Reiji Ishihara is watching mosses grow in his farm. (Gotsu-shi, Shimane prefecture)
Mosses are now gaining slowly, but surely, popularity among city people. Gardening service industry has been increasing its demand for mosses replacing lawns in the garden. Mosses are also popular especially among young females as their favorite goods for interior decoration and the like.
In Gotsu-shi, Shimane prefecture, farmers and a cosmetic company based at Osaka, president of which comes from the city, jointly established a moss producers’ association to meet growing demands for mosses on contract basis. Only a few examples of such organization are available in the country.
Mosses are gaining popularity in the market of “Mini Bonsai” for interior decoration. (Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima prefecture)
Reiji Ishihara, 36, quit his corporate job last year and joined the moss production with his wife, because he focused just on the fact that mosses could be harvested even on less sunlight farmlands in mountainous areas.
Ishikawa and his wife are now growing mosses on 65 ares of farmland. They plan to increase their annual sales of mosses up to 10 million yen as early as possible. “It will be possible even for newcomers to grow the moss. You do not need a large amount of initial investment,” Reiji Ishihara said.