The company`s website also claims it to be the oldest firm of that type anywhere in the world, since the demise of Kongō Gumi which was substantially older. Both company originate from family of architect-carpenter (Miyadaiku). In 1610 Tobei Masataka Takenaka (竹中 藤兵衛正高), a shrine and temple carpenter, started a business in Nagoya. ....