Dedicated to Industrial Design

The interview took place at Nakagawa’s studio and residence in Kanazawa. Bringing out the exhibition catalog of "Mamoru Nakagawa──Beautiful Metalwork & Design" held at Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art in 2023, Nakagawa began recounting his starting point.

"I enrolled at Kanazawa College of Art and majored in industrial design. That led me, after graduation, to join Matsushita Denko (now Panasonic), where I was responsible for designing beauty appliances.

"The appeal was creating things that didn’t already exist in the world—chasing trends and traveling to see famous architecture.

"Although I saw a lot of different designs, I didn’t have much connection with traditional crafts back then."

A Fateful Encounter with "Kaga Zogan"

At 27, Nakagawa left Matsushita Denko and worked at a prefectural industrial research laboratory. To expand his design horizons, he visited an exhibition at the prefectural art museum—where he would have a fateful encounter with "Kaga Zogan."

"When you hear about samurai from the Edo period, you probably imagine them with swords at their waists. But their possessions were often surprisingly stylish—I was really moved when I saw a Jinbaori (samurai surcoat).

"At the exhibition, there was a display of Abumi (stirrups for riding horses). I was overwhelmed by the beautiful designs incorporated into them. And when I saw similar motifs on armor and Tsuba (sword guards), I became fascinated, wondering what they were.

"I asked someone nearby and learned that it was 'Kaga Zogan,' a traditional craft of Ishikawa Prefecture. That was the first time I heard about 'Zogan'—a craft where designs emerge by engraving a metal surface and inlaying another type of metal.

"As I continued talking, the person said, ‘If you’re so interested, why not try it yourself?’ That was how I first borrowed chisels called tagane and a hammer. That person happened to be Master Kaisyu Takahashi, who would later become my mentor in Kaga Zogan—it really must have been fate."

Just like that, completely unfamiliar with crafts, Nakagawa took his first steps onto this path after falling in love at first sight with Zogan at that exhibition.

A Childhood Love for Making Things

Although he started from scratch, Nakagawa now creates incredibly delicate works exemplified by "象嵌朧銀花器 「チェックと市松」." It seems that his artistic path—learning design at university and engaging in traditional crafts—was strongly influenced by his childhood experiences.

"I think I was in fourth or fifth grade at elementary school. There used to be these paper airplanes made with bamboo sticks. I really liked them, so I put a lot of effort into assembling them while carefully following the instructions. But, when I did it exactly as described, they wouldn't fly very far. So, even as a child, I used my head and kept trying various modifications.

"For example, I shaved the square wooden part used for the axis into a triangle to make it lighter, or changed the way the rubber band—used for power—was attached. I think I tried just about anything that came to mind.

"Looking back, maybe I was a boy who just loved creating things, whether it was designing or making models."

Becoming Immersed in the Joy of Zogan

Once Nakagawa took an interest in something, he would pursue it with dedication—a trait that remained even after entering the world of Zogan.

"I didn’t even like talking to other craft artists back then. When people asked me questions, it exposed my lack of knowledge. I once put a coping saw blade on the wrong way, and when someone pointed out, 'That’s not right,' I was really embarrassed.

"But because of experiences like that, I started reading books myself and, sometimes swallowing my pride, asked people for help. Before I knew it, I was deeply immersed in the world of crafts. Gradually, I began to feel, 'I don’t want to quit halfway,' and 'I’m really enjoying making these pieces'—and that motivation is still with me today."

As he spoke, it was clear that Nakagawa genuinely enjoys creating Kaga Zogan. Yet, behind that enjoyment lies extraordinary effort and a craftsman’s resolve to uphold the tradition of traditional crafts.