The History
of
Onitsuka Tiger
The Beginning
of
Onitsuka Tiger
First Stage 1949〜
The Path to Becoming a World-Class Sporting Goods Manufacturer
The year was 1949. In the wake of World War II, a sense of stagnation still hung heavy over Japan. Kihachiro Onitsuka believed that fostering healthy youth was essential to Japan's revitalization, and resolved to create sports shoes. After painstaking efforts, he produced the inaugural pair of basketball shoes, naming the brand TIGER after Asia’s mightiest animal, symbolizing the power and agility befitting his sports shoes.
In 1965, the brand evolved into Onitsuka Tiger, and from then on Onitsuka became a familiar figure at various sporting events, absorbing athletes’ insights and tirelessly conducting research in constant pursuit of innovation. As athletes wearing Onitsuka Tigers began clinching medals at the Olympic Games, Onitsuka Tiger became a name known around the world.
1949
First TIGER MARK BASKETBALL SHOES released
1950
- First TIGER MARK BASKETBALL SHOES released
- In the 1950s, generic athletic shoes or tabi (traditional split-toe Japanese footwear) were the norm for footwear in any sport. But after Yukio Matsumoto, coach of Hyogo Prefectural Kobe High School’s powerhouse basketball team, requested a pair of customized shoes to help his players to make the fast breaks and sudden stops needed on the court, Onitsuka Tiger developed its first ever model: the TIGER MARK BASKETBALL SHOES. The following year saw the release of the Suction Cup Basketball Shoes, inspired by octopus suction cups. From there, Onitsuka Tiger quickly gained nationwide recognition through word-of-mouth.
1951
SUCTION CUP BASKETBALL SHOES released
The SUCTION CUP BASKETBALL SHOES are displayed prominently.
1953
The MARATHON TABI
specialized marathon shoes are launched.
1954
First use of durable, water-resistant, and lightweight nylon fabric in shoes
1955
- First wrestling shoes released
- Onitsuka Tiger’s success in basketball shoes was just the beginning, leading to one innovative shoe after the next. In 1954, the ompany became the first to use durable, water-resistant, lightweight nylon fabric to produce the TIGER MARK NYLON WRESTLING SHOES, released the following year. Featuring meticulous details such as internal metal eyelets to account for the close skin-to-skin contact in wrestling, the shoes were widely adopted by athletes and worn by two gold-medal winners in the 1956 international porting events.
1956
Launch of shoes with a synthetic rubber sponge to retain elasticity
1958
The 1958 catalog featured sports-related stamps from around the world.
1959
Shoes in the 1950s featured tags with the word “KOBE”.
Patch design for the TAIGON junior-oriented sub-brand.
1960
- The MAGIC RUNNER line for marathon runners is introduced.
-
The 1950s also saw Onitsuka Tiger begin developing shoes for long-distance running. Noticing runners suffering from blisters, the company sought a solution. Drawing inspiration from the air-cooled engines of motorcycles, Onitsuka Tiger devised an air circulation system to dissipate heat inside the shoe. The result? An innovative pair of running shoes with ventilation uppers: the MAGIC RUNNER.
Silver medal-winner Kenji Kimihara wore these shoes at the Mexico City 1968 international sporting events.
1961
- LIMBER UP UPDATED TYPE
- Onitsuka Tiger’s commitment to developing specialized shoes for various spo_ts extended to the launch of training shoes that catered to a broad spectrum of athletes. The LIMBER UP, created specifically for training, made its debut in 1960. It underwent significant improvements over the years, and, in 1966, became the first shoe to feature the MEXICO LINE (now called the Onitsuka Tiger stripe). This LIMBER UP UPDATED TYPE, released in 1961, became the prototype for 2002’s iconic MEXICO 66.
Before 1965, many logos bore the inscription “ONITUKA’S”.
