Japan wax recycling project with Minamata City

Oishi Kuranosuke, famous for his role in the film Chushingura, was entrusted to the Hosokawa clan for his final days. As a token of gratitude, he left behind a manual on how to cultivate wax trees and how to make Japan wax , which he presented to the Hosokawa lord. This led to a flourishing Japan wax industry in Minamata, which was the domain of the Hosokawa clan, and approximately 100,000 wax trees, the highest in Japan, were planted. Unfortunately, the number has now decreased to approximately 15,000, and an increasing number of untended and abandoned wax trees are becoming more prevalent. However, the long-lasting passion of the Ogata family, who organized the wax planting, has supported the project. In 2020, Minamata City was certified by the Cabinet Office as a SDGs Future City. Having endured the hardships of the city, it is now seeking to use its harsh experiences for the world, contributing significantly to the creation of a pollution-free city as an environmental model city amid China's modernization. Our company is working together with Minamata City, its citizens and businesses to create a new Minamata City by planting wax trees and developing new uses for Japan wax , with a view to shifting from petroleum-based synthetic materials to natural materials from a 21st century perspective, and working together to create a prosperous city filled with wax trees that coexist in harmony with nature and have beautiful autumn foliage