Yanagisawa

Invented by the Belgian clarinetist Adolph Sax in 1846, the saxophones that Yanagisawa crafts constitute a relatively new addition to the family of woodwinds. Compared to the violin, piano, and other musical instruments, the saxophone as well as the compositions written for it share a relatively short history. In fact, among musical instruments, the saxophone is still in its developmental stages and has plenty of room for growth and improvement.
The history of woodwind manufacturing in Japan had its origins in 1894 when Tokutaro Yanagisawa began repairing imported woodwinds for military band members. Within that wartime setting, Tokutaro's repair shop soon evolved into an instrument factory -- the first to build woodwind instruments on Japanese soil.
Tokutaro's son Takanobu followed in his father's footsteps, choosing to pursue a career in the craft of instrument-making, and built his first prototype saxophone in 1951. Although saxophones were already being produced in Japan by then, they were little more than children's toys compared to the instruments imported from abroad. By that point in time, woodwind makers worldwide were already producing saxophones of unrivaled quality, many of which are still prized and played by performing artists even today.