Japanese craftsmanship

All Shigeru Kawai grand pianos are built in the Ryuyo Factory, located in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. This factory was founded in 1980 by Shigeru Kawai as a specialised workshop where craftsmanship, acoustic research and piano technology come together. Unlike large-scale industrial production, Shigeru Kawai grand pianos are built in relatively limited numbers, with a strong focus on consistency and detailed finishing. The instruments are also produced in small production batches, allowing the entire team to focus on the same model at the same time. This creates exceptional consistency in regulation, tonal character and finishing. Each grand piano is individually registered and meticulously inspected, perfectly reflecting the philosophy of Ryuyo: quality above volume.

The vision behind Shigeru Kawai originates with Koichi Kawai, the founder of Kawai and one of the most important pioneers of Japanese piano building. His belief was that a piano should not only function correctly from a mechanical standpoint, but should also inspire musically. Shigeru Kawai continued this philosophy by developing a series of instruments capable of competing with the very finest pianos from Europe and America. The focus was never on rapid production or commercial compromise, but on long-term development, extensive material research and extremely precise regulation. As early as the beginning of the 1970s, Kawai began selecting and stockpiling wood for future flagship instruments, long before the first designs were fully completed. Today, this philosophy remains visible in every detail of Shigeru Kawai grand pianos: built with respect for tradition, yet continuously refined through new insights.

The construction of the outer rim plays a crucial role in the stability, projection and durability of a grand piano. While many manufacturers bend multiple layers of wood into shape under high pressure while the glue is still wet, Shigeru Kawai uses an exceptionally time-consuming process in which the individual wood laminations are first shaped using steam. This helps preserve the natural integrity of the wood fibres, contributing to a more stable structure and freer resonance. The selection of the wood itself is also carried out with extraordinary care. For the soundboards, Kawai uses solid spruce, while premium models such as the SK-EX and SK-7 feature selected Ezo spruce from a limited stock of slowly matured wood. This wood is naturally air-dried for many years without accelerated drying methods, minimising internal tension within the material. The result is a soundboard with exceptional resonance, stability and long-term durability.

The internal acoustic architecture of a Shigeru Kawai grand piano is also developed with an exceptional level of precision. The bridges, which transfer the vibrations of the strings to the soundboard, are vertically laminated and constructed using different wood species depending on the register of the instrument. For the treble bridge, Shigeru Kawai uses boxwood, an exceptionally hard wood that better controls the high string tension and contributes to greater clarity and definition in the upper register. In the middle and bass sections, maple is used to provide a warmer and richer resonance. The grand pianos also feature fore & back duplex scaling, creating additional resonating lengths both in front of and behind the bridge. This produces a richer spectrum of harmonics and a more colourful yet controlled treble tone. Such a design requires extremely precise regulation in order to keep these additional harmonics musically useful, without uncontrolled resonances or harshness in the sound.

Shigeru Kawai grand pianos are equipped with the renowned Millennium III action, incorporating components made from ABS-Carbon. This composite material combines high rigidity with low weight, allowing the action to respond faster, more consistently and more stably than traditional wooden components. Combined with the specially developed Shiko Seion hammers, the action provides exceptionally precise control over dynamics and tone production. A particularly remarkable detail is that all Shigeru Kawai grand pianos, from the compact SK-2 to the SK-EX concert grand, feature the same key lengths as the flagship model. This ensures an exceptionally even touch across the entire keyboard, including at the back of the keys. In addition, the actions are intensively “broken in” at the factory and repeatedly regulated, with each key performing several hundred thousand movements before the instrument even leaves the factory. This extensive preparation process contributes greatly to the refined repetition, control and stability for which Shigeru Kawai is renowned.

The final preparation of a Shigeru Kawai is entrusted to a select group of experienced specialists: the Master Piano Artisans. They are responsible for the voicing, regulation and musical finishing of the instrument, and follow each grand piano throughout the entire process. Each artisan develops a profound connection with the instruments he completes, something exceptionally rare in modern piano manufacturing. Every new Shigeru Kawai is accompanied by a certificate bearing the name and signature of the responsible Master Piano Artisan. This personal involvement reflects the Japanese philosophy of craftsmanship: perfection is achieved not only through technique, but also through responsibility, discipline and pride in one’s work. The result is a grand piano with a distinctive personality, built to inspire for generations.