About me
Aya Sengoku is the 14th President of Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, founded in 1716 in Nara — Japan’s ancient capital with over a thousand years of history. The company is dedicated to revitalizing Japanese craftsmanship through business, sustaining and evolving traditional crafts by connecting artisans, design, and everyday life.After beginning her career as a designer and production director at a major printing company, Aya joined Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten in 2011. She served as executive secretary, head of product planning, and brand manager for Yu Nakagawa before becoming the company’s first non-family president in 2018.Under her leadership, the company announced its B Corp certification in 2025, reaffirming its commitment to social and environmental responsibility rooted in craftsmanship. Aya personally led the certification process together with the core team, engaging in every step — from interpreting standards to assessment and review.She continues to explore how purpose, culture, and design can breathe new life into Japan’s craft industry and how a centuries-old company in a thousand-year-old city can embody regeneration and purpose-driven continuity in modern times.
