The Epiphone Japan open book headstock guitars were produced for the Japanese market only. The Epiphone Japan guitars that were intended for export do not have a Gibson style open book headstock. Some of the Gibson/Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan guitars were exported. After Gibson and Yamano Gakki ended Orville production in 1998, Gibson and Yamano Gakki produced an expanded Epiphone Japan model range including solid body as well as semi acoustic models. The Terada guitar factory in Japan was used to make the Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan guitars. In 1987 Yamano Gakki obtained the Epiphone Japan dealership and produced a limited range of Epiphone Japan semi acoustic models in cooperation with Gibson. The Matsumoku guitar factory in Japan was used to make the Aria Epiphone Japan guitars.
Epiphone Japan was first established by Gibson in the early 1970s with the dealership mostly being managed by Aria in cooperation with Gibson.