1964
- Launch of a wide range of sports shoes targeting global expansion
- Launch of a wide range of sports shoes for soccer, fencing, gymnastics, softball, badminton, table tennis, sprinting, and throwing events, targeting global expansion
ROTATION 6 volleyball shoes for six-a-side play released
1966
RUNSPARK track and field spike shoes released
First use of CLARINO man-made leather in sports shoes
Launch of MEXICO LINE
1967
- Marathon shoes made with a three-layer nylon twill material released
- The MARUP, an abbreviation of “Marathon Up Shoes,” was first introduced in 1953 as the TIGER MARK MARUP SHOES , with numerous improved models released over the years. Released in 1967, the MARUP NYLON emerged as the series’successor, incorporating a highly breathable three-layer upper made of nylon, urethane foam, and tricot, effectively addressing ventilation concerns associated with nylon materials. Its distinctive tricolor design made it a hit as a fashionable streetwear sneaker
Before the iconic stripe, many shoes featured the Onitsuka Tiger logo on their sides.
A striking gold logo on white leather accentuated with the word “TOKYO”.
Pop art-style insole motif inspired by a running track.
1968
- Official Shoes for Japan’s Delegation
- Onitsuka Tiger designed Japan’s “delegation shoes”—footwear worn by national athletes at international sporting events—from 1956 to 1980 (when Japan did not participate). This model, made for the 1968 international sporting events and styled in red and white to evoke Japan’s Hinomaru flag, was the first pair of delegation shoes to feature the MEXICO LINE, or Onitsuka Tiger stripe. The design also laid the foundation for the VICKKA released in 1970.
The 1960s BASKET DX embraced the tricolor palette.
A dynamic cover design inspired by the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games
1969
CORTEZ training shoes released in the U.S.
1971
During a late 1970s boom, Onitsuka Tiger ventured into bowling shoes
1972
Soccer cleats made with the direct injection method released
1973
- LAWNSHIP 30 is released
- In the 1970s, Onitsuka Tiger developed a dedicated shoe model for tennis, in line with a global boom in the sport at the time. Alongside the synthetic leather LAWNSHIP 30, two other models were launched simultaneously: the genuine leather LAWNSHIP 40 and the mesh LAWNSHIP 15. The design differed from conventional tennis shoes of the time, featuring open-lacing in the style of bluchers and, to suit the clay courts popular at the time, a herringbone-patterned outsole offering excellent grip and release.
- Launch of the TIGER PAW series of all-weather spike shoes
- Launch of the TIGER PAW series of all-weather spike shoes, followed by the launch of the PAW line of track and field wear, beginning the brand’s full-scale expansion
Onitsuka Tiger Stripes creatively showcased in a tricolor design on the ankle.
By 1965, Onitsuka Tiger had begun using a logo almost identical to the one used today
1974
- OHBORI is released
- The OHBORI originated from the 1966 Fukuoka International Marathon, the first marathon to be recognized as a championship by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (now World Athletics). Developed as a marathon shoe to appeal to top runners around the world participating in the event, the name derives from Ohori Park, the start and finish point of the race. It was also the first marathon shoe to incorporate EVA material in the midsole, which provided lightweight and superior impact cushioning.
1975
- European subsidiary established
- Onitsuka Tiger GmbH is established in the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).
1976
- gold medal wearing Onitsuka Tiger’s track and field spike shoes.
- Finland’s Lasse Viren, wearing Onitsuka Tiger track and field spike shoes, wins gold medals in the 5,000 m and 10,000 m track and field events at the Olympic Games
1977
- Birth of ASICS Co., Ltd.
- Sporting goods manufacturer ASICS Corporation formed out of the equal merger of Onitsuka Co., Ltd., GTO Co., Ltd., and Jelenk Co., Ltd
- ENDURO is released
- The jogging craze that swept the U.S. in the 1970s had spread to Japan. Onitsuka Tiger responded by releasing new models for amateur runners, different from training shoes for athletes. Called “jogging shoes,” one such model was the ENDURO, released in 1977. Its distinctive raised heel provided better stability on uneven terrain, and studs on the outsole made it ideal for cross-country.
At one point, LAWNSHIP was the exclusive logo for the tennis line.
1978
- CALIFORNIA is released
- The CALIFORNIA debuted as a new pair of running shoes the year following the launch of the ENDURO. This model, designed for road running, featured a lightweight, breathable mesh upper, suede fabric on the toe and heel for added durability, and a linear herringbone pattern on the outsole for improved grip. Its standout feature was the reflective panel on the heel, making runners more visible at night. The CALIFORNIA marked jogging as an activity for everyone.
