Hello everyone. I'm Miko! Today I'd like to introduce you to a great new product.
As our first new product in August, we will be delivering special honey from Japanese honeybees.
So let's talk more about its appeal.
Extreme weather and the honeybee crisis
Did you know that bee populations are rapidly declining due to abnormal weather conditions around the world? This problem has serious implications for our diet. Without bees, many plants would not be pollinated, and fruit and vegetable yields would be drastically reduced.
Even more serious is the issue of harmful substances contained in honey. Recently, a chemical called "neonicotinoid" was found in honey, which became a hot topic. Neonicotinoids are the main component of insecticides, and their presence in honey poses health risks. In 2021, glyphosate exceeding the standard level was also detected in honey from Canada and Argentina. Glyphosate is the main component of herbicides, and the WHO has assessed it as "possibly carcinogenic."
Differences between Western honeybees and Japanese honeybees
Photo: Western honeybee
Most of the honey that contains these harmful substances comes from Western honeybees . Western honeybees collect nectar from nectar sources that have been treated with pesticides, so there is a high risk of pesticide residues being mixed into the honey.
In Japan today, beekeeping is dominated by the Western honeybee, an invasive species imported from America during the Meiji period.
Western honeybees are large in size, never leave the hive, and collect nectar from a single flower source, so their nectar-gathering capacity is 5 to 10 times that of Japanese honeybees. For this reason, in the pursuit of efficiency and productivity, Western honeybees have become the mainstream in beekeeping, and 99.9% of the honey currently on the market is from Western honeybees.
Photo: Japanese honeybees
On the other hand, the native Japanese honeybee that lives in Japanese forests is not suitable for beekeeping and most of them are wild. Japanese honeybees do not have the habit of collecting nectar from a single flower, and even if a hive is installed, they do not necessarily build a nest there, making planned production impossible.
They also have a very nervous side, and if their nectar source dries up or if the temperature and humidity are unstable, they may abandon their hive and run away.
The special charm of Japanese honeybees
Japanese honeybees are sensitive to even small amounts of pesticides and cannot survive in places where pesticides are used.
Therefore, their nectar sources are the flowers of a wide variety of evergreen broad-leaved trees (primitive forests) and medicinal herbs and orchids that grow naturally in the virgin forests. Because of this, it is no exaggeration to say that Japanese honeybee honey is 100% organic. Because they collect a wide variety of nectar from untouched virgin forests, the nectar is considered a "natural antibiotic" and has become so valuable that it is traded at high prices among enthusiasts in recent years.
Special Japanese honeybee honey from the Satanabezuka area
What we would like to introduce this time is honey harvested by Japanese honeybees in the Satabezuka area of Minami Osumi Town, Kagoshima Prefecture.
Located at the southernmost tip of mainland Japan, the Satabezuka district is a marginal village with a population of 115 people (as of 2024). In the area, there is the Momogusa Garden, which was built to grow medicinal herbs during the prosperous era of the Satsuma Domain. The honey harvested by Japanese honeybees that use this garden as their nectar source is something special that can't be tasted anywhere else.
In the Satanabezuka area, only three households still keep Japanese honeybees. They treat the Japanese honeybees like family, and live with them in hives located within the eaves of their homes. Japanese honeybees have a very gentle nature and rarely sting people. The beekeepers have built a mutually beneficial relationship with the Japanese honeybees while eradicating natural enemies such as hornets.
Sustainable beekeeping and its benefits
During the honey harvesting process, which takes place once a year in November, one third of the honey is left in the hive to allow the Japanese honeybees to survive the winter, and the remaining two thirds is harvested. By continuing to practice beekeeping in this sustainable way, we have prevented the extinction of the Japanese honeybee and continue to coexist with it.
The distinctive feature of the honey produced by Japanese honeybees in the Satanabezuka area is that it is sourced from the Hyakusoen Garden, which has been untouched for over 100 years. The honey collected by honeybees flying in all directions in the primeval forest is also called "Hyakubana Honey", and is called a "natural antibiotic", and has been traded at high prices among enthusiasts in recent years.
Unique flavour and great health benefits
Honey from Japanese honeybees in the Satanabezuka area is also called "hundred-flower honey" because its nectar source is the Hyakusoen Garden, and it is very rich with a sugar content of over 78%. It has a deep flavor and full-bodied taste, and partial fermentation produces organic acids, giving it a high sugar content with just the right amount of acidity. This characteristic is sometimes likened to vintage wine.
Recognition as a luxury brand
This Japanese honeybee honey was successfully branded by a company in 2023 and is sold wholesale to luxury hotels in Japan (such as the Imperial Hotel). It is so popular that even when it is sold for over 10,000 yen per 120g bottle, it sells out quickly.
Limited sale at Kogaiko Shoten
This time, Kogaiko Shoten was able to get hold of a small amount of last year's harvest thanks to a wonderful connection. It comes in a large 450g bottle, and is so expensive that it's hard to believe it's honey, but it's a gem that is worth even more than that.
This is your chance to get your hands on this special Japanese honeybee honey. We only have a limited quantity available, so please buy it soon. This honey will allow you to fully experience the charm of Japanese honeybees, who live in symbiosis with the natural environment that we cherish.
We were able to witness the annual honey harvesting process in the winter of 2024, so please come and see this precious sight.
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