The oldest documented construction company in Japan, and arguably the oldest continuously operating company in the world, is Kongō Gumi. Founded in the year 578 AD, this historic firm specialized in the construction of Buddhist temples and shrines. It was established by a master builder brought from Baekje (in the Korean peninsula) by Prince Shōtoku to construct the Shitennō-ji temple in Osaka. For over 1,400 years, the family-owned business maintained mastery over traditional Japanese wooden architecture, surviving countless wars, economic shifts, and modernization waves. While it eventually faced financial difficulties in the 21st century and was absorbed as a subsidiary by the Takamatsu Construction Group in 2006, its legacy as the ultimate pioneer of Japanese structural engineering remains unmatched. It stands as a testament to the endurance of Japanese corporate traditions and the historical significance of temple architecture in defining the aesthetic and structural evolution of the country’s built environment.