{"title":"Premium Selections by Saruya","description":"\u003cp\u003eFounded in 1804, Saruya is Japan’s only maison devoted exclusively to the art of toothpicks.\u003cbr\u003e\nEach piece is meticulously handcrafted from premium kuromoji wood, renowned for its natural fragrance and refined elegance.\u003cbr\u003e\nSaruya preserves the heritage of Japanese culture through timeless craftsmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n  Saruya offers a wide range of products, and we are pleased to introduce some of our signature pieces.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nWe warmly invite you to visit our store in Japan and experience them in person.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eSaruya does not offer international shipping.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nWe sincerely apologize, and warmly invite you to visit our store in Japan.\n  \u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-history-of-saruya-and-toothpicks","title":"1.The history of Saruya and Toothpicks","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"entry-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"main\"\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"intro\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eThe history of Saruya and Toothpicks\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToothpicks were introduced to Japan from China during the Nara period (710–794), alongside the arrival of Buddhism.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAt the time, they were regarded as sacred tools used for purifying the teeth.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThey became widely used among the general public much later, during the Edo period (1603–1868), when dental hygiene practices spread.\n\n\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\nSaruya was founded in 1704.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn those days, the word “saruya” referred to small general-goods merchants, and there were many throughout Edo.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nBy 1815, it is said that there were 249 such shops within the grounds of Sensoji Temple in Asakusa.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThese shops sold various personal goods such as combs, face powder, and other toiletries—not just toothpicks.\n\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\nToday’s Saruya is located near Nihonbashi, having moved approximately ten years ago.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nOur previous store stood in Koamicho in Nihonbashi, on a street once known as Terifuri-cho.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe name—meaning “sun and rain”—was a playful pun coined by Edo townspeople, as the street was lined with shops selling items used in fair and rainy weather, such as umbrellas and traditional sandals.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe area was once lively with foot traffic, but over time it became a calm business district, prompting our move nearer to Nihonbashi, a more accessible location for visitors.\n\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nSaruya is now the only remaining shop of its kind.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAs a custodian of Japanese tradition, we are committed to continuing our craft and our business far into the future.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSaruya's toothpick is kuromojiー\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat is kuromoji?？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a deciduous shrub of the camphor family and is widely native to Japan.\u003cbr\u003eIt is characterized by a refreshing scent and has a gentle scent, so it is recommended for those who do not like strong scents. Its scent has a relaxing effect and has been loved in Japan for a long time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat are the features of kuromoji toothpicks？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a toothpick that has moderate elasticity, is supple and does not break easily.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"日本橋さるや","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45885615964331,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0570\/3250\/7563\/files\/IMG_7545.jpg?v=1764049917"},{"product_id":"our_toothpicks","title":"2.Our Toothpicks","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"entry-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"main\"\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"intro\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eOur Toothpicks\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Japan, the standard length of a toothpick is generally considered to be 6 cm (2.36 inches). This length is designed to make it easy to use even on the back teeth when used inside the mouth. \u003cbr\u003eAt Saruya, in addition to the 6 cm length, we also regularly offer toothpicks measuring 7.5 cm (2.95 inches). These are suitable for people with larger hands, and can be used not only inside the mouth but also for skewering and enjoying traditional Japanese sweets or fruit. \u003cbr\u003eWe recommend the 6 cm length, but since this is a matter of personal preference, please choose the length you like best.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll of Saruya’s toothpicks are made from kuromoji wood. \u003cbr\u003eKuromoji is a small shrub belonging to the laurel family and grows widely throughout Japan. The wood is hard and known for its refreshing aroma, often described as similar to Japanese pepper or citrus. Its shaved surface is smooth, making it gentle to use in the mouth, and it does not splinter or irritate the gums. \u003cbr\u003eIn contrast, most toothpicks sold at mass retailers are made from birch. Birch is relatively soft and easy to process, which is why it is so widely used. However, birch toothpicks tend to break easily and often have rough or splintered tips, resulting in a less comfortable experience compared to kuromoji toothpicks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany customers tell us that once they try kuromoji toothpicks, they can immediately feel the difference in quality. \u003cbr\u003eWe invite you to experience them for yourself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSaruya's toothpick is kuromojiー\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat is kuromoji?？