Founded in 1916, Nousaku is based in Takaoka, Japan. Takaoka has been famous for metal casting since the 17th century. Originally a manufacturer of Buddhist altar products and traditional Japanese tea sets, Nousaku now makes a variety of beautiful home décor items using techniques passed down through the generations.
Casting is a process in which a liquid metal is poured into a mold. All Nousaku products are made by using traditional methods and undergo several finishing processes.
By making use of cultivated techniques they developed the world’s first 100% pure tin tableware in 2003 by taking advantage of its special properties of malleability. Their “KAGO,” a series of flexible pure tin baskets is the masterpiece of Nousaku. As tin is soft and malleable, you can change the shape of a product by bending it. These unique products gained popularity in the United States and Europe and have been sold by the MoMA Design Store in New York since 2017.
They focus not only on creating products but also conveying “background” and “spirit.” At Nousaku factory in Takaoka, they offer a factory tour where visitors can observe their craftsmen closely. Inside the building, you will also find their shop “FACTORY SHOP,” a café “IMONO KITCHEN” offering local specialty foods on 100% pure tin tableware and a workshop “NOUSAKU LAB” where you can try tin casting.