The beekeeping business, which began with an encounter with honeybees in 1946, has been going for 60 years since the company was renamed "SUGI BEE GARDEN" in 1961. On this occasion, founder Takeo Sugi (currently a permanent advisor) and his wife Michiko (currently an advisor) talk about the company's history up to the present day.
Takeo Sugi (right) looking out over the five peaks of Mt. Aso from his bee farm in 1954
Encounter with bees.
interviewer
"It all started with the Western honeybee, which was a study material at school when you were 12 years old."
Takeo (currently permanent advisor)
"Japanese honeybees are raised naturally, but Western honeybees are managed by hand. This difference interested me. When I was 18, I became interested in a mobile beekeeper who had hives on my parents' property, so I started helping them out. After that, I continued beekeeping while destroying some of the hives I inherited and taking other jobs, but then I decided to get serious about it and bought three hives. This number grew to 32, and in 1961 I put up the "SUGI BEE GARDEN" sign at my home in Kumamoto City."
Michiko (currently an advisor)
"When I met my husband through dancing, he was working at a lumber mill and raising bees, but when we got married he decided to pursue a new career. Of course, I helped with everything from beekeeping to bottling and selling. I have fond memories of getting stung by a bee and having half of my face swell up."
A scene of Takeo Sugi selling his products in 1970
His wife Michiko standing in the shop in 1980
The bond between the two men became the foundation of SUGI BEE GARDEN.
interviewer
How did you overcome the difficulties you faced during the start-up?
Takeo
"First of all, I was blessed with a wife. I used to help my father, who was a Kyoto dyer, with his sales, so I liked interacting with people and had lively conversations with customers. Another thing I'll never forget is when we were setting up stalls at department stores across the country. When I told her that some of our products had sold out, she drove all the way from Kumamoto to Fukuoka to deliver them to me."
Michiko
"I had just gotten my license, but I was completely absorbed in it... and my husband thanked me, saying, 'I'm glad you came.' I just wanted as many people as possible to taste our proud honey. So, for those who purchased our honey at the department store, I asked them to leave their name and address, saying, 'I'll let you know in advance when I come next time, so if you'd like, I'll send you a postcard with information about the new honey. Everyone was happy."
Takeo
"This is what we would call direct mail today. We were the first to do it in a department store."
August 2015: Two people inspecting a bee farm in Hokkaido
June 2021: I still raise bees in my garden.
Even during the coronavirus pandemic, let's stay healthy and lively with the bees.
interviewer
"It seems there are some customers here from back then."
Michiko
"Yes, one of our customers is a regular user of raw royal jelly, and she and her child often call me. We eat royal jelly every day, and I wonder if it's thanks to that that both of our customers are doing well."
Takeo
"In fact, I am still researching beekeeping. In beekeeping you are a lifelong student. There is no graduation. There is a lot to learn from the colonies and organisations of bees. With the queen bee as the head of the household, the bees work to raise their young, store honey, and then work again for the prosperity of their families. I think this is an essential part of our company, which is a family-like group, and of modern society as well. With this in mind, I enjoy working with the bees every day, and it is even more fun to develop products that will give our customers even greater satisfaction."
Michiko
"The bees and my customers are what keep me going. I'm grateful to them now and in the past."
Takeo
"Our customers' joy is our joy. We want to continue to provide even better products. That is our only wish."
Published in SUGI BEE GARDEN 's newsletter "Bee Communication Autumn Edition"
