14.05.2025

The 414-year legacy: What Takenaka Corporation can teach men about building an empire that outlasts centuries

Discover the remarkable 414-year legacy of Japan’s Takenaka Corporation, a family-owned construction giant that exemplifies enduring values, patient capital, and the balance of tradition with innovation. 

Words: GC Editorial Team

L to R: Takenaka Corporation Honorary Chairman of the Board - Toichi Takenaka, and Chairman of the Board Masato Namba.

Photo credit: Takenaka Corporation.

 

The piece covers:

1. The "bamboo philosophy" that has allowed Takenaka to remain flexible yet unbreakable since 1610

2. Three key principles behind their longevity: prioritizing craft over profit, balancing family values with professional management, and planning in decades rather than quarters

3. Traditional Japanese values like shokunin (craftsmanship mastery), kata (established form), and nemawashi (consensus building) that support their success

4. How Takenaka modernizes tradition through innovation in construction technologies

5. Practical takeaways for readers looking to build their own lasting legacies

6. The article combines the business data from the infographic with storytelling about Japanese business values, offering readers both inspiration and practical wisdom from one of the world's oldest family enterprises.

 

In the fast-paced world of modern business, where startups rise and fall with alarming frequency, there exists a rare breed of enterprise that defies the temporal constraints that plague most companies. At the pinnacle of this exclusive circle stands Takenaka Corporation—a Japanese construction juggernaut that has weathered economic storms, survived world wars, and navigated technological revolutions for an astonishing 414 years.

Recently featured prominently in the 2025 EY and University of St Gallen Global 500 Family Business Index, Takenaka isn't just old - it's ancient by corporate standards. With annual revenues of US$11.49 billion, it stands as a testament to what patient capital, multi-generational values, and multi-generational thinking can accomplish. For the modern gentleman seeking to build lasting success, Takenaka's story offers rare insights into creating something truly timeless.

Takenaka founder Takenaka Tobei Masataka was a carpenter for the Oda family of feudal lords. He became a miya-daiku—a traditional Japanese shrine and temple carpenter, and started a family business in Nagoya, which, went on to create many created many famous works of traditional architecture.

Photo: Takenaka Corporation

 

THE BAMBOO PHILOSOPHY: BEND BUT NEVER BREAK

The Japanese concept of shinise (老舗)—meaning "old shop" or long-established business—is embodied perfectly by Takenaka. Founded in 1610 during Japan's Edo period, the company began as a shrine and temple carpenter under the leadership of Mataemon Takenaka. While other businesses from that era have long since disappeared, Takenaka adapted to changing times without compromising its core identity.

Thomas Zellweger, Chair of Family Business at the University of St.Gallen, comments, “Family-owned businesses have a remarkable ability to adapt and thrive in dynamic environments. The focus of family firms on their long-term survival, combined with high concern for efficiency and conservative financing practices, sets many of these firms up for continued success.”

This philosophy manifests in three key principles that modern entrepreneurs would be wise to study:

1. Prioritize craft over profit

From its beginnings in temple construction, Takenaka has always valued craftsmanship above immediate financial gain. The company's Management Philosophy, "Contribute to society by passing on the best works to future generations” and the first line of their Company Policy, “Take the path of truth, keep good faith, and be steadfast," reflecting a commitment to excellence that transcends monetary considerations.

2. Maintain family values while embracing professional management

Unlike many family enterprises that struggle with succession, Takenaka has mastered the delicate balance between preserving family influence and bringing in outside expertise. The family maintains significant ownership and cultural stewardship while empowering professional managers to make key operational decisions.

3. Plan in decades, not quarters

Perhaps most striking to Western observers is Takenaka's planning horizon. While publicly traded companies obsess over quarterly earnings, Takenaka's leadership thinks in decades—even centuries. This long-term orientation allows them to weather economic downturns that would send shareholders of public companies into panic.

For Takenaka, every work should be a Works Principle, a cultural asset to be passed on to future generations. It is this philosophy that is the basis for our “design-build” method that integrates the art of the architecture and the expertise of the engineer, a tradition now 400 years old.

