Mizuno

Mizuno is a Japanese sporting-goods and sportswear company founded in Osaka in 1906 by Rihachi Mizuno and his younger brother Rizo. The business began as a retail shop selling imported Western goods, including baseballs, before moving into made-to-order athletic clothing and then manufacturing its own sporting equipment. Baseball became an early foundation of the company, with Mizuno beginning to produce baseballs and gloves in 1913. Golf was another important area of development: in 1933 the company introduced Star Line, described as Japan’s first domestically made golf-club line, and its golf showroom had become exceptionally large by the middle of the decade. The company adopted the name Mizuno Co., Ltd. in 1941. During the Second World War it also produced military ordnance, a wartime activity that forms part of the company’s historical record but is distinct from its postwar sporting-goods identity. Mizuno later broadened its technical capabilities and product portfolio. To mark its thirtieth anniversary, it began producing gliders in 1936, and its historical aircraft-related work included the proposed Mizuno Shinryu rocket-powered interceptor and the Mizuno MXZ1 training glider. These projects did not become major commercial businesses, but they illustrate the breadth of the company’s manufacturing and design activities. Mizuno expanded internationally after the Second World War. It established its first American factory in Los Angeles in 1961 under the American Mizuno name and subsequently developed operating centers and manufacturing facilities in markets including Germany, France, China, Scotland, and Hong Kong. Its international profile was supported by athlete and team relationships. Historical sponsorship and equipment associations included track-and-field athlete Carl Lewis, the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team, Manu Samoa, quarterback Joe Montana, tennis player Ivan Lendl, golfer Nick Faldo, and baseball player Rickey Henderson. The company also used direct technical service to develop its reputation in American baseball. In the late 1970s it introduced a mobile Mizuno Baseball Workshop that traveled to professional clubs during spring training, carrying leatherworking equipment and Japanese specialists capable of making and repairing gloves. Today, Mizuno operates across a broad range of sports, including baseball, golf, running, association football, futsal, rugby, gridiron football, tennis, volleyball, swimming, athletics, table tennis, badminton, boxing, mixed martial arts, judo, handball, netball, skiing, and related disciplines. Its products include athletic footwear, sports apparel, gloves, balls, clubs, protective equipment, and other sport-specific gear. Golf remains one of its best-known technical categories, with equipment spanning drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges, putters, and golf balls. The JPX and Mizuno Pro families address different combinations of distance, forgiveness, feel, and precision, while M.CRAFT putters emphasize milled construction and adjustable weighting options. Mizuno’s market positioning is generally performance-led and technically oriented, with particular emphasis on craftsmanship, fit, materials, and sport-specific engineering. The company combines consumer products with relationships involving elite athletes and teams, using those associations to communicate competitive credibility. Its international trademark activity also reflects the continuing global reach of the brand: the World Intellectual Property Organization’s 2023 Madrid Yearly Review placed Mizuno eighth worldwide by the number of Madrid System trademark applications, reporting 79 applications for that year.

