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About MIJ Guitar Guide
An English-language guide to Japanese-made guitars — the makers, the factories and the models, researched from original Japanese sources.
Why This Site Exists
I spent my student years in Japan, surrounded by people who took Japanese-made guitars for granted as reliable, well-built instruments. When I looked outside Japan, I found a gap: players everywhere use Japanese guitars, yet most shops carry only a narrow slice of what actually exists, and the information online is often outdated, scattered, or locked away in Japanese.
MIJ Guitar Guide exists to close that gap — to make Japanese guitars easier to understand, explored in real depth, and accessible to players anywhere in the world.
Who Writes This
Twenty years of playing, with a focus on Japanese-made instruments.
Koh N.
Founder & Author
My name is Koh N., and I’m the founder and author of MIJ Guitar Guide. I’ve been playing guitar for 20 years — my first was a Fernandes FJT-80 headless — and I’ve spent that time researching Japanese-made instruments in particular.
Having lived in Japan, I can read Japanese-language sources, work through original period catalogs, and follow the domestic used market and the shops most players overseas never see. That access is the reason this site can go deeper than a spec sheet.
Over the years I’ve owned and played more than half a dozen Japanese-made guitars — from Greco, Tokai, and Fernandes to Ibanez, ESP, Aria Pro II, and Momose — and that hands-on experience shapes everything I write here.
- Greco
- Tokai
- Fernandes
- Ibanez
- ESP
- Aria Pro II
- Momose
How I Research
Every article here is written from primary material wherever possible — period catalogs, a mix of originals I’ve collected and digital catalog archives, along with Japanese-language documentation and sources — which I organize, translate, and explain for an English-speaking audience. I add my own analysis on where a model sits historically, how it compares to others, and why it matters, rather than simply restating specifications.
Credits & Corrections
I illustrate my articles with manufacturer catalog scans and official product photos, credited to their source wherever possible, while the writing and analysis are entirely my own. When I get something wrong, I correct it. Accuracy matters more to me than volume.
What You’ll Find Here
Four kinds of coverage, all focused on Japanese-made instruments.
- BrandsThe makers, history, and defining models behind Japanese guitar brands.
- FeaturesThe deeper stories and design ideas behind specific instruments.
- New ReleasesCoverage of the latest Japanese guitars, amps, and gear, with context on where each fits.
- TipsPractical guidance on buying Japanese guitars, from Japan or from Japanese stores.
Get in Touch
Questions, corrections, or a Japanese guitar you’d like to see covered? Reach me through the Contact page, or follow along on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.