Top 10 Oldest Companies Still Operating

The companies ranked here use stated founding years of still-operating firms, and later ownership changes are labelled rather than mixed in. Rank is by the stated founding year of a still-operating firm, with earlier years standing above later ones, and later ownership changes or state institutions are labelled rather than mixed into a silent different product ^[1][2][3]. Kongō Gumi is first, at the official founding year of 578; the present legal company was established in January 2006 after the firm became a subsidiary of Takamatsu Construction Group, and that continuity change is labelled rather than used to drop a still-operating business from the ten ^[1]. Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan is second, at the official founding year of 705, and is the Guinness World Records oldest hotel; a 2017 management succession is labelled and does not change the founding year ^[2]. Koman, or Sennen no Yu Koman, is third, at the stated founding year of 717 ^[3]. Hōshi Ryokan is fourth, at the stated founding year of 718; Guinness World Records dates the oldest family business to 717 at this inn, and that 717 wording is labelled rather than used to overtake Koman or to swap the two stated years in silence ^[3][4].

Later names remain in the same still-operating class. Genda Shigyō is fifth, at the stated founding year of 771 ^[3]. St. Peter Stiftskulinarium is sixth, at the stated founding year of 803 ^[3]. Staffelter Hof is seventh, at the stated founding year of 862 ^[3]. Monnaie de Paris is eighth, at the stated founding year of 864, a still-operating state mint, and that institutional status is labelled ^[3]. Tanaka-Iga is ninth, at the stated founding year of 885 ^[3]. The Royal Mint is tenth, at the stated founding year of 886, again a still-operating state mint, labelled as such ^[3]. A private-firms-only ten would look different after Staffelter Hof, and that narrower product is labelled rather than used as a silent replacement. Unverified family-firm claims, and later unofficial founding years that would move a cell without an official source, are labelled and are not used as silent replacements. This article does not copy official crests, inn noren, or exact facades as decorative art.

Key Facts

The ten below are the labelled founding-year leaders still operating: Kongō Gumi, 578; Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, 705; Koman, 717; Hōshi Ryokan, 718; Genda Shigyō, 771; St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, 803; Staffelter Hof, 862; Monnaie de Paris, 864; Tanaka-Iga, 885; and The Royal Mint, 886 ^[1][2][3][4]. Rank 1 is the outstanding official founding year, which stands well above every later named firm. The 2006 legal-company change at Kongō Gumi, the 2017 management succession at Keiunkan, the Guinness 717 wording at Hōshi Ryokan, and the state-mint status of Monnaie de Paris and The Royal Mint are all labelled in the open rather than used to invent a different unofficial order.

The table is the official spine: stated founding years first, ownership changes and state institutions labelled, and no silent substitution of a later unofficial year.

Oldest Companies Still Operating at a Glance

1. Kongō Gumi

Kongō Gumi is first, at the official founding year of 578, which the company itself publishes as the seventh year of Emperor Bidatsu ^[1]. The present legal company, Kabushiki-gaisha Kongō Gumi, was established in January 2006 after the firm became a subsidiary of Takamatsu Construction Group; that continuity change is labelled, and the firm is still operating as a temple-and-shrine construction business ^[1]. This article records the official 578 founding year. It stands well above Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan's official 705 founding year.

It is first as the outstanding official founding year, a labelled fact, and the documentary centre of this ten ^[1]. A later official revision of the founding claim, or a later change of operating status, will belong in a revision of the cell.

The official Kongō Gumi company profile is the source ^[1].

2. Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan is second, at the official founding year of 705, when Fujiwara Mahito founded the inn in the second year of the Keiun era ^[2]. The inn is the Guinness World Records oldest hotel ^[2]. A 2017 management succession, after 52 generations of family operation, is labelled and does not change the founding year ^[2]. This article records the official 705 founding year.

It is second as the outstanding official 705 founding year, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to Koman ^[2]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

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The official Keiunkan site and the Guinness World Records oldest-hotel title are the sources ^[2].

3. Koman

Koman, or Sennen no Yu Koman, is third, at the stated founding year of 717 ^[3]. The figure is a stated founding year for that named still-operating inn, not a later unofficial estimate, and not a silent combination with Hōshi Ryokan. This article records the stated 717 founding year. It stands just above Hōshi Ryokan's stated 718 founding year.

It is third as the outstanding stated 717 founding year, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to Hōshi Ryokan ^[3]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

Dated published founding-year compilations, checked against still-operating status, are the source ^[3].

