Surprising Facts about Toothpicks
By the way, folks, how much do you know about toothpicks? Did you know, the town of Kawachinagano in Osaka Prefecture, where Okiku-chan's company is located, has been producing toothpicks as a local industry since around 1883?
Okiku-chan's family started out making Kuromoji picks as a side-hustle, and her great-grandfather, the first-generation president Mr. Arao Baku, established a company called ‘Baku Toothpick Shop’ in 1960.
Then in 1983, under the name Kikusui Sangyo Co., Ltd. (borrowing the name of the family crest of Kusunoki Masashige), they also started making toothpicks made from Japanese-grown white birch toothpicks, and have been continuing ever since, as a small family business.
And you know what? Apparently, there are only two companies in Japan making authentically 100% Japanese round-form toothpicks.
There's been a shortage of raw materials, so Kikusui is tackling this by making toothpicks that reduce waste and by collaborating with Japanese wood craftspeople on product development.
