Trajectory of Challenges

The 1950s

Honda Takes on Brave Challenges with Dreams and Passion

With 34 associates and 1 million yen in capital,
Honda started out as a small town factory in Hamamatsu.
The company ran with passion toward its dream.
After the launch of the Cub F-Type, business grew rapidly
with its unique sales network and excellent motorcycle products.
Honda gained a firm position in the motorcycle industry
after the Super Cub C100 became a hit in Japan and the U.S.,
and the company participated in the Isle of Man TT races.

Japan in the 1950s

Japan in the 1950s

In 1951, the San Francisco Peace Treaty was signed, ending Japan’s state of war internationally. At the same time, the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty was concluded. Combined with the government’s tax incentives for key industries, capital investment in the mining, manufacturing, and energy sectors was vigorous, laying the foundation for Japan’s economic development in the years to come.

The Super Cub C100 (1958)

Unique Product that Proved
“Good Products Know No National Boundaries”

The Super Cub C100 (1958)

Following the words of Soichiro Honda, “Make something that can fit in the hand,” the company pursued a motorcycle size and functional design that would be easy for anyone to handle. The new model was epoch-making, and many new innovations were incorporated without hesitation, including a 4-stroke engine, which was considered difficult to mass-produce in the 50 cc category, and an automatic centrifugal clutch that eliminated the need for clutch lever operation. The design concept remains consistent to this day, and the Super Cub continues to be loved around the world.

Dream D-Type (1949)

Honda’s First Full-fledged Motorcycle

Dream D-Type (1949)

The Dream D-Type was developed to be a faster, more comfortable, and more authentic motorcycle. At a time when tubular steel frames were the mainstream for Japan domestic motorcycles, the use of a channel frame made of easy to mass-produce pressed steel plate and the beautiful maroon painted body were eye-catching. Honda also developed a two-speed transmission that could be shifted by foot pedal alone, eliminating the need to operate the clutch. This was a challenge to create a motorcycle that could be easily handled by anyone.

(1949)

Soichiro Honda, the Maker,
Meets Takeo Fujisawa, the Seller

(1949)

Honda and Fujisawa first met in August 1949. They liked each other immediately. Although they had completely different personalities and specialties in different fields of work, the two liked each other because they saw something in the other that they did not have. Soichiro Honda, the maker. Takeo Fujisawa, the seller. A partnership was born, in which serious talking and sharing of unfathomable dreams was possible.

Cub F-Type (1952)

Bicycle Auxiliary Engine that Became
a Hit Through Direct Mail Marketing

Cub F-Type (1952)

With postwar reconstruction, bicycles with auxiliary engines became an important means of transportation, and amid countless competing products, the innovative design of the “white fuel tank and red engine” took Japan by storm. Honda’s sales network rapidly expanded from 400 to 13,000 outlets.

(1959)

Youth Versus the World:
Entering the Isle of Man TT Races

(1959)

In 1954, Honda declared its intention to participate in the Isle of Man TT Races, considered the world’s most prestigious racing event. Kiyoshi Kawashima and a group of young associates in their twenties were entrusted with this major project, which was to be the company’s most ambitious yet. Although keenly aware of the gap between their strengths and that of the rest of the world, they kept moving forward, and in their first entry in the Isle of Man TT Races in 1959, they won the manufacturers’ prize. The team’s momentum continued, and in 1961 Honda finally achieved its long-cherished goal of winning the race.

1948

  • GHQ announces
    three principles of
    corporate
    rationalization
  • Japan Automobile
    Manufacturers
    Association
    established.
  • Economic Stability
    Headquarters
    announces
    five-year plan
    for economic
    reconstruction.

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. established.

Details
Founder: Soichiro Honda

Founder: Soichiro Honda

Honda’s first original product,
the A-Type, launched in 1947.

1949

  • Dodge Line
    Declaration.
  • Exchange rate fixed
    at 360 yen to the
    dollar.
  • Japanese Industrial
    Standards (JIS)
    established.
  • North Atlantic Treaty
    Organization (NATO)
    signed.
Takeo Fujisawa joins the company as Managing Director.

Takeo Fujisawa joins the
company as Managing Director.

C-Type launched.

C-Type wins championship
in the Japan-U.S. auto races.

First full-fledged motorcycle Dream D-Type launched.

First full-fledged motorcycle
Dream D-Type launched.

1950

  • Public office election
    law announced.
  • Outbreak of Korean
    War.
  • Census of Japan’s
    total population:
    83.19 million.

Tokyo Sales Office established in
Maki-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.

Tokyo Plant established in Kamijujo,
Kita-ku, Tokyo.

Begins exporting products
(300 A-Type units to Taiwan)*1

1951

  • WHO (World Health
    Organization) approves
    Japan’s membership.
  • Japan-U.S. Security
    Treaty signed.
  • Japan’s automobile
    registration ordinance
    is announced.

Published “Three Joys”
in Honda’s Monthly Report.

Successful test of Dream E-Type
crossing the Hakone pass.

First instruction manual for
Dream E.

 First 4-stroke engine Dream E-Type launched.

First 4-stroke engine
Dream E-Type launched.

1952

  • Japan becomes an
    official member of
    the IMF.
  • Road Traffic Control
    Ordinance enacted.
  • Japan enacts the
    K-cars license Law.

Closed Tokyo Plant and established
Shirako Plant (Saitama Factory)

Head office moved from
Hamamatsu to Tokyo
(3-chome, Maki-cho, Chuo-ku).

Decided to purchase imported
machine tools worth
450 million yen*2

Establishes Nagoya, Shikoku,
Osaka, and Kyushu branches.

