After you place your order, we will email you your contract within 24 hours. Once the contract is signed our we will call you within 2 days to schedule delivery. We will get your piano delivered and set up, sometimes within 24 hours. Finally, we will schedule a visit from our piano tuner within 10 days, to ensure your instrument sounds its best.
Kawai has been building pianos in Hamamatsu, Japan since 1927. Founded by Koichi Kawai-a former Yamaha apprentice who believed he could build a better instrument-the company has spent nearly a century earning a reputation for clear tone, responsive action, and thoughtful engineering.
At PianoPiano, we carry refurbished Kawai uprights. These are Japanese-built instruments, restored to like-new condition and ready to play. If you've been researching Kawai and wondering whether it's the right fit, renting one is the fastest way to find out. Exchange as many times as you want. We won't let you make a mistake.
THINKING ABOUT BUYING? That's normal.
Most people researching pianos plan to buy. The smart move? Rent first, decide later. The right piano reveals itself after weeks of playing-not from a spec sheet.
The Kawai Story
Koichi Kawai started his career at the Yamaha Corporation in the early 1900s, where he helped develop some of Japan's first domestically manufactured pianos. But Kawai had his own ideas about piano design, and in 1927 he left to start his own company in Hamamatsu-right across town from his former employer.
That decision launched what became one of the most storied rivalries in the piano world. For nearly a century, Kawai and Yamaha have pushed each other to build better instruments, and pianists have benefited from the competition. Where Yamaha is known for a bright, articulate tone, Kawai developed its own character: clear and balanced, with a warmth that becomes more apparent as you move up the keyboard.
Today, Kawai remains independent and family-led, still headquartered in Hamamatsu, with a reputation for thoughtful engineering and consistent build quality.
What Makes Kawai Different
Clear, balanced tone. Kawai pianos produce a sound that's often described as clear and even across the keyboard. If you've played a Yamaha and found the brightness energizing, or a Weber and loved the warmth, Kawai sits in an interesting middle ground: bright enough to project, warm enough to sustain.
Responsive action. Kawai actions are known for being quick and responsive. The touch tends to feel lighter than a Weber but with more control than you'd expect at the console height. For developing players, this means less fatigue during long practice sessions. For experienced players, it means the piano keeps up with you.
Japanese craftsmanship. Our Kawai inventory consists of instruments originally manufactured in Japan. Japanese piano manufacturing has a well-earned reputation for precision, and these instruments reflect that heritage.
Played In Pianos - Why "Previously Rented" Is a Feature
New pianos are stiff. They can need up to 4 tunings in the first year just to settle. That's why professional musicians prefer played-in instruments-a piano develops its character over time. You wouldn't run a marathon in brand new shoes. Our rentals are already played in and arrive at your home ready for practice.
A compact console with Kawai's signature clarity and quick action. Same 88 keys, same Japanese build quality as the taller models, just sized for apartments, smaller rooms, and anyone who wants a piano that fits the space. Shop console pianos.
More soundboard, longer strings, bigger sound. The 48" professional height delivers noticeably richer bass and more projection. If you have the space and want a Kawai with more presence in the room, this is the one.
The tallest upright we carry. At 52 inches, this piano has the string length and soundboard area to produce a sound that genuinely approaches a baby grand. Deep, resonant bass and rich projection throughout the range. If you want the power of a grand but don't have the floor space for one, this is as close as an upright gets.
Kawai fits a wide range of players, but it especially resonates with people who value a responsive touch and clear sound.
Players who want Japanese-built quality and value the precision and consistency that comes with instruments manufactured in Hamamatsu.
Anyone comparing Kawai and Yamaha and wanting to find out which one feels right before making a commitment. Rent one, play it for a few months, and you'll know.
Students and teachers who appreciate a responsive, quick action for developing technique without fighting the keyboard.
Apartment dwellers looking at the 43" console-compact footprint, clean sound, fits the space without overwhelming it.
Serious players who want more instrument and have room for the 48" or 52" professional upright, which deliver fuller bass and projection.
Why Our Pianos Last
We're a rental company. We buy pianos we want to own forever-so our grandkids can rent them to your grandkids. You can purchase if you want, but that's not our goal. We just want you to play it, love it, and send it back when you're done so we can find a new home for it. That's why we only buy quality instruments that will last forever.
Why Kawai Makes a Great Rental
If you're researching Kawai, you're doing your homework. You probably have a shortlist, a few comparison tabs open, and a budget in mind. Here's why renting makes the research phase easier:
Find out if Kawai is your sound. Every piano sounds different in your home than it does in a showroom or on a YouTube video. Rent a Kawai, live with it, and find out whether that clear, balanced tone is what you've been looking for.
Compare without the commitment. Rent forever - or switch whenever. Start with a Kawai console. Want more piano? Switch to the 48" professional. Curious about a different sound? Switch to a Yamaha, Weber, or Young Chang. Or just keep your Kawai. Your monthly price never goes up, no matter how long you rent.
100% first-year credit toward purchase. If you fall in love, apply your rental payments toward buying that piano-or any other in our inventory of equal or greater value. Your purchase price locks in at the time you start renting and never increases.
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Explore Kawai at PianoPiano
Want to find out what a Japanese-built Kawai feels like in your living room? We can help you pick the right model for your space and playing style.
Keep Jammin' and continue your rental at the same monthly price for as long as you would like.
Return anytime and immediately regret the decision
Exchange your Piano at anytime for any other available model you'd like to try.
Buy your Piano at the price guaranteed when you rented, or a different piano of equal or greater value. Then subtract the first year of rent you have already paid.
