It is the oldest manufacturing company in the world, operating continuously for 1,500 years.

Kathmandu. Thousands of companies are formed and dissolved every day around the world, many of which operate for only a few years or even months.

The world’s most valuable companies have only been around for a few decades. Today, the business landscape is changing rapidly as technology advances. As a result, no one knows how long the companies that claim to be the most valuable will last in the future.

Currently, there are only a few thousand companies with a history of more than 200 years in the world. There are very few old companies related to the construction industry. Among them, the oldest construction company in the world that is still in continuous operation is Kongo Group of Japan.

This Japanese manufacturing company is a company that was founded in the sixth century. Kongo Gumi Company was founded by a Korean wood product manufacturer that specialized in Buddhist temple construction. This company has been in continuous operation for the past 1446 years.

The history of Kongogumi is linked to Shitennoji, the first Buddhist temple in Osaka, Japan. By the end of the sixth century, Buddhism was spreading rapidly in Japan.

Although Taoism was prevalent in the Asian peninsula, the Japanese imperial family was directly involved in the large-scale spread of the new Buddhism. Building a Buddhist temple was an important step to achieve this goal. However, there were no Kalighas in Japan at that time who were famous for Buddhist temple architecture. Therefore, the three Miyagi Kalighas (Buddhist Kalighas) of the Baekje Empire on the Korean peninsula were invited to Japan.

Kongo Shiko was one of three missionaries invited from Korea to build Japan’s first Buddhist temple, Shitennoji, and he founded the Kongo-gumi construction company in 578.

The official history of this can be found in the Nihon Shoki (History of Japan) at Shitennoji Temple. Kongōgumi is therefore officially recognized as the oldest continuously operating company in Japan.

The company was actively involved in the construction and reconstruction of Buddhist temples throughout Japan for nearly a thousand years, starting with the completion of Shitennoji Temple in 593. Shitennoji Temple played an important role in the company’s success, but was not enough to ensure its existence for so long.

Hidekazu Sone, assistant professor at the Department of Arts and Culture at Shizuoka University, said Kongōgumi’s long-term survival depends on the efficiency of its caliphate and the management skills of its leaders.

In fact, Kongō Gumi has employed some of Japan’s most skilled blacksmiths since its founding. Competition between these different groups has led to the discovery and improvement of various techniques. This has helped the company stay ahead of various competitions.

Throughout its 1,446-year history, most of Kongo Gumi’s management has remained in the hands of 40 generations of Kongo Shikoku’s descendants. But the family puts corporate interests above tradition. However, during the Edo period (1603 – 1868), the company faced stiff competition from other Kaligar groups. Therefore, in order to ensure the survival of the family business, it only selected leadership with the necessary management skills and excellent management skills.

According to the documents obtained, the Congolese family did not always make the first child of the family the head of the construction company. If the eldest son lacked the necessary qualities to run the company, or the company leader was not loyal to his position and role, they would be replaced. If there were no sons in the family, the daughter who was responsible for the management of the company was married to a big blacksmith and leader.

Kongwe Gumi had to face many challenges in his journey of survival. Among them, the most notable events were the Shoa Depression in the 1920s and World War II. During the mid-depression, the 37th generation head of the company, Kongo Chunyi, committed suicide due to financial problems. Similarly, during World War II, the demand for Buddhist religious buildings dropped significantly.

Despite all the difficulties, the company managed to maintain its independent existence until 2006. Finally, Kongo Gumi was acquired by a new construction company in Osaka. At that time, Kongo Gumi was burdened with huge debts and could not operate independently.

Currently, the historic Kongō Gumi operates as a subsidiary of the Osaka Takamatsu Manufacturing Group. However, its impressive history continues to be a source of inspiration for its parent company as well as many other companies in Japan.

Currently, descendants of the Congo family are not involved in the management of Takamatsu Corporation. Only one child of Congo descent is currently employed as an employee. The Congo family is still highly respected among Japanese carpenters and potters.

– Institutions