1. Who Fixed the Broken Organ at Hamamatsu Elementary School in 1887?
In 1887, an American-made organ at Hamamatsu Jinjo Elementary School (now Hamamatsu City Motojo Elementary School) in Shizuoka Prefecture broke down. The person called to fix it was Torakusu Yamaha [1]. Yamaha was originally an engineer who repaired medical equipment. He was asked to fix the organ because of his skill with machinery, even though he was not an organ specialist [3].
It seems he learned the internal structure of the instrument while repairing it. It is said that this led him to create the first full-scale organ in Japan [3]. The broken instrument served as a close-up textbook. However, records differ on the exact year he successfully built an organ: some say 1887, while others say 1888 [1][3]. For now, we can consider it to be the late 1880s. The next question is: if he could build an organ, could he build a piano?
2. Why Did Yamaha's Company Move from Making Organs to Making Pianos?
In 1897, Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd. was established, and Torakusu Yamaha became the first president [1]. A repair craftsman had become a company leader. In 1899, Yamaha traveled to the United States for inspection, and in 1900, the first upright piano was produced [1][4]. This piano used German technology as a reference, with cooperation from Daizaburo Matsuyama, Naokichi Yamaha, and Koichi Kawai [4].
Yamaha’s explanation states this was the first upright piano in Japan. However, since the claim of being "first in Japan" is based on each company’s own description, it should be viewed with some caution. What is notable is that Koichi Kawai, who would later found Kawai, is listed among the collaborators. Who was this young man?
3. What Kind of Boy Was Koichi Kawai, Who Entered Yamaha's Factory at Age 11?
Koichi Kawai was born in 1886 in Hamamatsu to a family of carriage carpenters. In 1897, at age 11, he entered Yamaha’s instrument manufacturing plant [5]. His apprenticeship began in the same year the company was founded. There, he honed his skills in piano tuning and manufacturing [5]. A boy raised in a carpenter’s home applied his manual skills with wood and metal to the world of musical instruments.
The most difficult part was the piano’s "action," the mechanism where pressing a key causes a hammer to strike the strings. Kawai is said to have completed this mechanism through self-study, though sources vary on the year of completion: 1900, 1903, or 1907 [5]. Therefore, it is safest to say it was completed by the end of the Meiji era. As Kawai improved his skills under his master, he eventually chose his own path. Why did he do this?
4. Why Did Koichi Kawai Leave Yamaha to Start His Own Company?
About 30 years after entering the factory at age 11, the former apprentice founded "Kawai Gakki Kenkyusho" (Kawai Musical Instruments Research Institute) in Hamamatsu in 1927, together with colleagues. The factory was located in Terashima-cho, Hamamatsu City [2]. In 1928, the year after its founding, the first standard upright piano and the first grand piano were released [5]. The company brought two types of pianos to market within one year of starting operations.
The company name changed to Kawai Gakki Seisakusho in 1929 and became Kawai Gakki Seisakusho Co., Ltd. in 1951 [2]. Kawai is also introduced as having obtained patents for new mechanisms in the action and soundboard [9]. So why did he leave his master? Explanations differ by source: one says it was due to a change in business policy, while another cites labor disputes. We do not conclude which was the deciding factor here.
5. Why Did Yamaha and Kawai Need People to Learn Piano to Sell Their Pianos?
In the 1950s, both companies seemed to realize the same thing: pianos do not sell just because they are made. As more people learn to play, more people want to have one in their home. Yamaha opened the predecessor to its music schools in 1954, and Kawai established Kawai Music School in 1956 [1][2]. Companies that sold pianos also created places to train players.
Research in business history points out that the biggest reason pianos spread into Japanese homes was the popularization activities centered on Yamaha Music School [8]. Since the idea that they "created demand" is a researcher’s evaluation, it should not be taken as a direct company statement. During this time, Genichi Kawakami led Yamaha as president from 1950, and Shigeru Kawai led Kawai as president from 1955. Both are described as extremely capable business leaders [6].
6. How Did Yamaha and Kawai Expand Their Piano Business Overseas?
Yamaha established sales companies in Mexico in 1958 and in the United States in 1960. Kawai established Kawai America in California in 1963 [1][2]. Yamaha became the world’s number one in piano production volume in the mid-1960s. Sources differ on the exact year, citing either 1965 or 1967 [4][7]. Therefore, it is safe to write it as the mid-1960s.
Let us look at the 2020 numbers. According to a 2020 survey by Deal Lab, Yamaha held 23.9% and Kawai held 5.5% of the global musical instrument market [3]. However, these figures are for all musical instruments, not just pianos. For pianos specifically, this article introduces Yamaha as number one and Kawai as number two in the world. It is said that many pianos made domestically are produced near Hamamatsu [3]. The thread that started with an organ at an elementary school in Hamamatsu now connects to music rooms around the world.
7. Are the Pianos in Your Music Room Made by Yamaha or Kawai?
Look at the lid or front of the piano in your school music room, community center, or music shop. You might see the name "YAMAHA" or "KAWAI." If you find one, remember the story of the master and apprentice that began with a school organ. Before touching or playing the piano, ask the teacher or owner.
This article has written dates with discrepancies as ranges where possible. Koichi Kawai’s life is summarized on the Hamamatsu Daisuki Net, and the history of Yamaha is based on its securities report. You can find entry points to verify these facts in the source list. By the way, why does pressing a key cause a hammer to strike the strings?