The founder of Yuzuki does not refer to herself as a "maker." Instead, her role is that of a connector - weaving together Nara's medicinal herbs, the farmers who cultivate them, the traditional techniques passed down through generations of artisans, and the culinary experts who master the art of food.
From a career in pharmaceuticals to a different perspective on wellness
The founder previously worked at a pharmaceutical company. While reflecting on "an alternative form of wellness" distinct from modern Western medicine, she was introduced to Nara's medicinal herb culture in 2020 through the discovery of Sohakuhi (mulberry root bark). This led to a profound reverence for the botanical heritage that has been preserved in Nara for over 1,400 years.
She realized that medicinal herbs are far more than mere raw materials. They embody the natural climate of the land, the wisdom of its people, and the history of their daily lives. This realization marked the beginning of Yuzuki's journey.
The Philosophy of Shindo-fuji
Our core concept is Shindo-fuji (a traditional East Asian principle holding that the body and its native land are inseparable - that foods grown in one's own region best nourish those who live there). This belief is precisely why Yuzuki remains deeply dedicated to the authentic materials of Nara. We present this philosophy as a concept that seamlessly integrates with regional resource development by government bodies, corporate wellness initiatives, and cultural experience programs.
What Yuzuki delivers is not merely rarity, but the act of passing down authentic, land-rooted traditions into contemporary lifestyles and corporate settings.
Fortuitous encounters that paved the way
In 2021, a pivotal meeting occurred with a woman managing a medicinal herb garden in Nara. That same year brought a connection with a historic crude drug wholesaler dating back to the Edo period. In 2022, encounters with Koubou Kien, a woodcrafter in Yoshino, and Sanchu, a Japanese pepper (sansho) farmer, inspired a unique experience: grinding Nara-grown medicinal herbs using a mortar crafted from Yoshino cedar. These meaningful relationships continue to thrive to this day.
2021
An encounter with the manager of a medicinal herb garden in Nara.
2021
A meaningful connection established with a historic crude drug wholesaler from the Edo period.
2022
Encounters with the woodcrafter "Koubou Kien" in Yoshino and the sansho pepper farmer "Sanchu."
The fir tree atop the mountain
One winter, a restaurant chef inquired, "Would it be possible to source a fir tree?" That single request set off a chain of connections, leading from a sansho farmer to a forestry expert, and ultimately to a single tree standing high on a mountain. Navigating pathless terrain in a mini-truck to confirm and deliver the wood brought a profound realization of what Yuzuki truly treasures. The ultimate value lies not in the final product itself, but in the connections forged between people and the land, and the new worth created from those relationships.
A single inquiry connected a farmer, an expert, and a lone tree on a mountain ridge. Yuzuki's mission extends far beyond delivering standardized products; it is about standing between people and the land to give tangible form to values unique to that specific place.
