Company Information

Like a time machine,
Presenting us sounds of more than two hundred years ago,
Dressed in a story that is more dramatic than a novel.
While being artwork like sculpture,
They are supreme handicrafts any high-technology of today cannot reach.
We think old string instruments are cultural heritage
That humankind should hand over to next generation.
They are not just instruments.

 

That made us reach a concept that we should and would like to
Buy and sell genuinely valuable instruments alone
And to strive for scrupulous repair and maintenance with deep-rooted knowledge and mature skills,
And have been doing so since our foundation in 1980.
We are very grateful that we have gained sympathy from many people for our concept,
And have served many celebrated musicians and music foundations.

 

Great treasures are instruments, made as long as one hundred years ago.
Could you please have a hand to help them be handed over to next generation?
We are always ready to present you any support.

   

Hand over genuineness to next generation
Nippon Violin

Company Profile

Name
Nippon Violin Co., Ltd.
Foundation
1980
Capital Stock
10,000,000 yen
Representative Director
Sota Nakazawa

History of Company

1980
Muneyuki Nakazawa started his private business of handling string instruments.
1983
Gengakki Duo Co., Ltd. was established as a string instrument dealer.
1984
Nakazawa Hall was opened in Ueda City in Nagano Prefecture.
1986
Very first in Japan, we published a translation of “Antonio Stradivari - His Life and Work (1644 - 1737)” written by William Hill, with permission from W. E. Hill & Sons to translate and publish it.
1988
Very first in Japan, we published a translation of “The Violin Makers of the Guarneri Family - Their Life and Work (1626 - 1762)” written by William Hill, with permission from W. E. Hill & Sons to translate and publish it.
1993
Took in two expert repairmen from Jacques Francais, a long-established violin shop in USA.
1995
Invented an unprecedented structure of a violin and made “The Itokawa Hideo,” in collaboration with Prof. Hideo Itokawa, for which a patent was obtained.
1996
Nippon Violin Art Salon, a salon hall for musicians, was opened, close to the shop.
1997
Contrived a violin player (violins are used as audio speakers) and put it to practical use.
2000
The first year of NAGANO International Music Festival. It has been held annually since then.
2004
Established a group company, Tone Wood International SRL, in Cremona City in Italy to specialize in highly graded wood.
2007
Co-organized the first Munetsugu Angel Violin Competition. It has been held annually since then.
2009
Cremona Office was opened in Cremona City in Italy. The name of the company was changed to Nippon Violin.
2011
Held “Mitsui Club: Exhibitions of Stradivarius.”
In April, a book “Truth and Untruth of Stradivarius” (written by Muneyuki Nakazawa, the founder of Nippon Violin) was published.
2012
Organized the special exhibition of the violin that Mozart owned.
2013
Held “Exhibition of Bow of Values,” an exhibition of more than 200 prestigious bows.
Deposited violins in Maserati.
2014
In collaboration with Riken, one of the largest scientific research institutes in Japan, we developed a new method in making a violin, for which we received subsidies.
2015
Celebrated its 35th anniversary.
Very first as a Japanese string instrument dealer, we deposited Guarneri del Gesu 1734 “Prince Doria” to a violin museum in Italy for a limited period.
In Jan 2015, we made a contract of exclusive sale of Antonio Stradivari 1718 “SAN LORENZO Ex, Viotti” with J & A Beare, one of the largest instrument dealers in the world.
It was deposited in a domestic foundation in the same year.

Profile of President and Representative Director, Sota Nakazawa

Born in Tokyo in 1984. His father is Muneyuki Nakazawa, a violin restorer, and his mother is Kimiko Nakazawa, a violinist. He was raised up in such a musical family, having opportunities to meet internationally celebrated musicians. At the age of 15, he dared to leave Japan to study in the United Kingdom, where he went to an international school while learning about many prestigious instruments by often visiting the major auction house Sotheby’s and Peter Biddulph Ltd., a worldwide renowned British appraiser, with which experience he made a good base for string instrument business in his teens. After graduating from Faculty of Foreign Studies of Sophia University, he joined Dentsu Inc., the largest advertisement agency in Japan. After some years of sales experience, he worked as a media planner and joined many projects to help development of music and culture. While working for Dentsu, he started a project team “Classic for Japan” (currently a general foundation Classic for Japan) to help development of classical music movement and support young artists. In 2014, he resigned from Dentsu in order to be engaged in music business and activities, and took over the business of Nippon Violin as President and Representative Director. In 2015, he joined Scientific Lab of the violin museum in Cremona City and deepened his expertise of Guarneri del Gesu.

Currently:
President and Representative Director of Nippon Violin
Curator of Munetsugu Violin Collection
Director of a general foundation CLASSIC FOR JAPAN
Vice Chairman of Carnegie Hall Notables JAPAN (a branch office in Japan)

Main Business Partners

  • Tokyo University of the Arts
  • Tokyo College of Music
  • NPO Corporation Yellow Angel
  • Chi Mei Culture Foundation (Taiwan)
  • Donni Foundation (Korea)
  • Huis Ten Bosch Co., Ltd.
  • Aichi University of the Arts
  • Toyoko Inn Co., Ltd.

Nippon Violin Group

Concert Office Arte

  • Planning and organizing concerts
  • Management of Nippon Violin Art Salon and Nakazawa Hall

Address: Rm. 401, Dorumi-gyoen Bldg, 5-29-7 Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo, zip 151-0051, Japan

TEL: +81 (0)3 3352 7310 FAX: +81 (0)3 3352 1665

E-mail：

SARTORY TOKYO

  • Dealer of instrumental bows

Address: Rm. 104, Dorumi-gyoen Bldg, 5-29-7 Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo, zip 151-0051, Japan

TEL: +81 (0)3 6273 2526 FAX: +81 (0)3 3352 1665

E-mail：

Affiliates

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