We have begun to carry Wa no Wa hand cream, a brand that connects local specialty products with consumers, born out of efforts to protect the cypress trees and mountains of Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture.

One of our goals at Misohitomoji is to support the preservation and development of traditional Japanese industries. The most direct way we can accomplish this goal is through our company’s shop. With this is mind, we are proud to announce that our shop has begun carrying Wanowa Hand Cream, born from efforts to protect the hinoki cypress trees of Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture, and its mountains. The hand cream is made from essential oil extracted from the leaves and branches of sacred Kashimo Hinoki trees. The product is smooth without being sticky when you apply it and hermetically sealed to protect the contents. The lush leaves of the hinoki tree mingle with the fragrance of its branches, reminiscent of a hinoki bath, creating a relaxing aroma as if you are taking a walk through the forest. Hinoki trees live for more than several hundred years. The pink, shiny, and fragrant wood has been used not only for the construction of Ise Jingu Shrine, but also for Horyuji Temple, Himeji Castle, and other national treasures. In the Edo period (1603-1867), Kashimo was part of the domain of the Owari clan, and in the Meiji period (1868-1912), it became the Imperial Forest of the Imperial Household. The anecdote of "one hinoki, one head" shows how valuable and strictly controlled the Kashimo hinoki has been. However, with the spread of inexpensive lumber from overseas and the 2 x 4 construction method, the current situation is that the revenue generated per tree is sometimes less than the cost of cutting the tree down. Nevertheless, the people of Kashimo continue to go into the mountains to conserve the forest and prevent mountain disasters. Because it is difficult to protect this mountainous area using only conventional methods, efforts are being made to communicate the potential of the mountains in other ways. Wanowa hand cream combines the work of wood and fragrance manufacturing industries to sell local products worldwide. The income generated through the popularization of this unique culture can help stabilize the financial security of the people in the Nakatsugawa area and ensure the health of agricultural products and traditions of the region. This product is made with such possibilities at stake.