We specialise in Kawai Pianos

A History of Kawai

1927 Koichi Kawai established the Kawai Musical Instrument Research Laboratory.
1928 First Kawai grand piano.
1929 Company name changed to Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Company.
1930 Manufacture of reed organs begins.
1934 Manufacturing of harmonicas begins.
1935 Corporate structure expanded to partnership basis. Production capacity: 75 upright pianos and 10 grand pianos per month.
1937 Japan enters the Second World War. Company required to shift to the production of military supplies: aircraft parts and gliders.
1946 Manufacture of furniture, radio cabinets and accordions began for occupation forces.
1948 Manufacture of pianos and organs resumed.
1951 Company reorganised into a joint-stock company with a capital of 3,500,000 yen.
1953 Koichi Kawai awarded the Blue ribbon Medal, first person in the industry to receive it.
1955 Shigeru Kawai appointed president after his father’s death. Initial steps taken toward modernization.
1956 Kawai music education program established.
1957 New lumber mill facility established in Arai town.
1959 Expansion of domestic sales and service network through direct ownership of stores.
1960 Kawai electronic organs placed on sale.
Capital increased to 100 million yen.
1961 Maisaka Factory completed as a main assembly plant.
Kawai Piano Technicians School opened.
Capital increased 2,400 million yen.
1962 Capital increased 3,600 million yen.
1963 ‘Kawai Piano Loan’ system established.
Kawai Music Foundation established.
Kawai America Corporation established in Los Angeles, U.S.A.
1965 Kawai Service Centre Co., Ltd. established.
1966 Kawai College of Music, a teacher training institution, established.
Teisco, a company specializing in electronic music, joined Kawai organization.
1967 Physical training program, Kawai’s Gymnastic School established.
1969 Kawai sporting goods placed on market.
1971 Kawai Concerts held in several cities in Japan and are now annual events.
1972 Kawai furniture placed on market.
1973 Piano production rose above 5,000 units per Month.
1974 Kawai Publishing (musical score publishing and sales) established.
Representative office opened in Dusserdorf, West Germany, to improve sales distribution to the European Market.
1975 Kawai toys placed on market.
Kawai Canada Music established in Winnipeg, Canada.
1976 Deformed metal production begins.
Kawai Deutschland GmbH established in Haan, West Germany.
1977 Aoyama store (Tokyo) established.
Kawai Celebrated 50th anniversary.
1978 Total units of piano production reached one million.
1979 Kawai Europa GmbH established.
1980 Grand Piano Factory & Piano Research Laboratory established in Ryuyo Japan.
1981 Kawai Concert Grand Piano "EX" completed.
Kawai Australia Pty. Ltd. Established in Sydney, Australia.
1982 Kawai entered software and computer sales business.
Kawai Concert expanded, held in 80 cities all around Japan.
1983 Kawai representative office opened in Singapore.
1984 Kawai Business Software Co., Ltd. established.
Total units of piano production reached 1,500,000.
Kawai (Muziekinstrumenten) Nederland B.V. established in Naarden, Holland.
1985 Shigeru Kawai awarded the Blue Ribbon medal.
Kawai Grand Piano "EX" chosen as an official piano for 11th Chopin Competition in Warsaw.
1986 Kawai digital pianos completed.
Kawai U.K Ltd. established in Bournemouth, U.K.
K3 Synthesizer & R100 Drum Machine introduced and enjoy vigorous sales.
1988 Kawai Purchased Lowrey, American organ company.
Piano Assembly plant (Kawai America Manufacturing Inc.) opens in Lincolnton, U.S.A.
K1 Synthesizer and Q-80 Sequenser introduced and achieved great success.
1989 Kawai Techno Center Co., Ltd. (later merged into Kawai Business Software Co., Ltd.) and Kawai Sound System Inc. established.
Kawai Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. established.
Hirotaka Kawai, Shigeru’s son, appointed president and Shigeru Kawai was promoted to chairman.
1990 KCP Co.,Ltd. and Kawai Wood Co., Ltd. established.
Total units of piano production reached two million.
1991 Kawai Asia Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd. established.
1992 Kawai Cosmos Co., Ltd. established.
1993 Kawai Music Planning Co., Ltd. established.
1994 Kawai Precision Metals Co., Ltd. production facility established.
Shigeru Kawai awarded the ‘Blue Ribbon Medal’ from the Emperor of Japan.
1995 Grier city (US) painting company acquired, renamed Kawai Finishing lnc., and begins production.
Partnership with Honoris Industry established, production of musical instruments begins in Indonesia.
Partnership with Beijing Xinghai Musical Instruments Co., Ltd. established, production of musical instruments begins in China.
1997 Ryuyo Grand Piano Facility receives ISO14001 certification for environmental management.
1998 Maisaka Upright Piano Facility receives ISO14001 certification for environmental management.
Piano Recycling Co., Ltd. established.
Kawai Hyper Wood Co., Ltd. established.
1999 Märchen digital piano facility awarded ISO 14001 certification, complementing achievements of Ryuyo and Maisaka facilities.
Shigeru Kawai series of luxury grand piano instruments launched.
2001 Karawan piano facility established in Indonesia.
2002 Kawai Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. established in Shanghai, China.
2004 Capital increased 4,600 million yen.
Kawai Musical Instruments (Ningbo) Co., Ltd. established.
2005 ‘Repre’ music school opened in Shinjuku, specialising in musical education for adult students.
Ryuyo Grand Piano Facility receives ISO9001 certification for standards of quality.
2006 New range of ‘K’ series upright pianos launched.
Capital increased 6,600 million yen.
Expansion of primary factory and acquisition of additional secondary factory at PT Kawai Indonesia.
2007 Kawai celebrates ’80 Years of Advancement’.
PT. Kawai Indonesia No.3 digital piano facility established, production of digital pianos begins.
First Kawai Music School established in Shanghai.
2008 New, improved ‘RX-H’ series of grand pianos launched.
2009 Maisaka upright piano finishing facility moved to Ryuyo facility.
2010 Company president, Hirotaka Kawai, awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
2011 PT Kawai Indonesia subsidiary company established in Banten province, Tangerang, Indonesia.
PT Kawai Indonesia No.1 & No.2 manufacturing facilities receive ISO14001 certification for environmental management.
2012 Shigeru Kawai series of luxury grand piano instruments receive first major update.
Shanghai Kawai EMI (SKE) digital piano manufacturing facility established in Shanghai, China.
Shanghai Kawai EMI (SKE) digital piano manufacturing facility receives ISO14001 certification for environmental management.
Kawai Casting iron casting facility established in Hakui city, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan.
2013 PT Kawai Music School Indonesia subsidiary company established in Banten province, Tangerang, Indonesia.
2014 Kawai Piano (Russia) LLC subsidiary company established in Moscow, Russia.
Acquisition of Zen-On music publishing as subsidiary company.