Nousaku (能作) is a fourth-generation foundry in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, established in 1916. Takaoka's casting heritage dates to 1609, when lord Toshinaga Maeda invited foundry craftsmen to develop the castle town — and the city now produces around 90% of Japan's copperware. Takaoka Dōki (高岡銅器) is designated by METI as a traditional craft of Japan. Originally producing Buddhist altar fittings, tea utensils, and flower vases, the company was transformed by its fourth-generation president Katsuji Nousaku, who in 2003 pioneered the world's first tableware made from 100% pure tin — a counterintuitive feat, since tin is normally alloyed for hardness.
The breakthrough was embracing tin's softness rather than fighting it: if tin bends, why not design objects meant to be shaped by hand? The result was the KAGO basket series — cast tin vessels that flex into bowls, trays, or bread baskets without weakening or breaking. A distinctive crackling sound, known as 'tin cry,' accompanies each bend. Production uses traditional sand casting: hand-carved patterns packed into moulds, molten tin or brass poured by experienced casters, then individually polished and finished. The TSUBOMI (蕾) wind bells — petal-shaped forms in gold, silver, and dark bronze — showcase how Takaoka's resonance-tuning skills, once reserved for temple bells, now produce sounds designed for the home.
At iromizu, Nousaku's pieces appear across our collections — wind bells for Calm Interval and incense holders in brass that feel unexpectedly alive in the everyday moments. These are conversation starters that happen to be rooted in 400 years of craft. See the full range below.
