San-X --- quirky // a guide to San-X and their characters

San-X

San-X aims to be a company that hopes to provide sparkle and meaningful messages to a wide variety of targets through its character business.

サンエックスはキャラクタービジネスを通じて、より幅広いターゲットに生活提案できる企業を目指しています。

San-X is one of the largest character oriented stationary and gift manufacturing companies in Japan. Since 1980, San-X has created more than 800 characters, with 2 to 3 new characters each month totaling to about 30 new characters per year.

San-X was founded in April 1932 as a privately-owned business under the name Chida Handler. In October 1942, Chida Handler became a limited company. Chida Handler's name was changed to San-X in May 1973. The name San-X derives from an earlier logo which was a row of three X characters. "San" is three in Japanese.

Before Tarepanda became a hit, most of San-X products did not rely on characters. They continue to sell products, such asstationary with scenic shots and illustrations. In 1987, San-X created Pinny-Mu, their biggest character until Tarepanda was created in 1995. After Tarepanda became a success in 1998, San-X turned into a full-scale character development and licensing company. Their current most popular character, Rilakkuma, was created in 2003. Mamegoma, closely following Rilakkuma's popularity, was created in 2005 and was adapted to an anime series in 2009.

Name and Logo

In April 1932, Kyozo Chida first established the company as CHIDA HANDLER. In May 1973, the name was changed from CHIDA HANDLER Co. Ltd. to SAN-X Co. Ltd. A possibility for where the name San-X comes from is based on the original logo of the company, which consisted of a shape of three people standing next to each who looked like X’s. As “san” in Japanese means “three,” the name could be translated as “Three X’s.” In 2000, San-X adopted a new logo where the SAN was changed to lower-case letters and the X was replaced with a four-leaved clover.

Location

San-X Co., Ltd.
2-4 Kandatachou, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo-to JAPAN

サンエックス株式会社
東京都千代田区神田多町2-4

Timeline

April 1932
The first company president Kyozo Chida established CHIDA HANDLER as a private business at Kandatachou 2-6 in the Chiyoda district of Tokyo.

October 1941
The company was reorganized from a private business to a limited company.

March 1945
Due to World War II, with little to no distribution of raw materials as well as the company employees being called upon and drafted, the company temporarily closed.

March 1946
The company was able to resume, however, they were limited to within the Tokyo Metropolitan area.

April 1957
Throughout the country, about 400 clients and stores were established, and thus a domestic sales network was completed.

December 1957
The company converted to a joint stock corporation.

February 1970
The company expanded and constructed new factories in Koshigaya of Saitama Prefecture.

April 1973
A new head office was completed in Kanda.

May 1973
Without change to the trademark, the name of CHIDA HANDLER Co. Ltd. was changed to SAN-X Co. Ltd.

1980
San-X began to create original characters for merchandise.

January 1984
Kyozo Chida passed away and his second son, Masao Chida was inaugurated as the company president.

July 1986
A general merchandise distributor center was completed in Koshigaya.

1932年（昭和7年4月）
先代社長千田杏三が個人営業チダ・ハンドラーとして神田多町2-6で創業

1941年（昭和16年10月）
個人営業から有限会社に改組

1945年（昭和20年3月）
大平洋戦争のため資材配給皆無と社員応召及び徴用により一時休業

1946年（昭和21年3月）
営業再開（東京都内を対象）

1957年（昭和32年4月）
全国に代理店、特約店など約400店を設置し、全国販売網を完成

1970年（昭和45年2月）
埼玉県越谷市に新工場を建設

1973年（昭和48年4月）
本社ビル竣工

1973年（昭和48年5月）
株式会社チダ・ハンドラーの社名を商標そのままのサンエックス株式会社に変更する

1984年（昭和59年1月）
千田昌男社長に就任

1986年（昭和61年7月）
物流センター竣工

1992年（平成4年）
60周年記念祝典を行う

2002年(平成14年）
70周年記念祝典を行う