Wellness Brand 'TOJI' Expands to Silicon Valley, Holds First Pop-Up in San Francisco; High Interest in Japanese Origins
TOJI, a Japanese wellness brand, held its first U.S. pop-up events in San Francisco to test market interest in its sake lees-based products. The events, held at Bernal Cutlery and Morningtide, highlighted strong local interest in Japanese wellness, sustainability, and fermentation culture.
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TOJI Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Natsuki Matsuda), which operates the wellness brand "TOJI," held its first-ever U.S. pop-up stores over two days on March 28 (Sat) and March 29 (Sun), 2026, at two locations in the San Francisco Bay Area (Bernal Cutlery and Morningtide).
TOJI focuses on materials rooted in traditional Japanese culture and rich nature, drawing out their beauty and health benefits to share with the global wellness scene. In January of this year, the company was selected as a 4th-term co-working member (in the medical and healthcare sector) for the "Japan Innovation Campus (JIC)," a startup support hub established by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Silicon Valley (Palo Alto, California), marking the establishment of its first overseas base. (Details: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000017.000162813.html)
This pop-up store was conducted as a business demonstration (test marketing) to serve as the first step toward a full-scale expansion into the U.S. market. The goal was to establish direct contact with consumers and verify how the value of Japanese-originated wellness and the material known as "sake lees" (sake kasu) would be received by local customers.
【Event Overview】
The events were held at two select shops with unique communities in the San Francisco Bay Area:
Day 1: Bernal Cutlery (San Francisco)
Date/Time: March 28, 11:00–14:00
Location: 766 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA (Mission District)
About the Venue: A shop specializing in high-quality Japanese kitchen knives, whetstones, and cooking tools, which enjoys immense support from local chefs and food enthusiasts. For the shop's customers, who have a deep respect for Japanese "craftsmanship" and "food culture," the brand shared the story of sake lees, a byproduct of sake brewing.
Day 2: Morningtide (Albany/East Bay)
Date/Time: March 29, 11:00–13:00
Location: 847 Cornell Ave, Albany, CA
About the Venue: A lifestyle boutique that carefully curates sustainable lifestyle goods, apparel, and wellness items. For customers with high environmental awareness and an interest in holistic health, the brand proposed TOJI's 100% naturally derived, upcycled products and also sold "kasujiru" (sake lees soup) in collaboration with OnigiriM, which was also present at the event.
【Event Highlights】
"Many visitors showed strong interest in the fact that this is a Japanese wellness brand. Regarding 'MORI,' a blend of natural essential oils such as Hinoki and Yuzu, we heard comments about its 'great scent.' Furthermore, we received very high praise not only for the quality of the products but also for the packaging design, which embodies Japanese aesthetics."
On the day of the event, we collaborated with Media Aid, which operates the live commerce channel "Happy up marche" in Japan, to conduct simultaneous online sales via TikTok Shop and Whatnot Shop. Many people attended both in-person and online. It was an opportunity to confirm the high level of awareness among U.S. consumers regarding clean beauty and sustainability, as well as their growing interest in Japan's "fermentation culture."
Moving forward, TOJI will leverage its base at JIC to further accelerate the development of local partners. In addition to the current sake lees bath additives, the company plans to advance product development and global expansion in a wider range of healthcare areas, including functional beverages and alternative foods. Based on our founding philosophy, we aim to grow further as a global brand that promotes traditional Japanese culture with "Authenticity" at its core.
■ About TOJI (https://toji-japan.com/)
TOJI is a wellness brand that delivers the wisdom of beauty and health passed down through time in Japan in a new form, enabling true beauty and a rich lifestyle. Since starting operations in 2024, we have focused on sake lees, researching its abundant beauty and health-related effects and benefits to develop products. In the process of harmonizing sake lees with carefully selected materials and commercializing them with heart, we cherish our connections with all the people and regions involved. Additionally, through collaborations with local inns and sake breweries, we are engaged in global marketing support and projects that enhance the appeal of local regions.
■ For inquiries regarding this matter, please contact: info@toji-japan.com
*We sincerely look forward to new encounters with media outlets interested in TOJI, as well as sake breweries and producers who resonate with our initiatives.
TOJI focuses on materials rooted in traditional Japanese culture and rich nature, drawing out their beauty and health benefits to share with the global wellness scene. In January of this year, the company was selected as a 4th-term co-working member (in the medical and healthcare sector) for the "Japan Innovation Campus (JIC)," a startup support hub established by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Silicon Valley (Palo Alto, California), marking the establishment of its first overseas base. (Details: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000017.000162813.html)
This pop-up store was conducted as a business demonstration (test marketing) to serve as the first step toward a full-scale expansion into the U.S. market. The goal was to establish direct contact with consumers and verify how the value of Japanese-originated wellness and the material known as "sake lees" (sake kasu) would be received by local customers.
【Event Overview】
The events were held at two select shops with unique communities in the San Francisco Bay Area:
Day 1: Bernal Cutlery (San Francisco)
Date/Time: March 28, 11:00–14:00
Location: 766 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA (Mission District)
About the Venue: A shop specializing in high-quality Japanese kitchen knives, whetstones, and cooking tools, which enjoys immense support from local chefs and food enthusiasts. For the shop's customers, who have a deep respect for Japanese "craftsmanship" and "food culture," the brand shared the story of sake lees, a byproduct of sake brewing.
Day 2: Morningtide (Albany/East Bay)
Date/Time: March 29, 11:00–13:00
Location: 847 Cornell Ave, Albany, CA
About the Venue: A lifestyle boutique that carefully curates sustainable lifestyle goods, apparel, and wellness items. For customers with high environmental awareness and an interest in holistic health, the brand proposed TOJI's 100% naturally derived, upcycled products and also sold "kasujiru" (sake lees soup) in collaboration with OnigiriM, which was also present at the event.
【Event Highlights】
"Many visitors showed strong interest in the fact that this is a Japanese wellness brand. Regarding 'MORI,' a blend of natural essential oils such as Hinoki and Yuzu, we heard comments about its 'great scent.' Furthermore, we received very high praise not only for the quality of the products but also for the packaging design, which embodies Japanese aesthetics."
On the day of the event, we collaborated with Media Aid, which operates the live commerce channel "Happy up marche" in Japan, to conduct simultaneous online sales via TikTok Shop and Whatnot Shop. Many people attended both in-person and online. It was an opportunity to confirm the high level of awareness among U.S. consumers regarding clean beauty and sustainability, as well as their growing interest in Japan's "fermentation culture."
Moving forward, TOJI will leverage its base at JIC to further accelerate the development of local partners. In addition to the current sake lees bath additives, the company plans to advance product development and global expansion in a wider range of healthcare areas, including functional beverages and alternative foods. Based on our founding philosophy, we aim to grow further as a global brand that promotes traditional Japanese culture with "Authenticity" at its core.
■ About TOJI (https://toji-japan.com/)
TOJI is a wellness brand that delivers the wisdom of beauty and health passed down through time in Japan in a new form, enabling true beauty and a rich lifestyle. Since starting operations in 2024, we have focused on sake lees, researching its abundant beauty and health-related effects and benefits to develop products. In the process of harmonizing sake lees with carefully selected materials and commercializing them with heart, we cherish our connections with all the people and regions involved. Additionally, through collaborations with local inns and sake breweries, we are engaged in global marketing support and projects that enhance the appeal of local regions.
■ For inquiries regarding this matter, please contact: info@toji-japan.com
*We sincerely look forward to new encounters with media outlets interested in TOJI, as well as sake breweries and producers who resonate with our initiatives.