Timeline of Yamaha Music Sirens

  • Idea of music siren conceived

    Yamaha CEO Genichi Kawakami grows tired of the old siren at their factory, hires a researcher to study it and design a prototype.
  • Oldest document confirming the music siren's existence

    A patent submission from this date confirms the music siren's existence.
  • Music Siren prototypes

    Music Siren prototypes

    The music siren's design is photographed and documented.
  • First music siren installed

    First music siren installed

    The first music siren is installed on top of the Yamaha factory in Hamamatsu as a 12-note model.
  • First sounding of music siren

    The music siren at Yamaha Hamamatsu sounds for the first time, issuing in a new era of Japan.
  • Music siren donated to University of Miyazaki

    Yamaha delivers a music siren to the University of Miyazaki. 4-note model, 16cm choppers.
  • Period: to

    Generation 1

    Yamaha puts the music siren up for sale.
  • First sighting of Tachibana music siren

    First sighting of Tachibana music siren

    The first sighting of the music siren at the Tachibana Department Store in Miyazaki. 4-note model.
  • Matsuzakaya Shizuoka installs music siren

    Matsuzakaya Shizuoka installs music siren

    Matsuzakaya Department Store installs an 8-note music siren at its Shizuoka store.
  • Matsuzakaya Nagoya installs music siren

    Matsuzakaya Department Store installs a model 12A music siren at its Nagoya store.
  • Kobayashi Niigata installs music siren

    Kobayashi Niigata installs music siren

    Kobayashi Department Store installs a model 12A music siren at their store in Niigata.
  • Marumitsu Sendai sounds music siren

    Marumitsu Sendai sounds music siren

    Marumitsu Department Store in Sendai sounds their model 10A music siren for the first time. It will continue ringing for almost 35 years.
  • 1954 installs...

    Several music sirens are installed at varying, unknown points in the year.
    -TOKIWA Department Store in Oita
    -Okamasa Department Store in Nagasaki
    -Daiwa Department Store in Kanazawa
  • Kishiwada City Hall installs music siren

    Kishiwada City Hall installs music siren

  • 1955 installs...

    Several more music sirens are installed at various points in 1955.
    -Daiwa Department Store in Toyama (model 12A)
    -Michinoku Bank Odate Branch (8-note)
    -Himeji Chamber of Commerce (4-note)
    -Tomisuhara Elementary School (12-note)
  • Daiwa installs their music sirens...

    Daiwa installs their music sirens...

    In May 1955, Daiwa Department Stores installed two music sirens at their Katamachi and Toyama stores.
  • 1956 installs...

    More music sirens are installed in 1956, including:
    -Hiroshima Prefecture Government Office (8-note)
  • Akita music siren is installed...

    Akita music siren is installed...

    JNR Tsuchizaki Railway Shops installs a model 10B music siren.
  • 1957 installs...

    A few more music sirens are installed, including:
    -Ueno Chamber of Commerce
    -Okayama Prefecture Government Office
  • 1958 installs

    At this point, more and more cities have been taken by other music sirens. (Yamaha limited it to one siren per city!) A few more would be installed, including:
    -Isejin Department Store in Mito
    -Imabari City Hall
  • 1959 installs...

    Just a few more locations are installed:
    -Matsuya Department Store in Omuta

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