What Is the Yamaha Logo?
The Yamaha logo is three crossed tuning forks inside a circle, shown in red beside the name YAMAHA. It belongs to Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., the Japanese maker of motorcycles, outboard motors and other machines, founded in 1955 and based in Iwata, Shizuoka.
A tool for tuning musical instruments is an odd emblem for a motorcycle maker until you know where the company came from. In January 2025 Yamaha Motor moved to a flat, two-dimensional version of the mark. The forks with the YAMAHA name are available as the Yamaha logo SVG.
Yamaha Logo Facts
| Introduced | Tuning fork mark 1898; flat Yamaha Motor version 2025 |
| Symbol | Three crossed tuning forks in a circle |
| Logo type | Combination mark: tuning fork symbol and the YAMAHA name |
| Earlier mark | A Chinese phoenix holding a tuning fork in its mouth, from 1898 |
| Used by | Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. |
What the Yamaha Logo Means
The forks go back to founder Torakusu Yamaha, who built his first organ after repairing one for a school in Hamamatsu. It was criticised for poor tuning, so he studied tuning until he got it right. Yamaha Corporation says that struggle, tuning fork in hand, inspired the mark.
Yamaha Corporation also says the three forks stand for the three pillars of the business working together: technology, production and sales. The circle stands for Yamaha's reach around the world, and the forks also recall melody, harmony and rhythm.
Yamaha Logo History
In 1898, a year after Torakusu Yamaha's company Nippon Gakki was set up, it chose the tuning fork as its corporate mark. Its first trademark showed a Chinese phoenix holding a tuning fork in its mouth, used on its best organs. Trademark filings for tuning forks on their own followed in 1916.
Yamaha Motor grew out of Nippon Gakki. Its first product, the 125cc YA-1 motorcycle, was built at Nippon Gakki's Hamana factory, and Yamaha Motor became a company of its own on 1 July 1955, with Genichi Kawakami as president. The YA-1 won its class at the Mount Fuji Ascent Race that year, and the first Yamaha outboard motor, the P-7, followed in 1960.
On 10 January 2025 Yamaha Motor announced its first corporate logo change in 27 years: a flat tuning fork mark designed to stand out on digital screens. For its 70th anniversary it also made a logo based on the racing number plates from its first race.
Yamaha Motor and Yamaha Corporation
Yamaha Motor and the musical instrument maker Yamaha Corporation are separate companies that share the tuning fork, the name and their roots in Nippon Gakki. Yamaha Corporation's mark is violet and Yamaha Motor's is red. On the Yamaha Motor mark the fork tips reach outside the circle, and the M in YAMAHA has legs of equal length.
Like the wing on the Honda logo, Yamaha's forks have their roots in Hamamatsu, though in organs, not engines. For more brands like Yamaha, browse our car logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a tuning fork on the Yamaha logo?
Yamaha began as an organ maker, and founder Torakusu Yamaha learned to tune with a tuning fork. His company Nippon Gakki adopted it as its mark in 1898.
What do the three tuning forks stand for?
Technology, production and sales working together, the three pillars of Yamaha's business.
Are Yamaha motorcycles and Yamaha pianos made by the same company?
No. Motorcycles come from Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., independent since 1955, and pianos from Yamaha Corporation.
How can you tell the two Yamaha logos apart?
Yamaha Motor's mark is red with fork tips extending beyond the circle. Yamaha Corporation's is violet, with the tips inside the circle.
When did Yamaha Motor change its logo?
In January 2025, when it moved to a flat tuning fork mark, its first logo change in 27 years.