Soichiro Honda

1.

Soichiro Honda — The
Amazing Story of Creating a
Global Brand
From a village boy to the founder of a legendary empire that changed the
world of transportation

2.

Early Years and First Steps
The Beginning
Soichiro Honda was born in 1906 into a poor blacksmith's family in a small village
at the foot of the sacred Mount Fuji. Soichiro was the first surviving child in the
family; the other five children died in infancy. hFrom an early age, the boy was
fascinated by mechanisms and technology.
Helping his father in the blacksmith's shop, he learned to repair bicycles and
understand how machines work. Every detail, every screw, sparked his genuine
interest.

3.

250 Kilometers on Foot to a Dream
In 1922, after the eighth grade, 15-year-old Soichiro Honda came across an advertisement for
the Tokyo Art Shokai automotive service company in the magazine "World of Bicycle Industry".
In the advertisement, he saw everything he had dreamed of: "manufacture and repair of cars,
motorcycles, and engines". To get his dream job, the young man walked to Tokyo — more than
250 kilometers!
Starting from Scratch
Talent Emerges
Recognition of Skill
Cleaning, cooking, looking after the owner's child
Could determine engine malfunctions by ear
"Golden hands" — no longer a nanny, but a mechanic

4.

First Patent and Business Start
01
1928 — First Patent
Soichiro receives a patent for revolutionary metal spokes for automobile wheels.
02
Founding Tokai Seiki
He founds a company for the production of piston rings.
03
Tested by War
The factory is destroyed during World War II, but Honda does not give up.
04
A New Beginning
He creates the Honda Technical Research Institute — the foundation of a future empire.

5.

The Birth of Honda Motor Co.
1948 — Official Registration
Honda Motor Co. officially begins operations, opening a new era in Japanese
industry.
1949 — Honda Dream
The first Honda Dream motorcycle is released — the embodiment of a postwar dream for accessible transportation.
Brilliant Idea: Installing an engine on a regular bicycle gave ordinary
people the ability to move quickly in a war-torn country.

6.

Legendary Honda Super Cub
100M+
1958
50%
Motorcycles Produced
Launch Year
US Market Share
The most mass-produced motorcycle in
Revolution in personal transportation
By 1964, every second motorcycle was a
human history
Honda
The motorcycle was so easy to operate that you could ride it with one hand, holding a tray of noodles in the other — a symbol of accessibility
for every Japanese person.

7.

Global Market Expansion
1959
1972
Honda's first overseas office opened in Los Angeles, USA.
Launch of the legendary Honda Civic model — a compact, economical, and innovative car that
conquered the world.
1
2
1967
The first Honda N360 passenger car was released — a compact city car.
3

8.

Racing Ambitions
1965 — Entry into Motorsport
First Victory
Triumph at the Mexican Grand Prix
Honda creates its own racing chassis
and engine for Formula 1
Technology for the Masses
Racing developments become the basis for improving production models
Soichiro Honda believed that participating in races was not only a sport, but also a
testing ground for innovations that would then make ordinary cars more reliable and
faster.

9.

Product Diversity
Global Leadership
Automobiles
Today, Honda is the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles and internal combustion engines.
From compact to premium models
Outboard Motors
Reliable engines for water transport
Garden Equipment
Lawnmowers and generators
Robotics
The legendary ASIMO robot

10.

Honda's Philosophy
For People
Innovation
Technology serves real needs
Constant pursuit of new solutions
Simplicity
Reliability through reasonable
sufficiency
Perfection
Continuous quality improvement
Dreams
«The Power of Dreams» — the power of
imagination
Soichiro Honda believed that true perfection is achieved not through complexity, but through simplicity and respect for those who use
the company's products.

11.

Legacy and Global Influence
$120B+
210K+
400M+
Annual Revenue
Employees
Motorcycles
Global automotive industry leader
Worldwide
Produced throughout history
Honda has truly become a global brand, whose cars and motorcycles can be found anywhere on the planet. Soichiro Honda's story is a vivid example of how the genius,
perseverance, and dream of one person can change the world of transport and inspire millions.