1915 - 1923
Invention of the Hayakawa Mechanical Pencil
Tokuji spent his childhood in the home of the Ideno family who had adopted him. Towards the end of his apprenticeship, he learned the secret of his birth—that he had been given up for adoption. And so, as he moved through life, from starting his own business to marriage, and the further expansion of his business, he was reunited with his sister and brother, with whom he had lost contact. He also returned to using his original family name, Hayakawa, began to work with his brother, Masaharu. The job brought in by his brother of making parts for a mechanical pencil brings major impact on Tokuji’s later life. Not satisfied with only producing the internal parts that he received orders for, he aimed to make a precision mechanical pencil with a luxurious image. After coming up with various creative innovations, Tokuji perfected the beautiful, durable, metal Hayakawa Mechanical Pencil.