Kamigumi Co., Ltd.

On January 1, 1867, Hyogo Port opened, and the organization Kobe Hamamachi, which specialized in port transportation, became the origin of the Kobayashi Group, which was founded at that time.

Hyogo Port opened, and Kobe Hamamachi, which specialized in port transportation, became the origin of the Upper Group, which was founded at that time.

Hyogo Port was renamed Kobe Port, and Kobe Hamamachi split into two, building a new station in the foreign settlement area, and began operating transport services centered there. At that time, the station was located in the upper (east) part of Kobe Port, so it was renamed Upper Group Hamamachi. This is the origin of the company name "Upper Group".

With the Meiji New Government's industrial promotion policies, the increase in port cargo benefited the company, and its performance steadily expanded. We clarified operating rules and employee status. Taking the opportunity of becoming a limited partnership, in March 1911, we established the General Employee Agreement, which became the constitution of the Upper Group, similar to the articles of incorporation.

In 1925, the head office moved to a newly built location. The former head office later became the office of the export department, but was destroyed by war fires during World War II.

When becoming a corporation in 1965, the method of absorbing the former Upper Group Limited Partnership into the surviving company, Upper Group Construction Co., Ltd., was adopted. At that time, the Upper Group Limited Partnership was nominally dissolved, and Upper Group Construction was renamed "Kobayashi Group Inc." and became the current company.

In 1967, a container ship from the United States arrived at Kobe Port, and Japan's maritime container transport began.

By becoming a corporation, the company increased its fundraising power and challenged transportation innovation. In 1967, a container ship from the United States arrived at Kobe Port, and Japan's maritime container transport began.

In 1968, the head office established a container department and began handling container cargo. The head office moved from the newly built location in 1925 to the current head office location.

In 1968, the Container Department was established at the head office, and container cargo handling began. In 1973, the Upper Group Port Island Container Center was built. As containers steadily replaced traditional vessels, handling container cargo became one of the company's major revenue sources.

Plant exports, which were thriving in the 1970s, entered a decline in the 1980s due to the Iran-Iraq War and the Plaza Accord's rapid yen appreciation, especially in the Middle East, but some large projects continued.

In 1973, the Upper Group Port Island Container Center was built, expanding container cargo handling.

During the 1980s, performance stagnated due to export slowdown, but in the 1990s, proactive equipment investment paid off and performance rose steadily. In response to this strong performance, the aging head office building was rebuilt. In 1992, the new head office building (now the Head Office Building) was completed and became the "face of the company" that values history and tradition.

Performance, which had stagnated in the 1980s due to export slowdown, turned upward in the 1990s thanks to proactive investment in equipment. In response to this strong performance, the aging head office building was rebuilt.

In 1992, the new head office building (now the Head Office Building) was completed and became the "face of the company" that values history and tradition.

The new head office building (now the Main Office Building) was completed in 1992 and became the "face of the company," honoring its history and tradition. In line with this reconstruction, the Tokyo branch building (now the Tokyo Head Office Building) was also completed.

Following the Hanshin-Awaji Great Earthquake, Kobe Port's role declined and Japan's logistics changed dramatically. At the same time, customer needs evolved, demanding integrated services from product acceptance and inventory management to final delivery. To respond to this change, the company began working on 3PL (Third-Party Logistics) as a new business, taking on customers' entire logistics functions in addition to traditional port transport and warehousing.

In 2003, the first independently operated Upper Group Kobe Container Terminal opened.

In 2004, the independently operated Upper Group Tokyo Container Terminal was opened at Tokyo Port. It also housed the Tokyo Multipurpose Logistics Center for produce, becoming a unique multifunctional facility that accepts container ships and handles produce ships such as bananas.

In 2004, the Upper Group Tokyo Container Terminal was opened at Tokyo Port, operating independently. The Tokyo Multipurpose Logistics Center, handling produce, was also established, creating a unique multifunctional facility that accepted container ships and handled produce ships such as bananas.

That year marked a milestone for strengthening overseas operations, and the Asia Regional Headquarters was established in Hong Kong to oversee 23 overseas bases.

This year marked a milestone for strengthening overseas operations. The Asia Regional Headquarters, overseeing 23 overseas locations at the time, was established in Hong Kong.

In 2013, the Kobe Port Island Comprehensive Logistics Center was completed, realizing the largest cold chain in Japan specialized in produce.

A distribution processing center (KPDC) was established at Kobe Port Island.

In 2013, the Kobe Port Island Comprehensive Logistics Center was completed. The facility specialized in produce, achieving the largest cold chain in Japan, and became a flagship innovative facility for the company.

While overseas operations were strengthened, domestic efforts focused on enhancing high-value-added facilities, leading to the completion of the Kobe Port Island Comprehensive Logistics Center.

In 2024, in pursuit of a decarbonized society, the Heavy Energy Transport Business Headquarters established the "New Energy Project Division", contributing to the stabilization of the supply-demand balance of grid power, promoting renewable energy adoption, and advancing a carbon-neutral society by entering the grid battery business.

In 2024, to realize a decarbonized society, the Heavy Energy Transportation Division established the "New Energy Project Division," handling wind, biomass, hydrogen, and related businesses. It aims to contribute to stabilizing the supply-demand balance of grid power, promoting Japan's renewable energy adoption, and achieving a carbon-neutral society, and has decided to enter the grid battery business.

In 2025, the company clarified its corporate philosophy, management policy, and purpose, and formulated the long-term vision 2035 and the medium-term management plan 2030.

In 2025, the company formulated its Purpose, Long-Term Vision 2035, and Medium-Term Management Plan 2030, advancing initiatives to enhance corporate value and realize a sustainable society.