Lacquer and Early Japanese Piano Manufacturing, ca. 1900s

This paper explores the previously neglected relationship between lacquer craftsmanship and early Japanese-made pianos. Before WWII, Japanese pianos were generally finished in black lacquer. In 1900, Torakusu Yamaha (1851-1916), founder of the Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha (since 1887, now Yamaha) in Hamamatsu, Japan, began full-scale piano production following his visit to the US the previous year. He incorporated maki-e and other arts and crafts elements into the pianos he displayed at both world and domestic exhibitions. The utilisation of traditional lacquer techniques, which provided a distinct and appealing exterior finish, was a key factor that enabled Japan to produce and export pianos shortly after 1900.