Tamiya History Museum


Tracing Tamiya’s history through models

The Tamiya History Museum showcases Tamiya products, which have evolved with the times since the company’s founding in 1946.
In the summer of 2025, the museum renovated its exhibits from the company’s early days. The museum explores the transition from wood to plastic model materials through restored finished models, wooden models, and Styrofoam models, showcasing products from which only blueprints remained. Products symbolizing the company’s early days are also on display, including Tamiya’s first plastic model, the 1/800 Yamato, and the 1/35 Panther Tank, which laid the foundation for military model development. The museum also features valuable products that have defined the era, including early military miniatures and car models, which continue to this day, radio-controlled cars that sparked a boom upon their release, and Mini 4WD, which spread the appeal of palm-sized, moving models around the world as a racing hobby. Experience Tamiya’s journey as a global model manufacturer through trial and error .
Advance reservations are required to visit the museum. Apply for a reservation here.

Tamiya’s history from its founding to the 1970s

May 1946: Tamiya Shoji Limited Partnership was established in Oshika, Shizuoka City, with the aim of processing and selling general building materials.
April 1948: Recognizing the promising future of wooden models, a woodworking department was established. A manufacturing and sales business for model teaching materials was also established.
June 1953: The general building materials manufacturing and sales department was dissolved. The company began operations as a manufacturer specializing in wooden models.
May 1960: The 1/800 scale Yamato battleship was released as the first all-plastic model assembly kit.
January 1962: The 1/35 scale Panther Tank, the first motorized plastic model tank, was released.
January 1968: Tamiya exhibited for the first time at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair in Germany. The 1/12 scale Honda F-1 exhibited, further enhancing Tamiya’s reputation for precision scale plastic models.
November 1976: The 1/12 scale Porsche 934 Turbo electric radio-controlled car was released.

