PROFILE
Born in 1979 in Saitama, Japan, he left a certain domestic brand in 2020. After that, he launched a cult club "NISHIMOTO IS THE MOUTH" and mainly produces and sells goods.
Instagram: @k_nisimoto_
PROFILE
After gaining experience at a jewelry company, he became independent. He launched "GRILLZ JEWELZ" to embody his roots in HIP HOP culture through jewelry, and started producing and selling grilles, custom-made jewelry, and hip-hop jewelry. He has created grilles and jewelry for various artists both in Japan and abroad.
Instagram: @grillzjewelz_is_right
I was taken aback by how soft-spoken he was.
I understand that you have built several grills here.
Nishimoto:This is the only place I can think of when it comes to grills. I was very nervous when I came here for the first time, because it seemed like a very high place. I was as nervous as if I was getting a tattoo for the first time.
Akiyama:It has been a long time since Mr. Nishimoto came, hasn't it?
Nishimoto:It was before Corona, so 2017 or so. At first we made a small grille that fits on one tooth. After that, I made a mouthpiece type gold, and then I came back to make black and blue. Today I'm wearing a black one. When I wear them to clubs, people get really scared of me (laughs).
Akiyama:(Laughter).
Nishimoto:But Akiyama's grill has been really well received. When I uploaded them on Instagram, I got a lot of reactions from people overseas. They say things like, "I want to make one too," or "Introduce me to your restaurant.
Akiyama:When Mr. Nishimoto wears it, it makes a big impact. In a good way, of course.
Nishimoto:I said earlier that it was a bit intimidating, but when I actually arrived, I was taken aback by how soft-spoken Mr. Akiyama was. He was so kind.
When I called the store for this interview, they were very polite and helpful.
Akiyama:I was also surprised at first when Mr. Nishimoto arrived. But it would have been impolite to show that feeling, so I tried to act nonchalant... (laughs).
Nishimoto:That's true, it freaks me out (laughs).
I decided to make a grill as an extension of a ring or necklace.
When did you start GRILLZ JEWELZ?
Akiyama:At first, we did mail order only for two and a half years, sort of like a home and workshop. From there, we gradually began to receive inquiries from customers who wanted to see the actual products, and it has been about 16 years since we opened our store here, so it has been more than 18 years now.
Can I grill through the mail?
Akiyama:We can do it if the customer makes the tooth mold himself and sends it to us.
Akiyama-san, what made you interested in grills in the first place?
Akiyama:The first reason was that rappers were wearing them and I wanted to wear them myself. If you look at "the source magazine" or something like that, you will see an ad for a jewelry store on the back page. Grill was also listed there. At the time, I was working as a jewelry craftsman, so I thought I would try making one myself.
Nishimoto:You made it by yourself, didn't you?
Akiyama:That's right. However, since I had made it just as I saw it in the photo, I had no idea if it was the right one. So I decided I had to see the real thing, so I actually mail-ordered one from the US and bought it. I was able to confirm the various shapes, and from there, I started to make my own products.
Nishimoto:Are there other stores that make grills in Japan?
Akiyama:I think there is a little bit of it now. But at that time, there were none at all. I don't think people even knew what a grill was.
How did the grille come to be shaped like the jewelry it is today?
Akiyama:There are many theories about this, but I have heard that poor black people had bad teeth, and to overcome this complex, they had gold teeth. From there, it spread as a culture. Rappers started wearing them about 30 years ago, and they have been a staple ever since. The style may change with the times, but everyone still wears grilles. That's why they never go out of style.
You mean that you wear it as part of an accessory, just like a necklace or a ring.
Akiyama:Yes, that's right. That's the feeling.
What made you decide to put it on?
Nishimoto:I had a similar feeling to that of a tattoo, and the idea of changing the color of my teeth came from that. I thought of "grillz jewelz" because KOHH and other rappers have been coming here. I've always only worn white sweatshirt setups, so the only things I could change were my glasses, sneakers, and teeth. So I ordered a pair, and they were so cool that I wanted to make them again. Recently, more and more people are wearing them, aren't they?
Akiyama:The number has increased. Women have also started to wear them as a single point of interest.
You mentioned that you used to be a jewelry craftsman.
Akiyama:I was originally an office worker at a food company. But I found the work boring, so I quit. I liked jewelry, so I was allowed to join a workshop, where I was able to learn a lot.
Nishimoto:Why jewelry?
Akiyama:I just liked Kihei chains and wanted to make them. Then I started enjoying making rings and necklaces. I decided to try making grills as an extension of that.
