When and How We Started

Wooden kits of sailing ship models were first imported to Japan in the early 1970s. At that time, there were few modelers enjoying building historic wooden ships as pastime. Ginza ITOYA, one of the prestigious general stationery stores in Tokyo, started sales of the imported kits at its shop floor in 1971.

In 1975, two men met at the shop of Ginza ITOYA. They quickly became friends and started talking about creating a hobby club for the modelers. With the help of the shop staff at Ginza ITOYA, they found some enthusiasts, and seven men began meeting regularly at the shop. These original seven members agreed to create a hobby club and decided to name it The Rope.

The Rope was chosen for their important roles on sailing ships. It also symbolizes the strong bond of the members. Additionally, one of the original members designed a logo of the club, which features a coiled-up rope.