Nousaku Japan Traditional crafts

Katakuchi, sake cups, and chopstick rests of Nousaku

Special feature! Nousaku the Japanese tin 100% tableware

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能作特集

能作は富山県の高岡市(たかおか)の伝統工芸品ブランドです。当店でも人気のお酒を美味しくするビアカップ・タンブラーやぐい呑み、デザイン性が優れた美しい佇まいの花瓶など、贈り物にもおすすめな能作の逸品をご紹介いたします。

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What is Nousaku?

Nousaku is Japanese representative casting workshop. Nousaku has inherited the traditional skill of tin and brass casting in Takaoka city, Toyama prefecture in Japan.
They announce new items every year. The items are not only traditional crafts, but also artwork. Designers around the word are fascinated by their design and detailed work.
Now, it is said that Nousaku can satisfy you when you look for stylish and modern traditional crafts.
Their brand name “Nousaku” originated the name of establisher Mr. Nousaku and their ideology “Produce better casting in better way.” When we write this in Japanese, we can see the kanji of “Nousaku.”

Craftsmen handmade all products one by one in Takaoka city

Takaoka city in Toyama prefecture is famous for Takaoka copperware, the Japanese traditional crafts. Takaoka city accounts for 95% of domestic gross output of copperware in Japan. their copperware varies from the Buddhist alter fittings such as temples’ bells or statues of Buddha, to tea ceremony utensils or other various crafts.
Now, famous Japanese departs or hotels sell or use the items of Nousaku. In addition to Japan, some shops around the world pay attention to Nousaku products.

Three attractiveness of Nousaku

  1. Design of Nousaku

    From the first sight, people cannot forget the modern and stylish design of Nousaku.
    Nousaku collaborates with many designers such as Kaichiro Yamada, Makoto Koizumi, Rina Ono, and more.
    Nousaku exhibited their products at “Maison & Objet” in Paris. Maison & Objet is the largest trade fair in the world. Also, museum shop of MoMA, the Museum of Modern Arts in New York sold the products of Nousaku. Now, designers or any related people have paid attention to the items of Nousaku.

  2. Materials of Nousaku

    Nousaku has developed the casting products made of tin, brass or bronze.
    Tin is the third expensive metal material after gold and silver. Tin is very soft metal. therefore, it is usually alloyed with other metal materials such as lead. However, Nousaku use 100% real tin.
    100% tin products are very soft, so people can easily bend the products (depend on the thickness and forms of the products).
    The wind chime and flower vase Sorori of Nousaku is made of brass. The craftsmen produce each product with their hands with the traditional casting skill inherited from the Buddhist alter fittings.

  3. Skill of Nousaku

    The casting products require high skill in the process of casting. During the production, it cannot produce the bubbles in the items.
    Nousaku has developed the inherited skill of casting such as melting metals, making the mold, or hairline finishing by pottery wheel. They do not just inherit the traditional skills, but also develop new skills or materials for next generations.

Why Nousaku use tin? 5 good points

  1. Not rusted, nor decayed

    Tin has high acid resistance. Therefore, tin does not be oxidized.
    Since tin does not rusted nor decayed, Japanese people have sent tin products as gifts for wishing prosperity.
    You can care the tin tableware as same as usual tableware.

  2. Hygienic with its antibacterial effect

    Tin has high antibacterial function by the high ionization.
    Therefore, people have used tin ware for tea ceremony utensils. It is said “water in the tin ware does not rot.”
    Also, tin has been known as the metal which causes less metal allergy since around 1500 B.C.

  3. Make sake delicious by ion effect

    You may not believe that tableware can change the taste of sake/ Nevertheless, sake sets or tumblers of Nousaku got reputations as “make sake delicious.”
    “Tin absorbs the impurities, and purify the water.” The high ionization effect of tin makes sake soft and mellow.

  4. Not interrupt the flavor of food

    Tin has less unique smell of metal. In addition, tin is harmless to human body. Therefore, you can use tin tableware with an easy mind.

  5. Soft metal

    You can change forms of KAGO or tin tableware of Nousaku as your favorite forms, use or dishes.
    Nousaku developed the idea “Metal but can be bent easily.”
    Craftsmen were troubled in the dilemma: “we would like to produce the products made of 100% real tin, but tin is too soft…” Then, designer Makoto Koizumi said “why not bendable tableware?” That was a counterintuitive idea.

Flower vase Sorori and sake set from Nousaku

How do you use Nousaku products in your lifestyle?

[シーンからさがす]

  1. Modern art lifestyle with bendable tableware KAGO

    KAGO of Nousaku with various fruits

    Reasons why KAGO of Nousaku have got attention in Europe or America

    As we mentioned before, 100% tin is usually alloyed with other metal so that make it easier to process.
    Nousaku pursued the 100% tin, and produced KAGO to make the most use of soft feature.

    Metal, but soft. Easy to bend. This unique style KAGO was novel tableware. The function of easy to bend and modern design has got attention in Europe and the United States of America.
    Basket for fruits or wine stand. The use or forms are totally up to you.

