Message from the President

Did you know that works by Bach and Mozart are performed today in a style that is quite different from how they were originally performed?

Western music has detailed musical scores, which if interpreted accurately, can give us an idea of the composer's way of thinking. However, the tempo and the pitch of performances have changed significantly with our changing lifestyles. The tempo has become faster in step with the faster rhythm of life, and the pitch has become higher, giving a more vigorous expression of emotion. If you try to reproduce the performance style of the time, you'll find that the music is more leisurely and almost sounds as if it were a different piece of music. However, the fundamental philosophy of the music is conveyed without being influenced by the environment, and it is simply the style of the performances that have changed with the times.

I believe our company's path has much in common with this. Our company has been tending to the throats of Japanese people for 200 years. Our stance to preserve our tradition steadily, persistently, and devotedly lies here. On the other hand, we hold the power to evolve with the changes in our environment, and we have changed our content and style over many years. We have survived to this day not only by holding on to the heritage passed down by our forefathers, but by taking on the challenge of new business.

Times are changing at a faster rate and are becoming more intense than we have experienced before. It is vital for us to be even more active in evolving in order to survive and develop in the future. At the same time, we must continue to uphold our commitment to good health—a tradition from when the Fujii clan, who were physicians to the Lord of the domain of Akita during the latter years of the Edo period, created Ryukakusan and introduced it to the society.