What Miki Gakki does

Miki Gakki Co., Ltd. (三木楽器株式会社) is a privately held Japanese musical instrument retailer and music services group, founded in 1825 as Kawachiya Sasuke (河内屋佐助) and recognized as Japan's oldest music store. Headquartered in Osaka within the Kaiseikan building — a Taisho-era structure registered in 1997 as a national tangible cultural property — the company operates 11 specialized retail stores concentrated in the Osaka/Kansai region (Shinsaibashi main store, Umeda, Acoustic INN, Amerikamura, RHYTHM SQUARE, WindForest, LowBrassCenter, Kaiseikan piano salon, and others), plus two guitar specialty shops in Tokyo (Smalls in Kanda opened 2023, COCO GUITAR SHOP in Daikanyama opened June 2026), and an e-commerce platform at mikigakki.com.

Its revenue spans instrument retail (new and used), recurring music lessons across 22 self-operated venues in Osaka Prefecture (Yamaha Music School, MIKI Music Salon, master-class tiers from ¥7,700 to ¥63,250/month), piano tuning and restoration through MIKIGAKKI PIANO ATELIER (17 technicians handling rare-instrument work such as PLEYEL grands), soundproofing and acoustic solutions through MIKI MUSIC DESIGN+ (Yamaha Avitecs, Kawai Nasal), used-instrument purchasing, and event production via the miki music mirai subsidiary — most notably the We are SNEAKER AGES national high school light music competition, running since 1979 and endorsed by Japan's Ministry of Education. Four wholly-owned subsidiaries handle U.S. distribution (MIKI Musical Instruments USA Corp., California, est. 2002), regional retail, school-channel sales, and event/artist management.

The firm is family-led across generations (President and Representative Director Toshihiko Miki, who in 2025 formally assumed the hereditary title of 7th Generation Sasuke Miki for the 200th anniversary), has remained independent and privately held throughout its 200-year history, and reported consolidated sales of ¥9.2 billion for the fiscal year ending June 2025 with 185 employees. Approximately 450 supplier relationships (Yamaha, Kawai, Fender, Gibson, Roland, Steinway & Sons, etc.) and ~230 specialty instrument dealer customers sit alongside direct-to-consumer retail and lesson enrollment, with no single customer representing a material share of revenue.

Name

Miki Gakki

Legal name

三木楽器株式会社 (Miki Musical Instruments Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://miki.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1825

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Miki Gakki is a privately held, family-led Japanese musical instrument retailer and music education group founded in 1825, operating 13 specialized retail stores across Kansai and Tokyo, 22 music lesson venues, piano restoration, acoustic solutions, and the long-running We are SNEAKER AGES youth music competition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Musical Instruments Retail

NAICS

Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140), Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (45914)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra) (CRALAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instrument Repair, Maintenance & Luthier Services (CRALAEAF), Instrument & Pro Audio Retail (Online/Brick-and-Mortar) (MPAIAJAH)

Keywords

• Musical instrument retail
• Music education services
• Piano restoration
• Acoustic soundproofing
• Used instrument sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Osaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Musical Instrument Sales: Sales of acoustic guitars, electric guitars, basses, drums, synthesizers, wind instruments, string instruments, pianos, Electone, PA equipment, recording equipment, DJ equipment, sheet music, and related music products through 11 retail stores and e-commerce
2. Music Lessons: Music education services through 22 self-operated venues offering Yamaha Music School, MIKI Music Salon with lessons in piano, Electone, wind instruments, strings, guitar, drums, and vocals
3. Piano Tuning and Repair: Professional piano tuning, repair, and restoration services through MIKIGAKKI PIANO ATELIER team of 17 technicians
4. Used Piano and Instrument Purchasing: Purchase of used pianos and instruments, restoration through Piano Atelier, and resale of regenerated instruments
5. Soundproofing and Acoustic Equipment: Sales and installation of soundproof rooms (Yamaha Avitecs, Kawai Nasal), acoustic panels, and related equipment through MIKI MUSIC DESIGN+
6. Music Event Planning and Production: Planning and production of music events, concerts, and the national high school light music competition We are Sneaker Ages

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Miki Gakki sells new and used musical instruments and accessories (pianos, guitars, basses, drums, wind instruments, keyboards, PA/DJ equipment, sheet music) through 11 specialty retail stores and an e-commerce platform. The company also provides subscription-based music lessons across 22 self-operated venues and offers professional piano tuning, repair, and restoration through the MIKIGAKKI PIANO ATELIER team of 17 technicians.

