Ichimaru Pharcos Co., Ltd.

Perilla frutescens, known in Japan as shiso (紫蘇), is a herb of the mint family used in Japanese cooking and traditional medicine. The leaves contain rosmarinic acid, perillaldehyde, and anthocyanins (in the red variety). Used in cosmetics for soothing and antioxidant positioning.

Yuzu (Citrus junos) is a Japanese citrus with a distinctive aromatic profile. Kōchi prefecture is Japan's largest producer. The peel yields essential oil dominated by d-limonene, while aqueous extracts carry flavonoids and citric acid. Used in fragrance, bath products, and skin-conditioning toners.

Rice bran extract is derived from the pericarp and germ fractions of milled Oryza sativa. Long used in Japanese household skincare via togijiru (rice-rinsing water) and nukabukuro (rice-bran poultices). The extract concentrates gamma-oryzanol, ferulic acid, tocopherols, and B-vitamins, and pairs well with other rice-derived materials.

Proteoglycan extracted from salmon nasal cartilage, developed at Hirosaki University in Aomori Prefecture. Water-retention capacity approximately 1.3 times that of hyaluronic acid.

Japanese mugwort species, distinct from Korean Artemisia asiatica. Long-standing use in kampo and Okinawan cuisine (Fuchiba).

East Asian medicinal herb known in kampo as Jūyaku. Star ingredient in K-Beauty, with growing global demand.

Sencha is the most widely consumed Japanese green tea. The extract form is spray-dried or concentrated for use in beverages, supplements, and functional foods. Catechins, L-theanine, caffeine, and chlorophyll are key actives. Several FFC products cite sencha polyphenol or specific catechin content for metabolism claims.

Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa) is a coniferous tree endemic to Japan and Taiwan, famous for use in Shinto shrine construction and onsen bath fittings. The essential oil is steam-distilled from hinoki wood, leaves, or twigs. Dominant compounds include hinokitiol, α-pinene, and sesquiterpenes. Distinct from hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata).

Plant-type ceramide (glucosylceramide) extracted from konjac corms. Konjac contains 7-15× higher ceramide concentration than rice or corn sources, making it the most cost-effective feedstock for plant ceramide extraction.

Plant-derived glucosylceramide extracted from konnyaku corm (Amorphophallus konjac). Gunma Prefecture produces over 90% of Japan's konnyaku and is the heartland of konnyaku-ceramide supply for both cosmetic and food-supplement applications. Functions as a barrier-supporting humectant in skincare and as an oral ingredient with FFC (Foods with Function Claims) notifications referencing skin moisture support. Distinct from rice-derived glucosylceramide in lipid profile.

Water-soluble silk protein extracted from the cocoon of Bombyx mori silkworms. Historically a by-product of fibroin (fiber-grade silk) extraction, sericin's high serine content (~30%) gives it strong film-forming and humectant properties for skincare formulations. Japan's silk industry — concentrated in Gunma, Nagano, and Saitama — has rebuilt around high-grade sericin production since the 2000s, using cocoons from JA Silk and small remaining sericulture cooperatives. Used in moisturisers, hair-care, and increasingly in injectable/wound-care medical applications.

The structural protein of silk (~70-75% of cocoon mass), with hydrolysed forms used in cosmetics and biomedical applications. Distinct from sericin (the gum coating), fibroin's beta-sheet crystal structure gives it superior film-forming and tensile properties; medical-grade fibroin scaffolds are emerging in wound dressings and tissue engineering. Japanese sericulture in Gunma, Nagano, and Saitama supplies cocoon stock; specialty processors hydrolyse fibroin for cosmetic ingredient grades. Often paired with sericin in moisture-and-strengthening positioning.

Cosmetic and supplement-grade placenta extract sourced from Hokkaido-raised horses (uma-placenta). Hokkaido's regulated equine industry — anchored by Hidaka and the broader Hokkaido pasturage — supplies upcycled placenta material processed under medical-grade hygiene standards. Japanese cosmetic and supplement OEMs distinguish between equine, porcine and marine-derived placenta; equine grade commands premium pricing in skincare and beauty-supplement categories on the back of growth-factor and cytokine content. Marketed for skin elasticity and brightening positioning.

