On August 2nd, 1956, ARAI & CO., INC was founded.Īt this time, although demand for classical guitars and accessories were increasing, it was still comparatively low and business was supplemented with other products including woollen material. Recognising an increasing demand for guitars from friends and players throughout Japan, Shiro grasped the opportunity to start his own business. These were the first classical guitars imported into post-war Japan and included instruments from renowned makers Jose Ramirez and Hermann Hauser. In 1954 unable to buy guitars, music and strings in Japan’s music stores, Shiro started to import classical guitars, Augustine guitar strings, and musical scores for himself and his students. In order to live and settle the outstanding debts from this first business he started to teach the guitar. After the fledgling company failed after just one year Shiro found himself homeless with nothing but his guitar. In 1953, Shiro and two of his colleagues resigned their positions and founded their own trading firm. Shiro started work for a trading company in 1947, aged 17. Now playing day and night, his passion for the guitar brought him to a famous classical guitar master in Nagoya, and soon became one of his students. The very next day, Shiro bought his first guitar, costing over two months salary and began to teach himself to play. From this moment, he had been inspired by the sound of this instrument forever.

Shiro was expecting to hear Koga-type Japanese popular music, but instead his friend started to play a piece by Bach.

One day, a friend came to visit Shiro’s apartment with a guitar. “It all started with the classical guitar”, says Shiro Arai, Chairman and the founder of Aria Guitars.

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