HOW OLD IS MY PIANO?
FREE PIANO IDENTIFICATION & SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL
What Year Was My Shigeru Kawai Piano Made?
(Serial Number Lookup + Guide)
DIRECT ANSWER
Shigeru Kawai grand pianos can be dated accurately from their serial number. The number is stamped on the gold-painted cast-iron plate inside the piano, typically on the treble side near the tuning pins and close to the Shigeru Kawai name and model designation.
Enter only the independent serial digits. Do not enter the model name or prefix—such as SK-2, SK-5, SK-7, or SK-EX—shown near the number. Use this lookup only when the plate clearly identifies the piano as Shigeru Kawai, rather than a standard Kawai model.
SHIGERU KAWAI PIANO SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL
SHIGERU KAWAI SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL
WHERE IS THE SERIAL NUMBER ON A SHIGERU?
GRAND PIANOS
Open the main grand piano lid and safely secure it with the longer prop stick.
Slide the wooden music desk smoothly forward and completely off its guide rails to expose the belly of the piano.
Look directly at the gold-painted cast-iron plate on the right-hand side (treble side) near the tuning pins.
The serial number is stamped in clean, dark digits directly onto the gold metal surface, typically located next to the Shigeru Kawai logo and the specific model designation (such as SK-2, SK-3, or SK-5).
DO NOT USE THESE NUMBERS
The model designation, such as SK-2, SK-5, SK-7, or SK-EX
The “SK” letters or any nearby model prefix
A standard Kawai serial number entered under Shigeru Kawai
Any number unless the plate bears the full Shigeru Kawai insignia
WHAT A SHIGERU KAWAI SERIAL NUMBER CAN TELL YOU
A Shigeru Kawai serial-number lookup can identify the exact calendar year the instrument was completed and its place within the modern Shigeru Kawai production sequence.
It cannot identify the individual Master Piano Artisan responsible for final voicing and regulation, or provide the piano’s individual climate and maintenance history after delivery.
SHIGERU KAWAI PIANO HISTORY
Introduced in 2000, the Shigeru Kawai line was created under Shigeru Kawai, the company’s second president and the son of founder Koichi Kawai. The line was developed as Kawai’s limited-production, hand-built premium grand-piano series.
Shigeru Kawai pianos are built in a specialized workshop at the Ryuyo grand piano factory in Shizuoka, Japan.
Each instrument is individually regulated, tensioned, and voiced by Master Piano Artisans.
The line combines traditional hand craftsmanship with materials and action technology used in these premium instruments.
Reviewed by Joe Kemple, Master Piano Technician, Burd and Sons Piano Service · Updated September 2026
Our database includes the complete range of serial numbers for all Shigeru Kawai pianos.
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