Company history and background

May 1946 Tamiya Shoji Limited Partnership was established in Oshika, Shizuoka City, for the purpose of processing and selling general building materials.
April 1948 Recognizing the promising future of wooden models, the company established a woodworking department, which also began manufacturing and selling model teaching materials.
June 1953 The general building materials manufacturing and sales division was dissolved and the company started as a specialized manufacturer of wooden models.
May 1960 The first all-plastic model assembly kit, the 1/800 scale Battleship Yamato, was released.
January 1962 The first motorized plastic model tank, the 1/35 Panther Tank, is released.
December 1962 The plastic molding division was spun off and Tamiya Plastic Industry Co., Ltd. was established.
January 1967 The first issue of the model information magazine Tamiya News is published.
January 1968 Tamiya exhibits for the first time at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair (now Spielwarenmesse), one of the world’s largest toy fairs. The 1/12 scale Honda F-1 model enhances Tamiya’s reputation for precision scale plastic models.
August 1969 Tamiya Plastic Industry Co., Ltd. changes its name to Tamiya Model Co., Ltd., and strengthens its mold and molding divisions.
August 1973 Tamiya Shoji Co., Ltd. completed its head office and set factory at 628 Oshika, Shizuoka City, a four-story reinforced concrete building with a total floor area of ​​4,500 m².
November 1976 Founder and Chairman, the late Yoshio Tamiya, is awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Fifth Class.
November 1976 1/12 scale electric radio control car Porsche 934 Turbo released.
May 1977 Shunsaku Tamiya is appointed President and Representative Director of Tamiya Model Co., Ltd.
November 1977 A three-story, 5,460m² distribution center is completed on the Tamiya Shoji (affiliated) site.
October 1978 Tamiya Circuit completed on land adjacent to Tamiya Shoji.
October 1978 Tamiya Plastics Co., Ltd. was established with the expansion of the plastic molding division.
May 1980 The first Tamiya Modellers Gallery exhibition, sponsored by Tamiya, was held at Tokyu Hands Shibuya in Tokyo.
December 1980 Tamiya Model Co., Ltd.’s new headquarters (main building) is completed at 3-7 Ondahara, Shizuoka City. It is a six-story building with a total floor area of ​​7,000 m².
July 1982 The Mini 4WD series, which would later become a huge hit, began with the Ford Ranger 4×4.
March 1984 As Tamiya Shoji Co., Ltd. expanded its business, Tamiya Co., Ltd. was established. Shunsaku Tamiya was appointed President and Representative Director.
Tamiya Co., Ltd. took over all of Tamiya Shoji’s operations.
November 1985 Tamiya Plastics Co., Ltd. Ikeda Factory begins operation.
November 1988 Yoshio Tamiya, founder and chairman of the Tamiya Group, passes away at the age of 83.
April 1989 Construction of the second headquarters building (East Wing) was completed on the Tamiya Model Co., Ltd. headquarters premises, with 8 floors above ground and 1 basement floor, totaling 8,500 m².
May 1989   Tamiya America is established in Los Angeles as a local office to expand sales in the United States.
September 1989   Tamiya Europe GMBH is established in Neuss, Germany as a sales base in preparation for the integration of the European Community.
April 1990 Tamiya’s second distribution center is completed at 915 Oshika, Shizuoka City. It is a four-story building with a total floor area of ​​5,317 m².
July 1990   Tamiya Hall opens at the Bovington Tank Museum in the UK.
December 1990 The planning, development, and other operations of Tamiya Model Co., Ltd. are integrated into Tamiya Co., Ltd.
July 1992 Tamiya America’s headquarters building is completed in Aliso Viejo, Orange County, California.
December 1993 Tamiya Hong Kong is established.
September 1994 Tamiya Philippines is established in the Mactan Island Special Export Processing Zone, Cebu, Philippines.
June 1995 Following the wishes of the late Yoshio Tamiya, he established the Tamiya Scholarship Foundation.
December 1995 The Mini 4WD series reaches a cumulative production of 100 million units.
May 1996 The Tamiya R&D Center Kakegawa, a research and development facility, and the Tamiya Kakegawa Circuit, one of the largest in the world with a site area of ​​approximately 7,000m² and a course length of 320m, have opened in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
December 1996 Tamiya Europe GMBH moves to Fürth, Germany.
April 1997 A scholarship program has been launched in the Philippines for students enrolled at both the University of San Carlos and the University of the Philippines.
November 2000 The first Tamiya Fair was held at Twin Messe Shizuoka South Hall.
March 2005 Received the 1st Design Excellent Company Award from the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization.
June 2006 Tamiya Tokyo office opens in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
June 2007 Tamiya America moves from Aliso Viejo, California to Irvine, California.
June 2008 Senior Managing Director Masayuki Tamiya is appointed President and Representative Director of Tamiya Co., Ltd. President Shunsaku Tamiya becomes Chairman and Representative Director.
September 2008   The official Tamiya Plastic Model Factory Shimbashi store opens in Shimbashi, Tokyo.
Tamiya’s Tokyo office is relocated to the same location.
October 2008 An off-road course for RC cars and a full-scale rock crawling field were constructed within the Tamiya Kakegawa Circuit.
April 2012 Tamiya Scholarship Foundation transitions from a foundation to a public interest incorporated foundation.
April 2015 The “1/1 Mini 4WD Real Car Project” begins. The “1/1 Mini 4WD Aero Avante” will be unveiled for the first time in October.
June 2016 Tamiya Kakegawa Circuit reopens as an all-weather circuit.
June 2016   In response to the Kumamoto earthquake, we sold “Ganbare! Kumamoto Mini 4WD (Kumamon Edition)” and donated all profits to Kumamoto Prefecture.
February 2017 The 68th Spielwarenmesse, the world’s largest toy fair, was held in Germany. Tamiya celebrated its 50th anniversary of exhibiting at the fair.
May 2017   President and CEO Masayuki Tamiya passes away (aged 59).
June 2017   Shunsaku Tamiya, Chairman and Representative Director of Tamiya Co., Ltd., will also serve as President.
July 2018 The 1/35 scale military miniature series celebrates its 50th anniversary. The lineup includes 360 models.
October 2023 Tamiya Philippines begins operations at new factory in CLIP (Cebu Light Industrial Park) on Mactan Island, Cebu
May 2024 TAMIYA PLAMODEL FACTORY TOKYO opens in Shinbashi, Tokyo as a new flagship location.
July 2024   Senior Managing Director Nobuo Tamiya is appointed President and Representative Director of Tamiya Co., Ltd. Chairman and President Shunsaku Tamiya becomes Chairman and Representative Director.
*In April 2005, Shizuoka City changed its address notation when it became a designated city.