1837 Okura Kihachiro, founder of Okura, born in Niigata prefecture
1854 Kihachiro becomes an apprentice for a merchant house in Edo
1857 Kihachiro opens his own shop
1870 Kihachiro opens a Western style tailor store in Ginza
1871 Okura participates in construction of the Shinbashi Station
1872 Kihachiro makes an 18 month private trip to Europe, including London, where he met some members of the Iwakura Embassy
1873 Okuragumi Shokai founded
1874 first overseas branch opened in London. Yokoyama Magoichiro (1848-1911) sent to run it – spoke English – had been in Switzerland in Meiji 5 (1872) studying trade.
1882 Kihachiro’s son, Kishichiro born
1885 Okura & Co at 9 Fenchurch Avenue
1895 Okuda & Co at 84 Bishopsgate
1902 Okura & Co at 53 New Broad Street
1903-1906 Kishichiro studies at Trinity College, Cambridge, but does not graduate
1907 Kishichiro competes in first ever car race held at Brooklands, Surrey
1912 George Osborn is London Manager of Okura & Co. Born in Nanao, Japan in 1879 to Percival Osborn and Seto, nee Ogawa.
1922 Mr C Kadono, vice-president of Okura & Co visits Britain as part of the Japanese Industrial Mission. Tells Birmingham Chamber of Commerce that “I do not think that Motor Car Industry can be very promising in Japan.”
1953 Baron Okura visits UK to sound out the acquisition of manufacturing rights for helicopters and fighters.