We have invited Anh Co Tran, our Global Creative Director, to travel across the world to visit Japan, the birthplace of Milbon. Here, lies our Global HeadQuarters, Central Research Institute, as well as our Yumegaoka Factory. The trip was designed to create a deeper connection with the culture that is “The Milbon Way”. During our time in Japan, we also filmed Milbon’s “Origin Story” through the eyes of Anh. It will showcase our unique philosophy along with the passion and dedication of our team. Stay tuned for its release in 2023.

To see photos & videos from the trip: Visit our Instagram Story Highlight.
In the meantime, we are excited to share a recap of our trip.

Day 1: Milbon’s Global Headquarters in Tokyo

First, Anh headed to Tokyo and met with Ryuji Sato, the CEO. Sato explained the founder’s passion to create a company that serves hair stylists, how after 60 years we have remained to keep this at the core of the company’s philosophy. “Milbon will always be committed to the professional community.”
He also went on to share about our manufacturing goals: “We are not trying to deliver the ‘Made in Japan’ value to the world. What we are aiming for is the ‘Made by Milbon’ standard, which allows people to experience the safety, reliability, and quality of our products.”

Day 2: Milbon’s Yumegaoka Factory in Mie

The next stop was the production factory in Yumegaoka, located in Mie Prefecture, where they embody the “Made by Milbon'' idea. One key mission is to manufacture reliable products for millions of people from what was originally formulated in a beaker at our lab. In addition, a rigorous quality control process is set in place to meet Milbon’s high standards at numerous checkpoints.

Day 3: Milbon’s R&D in Osaka

Milbon has over 100 researchers that specialize in hair exclusively. On the 3rd day, Anh visited the Central Research Institute located in Osaka. He was welcomed by our hair/scalp researchers, formulators, and product evaluators who each walked him through their respective responsibilities. At Milbon, each of the three teams collaborates with one another while they all speak and work with stylists throughout all stages of product creation. Paired with meticulous testing and dedicated research, this ensures Milbon discovers new and better ways to help professional stylists as well as their clients.

Day 4: Naoshima, the Island of Art and Nature

Anh then headed to Naoshima, the Island of Art and Nature, where the architecture of the world-renowned Tadao Ando (Anh’s favorite architect) and the art of iconic Yayoi Kusama was on full display. One of the highlights, the Chichu Art Museum, was a true representation of modern Japanese culture; the way nature was juxtaposed against the simplicity of the concrete buildings. The stillness of the curated space was both calming and mesmerizing.

Day 5: Cultural experience in Kyoto

The trip could not have ended without visiting Kyoto for the ideal Japanese experience. Anh immersed himself in various art forms including ikebana, tea ceremony, and textile dying. The tea ceremony encapsulates traditional Japanese philosophies of being detail-oriented and compassionate for others - the attitude that underlies the foundation of Milbon.

Learning about the true meaning of Milbon is something that Anh will use in his work. To learn more about Milbon, go to our About page.