Koichi Kawai, the company founder, was born in Hamamatsu, Japan in 1886.  As the son of a wagon maker, Kawai developed an ability to create mechanical devices and inventions as young boy. His neighbor, Torakusu Yamaha, a watchmaker and reed organ builder, noticed Koichi riding past on a unique pedal-driven cart he built himself.  Impressed, Yamaha, who was strugglingto build his first upright pianos, took the early-teenager in as an apprentice.  While just a young man, he became a key member of the research and development team that first introduced pianos to his country.  He proved to be a gifted inventor who became the first to design and build a complete piano action in Japan.  He was awarded many patents for his designs and inventions. In 1927, Koichi Kawai left Yamaha and founded the Kawai Musical Instrument Research Laboratory along with seven like-minded colleagues.  In the early days, the only thing that supported them was their passion for music and desire to produce superior pianos.  Mr. Kawai was adamant that the ONLY thing Kawai would produce is musical instruments. To this day, Kawai STILL only makes musical instruments and their products are highly regarded throughout the world.