Takumi Chiki founded Chaki in 1947 as a stringed instrument factory. Chaki produced, sold and repaired stringed instruments specialising in double basses, but they also made OEM guitars for other brand names (including Elk). Chaki made their own branded acoustic guitars in the 1970s. 1977 they opened a showroom and in 1990 they were established as a limited company with wholesale operation. By 1991 they were making double basses, silent basses, cellos and guitars.The head office and factory moved to Kitsugawa-shi in Kyoto prefecture in 2010.