JINS HISTORY From the beginning Hitoshi Tanaka was a passionate person. That’s why he started JINS despite having impeccable eyesight: he believed eyewear should be fun and affordable. The first JINS store was opened in April 2001 in Fukuoka and had a staff of only five people. Among those was Tanaka himself, who stood outside the doors of the store ushering people in with promises of affordable glasses and an enjoyable, speedy experience.