This is a legendary master craftsman rarely seen even online. According to "Banshu Soroban" Kubota, there were three master craftsmen, excluding current artisans, from the mid-Showa era. This time, I'd like to feature one of these three. Banshu Soroban Master Craftsman Series ③ Yoshio Nakatsuka This is a soroban made by the second generation of Yoshio Nakatsuka, a master craftsman of Banshu, around the 1950s. The first Yoshio Nakatsuka was born in Oji, Obe Village, Kato District (present-day Oji-cho, Ono City) in 1906 and passed away in 1967. He was a master craftsman of the Taisho and Showa eras. "The excellence of a soroban lies in how well the beads move while leaving a sound like the wind rustling through pine trees when rubbed in the palm of your hand. And when flicked, the beads stop perfectly," he said. It is said that no one has yet surpassed the mastery of Yoshio Nakatsuka. This soroban is by the second Yoshio Nakatsuka, who inherited his skills and name. A characteristic of Yoshio Nakatsuka's work is his ingenuity with the core bamboo that the beads pass through. The movement changes subtly depending on the size of the bead holes and slight differences in angle. If they are even slightly too large, they will move when flicked, making calculations impossible. Conversely, if they are too tight, they will be difficult to move, and the adjustment is difficult. He concentrated all of the techniques he had researched up to that point and, after repeated failures, one day he finally succeeded in creating the "Matsukaze Soroban" (Pine Wind Soroban), which spins smoothly when rubbed in the palm of the hand, makes a sound like the wind rustling through pine trees, and does not move unnecessarily when flicked. "If I can make a product like this, I won't lose to anyone, and customers will definitely understand," he said, and he always engraved his name on his works, showing his confidence.