About "ariga-to"
Deer are culled throughout Japan to maintain the balance of forests.
Many of them are still quietly disposed of without ever finding a purpose.
However, not all of these lives are "unnecessary."
Deer leather is supple, strong, and has a beautiful appearance.
ariga-to breathes new life into this leather, crafting it into leather products that become more beautiful with use.
With a "thank you" in every stitch,
we hope you can once again feel the connection between forests and people in your hands.
Deerskin Artist
Shimizu Mai
We are spinning the life of Yakushima's forests.
On Yakushima, Yakushika deer are culled
to maintain the forest environment.
We want to find a way to preserve the lives lost
due to human activity, even if it means changing their form.
We want to create products that make use of the blessings of Yakushima's forests.
We carefully hand-sew each item,
working with leather that has its own unique character.
We hope that by holding Yakushika leather,
you will imagine the eternal nature and cycle of life on Yakushima
in your daily life.
A portion of our sales is donated to the "Yakushima Mountain Area Environmental Conservation Cooperation Fund."
By using Yakushika leather products, you are helping to protect the forests of Yakushima.
Thank you always. With gratitude.
What we want to convey through Japanese deerskin products
To connect the blessings of life that have nurtured the ancient forest to the future without waste, we donate a portion of our sales to the "Environmental Conservation Cooperation Fund."