1960-
In 1960, Sakaichi Tosa, the chairman of Maywa Denki, entered Shin-Maywa Kogyo in Kobe.
This company was operated as Kawakanishi Airplane and manufactured fighters such as Shidenkai during World War II; Sakaichi drew a plan for a seaplane tail there.
1970-
In 1970, after he retired from the company in 1969, he established Maywa Denki Ltd, in Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture. His new company started as a subcontracting firm for Toshiba and Matsushita Electric, producing vacuum tubes; it grew into a medium-sized company, which had more than 100 workers in its employ at its peak. The company had to close down in 1979 because of financial difficulties brought about by the “oil shock”.
1993-
In 1993, after 14 years of bankruptcy, Maywa Denki was re-established by Masamichi and Nobumichi Tosa, Sakaichi’s sons, but this time as an art unit. Masamichi (the elder brother) took over the position of president and Nobumichi (younger brother) that of vice president. Their company motto is “do it to conquer, take it to conquer”; in this spirit, they have invented and developed various products. As “parallel-world electricians”, Maywa Denki has entertained and influenced the Japanese public.
2001-
In 2001, Masamichi Tosa retired at the age of 35, and Nobumichi Tosa succeeded his brother as president. Nobumichi started developing the EDELWEISS Series as his new project, shown in major exhibitions in Paris and London. In October 2003, Maywa Denki was featured at the Expo, Human Beings & Robots held in Paris.
Biography
Novmichi Tosa (President) was born in April 1967 in Hyogo Prefecture. In 1992 he finished the MA at the Department of Arts Study, Postgraduate Course, Tsukuba University. From 1993 –2001 he was Vice President of Maywa Denki, and since 2001 he has been President.
Maywa Denki has exhibited widely and received numerous prizes, including the Grand prix in Art Artists Audition II (sponsored by Sony Music Entertainment), 1993, Excellence Prize of Interactive category of Digital Arts, Agency of Cultural Affairs Media Arts Festival III, 2000, Distinctions of Interactive Art category, Ars Erectronica, 2003
As Novmichi is still searching for new approaches to the public, Maywa Denki is now extending its activities overseas, to exhibitions all over the world.
