About K Yairi - history and philosophy

K Yairi Guitars was founded in 1935 in Kani, Gifu, and still operates from the same location. 

K Yairi guitars are made with pride and utmost attention to detail and quality. The Director, Yoshimitsu Yairi, and the Manager Yukihisa Mori, now run the company with the ongoing traditional approach, and the participation of all the talented staff.

The instruments are handmade by extremely talented and experienced craftsmen, using traditional methods.

The deep respect and affection for wood and craftsmanship is still handed down to younger generations today.

Each craftsman finds, after time, a speciality in the process, while being polyvalent and passionate about their work.

Through the many steps of creation of an instrument, any error is spotted and thus corrected. Thus quality is optimal, and regularly world class.

The senior staff train the younger members, so their expertise is perpetuated for future generations.

Musicians from all over the world recognize the clarity of sound, the exceptional tone, the wonderful aesthetics, and many other qualities clients expect from world class guitars.

The history of Yairi Guitars began in 1935 when the  founder, Yoshiichi Yairi established the "Yairi Musical Instrument Factory" to manufacture wooden musical instruments. However, World War II began, and the demand for musical instruments almost completely disappeared. Yairi Musical Instrument Factory could not choose the work and made a range of wooden products, even wooden boxes for storing shells.

The turning point came when second-generation president Kazuo Yairi joined the company. Kazuo heard from a business associate that "Japan will soon be making and selling guitars," and sensed a bright future for the company, so he travelled to America alone. He learned how to make authentic guitars, and after returning to Japan, he founded Yairi Guitars in 1965. This was the moment when the made-in-Japan guitar brand 'K Yairi' was born.

K Yairi guitars are made to be loved for generations to come. Designs that don't loose their charm over the years, and a tone that refines over time... In order to make such a guitar available to players, the quality of the wood is essential. Wood stocks are sorted and graded permanently, as part of the process.

Even today K Yairi makes small quantities hand-made production by a small number of craftsmen.

K Yairi sadly passed away in March 2014, but his aspirations and craftsmanship are being passed down to the craftsmen who continue to defend the same values in the workshop.