The ancient capital of Nara has long been adored for its temples and shrines, but perhaps even more so for the wild deer that roam free throughout the city. After it was discovered last year that deer were dying from having eaten tourists’...
TOKYO CORK PROJECT, led by GOOD DEAL COMPANY, launches a new brand anela, which carries a range of lifestyle products made from recycled materials. The TOKYO CORK PROJECT is a project started ten years ago when Shingo Kitamura realized the severity...
Have you ever seen a circular symbol made up of blue, representing the sky; black, a person holding one arm aloft; and green, symbolizing growth? Yes, you’ve probably seen it printed on a package of a chocolate bar. It’s the Fairtrade...
Bubble tea was a huge trend in Japan from around last year; there are long queues for buying one, and new shops were opening one after another. And of course, I was a customer. The first shop gave me the bubble tea in a plastic cup with a plastic...
Early last month, OGICO has released Japan’s first body scrub made from upcycled ingredients. The HUG BROWNE Espresso Body Shot (170g, 2500 yen) is a locally produced body scrub made from upcycled coffee beans. These beans are used espresso...
Plastic wrap is something many of us are trying to rid from our lives in favor of more sustainable materials. To help us, a company is reviving the traditional Japanese wrap called kyougi – thinly shaved sheets of wood. As red pine trees throughout...
If you are familiar with ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ one of the best-selling Japanese manga, you may remember the wondrous beans that helped Goku and other fighters restore their strength: the ‘Senzu beans.’ Eating a few grains of them has the power to restore...
Plastic waste has become such a dire issue around the world. The handy, yet nonbiodegradable material has now made its way into our ecosystems, our oceans and the air we breathe. These may not seem striking, but the adverse effects of plastic...