1936

Born in Machida, Tokyo.

1960

Tama Art University, Department of Painting, Majored in Oil Painting (BFA).

1962-64

University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Majored in Painting and minored in Printmaking (MS).

1964

First solo exhibition at St. James Gallery, Milwaukee.

1964-66

University of Pennsylvania. Studied with Piero Dorazio and Neil Welliver (MFA).
Created Penn Series systematically composing colors and shapes (lines).

1966-68

Received John D. Rockefeller III Foundation Grant, lived and worked in New York City.

1968

Traveled through Europe and the Middle East, returned to Japan.
In October, became senior lecturer in charge of dessin drawings at Tama Art University, assisted Komai Tetsuro’s printmaking class.
At the time, Tama Art University faculty included Saito Yoshishige, Takamatsu Jiro, Tono Yoshiaki, Nakahara Yusuke, and Haryu Ichiro.
In December, Tama Art University went under lockdown due to student protests (Bikyoto). Participated in independent seminars held near campus.

1970

In March, created a mural in the Furukawa Pavilion at the World Expo ’70 in Osaka, Japan.
Carl Andre, participating in the Tokyo Biennale, is invited to an independent seminar by Nakahara Yusuke. In response to Haryu Ichiro’s question, “Is it possible for art to become obsolete?” Carl Andre responded, “To make art is to imagine, and imagination is the agent of history. If we stop imagining, tomorrow will be a repetition of today.” Upon hearing these words, Nakazato reaffirmed his ethos of expression.
In July, submitted Ma Su Chi, a work on canvas with sumi ink lines made using traditional Japanese carpenter tool, similar to chalk line used in west, to The 5th Japan Art Festival Domestic Exhibition held at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. Received Excellence Prize (Minister of Education Award).
In August, received honorable mention at the 14th Shell Art Award.
In October, exhibited five works of his Ichinchiani Series in the Artists Today – 1970 exhibition at Yokohama Civic Art Gallery.
In November, held first solo exhibition in Japan at Pinar Gallery in Akasaka, Tokyo.
In December, included in Contemporary Japanese Art at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. The group show traveled to the University of California, Berkeley and Philadelphia Civic Center.

1971

In May, invited to exhibit a large six-panel work titled Yo and other works in 10th Contemporary Art Exhibition of Japan at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.
Became ill due to stress from student protests. Doctor encouraged for him to leave Japan. Traveled across Europe, and returned to the United States.
In September, becomes professor of printmaking at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Fine Arts. Taught until his retirement in 2008, served as Chair of the Fine Arts Department for five years from 1994 to 1999.

1974-75

Received grant from New York State Creative Artists Public Service.

1982

Received grant from the U.S.-Japan Foundation for Environmental Urban Planning and Design Education, Ohio State University.

2010

On July 15, 2010, fell from a ladder in his studio and taken to the hospital.
Passed away at 11:31 p.m. on July 17 (July 18, Japan time). He was 74 years old.

2010

NAKAZATO Hitoshi: New York/ Machida - Line Outside/ Black Rain, Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts, Machida, Tokyo

2009

After 55 Years, Keikando Gallery, Obirin University, Tokyo [-’10]
Hiroshima Revisited – Black Rain, Pageant : Soloveev, Philadelphia [’05]

2007

Hitoshi Nakazato - Painting Series, The Ice Box, Philadelphia

2004

Muramatsu Gallery, Tokyo ['78, ’80, ’86]

2002

Hitoshi Nakazato “Line Outside” from the Monado Series, The Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Maryland

2001

Geo-Prospective, The Ericson Gallery, Philadelphia ['99]

1999

Gallery Julliet, Italy

1998

50 Drawings, Gallery Kuranuki, Osaka [’92]

1997

Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo ['77, ’79, ’82, ’89, ’93]

1987

Hitoshi Nakazato/ Today and Yesterday, Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo

1986

AIP Gallery, Philadelphia

1981

“Nakazato Hitoshi: Recent Work”, organized by Yoshiaki Inui, Konan High School Art Salon, Hyogo

1970

Pinar Galleries, Tokyo

1968

Cheltenham Art Center, Philadelphia

1964

Saint James Gallery, Milwaukee

2008

The 30th Anniversary: Collection of the National Museum of Art, Osaka, The National Museum of Art, Osaka

1995

About Lines : Non-existing Modernism and Invisible Realism, Itabashi Art Museum, Tokyo

1994

Cross and Square Grids, The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama

1987

Painting 1977-1987, The National Museum of Art, Osaka

1984

Japanese Contemporary Paintings, 1960–1980, Gunma Prefectural Museum of Modern Art

1979

Contemporary Drawings: Philadelphia II, Philadelphia Museum of Art

1977

Prints in Series: Idea into Image, Brooklyn Museum, New York

1973

Japanese Artists in the Americas, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
The Art of Surface - A Survey of Contemporary Japanese Art -, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney; traveled to Perth and other.

1971

The Exhibition of Tokyo Gallery 1971, Tokyo Gallery
10th Contemporary Art Exhibition of Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum

1970

Contemporary Japanese Art, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Art Museum at the University of California, Berkeley, Philadelphia Civic Center [-’71]
Artists to-day Exhibition ’70, Yokohama Civic Art Gallery, Kanagawa
Shell Art Award Exhibition, Tokyo
The 5th Japan Art Festival Domestic Exhibition, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
“Outdoor Festival for Contemporary Art”, Kodomo-no-kuni, Kanagawa

The exhibition titles of which official English translations are undefined are indicated in quotes (“ ”).

Ohara Museum of Art, Okayama / Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art / Kyushu Sangyo University Museum, Fukuoka / The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto / The Japan Foundation / The National Museum of Art, Osaka / Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art / Setagaya Art Museum, Tokyo / Takamatsu Art Museum, Kagawa /
Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo / Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts | Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo / Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art / Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts, Tokyo / The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama / Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art, Israel / National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. / The Museum of Modern Art, New York / Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Alabama / Philadelphia Museum of Art / Brooklyn Museum, New York / Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia / Moore College of Art & Design, Philadelphia / University of Montebello, Alabama