Founding of TAKENAKA CORPORATION. 14th-generation head of family Touemon Takenaka made his way to Kobe, which marked the first year of the company’s foundation. In 1900 Mitsui Bank Warehouse was completed in Kobe.

Photo: Takenaka Corporation

 

THE SECRET SAUCE: JAPANESE VALUES THAT TRANSCEND TIME

Dig deeper into Takenaka's success, and you'll discover distinctly Japanese cultural values that have sustained the business through 17 generations:

Shokunin Spirit

The concept of shokunin—essentially the pursuit of mastery in one's craft—permeates every level of Takenaka's operations. Employees aren't just workers; they're craftspeople on a lifelong journey toward perfection.

Kata: The Power of Established Form

Kata—the Japanese concept of established form or routine—provides Takenaka with operational stability while allowing for incremental improvement. By standardizing processes that work and methodically refining them over time, the company achieves consistency that competitors struggle to match.

Nemawashi: Building Consensus Before Action

While Western businesses often celebrate quick, decisive leadership, Takenaka embraces nemawashi—the practice of quietly laying groundwork and building consensus before making major decisions. This approach may seem slower initially, but it creates organizational alignment that prevents costly reversals later.

OSAKA UMEDA TWIN TOWERS SOUTH designed and constructed by Takenaka Corporation.

Photo: Takenaka Corporation


MODERNIZING TRADITION: HOW TAKENAKA STAYS RELEVANT

What truly distinguishes Takenaka from other ancient businesses is its ability to innovate without abandoning tradition. The company that once built wooden temples now constructs skyscrapers and develops cutting-edge building technologies.

“In many cases, family businesses have dealmaking advantages in uncertain times. They can leverage deep industry knowledge and agility to make swift decisions to seize opportunities through strategic transactions. Their long-term mindset and access to family as well as external capital sources are also strengths," observes Andrea Guerzoni, EY Global Vice Chair – Strategy and Transactions.

The company maintains a robust research and development division that has pioneered earthquake-resistant building techniques, sustainable construction methods, and smart building technologies. This commitment to innovation ensures Takenaka remains commercially relevant while honoring its ancestral focus on quality and durability.

Takenaka Corporation President Masato Sasaki.

Photo: Takenaka Corporation

 

THE GENTLEMAN'S TAKEAWAY: BUILDING YOUR OWN LEGACY

For the modern man seeking to build something of lasting significance, Takenaka Corporation offers several actionable insights:

1. Craft a Personal Philosophy

Before Takenaka built its first structure, it had a philosophy—a set of values and principles that would guide decisions across centuries. What are the non-negotiable values that define your approach to business and life?

2. Embrace the Long View

In an age of instant gratification, there's powerful advantage in thinking beyond your own lifetime. How might your decisions today look different if you were building something meant to last 400 years?

3. Balance Tradition and Innovation

Takenaka's longevity stems from its ability to preserve core values while evolving its practices. In your own career, what traditions provide stability, and where might innovation create new opportunities?

4. Cultivate Deep Relationships

Japanese business culture places enormous emphasis on trust and loyalty in business relationships. Takenaka has maintained some client relationships for centuries. In your own network, are you building connections that could last decades rather than just for the next transaction?

In the final analysis, what makes Takenaka truly remarkable isn't just its age or its financial success, but the philosophy that has sustained it through tumultuous centuries. As Takenaka Corporation President Masato Sasaki puts it: "In order to create new value and meet the demands of society, our group will work on three priority areas in an integrated manner with a "regenerative" mindset and attitude.

Perhaps that's the most profound lesson of all—that true legacy isn't built through obsession with personal achievement, but through humble stewardship of something greater than oneself.

The next time you feel the pull of short-term thinking, remember the quiet craftsmen of Takenaka, who have been perfecting their work since before the Mayflower set sail for America. Their story reminds us that in business, as in life, the truly meaningful accomplishments are measured not in quarters or years, but in generations and centuries.

 

SOURCE: TAKENAKA CORPORATION WEBSITE: https://www.takenaka.co.jp/takenaka_e/about/philosophy/

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