
Asakusa, Tokyo, has long had many leather wholesalers, and leather products were actively produced there. How did Kadoya become a manufacturer known not only in Japan but also overseas, despite the fierce competition in Asakusa?
founder
Shojiro Fukano
Founder Shojiro Fukano opens Kadoya Leather Clothing Store in Asakusa, Tokyo.
Utilizing the geographical advantage of Asakusa, a mecca for the leather industry, he repaired and redyed leather products, and made custom-tailored leather garments. Shojiro, a motorcycle enthusiast, believed that "trust is earned by meeting customer demands." His leather jackets gained popularity, attracting many riders with strong opinions.
From the very beginning, Kadoya also repaired and re-dyed leather products. At that time, leather was a precious material, and in addition to making their own products, they often responded to requests such as "Please make tabi or leather jackets with this leather," or "Please re-dye this leather jacket."
Even today, custom orders are one of Kadoya's pillars. The reason they accept not only size adjustments but also customization to suit the user's preferences is because the founder, the late Shojiro Fukano's philosophy that "leather should be remade to the customer's liking" is still very much alive.
1930s miracle
According to motorcycle jacket researcher Rintaro Tanaka, leather jackets have a history of about 100 years. While Britain is considered their birthplace, the first leather jackets specifically made for motorcycles were created in the United States in the 1930s.
This coincided with the founding of Kadoya.
"My father also loved motorcycles and often made leather jackets for them. Originally, he made all kinds of leather products, but he gained a reputation as a skilled leather jacket maker, and many riders started coming to his shop."
(Masataka Fukano, the eldest son of founder Shojiro Fukano and current chairman)
At the time, there were no textbooks on how to make leather jackets. Shojiro also received many requests to repair and resize surplus U.S. military leather jackets, and it was there that he learned about Western leather jacket manufacturing.
Sale of full-scale riders jackets
Brand "KADOYA" Launched
In the 1930s, there was no leather specifically for leather jackets. Instead, customers would bring in their own leather, or leather that had been procured for bags would be used. Ready-made leather jackets did exist at the time, but many were poorly constructed and would quickly tear. For discerning riders, the idea that "leather jackets are only good if they're custom-made" took root.
About 50 years ago, when Kadoya truly began making riders' jackets, many of their customers, in particular, rode imported motorcycles. Masataka Fukano, the current chairman, created Kadoya's first logo mark and established its brand, making Kadoya's name known throughout Japan.
Today, Kadoya's mark is a crown-shaped frame, known as the Crown Mark, depicting the KADOYA logo and the Hinomaru (Japanese flag). However, it initially featured a horse mark and a cursive Romanized name sewn onto the lining. The horse mark was chosen because Masataka, born in the Year of the Horse, loved horses, and it would continue to be used for a long time thereafter.
This mark became a powerful symbol that attracted not only riders but also other customers.
"Designing with the wearer in mind. It's simply common sense."
Photo: Jumbo Tsuruta signing autographs for children at Kadoya
Masataka Fukano (current chairman): "My father valued his customers. He was proud of the leather jackets he made. We often made leather jackets for club teams who rode Harleys and Triumphs. We also had many celebrities and athletes. When I was a student, there was a crowd in front of the shop, and when I peeked in to see what was happening, Kyu Sakamoto was inside. My father was taking his measurements."
Many people recognized the high quality of Kadoya products, and it became especially famous for being favored by celebrities, to the point where it was said to be "the celebrity's choice."
Kadoya made many leather jackets for Takeshi Kitano when he was young, Hiroshi Fujioka (who played Kamen Rider 1), Hiroshi Tachi from Ishihara Productions, and car stuntman Chihiro Mitsuishi. Keisuke Kuwata during his KUWATA BAND days, Toru Nakamura, Sharam Q, and Namie Amuro are also Kadoya users.
