There is no ultimate destination in the pursuit of the ideal piano.
The Shigeru Kawai represents the pinnacle of piano craftsmanship, born from decades of relentless passion and technical refinement.
Every note is the result of overcoming countless challenges in search of the perfect sound.
Yet, our journey does not end here.
To embrace the artist’s deepest emotions and translate them into pure resonance, KAWAI’s endless challenge to reach new heights continues.
The legacy of Shigeru Kawai dates back to 1927, rooted in the passionate dream of founder Koichi Kawai: "I want to build the finest piano in the world." Decades later, during an era when rapid industrialization made mass production the industry standard, second president Shigeru Kawai recognized a vital imperative to return to the art’s true origins. Guided by his unwavering conviction that "a sound that truly moves the heart can only be forged by human hands," he made the decisive choice to prioritize traditional craftsmanship over efficiency.
In 1980, he constructed the ideal sanctuary for piano crafting—the Ryuyo Factory—and established within it the dedicated Shigeru Kawai Piano Research Laboratory. Here, he formalized the "Genki Process" (Genki-Kotei), a specialized division devoted to pursuing the absolute ideal of piano sound through pure, uncompromising hand-craftsmanship. Pouring his passion into every detail, he dedicated decades to gathering pristine, naturally seasoned spruce and cultivating a new generation of elite master artisans.
Through nearly two decades of tireless research, trial, and perfected artisanal mastery, this vision reached its ultimate realization in 1999 with the official launch of the premier grand piano series: Shigeru Kawai.
Bestowing his full name upon the instrument was both a pledge of absolute responsibility for its quality and a declaration of profound pride in uniting the master craftsmanship of the Genki Process.
Never forgetting our roots, ever reaching for the summit. The passion, devotion, and spirit of the "Genki" philosophy established in 1980 continue to breathe life into every single Shigeru Kawai piano crafted today.
To produce the ideal, long-lasting sound quality, KAWAI firmly believes in the natural drying of wood used in its soundboard. This drying period can take several years, and gives the soundboard of the Shigeru Kawai superior acoustic characteristics, resulting in the clearest,highest quality sound.
Kawai's Millennium Ⅲ grand piano action includes action parts made of ABS-Carbon. This new composite material allows the keyboard action to meet pianists’ strict demands for
accurate touch and repetition.
A key element of the major upgrade to the Shigeru Kawai is the use of longer keys. This gives the pianist a sufficient keystroke even when playing deep into the keyboard, resulting in enhanced ease of control and expressiveness.
The process of winding copper wire around the bass strings requires highly-refined skills. In this process,<br>
KAWAI’s skilled craftsmen wind each wire carefully and precisely by hand to ensure the highest possible quality.
The new Shigeru Kawai boasts greatly-improved frame rigidity, supporting a string tension of approximately 20 tons.<br>
This improvement enhances the piano’s tuning stability, resulting in powerful sound with clear detail and spaciousness.
