I want to make Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture, the city with the highest wood stove penetration rate in Japan! #AprilDream

We support 'April Dream,' an initiative that designates April 1st as a day to share dreams. This press release represents the dream of Maki-Life Co., Ltd.

[Maki-Life Co., Ltd. (Representative: Takuya Ikeda), which imports, sells, and installs wood stoves, aims to make its home, Takashima City in Shiga Prefecture, the city with the highest wood stove penetration rate in Japan, and to spread that circle of influence nationwide.]

■ The Background of the Dream
Takashima City, located in the northwestern part of Shiga Prefecture, is a region rich in nature, surrounded by Lake Biwa and the mountains. In winter, cold winds blow from the Sea of Japan, and snowfall can reach nearly one meter. Wood stoves are incredibly useful for spending such harsh, cold seasons comfortably. The far-infrared rays from the wood fire and the radiant heat emitted by the stove body warm the body to the core, and watching the flickering flames also has a relaxing effect. The firewood used as fuel utilizes thinned wood cut from the surrounding mountains, which helps reduce greenhouse gases and makes effective use of forest resources. It also serves as a backup in the event of a disaster when electricity and gas are unavailable. Furthermore, in Takashima City, many people who move to the area install wood stoves when renovating old folk houses (kominka), which helps attract new residents to a region facing population decline.

[Caption: Family gathering around a wood stove]
[Caption: Popular as interior furniture]

■ Current Activities
For over 10 years, Maki-Life Co., Ltd. has been selling high-quality wood stoves imported directly from Europe. By providing end-to-end services—including chimney construction, maintenance, firewood sales, and home renovations—we deliver a 'life with fire' that is optimal for the housing conditions and lifestyles of many families. Even so, the penetration rate remains low. According to surveys by industry organizations, the national penetration rate for wood stoves is only about 1%. It seems some people refrain from installing them due to anxieties such as 'I'm afraid of handling fire' or 'I'm worried the room will get smoky.'

To address this, our company built 'Shiga no Sato,' an old folk house inn in Takashima City equipped with a wood stove, where guests can experience splitting wood and feeding the fire themselves. By helping people understand the effort involved and the precautions for handling fire, we are working to alleviate these anxieties. We are also particular about chimneys, which affect the combustion efficiency and safety of the stove; we produce original insulated double-wall chimneys that meet European standards—which are stricter than those in Japan—to improve safety. Furthermore, we actively sell cutting-edge products, such as hybrid stoves that can use both wood and pellets, and continue to pursue a safe and comfortable 'life with fire.'

Main overseas brands handled by our company (Click here for the detailed product lineup)
[Caption: LACUNZA (Made in Spain)]
[Caption: Aduro (Made in Denmark)]

■ Thoughts from Representative Takuya Ikeda
Takashima City is experiencing a declining birthrate and an aging population even within Shiga Prefecture, with the population having decreased by more than 10,000 since its peak in 2000. It was the only city in Shiga Prefecture to be designated as a 'potentially vanishing municipality' by a national strategy council. Even so, Maki-Life Co., Ltd. has a 'dream' to make Takashima City a unique city that is second to none in Japan. That dream is to have the highest wood stove penetration rate in the country. While it is difficult to research the penetration rate for each municipality, our goal is for one in every ten houses in Takashima City—that is, 10% of all households, or 2,000 homes—to have one installed. We want to permeate a lifestyle where people can be self-sufficient in energy while making the most of the blessings of rich nature. We hope that people will be attracted to this lifestyle and move here, revitalizing the city. And we hope to spread this circle to Shiga Prefecture and then to the rest of the country. To that end, we believe it is our 'dream' and our mission to convey the appeal of wood stoves to as many people as possible while creating an environment where they can be used safely and comfortably for a long time.

[Video: Detailed introduction of Maki-Life]

Maki-Life Co., Ltd.
Founded in 2013, incorporated in 2022. A specialty store for wood stove sales and installation.
● Representative: Takuya Ikeda
● Address: 1205-7 Umehara, Imazu-cho, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture
● Phone: 090-6601-3353
● Official Website: https://makilife.biz/
● Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maki_life55/
● Official LINE Account: https://lin.ee/rK3OoGi
● Inquiry Form: https://makilife.biz/contents/category/contact