100 Years of Janome

One of the world's best sewing machine manufacturers is celebrating their hundredth birthday this year and they have a fascinating history. Put your stitching aside and grab a cup of tea to delve into the story behind your favourite machine.

Find out more about Janome’s 100-year anniversary on their website.

Janome Sewing Machine Co. Ltd was founded in 1921 as Japan’s first domestic sewing machine manufacturer. It was founded by Yosaku Ose as the ‘Pine Sewing Machine Factory’ with Shigeru Kamematsu and Shoichi Tobimatsu in Takinogwa, Japan.

Did you know? Janome means ‘eye of the snake’ in Japanese

In Japanese, the word Janome (pronounced Ja-No-me) means ‘eye of the snake’. The company earned the name in the 1920s when founder Yokasu Ose, a pioneer in Japanese sewing manufacturing, began to use a round metal bobbin system instead of the traditional long shuttle. The Japanese thought the new round bobbin looked like a snake’s eye and from this innovative design, a name for the company was born.

Janome has been leading the industry with such innovation ever since and has expanded into over 100 countries around the world. As well as the headquarters in Hachioji, Japan, there are sewing divisions in the United States, Mexico, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, as well as agents in Africa, central and South America and throughout the Pacific Rim of Asia. The company’s manufacturing prowess has also made it a world-leader in the production of high-precision robots.

1920s-30s

In 1921 the first Janome sewing machine, the Model 53 (Pine 500 type) was created, quickly becoming a leader in hand-cranked household sewing machines. In 1929 the Model 30 (pine 100 type) was launched, with a vertical half-turn shuttle used for the bobbin thread mechanism, dramatically improving speed and efficiency.

In 1935 the company changed its name to Teikoku Sewing Machine Co. Ltd and registered ‘Janome Sewing Machine’ as a trademark. In the following year the Koganei Factory was opened to mass produce sewing machines and kick-start a new era of home sewing.

1940s-60s

Fast-forward to 1948 and Janome launched the popular Model 102, designed to unify the standard dimensions of domestic sewing machines and appeal to home sewists looking to create new garments, sew home accessories and make do and mend.

In 1954 the company officially changed its name to Janome Sewing Machine Co,. Ltd.

As Janome entered the 60s, it launched the Model 560, a fully automatic zigzag sewing machine which was great for hems and knit fabric. In 1964 it released the Model 670, High Dream to commemorate the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 and the following year opened new Tokyo head offices.

1970s-90s

Janome celebrated its 50th anniversary with the Model 801, a fully automatic zigzag sewing machine and in 1975 the XL-II became the first model to use a built-in cam system and free arm.

1979 was a huge year for not only Janome but also the entire sewing industry, with the release of the Janome Memory Craft 7, the world’s first programmable, computerised sewing machine. This revolutionised sewing capabilities, creative options and professional capabilities. In 1983 the Memory Craft 6000 contained the most built-in stitches in the world at that time, as competition became stronger within the sewing machine industry and in 1991 the Memory Craft 8000 entered the market as the first home-use computerised sewing machine with embroidery functions.

2000s-2020s

Advances in technology continued to open up new possibilities in sewing, and in 2000 Janome released the Memory Craft 10000, which was the first sewing machine which could be connected to a computer via USB. Following on from this success, the Horizon Memory Craft 1500 was launched in 2011, building on these capabilities by adding a vast choice of embroidery options. More recently Janome has become a firm favourite with not only dressmakers and machine embroiderers but also quilters, with the top-of-the-line award-winning Continental M7 Professional unveiled in 2019.