4. Hōshi Ryokan

Hōshi Ryokan is fourth, at the stated founding year of 718 ^[3]. Guinness World Records dates the oldest family business to 717 at this inn; that 717 wording is labelled rather than used to overtake Koman or to swap the two stated years in silence ^[3][4]. This article records the stated 718 founding year as the ranking figure for this cell, with the Guinness 717 family-business wording in the open.

It is fourth as the outstanding stated 718 founding year, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to Genda Shigyō ^[3][4]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

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Dated published founding-year compilations and the Guinness World Records oldest-family-business title are the sources ^[3][4].

5. Genda Shigyō

Genda Shigyō is fifth, at the stated founding year of 771 ^[3]. The figure is a stated founding year for that named still-operating ceremonial-paper firm, not a later unofficial estimate. This article records the stated 771 founding year. It stands above St. Peter Stiftskulinarium's stated 803 founding year.

It is fifth as the outstanding stated 771 founding year, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to St. Peter Stiftskulinarium ^[3]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

Dated published founding-year compilations are the source ^[3].

6. St. Peter Stiftskulinarium

St. Peter Stiftskulinarium is sixth, at the stated founding year of 803 ^[3]. The figure is a stated founding year for that named still-operating restaurant in Salzburg, not a later unofficial estimate, and not a silent combination with any later inn. This article records the stated 803 founding year.

It is sixth as the outstanding stated 803 founding year, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to Staffelter Hof ^[3]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

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Dated published founding-year compilations are the source ^[3].

7. Staffelter Hof

Staffelter Hof is seventh, at the stated founding year of 862 ^[3]. The figure is a stated founding year for that named still-operating wine estate, not a later unofficial estimate. This article records the stated 862 founding year. It stands just above Monnaie de Paris at 864.

It is seventh as the outstanding stated 862 founding year, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to Monnaie de Paris ^[3]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

Dated published founding-year compilations are the source ^[3].

8. Monnaie de Paris

Monnaie de Paris is eighth, at the stated founding year of 864 ^[3]. The institution is a still-operating state mint, and that status is labelled rather than used to drop it from a still-operating-companies ten or to treat it as a private firm ^[3]. This article records the stated 864 founding year. A private-firms-only list would look different from this cell onward.

It is eighth as the outstanding stated 864 founding year, a labelled state-mint fact, and a necessary counterpart to Tanaka-Iga ^[3]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

Dated published founding-year compilations are the source ^[3].

9. Tanaka-Iga

Tanaka-Iga is ninth, at the stated founding year of 885 ^[3]. The figure is a stated founding year for that named still-operating religious-goods firm, not a later unofficial estimate. This article records the stated 885 founding year. It stands just above The Royal Mint at 886.

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It is ninth as the outstanding stated 885 founding year, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to The Royal Mint ^[3]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

Dated published founding-year compilations are the source ^[3].

10. The Royal Mint

The Royal Mint is tenth, at the stated founding year of 886 ^[3]. The institution is a still-operating state mint, labelled as such, and is not treated as a private firm ^[3]. This article records the stated 886 founding year as the last named institution in the ranking.

It is tenth as the outstanding stated 886 founding year, a labelled state-mint fact, and a necessary counterpart to Tanaka-Iga ^[3]. A later official revision, or a later official founding year that belongs earlier than 886, will belong in a revision of the ten.

Dated published founding-year compilations are the source ^[3].

Conclusion

A 2026 oldest-companies list has to keep Kongō Gumi at the official founding year of 578, keep the 2006 subsidiary and legal-company change in the open, and refuse to treat a later unofficial year or a vanished family succession as a silent official cell ^[1][2]. Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, Koman, Hōshi Ryokan, Genda Shigyō, St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, Staffelter Hof, Monnaie de Paris, Tanaka-Iga, and The Royal Mint complete a named ten in which founding years, ownership changes, and state institutions are stated in the open ^[2][3][4]. The useful habit is a stated founding year, a labelled continuity note, and a refusal to mix an unverified family-firm claim into a current official cell. A still-operating subsidiary, a still-operating state mint, and a still-operating inn with a later management succession remain in the same official class when the founding year is stated and the later change is labelled.

A later official revision will belong in a revision of a cell; it will not change the method. Those labelled founding years are the spine of the list, and they will still be the spine after a later official profile has restated a founding year or an operating status.