Santen’s origins date back to 1890, when Kenkichi Taguchi opened Taguchi Santendo. Heburin-gan, a cold medication, was its main product at the time. In the late 19th century, many people in Japan suffered from eye disorders, and demand for eye drops was high. The company launched Daigaku Eye Drops in 1899 and the product’s popularity spread nationwide. From that point, Santen began taking on the challenge of contributing to eye health.