Hagoromo Chalk Japanese Features Nagoya Features

Hagoromo Chalk

Have you ever heard of Hagoromo Chalk before?  Did you happen to know its worldwide fame, especially among renowned Mathematicians?  We are pretty surprised to find how much appreciated the Chalk has been as the No.1 chalk.  

The pink chalk is not Hagoromo's

Hagoromo Chalk held a dominant position in Japanese education, which no other companies compete for the market share.  Japanese educators took it for granted that such high quality chalk was always available for them.  Because their chalk is so strong and easy to write, it lasts long and gives some enjoyable touch in writing whatever on the blackboard.  The ticking sound it makes when applied to the hard surface of the board adds another element of its popularity.

Please take a moment and listen to what world-famous Mathematicians say about Hagoromo Chalk.

More importantly to us Tune In Nagoya (who are based in Nagoya), Hagoromo Chalk was made around Nagoya!!  Despite the world famous status, interestingly, only a few experts or fans know this fact.  Yes, near Nagoya!!!  Specifically, Kasugai City, in the north-western direction from Nagoya, should be so proud of having such a great company.

Hagoromo had produced the Chalk from 1947 to 2015, when due to the lack of business successors, it decided to voluntarily close their business and sell their machines and expertise to two companies: one is a Japanese company called "Umajirushi" and the other is a Korean one called "Sejong Mall."  The Japanese company "Umajirushi" is located INSIDE Nagoya City... Yeay!!

Besides the lack of successors, a few other possible reasons include popularity of whiteboards and tablets in education, instead of the "traditional" blackboards and chalk.  Lower bids to win in the auction system managed by local boards of education also decreased the profit margins of making chalk, even excellent chalk.  However, we will never forget the company's great contributions to education in Japan and beyond.

It is indeed very unfortunate that Hagoromo Chalk is no longer available, but we will see what we can get from the two companies inherited its legacy.