Sanrio | Information

About Sanrio

1960: August As the first step towards building the Social Communication Business, Shintaro Tsuji establishes Yamanashi Silk Center Co., Ltd.

1969: Sanrio's "Strawberry Shop" is opened in San Francisco, California.; December Sanrio Greetings Co., Ltd. is established. Planning and sales of greeting cards commences.

1971: December The first "Gift Gate" shop is opened in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo.

1973: April The company is officially established under its new name, Sanrio Company Co., Ltd.; May With the help of participating readers, the first issue of Shi to Meruhen (Poetry and Fairytales) is released.

1974: September Hello Kitty and Patty & Jimmy are created.; December Sanrio Communications, Inc.(currently a division of Sanrio, Inc.) is established in Los Angeles. Film production and distribution activities commence.

1975: April The Strawberry News magazine is launched.; August Sanrio's first step into the commercial film industry comes with the release of the animated feature Little Jumbo

1976: April Character merchandise licensing activities begin.; May Sanrio, Inc. is established in San Jose, California.

1978: April Sanrio's Who are the Debolts and Where Did They Get 19 Kids? receives the Academy Award for best documentary film.; July The film The Glacier Fox is released.

1980: May A branch office is opened in West Germany to coordinate development of the European market.

1982: April Sanrio stocks are listed in the second section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

1983: April Sanrio G.m.b.H. is founded in Hamburg, West Germany.; October Hello Kitty is made the child ambassador of UNICEF in the U.S.

1984: January Sanrio stocks are listed in the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.; February Kokoro Co., Ltd. is established.; March Sale of videos begins.

1987: January Head office moves from Gotanda to Osaki, Tokyo.; February Sanrio do Brasil Comercio e Representacoes Ltda. is established.; November Sanrio Communication World, the operator of cultural arts center Sanrio Puroland (Tama City, Tokyo), is established. (Renamed Sanrio Puroland Co., Ltd. in August, 1989); December The Sanrio Gallery opens in Ginza.

1990: April Sanrio Far East Co.,Ltd. is established.; December Sanrio Puroland theme park opens.

1994: April Sanrio Hong Kong Co., Ltd. is established.; May Hello Kitty is made the child ambassador of UNICEF in Japan.

2003: January Sanrio Shanghai International Trading Co., Ltd. (consolidated subsidiary) is established in Shanghai, with the aim of setting up a system of sales and manufacturing in China.

2005: April Sanrio Asia Merchandise Co., Ltd. (consolidated subsidiary) is established in Hong Kong to consolidate commodity supply in the Asian region.

2006: November San-Byte Taiwan Co., Ltd. (consolidated subsidiary) is established in Taiwan.

2007: April Sanrio Entertainment Inc. (consolidated subsidiary) is established in the U.S.

2009: Hello Kitty turns 35 years old.; January Sanrio License GmbH, a consolidated subsidiary specializing in licensing, is established in Germany to further strengthen Sanrio's licensing business in Europe.; July Sanrio Entertainment Co., Ltd. is established to take control of Sanrio's theme park business, including Puroland and Harmonyland, with the aim of improving profitability and competitiveness.; October Sanrio's flagship store, Sanrioworld GINZA opens, consolidating Sanrio's shop brands under one roof.