Our company was founded by skilled craftsmen who had the simple desire to create flutes of uncomprimising quality.

It is our commitment to detail that makes Sankyo Flute so special. Our flutes, made with the technique, passion, and pride of the craftsmen, promote such an overpowering presence that we hesitate to call it a mere "musical instrument".


Even the smallest parts of our flutes that cannot be seen are so beautifully crafted that they are like works of art. The secret behind this craftsmanship is that nothing is neglected in the manufacturing process. Research starts with developing the unique composition of our metals and materials to finally the way in which we hand polish the flute.

We consult with flutists worldwide and use this collective knowledge to constantly improve and refine our flutes. Work which is usually entrusted to the service of subcontractors, such as the fusing of metals, the molding of the parts, as well as the plating, are all carried out within our company in order to ensure a quality which often is not found in other flutes.

This "in house" production gives our craftsmen total control of our products. The meticulously crafted parts from even our lower models have the same attention to detail as those of the highest modles.

All SANKYO FLUTES are HAND-MADE. We, the artists and craftsmen at Sankyo truly beleive that we have transended the art of flutemaking to a level unsurpassed anywhere else in the world. We think you will agree. Our flutes hold a secret within their walls; a voice of dignified beauty and an endlessly transparent and rich tone. This is the pride of SANKYO FLUTES.

 

 

 

The word "SANKYO" means in Japanese "The Three Sounds" and the SANKYO trademark symbolizes the Japanese word "Hibiki", which reflects the triangle formed by its three founders, emphasizing the sound as the essence of the music.

The first flute was manufactured in November 1968, three months after opening the first studio in the city of Sayama, close to Tokyo. Orders began to arrive not only from the Japanese market but also from the US, Canada and Europe and, in 1973, it became necessary to build the main plant also in Sayama. However, in July 1981, the original plant had to be expanded to the present building of three floors and 1,000 square meters. Nowadays SANKYO has 70 employees, who produce around 350 flutes per month; and 50% of this production is exported.

If the sonority is above all a question of personal choice, the technical qualities of a flute could be judged by a very objective way and it is also in this point that SANKYO reputation didn't stop to increase. A great number of flute players was seduced by the esthetics and by the design of both study and concert models as well as by the perfection and security of the mechanisms. Regarding this point, it is necessary to give some more details about the equipment used. The engineers of SANKYO developed all the equipment necessary for each step of the production of the flutes. Each process of the production is followed by a very precise quality control, which is done through computers, in order to avoid any kind of failure or defect that might occur. Two "secrets machines", which they show but that cannot be photographed, were improved by Kikuo Hisakura: one is for the drill of the tube and the other for the first drill of the embouchure. For no reason these machines work, if there is any previous defect on the tubing or on the head joint.

SANKYO is always searching for technological innovations to attend the expectations and demand of flute players. One of the recent innovations is the new head cork system and the special mechanism on the B foot joint. Sankyo improved the system, which allows the execution of some movements of C /B and C# / B very quick. This new system has called the attention especially from the interpreters of contemporary music. The new Concave Cork Disk Assembly allows to reach a higher volume of sound, a resonant balance between each note of the scale, a great stability in the intonation and above all a great comfort for the player during the emission of the sound, controlling the dynamics and executing the different types of staccatos.

In order to suit the preference of flute players, SANKYO improved and developed different types of head joints, such as the new model NRS-1, which allows a larger volume of sound in the low register which was developed to attend the requests of professional flutists who would like to play a more flexible and changeable sound.

Any of these different types of head joints can be chosen by flute players, which allows the manufacture of a personalize flute to attend the requirements of each individual.

SANKYO will not cease to work hard searching for technological innovations to provide flute players around the world with the opportunity to enhance the art of music.

SANKYO proudly presents the finest products of the flutemaker's art. Acclaimed throughout the world for beauty of tone and evenness of technique, each instrument is made from carefully selected materials (even 24K gold and platinum) and is constructed by highly skilled and dedicated craftsmen. SANKYO has pursued the perfect scale by building a precise mechanism through meticulous craftsmanship (even hand manufacturing each pad). Custom head joints are available to meet the demands of flutists everywhere.