In 1887, Tomiro Nagase opened a modest shop in the
heart of Tokyo selling soap and other pharmaceutical
products. He named his store Kao, or the King of
Flowers. Always focusing on the welfare of the consumer, Nagase used this motive as a way to get to the
people of Japan. Then in 1890, he introduced the first
product to be manufactured by Kao, called Kao Soap.
By 1923, Kao opened its first manufacturing plant in
Tokyo, and began to produce its Kao Soap there. From
this period forward, other products began to enter into
the expertise of Kao, with introduction of Kao’s own
shampoo, laundry detergent, scouring powder, and a
liquid detergent.