Yoshi Kobayashi, the former Import Manager for Yamaha Corporation of America, passed away on September 13th at the age of 85.Kobayashi began working for Yamaha in 1958 and was tasked with supervising the import and export of the motorcycle division. As the musical instrument side of the company grew and expanded into the United States, Yoshi-san was placed in charge and soon created the foundation for the Yamaha distribution plan. He and his team worked hard to manage the customs rules as well as ensure the products arrived safe and on time. He retired from the company in 1995.
To view a clip of Yoshi Kobayashi NAMM Oral History interview, click here: https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/yoshi-kobayashi
ADVERTISEMENT
Looking Back on 2025: A Year of Controlled Chaos (Emphasis on “Controlled”)