Goldwin
Japan
Goldwin Inc. is a Japanese sportswear and outdoor company that began as a knitwear maker in Toyama Prefecture in 1950. It owns the Goldwin brand and holds the Japanese rights to The North Face, alongside a portfolio of licensed and acquired labels. It matters as one of Asia's largest outdoor brand operators.
| Founded | 1950 (as Tsuzawa Knit Fabric Manufacture) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Tosaku Nishida |
| Headquarters | Minato City, Tokyo, Japan |
| President | Takao Watanabe (since 2020) |
| Listing | Tokyo Stock Exchange |
| Website | goldwin.co.jp |
What is Goldwin?
Goldwin is a Japanese sportswear company. Its history page says that Tosaku Nishida founded Tsuzawa Knit Fabric Manufacture in Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture, in 1950. The company was incorporated in 1951 and renamed Goldwin Inc. in 1963.
History
The company moved from general knitwear into sportswear in 1952 and launched the Goldwin brand in 1958. At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, about 80 per cent of Japan's gold medallists wore Goldwin uniforms, according to the company. It formed a technical partnership with French skiwear maker Fusalp in 1971. Goldwin listed on the Nagoya Stock Exchange in 1981 and reached the First Section of the Tokyo and Nagoya exchanges in 1995. Akio Nishida became president in 2000 and chairman in 2020, when Takao Watanabe became president.
Brands and The North Face
Goldwin became the distributor of The North Face in Japan in 1978. It opened its first directly managed store, Weather Station in Harajuku, in 1985, and acquired the trademark rights for Japan and South Korea in 1995. Its portfolio now includes:
- Goldwin and The North Face
- Helly Hansen (Japan trademark acquired in 2017)
- Ellesse, Canterbury (absorbed in 2022) and Woolrich
- Nanamica, C3fit, Macpac, Icebreaker and Fischer
- Speedo (licence from 2007) and Allbirds (Japan distribution from 2024)
Why it matters
Goldwin shows how a domestic sportswear maker became a multi-brand outdoor group by securing regional rights to international labels. The company moved its Tokyo head office to Kita-Aoyama in 2024 and marked its 75th anniversary in 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns The North Face in Japan?
Goldwin has been the distributor of The North Face in Japan since 1978 and acquired the trademark rights for Japan and South Korea in 1995, according to its history page.
Where is Goldwin from?
Goldwin is from Japan. It started in Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture, in 1950 and now has its head office in Minato City, Tokyo.