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a deciduous shrub of the camphor family and is widely native to Japan.\u003cbr\u003eIt is characterized by a refreshing scent and has a gentle scent, so it is recommended for those who do not like strong scents. Its scent has a relaxing effect and has been loved in Japan for a long time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat are the features of kuromoji toothpicks？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a toothpick that has moderate elasticity, is supple and does not break easily.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"日本橋さるや","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46071430316203,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0570\/3250\/7563\/files\/IMG_5549.jpg?v=1763612904"},{"product_id":"3-senryobako","title":"3.Senryobako","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"entry-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"main\"\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"intro\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eSenryobako\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n“SENRYŌBAKO,” one of Saruya’s signature products, is a toothpick case modeled after a traditional senryōbako. It was already being sold during the Taishō period (1912–1926).\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAt that time, printing was not as easy as it is today, so the characters “Kin Senryō” were written by hand with a brush on each box. Although handwritten lettering is rare today, Saruya continues this practice and still writes each box by hand with a brush in order to preserve tradition.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nOriginally, a senryōbako was a sturdy wooden box used to store and transport gold coins such as koban. The character “両：ryō” written on the box refers to an old Japanese unit of currency. \u003cbr\u003eToday, senryōbako are known as auspicious items symbolizing prosperity and business success. As a traditional Japanese souvenir, they make a gift that is sure to be appreciated.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\nInside the paulownia wood box are many toothpicks made from kuromoji wood. When you open the box, you will notice the refreshing fragrance of kuromoji, so please open it slowly and enjoy the scent as well.\n\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSaruya's toothpick is kuromojiー\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat is kuromoji?？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a deciduous shrub of the camphor family and is widely native to Japan.\u003cbr\u003eIt is characterized by a refreshing scent and has a gentle scent, so it is recommended for those who do not like strong scents. Its scent has a relaxing effect and has been loved in Japan for a long time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat are the features of kuromoji toothpicks？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a toothpick that has moderate elasticity, is supple and does not break easily.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"日本橋さるや","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46071574659243,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0570\/3250\/7563\/files\/image_e09859d4-3549-48e5-94a8-ce54f987e2fc.jpg?v=1686887623"},{"product_id":"4-tsujiura-yoji-the-toothpick-with-a-written-love-fortune","title":"4.Tsujiura Yōji’: the toothpick with a written love fortune","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"entry-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"main\"\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"intro\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eTsujiura Yōji\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nA tsujiura yōji is a toothpick wrapped with a red strip of paper printed with a love poem written in the style of a dodoitsu.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nDodoitsu is a form of Japanese verse often used in songs and humorous or emotional recitations. It consists of four lines with a syllabic pattern of 7-7-7-5, for a total of 26 syllables.\n  \u003cbr\u003e\n  The themes are usually about love, daily life, or human emotions, often expressed with wit or a touch of melancholy. Because of its rhythm and structure, it’s easy to set to music and was popular in the Edo period among common people, especially in vaudeville and folk songs\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nTsujiura is a traditional Japanese form of fortune-telling that dates back to the Edo period.\n  \u003cbr\u003eThe word literally means “fortune at a crossroads” (tsuji = crossroads, ura = divination or fortune*).* In the past, people would stand at a street corner and listen to the first words spoken by passersby, believing those words to contain hints about their future or romantic fate.\n  \u003cbr\u003e\n  Over time, tsujiura also came to refer to paper fortunes containing brief poems or messages about love and luck, similar to what we now see in fortune cookies or temple omikuji. In some traditions, the fortunes are wrapped around small items such as toothpicks or sweets—a practice that inspired items like the tsujiura yōji (fortune-telling toothpick).\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSaruya's toothpick is kuromojiー\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat is kuromoji?？