November 25, 2019
Yojiya Kyoto Kids Project is a company that was born in Kyoto and is one of the representative companies of Japan. Yojiya has lived with Kyoto Make Up that is flamboyant and elegant. Yojiya is one of the few cosmetic companies that have protected “sense of beauty of Kyoto” as a successor. We have doubts about why Yojiya is so popular and they can stay in business for over one hundred years. We look into about Yojiya to find answers about these questions. We are going to describe on these three points; history, production and café.
History
Yojiya started with the name of Kunieda Store in 1904. It’s peddled makeup kits for theatrical performers since Kyoto is famous for its traditional entertainment districts and performing arts like Kabuki and makeup kits are needed because of them. Then it started to produce toothbrushes as modern dental hygiene developed. At that time a toothbrush was called “Yo-ji” so Kunieda Store was popular with the name of Yojiya and it changed its store name to Yojiya. In 1920s, oil blotting paper received favorable reviews. It has been a star product of Yojiya and helped Yojiya to be famous across the whole country. The first Yojiya’s logo was drawn by Nobuo Kunieda, the second president, with clown motifs in 1945 and Yojiya started to do business with other companies but in those days make-to-order manufacturing was standard as Yojiya’s business. However, Nobuo Kunieda designed a new logo of a hand mirror, an essential item for a lady’s appearance, with a beautiful Kyoto lady. This logo of a beautiful Kyoto lady has spread as the face of Yojiya.
The current president, Yasuhiro Kunieda, established a development section for online shopping, expanding abroad, and so on but this change built Yojiya brand. Now Yojiya has some shops outside Japan in places like in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Hawaii. Since 2000, Yojiya started a new project, called “The 2000s Project,” and tried new makeup products, café, and beauty salon expanding its business flexibility. This is the chronological table of Yojiya.
・2000: The first duty-free shop at Kansai Airport opened This shop begun with small corner but now there are some duty-free shop in Haneda Airport and Narita Airport.
・2001: The basic cosmetic, Uruoi-plus, was produced In 2000, Yojiya distributed samples in Tokyo. It was in great success and then Uruoi-plus went on be sold from 2001
・2002: Yojiya makeup kits started on sale Although Yojiya makeup tools had been popular among the traditional entertainment districts and performing arts, to pass down the traditional makeup kits culture to the future, this project came true.
・2003: Yojiya Café opened nearby Ginkakuji Temple The café has opened so that customers can wait there when the Yojiya Store is crowded. It is based on Japanese Omotenashi mind.
・2004: The first Yojiya shop in a department store opened
・2006: Yojiya joined Taiwan International Travel Event Yojiya appealed to Taiwanese with the star product, oil blotting paper.
・2007: Joined JAPANESE EXPO in Paris, France It was held for 5 months for a limited period.
・2008: Renovated the second floor of Gion Yojiya Store as a cosmetic floor.
・2009: Joined CIDESCO world conference in Kyoto Yojiya gave a presentation saying oil blotting paper is the only daily beauty salon and displayed and sold it. It was a chance to tell not only the Japanese culture and the sense of beauty also oil blotting paper was getting to be popular as skin care item not just for makeup freshening.
・2010: The logos for Yojiya café and Yojiya cosmetics were designed
・2012: The first Yojiya beauty shop and café opened in Tokyo
・2014: Joined The Pacific SOGO in Taiwan for a limited period It led to approach the Asian market.
・2016: Joined Japanese Style Faire in Thailand
Production
Yojiya consciously selected their production. They give first priority to gentle on the skin and have an earnest heart of craftmanship that is committed to maining quality in all of their ingredients. They take good care that their products are comfortable to use since they are to be used every day. Therefore, they consider about sensitive skin and only use low simulation natural materials. In addition, they use the term “brushing on lipstick” not “putting on lipsticks” because it makes women feel a polite mood such as taking time for beauty. The behavior is very feminine and shows attractive “Kyoto Make Up” has had a long history.
It is not too much to say that the representative blotting papers of Japan is made by Yojiya. The initial blotting paper was 4 times as large as the current one, but it has been improved to same size with the palm of a hand and it is popular. It has many varieties such as cherry blossom for the spring version, maccha for the summer version, and yuzu for the autumn version.
Nowadays, cosmetics that complement Japanese traditional colors have been created. The brightly-colored makeup that was used in previous eras is an attractive and have a quaint atmosphere. Their products are not only for women, but they have a skin care line for men such as facial sheet, cleaning foam and skin lotion. Other than those, they have some kinds of cologne, especially solid perfume which comes in small container. The Yojiya fragrance line includes peach’s classy sweet, lily of the valley’s elegant floral and mild musk’s odor. Yojiya fragrances use all-natural materials except for aroma. Their products are also alcohol-free.
Moreover, cookie that is delicious and good for their skin was released. Barley has plenty of dietary fiber is included in sable and helps promoting the activity of the gut and makes enteral environment be normal. If it is abnormal, it causes skin problems such as rough skin and acne skin. Hence, improving gut environment has a potential for skin condition’s advancement.
Tourists who visit Kyoto can enjoy shopping Yojiya as a souvenir or traditional item of Kyoto. All of these products can be ordered on the internet, so customers who live in far from Yojiya’s stores can also enjoy the products.
Café
Yojiya is one of the biggest Japanese cosmetic company. Yojiya is famous for its cosmetic products, but actually they run cafes too and these are very popular too among especially tourists and young people. Young people want something of photogenic because it is good for Instagram. Yojiya’s café matches their needs.
There are several Yojiya cafes in Kyoto city. You can enjoy Japanese sweets in there. Those sweets are not only delicious, but Yojiya’s logo is printed on their goods, so you can enjoy seeing it. The most popular menu is Yojiya cappuccino. A Japanese woman, in Yojiya’s logo is drawn on the surface. Just like latte art. Some people hesitate to drink it because of the high quality of the drawing. There are other flavors available, including matcha. Sometimes matcha is used as a seasoning in Japan. Especially people use it for sweets and drink. Matcha has been used by Japanese people since the olden days. It can be said to be a traditional seasoning. How about trying matcha?
Yojiya café serves the sweets with seasonal fruits. If you have a favorite fruit, it’s better search before you visit. All foods are delicious. Don’t worry about finding something you like. You can take the light meal at the café. Why not have lunch at Yojiya café. The Yojiya’ café’s location is nice. One of Yojiya cafes is next to Ginkaku-ji temple. It’s a very scenic sight and it was registered as a cultural site of world heritage. Another Yojiya café is in Arashiyama, and here you can feel nature. Arashiyama is famous for bamboo forest and bridge over the big river. And surrounded the mountains. You can enjoy meal with nature. There are some Yojiya cafés in Kyoto apart from these, but all Yojiya cafés have good access from Kyoto station. You can drop by there during a tour of Kyoto. And the goods of Yojiya are available at the cafe. Many unique items are selling. For example, T-shirt the Yojiya’s logo is printed, Matcha flavored chocolate and plates and teacups used at the Yojiya café. These are suitable for souvenirs.
Conclusion
Yojiya company was born in Kyoto and improved with history of over one hundred years in Kyoto is definitely representative of Kyoto and Japan. They consider it is common sense to prioritize natural materials that are also gentle on the skin and cherish intangible values. They do not sell items except for truly good quality. They try to keep making products carefully that Yojiya is the only one that can make by taking time and effort. What they are aiming at is the true beauty of a woman which was made from “sense of beauty in Kyoto”. Lastly, what made Yojiya popular and trustworthy is considered behavior of manufacturing have no qualms about taking time and keep going passionately over one hundred years.