1931 |
April |
Matsutaro Yamada begins sales on his own of magic materials in Shintomicho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. He is the father of Akira Yamada, Tenyo's first president, and a professional magician who performed under the stage name Tenyo Shokyokusai, The current name of the company is taken from this stage name. The famed Tenko Hikita was one of his disciples. |
1960 |
April |
Tenyo Magic Institute Co., Ltd., established.
Akira Yamada assumes post of representative director. |
1962 |
April |
Company name changed to K.K. Tenyo, and product lines expanded to include non-magic items. |
1963 |
August |
"Pla-puzzle" released. Continues to sell today as a classic puzzle. |
1969 |
July |
Dai Vernon, one of the most respected American magicians, is invited to Japan for the first time to lecture around the country. Has a great impact on Japanese magic fans. |
1970 |
May |
Company name changed to Tenyo Co., Ltd. |
1971 |
May |
"Sea Monkey" released, a novel pet that is born when the egg is placed in water. |
1973 |
March |
Jigsaw puzzles imported from Germany and sold. Gradual switchover to domestic production. |
July |
Sales of backgammon begun. Japan Backgammon Association established. |
1974 |
January |
Establishment of a thoroughgoing after-service system for jigsaw puzzles using service cards. |
1975 |
August |
Sales of children jigsaw puzzles begun for the first time in Japan. |
October |
Magic encyclopedia "Tarbell Course Vol. 1" translated and published. |
1981 |
November |
"Tarbell Course Vol. 7" published, completing translation of the entire seven-volume cycle. |
1983 |
April |
Sales of magic goods begun in theme park magic shops. |
1988 |
March |
Sales of child puzzles begun. |
1989 |
October |
Sales of the vanishing money coin box "Art Bank" begun. |
1991 |
March |
Move to Sengoku, Koto-ku, with the completion of the Headquarters Building. Efforts made to bolster the service system with the introduction of free-dial telephone numbers. |
April |
Sales of the front-opening one-touch jigsaw puzzle panel begun. |
November |
Sales of the etched puzzle "Metallic Puzzle." |
1992 |
May |
Sales begun of "3D Art Posters," in which pictures appear to emerge out of a sandstorm-like background.
Touches off a 3D art boom in Japan. "Magic Eye," published under sublicense, becomes a super-bestseller in bookstores. |
June |
Sales of money-shrinking coin box "Micro Bank" begun. |
July |
Sales begun of "3D Art Jigsaw Puzzles" that appear to be three dimensional. |
August |
Sales begun of Wrebbit (Canada) three-dimensional puzzles. |
1993 |
February |
Sales of the Disney Character Library Series begun. Book style packaging to become a popular long-seller. |
July |
Sales of "Photo Display Jigsaw Puzzle" begun. |
December |
Sales of products licensed from Tenyo begun by Milton-Bradley in the United States under the brandname "Magic Works," and products become a big hit as a result of national TV commercial campaign. |
1994 |
July |
Sales begun of holo-paper jigsaw puzzles. |
October |
Sales begun of "Magician Bank," coin box in which Mickey Mouse performs magic tricks. |
1995 |
July |
Sales of puzzle keyholder "Petit Maze." Sales begun of science toy "Crystal Factory," which produces crystals. |
October |
Sales begun of "Film Art Jigsaw Puzzles," combining puzzles and cell pictures. |
October |
Sales of "Magictainment" series begun. The name combines "magic" with "entertainment". |
November |
Sales of coin-spinning coin box "Spin Bank" begun. |
1996 |
March |
Sales of cork paper jigsaw puzzles begun. |
July |
Sales begun of "Triops," an ancient organism that is born when the egg is placed in water. |
October |
Sales begun of "Angel Gallery," which preserves an infant's handprint in clay. |
October |
With the retirement of Akira Yamada as representative director, Hisataka Toyoshima assumes post of president and representative director. |
1997 |
June |
Sales of jigsaw puzzle clock "Puzz-Clock" begun. |
1998 |
July |
Sales begun of "Cyber Magician," a magic CD-ROM that enables a computer to perform magic tricks. |
1999 |
May |
Sales begun of "Shockclock," a timepiece incorporating a magic-trick. |
October |
Sales begun of "We tell time," a next-generation clock that draws original messages in the air. |
2000 |
November |
Sales begun of "Artillusion," the world's first "new technology art" that turns luminous in full color with black light. |
2001 |
April |
Service begun of "i-Love Magic," an NTT DoCoMo official web site that enables people to perform magic tricks using their cellar phones. |
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August |
Sales begun of "Candy Bubble," an edible soap bubble. |
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November |
Sales begun of "Air Blade," a UFO simulation game. |
2002 |
April |
Began the Junior Magician Video Contest, in which budding young magicians 17 years old and under compete by sending in their recorded video performances. |
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December |
Began sales of a "Savings Passbook" in which 100,000 yen can be saved by traveling around the world. |
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|
Began sales of a new "Atelier Label" line employing Disney character artwork on filing boxes, notebooks and other stationery products. |
2003 |
October |
Began sales of the World's Greatest Magic Series, bringing together best-selling magic products from around the world. |
2004 |
July |
Began sales of "Lumina Sweet" glow-in-the dark candy. |
2005 |
November |
Began sales of "Stained Art" jigsaw puzzles, featuring stained glass-like transparent pieces. |
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Began sales of the "Guinness World Records" recognized World's Smallest Jigsaw Puzzle. |
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