Nailympia News – meet Nakayama Ryuji – Individual Top Scorer Nailympia China 2025

 

Introducing…competitor: Nakayama Ryuji

Nail artist, educator and brand developer who is mixed race Chinese/Japanese and lives in Shanghai, China. Nakayama won the Individual Top Scorer trophy at Nailympia China 2025.

Nakayama has been a dedicated nail artist for over 14 years. Although nail art wasn’t his initial career choice, it eventually became the perfect outlet for his creativity and passion for design. Originally aspiring to become a haute couture designer, Nakayama studied skincare, make-up, and aromatherapy in order to deepen his understanding of aesthetics and fashion. It was during this journey that he rediscovered nail art, which he found to be an easily  accessible and expressive form of art.

Nakayama’s passion for nails began early. While still in middle school, his curiosity about fashion led to an introduction through his English teacher to May, a local nail salon owner – who would later become his mentor and now business partner. Intrigued, Ryuji began learning manicure techniques during summer breaks at May’s salon. May immediately recognised his unique perspective and enthusiasm, sharing her knowledge generously and encouraging him to attend popular Japanese nail seminars. These formative experiences laid the foundation for his future in the nail industry.

While attending university, Nakayama came to the realisation that pursuing a career in fashion design would be financially challenging. While in contrast, nail art offered an artistic platform that was not only fulfilling but also more attainable.

In 2019, Nakayama launched his own nail product brand, Ryuji&May. Alongside product development, he also teaches professional nail training courses and serves as a translator for renowned Japanese nail educators, helping bring advanced techniques to Chinese-speaking students. However, Nakayama’s creative pursuits don’t stop at nails, he is also a jewellery designer.

When seeking creative inspiration, Nakayama browses Instagram for fresh ideas, although the world of fashion and performance art are extremely powerful sources for him. He is especially drawn to bold visuals from runway shows and music concerts, analysing costumes and stage design before translating into intricate nail art designs.

Things got exciting for Nakayama when Nailympia announced its debut in China. He seized the opportunity, not to win, but to learn. At Nailympia China 2025, Nakayama competed in Division 3 and achieved extraordinary results: a gold medal in Salon Nails, silver in Joy of Nails, bronze in Full Cover Creative and won one of the top accolades, the Individual Top Scorer trophy having attained with 1088 points

This was his first major international competition, having only participated in a flat art contest in Taiwan beforehand. The experience proved transformative. Nakayama formed friendships with other passionate nail artists and strengthened his belief in the power of competition as a learning tool. Nakayama emphasises, “Competition mirrors high-level salon work. While some view it as impractical, I see it as a training ground to sharpen technical skill, precision and professionalism. I encourage everyone to embrace the challenge. Competing doesn’t diminish credibility, it enhances it. Even failure can generate meaningful content and career growth when shared authentically.

“Internet traffic may come and go,” he continues, “but professionalism and skill build a lasting legacy. Competitions are a platform to elevate the industry and demonstrate that nail artistry is a career deserving of deep respect and global recognition.”

During Nailympia, Nakayama met industry icon Jan Arnold, co-founder of CND. This personal meeting left a lasting impression since Jan shared words of encouragement, praising his efforts to promote professionalism and literacy within the Chinese nail industry, and offered this advice, ‘Stay true, stay professional, stay scientific,’ which has become his guiding mantra.

Looking ahead, Nakayama’s mission is clear: to elevate the literacy and credibility of the Chinese nail industry. With the market rapidly expanding, he’s determined to uphold professionalism and fight against misinformation and unverified product endorsements promoted by unqualified influencers. He believes the future of the industry depends on transparency, education and ethical practice.