This is an executive interview conducted by Mio Shimamura, CEO of Premium Japan, featuring executives from companies with unique brand stories. Through the products and services they create, as well as their corporate philosophy, we will unravel the essence of the ``Japanese sensibilities'' and ``Japanese aesthetic sense'' that their brands express. This time, we spoke to Masaya Konaka, the president and representative director of Daika Co., Ltd., which is engaged in a variety of fragrance-related businesses, including importing incense raw materials such as fragrant wood, exporting Japanese fragrance products, and planning and selling original products. I heard.

Rethinking the business to pursue the essence of the family business

Daiko was originally established as an affiliate company of Nippon Kodo, which boasts the top market share of incense sticks in Japan, and was originally a company that imported raw materials for incense sticks from overseas. Since then, we have continued to expand our business as a trading company based on B2B, including exporting Nippon Kodo products.

“Originally, we were a raw material trading company, but through our import and export operations we were able to receive information from overseas, so we started importing not only raw materials but also miscellaneous goods.”

Before 15 years ago, when Mr. Konaka joined his family business, Ohka, the company sold a variety of products, including candles and fragrances, as well as character goods and cheerleading wear.

“But it was still interesting.His footwork was light, and the company culture was lively.”

However, when he thought about the nature of the family business, which has been around for about 50 years, he had some doubts.

``I'm the type of person who thinks deeply about the significance of my work, such as why I work in the first place.After thinking about it a lot, I decided that I should focus on the original scent. ”

This is also connected to the memory of scents I experienced as a child.

``When I was a child, when my family and I went out to eat, we would always take us to Ginza Randzuki, a Nippon Kodo group company. I was really excited because Ginza is a place to hang out. Daika's head office is upstairs in that building, so my father always brought me there, and when we entered the office, there were lots of small candles and cute miscellaneous goods that smelled really good. I really liked that time."

From manufacturing to sales with our own hands. New fragrance brand

At first, they imported a variety of scented products from overseas, but as time progressed, they started to want to make their own products, and began making their own products such as AO and Meditate.

``We were able to create original products by outsourcing the manufacturing to our business partners and selling them to general stores such as Hands and Loft. The more we want to pursue this as incense makers, the more we think that if we do this, we will not be able to accumulate knowledge and experience related to scents. I started to think that we wanted to create what we wanted to create with our own hands and convey it properly in our own words."

Based on this strong desire, the brand ``Kaori no Kaori'' was born. As the name suggests, the theme is "scents that evoke the beauty of Japanese daily life."

"We created scents that let you feel the subtleties of our daily lives, such as the scent of seasonal flowers and scents that capture scenes from daily life."

There are always 23 to 4 scents in stock, including ``Kokedera'' and ``Bamboo Forest,'' which give you a sense of Japanese culture, ``Hidamari'' and ``The Sound of Rain,'' which are reminiscent of daily life, and ``Cherry Blossoms'' and ``Lemon,'' which give you a sense of the four seasons. preparation. The lineup includes diffusers, fragrance candles, and fragrance bars that spread the scent when shaved. A shop opened in Ginza last November. Surrounded by soft curves, the store is lined with products with simple designs that match any interior design, with the idea that the scent will gently envelop you.

Embodying the brand concept, its base is in nature

The ``Kaori no Kaori'' atelier was created not only for the launch of the brand, but also as a place where anyone could experience this idea. The atelier where our products are manufactured is located in a quiet forest on the shores of Lake Yamanaka. You can see the majestic Mt. Fuji beyond the large garden that changes its appearance each season.

``Fragrance is something that soothes people. Both the place where it is made and the people who make it need a comfortable environment.It is difficult to make something that soothes people's hearts in a poor environment.We searched various places all over Japan. However, we also use water in our products, so Lake Yamanaka was the place where we could get clean water and air.''

In this atelier, each product is carefully made by hand, and visitors can even see how it is made. If they wanted to mechanize the process for efficiency, it would have been easy, but Mr. Konaka is particular about not making that choice.

"If I want to heal people, I want to make it with my hands, rather than using inorganic methods. I believe there is value in that."

The atelier also has a cafe and shop. As a hub where you can experience the brand, we plan to hold various workshops in the future.

``This is a place where we create products with scents that fit into people's daily lives.That's why we wanted to make it a comfortable place that is open to both locals and tourists.Spending time here will enrich your soul.'' I think receiving it is the same as using this scent to enrich your daily life."

Understanding fragrance begins beyond the ingredients.

In fact, there is a small herb garden on the roof of Oka's distribution warehouse in Kasai, Tokyo. All of the plants planted here are plants that are used as raw materials for fragrances. This was also the idea of ​​Mr. Konaka, who believes that it is important for people to understand scents themselves.

``Even when we handle raw materials for fragrances, what we see are processed powders and liquids.What kind of plants are those raw materials made from and how are they made?In the end, we produce incense and fragrances that are used by customers. We felt that we too need to know this.And we want people to realize that we are a ``fragrance company.''

Since only a small amount can be harvested, it cannot be used in actual products, but the employees' knowledge of raw materials has increased, and they are posting information about the blooms on company social media and other sites on a daily basis.

Providing a moment to reconsider your daily life with fragrance

Mr. Konaka believes that Japanese aesthetic sense lies in "subtlety."

"For Japanese people, scents from other countries feel glamorous and gorgeous. This is due to the difference in the size of the house and lifestyle, so it may be the scent that is present in people's lives overseas."

This is also reflected in the thought that was expressed when choosing the name ``Kaori no Kaori'': ``There are many more riches in everyday life.''

``I look forward to that moment every year when I open the door to my house in the morning and the scent of osmanthus blooms and I think, ``Ah, it's blooming.'' Or when I'm walking down the street, I suddenly smell the scent of plums. When you suddenly stop and look up at the tree, we would like to provide a moment where you can reconsider your everyday life."

``I believe there are still many ways in which fragrance can be useful in daily life,'' says Mr. Konaka, who continues to pursue the enriching time that fragrance brings. My dream of one day building an herb garden at Lake Yamanaka and creating products from scratch using the fragrances I have grown will probably never end just as a dream. No matter how delicate the scent of incense that is born from that unwavering will, I am sure it will continue to bring unforgettable memories to people's hearts.

Masaya Konaka

Born in Tokyo in 1975. After graduating from university, he joined Sumitomo Bank. He holds an MBA from Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management. After returning to Japan, he joined his family business, Ohka, in 2007 and became CEO in 2018. In 2019, he established Living With Scents Co., Ltd. and launched the brand ``Kurashi no Kaori'', which handles everything from manufacturing to retail, and the manufacturing base ``Kurashi no Kaori Atelier''.

Mio Shimamura