As Kawai celebrates its 98th anniversary, President Kentaro Kawai reflects on the past and shares his vision for the future.
He speaks on the newly established philosophy, brand message, and the path toward our 100th year.

On August 9th, 2025, Kawai marks its 98th anniversary.
To commemorate this milestone, we present an exclusive interview with Kentaro Kawai, who became the company’s fourth president in 2024.
He discusses the inspiration behind the “KAWAI Philosophy” and our global brand message, “Instrumental to Life,” as well as his vision for the years ahead.
We invite you to explore the thoughts shaping the future of Kawai.

 

 

Reflecting on the First Year as President

First, it has been just over a year since you became president. How do you feel at this point in time?

 

These past 15 months have truly flown by.
Every day, I feel the weight of responsibility that comes with leading a company with such a rich history as Kawai. Over the past year, I have traveled to about 10 locations overseas and 11 Japanese domestic branches, engaging in dialogue with many people.
Through those conversations with local staff and partners, I’ve gained a clear understanding of the expectations people have for Kawai and the direction we need to take moving forward.
During this year, I have also worked on several initiatives I had been considering for some time, such as the integration of our domestic and overseas sales organizations, the formulation of the "KAWAI Ten-Year Plan" and "Medium-Term Management Plan", the establishment of a new factory in Indonesia to boost digital piano production in light of growing global demand, and the creation of the “KAWAI Philosophy.”

 

Mine Kawakami (center, Japanese pianist) , Kentaro Kawai (next to her, President), and staff of Kawai Japan 

 

 

The Birth of the “KAWAI Philosophy”

The “KAWAI Philosophy,” announced in March 2025, was created under your strong leadership. Could you tell us what led you to its development?

 

About 30 years ago, on the occasion of our 70th anniversary, we established our previous Management Philosophy and Code of Conduct. However, I had long felt that they lacked what makes Kawai truly unique—they could have applied to many companies.
As I mentioned earlier, during my travels last year, I spoke with many Kawai staff and music professionals both in Japan and overseas. Through those conversations, it became very clear what is expected of Kawai, and what direction we should head toward as we approach our 100th anniversary and beyond.
I strongly felt that we needed to articulate these ideas in words—and so, we shaped them into a philosophy.
The result was the KAWAI Philosophy, which expresses our beliefs in the form of a mission, vision, values, and credo—using words that resonate with everyone.

 

President and staff of Kawai Europe / Kawai Japan

 

 

The Meaning Behind “Let Your Life Resound”

The mission statement, “Let your life resound”, carries a powerful message. Could you elaborate on the meaning behind this phrase?

 

When we considered what only Kawai can offer the world, we realized that we are not merely manufacturers and sellers of musical instruments.
Through our instruments and services, we have the power to accompany people’s emotional lives—to resonate with their joy, sorrow, hope, and passion. Kawai products enrich the everyday lives of those who encounter them.
That belief is expressed in our mission: “Let your life resound.”
This mission also reflects our hope that not only our customers, but also all Kawai employees, will find fulfillment and richness in their lives through their work. We want both our customers and our team members to experience lives that are truly resonant. That is the spirit behind this mission.

 

President, prize winners and jury members of the 5th Shigeru Kawai International Piano Competition

 

 

Embracing the “Yaramaika Spirit”

You often talk about the phrase 'Adopt the "yaramaika spirit" and give it a try!' It seems this mindset plays an important role at Kawai.

 

Yes, “Yaramaika” is a local dialect from Hamamatsu, meaning something like “Let’s give it a try!” or “Why don’t we go for it?”
It represents a spirit of boldness and innovation, and it’s widely used in Hamamatsu.
Even before I became president, I felt that while Kawai employees were extremely dedicated and hardworking, there was sometimes a hesitancy to take risks—perhaps a tendency to avoid failure.
So, I wanted to encourage everyone to take that first step, even if things aren’t perfect from the start.
That’s why we included the term “Yaramaika” in our philosophy—to promote a culture of trying new things without fear.
Of course, not every attempt will succeed. But what matters most is what we learn from failure and how we use those experiences to fuel new challenges.
The more we challenge ourselves, the more we grow—both as individuals and as a company.

 

President and staff of Kawai Australia

 

 

Bringing the Philosophy to Life

How do you plan to ensure this philosophy takes root throughout the organization?

