Copy of ABOUT
"Linking people and the forest" through craft aroma.
From nurturing forests and manufacturing products to delivering them to you,
Infuse every action with reverence for nature.
From the beginning of HIKOBAYU in 2017
There is one thing that never changes.
The idea behind the brand name
This is the moment when new value is created .
There is no more exciting and positive feeling than the moment when new value is born.
It also gives momentum to the surroundings.
If these moments increase in the world,
I think we can all get excited about the future.
At HIKOBAYU, we aim to
We aim to become a brand that increases the number of "moments when new value is created."
HIKOBAYU's manufacturing spirit
First of all, we must give back to nature.
What you can see by visiting the primary industry
Messages and inspiration from nature
The founder comes from the medical and beauty industries and never dreamed of working in forestry. At first glance, starting out as a product manufacturing brand may seem like a daunting, ridiculous detour. However, there are certainly messages and inspirations from nature that can only be seen by being in the primary industry . And we believe that nature has given us even more blessings.
Respecting the rich local resources and respecting the ingredients to the fullest extent
Then, with gratitude for the materials we finally have in our hands, we begin production. In order to extract the fragrant components of Niseko's forests in the best possible condition, we received advice from a university research institute, conducted further research, and developed a distiller to produce HIKOBAYU essential oils, which have been found to have values that can be said to be concentrated functional components of the air in Niseko's forests, according to university analysis. It has been shown to restore abnormal blood pressure levels, reduce stress, and have an extremely strong air-purifying effect .
Effective use of resources generated by logging
VALUE
Through our brand activities, we aim to realize "linking forests and people."
We will spread the experience of "returning to the forest" throughout society.
To achieve this, we have established four values as our guide to action.
□ Giving back to nature, confronting nature
We don't just handle materials, we also directly manage forests.
With an eye to the future, we will continue to pursue ways to give back to nature.
□ Create new value
Like a sapling, something that was once dead can be reborn through our hands.
We will create new value.
□ Circulation and regeneration
We will help lead the way to forests where resources circulate in a sustainable manner.
We breathe new life into unused resources by utilizing them and turning them into products.
□ Empathy and co-creation
We listen to people's thoughts, work in harmony with the times, and enjoy co-creation.
We provide an opportunity for people to become interested in forests and nature through scents and products.
MESSAGE
Message from the CEO
I moved from Tokyo to Niseko after being impressed by the beauty and abundance of nature there. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn about the cycles of the world, happiness, and what is in my own heart by being surrounded by nature. HIKOBAYU was founded in 2017 by a combination of a nurse and a hairdresser. We practice self-cutting forestry (environmentally friendly forestry), and we carry out all processes from harvesting fir branches and leaves to distillation, and we manufacture our products with all our heart. In addition to manufacturing our products, we also go into the forests ourselves to make effective use of resources and engage in activities such as wood education. We hope to deliver the blessings of nature and an attitude of caring for the environment from here in Niseko.
MESSAGE
Kayoko Sawada / Representative of HIKOBAYU
I am Kayoko Sawada, representative of Hikobayu LLC.
I used to work as a nurse in Tokyo. Looking back, the convenient life in a city filled with things was very enjoyable, but at the same time, it was exhausting to have to choose.
By chance, I got involved in medical treatment in a remote area on a remote island, where I learned the charm of collecting wild plants under my teacher, collecting shellfish in the sea, and enjoying the blessings of nature. At the same time, facing the vastness of nature alone, I felt an indescribable "awe of nature" and thought, "Even if something happens here, no one will notice. I am just a part of nature."
After moving to Hokkaido, I had the opportunity to experience agriculture. When the conditions are right for small seeds, sprouts appear all at once. There is a process called "thinning" where you pull out the others to keep the best ones. Just pinch them between your index finger and thumb and their life will be over.
Until now, as a nurse I have only been involved with human life, but seeing the strength and fragility of plant life first-hand, I began to think about the preciousness of all life.
At Hikobayu, we extract essential oils from the branches and leaves of the Todomatsu tree. Hokkaido is at a high latitude, and in fact, cedars and cypresses cannot grow there. Todomatsu is one of the trees that are planted instead. When planted trees reach the cutting age (around 70 to 80 years), they are cut down. At that time, the wood is shipped as lumber, but the branches and leaves are either discarded as industrial waste or left in the forest to be used as nutrients in the future. This by-product is called unused forest materials.
We produce craft aromas with all our heart by collecting the remaining branches and leaves of felled fir trees in the mountains and delivering them to our customers. In addition to production, we also conduct wood education activities such as classroom lessons, field work, and distillation experiences for everyone from children to adults.
Here in Niseko, we not only enjoy the bounty of nature, but also give back to the environment. Our motto is "linking forests and people," and we aim to deliver the cool scent of Hokkaido's forests and provide a real experience of "returning to the forest" using all five senses.
COMPANY