    Green flower bouquet with KAGO of Nousaku

    Addictive texture of KAGO when you bend

    This novel design is a fusion of tableware and modern art!
    When you bend KAGO, you can hear the dull sound. It is “Tin cry.” Tin molecule makes this sound. You may be addicted to hear this unique sound.
    You can bend and extend KAGO many times. However, if you bend same spot repeatedly, it causes the damage to tin. please try to bend various spots!


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  2. Unconventional Furin, modern style wind chime

    Wind chime of Nousaku

    Craftsmen handmade wind chime of Nousaku

    The Furin or wind chime of Nousaku is characterized by its sophisticated and simple design. Craftsmen make finishing of mat hairline design by shaving on pottery wheel.

    What is the sound of brass wind chime of Nousaku?

    The glass wind chime sounds like “clink-clink.” On the other hand, the brass wind chime sounds like “jingle.” Brass makes high and transparent sound. The high processing skill of craftsmen makes it possible to produce the transparent sound. In fact, craftsmen in Nousaku has produced the metal bowl instrument “Orin” as Buddhist alter fittings.
    You can feel the history and skill of Takaoka copperware from the sound of this wind chime.

    Wind chime Onion from Nousaku

    Secret of the birth of wind chime of Nousaku

    This brass wind chime made Nousaku famous in the world. At a trade fair in France, the brass bell without strip of paper was exhibited. That bells got great reputations at the exhibition. Later, the bell changed into wind chime.
    There are three types of forms and colors. What type of wind chime do you want?


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  3. Special time with tin sake set of Nousaku

    Sake set from Nousaku

    High ion effect makes sake delicious

    Sake set of Nousaku is a special sake set. The feature of tin can make sake soft and mellow. Tin has a feature that has great sterilization and the retention of freshness by its high ion effect. It has been said that “the water in a tin ware does not rot,” or “a tin ware softens the taste of sake.”
    Also, the unique texture and weight of tin sake cups make the taste of sake stand out.

    Less smell of metal, and harmless to human body

    Tin has less unique flavor of metal. In addition, tin is harmless to human body. Therefore, everyone can use tin tableware with an easy mind.
    Also, tin has high acid resistance. Therefore, tin does not be oxidized. It is easy to care.
    Stylish and good-function items of Nousaku make your sake time more special.

    Katakuchi and sake cup of Nousaku with fruits

    Refrigerate 2-3 minutes before drinking cold sake

    In addition to the stylish design, sake set of Nousaku have good function.
    If you would like to drink cold sake, let’s refrigerate the sake cup 2-3 minutes. You can drink very cold sake, and the cold will last for a while.
    Great gifts for Japanese sake lovers!


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  4. Omotenashi style with Nousaku chopstick rests

    Chopstick rest Sakura from Nousaku

    Tin is the third expensive metal material after gold and silver

    Tin is very expensive material. The third expensive metal after gold and silver. The stable weight of casting, antibacterial effect of tin, and mat texture are suitable features for chopstick rests.
    Nousaku offers various tin chopstick rests. Sakura petals or seasonal flowers motifs can work every day or special dinner.
    Small but good quality item, chopstick rests are suitable gifts for tableware lovers.

    Table setting ideas of chopstick rest of Nousaku

    Grade up your table with chopstick rests of Nousaku

    In fact, the first Nousaku products we bought was the chopstick rest Tsuki (moon).
    Simple and stylish design fit various chopsticks. The Tsuki chopstick rests can grade up the table with just putting them.
    Chopstick rests of Nousaku have the warmth that craftsmen handmade.
    We sometimes fell the small chopstick rests. However, we do not have to worry about breaking it. The metal chopstick rests can be used for a long time.


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History of selection and awards of Nousaku

Nousaku got numerous awards by their design and high skill.
Japanese media have paid attention to Nousaku. A Japanese TV program “Yume-no-Tobira” introduced Nousaku.

History of selection

  • 2004: Wind chime: Japan Design Committee Collection
  • 2004: Tin series: Toyama Products
  • 2008: Bell: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) museum shop goods
  • 2008: “Genki-na Monodukuri Chusho Kigyo 300 (Lively manufacturer small and medium enterprises 300)”

History of Awards

  • 2007: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Charming Japanese Souvenirs Contest” Regional Prize
  • 2011: 1st “Nihon-de-Ichiban-Taisetsu-ni-Shitai-Kaisha (Companies we would like to treasure)” Jury’s Special Award
  • 2012: 1st “Chusho-Kigyo-Genki-Toyama-Sho (Lively small and medium enterprises in Toyama Award)”
  • 2012: Japan Foundry Engineering Society, 1st “Casting of the Year Award”
  • 2013: Toyama Institution of Invention and Innovation, 14th “Toyama-Hatsumei-Sho (Invention in Toyama Award)” The Chairman Award
  • 2013: 5th “Monodukuri-Nippon-Taisho (Award for manufacturing in Japan)” The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award.


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