New parternship to revitalise Kyoto’s bamboo forest

Ready ON Co., Ltd. and Kyoto City signed a Memorandum of Understanding to address the challenge of neglected bamboo forests through a project titled “Contributing to Proper Bamboo Forest Management through Product Development and E-commerce Sales Utilising Kyoto’s Branded Bamboo.” As the name suggests, Ready ON will develop and sell products that utilise bamboo resources, promoting sustainable bamboo forest management within Kyoto City.

Kyoto City is home to approximately 660 hectares of bamboo forests, but nearly 40% of these are unmanaged due to factors such as the retirement of bamboo shoot farmers and reduced demand for bamboo materials. Because bamboo is a fast-growing plant, even two to three years of neglect can lead to dense, dark bamboo thickets. After a decade, entry becomes nearly impossible.

Additionally, bamboo’s shallow and horizontally spreading roots can disrupt the growth of other plants and, when it spreads across slopes, increase the risk of landslides. Restoring neglected bamboo forests to their original state is extremely challenging, making proper management and periodic thinning of bamboo forests essential.

Kyoto City and Ready ON’s partnership wants to turn this challenge into an opportunity by making effective use of bamboo resources while preserving Kyoto’s iconic landscapes. Key activities would include partnering with NPOs that supply bamboo materials and bamboo chips, providing data and information related to bamboo, and coordinating with relevant departments within Kyoto City.

President of Ready ON expressed pride in addressing this issue alongside Kyoto City, aspiring to rediscover bamboo’s potential and promote its value nationwide.