About Kowa Sporting Optics

Over seventy years Kowa and their products continue to evolve and innovate.

From the invention of the original spotting scope in the 1950s, to the legendary Kowa Six medium format camera and anamorphic lenses of the ‘60s - every decade has seen Kowa continue to innovate in the world of optical design & technology.
This legacy continues today with a line up of optics at the forefront of imaging excellence. With our pure fluorite crystal Prominar sporting optics, over 20 binocular models, a range of super-wide angle MFT and Cine lenses and digiscoping systems delivering focal lengths exceeding 3000mm - Kowa continue to provide the ultimate viewing experience to users around the globe.

Established 1894

Since its establishment in 1894, Kowa has grown into a multinational Japanese company actively engaged in various manufacturing and trading activities in the fields of pharmaceutical, life science and information technology, textiles, machinery and various consumer products.

A 3rd generation family owned business, Kowa has grown in to the 3rd largest privately owned company in Japan with over 6,500 employees worldwide. Kowa offers products and services through 40 international business hubs around the world.

A Company That Cares

Kowa manufacture optical instruments to view the beauty of our natural world - a world that Kowa want to protect for future generations.
As a responsible optics manufacturer, Kowa leads the way by example throughout the manufacturing process with a focus on environmental safety and energy conservation.
All Kowa lenses used in our PROMINAR range of sporting optics and binoculars utilize ECO GLASS, an environmentally friendly material containing no lead or other harmful substances.
Kowa’s optical instruments are designed and manufactured to produce stunning views of the wildlife that surrounds us.

Take a Tour of the Kowa Optical Products Factory in Japan!

Manufacturing

Kowa manufactures some of the finest sporting optics in the world with an optical heritage since 1954. From lens cutting, shaping and polishing through to final assembly, every optic that leaves the Kowa factory in Japan must pass a series of stringent tolerance tests before it is released to the market.
Every Kowa PROMINAR spotting scope is resolution tested using an optical collimator at the factory by Kowa optical experts to ensure the finest quality.
When you choose a Kowa optic you are investing in a optical product benefitting from decades of optical heritage, the finest materials and the latest technology.
Every Kowa optic is backed by an experienced service team so you can be sure that your optic remains in tip-top condition throughout its lifespan.

Kowa American Corporation

Kowa American Corporation is part of Kowa Company Limited, one of the largest privately own companies in Japan.

The Kowa American Los Angeles branch was established in Torrance, CA to provide high quality sporting optics, commercial lenses, and medical products to North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Since its introduction to the American markets in 1980, Kowa has become a brand known to the Western Hemisphere for their high quality, precision optics able to perform in even the most extreme conditions. The company's focus on leading edge technology, flexible machine technology, application software, and traditional optical technology produces a wide range of products designed to enhance the visual experience and provide vision solutions and diagnostics for all users.