Product overview

Miki Gakki operates as a comprehensive musical instrument retailer and music education provider with a diversified portfolio of retail stores, specialized services, and subsidiary operations. The company offers instrument sales through multiple specialty stores (guitar, piano, wind instruments, bass/drums), music education via MIKI MUSIC SALON and 開成館, piano services through MIKIGAKKI PIANO ATELIER (tuning, repair, restoration, purchase), acoustic solutions via MIKI MUSIC DESIGN+, and event production through subsidiary miki music mirai (including the We are SNEAKER AGES competition). Recent additions include COCO GUITAR SHOP and RHYTHM SQUARE retail locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MIKIGAKKI PIANO ATELIER: Piano tuning, repair, restoration, and purchase service team. Established 2014 with 17 skilled technicians.
• MIKI MUSIC DESIGN+
• miki music mirai

Products and services

• MIKI Music Salon (MIKIミュージックサロン)

Quantifiable outcome

• 92億円の連結売上高（2025年6月期）
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 河合楽器製作所（カワイ）coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership for piano sales and service support; collaboration on Piano no Tane 100 donation project donating 100 upright pianos to kindergartens and nursery schools nationwide; Kawai authorized service support for piano tuning and repair
• 桐朋学園大学音楽学部coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Partnership to operate 桐朋学園大学音楽学部附属「子供のための音楽教室」Osaka classroom at Kaiseikan since 2008; provides music education for children aged 2.5+ including solfege, piano, violin, and cello instruction
• ヤマハ株式会社coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorized Yamaha dealer for Avitecs soundproof rooms, Cefine series, and Yamaha acoustic equipment; exclusive or priority access to Yamaha product lines; joint marketing campaigns and showroom displays
• じゅうたす株式会社minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for DIY guitar wall hanger products (Labrico); joint product development and display at Umeda store and MIKI Music Salon Umeda
• Digidesign社（現Avid社）minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized as Master Dealer for Pro Tools and related products since 2004; certified technical partnership for professional audio equipment
• 株式会社全日本音楽出版社minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSheet music publisher partnership for music publication and sales; part of approximately 450 supplier relationships

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sam Ash Music:
• Shimamura Music (Shimamura Gakki): Japan's largest music instrument retailer with ~170 stores nationwide. Comparable as a direct competitor in instrument retail and music lessons, but operates at significantly larger national scale versus Miki Gakki's Kansai-centric footprint.
• Guitar Center: America's largest musical instrument retailer with hundreds of stores. Comparable in instrument category breadth and lesson services, though positioned in mass-market segment rather than Miki Gakki's specialty/boutique focus.
• Yamaha Music Japan (Yamaha Corporation): Global musical instrument manufacturer and Yamaha Music School operator. Direct strategic partner of Miki Gakki (authorized dealer and lesson licensee), but also a broader market incumbent that could bypass retailers through direct-to-consumer channels.
• Sweetwater Sound: Largest US-based online musical instrument retailer with strong content, customer service, and broad inventory. Comparable as a multi-channel music instrument retailer serving serious musicians, though operating at much larger scale and entirely online-led.
• Kawai Musical Instruments: Japanese piano and instrument manufacturer, strategic partner of Miki Gakki for pianos, service, and the Piano no Tane 100 donation project. Comparable as a piano ecosystem participant with manufacturing capabilities that complement Miki Gakki's restoration expertise.

Others

• Roland Corporation: Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments including pianos, synthesizers, and DJ gear. Comparable as a Japan-based music industry participant whose products Miki Gakki retails, and as a potential channel partner or competitor depending on direct-to-consumer strategy.

Direct peers

• Ishibashi Music (Ishibashi Gakki): Major Japanese musical instrument retailer with specialty stores across Japan plus a Brooklyn, NY store. Most directly comparable to Miki Gakki in terms of multi-format specialty store strategy, used instrument purchasing, and focus on guitars and high-end instruments.
• Tokyo Guitar Store / Sound House: Online-focused Japanese music retailer specializing in guitars, basses, and pro audio equipment. Comparable in target customer (guitarists and serious musicians) and competes with Miki Gakki's online channel and Tokyo guitar specialty stores.

Emerging players

• Reverb (online marketplace): Online marketplace for new and used musical instruments. Comparable in used-instrument and gear trading focus (Miki Gakki's used piano purchasing service competes with this category), and represents the digital-first model that pressure-tests traditional retailers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/mikigakkipiano
• Facebookfacebook.com/mikigakki

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Miki Gakki