Japan's post-war recovery and its subsequent miraculous economic growth were achieved through "Japanization"—the process of flexibly adopting superior overseas technologies and products, restructuring them to fit Japanese markets and culture, and continuously refining them to achieve peak quality. The reason modern Japan maintains its world-class technological prowess and brand strength is precisely because this DNA of "Japanization" is deeply rooted in our spirit.

The roots of this spirit can be traced back to the evolution of our national name between the Asuka and Nara periods. As recorded in the 1st-century granting of the Gold Seal to the "King of Na of Wa" and the 3rd-century "Records of the Three Kingdoms" (Gishiwajinden), Japan was once referred to by China as "Wa" (倭). However, this kanji character "Wa" carried a derogatory nuance based on the China-centric worldview of the time, implying being small or subservient.

In response, our ancestors made a momentous decision between the 7th and early 8th centuries. In 604, Prince Shotoku established the Seventeen-Article Constitution, stating that "Harmony is to be valued" (和をもって貴しとなす), placing the spirit of "Wa" (和)—meaning harmony—at the very foundation of the nation. Then, with the enactment of the Taiho Code in 701, they officially replaced the derogatory character "Wa" (倭) with the character for harmony, "Wa" (和), while keeping the original pronunciation. This was the beginning of the greatest "Japanization" in Japanese history—a moment when an externally imposed label was sublimated into a definition of self-pride.

The name J-Wa International Co., Ltd. was chosen out of deep respect for this historical transition to "Wa" and the spirit of enhancing value while honoring harmony. This lineage of Japanization is also vividly inherited in the traditional culture of Bonsai.

While the roots of Bonsai lie in the Chinese "Penjing," the Japanese people did not stop at merely mimicking landscapes. Instead, they evolved it into a unique art form—Bonsai—that expresses the vitality of nature and condensed beauty within the confines of a small pot. Today, we are pushing this Japanization even further to adapt Bonsai to modern lifestyles and sensibilities.

The evolution into Artisanal Bonsai, or "A-BONSAI"—which breathes new value into tradition by fusing time-honored techniques with contemporary craftsmanship—is a natural progression in the flow of history. Just as our ancestors transformed "倭" into "和," we will continue to respect tradition while constantly seeking improvement, creating new values of "Wa" that we can proudly share with the world.