Exploring the rich history and deeply seeded roots of the various forms of the Japanese culinary and artistic world has been one of the main goals for our embarking on this journey through the Shoryudo area. There’s just so much to do, see, and experience that we’re doubly excited every time we are able to come across unique opportunities to bridge age-old traditions with modern techniques and styles!

Concurrent to our journey along the World Heritage Bus Route, I was invited to stop by the Nousaku headquarters for a tour of their new facility.

After the set of double doors, guests are greeted with a colorful menagerie of molds that show off Nousaku’s growing collection of designs for retail and industrial products—all of which are still in use. If at any time the factory needs to produce more of one particular mold, workers are able to just look up the location and pull the desired cast from the display. True to everything Nousaku makes, the main centerpiece for the welcome lobby is both elegantly captivating and thoughtfully functional!

It’s worth to point out that the Nousaku factory offers free tours to the public, so we were excited to have an exclusive look at some of the behind-the-scenes action.

The factory entrance immediately leads you to the large holding bay where the metals are sorted, processed, melted, and casted by expert craftsmen. Various types of metal from tin to brass come through this room in order to meet the high demand from all over Japan and even the world.

In this factory, metal is smelted in large batches only twice a week where they are subsequently poured into molds and then left to harden before being “broken” out and sent for trimming, polishing, and finishing at a refining room down the hall.

Craftsmen and women utilize a series of delicate instruments to really bring these works of art to life. Years and years of being familiar with the hundreds of shapes, sizes, and sheer number of pieces have made these artists experts in an art form that cannot be duplicated by machines.

The tour takes us through this finishing room where we can see just how intricate many of the designs are. I was really impressed to see the amount and degree of detail that is being put into each and every piece. Nousaku really prides itself on quality over quantity and the outcome really speaks for itself. No two pieces are exactly alike so whenever someone does end up purchasing something handmade from the store, they are guaranteed to get something one-of-a-kind!

Tin for the Win
While several metals are used to create an impressively large array of designs, the Nousaku factory is best known for its unique tin creations. This malleable metal is very versatile in its application and general ease-of-use during the production process.

Most of the tin goods made here are comprised of 100% tin. The natural properties give these works of art uniquely flexible designs, and Nousaku definitely pushes the envelope of both form and function. From beer mugs to foldable chopstick rests to a seemingly all-in-one bendable basket for you to keep your favorite fruit or tastiest glass of wine, the applications and inspirations are essentially endless!

Eat, Learn & Celebrate
One of the most impressive aspects about the Nousaku factory is the amount of thought that has been put into the kind of attractions and experiences available to visitors of all ages and backgrounds. A huge emphasis for keeping the past, present, and future in mind runs prevalent throughout the facility and its current operational strategy. There seems to be just as many things to do and experience as there are a variety of designs to choose from or appreciate.

If you’re worried about getting hungry after your tour, there might not actually be a better place to get some food than Nousaku’s very own café located right next to the store. Everything I ate was absolutely delicious, and I highly recommend you try as much of the menu out as you can.

You can of course expect a lot of traditional Japanese dishes, but the creativity does not stop at the factory floor, the chefs have put a modern spin on a lot of the classics including the my curry and rice as well as Nousaku’s version of an “apple pie”!

With a full stomach, I continued on to the Nousaku Lab where guests are able to design and make their very own creations with the help from staff. I had the chance to customize my very own tin paper weight from beginning to end. Everyone at the Nousaku factory is very well knowledgeable about the sourcing and processing methods of their products, and luckily for me, the staff members that do speak English are quite fluent as well.

I finished the day perusing through their store and came away with plenty of souvenirs for my friends. I was happy to find out that Nousaku is able to ship throughout Japan through its online store.

Overall, this might have been one of the most unique experiences I had on these trips and I absolutely would recommend stopping by the Nousaku if you’re ever heading toward the Toyama area!