Sapporo is a city where urban and natural areas coexist in harmony. In this city filled with a free spirit unconstrained by tradition or convention, manufacturing that is uniquely Sapporo-like and brings richness and warmth to people's lives is thriving.

One of them is the Sapporo-based skincare brand "SAVON de SIESTA." The store creates products that make use of Hokkaido's abundant natural materials, and carefully conveys the story of how the ingredients are made, along with the thoughts of the producers and the scenery and atmosphere of the place where they are produced.

To get a deeper understanding of the appeal of this store, we visited their direct sales store, "Siesta Labo."

From soaps to lifestyle suggestions

"SAVON de SIESTA" started as an online shop in 2005. The directly managed store "Siesta Labo." is a space filled with a soft atmosphere with a white base, located just a few minutes' walk from the subway "Nishi 11-chome" station.

Based on the concept of "delivering moments of comfort to your everyday life," this store offers handmade soaps and other original products, as well as items and experiences selected by the staff to enrich your daily life. What kind of story lies behind the journey from soap to the lifestyle suggestions that lie beyond?

The impetus for this came from a certain problem that the founder and brand director, Ayako Tsukeshiba, had.

"A soap that people love" born from a serious concern

"The truth is, I've always had very sensitive skin... When I was a university student, I started having really rough skin when I used commercially available skincare products and cosmetics," said Tsukeshiba, as she explained the origins of the brand.

When he happened to come across a book on how to make soap at a bookstore, he realized that "I can make soap!" At the time, Tsukeshiba was studying at the Faculty of Science at Hokkaido University and loved experiments, so he called out to his lab friends and started making soap as an extension of the experiments.

"When I used soap made only with ingredients necessary for the skin, the condition of my skin improved dramatically. I could make a lot at once, so I distributed it in the lab, and everyone, including the professor, was happy," she recalls happily.

After being pleased with the results she had achieved through her graduate studies, Tsukeshiba was convinced that this was her calling. After working for a pharmaceutical company in Honshu, hoping to do a job that would allow her to interact with people, she founded the company in Sapporo with the support of her husband, the company's president, Tsukeshiba, who was her classmate at university.

The potential of materials and "manufacturing with a face"

Since the beginning, Tsukeshiba has placed great importance on "products that even people with sensitive skin can use with confidence" and on "production with a traceable history," using materials from Hokkaido as much as possible.

As the name suggests, the company uses carefully selected natural ingredients that allow you to feel the richness of the northern land, such as azuki beans from Tokachi, birch and fir trees from the forest town of Shimokawa, and sake lees from Tanaka Sake Brewery in Otaru. All of the ingredients have been carefully grown and made with love and care.

"My husband and I grew up on Honshu, so the things that are taken for granted by the people who live here felt very fresh to us. We want to let more people know that there are so many good ingredients and their appeal," said Tsukeshiba.

A store where you can enjoy the background of product manufacturing

This directly managed store was opened in this location after relocating with the aim of "incorporating more realistic customer feedback into product development." Through a small window next to the cash register, you can see the soap being made.

They use the cold process (non-heating) method, which is said to be the oldest method of soap making, and the most important step is determining the stirring time to create the soap base, which requires an experienced eye. By letting the vegetable oils mature for over a month, they are able to lock in ingredients that are important to the skin, resulting in a finished product that allows you to feel the texture of the ingredients.

Soap is sensitive to temperature, so the studio staff must carefully regulate the temperature. You can see the care that goes into making the soap you actually use. Having a studio like this was one of Tsukeshiba's dreams, embodying the "face-to-face manufacturing" he envisioned.

"Although we use soap every day, it's not easy to know how it's made. We thought that by having this space, people could enjoy the background behind the products as well." Listening to these exciting stories, we feel as if we are dreaming along with the owner.

To become a part of your travel memories

Among the carefully crafted soaps, the "Satsuma Honey" soap, which is only available at the directly managed stores, is a popular souvenir or gift. The soap is made using honey collected from the flowers that bloom in Sapporo, where beekeeping is carried out at Sapporo Odori High School, located near "Siesta Labo."

"Because we create products that are connected to the town and make use of Hokkaido materials, we want them to be something that people will remember even after they return home from their trip." This warm thought is imbued in the products lined up on the shelves.

A moment of relief in your daily life

Siesta Labo. started out selling soap, but has since expanded its scope to include not only skin care products, but also clothing, towels, food, exhibitions by artists, workshops, and live performances, providing a place for many new encounters.

"I like to fantasize, so I draw specific pictures of what I want to happen and tell people about them," says Tsukeshiba with a smile. By doing so, people say, "This is interesting, so I'll help you," and connections lead to more connections. It seems that her dreams have come true.

"Soap is merely a means to an end. Even in the midst of busy days, I think that having time to relax can change people's lives little by little. In order to bring smiles to the faces of our customers and those involved, I would like to continue to deliver products and experiences that respond to the feedback we receive," she told us.

The space, woven from the pure and straightforward desire and actions to "make people happy," continues to soothe those who visit today.

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Siesta Labo.（シエスタ ラボ）
電話番号：011-206-0710
住所：北海道札幌市中央区南1条西12丁目4−182 札幌ASビル 1F
アクセス：地下鉄東西線「西11丁目駅」より徒歩3分程度
HP：https://at-siesta.com/
SNS：https://www.instagram.com/savondesiesta/
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