Some companies follow trends. Others create them.
Some companies fear change. Others embrace it.
Some companies live in the past. Others become the future.
The imaginative spirit of Koichi Kawai, our founder, laid an ambitious foundation for all who would follow, and is the primary reason why the name Kawai has been synonymous with innovation since 1927. Always searching for new materials and technologies that can improve the tone, touch, stability or durability of a piano, Kawai has pioneered many of the piano industry’s most compelling and beneficial innovations, including aluminium action rails, slow-close fallboards, hard finish music desks and the revolutionary use of ABS composites and carbon fibre in piano actions.
The company’s passion for innovation also extends to electronics where Kawai created the industry’s first digital pianos with real wooden keys, the first action designs that re-create the natural movement and motion of an acoustic piano action, the first built-in CD recorders and the first affordable digital pianos with real wooden soundboards.
In its never-ending quest to elevate the art of instrumental craftsmanship, Kawai continues to fulfil its calling as the future of the piano.
From generation to generation, the Kawai vision continues. From its humble beginnings in 1927, the company has evolved into a multi-national corporation with nearly $1 billion annually in worldwide sales… employing over 4000 people across four continents.
At the renowned Shigeru Kawai Research and Development Laboratory, the world’s finest master craftsmen strive to extend the boundaries of the piano art form. Day after day, using only traditional hand-crafted methods, these Master Piano Artisans explore new concepts, designs and materials that enable Kawai to continually transcend history’s loftiest piano standards. Since the knowledge gained in this one-of-a-kind facility becomes a part of every Kawai instrument, the Shigeru Kawai Laboratory is an essential part of the Kawai family’s quest to perfect the art of the piano.
Kawai pianos have reached the pinnacle of international acclaim. Found on concert stages throughout the world, they continue to be selected by gold medal winners and finalists at prestigious international piano competitions across the globe.
In 1997, Kawai became the first in the piano industry to receive ISO 14001, the world’s foremost certification for excellence in environmental management. Awarded first to Kawai’s Ryuyo Grand Piano Facility, then to the company’s Maisaka Upright Piano Factory and most recently to Kawai’s Märchen Digital Piano Facility, ISO 14001 recognized exceptional achievement in reforestation, energy conservation, waste reduction and natural resource preservation. This unceasing pursuit of environmental excellence is an integral part of Kawai’s commitment to the future – and to our world.
Kawai has earned a reputation as the technological leader in digital pianos with the highly acclaimed Concert Artist Series and Concert Performer Ensemble Series pianos. In addition, the celebrated ES Series and MP Series Stage Pianos continue to be top choices for performing musicians. Having received over 27 prestigious international awards for technological excellence, Kawai has become the most decorated manufacturer of digital pianos in the industry. It is this continuing vision for the future, and a diversity of fine products distributed to more than 80 countries around the globe, that has earned Kawai its place among the world’s preeminent musical instrument companies.
