'A sound mind in a sound body' — a Kobe basketball-shoe maker that grew into a global sports brand
QUICK FACTS
Est. 1949 — best known for athletic footwear and sportswear.
HISTORY
Asics traces back to Onitsuka Co., Ltd., founded in Kobe in 1949 by Kihachiro Onitsuka, a former military officer who believed sport could help lift the spirits of Japanese youth after the war. His first product, a basketball shoe, was followed by the 1951 'OK Basketball Shoe' with a suction-cup-inspired sole for better grip, and the company — trading as Onitsuka Tiger from around the 1950s–60s — expanded into running and other athletic footwear.
In 1977, Onitsuka merged with sporting-goods maker GTO and uniform maker Jelenk to form Asics Corporation, a name derived from the Latin phrase 'Anima Sana In Corpore Sano' ('a sound mind in a sound body'). Asics went on to build a reputation for technical running shoes such as the GEL cushioning line, sponsoring major marathons and athletes worldwide and becoming one of the leading global sports footwear brands.
PRODUCTS
Signature shock-absorbing sole technology used across running shoe lines
Long-running stability running shoe series since 1993
TIMELINE
This page is compiled from publicly available company history and is provided for general reference only. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please consult the brand's official website.