Mizuno traces its origins to Osaka in 1906, when Rihachi Mizuno and his younger brother Rizo established Mizuno Brothers, Ltd. The original shop sold Western-style goods, including baseballs. In 1907 it began offering made-to-order athletic wear, reflecting an early shift from general retail toward sports specialization. The business moved to Umeda-Shinmichi in 1910 and adopted the name Mizuno Shop. Manufacturing became increasingly important during the following decade. In 1913 Mizuno began producing baseballs and gloves, establishing a foundation for its later importance in baseball equipment. The company also developed an early golf business. In 1933 it introduced Star Line golf clubs, regarded in the cited historical material as Japan’s first domestically made golf clubs. By 1935 its golf-club showroom was described as the world’s largest. Mizuno also entered aircraft-related manufacturing in the 1930s: in 1936, to commemorate its thirtieth anniversary, it began producing gliders. Later military design work included the proposed Mizuno Shinryu rocket-powered interceptor, which remained at the prototype stage, and the Mizuno MXZ1 training glider. In 1941 the corporate name changed to Mizuno Co., Ltd. During the Second World War, the company manufactured military ordnance for Japan. After the war, Mizuno returned its attention to sporting goods and gradually built a wider international presence. Its first American factory opened in Los Angeles in 1961 under the American Mizuno name. The company later opened or developed operating centers and factories in Germany, France, China, Scotland, and Hong Kong. Mizuno’s growth outside Japan was supported by a combination of manufacturing, sponsorship, and technical service. The company formed relationships with high-profile athletes and teams in track and field, rugby, American football, tennis, golf, and baseball. Its historical associations included Carl Lewis, the All Blacks, Manu Samoa, Joe Montana, Ivan Lendl, Nick Faldo, and Rickey Henderson. In American baseball, Mizuno introduced a mobile Baseball Workshop in the late 1970s. The vehicle traveled to professional clubs during spring training and contained equipment for custom glove production and repairs. Japanese leather specialists used it to make made-to-order gloves and service equipment from multiple manufacturers, strengthening Mizuno’s connection with professional players. The company’s founder also supported the development of sport beyond commercial product sales. Rihachi Mizuno promoted sports research, equipment production, and baseball tournaments in Japan. A sports foundation was established through his will, and he was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. Mizuno subsequently developed into a diversified international sporting-goods company. Its portfolio expanded beyond baseball and golf to include running, football, rugby, tennis, volleyball, swimming, athletics, skiing, table tennis, badminton, boxing, mixed martial arts, judo, handball, netball, and other sports. The brand’s contemporary identity is built around performance equipment, footwear, apparel, and sport-specific technologies. Golf products include clubs, putters, and balls, while footwear and apparel support activities ranging from running to team sports. In 2023, the World Intellectual Property Organization reported that Mizuno ranked eighth globally by Madrid System trademark applications, with 79 filings, illustrating the company’s continuing international brand-protection activity.

• 2023

  Mizuno ranked eighth for Madrid System trademark applications

  [1]Mizunoen.wikipedia.org

  WIPO’s Madrid Yearly Review reported 79 Mizuno trademark applications under the Madrid System during 2023.

• 1971

  Rihachi Mizuno inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame

  [1]Mizunoen.wikipedia.org

  The company founder was recognized for his contribution to baseball and sports development in Japan.

• 1961

  First American factory established

  [1]Mizunoen.wikipedia.org

  Mizuno established its first American factory in Los Angeles under the American Mizuno name.

• 1941

  Corporate name changed to Mizuno Co., Ltd.

  [1]Mizunoen.wikipedia.org

  The company adopted the corporate name Mizuno Co., Ltd., which remained its principal name thereafter.

• 1936

  Glider production begins

  [1]Mizunoen.wikipedia.org

  The company entered glider manufacturing in connection with its thirtieth anniversary.

• 1933

  Star Line golf clubs introduced

  [1]Mizunoen.wikipedia.org

  Mizuno presented Star Line, identified in the reference material as Japan’s first domestically made golf-club line.

• 1913

  Baseball-equipment manufacturing begins

  [1]Mizunoen.wikipedia.org

  Mizuno started manufacturing baseballs and gloves.

• 1910

  Business renamed Mizuno Shop

  [1]Mizunoen.wikipedia.org

  After moving to Umeda-Shinmichi, the company adopted the Mizuno Shop name.

• 1907

  Entry into made-to-order athletic wear

  [1]Mizunoen.wikipedia.org

  The business began selling custom-made athletic clothing, moving beyond general sporting-goods retail.

• 1906

  Mizuno Brothers founded in Osaka

  [1]Mizunoen.wikipedia.org

  Rihachi Mizuno and his brother Rizo established Mizuno Brothers, Ltd., initially operating a shop selling Western goods such as baseballs.

A performance-focused, technically oriented sports brand associated with sport-specific engineering, craftsmanship, fit, and equipment for both competitive and recreational athletes.