Have you always listened to HIP HOP?
Akiyama:Yes, I do. I don't know anymore because I haven't listened to other genres. I am completely ignorant of Japanese pop music. Even when I go to karaoke clubs, I have no idea what the song is about. Of course, I love HIP HOP, but that's all I can listen to. So, what I make is jewelry that specializes in that culture, and it is because I don't know anything else that I have been able to continue to keep my music pure.
I understand that a number of prominent Japanese rappers have visited your store.
Akiyama:The first person who came was YOU THE ROCK★, and then there were the members of KAMINARI-KAZOKU. Everyone came to us through these connections. Up until then, it seemed that everyone was going to Brooklyn or other places to make music, but the biggest thing was that YOU THE ROCK★ spread the word that it was possible to make music in Japan.
The Japanese have a strange or otaku-like quality to them.
Do you have anything in mind when creating your grills?
Akiyama:The grill by itself looks different from the way it looks when the person puts it on. That is why it is important to think about how it will look when it is in the mouth. I can imagine to some extent what a ring would look like, but I try to imagine what it will look like when it is in the mouth of the customer.
I think communication is going to be important when placing an order.
Akiyama:It is important to know what kind of image the customer has of the grill and how they want to display themselves. When the result is really cool, it makes me much happier than when I make a ring or a necklace. That is a selfish feeling on the part of the store, but that is the kind of joy that comes with grills.
I guess that's what experience is all about.
Akiyama:I agree. I am the only one who has been making grills in Japan for a long time, so I am proud of the number of grills I have made.
Nishimoto:I always tell YAS, the tattoo artist who does my tattoos, just what I want the tattoo to look like to a certain extent. Then, the actual result is very good. I give Mr. Akiyama the same kind of information. I just give him a certain image and leave most of the work to him. After waiting a few months for completion, I excitedly go to pick up the grill, and when I actually put it on, I get really excited. That's exactly the same feeling I get after getting a tattoo.
I see that while you are waiting, your feelings are maturing more and more. Do you feel like a different person when you put it on?
Nishimoto:There is a sense of transformation. People say, "Oh my God! That makes me excited too. People who don't know me ask, "Are you a rapper? I answer, "I'm just a normal person.
Akiyama:(Laughter).
Nishimoto:I wanted to make a strange grill. I wanted to make a strange grill, like the black one I'm wearing today.
Akiyama:Nishimoto-san, it suits you.
Nishimoto:Thank you very much. I see that Okamoto Reiji and others are also making unusual products.
Akiyama:Yes, I think so. I think Japanese people are strange or otaku-like. I think people from overseas see this and find it interesting. The image of a grill is a glittering one, with gold and diamonds.
To be honest, I was puzzled by Mr. Okamoto Reiji's order at first. He asked me to give it a rusty finish. I wondered, "Is that really okay? I was conflicted about whether it was really okay. As I mentioned earlier, a grill is a glittering accessory, so Mr. Okamoto's order was the exact opposite of that.
Do you have the technology to make it look rusty?
Akiyama:We had a contractor who could do special processing, so we could make it, but we didn't know if the finished product would look good. However, even if we did, we were not sure whether the finished product would be good or not....
But when you make something that has never been seen before and it is good looking, a new trend is born. It was really cool when I saw them wearing them. Mr. Okamoto is amazing for wanting to wear it, and Mr. Nishimoto is a man of great character, so I have a desire to create something even more interesting.
Nishimoto:I am super happy. I can't believe you said that.
Akiyama:Grills don't really give me good ideas for intentional design. Rather, inspiration comes to me when I am thinking about or looking at something other than grills and jewelry.
What exactly do you do when an idea comes to you?
Akiyama:When I received an order from A$AP Rocky recently, I put flowers in it. It was simply because I was looking at plants and flowers and thought, "What would happen if I put this in as is? I thought, "What would happen if I just put this in?
Nishimoto:Is that your suggestion, Mr. Akiyama?
Akiyama:That's my proposal. I made a sample and showed it to him. They seemed to like it.
Nishimoto:That's great. I know that many overseas artists are checking out Akiyama-san. Drake, for example.
Akiyama:Yes, we had a bit of an exchange.
Do you feel happy to communicate with overseas artists?
Akiyama:Well...some things make me happy, but I also get quite sick. I am not that mentally strong. I wonder if this is the right thing to do. I am not that mentally strong. It makes me happy, but I also easily feel pressure. But that's what makes it fun.
