Yamaha is a huge brand, with its products being well known around the world. But what they are known for can vary widely depending on who you ask. For some, Yamaha is a leading motorcycle manufacturer; for others, a purveyor of pianos and other instruments. Others still might recognize Yamaha as the name printed on their boat, golf club or audio equipment. The truth is that Yamaha has a hand in all of these products and more, boasting a level of ubiquity that belies their humble beginnings in the 1800s.
The company’s founder, Torakusu Yamaha, started off as a watchmaker, later branching out and becoming a specialist in medical equipment. In 1886, Yamaha moved to a small town called Hamamatsu and started a business repairing medical equipment. But as it would turn out, his skills with technology would soon lead him down a different path. Yamaha heard news that the reed organ in a local elementary school had broken down, and, being in a small and isolated area, no one knew how to repair it. All organs in Japan at the time were imported from abroad, so finding experts in their maintenance was difficult.
Despite it being outside of his area of expertise, Mr. Yamaha agreed to try repairing the damaged instrument. During the course of his work, Yamaha was forced to manufacture his own replacement parts, which in turn inspired him to attempt what no one in Japan had done before: to build his own reed organ from scratch.
The process of doing so was not easy. In order to showcase his first prototype in the music department of Tokyo, Yamaha himself had to carry the organ over 160 miles through the mountains. When he finally arrived, the organ was harshly criticized for its construction and poor tuning. Yamaha would spend the next several months dedicated to the study of music theory and proper tuning, before finally constructing the first proper organ ever built in Japan. This new model was good enough to rival foreign-made instruments, and Yamaha soon started receiving requests to build even more.
Thus in 1887, Yamaha’s corporation (then known as Nippon Gakki Co. Ltd.) was established, and slowly began to produce more instruments. Reed organs and pianos made by Yamaha became very popular in Japan, and were widely distributed throughout the country. Torakusu Yamaha passed away in 1916, but his company continued to thrive under new leadership, further expanding to the production of other instruments like harmonicas and xylophones.
Yamaha Corporation, like many other companies, would undergo great change with the advent of World War II. In the last few decades, Yamaha had become well known for its quality woodworking and mechanical engineering. As a result, in the 1940s Yamaha shifted its focus to manufacturing motors and propellers for boats and planes in order to support the Japanese war effort.
After the war had ended, Yamaha Corporation repurposed its expertise in motors to establish its other great claim to fame: motorcycles. While Yamaha Motor Company is technically a separate business, it is still partially owned by Yamaha Corporation .Today it is one of the biggest motorcycle manufacturers in the world. It makes more than just motorcycles, including boat engines, jet skis, golf carts and snow throwers.
Meanwhile, the post war state of Japan also brought about great changes for their music business. New policies had made music education mandatory in Japanese schools, leading to increased business for Yamaha. Their range or products expanded even further as time went on, which now includes everything from guitars and synths to cables and recording equipment. It was also during this post war boom that their influence extended beyond the borders of Japan. While Yamaha was initially only known abroad for their motorcycles, advancements in technology and trade relations between the US and Japan brought Yamaha’s products to the rest of the world.
Today, Yamaha is the world’s largest musical instrument manufacturer, and their influence on the world of music is undeniable. Yamaha instruments can be heard on countless records. Their pianos have been played by jazz legends, their guitars are loved by icons in rock and metal, and their synthesizers have characterized generations of pop and dance music. Aside from their instruments, bikes and boats, Yamaha has too many products too name, including swimming pools and archery equipment. Despite all of this, their logo still pays tribute to their humble origin, featuring three tuning forks which represent Torakusu Yamaha’s dedication as a pioneer in Japanese instruments.
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