Yashica cameras in collection
1958 Yashica YF Camera
1959 Yashica YE Camera
1960 Yashica 44A Camera
1971 Yashica-Mat-124-G Camera
1958 Yashica YF 1959 Yashica YE 1958-74 Yashica D 1960 Yashica 44A 1971 Yashica-Mat-124-G
The company began in December, 1949 in Nagano, Japan, when the Yashima Seiki Company was founded with an initial investment of $566. Its eight employees originally manufactured components for electric clocks. Later, they began making camera components, and by June 1953 had introduced their first complete camera, the Yashimaflex, a twin-lens reflex (TLR) medium-format camera designed for 6x6cm rollfilm. The Yashimaflex and successive cameras used lenses sourced from the Tomioka Optical Works, beginning a relationship that would last for years. Also in 1953, the company’s name was changed to Yashima Optical Industry Company, Ltd. (Source: Wikipedia)

On an interesting note: Begun in 1949 as the Yashima Seiki Co.  In 1958, Yashima changed its name to Yashica Company, Ltd, when it acquired the Nicca Camera Company, Ltd. Yashima + Nicca = Yashica)  The Nicca acquisition expanded the company’s market into 35mm film cameras. Yashica is now Kyocera.