Akiyama Flutes
: Japan
Founded in: 1997
Types of Instruments: C Flute, Custom Instruments
Founded in 1997 by master flute maker Yoshiteru Akiyama, Akiyama Flutes is a Japanese workshop specializing in handcrafted flutes made using traditional rolled-tube (seamed tube) construction. After leaving a major flute manufacturer, Akiyama established his own workshop to pursue a more artisanal approach focused on the acoustic and artistic qualities of each instrument. Inspired by nineteenth-century French flute-making traditions, particularly the legacy of Louis Lot, the workshop produces silver, gold, and custom rolled-tube flutes crafted individually by hand. Akiyama Flutes is also known for creating instruments from historic French silverware and for preserving techniques rarely practiced in modern flute making.