Friends gathered on a beautiful moonlit night at Suigetsu, a ryokan by Kanazawa's Asanogawa River. After much discussion, they started a small bedding company―― "Tsuki no Tomo" (Friends of the Moon). That was in 1958.
The origin of the name "Tsuki no Tomo"
The company name originates from that very night. "Tsuki no Tomo" began when friends gathered on a beautiful moonlit night at the "Suigetsu" ryokan by Kanazawa's Asanogawa River and decided to establish a bedding company. In 1964, it expanded nationwide as the "National Tsuki no Tomo Association." Currently, it has 10 bases, 150 dealerships, and approximately 400 employees.
The founder's appeal to stop unhygienic cotton re-stuffing
The founder, Kenzo Nakajima, advocated for improving bedding by stopping the unhygienic practice of "re-stuffing cotton" at the time. This idea was accepted across the country, and dealerships are said to have expanded rapidly.
The reason for choosing mimosa, the flower of "gratitude"
Mimosa, the flower symbolizing "gratitude"
The fluffy yellow mimosa is known for its flower language, "gratitude." The decision had already been made to commercialize a floral motif, and since mimosa was popular in interior design at the time, the female staff in charge of planning chose this flower.
As a gift for faraway family members
For many years, blankets have been sought after as gifts from parents to children, children to grandchildren, or for faraway family members, wishing them health and happiness. Even in recent years, many inquiries have been received saying, "The blanket my grandmother gave me has become old, but I can't find it anywhere." The story of receiving a thank-you letter from a grandchild saying, "This is the first time I've ever felt such a soft and warm blanket," also became a trigger for us to want to make this blanket more widely known.
Mimosa double blanket
A rare existence: Made-in-Japan double blankets
The most important value that Tsuki no Tomo wants to convey is that "a sturdy, double-layered blanket made in Japan is a rare commodity." We want to deliver not just a product, but also the heartfelt wishes for happiness and health to the recipient―― this is the wish we put into our blankets. Even as the production of Japanese-made blankets declines, we continue to manufacture them without compromising our commitment to durable and long-lasting quality.
Softness and warmth created by acrylic and rayon
We use a blended yarn of 85% acrylic and 15% rayon. This combination enhances softness, warmth, and moisture-absorbing heat generation.
Double-layered structure, front and back
Japan's only integrated production factory
Production is handled by Moriya Keori Co., Ltd. in Izumiotsu, Osaka. With the decreasing number of domestic factories, this is now the only integrated production factory in Japan that can also handle printing. We strive to maintain our relationship with this factory out of a desire to preserve high-quality Japanese products in a world flooded with overseas goods. After knitting the raw materials, it takes approximately 2 to 3 months to complete the product, including dyeing, printing, sewing, and finishing.
7 to 9 plates, without misalignment
The most delicate process is dyeing at the pattern printing factory, which is the only one of its kind in Japan. The task of aligning 7 to 9 plates with the blanket fabric without any misalignment requires advanced techniques.
Izumiotsu, Japan's leading blanket production town
Izumiotsu, Osaka, our production base, is renowned as a hub for Japanese blanket manufacturing. It is said to be the number one blanket producer in Japan, with its origins tracing back to the Edo period. Production is carried out through OEM manufacturing by specialized cooperative factories.
The difficulty of choosing patterns that change annually
The most challenging aspect of development was pattern selection. Although patterns have changed annually, it was not easy to find designs that would not be influenced by trends and would feel natural to pick up repeatedly. After much trial and error, we have overcome issues such as shedding often seen in overseas polyester blankets, and fuzz or pilling from blanket-made duvet covers. We also tried transactions with overseas manufacturers and other manufacturers, but in the end, only our transaction with Moriya Keori remains.
Three charms of the product
If we were to list the top three charms of Tsuki no Tomo, they would be as follows: its rarity as a Japanese-made product, its double-layer structure, and its warmth. Even as bedding becomes lighter, some people find a sense of security and calm in the slightly weighty feel of this blanket.
For whom and in what situations
This blanket is recommended as a gift to convey wishes for the health of faraway family members or for good fortune for family members embarking on a journey. We continue to produce these blankets with the hope that more people―― including those around the world―― will come to know about this blanket, which has become less common in local stores. Some people also use it layered over a light down comforter, or for outdoor activities and in cars.
"It has to be this one"
Among the feedback we receive from customers, some say, "I can't find it anywhere else. It has to be this one." We also hear stories of recipients cherishing and continuously using the blanket while remembering the giver. A common sentiment among repeat customers is, "The quality is excellent, so it's durable and lasts a long time."
Future goals
In the future, we are considering selling a set of voluminous sheets to match the mimosa blanket. We want to introduce the quality of Japanese products to generations who only know Chinese-made polyester blankets―― and with that in mind, we will continue to manufacture. We believe this could become something to be proud of globally, and we are excited to see how it will be received.
To our readers
When choosing a gift, I believe that being a long-established brand and the quality of the product are important factors. We especially want generations who only know Chinese-made polyester blankets to experience the quality of Japanese products. With that sentiment, each "Mimosa" double blanket from Tsuki no Tomo is woven one by one at our factory in Izumiotsu, Osaka, every day.
