Mokumen Factory Tour and Sachet Making Experience (Kochi Prefecture, Toda Shoko)

We had the opportunity to visit Toda Shoko, the sole specialized mokumen (wood wool) manufacturer in Japan, for a factory tour and sachet making experience. Mokumen is a cushioning material made by shaving wood, and its usage has been on a decline with the rise of petroleum-based cushioning materials such as bubble wraps. However, Michiko Toda, the company's dedicated president, is determined to keep the tradition alive, even if it means becoming the last wood wool producer. The aroma of wood from Kochi Prefecture's cypress, cedar, pine, and camphor trees was refreshing and revitalizing. The manufacturing process is eco-friendly, utilizing wood shavings and other by-products for drying the wood wool. Toda Shoko has also branched out into producing aroma oils and recently began making oil from discarded buntan, a delicious and distinctive Japanese pomelo, native to Kochi. The visit left us invigorated, inspired by both the mokumen and the tenacious spirit of Michiko Toda, exemplifying "Hachikin," a term synonymous with the strong-willed women of Kochi.