Yamaha's guitar business has seen impressive growth in recent years, especially in international markets such as China and India. The company said revenue from guitar sales, which was about 12.2 billion yen in fiscal 2014, reached 43 billion yen in fiscal 2024, representing a 3.5-fold growth in a decade. This success is partly due to the acquisition of renowned brands such as Line 6 in 2014 and Córdoba in 2023, which have allowed it to expand its presence in the North American market, the birthplace of the electric guitar.

One of the main factors driving sales growth, especially among younger people, has been the success of the anime series “Bocchi the Rock!”. The series, which features Yamaha electric guitars like the Pacifica and amplifiers like the THR, has had a significant impact on the Chinese market since its broadcast, leading to a surge in demand for hobby guitars among young audiences. According to a Yamaha spokesman, sales in China have quadrupled in the past ten years despite government restrictions on extracurricular activities such as musical instrument instruction.

In India, Yamaha opened a guitar factory in 2019, which has allowed the company to double its sales in the last five years. The acceptance of “Made in India” products has been crucial to consolidating its presence in this emerging market.

Yamaha expects its guitar business to continue growing in 2025, with a projected 5.3% increase in global sales to reach 45.3 billion yen. Despite the current challenges in the global market, Yamaha guitar department director Ken Hiraoka (平岡健) is confident that the company will regain its double-digit growth rate in the near future.

And Japanese netizens were quick to react to this:

• «“Bocchi the Rock!” It’s amazing…».
• «I also ended up buying a 300,000 yen Fender guitar and some effects.».
• «It's sad that in Japan they don't sell as much as they did in the days of "K-On!" It seems that young people don't buy instruments on impulse anymore, either because they have less money or because they are more intelligent. Besides, bands are now something for older people.».
• «It seems that originally it was not such a big market».
• «It's not so bad, as serious guitarists can get used instruments for a good price.».
• «And in a few years there will be a large number of used guitars for sale».
• «This also happened in Japan, haha».
• «Yui's Les Paul guitar is now much cheaper, isn't it?».
• «Even Chinese people love “Girls Band Party”, they seem to like band anime».
• «We should make an anime about forming a band with keyboards».
• «There are many accounts in China with “Bocchi the Rock!” icons.».
• «What did you do with the guitars you bought around the time of “K-On!”?».
• «Having a guitar will make you a target for nationalists, right?».
• «China is being culturally dominated by Japan».
• «Yamaha's growth is not just due to the impact of “Bocchi the Rock!”, as they are comparing it to 10 years ago».
• «“K-On!” wasn’t that popular overseas. Kirara’s works weren’t as appreciated overseas. It seems that foreign otakus have changed their tastes a bit.».

Source: Yahoo! News Japan