Timeline
In 578, Kongō Shikō, one of the three Miyadaiku (specialized carpenters who build shrines and temples) invited from Baekje by Prince Shōtoku to construct Shitennō-ji, founds the company. Until the Edo period, Kongō Gumi remains the Miyadaiku for Shitennō-ji.
In 593, Shitennō-ji was completed. The construction method used to build it is still alive in the Kongō Construction's "assembly method".
In 1576, Shitennō-ji was burned down by Oda Nobunaga. The company participated in the construction of Osaka Castle during the 16th century. In the winter of 1614 during the Siege of Osaka, Shitennō-ji burned down again. It has been rebuilt seven times due to war and natural disasters, and each time, the successive Kongō Gumi worked to rebuild it.
In 1868, Shitennō-ji lost its temple estate, and Kongō Gumi could no longer receive the stipend from Shitennō-ji.
In 1903, Kongō Gumi built the Daimon Gate.
In 1934, the Shitennō-ji Gojū-no-tō (five-story pagoda) collapsed due to the 1934 Muroto typhoon. Kongō Gumi was able to rebuild it under the leadership of Yoshie Kongō, the first woman to become the head carpenter in the company's history.
In 1955, Kongō Gumi incorporated.
In November 2005, Shin-Kongo Construction, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takamatsu Construction, was established.
In January 2006, the company transferred its business to Shin-Kongo Construction and most of its employees moved to the new company. The old Kongō Construction remained only in the real estate division and changed its name to KJ Construction Co., Ltd. The over-1,400-year-old Kongō family's management structure essentially closed its doors.
In July 2006, KJ Construction filed for bankruptcy due to insufficient funds. The total debt was ¥4 billion.
In July 2007, they acquired all the shares of Nakamura Shaji, a company undergoing civil rehabilitation.
In May 2008, they established Kongō Construction Engineering as a subsidiary specialized in the construction and repair of yamakasa, danjiri, and mikoshi (floats and portable shrines used in festivals).
