Nakazawa also played for 178 consecutive matches for Yokohama F. Marinos from July 2013 to August 2018.

Determined to be a pro, he left for Brazil to improve his football skills and trained with América Mineiro.

During his time there, he won the Campeonato Mineiro in the junior category and played a key role in coach Ricardo Drubscky's squad.

Nakazawa was transferred to Yokohama F. Marinos in 2002 and contributed to the club winning two consecutive J1 League championships in 2003 and 2004.

He also played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany but the team failed to proceed to the knockout stage.

[10] However, six months later, he withdrew his decision and Ivica Osim played him in a friendly against Peru on 24 March 2007.

[11] He played in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals but this time the team failed to defend the title and finished 4th in the tournament.

Nakazawa becomes only the third Japanese player, following Masami Ihara and Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, to reach 100 caps for his country.

In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Nakazawa played all four of Japan's games on their way to the round of 16 and knockout by penalties to Paraguay.