Category Archives: Vintage

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.

 

In Memoriam: Mr. Masao Tamiya who defined the Tamiya style


For model enthusiasts and design aficionados, the name Masao Tamiya has long been deeply etched in their hearts as the “behind-the-scenes force” behind the beauty of the Tamiya brand. As the younger brother of Chairman Shunsaku, Tamiya oversaw Tamiya’s design for over 30 years and created the iconic Twin Star logo that symbolizes the brand. His passion and craftsmanship exude an unwavering commitment to beauty and unwavering trust.

The Man Behind Packaging That “Conveys” Design
In 1981, the exhibition “Designer and Company Series 20: Masao Tamiya and TAMIYA: Tamiya Model Packaging Design” was held at Design Gallery 1953, showcasing the internationally acclaimed packaging designs he had created over more than 20 years. Tamiya’s white box (the so-called “white package”) was not merely packaging, but a “window” that spoke of its contents and heightened the anticipation of opening it. Above all, the precise and thoughtful design resonated deeply with fans.

Design as Art − The World of “Paper and Color”
After leaving Tamiya in 1998, Tamiya shifted his creative focus to graphic art. In 2005, an exhibition of three-dimensional artworks created by hand using paper was held. Utilizing the unique texture of paper and the warmth of handcrafted work, the pieces featured vibrant flat surfaces and depth reminiscent of paintings. Visitors were likely moved by the subtle variations in coloring and cutting, realizing that this was not merely a print but a living, breathing work of art.

Tamiya World Championship 1996

Our reader Søren Boy Holst who won the Tamiya World Championship 1996 and still races since 35 years without a break RC cars kindly provided us some insights, photos and video of it for which we are very thankful:

Attached is a podium photo from the Tamiya World Championship 1996 held at Kakegawa Circuit, where Søren Boy Holst from Denmark won the FWD class and became Tamiya World Champion. In the same season, he also won the Tamiya European Championship in Switzerland (where a young Marc Rheinard also participated in the FWD class) – making it a double victory year for him in the Front Wheel Drive category.

In the photo, Søren is seen at the top of the podium holding his trophy and his Tamiya FWD race car. The race marked the early use of the now-famous Kakegawa Circuit, which had only just opened that year.

Also present at the same event was Scotty Ernst (USA), now a legendary RC race announcer and founder of the ETS series, who competed in the 4WD Touring Car class. The US FWD Champion Fred Medel also took part in the FWD category.

If you have other photos, link to the TV article, or any other relevant informations from that race, please send it to me. – I had a fantastic time in Japan, and I plan to come back soon, this time with my family.

Noriko Hidaka, Mae-chan, and Dr. Taki appear at Tamiya RC Car 50th Anniversary Event



To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Tamiya RC car, the “Tamiya RC Car Grand Prix” recording race was held at the Tamiya Circuit in Shizuoka City on Saturday, April 12, 2025. Popular voice actress Noriko Hidaka, who served as the MC of the popular TV program “Tamiya RC Car Grand Prix,” Yasuyuki Maeda, also known as Mae-chan of Tamiya, and Fumito Taki, a Tamiya employee also known as Dr. Taki, gathered together for the first time in 35 years. RC fans who watched the program at that time participated from all over the country and struggled in the race to aim for the driver interview by Noriko Hidaka, which was also a specialty of the program. The venue was filled with smiles from start to finish, and it was a dream-like day that brought back fun memories of those days.

In addition, the “Tamiya RC Car Grand Prix Special” will be held at the Tamiya Kakegawa Circuit the following day, Sunday, April 13. The guests were Hiromi Kae, a TV personality who loves Mini 4WD and RC cars, and Satoshi Maezumi, a Tamiya employee who has won the Electric Off-Road All Japan Championship and is currently involved in the management of RC car events. Don’t miss this heated battle that unfolded on one of the world’s largest RC circuits.

Tamiya RC Car Grand Prix Special in Tamiya Circuit held on Saturday, April 12th in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Tamiya RC Car Grand Prix Special in Tamiya Kakegawa Circuit held on Sunday, April 13th in Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture

Tamiya Grasshopper & Hornet 40th Anniversary Video



Tamiya’s RC buggies, Grasshopper and Hornet, will celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2024. To commemorate the 40th anniversary, we will introduce videos from when they were released and events held in 2024 to commemorate the 40th anniversary.
The commemorative events were held at Tamiya Circuit on August 18, 2024, Pine Beach RC Raceway on November 10, 2024, and TAMIYA PLAMODEL FACTORY TOKYO from November 30, 2024 to January 26, 2025.  Event details: Tamiya Circuit (August 18, 2024): This was an RC fan meeting where participants brought their favorite Tamiya RC cars and enjoyed free driving and photo shoots. Mini RC games and a raffle were also held.  Pine Beach RC Raceway (November 10, 2024): Participants drove and raced in a driving event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Grasshopper and Hornet.  TAMIYA PLAMODEL FACTORY TOKYO (November 30, 2024 to January 26, 2025): A Grasshopper & Hornet 40th Anniversary Campaign was held, and various events were held.

A romantic story about the birth of the Tamiya RC buggy car



This time, we will talk about how to play with RC cars, which led to the birth of the Tamiya RC Buggy. It has been about 45 years since the birth of the Tamiya RC Buggy, and many people are still enjoying the Tamiya romance today. This video is full of emotion so that the romance of Tamiya RC cars can be conveyed to people all over the world, so please take a look.
Source: Paisen RC

Photos from Tamiya RC 50th Anniversary – Tamiya RC 50 Years Perfect Album



Includes all the latest models, including the Hornet EVO.
Tamiya’s first RC model, the M4 Sherman tank, released in 1974, and the world’s first electric RC car, the Porsche Turbo RSR934 Racing, released in 1976, as well as the latest models, including the Hornet EVO. In addition to the main electric car models, the book explains over 1,200 RC models released in the past, including trucks, gliders, and yachts. At the end of the book, there is a complete collector’s edition list that covers everything from RC car kits to spare parts, limited edition products, and export-only models.

Special interviews with Dr. Taki, Noriko Hidaka, and Mae-chan are included!
“Tamiya RC Car Grand Prix” is a legendary TV program that was broadcast for 15 years from 1984. This book features special interviews with the three cast members. We spoke with Dr. Taki, who gave us a clear explanation of RC, Noriko Hidaka, who is by far the most popular reporter among all the reporters, and Yasuyuki Maeda, also known as “Tamiya’s Mae-chan,” who played an active role as a host and commentator. We asked
Dr. Taki about the thoughts behind the 1/16 scale RC tank “M4 Sherman 105mm Howitzer,” which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024 and is being rapidly developed for commercialization. Looking back

At the memorable “Tamiya RC Guidebook”!
In 1978, the electric RC car boom that began with the appearance of the Porsche Turbo 934 Racing was in full swing. The “Tamiya RC Guidebook,” edited by Tamiya Model Design Room (at the time), was released as the official printed material to introduce Tamiya’s RC models. In addition to serving as a catalogue showcasing all of the Tamiya RC models sold at the time with beautiful photographs, the book also contains detailed information that was difficult to find at the time, such as basic knowledge of RC models, such as the type of radio wave used by the transmitter and how to choose a kit, tips on assembly and tools, tuning tips, and even practice methods to improve driving techniques, making it a veritable bible for anyone who enjoys Tamiya RC models. This book looks back on the history of Tamiya RC models, which were published in accordance with the era and the products released, using valuable “original items” in Tamiya’s collection.