Cold-pressed oil extracted from yuzu seeds — historically a juice-pressing waste stream now upcycled into a high-value cosmetic ingredient. The oil is rich in pectin-like polysaccharides and omega-3/-6 fatty acids, with a distinct yuzu fragrance carried over from the citrus terpenes. Kochi (the largest yuzu-producing prefecture), Tokushima, and Tokushima/Wakayama drive supply. Functions as a non-comedogenic emollient with the additional fragrance asset of yuzu, used in face oils, balms, and hair treatments. Distinct from yuzu peel oil (existing yuzu-extract).

Extract of Camellia japonica flowers — distinct from the well-known camellia (tsubaki) seed oil. The flower extract carries flavonoid glycosides and saponins that drive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory positioning. Goto Islands (Nagasaki) and Izu Oshima (Tokyo) are the heritage tsubaki-cultivation regions; both also produce flower extract under tradition-and-place-of-origin marketing for premium skincare. Often paired with the seed oil in skincare lines for both scent and a complete tsubaki-positioning narrative.

Traditional Japanese grain (Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen) consumed for centuries as hatomugi-cha and as a Kampo herbal raw material (Yokuinin). Functional positioning centres on coixenolide and coixol active fractions for skin-positioned beauty applications, plus the seed's protein and dietary fibre profile for general nutrition. Tochigi, Tottori, Saitama, and Toyama host the principal cultivation. Cosmetic ingredient grades drive premium skincare lines — especially in 'mochi-hada' (mochi-skin) positioning — while hatomugi-cha remains a major retail beverage category.

Cosmetic and food-grade extract of Yoshino cherry (Prunus × yedoensis) blossoms, harvested during the brief late-March / early-April bloom. The pickled flower (sakura-zuke) has 600+ years of Japanese culinary use; modern cosmetic-grade extract emerged in the 1990s, positioned for skin-brightening and antioxidant applications based on caffeoylquinic acid and caffeoylsucrose content. Production is highly seasonal and place-specific — Yoshino (Nara), Hirosaki (Aomori), and Izumiya producers (Saitama) are the historical extract suppliers. Often paired with cherry-blossom fragrance / floral-positioning packaging in spring-edition retail.

Seeds of red and green perilla (shiso, Perilla frutescens) — a high-omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) seed grown in Japan and traditionally pressed for perilla seed oil (shiso-yu). Distinct from the existing 'shiso-extract' (leaf-derived) and 'perilla-seed-oil' (the pressed oil) — this entry is the seed and seed-meal ingredient. Used in functional-food applications (omega-3 fortification, plant-protein blends), as a baking and confectionery ingredient (gomashio-style accents), and as a cosmetic exfoliant. Aichi, Hokkaido, and Niigata anchor the principal cultivation.

The Satsuma mandarin — Japan's most-cultivated citrus by volume (~40% of all Japanese citrus production). Wakayama, Ehime, Shizuoka, and Kumamoto dominate. Distinguished by seedlessness, easy-peel rind, and refreshing sweet-tart balance. Beyond fresh fruit, mikan peel (chinpi) is a classical Kampo herbal raw material with long medicinal history; the peel is also extracted for cosmetic applications. The 'Satsuma' name reflects the variety's introduction to the West from Satsuma province (Kagoshima) in the late 19th century.

Cooking and cosmetic oil extracted from rice bran (the existing 'rice-bran' entry covers the bran ingredient itself). Japanese cooking-oil retail is anchored by rice-bran oil for its high smoke point (240°C+) and γ-oryzanol content. Tsuno Foods, Mizuho Foods, and Kanematsu (B2B) supply industrial-scale rice-bran oil. Cosmetic-grade rice-bran oil is widely used as a non-comedogenic emollient. Distinct from existing 'rice-bran' (raw bran) and 'camellia-oil' entries.