Playing with the Chunichi Dragons franchise for most of his career, Nishizawa became one of Japan's most beloved athletes.

Nishizawa debuted with Nagoya at the age of 15 in 1936, the youngest player ever in the history of pro Yakyu.

Despite a career earned run average of 2.23, the heavy workload combined with injuries sustained during two years of service in World War II forced him to switch positions to first base, and later the outfield.

Two years later, Nishizawa led the Dragons to the 1954 Central League title, breaking an eight-year run by the Yomiuri Giants.

He was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 despite the lackluster state of the Chunichi Dragons throughout much of his career.