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Miyazawa Serial Numbers — Official

Miyazawa Serial Numbers: A Complete Guide to Identifying and Dating Your Flute

Early 1970s Miyazawa stencil flutes (sold under brand names like "Empire" or "Continental") may lack any number. These are rare and less valuable. Miyazawa Serial Numbers

Responsiveness:

The "review" of this system is generally positive regarding speed. When users email Miyazawa or their regional distributors (like the Flute Center ) with a serial number and photos, the company often responds within 24 hours with details on the manufacture date, model specifications, and even original pitch (e.g., A=442). Miyazawa Serial Numbers: A Complete Guide to Identifying

  1. The Font Test: Genuine Miyazawa serial numbers are stamped with a dot-matrix style or a sharp, crisp serif font. Fakes often look like cheap laser etching or uneven hand-punching.
  2. The "No Number" Rule: If the flute claims to be a Miyazawa but has no serial number on the body, it is 100% counterfeit. Even prototype models are numbered.
  3. Out of Sequence: If a seller claims a flute is "new old stock" from 2010 but the serial number is 600,000 (which would be a 2030 number), it is a fake.
  4. Location Check: If the serial number is on the headjoint or the barrel of the footjoint only, walk away.

Footjoint

: Occasionally found near the end of the footjoint or at the base of a post near the low-C key . Why the Serial Number Matters The Font Test: Genuine Miyazawa serial numbers are

Do you have a Miyazawa serial number you want to date? Visit the official Miyazawa website or contact their service center with your number and the stamped model code (e.g., MC-8, PA-202) for an exact manufacturing year.

Miyazawa serial numbers are typically engraved in discrete locations on the instrument’s body and footjoint to avoid detracting from its aesthetic.

Serial prefix

| | Likely Year | Certainty | |-------------------|----------------|----------------| | 1xxxx (5-digit) | 1981–1985 | High | | 80xxxx | 1980 | High | | 85xxxx | 1985 | High | | 90xxxx | 1990 | High | | 00xxxx | 2000 | High (but check logo) | | 10xxxx | 2010 | High | | 20xxxx | 2020 | High | | PB 93xxxx | 1993 | High | | B 04xxxx | 2004 | High | | 50TH-xxx | 2019 | Certain |

  1. Miyazawa Flutes Official Website. (2023). History & Craftsmanship. Matsumoto, Japan.
  2. Flute Journal International. (2019). "Decoding Japanese Flute Serial Numbers." Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 28–34.
  3. Repair Logs of Flute Techs of America (unpublished database, 1995–2025).
  4. Collection of K. Nakamura, Tokyo Flute Museum. Personal correspondence, 2024.
  5. Flute Forum User Survey (n=1,200 Miyazawa owners), 2025.