[Kagamihara, Gifu] The Public Bath Megumi no Yu has Opened Yuyu Soso GARDEN & FACTORY with an Extraordinary Commitment to Herbs!

Let's go to "Yuyu Soso GARDEN&FACTORY"!

Megumi no Yu has always been concerned with herbs, such as by starting to cultivate them in their own fields, and has built a unique identity. In October 2022, “Yuyu Soso GARDEN & FACTORY” will open on the premises.

Many people are wondering what kind of facility it is because it is not possible to enter the inside of the building except when some events and workshops are held.
This facility can be said to be "a one-of-a-kind facility that explores and communicates the appeal of herbs and baths through an integrated process from cultivation of herbs to commercialization of products".

Bath salts are classified as cosmetics and are subject to various regulations. I assume that there were many hurdles to overcome before entering the market, but the fact that they overcame these hurdles and built such a large facility shows their love and commitment to "herbs".

We were given a special tour of the greenhouse where the herbs are grown. Soil collected from the Nagara and Kiso Rivers is used, and the sand in this region is characterized by its high water retention capacity.

The herbs are grown on stilts so that visitors can harvest and care for them without bending at the waist, and there are plans to turn the garden into a community place for local senior citizens by spring 2023 by inviting volunteers, and consideration has been given to making the pathways wide enough for wheelchair users to pass through.

Our goal is that by taking care of the herbs in the community and having people bathe and go home, the people involved will become healthier and healthier," says Mr. Namikawa.

Geraniums grown in a greenhouse. When I rubbed the leaves a little, the fresh fragrance spread immediately. I have not had many opportunities to directly touch herbs in this way, but I was able to feel their beauty and strength.

At "FACTORY 01," the herbs harvested in the greenhouse are dried, crushed, and otherwise processed. Drying and crushing the herbs makes it easier to release their ingredients as bath salts.

There is also a small distiller (photo front, left) that makes aroma oil from plants. He wants to use it for workshops, such as making original aroma oil.

A glass-enclosed room with a shower and bathtub. We check the scent and color of the bath additives using a bathtub the size of a typical household.

“In the future, we are aiming to establish a system in which we can collaborate with doctors to obtain evidence on the efficacy of bath additives,” says Ms. Namikawa.

"FACTORY01" holds various workshops and events related to herbs and aromas. In addition, since it is fully equipped with floor heating, it is thought that it will also play a role as a regional disaster prevention base.

"FACTORY 02" had a large filling machine. In addition to manufacturing bath salts using herbs, we also store herbs in a large refrigerator. Mr. Namikawa brought a bag of bath salts from the refrigerator.

"We are also developing products for tent saunas. When fresh chamomile is used, a refreshing scent like green apples fills the tent and has a great healing effect. However, the refreshing aroma is lost after the loyly. Product development is a process of repeated trial and error," he said.

"Fragrance" is "science" and it seems that it is not easy, but Mr. Namikawa's positive attitude of wanting to send out better things to the world was impressive.

In addition to using the bath salts at Megumi no Yu Yu and selling them to individuals, they are also considering expanding sales channels through OEM and other means.

"For example, if there is a request to use Kyoto bamboo to make bath salts, we can process and commercialize them. We would also like to accelerate the development of products in collaboration with other bathing facilities and companies," Mr. Namikawa continues.

I ampleased to see the birth of hot bath and sauna facilities with a rich regional flavor, where people can enjoy bath salts and aromatic water made from local materials! I hope that "Yuyu Soso GARDEN & FACTORY" will be the starting point of such a movement!

"Yuyu Soso GARDEN&FACTORY"
And the future of “Megumi no Yu”

Ms. Yurie Matsuura, who attended our interview on this day, just joined the company in February 2022. She was originally from Hiroshima Prefecture and previously worked as a train conductor for JR West Japan.

She became a fan after purchasing Megumi no Yu 's bath salts through mail order, and even visited Kakamigahara. After experiencing the facilities and the warmth of the staff at Megumi no Yu, she became even more fascinated by it, and decided to change jobs.

Ms. Matsuura: "I often used this bath salt at my dormitory and at home. Bath time was the best healing."

I see, it was the "Megumi no Yu" bath salts that supported the difficult job of being a train conductor. Even so, I feel a mysterious connection between Hiroshima and Gifu.

I asked Mr. Namikawa again. It seems that the reason for starting the operation of "Yuyu Soso GARDEN & FACTORY" was the COVID-19.

Mr. Namikawa: "While we experienced a situation where we were forced to close during Golden Week, when many customers would normally use our products, demand for bath salts that allow people to enjoy the feeling of a public bathhouse at home has increased, and mail order sales have risen. However, even as demand increased, it was difficult to manage production and inventory when we were outsourcing production to other vendors. We decided to set up a system to manufacture bath salts from scratch in order to be prepared for such risks and to make the facility more focused on herbs.

The merchandise section of Megumi no Yu no Yu sells many original brand bath additives such as YUNIHA and L'HEUREUX DEMAIN. From now on, they hope to gradually increase the number of bath salts they manufacture from scratch at Yuyu Soso GARDEN & FACTORY.

Mr. Matsuura, who has always been a fan of Megumi no Yu 's bath salts, specially selected the bath salts for us. Various scents and types of bath salts are available, so it is recommended that you use different ones depending on your mood. Since fragrance samples are also available, you can easily get carried away with your choice.

You can also purchase products, so it is also recommended to visit to choose a gift for your loved ones.
If you are too far away to go shopping, please use their online shop.

https://yuyu-sousou.com/

Now that we can grow herbs in our greenhouse, we can use fresh herbs in our baths and saunas even in winter," says Namikawa.
The birth of "Yuyu Soso GARDEN & FACTORY" is not limited to the production of original bath salts, but is also immediately linked to the enhancement of the appeal of Megumi no Yu.