Car Craze

Toyoda Automatic Loom Works created a new division devoted to the production of automobiles in 1933 under the direction of the founder’s son, Kiichiro Toyoda. The younger Toyoda traveled extensively to Europe and the United States to look into automobile production and gasoline-powered engines. The Japanese government encouraged the company into this new venture to fill the void existing in domestic vehicle production.

This division eventually became an independent and separate company in 1937 using the name Toyota Motor Company. The use of Toyota instead of Toyoda was intended to signify the separation of the founders’ work life from home life as well as to simplify pronunciation and provide a happy beginning for the newly established company. Luck was also considered as it takes eight strokes to write Toyota in Katakana, a number which is regarded as lucky in Japan.