[Interview] The Garage Life of Katsumi Nagasawa, Who Has Acquired His "Dream Garage" Surrounded by Motorcycles

Nagasawa, who became deeply immersed in biking as a teenager, continues to be passionate about it even as an adult. As a result, the garage he built himself on his property in Mizuho Town, Tokyo, has transformed into a space that looks just like a motorcycle shop. We asked him about the journey to creating this comfortable "personal space" and his real garage life.

Katsumi Nagasawa
Born on March 2, 1969, in Tokyo. After working as a car mechanic, he shifted to construction-related work. He started riding bikes at the age of 16, beginning with the Yamaha XJ400 and Suzuki RGΓ (Gamma), and for a time, he became hooked on Datsun trucks (model 520) and built show cars, but now he is passionate about motorcycles. He rides various models, including the popular Honda 4 mini and the rare CBX400F model 2.

Visitors wouldn't doubt it's a "motorcycle shop"!? Its name is "Nagasawa Wheel Industry"

- It looks just like a motorcycle shop, but what was the reason behind the creation of such a large garage?

Nagasawa: "I think it was just about the 10th anniversary when I built this and started moving in equipment. My dad also worked in construction, and there was already a garage at home before that, so I gradually began to occupy the (property)." <

- Had you liked motorcycles before that?

Nagasawa: "I started riding around 16, and the first bike I bought was a Yamaha XJ400, followed by a Suzuki RGΓ (Gamma). I had already started working at that time; I first worked at a car repair company, but all my salary went toward motorcycles. I borrowed money from the boss and was thinking about what bike to buy next (laughs)." <

Before this garage was formally built, there were issues like the house being constructed where the roadside garage used to be and concerns about security, which led to the decision to build the garage at the current location. Afterwards, Mr. Nagasawa became independent in construction-related work and now balances his business with his hobbies.

―That said, it’s a well-equipped garage. Not only are there a lot of bikes (over 20 at a rough count!), but there are also quite a few parts and processing machines like drill presses."

Nagasawa: "I assemble the engines myself, you know. It’s not that I’m frugal, but if I throw these (parts) away, I won’t be able to get them again. I often regret thinking, ‘I wish I hadn’t thrown that away back then.’ Before I knew it, it ended up like this."

―So that’s why you need more space.

Nagasawa: "Taking parts from a whole vehicle is cost-effective. To someone unrelated, it looks like trash. No, I just can’t throw it away, haha.”

―Was there a blank period regarding the construction of the garage and working on bikes?

Nagasawa: "There was indeed. I got married, and then kids were born. Since I run my own business, I have some freedom, but this is still just a hobby."

―I can’t believe it’s just a hobby, but you’re working on bikes at night or on your days off while working, right?

Nagasawa: "Exactly, I balance both. After coming home from work, even if my wife says, ‘Come on, eat already,’ I’m like, ‘Well, bring that over here,’ and I end up staying in the garage."

―When did you start introducing serious machines like blast machines and lathes?

Nagasawa: "These have been here for a long time. The reason is that you can get parts when you have money, but for parts that aren’t available, you have to make them. I have to have what I want to attach, or I need them for processing. I send special ones to machining specialists, but I try to do what I can myself."

This is a secret base where I enjoy time with friends and my sons

With this kind of equipment, it seems there are many repair requests from friends.

Nagasawa: "They ask me to bore out engines or check the electrical system a bit. But since I’m not a professional, I can help with what I can, but I tell them, ‘I can’t guarantee anything if something goes wrong.’ If that’s okay with them, then we go ahead. It’s also a learning experience for me."

It seems this space plays a role in deepening knowledge about bikes and connections with friends.

―Do your bike friends often come to visit?

Nagazawa: "They do. If it's rainy on Sundays, I'll definitely be here. I post on my Instagram stories that I'm playing in the garage today. Then, my friends see (the post)."

―So the friends who see it say, "Let's go then."

Nagazawa: "That's right. Yesterday, my second son's friends came over, and we were having a barbecue here (laughs)."<

The comfort of having "the most relaxing place"

is a bit different from the living room at home, a space just for oneself. That feeling of security is also the charm of the garage.

―How much time do you spend here?

Nagazawa: "I think I spend quite a long time. I always come here at least once in the morning, go to work, come back, take a bath, have a drink at home, and then I'm here for the rest of the time. If I don't go anywhere on my day off, I'm here playing with the bike all day from the morning."<

―In other words, what kind of place is this?

Nagazawa: "It's the most relaxing place. I can do what I love. At home, I can't smoke, there's a TV, but my mom has shows she wants to watch. I have things I want to see too. It's not that we don't get along (laughs)."

Next to Nagazawa's designated seat in the garage, there is a bed space for his beloved dog. He says that when he moves from home to the garage, the dog comes along with him.

Nagazawa: "The dog wants to come here (with me) too. He always knows what time it is."

Unintentionally, a lifestyle resembling a dual-location living arrangement is being realized within the premises of his home, and Nagazawa's lively expression as he fulfills his dream of a garage life is impressive.

Currently, Nagazawa is obsessed with customizing his 4MINIs.

Nagasawa: "What I'm currently focusing on is this small class of bike. I started this about 8 years ago. Until then, I was only interested in big bikes, but when I tried riding the Ape that my eldest son had, I thought, 'This little one is actually fun.'" Nagasawa: "But with 50cc, it's slow, right? So I thought, let's upgrade the bore, and I started opening up the engine. From there, I got hooked. When you ride it, you begin to think about things you want to change or improve."

Nagasawa: "I still have a lot of things I want to do. Next, I'm thinking of completely taking apart the Suzuki GT250 and doing a full restoration again." ―Will the garage continue to evolve? Nagasawa: "In the future, I might redo the ceiling and install air conditioning." It seems that the current goal for the garage is to enhance comfort. Nagasawa's garage is likely to continue being a space filled with motorcycles, parts, and dreams.

Photography by Masashi Kakino, Interview and Text by Kazuma Tanaka.

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