Just north of Kyoto sits the small welcoming community of Kifune.
Nestled alongside the Kifune-gawa river and surrounded by large, ever-present Cedar trees. Famous for its inns that provide dining decks spanning the river called Kawadoko, so you can enjoy delightful dishes such as nagashi somen, thin cold noodle served in a very novel way.
Kibune is named after a mystical yellow boat that transported the goddess Tamayori-hime from Osaka and along the Yodo River to the Kamogawa and where the boat came to rest, they established a shrine to the local god of water. A location that is visited by many, including Imperial Court dignitaries who once used to present horses as gifts to help influence the weather. A black horse for rain and a white horse for fair weather.
From this beautiful and mystical environment comes Ugenta, a company with a line of cosmetic products embracing healthy ingredients such as rice bran extract from the Hokusetsu Sake brewery, green tea from Uji, lava clay, black soy beans from Tanba and Yukinoshita herb extract, amongst others.
Natural Spring Water specifically drawn at full moon from the Kifune river combines the core ingredients, making them spiritually and energetically charged. Mr. Hiroyuki Torii, the CEO of Ugenta, was keen to point out that the area surrounding Kibune provides other benefits as well. Their proximity to Mount Kurama, the birthplace of Reiki and the nearby shrine associated with the god of water, all help empower these effective and natural products.
Cosmetic products planned to embrace Kifunes’ energy and natural environmental properties, providing the user with a truly transformative experience. Ugenta is an example of how Japanese companies can work together in harmony to produce products that respect their sources.
With thanks to Torii Hiroyuki & Ugenta Cosmetics (2018)