Masataka Fukano (current chairman): "There were pro wrestlers and pro boxers too. Even sumo wrestlers from Ryogoku would secretly come to us to have leather jackets made, without their stablemasters knowing. I guess ready-made clothes wouldn't fit them, so custom-made was their only option."
Second Representative
Fukano Masataka
In 1975, he became the second president of the company, expanding the business by focusing on the motorcycle field. Committed to craftsmanship, he specialized in motorcycle apparel, which was also his hobby. He consistently released innovative products to the market with flexible and novel ideas. He is widely beloved by all as "the old man from downtown."
with the motorcycle
In 1975, Masataka, the son of founder Shojiro Fukano, became the second president. From this time, the company focused on the motorcycle sector and expanded its business.
Committed to artisan craftsmanship, Masataka developed products specializing in motorcycle wear, a hobby of his own. With flexible and innovative ideas, he successively introduced unprecedented products to the market.
As a result, with the arrival of the motorcycle boom, the name KADOYA quickly became widely known. At one point, the company supported dozens of racing riders and even installed billboards at Tsukuba Circuit alongside major corporations.
Even into the 1980s, the company's founding policies of "made-to-order" and "producing high-quality products" remained unchanged.
BATTLE SUIT
The "BATTLE SUIT" has become the uniform for serious motorcycle enthusiasts. It is the strongest protective suit ever, equipped with 14 leather-wrapped hard protectors throughout the body. The main body uses 1.5mm extra-thick cowhide, and everything is custom-made to precisely fit the protectors in key locations.
The pride of its pioneers and its long-selling success continue to build trust, making it a true "BATTLE" SUIT. Its overly aggressive form has captivated many riders, solidifying KADOYA's reputation for safety and reliability.
In addition, many best-selling products such as the "OVERGUARD SUIT," which was released as the first MFJ-approved two-piece suit, were all born from Kadoya's unique ideas and the skills of their experienced craftsmen.
To further delight our customers,
To foster further communication with riders, Kadoya is undertaking various challenges.
These include the "Fan Meeting," a return event for KADOYA fans, the "Shinya DAY" held with street attacker Shinya Sato, and the "AKIRA [A] Project" commemorating the 30th anniversary of the legendary work "AKIRA."
By creating opportunities for interaction not only with riders but also with various fields related to motorcycles, Kadoya is also focusing on the lifestyles of "people who enjoy motorcycles" to enable communication with a diverse range of customers.
AKIRA Bike
Chasing dreams, taking on new challenges, evolution continues.
KADOYA GRAFFITI.1
In 2005 (Heisei 17), we published a booklet called "KADOYA GRAFFITI" to commemorate our 70th anniversary.
Ref Leather
We've launched "Ref Leather," a specialized cleaning service for leather products.
This is an after-sales service to help customers enjoy their leather products for a long time.
"I consider this new venture to be my final mission, having dedicated my life to making leather jackets. Technical issues previously prevented me from pursuing it, but by incorporating proven methods, I can finally make it a reality.
This will establish the system I've envisioned for many years. Moving forward, alongside making leather jackets, I want to research and improve this business further," says current chairman Masataka Fukano.
always innovate
Cultivation of craftsmen
Currently, Kadoya's head office factory has a good balance of veteran and young craftsmen. The veterans' skills and the young craftsmen's enthusiasm. Both compensate for what the other lacks, aiming to create better products.
In the workshop, there is absolutely no private conversation during working hours. There's a tense atmosphere, and outsiders might find it unusual. It is truly a place where craftsmen engage in serious competition.
"You can immediately tell which craftsman made a product by their unique style. That's when I realize that Kadoya's products truly depend on its craftsmen. I feel that craftsmen have always vied with each other to create quality products throughout each era," says current chairman Masataka Fukano.
About KADOYA
“Provide motorcycle riders only with “true value” that has cleared strict standards”
This is KADOYA's motto and proud identity.
In addition to full-order products, which are rare in Japan, we have strategically responded to diversifying needs in recent years and have a wide range of high-quality products from basic to extremely hard lines.