Kyota Sugimoto

Quick Facts: Who was Kyota Sugimoto?

Subject:

Kyota Sugimoto

Known for:

Pioneering Japanese inventor known for developing the first practical kanji typewriter.

Born:

1882-09-20

Died:

1972-12-26

Century / Era:

1882s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Kyota Sugimoto (杉本 京太, Sugimoto Kyōta; September 20, 1882 – December 26, 1972) was a Japanese inventor who developed the first practical Japanese typewriter. He received the Blue Ribbon Award and the Small Asahi Ribbon. Out of the thousands of kanji characters, Sugimoto's typewriter used 2,400 of them. Kyota Sugimoto was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1882. He completed his studies at the Training Institute for Communication Technology in Osaka in 1900.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Typewriters were already in common use for English and other languages with small alphabets, but available typewriters for kanji could only type a few of the thousands of characters. Sugimoto studied the frequency of use of kanji characters, and selected 2,400 of them for a typewriter. The characters were arranged in a grid, with a typebar that could move over the grid in two dimensions to select a particular character. The typebar then struck the character against the paper, and returned it to the grid.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The paper was held against a platen, similar to existing typewriters. He obtained the patent rights to the Japanese typewriter that he invented, first in Japan (1915, Patent N° 27877 ) and somewhat later in the USA (1917, Patent N° 1245633 ). In 1953 he was decorated with the Blue Ribbon Award, and in 1965 he received the Small Asahi Ribbon Award. On April 18, 1985, the Japan Patent Office selected him as one of Ten Japanese Great Inventors.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1882 (1882-09-20): Birth of Kyota Sugimoto — Pioneering Japanese inventor known for developing the first practical kanji typewriter.
2. 1900: 1900 Milestone — He completed his studies at the Training Institute for Communication Technology in Osaka in 1900.
3. 1915: 1915 Milestone — He obtained the patent rights to the Japanese typewriter that he invented, first in Japan (1915, Patent N° 27877 ) and somewhat later in the USA (1917, Patent N° 1245633 ).
4. 1953: 1953 Milestone — In 1953 he was decorated with the Blue Ribbon Award, and in 1965 he received the Small Asahi Ribbon Award.
5. 1972 (1972-12-26): Passing & Historical Legacy — Kyota Sugimoto passed away on 1972-12-26, leaving an enduring historical legacy.
6. 1985: 1985 Milestone — On April 18, 1985, the Japan Patent Office selected him as one of Ten Japanese Great Inventors.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Kyota Sugimoto

True or False: “Sugimoto's initial typewriter design could type all thousands of available Kanji characters.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): His innovative approach was to study character frequency and select a manageable subset of 2,400 characters for the practical machine.

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• 1882 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1882
• September 20 (09-20) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on September 20
• 1972 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1972
• December 26 (12-26) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on December 26

Frequently Asked Questions about Kyota Sugimoto