History of the Music Box Industry in Japan

Abstract

This report presents the investigated results on the history of the music box industry in Japan. Based on scant documentary information, the industrial history is conducted by taking from published and accessible documents. It is clarified as follows: After the war, around 1948, Sankyo Seiki Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in the Suwa (in Nagano Pref. ) region and Tokyo Pigeon Music Box Co., Ltd (the predecessor company) in Tokyo succeeded in developing products independently, and "music-box” boxes were sold as souvenirs for American soldiers due to special demand due to the Korean War occurred in 1950; By bringing them back to the home country, the music box products became popular, and an explosive demand for small movements were created in the United States; The movements modeled on Swiss products were miniaturized to 18-12note types due to changing needs, and that Japan made movements underwent a unique evolution; Around 1960, Japan's music box production surpassed Switzerland, the only postwar music box producer, to become the world's largest producer; After reaching its peak in music box production around 1991, its main products of Sankyo Seiki Co. shifted from music boxes to robots etc., but continues to produce music boxes in Suwa region as the only music box movement manufacturer in Japan.