In Fukuoka’s scenic Sakurazaka neighborhood, a sloping residential street leads up to Kaigeido, a gallery conceived by Kengo Kuma disciple Shuhei Kamiya and opened in 2023. Inside is the home base of Nakamura Ningyo — the Hakata ningyō doll-making outfit composed of father and son duo Shinkyo and Hiromine Nakamura.
This fusion between the tradition of the company founded in 1917 and the minimalist marvel of the gallery is strikingly clear the moment you step inside. Shinkyo greets me, ready to guide me through both the gallery and the adjacent workshop. Born in 1957, he is the third-generation master of Nakamura Ningyo who has brought his family’s brand into the modern era.
As we exchange business cards, Shinkyo explains that the name of the gallery is drawn from an old kanji that represents a combination of a person and an oni (demon).
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