 

Creating the philosophy is not the end goal—it’s the beginning.
It’s not enough to simply declare it from the top. It becomes a living philosophy only when every employee embraces it, internalizes it, and makes it their own.
That’s why I want to create opportunities and experiences where people can genuinely connect with the philosophy—through workshops, through performance reviews, and through internal initiatives like the “Yaramaika Awards.”
By building systems where the philosophy is practiced and celebrated, we can truly bring it to life.

 

President and staff of Kawai UK

 

 

Introducing the Global Brand Message: “Instrumental to Life”

In January 2025, Kawai released its first-ever global brand message for keyboard instruments: “Instrumental to Life.” What led to this message, and what does it mean to you?

 

For the past 98 years, our mission has always been to create the world’s finest musical instruments and deliver them to our customers.
However, we recognized that we hadn’t done enough to clearly express what our instruments and services mean to people’s lives—how they bring value and enrich life itself.
Music has the power to make life richer. It is always with us—through joy, sorrow, and challenge.
We wanted to communicate that Kawai is more than just an instrument maker—we are a part of people’s lives.
That’s why we created the message “Instrumental to Life.”
It expresses the belief that wherever you are in the world, Kawai is there, resonating with the same purpose.

 

President and Kawai Global staff at NAMM Show 2025

 

 

Resonating Around the World

How did employees and customers respond to "Instrumental to Life"?

 

Within the company, I think it gave many of us a renewed sense of purpose. Many employees shared that they no longer see their work as just making or selling instruments.
They now feel that their work truly touches people’s lives. We also heard from many overseas dealers and artists.
They said it was a powerful message that deeply resonated with them.
This phrase is gradually becoming a shared language that unites the Kawai family around the world—and we hope it continues to grow in that role.

 

 

 

Looking Ahead to the 100th Anniversary and Beyond

Kawai will celebrate its 98th anniversary in August 2025. As you look ahead to the 100th anniversary and beyond, what is your vision?

 

While 2027 will mark our 100th anniversary, I see it as just a milestone—one step along a much longer journey.
For nearly a century, we have upheld the spirit and philosophy of our founder, Koichi Kawai, through our piano craftsmanship.
And now, we aim to realize our dream of building the world’s finest pianos.
Becoming the world’s leading keyboard instrument manufacturer may be hard to imagine specifically, but I believe it involves becoming the brand most trusted by renowned pianists, most chosen at prestigious competitions, and most respected worldwide.

The same applies to digital pianos. Thanks to our acoustic piano expertise, our digital pianos offer a distinctive touch and sound.
We want Kawai to be the first choice for everyone—from professionals to beginners.
As a result, we aim to achieve the top global market share.

Over the next 10 years, we will focus on increasing our market share in key regions.
To do so, we must further enhance product quality, boost brand awareness, and strengthen sales channels.
By pursuing these goals, we can create greater value and grow both as a company and as individuals.

 

 

The Role of Music in Life and Leadership

Despite your busy schedule, what role does music play in your personal and professional life?

 

I don’t believe music will ever disappear from the world.
While we can live without music in a purely functional sense, I truly believe that music is essential to human life.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and amid conflicts around the world, music has always been there—providing comfort and connection.
Music connects people and society, and I feel personally that Kawai’s role in creating musical culture is deeply meaningful.
I hope that all our employees also feel the same sense of joy and pride in being involved in music.

 

 

 

 

A Glimpse into the President’s Personal Life

Could you share a bit about your personal hobbies and how you spend your time outside of work?

 

I'm not sure if you are actually interested in my hobbies (laughs), but I do enjoy camping.
Especially since the pandemic in 2020, I started collecting camping gear and went camping with my family up to 10 times a year.
What I love about camping is cooking in nature, playing in rivers, and unwinding by the campfire with a highball in hand.
I haven’t been able to go much recently due to my busy schedule, but I’d love to go again when time allows.

I also enjoy golf, although those who play it know how difficult it is to improve (laughs).
There’s something very fulfilling about that challenge. Golf, in some ways, is like management—it involves strategy and patience.

And I love food! I especially like ramen. When I travel, I always enjoy trying the local ramen specialties.

 

Camping gears of Kentaro Kawai

 

President enjoying golf

 

 

A Message to Everyone Walking Alongside Kawai

To conclude, do you have a message for everyone who walks alongside Kawai?

 

As we look toward our next 100 years, we feel a deep responsibility to contribute to the world through music.
We believe that by being present in people’s lives, we help them express who they truly are—and in doing so, we help color daily life with warm, resonant sound.

We are committed to honoring our traditions while continuing to take on new challenges.
We sincerely appreciate your continued support as we move forward.

Thank you very much.