Takuo was born into a prominent family of ceramicists in Kanazawa. He is the middle of three sons of famed ceramicist Baizan Nakamura, all of whom are now respected artists in their own right. Kinpei Nakamura, his older brother, is an avant-garde ceramicist closely associated with the postwar period. His younger brother, Kohei, is also an active ceramicist although he works in other media as well.
Takuo apprenticed under his father and ultimately adopted one of his major techniques, Iroe-zogan. This method entails painting scenes directly onto white clay prior to firing. These paintings are influenced by the Rinpa School, which was founded by Koetsu and Sotetsu. By using this technique, Takuo enmeshes himself within the decorative tradition but challenges traditional methods. Although he was trained to make vessels, he is keen to avoid the limitations of functional objects and tends to position himself moreso within a sculptural work.