Kagoshima, with its warm climate and abundant nature, is home to many botanical gardens where herbs and flowers are cultivated. There are also several workshops that use herbs cultivated on their own farms to create natural cosmetics and aroma oils. Some of these workshops not only produce their own brands, but also undertake OEM production and supply raw materials on behalf of major cosmetics manufacturers. This simply goes to show that the quality of products made in Kagoshima is high. On this trip around Kagoshima, the "treasure chest of the south," we visited three workshops and company farms involved in these natural cosmetics: Kaimon Sanroku Fragrance Garden, Venus Star Organics, and Botanical Factory.

Kaimon Mountain Foot Spice Garden
Japan's first herb garden with over 80 years of history

Located at the southern tip of the Satsuma Peninsula, Mount Kaimon boasts a beautiful ridgeline. At the foot of this graceful mountain, also known as Satsuma Fuji, is the Kaimon Mountain Fragrance Garden, a vast herb garden. Opened in 1941, it is said to be the first herb garden in Japan.

The herb garden covers an area of ​​approximately six hectares, equivalent to more than eight soccer fields. It is home to around 50 types of herbs, including lemongrass, rosemary, lemon eucalyptus, tea tree, and rose geranium. Of particular note are the more than 10,000 camphor trees. Camphor trees are a member of the Lauraceae family and are native to Taiwan. The leaves contain a high content of linalool, which when extracted gives off a fruity, sweet scent, and Kaimon Mountain Foothills Spice Garden has been cultivating camphor since 1947.

Deputy Director Toshiki Miyazaki immediately gave us a tour of the garden. On both sides of the road stood rows of trees about 7 to 8 meters tall. These were camphor trees.

"Would you like to try the smell?"

Miyazaki ripped off a leaf and handed it to me. I gently sniffed it. A sweet and refreshing fragrance, with a hint of nostalgia, rose up from the air. It was an endlessly sweet and refreshing scent, completely different from the pungent scent of camphor extracted from camphor trees.

"The source of this sweet and refreshing scent is linalool, and 80% of the components in the camphor essential oil produced at our factory are linalool. There are few other plant-derived essential oils with such a high linalool content."

After camphor was brought from Taiwan in 1947, its cultivation became popular in the southern Satsuma region, and at its peak around 1970, it was cultivated in Chiran and Makurazaki, with 5 tons of essential oil extracted annually. However, with the advent of artificial linalool, the labor-intensive extraction from camphor fell out of use.

"However, in recent years, there has been a growing trend towards natural products, and essential oils derived entirely from natural sources, rather than synthetic linalool, have once again come into the spotlight. In response to this trend, Kaimon Sanroku Fragrance Garden has once again begun extracting camphor tree essential oil. We currently produce around 20 kg of essential oil per year."

At the back of the farm, camphor tree leaves were being harvested. Branches that had been cut off from the trunks with a chainsaw were gathered in one place, and the leaves were quickly plucked from the twigs. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of the chainsaw engine. It was painstaking work carried out silently outdoors.

"It takes 100 kg of leaves to extract 1 kg of essential oil."

Hearing Miyazaki say this, it's easy to understand how difficult the process of extracting essential oil is. Moreover, once the leaves are harvested, three to four years must pass before the next harvest. In a sense, 1 Hosho trees were a necessary number.

The distillery also offers distillation experience tours in spring and autumn.

We were also given a tour of the distillery. Unfortunately, no distillation work was taking place at the time, but the three stills lined up inside the premises were all vintage stills that had been in use since the company was founded. It was moving to think that these timeless devices were still producing the same essential oils as they did 80 years ago.

At the back of the distillery, there is a room reminiscent of a science laboratory, lined with large flasks. The distilled essential oils are left to rest in this room for six months to a year to allow the aroma to settle. Everything is done by hand, which is extremely laborious, and it is only after this that a single product is finally completed.

"Hosho Essential Oil" is a gentle aroma that soothes the mind, with a soft sweetness and a refreshing green scent in harmony. It has a relaxing effect, so you can add a few drops to dried herbs to let the scent waft through the air, or fill your bedroom with an aroma diffuser to gently soothe the fatigue of the day. You can also blend it with other essential oils to create your own original aroma.

"Herb Fragrance Stock" is a type of bouquet garni. It is usually made by bundling parsley, thyme, bay leaves, etc. and adding them to stews to add a deep fragrance while suppressing the odor of the ingredients. This "Herb Fragrance Stock" uses four types of herbs - bay laurel, rosemary, oregano, and thyme - grown at the Kaimon Mountain Spice Farm. Simply add one to a pot of stew, cabbage rolls, soup, etc., and a refreshing fragrance will spread softly, greatly enhancing the flavor. One spoonful of this packet of high-quality fragrance will transform your everyday home cooking into a restaurant-quality dish.

Kaimon Sanroku Fragrance Garden sells its own products, including camphor, lemon eucalyptus, rosemary, and other essential oils, as well as herbal teas and soaps, in its attached shop. You can stroll through the vast farm and see how various herbs are cultivated. The distillation experience, which is held regularly, is so popular that reservations fill up immediately after opening. Kaimon Sanroku Fragrance Garden has been cultivating the origins of natural cosmetics for a long period of 80 years. It's definitely worth a visit.

