Lion History

Founder Tomijiro Kobayashi established T. Kobayashi & Co. on the Yanagihara riverside in Kanda, Tokyo, to trade in soap and raw materials for matches

Launched Lion Toothpowder

Established Kobayashi Laboratory to test raw materials and conduct research into new products.
Established alongside Tokyo Analytical Laboratory that also accepted commissions from the public.

Imported autoclaves (industrial high-pressure fat and oil decomposers) from Germany that Lion used in manufacturing for about 40 years.
One of these autoclaves was designated a Chemical Heritage Artifact by the Chemical Society of Japan in 2015.

Launched the Banzai Toothbrush, developed based on guidance from the Tokyo Dental School (now Tokyo Dental College)

Launched Plant-derived Lion Laundry Soap, the first plant-derived household laundry soap made in Japan (Lion Soap Co., Ltd.)

Established the Laundry Information Service Center (Lion Soap Co., Ltd.)

Published Standard Household Laundry Methods, a booklet that was adopted as a home economics text at many girls' high schools (Lion Soap Co., Ltd.)

Launched Lion F Cream, Japan's first toothpaste with fluoride (Kobayashi Co., Ltd.)

Developed Lipon F, Japan's first kitchen detergent for washing fruits, vegetables and tableware, backed by data on its effectiveness in removing Ascaris eggs. Lipon F was the first product endorsed by the Japan Food Hygiene Association and created an entirely new market

Developed White Lion toothpaste incorporating the new active ingredient calcium phosphate, which is highly effective for whitening teeth

Developed Mama Lemon, a mild, non-irritating lotion-type detergent for washing tableware and vegetables (Lion Fat and Oil Co., Ltd.)

Developed the laundry detergent Dash, containing alpha olefin sulfonate (AOS), a new, highly biodegradable surfactant (Lion Fat and Oil Co., Ltd.)
This double cylinder reaction apparatus for sulfonation (TO Reactor) was used to commercially produce AOS for the first time in the world and was registered in 2009 as Essential Historical Materials for Science and Technology (“items of Future Engineering Heritage”) by the National Museum of Nature and Science
Source: National Museum of Nature and Science

Developed White & White Lion toothpaste in laminated tubes (Lion Dentifrice Co., Ltd.)

Developed Seseragi, Japan's first phosphate-free detergent (Lion Fat and Oil Co., Ltd.)

Developed TOP, a laundry detergent with enzyme power (formulated with enzyme capsules) (Lion Fat and Oil Co., Ltd.)
Samples of TOP were registered in 2016 as Essential Historical Materials for Science and Technology (“items of Future Engineering Heritage”) by the National Museum of Nature and Science in recognition of the development of technologies for safely and stably incorporating detergency-enhancing enzymes and the product’s success as the first enzymatic detergent to be fully accepted on the market
Source: National Museum of Nature and Science

Determined that skin irritation during dish washing is caused by both the stripping away of oils and the denaturing of proteins in the skin. Developed Mama Royal, a dishwashing detergent that reduces protein denaturing while maintaining high detergency

Developed a phosphate-free version of Enzyme Power TOP

Developed CLINICA Lion, a toothpaste with enzymes that break down cavity-causing dental plaque

Developed Spark laundry detergent, formulated with MES, a surfactant made from environmentally friendly plant(palm oil)-based ingredients

Developed Emeron Shokubutsu-Monogatari (Plant Story), a beauty soap made with 100% plant ingredients

Developed a toothbrush with super-tapered bristles that can reach into the gingival sulcus, where the teeth meet the gums, as well as a liquid toothpaste and mouthwash for preventing gum disease. These were launched as the Dentor Systema Lion brand.

Developed KireiKirei Medicated Hand Soap formulated with an antibacterial agent to meet growing needs to prevent infectious disease and food poisoning. Lion continues to use the product to promote family hygiene habits today.

Developed super-concentrated liquid laundry detergent TOP NANOX, formulated with a high concentration of the high-detergency plant-based surfactant methyl ester ethoxylate (MEE), which Lion was the first in the world to successfully commercialize

Developed LOOK Bath Antimold Fogger, which uses silver ion fog to sterilize and prevent mold growth
The product offered the new concept of using a fogger to prevent the growth of mold to combat mold on bathroom ceilings. The concept was backed up by experimental evidence of the effectiveness of mold-killing silver ions.

Received the 16th Momofuku Ando Award for Excellence (2011) and the JSSBA Award for Achievement in Technological Research (2012) for the development of products that help reduce visceral fat and improve BMI.

Developed hadakara Body Soap, featuring Japan’s first moisture-adsorbing formula

Developed the Salivary Multi Test saliva test system.
This system can provide objective, quantitative measurements of multiple saliva indicators of dental and gum health and oral cleanliness in just five minutes

Developed CLINICA Kid's Toothbrush, a lineup of high-performance toothbrushes tailored to the stages of children’s growth to support tooth brushing habit formation

Developed LOOK Plus Bath Cleansing, a bath detergent that cleans the tub with no scrubbing: Just mist the entire bathtub, wait 60 seconds, and rinse off

Developed the CLINICA ADVANTAGE NEXT STAGE Toothbrush, a toothbrush that helps users avoid brushing too hard, which can lead to gum recession, by making a sound when excessive force is applied

LOOK Plus Bath Cleansing received the 2021 Engineering Award and Editor’s Award from the Japan Oil Chemists’ Society for its technologies and market contribution

Developed the TANO-LT nursing care game console equipped with the Kenkomin (health,mouth,sleep) Exercise program for simultaneously improving oral fitness, sleep and motor functions

Developed Acron Smart Care, a laundry detergent (for delicates) with fabric-softening ingredients that uses new technology to eliminate the rinse stage, which accounts for approximately 70% of the washing process
Gets clothes clean in less time and with less environmental impact

Developed NANOX one highly concentrated complete gel, combining powerful detergency and deodorizing that surpass previous Lion products while protecting clothing’s true colors

Developed CLINICA PRO Toothbrush Rubber Head, featuring a head made with a rubbery material and supple bristles that hug the teeth to scrub away plaque for shockingly clean finish

New OCH-TUNE brand of toothbrushes, toothpastes and mouthwashes was developed to provide unique oral care based on varying lifestyles, suiting either FAST or SLOW styles.

Developed the Smile Cornea Checker service, an online tool that assists in the selection of eye drops by scoring the condition of the pupil.

Successfully tripled the amount of enzymes in conventional products, and developed CHARMY Magica Enzyme+ with even greater detergency