Thanks 1bassleft!

This was exactly what I needed regarding Tahara. For others who may follow this thread, here is the communication from Sage regarding Tahara:

I have found some information – scattered and incomprehensible probably – about “Maya”… I have been in touch with some really helpful people at Saga Musical Instruments, who have told me a bit about the man who built my mandolin. I think it would be safest to apply what I am going to say to just my earlier post here, but it may lead you to be able to research your own instruments. As I understand things, “Maya” was basically a distributor, that bought from various independent (Japanese) luthiers, who made everything from soup to nuts – electric, acoustical, etc… Regarding my mandolin, on the inside bracing is stamped: “MADE BY MR TAHARA”, who turns out to be a man by the name of Ryohei Tahara, later known, with respect, as Tahara-sah. I will upload an article on him, from Frets Magazine, 1984. Where it gets cloudy is that, because I am researching my “new” mandolin, I am only drawn to anything I can find on this Mr. Tahara, who was a luthier that concentrated, I believe, mostly on acoustical guitars and instruments. From Saga Musical Instruments:

You are indeed on the right track. “Maya” was a brand named used by a
Japanese Trading Company from Kobe called Rokkoman. In the early 1970s Tahara-san had a factory in Matsumoto Japan that was engaged primarily in the production of lower-mid range acoustic guitars, but they also made some mandolins. Mandolins were a minor portion of their total output. Mr Tahara’s factory in Matsumoto went into bankruptcy in the mid to late 1970s after which he moved to Tateshina outside of Maruko-machi in Nagano Prefecture where he focused exclusively on Mandolin production. Shortly after that move Saga Musical Instruments began a relationship with Tahara-san that started with specificational input and then with a majority financial interest in operation. Maybe this is more information than you need but I think that it fills in a few blanks!

Best regards,
Saga Musical Instruments

David Gartland
Marketing
http://www.sagamusic.com