• Golf clubs

  JPX Series

  The JPX family covers Mizuno golf clubs designed for a broad range of players. Its irons include Hot Metal, Forged, and Tour variants intended to balance ball speed, forgiveness, distance control, and feel. JPX drivers use design features such as adjustable weighting and internal chamber structures to influence launch and performance characteristics.

• Golf clubs

  Mizuno Pro Series

  Mizuno Pro is a premium golf-club family centered on forged irons and compact, traditionally shaped profiles. Models such as the 241, 243, and 245 serve different preferences for workability, control, and forgiveness. The line also includes signature-style models designed around precise shaping and a player-oriented appearance.

• Golf putters

  M.CRAFT

  M.CRAFT putters are milled from 1025 mild carbon steel and offered in multiple head shapes. Selected models include weighting kits that allow golfers to adjust balance and feel. The line represents Mizuno’s emphasis on machining, touch, and fitting in the short-game category.

• Golf balls

  RB Tour and RB 566

  Mizuno’s RB golf-ball families address different performance priorities. RB Tour is positioned around spin control and a tour-oriented playing profile, while RB 566 emphasizes carry and forgiveness. The products extend Mizuno’s golf presence beyond clubs into ball construction and flight characteristics.

• Golf balls

  Mizuno Pro S and Mizuno Pro X

  The Mizuno Pro S and Pro X golf balls are positioned as performance-oriented products offering soft feel, controlled trajectory, and consistency across different swing speeds. They complement the Mizuno Pro club range with a premium golf-ball proposition.

• Sports footwear

  Wave footwear

  Wave is a major Mizuno footwear platform associated particularly with running. The family represents the brand’s focus on cushioning, stability, energy transfer, and sport-specific fit, with products developed for different running and athletic-use requirements.

• Baseball equipment

  Mizuno baseball gloves

  Baseball gloves are among Mizuno’s historic and internationally recognized equipment categories. The company’s baseball expertise includes leather construction, player-specific patterns, custom fitting, and professional servicing, capabilities reinforced by its mobile Baseball Workshop program in the United States.

• Mizuno Baseball Workshop

  United States

  Mizuno operated a mobile workshop during the late 1970s to support professional baseball clubs during spring training. The vehicle carried leatherworking tools and Japanese specialists who could produce custom gloves and repair gloves from different manufacturers.

  Outcome. The program strengthened Mizuno’s technical reputation and relationships within American professional baseball.

  Source
• Elite athlete and team sponsorship program

  International

  Mizuno built international visibility through equipment and sponsorship relationships involving athletes and teams in track and field, rugby, American football, tennis, golf, and baseball. Cited examples include Carl Lewis, the All Blacks, Manu Samoa, Joe Montana, Ivan Lendl, Nick Faldo, and Rickey Henderson.

  Outcome. The relationships helped associate Mizuno with elite performance across multiple sports.

  Source

• 1961

  Establishment of the first American factoryStrategy

  Background

  Mizuno sought to build a direct operating presence in the United States as its international business expanded.

  Action taken

  The company opened a Los Angeles factory under the American Mizuno name.

  Aftermath

  The move supported Mizuno’s subsequent activity in the American baseball and wider sporting-goods markets.

  Source

• 1933

  Launch of Star Line golf clubsProduct launch

  Background

  Mizuno was expanding from baseball and athletic clothing into technically manufactured sporting equipment.

  Action taken

  The company introduced the Star Line golf-club range.

  Aftermath

  Golf became a major long-term business for Mizuno, supported by subsequent club, putter, and ball development.

  Source

• 1913

  Move into in-house baseball-equipment manufacturingStrategy

  Background

  After beginning as a sporting-goods retailer and custom athletic-wear seller, Mizuno expanded its manufacturing activities.

  Action taken

  The company began producing baseballs and gloves.

  Aftermath

  Baseball became one of Mizuno’s enduring specialist categories and an important part of its international identity.

  Source

1. 1Mizunoen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Mizuno official websitemizuno.com