Nishimoto:At my age, there are fewer things to be nervous about. That is why I think it is good to have that kind of nervousness. I was also nervous on the train today because I was going to have an interview with Mr. Akiyama (laughs).
Akiyama:Yes, I agree, because there is not much pressure to be thrilled when you are in your 40s or older.
Nishimoto:As a creator, I think it is necessary to be excited. That is why I was so happy when Drake wore my T-shirt.
Akiyama:Nishimoto-san is already at the forefront of "NISHIMOTO IS THE MOUTH," isn't he? It is totally different from other brands. I think that pressure is tremendous.
Nishimoto:Of course, there are people who send me negative messages, but I am now doing my best to let them go.
Akiyama:It means you have to do that much to make it work.
Nishimoto:It is better than no response at all. When I create a grill, I want Akiyama to show his sense of style to the fullest, which is why I want to give him a little bit of a crazy order. It may be pressure for Mr. Akiyama, but I want to see the grill created after overcoming that pressure. I have yet to make a complicated order, but I would like to challenge myself a little bit at a time. I often come to like people through such interactions.
There are moments when the ordinary scenery looks different from the usual. That sense of discomfort is important.
So, you came here today to order a grill, right?
Nishimoto:That's right. There are "red fox" and "green raccoon dog". I saw those and thought I wanted to make a red and green one.
Akiyama:You mean that combination?
Nishimoto:No, I made one red and one green, and thought I could combine them. This is a beetle that I had at home, and I wanted to create this kind of metallic texture.
Akiyama:This dung beetle has a slightly orange-ish color. Do you want to follow this?
Nishimoto:More red would be better. I would like the green to refer to this fishing lure. Mr. Akiyama, have you ever made this color before?
Akiyama:The red was more of a bright red, and the green was more like an emerald green.
Nishimoto:I would like to ask for a metallic look.
Akiyama:Understood. We will contact you when it is ready.
Mr. Nishimoto ordered a red and green metallic grill. According to Mr. Akiyama, "We are currently waiting for 2-3 months for the order. So we ended the interview at this point. We will visit "grillz jewelz" again after its completion.
We came back to GRILLZ JEWELZ to find out that the grill is now complete.
Akiyama:The finished product looks like this.
Nishimoto:It's cool. It's awesome!
Akiyama:The red one looks like it has blood in its mouth (laughs).
Nishimoto:Well, it's cool. It's aggravating.
Nishimoto:The green also has a really nice metallic texture.
Do you paint these metallic textures?
Akiyama:The base was made in silver and painted on top of it. As I have mentioned before, grills were originally meant to be shiny, so I believe I was the first to create a grille with a color like this.
Why did you decide to create such a grill?
Akiyama:I think that the ideas come from people like Mr. Nishimoto and others who have senses that I don't. My senses are very glaring and bling-bling. My sense is a bit bling-bling, but it is fun to get new ideas from people who have new ideas.
Nishimoto:Mr. Akiyama, you said, "Ideas come to me when I am not thinking about grills and accessories. I wanted to make this because I saw cup noodles at the supermarket. There are moments when you are walking around town and the ordinary scenery looks different from what it usually does. I think that feeling of discomfort in a good way is very important.
I think it's a matter of how to expand the imagination and give shape to the idea.
Nishimoto:Yes, I agree. If I think a bag carried by a lady walking down the street is good, I may pick up its color and make it into a grill. I want to play with different sensibilities in that way. I don't want to be like, "Please make me the same one as this person," or something like that.
Akiyama:I think your sensitivity is amazing. I don't have the sense to make red and green and think that they would be suitable for me. So you must have something different from others. In fact, the red and green suit me.
Nishimoto:I am super happy to hear you say that, Akiyama-san. Thank you so much.
Do you have any challenges you would like to take on in the future?
Akiyama:I would like to develop people other than myself. I have a child who is helping me now, and I hope that he or she will be able to create. I want to teach what I can to the next generation, people with younger sensibilities. I am 46 years old now, and I am afraid that my senses will gradually become entrenched. I would like to be able to share that with them, and I would also like to see young people create grills based on their own sensibilities.
Nishimoto:Now you wear a mask in the corona, so you can't see the grille unless you take it off, and I hope it will be over soon.
Akiyama:It really is.
Nishimoto:Today, when I was on the train, some people were staring at me and I wanted to show them my grill. Since I work as this kind of character, a grill is a necessity for me. So I will come back to think of a story and make one.
Akiyama:Please come and visit us.
