The Most Famous
INVENTORS from Japan
Top 5
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Japanese Inventors of all time. This list of famous Japanese Inventors is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity.
1. Sakichi Toyoda (1867 - 1930)
With an HPI of 68.22, Sakichi Toyoda is the most famous Japanese Inventor. His biography has been translated into 31 different languages on wikipedia.
Sakichi Toyoda (豊田 佐吉, Toyoda Sakichi; March 19, 1867 – October 30, 1930) was a Japanese inventor and industrialist who founded Toyoda Automatic Loom Works (later Toyota Industries). The son of a farmer and sought-after carpenter, he started the Toyoda family companies. His son, Kiichiro Toyoda, would later establish Japan's largest automaker, Toyota. Toyoda is referred to as the "King of Japanese Inventors".
2. Kōnosuke Matsushita (1894 - 1989)
With an HPI of 67.71, Kōnosuke Matsushita is the 2nd most famous Japanese Inventor. His biography has been translated into 57 different languages.
Kōnosuke Matsushita (松下 幸之助, Matsushita Kōnosuke; 27 November 1894 – 27 April 1989) was a Japanese industrialist who founded Panasonic, the largest Japanese consumer electronics company. Matsushita is referred to as the "God of Management" in Japan.
3. Shigeo Shingo (1909 - 1990)
With an HPI of 61.21, Shigeo Shingo is the 3rd most famous Japanese Inventor. His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.
Shigeo Shingo (新郷 重夫, Shingō Shigeo; 1909–1990) was a Japanese industrial engineer who was considered as the world’s leading expert on manufacturing practices and the Toyota Production System.
4. Yoshiro Nakamatsu (b. 1928)
With an HPI of 57.86, Yoshiro Nakamatsu is the 4th most famous Japanese Inventor. His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.
Yoshiro Nakamatsu (中松 義郎, Nakamatsu Yoshirō; born June 26, 1928), also known as Dr. NakaMats (ドクター中松, Dokutā Nakamatsu), is a Japanese inventor. He regularly appears on Japanese talk shows demonstrating his inventions.
5. Kenjiro Takayanagi (1899 - 1990)
With an HPI of 56.73, Kenjiro Takayanagi is the 5th most famous Japanese Inventor. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Kenjiro Takayanagi (高柳 健次郎, Takayanagi Kenjirō; January 20, 1899 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka – July 23, 1990 in Yokosuka) was a Japanese engineer and a pioneer in the development of television. Although he failed to gain much recognition in the West, he built the world's first all-electronic television receiver, and is referred to as "the father of Japanese television".
People
Pantheon has 5 people classified as Japanese inventors born between 1867 and 1928. Of these 5, 1 (20.00%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Japanese inventors include Yoshiro Nakamatsu. The most famous deceased Japanese inventors include Sakichi Toyoda, Kōnosuke Matsushita, and Shigeo Shingo. As of April 2024, 5 new Japanese inventors have been added to Pantheon including Sakichi Toyoda, Kōnosuke Matsushita, and Shigeo Shingo.
Living Japanese Inventors
Go to all RankingsDeceased Japanese Inventors
Go to all Rankings
Sakichi Toyoda
1867 - 1930
HPI: 68.22
Kōnosuke Matsushita
1894 - 1989
HPI: 67.71
Shigeo Shingo
1909 - 1990
HPI: 61.21
Kenjiro Takayanagi
1899 - 1990
HPI: 56.73
Newly Added Japanese Inventors (2024)
Go to all RankingsSakichi Toyoda
1867 - 1930
HPI: 68.22
Kōnosuke Matsushita
1894 - 1989
HPI: 67.71
Shigeo Shingo
1909 - 1990
HPI: 61.21
Yoshiro Nakamatsu
1928 - Present
HPI: 57.86
Kenjiro Takayanagi
1899 - 1990
HPI: 56.73
Overlapping Lives
Which Inventors were alive at the same time? This visualization shows the lifespans of the 3 most globally memorable Inventors since 1700.