Kaimon Mountain Foot Spice Garden

5926 Kaimon Kawajiri, Ibusuki City, Kagoshima Prefecture

Tel: 0993-32-3321

Opening hours: 9:00-17:00

Closed: Tuesday

Entrance fee: Free

Venus Star Organics
High-quality natural cosmetics created by a husband and wife team

Shell ginger, rosemary, lemongrass, rose geranium, lemon balm... Nagaka Saya gazes lovingly at the herbs she has grown herself in a garden planted with nearly 10 types of herbs. Saya, who works closely with her husband Hirofumi to produce organic cosmetics under the brand "Venus Star Organics," was born in Cambodia. After marrying Hirofumi, she became a naturalized Japanese citizen and began cultivating herbs in Nagaka's hometown of Kagoshima.

"In Cambodia, herbs are deeply integrated into daily diets and medical practices. I myself have been familiar with herbs since I was a child. Kagoshima's warm climate is also ideal for growing herbs, so I would like to cultivate many different types of herbs here and provide many people with natural cosmetics that do not contain any artificial ingredients."

In addition to the herb garden surrounding her home and workshop, she also has a farm of about 2,000 square meters where she cultivates around 20 types of herbs, which she uses to make a variety of natural cosmetics.

"Kirishima is not only blessed with abundant nature, but also with mineral-rich natural hot spring water filtered through the Shirasu Plateau. The abundant rainfall allows herbs to grow, and when we use this high-quality water to make lotions, we end up with a wonderful product that is gentle on the skin."

Hirofumi, who is in charge of product development, recommended the "Japonism Lotion" series of lotions. Each of the five products, including damask rose, jasmine, and shell ginger, is made from Kirishima natural water combined with four types of Kagoshima-grown plant extracts, including ginkgo biloba extract and wasabi leaf extract, and is infused with the scent of each herb. These are truly natural cosmetics, containing no artificial compounds such as synthetic fragrances, synthetic colorings, or mineral oils.

I tried out "Damask Rose" from the "Japonism Lotion" series. When I poured it into my palm, the fresh, smooth texture released a surprisingly sweet and gorgeous scent of damask rose. When I gently applied it to my cheeks and forehead, the moisturizing effect and the sweet scent of rose seemed to lift my spirits. This lotion will bring you a moment of elegance as it fills not only your skin but also your heart with this scent every time you come into contact with it during your daily skincare routine.

We also recommend the "Camellia Multi-Oil," which uses camellias grown in Kagoshima. Camellia oil has long been used by Japanese women in skin and hair care. "Camellia Multi-Oil" is a multi-oil made from rare camellia oil extracted using a low-temperature pressing method, blended with damask rose flower extract, damask rose flower oil, calendula flower extract, and chamomile flower extract. It is excellent not only for skin and hair care, but also for scalp care, nail care, and as a body oil. The wonderful scent of damask rose allows you to enjoy blissful care. It is a very versatile item.

There is also a wide range of "room mists" that use over 80% of 15 types of essential oils. The "Sakurajima Komikan x Kirishima Lemongrass" room mist is a blend of Sakurajima Komikan peel essential oil and Kirishima lemongrass essential oil, and has a refreshing sweetness of tangerines, making it ideal for use when the temperature and humidity are high.

Venus Star Organics not only develops its own products, but also works with cosmetics manufacturers to develop natural cosmetics using extracted ingredients. In addition, they are considering renewing their own cosmetics line next year, aiming for even higher quality.

"Anything you use on your skin needs to be fresh. Also, to maximize the natural power of plants, you need fresh plants. To achieve this, I came to the conclusion that it would be best to grow the plants myself, or use plants that are as close to the source as possible, in other words, grown in Kagoshima Prefecture."

Sakurajima mandarin oranges, tea tree, tankan citrus, cypress leaves, lemon eucalyptus, lemon verbena... As Hirofumi explains, the various ingredients used by Venus Star Organics are all either home-grown or produced in Kagoshima Prefecture.

Portuguese copper stills produce high-quality essential oils

The workshop is equipped with two copper stills for producing essential oils and aromatic distilled water. These Portuguese stills, known as "alembics," are a traditional craft made by local copper artisans who hand-hammer them from woodwork.

"Compared to glass or stainless steel, it has a higher thermal conductivity, which means it can remove the sulfurous compounds that give plants their fishy smell, allowing you to extract high-quality essential oils and aromatic distilled water."

The workshop, with its two distillers, is not particularly large. However, the many ingredients carefully crafted by the couple in this workshop behind their home are sent to many cosmetic manufacturers to be turned into products. This is where the origins of the manufacture (home-based handicraft industry) lie.

Venus Star Organics

Inquiry email address: mail@venustar-organics.com

*Currently, we are not accepting tours.