Cub F-Type released.

Cub F-Type released.

Exported Cub F-Type to Taiwan
and other countries (Honda’s
overseas business started).

Established sales system centered
on bicycle stores in conjunction
with the launch of the Cub F-Type.

1953

  • NHK Tokyo television
    station begins
    broadcasting.
  • Japan Friendship
    Commerce And
    Navigation Treaty with
    U.S. signed.
  • Korean War armistice
    agreement signed at
    Panmunjom.

Ranked first in Japan in motorcycle
production.

Head office and sales office moved to 2-chome, Maki-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.

Head office and sales office
moved to 2-chome, Maki-cho,
Chuo-ku, Tokyo.

Honda labor union formed.

Shirako and Yamato plants
combined to form Saitama Factory.

Yamashita and Noguchi plants
combined to form Hamamatsu
Factory.

First pressed backbone frame Benly J-Type released.

First pressed backbone frame Benly
J-Type released.

Honda HES (Honda Engineering
Standard) established.

Honda develops the first dedicated
on-board tool kit.

H-Type general-purpose engine
launched.

Details

Exported approximately 5,000 units
of the general-purpose H-Type
engine to Brazil.

1954

  • First All Japan Auto
    Show held.
  • Rational Sequence
    Measures to eliminate
    cycle distinctions for
    motorcycles
    implemented.
  • First five-year road
    improvement Plan
    adopted.
  • Jinmu economic boom
    begins.

Declared participation in
the Isle of Man TT races.

Details

Completed construction and
commenced operation of
Hamamatsu Factory’s Aoi Plant.

Participated in and finished
the Sao Paulo International
Auto Race with R125.

The T-Type 4-stroke
general-purpose engine launched.

Details
 Honda’s first scooter, the Juno K-Type, launched.

Honda’s first scooter, the Juno K-Type, launched.

1955

  • MITI announces the
    National Car Concept.
  • Japan formally joins
    GATT.
  • First transistor radio
    launched.
    (Sony Corporation)

Started 1-year motorcycle
warranty program.

Launched the Dream SA-Type (250 cc) and Dream SB-Type (350 cc) equipped with Honda’s first OHC engine.

1956

  • Economic White Paper:
    “Growth and
    Modernization of the
    Japanese Economy”
    released.
  • Japan joins the United
    Nations.
  • Japan Highway Public
    Corporation established.
Company Principle established*3

Company Principle established*3

Details

General-purpose engine
VN-Type launched.

Implemented 1-year motorcycle
warranty service program.

1957

  • Antarctic regional
    reserve observation
    team names
    observation base
    “Showa Station”.
  • Cabinet approves the
    use of domestically
    produced cars.
  • The European
    Economic Community
    (EEC) Treaty is signed.

R&D center established in the
Saiitama Factory’s Shirako Plant.

Honda dominates the Asama
Volcano Race, taking first through
fifth places in the junior class.

Honda listed on the Tokyo Stock
Exchange.

Dream C70 equipped with Honda’s first two-cylinder engine launched.

Dream C70 equipped with Honda’s
first two-cylinder engine launched.

1958

  • Tokyo Tower
    construction
    completed.
  • Kanmon National
    Highway Tunnel opens.
  • Iwato economic boom
    begins.
  • Instant ramen noodles
    go on sale (Nissin
    Foods).
Arakawa high-speed test course established.

Arakawa high-speed test course
established.

Super Cub C100 launched.

Super Cub C100 launched.

General-purpose engines VNC-Type
and VND-Type launched.

1959

  • Traffic fatalities
    exceed 10,000 for the
    first time.
  • Trade with the U.S.
    shows a surplus for
    the first time in the
    postwar period.
  • Dollar exchange rate
    liberalized.
  • Ise Bay Typhoon.

First overseas subsidiary, American
Honda Motor (AH), established in
Los Angeles, U.S.A.*4

Details
Participates in the Isle of Man TT Race for the first time with RC142, wins the manufacturers’ team award in the 125cc class.

Participates in the Isle of
Man TT Race for the first
time with RC142, wins the
manufacturers’ team award
in the 125cc class.

Details

Super Cub C100 exports to the
U.S. begin.

Benly CB92 Super Sport launched.

Benly CB92 Super Sport launched.

F150 tiller launched.

F150 tiller launched.

Details
  • 1Honda's first overseas export began with the A-Type to Taiwan through a buyer connected by a dealership in Osaka.
  • 2Honda decided to install state-of-the-art machine tools imported at a total cost of 450 million yen. This decision to invest in the future was made Honda’s capital was only 6 million yen. One of the machines installed, the Harvard Ship HYDR-6A (nicknamed “sip”), is still in use at Production Technology Operations after 63 years, partly due to daily maintenance, but also because “some products could not be made without the sip.” Soichiro Honda would be very pleased to see the sip roaring in action.
  • 3Soichiro Honda’s first company principle, which appeared in the Honda Newsletter No. 23 (January 1956), was “Maintaining an international viewpoint, the company is dedicated to manufacturing products excellent in performance yet an inexpensive price in response to the needs of the customers”
  • 4In 1959, Honda established its first overseas sales subsidiary, American Honda Motor Company, and began building its own sales network. Today, Honda's North American operations have established independent operations that combine sales, production, and R&D functions, and serve as a model for Honda’s overseas regional operations. In the mid-2000s, Honda’s cumulative investment in its North American operations exceeded approximately $8 billion US dollars, and the company employed more than 30,000 people directly in North America.
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 75 Years of History 1948-2023