In 1950 (Showa 25), shortly after the war, Kamakura Optical Machinery Co., Ltd. was born in the Kanto region by a single craftsman.
Just three years later, in 1953, the company began manufacturing binoculars, and in 1960 it registered the trademark "CAT EYE," an original brand that embodied its beliefs.

At the time, Kamakura Optical was developing as an OEM manufacturer supplying binoculars to manufacturers in Japan and around the world. However, in the 1970s, the oil crisis hit, and orders from various companies plummeted. The company faced a management crisis.
But the craftsmen didn't give up. They decided to carve out a future for themselves and started anew under the CAT EYE brand. With no customers, they loaded their binoculars into their car and traveled all over the country, from Hokkaido to Kyushu, working hard to sell them.

Eventually, this passion spread beyond national borders, with requests to use the "CAT EYE" brand name coming from overseas, including the UK, Sweden, South Africa, and Taiwan.
In 1987, the CAT EYE "NC-II 7x21 Z.CF" won the Good Design Award . It was the moment when the craftsmanship and aesthetic sense of the product were officially recognized.

After that, the OEM business recovered again, and Kamakura Optical Co., Ltd. regained its strength as a group of engineers and has continued to support the global optical industry.
In 2014, we began research and development into vibration-reduction (image stabilization) technology, obtaining a patent for our unique "image stabilization device," and in 2017, we brought vibration-reduction binoculars to market.
Since then, Kamakura Optical has acquired numerous patents and is now known worldwide as a leader in vibration isolation technology .

And then - 2025 (Reiwa 7).
Maho LLC, a creative workshop group, has been officially licensed by Kamakura Koki to produce and sell the CAT EYE, a "timeless legacy" equipped with vibration-damping functionality that has been around for 65 years, and it has once again shone.
It was also the moment when the passion of the craftsmen who once thrived across the country was passed down to the present day.

At that time, Kamakura Kogei had developed into an OEM manufacturer supplying binoculars to manufacturers in Japan and other countries around the world. However, in the 1970s, the oil shock hit, and orders from various companies plummeted, putting the company's management in a crisis.
Even so, the craftsmen did not give up. To forge their own future, they restarted with the CAT EYE brand. Having no customers, they loaded binoculars into their car and traveled all over Japan, from Hokkaido to Kyushu, working hard to sell their products.

Eventually, that passion crossed borders, and the demand for the "CAT EYE" brand name spread overseas, with requests coming from countries such as the United Kingdom, Sweden, South Africa, and Taiwan.
In 1987, CAT EYE's "NC-II 7×21 Z.CF" won the Good Design Award . It was the moment when the craftsmanship and aesthetic sense of the artisans were officially recognized.

After that, the OEM business recovered again. Kamakura Kogei regained its original strength as a group of engineers and has continued to support the global optics industry.
Then, in 2014, we began research and development of image stabilization (handshake correction) technology. We obtained a patent for our unique "image stabilization device" and launched image stabilization binoculars on the market in 2017.
Since then, Kamakura Optical Machinery has acquired numerous patents and is now renowned as a world leader in vibration damping technology .

And then—2025 (Reiwa 7).
Maho LLC, a creative workshop collective, has officially received permission from Kamakura Optical Co., Ltd. to produce and sell the CAT EYE, and after 65 years, this "timeless legacy" has been reborn with vibration-damping technology, shining its light once more.
It is also a moment when the passion of the craftsmen who once traveled all over the country is passed down to the modern era.