Botanical Factory
Popular natural cosmetics nurtured by the natural beauty of the Osumi Peninsula

The Osumi Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture is a mix of temperate and subtropical climates. Home to over 4,000 species of plants, the peninsula is a lush, natural landscape covered in lush greenery. In recent years, the products and activities of Botanical Factory, a cosmetics manufacturer based in Minami Osumi Town, located at the southernmost tip of the Osumi Peninsula, have been attracting attention.

"My newborn daughter developed severe atopic dermatitis, and I tried dietary changes and various skin care products, but nothing worked."

Yasuyuki Kuroki, the representative of Botanical Factory, first turned his attention to natural cosmetics because of his feelings for his daughter. In fact, Kuroki had been involved in the import and sales of cosmetics for some time, and already had some knowledge of cosmetics.

"Even though I'm involved in cosmetics, it's not helping my daughter's atopic dermatitis at all."

With this in mind, Kuroki decided to change the direction of his business to create cosmetics that are gentle on the skin and safe to ingest.

Kuroki's first venture was soap and face oil for children. Her handmade soap and face oil, made with ostrich oil, which is said to be effective against atopic dermatitis, became so popular that in 2006 she opened a factory in her hometown of Minami Osumi Town.

"I hadn't realized it before, but Minami Osumi is the perfect place to obtain ingredients for making aromatic oils, as various herbs, including shell ginger, grow wild."

Initially, they made aromatic oils from wild herbs and home-grown lemongrass and used them to scent soap, but eventually the lineup of skin care products using aromatic oils and distilled water expanded, and in 2016 the Botanical Factory was born, located, of course, in Minami Osumi.

The closed elementary and junior high school buildings have been renovated into factories.

A closed elementary and junior high school were renovated to become the headquarters and factory of Botanical Factory, which was established in Minami Osumi. The school buildings, which were borrowed with the cooperation of the town, are filled with memories for the townspeople. The fact that they are being put to good use is welcome news for the local people. But that's not all. Botanical Factory also purchases non-standard passion fruit, a local specialty, to use as raw material for lotion, and the factory provides work for local women and seniors, making it a major hub for revitalizing the region.

The brand name of the cosmetics produced by "Botanical Factory" is "Botanicanon." The name is a combination of the word "botanical" (plant) and the musical term "canon," and evokes the image of the original plant ingredients and scents being layered together like a canon (round).

This locally grown passion fruit lotion uses whole, non-standard passion fruits purchased from local farmers. Its light texture leaves skin feeling moisturized, and the moist feeling soon turns into firmness and elasticity. The unique, refreshing scent of passion fruit, reminiscent of the tropical sun, lingers on, pleasantly waking up your sense of smell just like a canon.

Furthermore, the face oil is non-greasy and smooth, yet absorbs easily into the skin. By applying lotion after an oil massage as a booster to your lotion, you can restore a balance between moisture and oil.

"Follow me, please"

Following Kuroki's lead, we arrived at a space on the rooftop of a former school building that had been converted into a rooftop terrace. Mount Kaimon's graceful ridgeline was visible across the sparkling waters of Kagoshima Bay. It was a breathtaking view. The breeze blowing in from the sea was pleasant.

"We've been holding retreat tours for about three years now. Guests can experience a wide range of activities, including yoga sequences, making cologne in the factory, and then, if the weather is nice, lunch on the terrace, followed by meditation. Recently, we've seen an increase in the number of people coming from outside the prefecture."

While Botanical Factory has achieved a consistent process from raw materials to production, and has almost completely realized the creation of cosmetics made from natural ingredients, it is also gradually switching to recycled plastic for its containers in order to reduce the harmful waste generated by cosmetics.

"We distance ourselves from the mass production and mass consumption that major manufacturers practice. We are not on a scale where we could do that to begin with. So, based on our current structure, we aim to take advantage of our location in Kagoshima and create natural cosmetics that are more closely tied to the local community than ever before."

The Botanical Factory sources some of its ingredients from the Kaimon Mountain Fragrance Garden, located across the sea. Raw materials are exchanged between the two peninsulas, Osumi and Satsuma. Minami Osumi Town is also home to the Sata Former Botanical Garden, a nationally designated historic site. This is where the Satsuma domain harvested medicinal herbs. As Kuroki's words indicate, Kagoshima has a unique history of herb cultivation and exchanges between workshops are taking place through herbs, making it the perfect place to create natural cosmetics.

Botanical Factory

3222 Nejime Heda, Minamiosumi-cho, Kimotsuki-gun, Kagoshima Prefecture (former Nobo Junior High School)

Tel: 0994-24-3008

When the rich nature and the wisdom of the people who live there are combined, various "treasures" are born in that land. Numerous shining "treasures" have been born in various parts of Kagoshima Prefecture. They are now attracting attention from around the world.

The journey to discover the treasures of Kagoshima will continue. To see the previous articles on "Southern Treasure Chest: A Journey Around Kagoshima," please see below.

Click here for the first Kagoshima Tea Journey

Click here for the second Kagoshima Whisky Journey

Click here for the third Kagoshima "Shochu" tour

For the fourth trip around Yakushima in Kagoshima, click here