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a deciduous shrub of the camphor family and is widely native to Japan.\u003cbr\u003eIt is characterized by a refreshing scent and has a gentle scent, so it is recommended for those who do not like strong scents. Its scent has a relaxing effect and has been loved in Japan for a long time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat are the features of kuromoji toothpicks？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a toothpick that has moderate elasticity, is supple and does not break easily.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"日本橋さるや","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46071633739947,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0570\/3250\/7563\/files\/F2571420-92FC-4DE6-97C6-F513CC589A94.jpg?v=1747971761"},{"product_id":"5-kumadori","title":"5.Kumadori","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"entry-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"main\"\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"intro\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eKumadori\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKumadori is a style of makeup used in kabuki, a traditional Japanese form of theater, and it is said to have around 100 different patterns.\u003cbr\u003eThere are various makeup styles depending on the role, and through the use of colors and lines, an actor’s emotions are visually conveyed to the audience. \u003cbr\u003eIn kumadori, the color red represents a righteous hero, blue represents a villain, and brown indicates non-human characters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese patterns are highly appreciated by enthusiasts of Japanese culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSaruya's toothpick is kuromojiー\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat is kuromoji?？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a deciduous shrub of the camphor family and is widely native to Japan.\u003cbr\u003eIt is characterized by a refreshing scent and has a gentle scent, so it is recommended for those who do not like strong scents. Its scent has a relaxing effect and has been loved in Japan for a long time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat are the features of kuromoji toothpicks？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a toothpick that has moderate elasticity, is supple and does not break easily.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"日本橋さるや","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46100681785515,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0570\/3250\/7563\/files\/129B89E5-D93E-4849-8746-60520E6CBDFF.jpg?v=1764036452"},{"product_id":"6-ooiri","title":"6.Ooiri","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"entry-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"main\"\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"intro\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eOoiri\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOoiri is a Japanese term describing a full-house audience of a theater. This is also a symbol of prosperity, and it is great for restaurants or as gifts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSaruya's toothpick is kuromojiー\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat is kuromoji?？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a deciduous shrub of the camphor family and is widely native to Japan.\u003cbr\u003eIt is characterized by a refreshing scent and has a gentle scent, so it is recommended for those who do not like strong scents. Its scent has a relaxing effect and has been loved in Japan for a long time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat are the features of kuromoji toothpicks？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a toothpick that has moderate elasticity, is supple and does not break easily.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"日本橋さるや","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46102966304939,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0570\/3250\/7563\/files\/BDF3E60F-0069-4061-9623-1A2D63239739.jpg?v=1764035762"},{"product_id":"7-okashi-yoji","title":"7.Okashi yoji","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"entry-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"main\"\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"intro\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eOkashi yoji\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe okashi yōji is used when eating traditional Japanese sweets such as yōkan or nerikiri.\u003cbr\u003e\nThey are made from kuromoji wood, the same material used for toothpicks. \u003cbr\u003eA single pick can be used to cut, pierce, and eat the sweets, serving the role of both a knife and a fork.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSaruya's toothpick is kuromojiー\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat is kuromoji?？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a deciduous shrub of the camphor family and is widely native to Japan.\u003cbr\u003eIt is characterized by a refreshing scent and has a gentle scent, so it is recommended for those who do not like strong scents. Its scent has a relaxing effect and has been loved in Japan for a long time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eーWhat are the features of kuromoji toothpicks？\u003cbr\u003eIt is a toothpick that has moderate elasticity, is supple and does not break easily.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"日本橋さるや","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46104790171819,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0570\/3250\/7563\/files\/image_e0c8db9d-992c-4ec6-9930-b52cff0056fe.jpg?v=1688006441"}],"url":"https:\/\/nihonbashi-saruya.com\/collections\/e-saruya.oembed","provider":"日本橋さるや ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}