Yamamoto

What Yamamoto does

Yamamoto Kogaku Co., Ltd. (山本光学株式会社) is a privately held Japanese comprehensive eyewear manufacturer founded in 1911 and headquartered in Higashi-osaka, Japan. The company designs, manufactures, and sells protective and sports eyewear across multiple specialized brands: YAMAMOTO (main sunglasses and optical products), SWANS (sports gear eyewear), DICE SNOWBOARD GOGGLES, OUTLAND (outdoor eyewear), and CONTRAIM (sunglasses). Its customer base spans three primary verticals — snow sports athletes (skiing/snowboarding), golf players, and industrial/workplace safety buyers — using a vertical segmentation approach.

The company's underlying technology is eyewear lens technology and optical engineering for safety and sports applications, with proprietary products such as the CONTRAIM line marketed as professional-grade sunglasses. It operates a multi-brand D2C e-commerce distribution model, maintaining dedicated online storefronts for each major brand (yk-yamamoto.co.jp, swans.co.jp, DICE, OUTLAND) targeting SMB, individual, and consumer buyers. Marketing efforts are conducted through news releases, brand ambassador partnerships (notably with professional golfer Nakamura Kokoro for SWANS/CONTRAIM), and television media appearances. Pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Revenue mechanics are not disclosed, and no funding rounds, M&A activity, leadership changes, or public listing information are on record. The company has no disclosed parent, subsidiaries, or institutional investors, and appears to operate as an independent Japanese manufacturer with no international e-commerce footprint — all observed distribution is domestic Japan. With 11–50 employees, the company is small in headcount relative to its 100+ year operating history and broad brand portfolio.

Name

Yamamoto

Legal name

山本光学株式会社

Website

https://yamamoto-kogaku.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Yamamoto Kogaku (founded 1911) is a privately held Japanese eyewear manufacturer in Higashi-osaka operating multiple brands — YAMAMOTO, SWANS, DICE, OUTLAND, and CONTRAIM — serving snow sports athletes, golfers, and industrial/workplace safety buyers via brand-specific domestic e-commerce storefronts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Protective Eyewear Manufacturing

NAICS

Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Optical Goods Retailers (45613)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Sport & Performance Eyewear (CRAAAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Safety & Industrial Protective Eyewear (CRAAAKAF), Ski & Snowboard Protective Gear Retail (Helmets, Goggles, Pads, Back Protectors) (CRAMAJAC), Sunglasses (Non-Prescription) (CRAAAKAB), Eyewear Manufacturing & OEM/ODM (Frames & Sunglasses) (CRAAAKAJ)

Keywords

• Protective eyewear manufacturing
• Sports goggles
• Safety eyewear
• Snowboard goggles
• Sunglasses production

Headquarters

HQ city

Higashi-osaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Yamamoto Kogaku Co., Ltd. is a Japanese comprehensive eyewear manufacturer that designs and produces protective eyewear, sports goggles, and sunglasses across multiple brands (YAMAMOTO, SWANS, DICE SNOWBOARD GOGGLES, OUTLAND, CONTRAIM). The company serves industrial safety, snow sports, golf, and general outdoor activity markets through brand-specific e-commerce storefronts in Japan.

Product overview

Yamamoto Kogaku Co., Ltd. is a Japanese comprehensive eyewear manufacturer operating multiple brands: YAMAMOTO (sunglasses and optical products), SWANS (sports gear eyewear), DICE SNOWBOARD GOGGLES (snowboard goggles), and OUTLAND (outdoor eyewear). The company operates online shops for its primary brands and develops safety-protective eyewear products alongside its consumer brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SWANS (スワンズ): Sports gear eyeglasses/goggles brand. Has its own dedicated online shop at swans.co.jp.
• DICE SNOWBOARD GOGGLES
• OUTLAND
• CONTRAIM (コントライム)

Products and services

• YAMAMOTO (山本光学) Brand Eyewear Main YAMAMOTO brand offering sunglasses and optical products to individual consumers, sold through the official Yamamoto online shop at yk-yamamoto.co.jp.
• SWANS (スワンズ) Sports Gear Eyewear SWANS brand specializing in sports gear eyewear for athletic use, sold through the official SWANS online shop at swans.co.jp and targeting sports participants including snow sports athletes and golfers.
• DICE SNOWBOARD GOGGLES Snowboard goggles brand under the Yamamoto group, targeting winter sports enthusiasts seeking eye protection for snowboarding.
• OUTLAND Outdoor Eyewear Outdoor eyewear brand under the Yamamoto group for outdoor activities and general outdoor sports use.
• CONTRAIM (コントライム) Sunglasses Line Professional-grade sunglasses product line featured in the SWANS brand ambassador partnership with professional golfer Nakamura Kokoro (中村心), promoted through SWANS marketing channels.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Nakamura Kokoro (中村心)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 May 2026Professional golfer Nakamura Kokoro (referred to as the 'pro golfer who did not wear sunglasses') has entered a brand ambassador contract with SWANS brand. She has chosen CONTRAIM sunglasses, representing a significant endorsement for the product line.

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Smith Optics: Smith is a sport and snow goggle/sunglass manufacturer whose product portfolio (snow goggles, sport sunglasses, mountain bike optics) directly overlaps Yamamoto's SWANS and DICE brands in form factor, target user (snow sports, outdoor), and core optical technology.
• Bollé Safety: Bollé operates a dual-brand model (Bollé sport/safety + Cébé sport) that mirrors Yamamoto's combination of safety/protective eyewear with sport performance lines, addressing overlapping customer segments and distribution channels.
• Uvex: Uvex is a German manufacturer of sport and industrial safety eyewear with vertically integrated lens technology and a multi-segment brand portfolio; it is directly comparable to Yamamoto's combined safety + sport positioning.
• Dragon Alliance: Dragon is a snow goggles and sport sunglasses specialist; comparable to Yamamoto's DICE snowboard goggles sub-brand in target customer (winter sports), product form factor, and channel mix.
• POC Sports: POC manufactures sport-protective eyewear, helmets, and goggles for skiing, snowboarding, and cycling — overlapping with Yamamoto's SWANS sport optics and DICE snowboard goggles in use case and performance positioning.
• Anon Optics: Anon specializes in snow goggles and helmets with a sport-performance lens stack; it competes most directly with Yamamoto's DICE snowboard goggles line in the winter sports category.
• Maui Jim: Maui Jim is a sport and lifestyle polarized sunglasses manufacturer with proprietary lens technology, comparable to Yamamoto's CONTRAIM and SWANS lines in form factor and emphasis on optical performance.

Broad incumbents

• Oakley: Oakley is the global leader in sport-performance sunglasses and goggles; it competes with Yamamoto across sport sunglasses, snow goggles, and safety eyewear but operates at vastly greater scale and with deeper athlete sponsorship presence.
• 3M Safety: 3M's Personal Safety Division includes a large portfolio of industrial protective eyewear; comparable to Yamamoto's industrial safety customer segment and product category, though within a much broader safety equipment portfolio.

Regional players

• Salomon: Salomon is a global winter sports brand that sells goggles and sport sunglasses; it is comparable to Yamamoto's DICE snow goggles and OUTLAND outdoor brands in use case but reaches global markets while Yamamoto is Japan-only.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SWANS.SPORTS.JAPAN

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yamamoto