The Birth of the World's First Automatic Encrusting Machine (1961–1966)
Wrapping Bean Paste Used to Be Done Entirely by Hand
At Japanese wagashi shops, "dough wrapping filling" confections such as manju, daifuku, and monaka were once wrapped by artisans one at a time. When volumes were large, the answer was sheer manpower, and output was limited by the number of hands. That was the common situation for the entire confectionery industry before the automatic encrusting machine appeared.
1961: Torahiko Hayashi's Invention
According to RHEON's official company history, founder Torahiko Hayashi succeeded in developing the world's first "automatic encrusting machine" (自動包あん機 in Japanese) in 1961. The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers' Mechanical Engineering Heritage description also explains that this was the first time in the world that the hand-wrapping of wagashi was mechanized, and that the machine was based on a forming theory grounded in applied rheology; see Rheology and Encrusting.
So the most common answer to "Who invented the encrusting machine?" is Torahiko Hayashi of Japan.
1963: The First Commercial Machine, the N101
In 1963, Torahiko Hayashi founded Rheon Automatic Machinery (レオン自動機, RHEON) in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, and that same year released the first commercial encrusting machine, the Model N101. The official history mentions several vivid details:
- The media called it a "dream machine."
- Three months later, orders had reached 270 units, while monthly production capacity at the time was only 10.
- When the first unit shipped, there was no crane, so the machine was hoisted from a pine tree and loaded onto a truck, a story still told within the company today.
1966: The General-Purpose Model 105
After several years of improvement, the general-purpose Model 105 was released in February 1966. According to the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Model 105 was better than its predecessor in both operability and durability. The official company history describes it as spreading to confectionery shops nationwide and becoming a long-selling model that artisans relied on for years. An actor was even hired for a TV commercial, so that people outside the industry learned that encrusting machines existed.
The Model 105's track record: 1,838 units sold in eight years.
Why Was the Model 105 Listed as Mechanical Engineering Heritage?
In 2015, the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers recognized the Model 105 as Mechanical Engineering Heritage No. 71. Combining the official company history and the society's description, there are three main reasons:
- A world first: It was the first mechanization of the hand-wrapping of wagashi.
- It drove industrial modernization: With 1,838 units sold in eight years, it allowed confectionery shops that relied on sheer manpower to catch the wave of modernization.
- It went overseas: The Model 105 was also exported abroad.
This machine is currently on display at the Rheology Memorial Hall (レオロジー記念館) in Nozawa-machi, Utsunomiya. Visits require advance reservations.
From Confectionery to Bread and the World
In 1968, RHEON released the Model 200, which could handle bread dough, expanding encrusting from confectionery to bread. That same year, it began exporting and signed a long-term contract with an American bakery company for 500 units a year. Later, the N208 of 1986 and the KASEIJIN (火星人) CN100 of 1987 brought encrusting machines into the era of computer control; see The KASEIJIN Series and Common Older RHEON Models.
The Principle Left by the First Encrusting Machine
More than sixty years later, the basic idea of the encrusting machine has not changed: the dough and filling are fed separately, meet at the nozzle, and are then cut and sealed. Today's machines use servo motors, touch panels, and cycloid feeding, but the core concept still comes from those first few machines; see What Is an Encrusting Machine?.
Dong-Yih's Machines
Dong-Yih Machinery manufactures models in Tainan including the DY-201 Automatic Steamed Bun and Mantou Machine and the DY-528MS/DY-528M dividing machines. To find out whether they suit your product, call us at 06-257-4644 or leave a message on our Contact page.
FAQ
Q: Who invented the encrusting machine?
A: Torahiko Hayashi, founder of Japan's Rheon Automatic Machinery (RHEON), who successfully developed the world's first automatic encrusting machine in 1961.
Q: What was the first commercial encrusting machine?
A: The Model N101, released in 1963. Within three months of launch, orders had reached 270 units.
Q: Why was the Model 105 listed as Mechanical Engineering Heritage?
A: It was a general-purpose machine that mechanized the hand-wrapping of wagashi, sold 1,838 units in eight years, drove the modernization of the confectionery industry, and was exported abroad. In 2015, the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers recognized it as Mechanical Engineering Heritage No. 71.
Q: Where can I see the Model 105?
A: It is on display at the Rheology Memorial Hall (レオロジー記念館) in Utsunomiya, Japan. Visits require advance reservations.