Kawai K-200 Upright Piano

Koichi Kawai, the company founder, was born in Hamamatsu, Japan in 1886. As the son of a wagon maker, Kawai developed an ability to create mechanical devices and inventions when young. He began working in the piano industry in his early teens, and, while still a young man, became a key member of the research and development team that first introduced pianos to his country. He proved to be a gifted inventor who became the first to design and build a complete piano action in Japan. He was awarded many patents for his designs and inventions.

In 1927, Koichi Kawai founded the Kawai Musical Instrument Research Laboratory, employing seven like-minded colleagues. In the early days, the only thing that supported them was their passion for music and desire to produce superior pianos.

After Koichi Kawai’s death in 1955, Shigeru Kawai became company president at 33. He was determined to remain true to his father’s ideals. He foresaw rapid growth in the music industry and planned accordingly, expanding production facilities and establishing a number of music organizations. In 1980, he opened the Ryuyo Grand Piano Factory. Later, he introduced the Shigeru Kawai Grand Piano line, which he described as “his personal legacy to the piano world.” Shigeru Kawai was president of the Kawai company from 1955 to 1989, chairman from 1990 until 2002, and a company consultant until his death in 2006 at 84.

Hirotaka Kawai was appointed president in 1989. Under his guidance, the company embarked upon a program that invested tens of millions of dollars to integrate advanced robotics into the manufacturing process. He established Kawai manufacturing facilities around the globe. More recently, he oversaw the introduction of several new series of grand, upright and digital pianos.

Today, the Kawai Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company distributes acoustic and digital pianos to over 80 countries.