Association for Corporate Support of the Arts. - Kigyo Mécénat Kyogikai

The veins of the Iwami Ginzan silver mine sprawl across the Iwami area of Shimane Prefecture, centering on the historical town of Ohmori. During the Edo period, it is estimated that about a third of the world’s silver came from this mine. Ohmori was once a thriving mining town of around 200,000 people, but the population declined sharply after the mine was temporarily closed in 1923. Today there are fewer than 500 residents.
Nakamura Brace Co., Ltd., which produces prosthetics and orthotics, was founded in 1974 by Toshiro Nakamura. After studying in Kyoto and California, Nakamura returned to his hometown of Ohmori and set up shop in the shed in front of his house. Initially working alone, he grew the company by using new material technologies to develop numerous prosthetics, orthotics, and medical devices. By creating silicone rubber artificial fingers and breasts that are built custom to fit each and every client and are realistic and aesthetically pleasing―prosthetics which is called “Medical Art”―the company has gained a name for itself in Japan and internationally.
In addition to the prosthetics and orthotics business, Nakamura Brace has worked hard to revitalize Ohmori. The company has renovated old, traditional houses and used them as company housing or lent them to restaurant operators. So far, 35 formerly empty houses have been saved from dilapidation, and this has helped to maintain the traditional feel of Ohmori’s townscape. Nakamura Brace converted an old brewery into the workshop for its Medical Art Research Laboratory, and relocated a Meiji-era bank building scheduled for demolition to the area turned it into a museum called the “Nakamura Kan”. On display in the building are about 100 articles relating to the history of the Iwami Ginzan silver mine that Nakamura has spent 25 years collecting. These include rare and valuable illustrated scrolls, books, silver ingots produced at the mine, and other artifacts that had been taken out of the prefecture or out of the country. The wealth of artifacts in the collection that demonstrate the historical importance of the silver mine played a major role in the decision to inscribe Iwami Ginzan in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites in 2007.
Nakamura Brace has also given back to the community in many other ways. For example, the company set up the “Nakamura Scholarship” program that invites children from overseas to visit during their summer vacations, established the Iwami Ginzan Culture Award, which is given in recognition of research or cultural activities involving the mine, and helped restore the old Ohmori Magistrate’s Office. From the tiny town of Ohmori, the unique vision that Nakamura Brace has presented to the world, in both its business and its sponsorship of arts and culture, has captivated the hearts and minds of many.