Toothpick production became popular in Kawachinagano City at the beginning of the Meiji era. It is thought to have started with the commercialization of what was once a cottage industry, where many people shaved toothpicks from the locally harvested Kuromoji tree as a source of extra income. At its peak in the 1980s, toothpick production in Kawachinagano City accounted for 97% of the domestic market share. However, since 1990, the number of local manufacturers has continued to decline due to inexpensive foreign imports. Today, we are the only company that continues to produce round-form toothpicks in this region.
We carry forward the wisdom of our predecessors who lived close to nature, cultivating its abundant resources, to the present and for the future.
