Shimamura Music Founder Passes Away

NAMM has reported that Mototsugu Shimamura, founder of Japan’s largest music retail chain, Shimamura Music, passed away on Dec. 26. He was 87.

Shimamura grew his small Japanese music retail store into the country’s largest with Shimamura Music playing a vital role in music education and the expansion of the music market in Japan since its start in 1962. As both president of Shimamura Music and an active member of several industry associations, Shimamura worked to build global growth within the music products industry.

His mission for his very first store is still the mission for his entire retail chain today, “Deliver our customers the joy of music to their everyday life.”