Yakult Honsha Shonan Cosmetics Factory

We all love Yakult — Japan’s iconic probiotic drink that is believed to help our guts stay healthy and happy. But did you know that Yakult has a line of cosmetics, too?

Inspired by the very same bacteria, Yakult Beautiens has been keeping skin happy and healthy too — in line with the philosophy “Beauty inside and out” — since 1971. Those products are made just outside of Tokyo, at the Yakult Honsha Shonan Cosmetics Factory in Fujisawa — and you can take a free factory tour to experience them firsthand.

Also visit: Yakult Ibaraki Plant and Yakult Gohonmaru Cafe & Gallery

I will admit, in the beginning I was not all that excited to go on the tour. I am a big fan of Yakult (go on, ask me about the history of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota), but I am not a big fan of cosmetics. Or at least, I wasn’t. The tour may have changed things.

What to expect

Important: The factory tour at the Yakult Shonan Cosmetics plant is conducted entirely in Japanese. While there are English subtitles on the videos used as part of it, if you cannot speak intermediate Japanese, it is highly recommended that you bring along an interpreter. See below — this needs to be arranged telephonically, in advance.

The Yakult Honsha Shonan Cosmetics Factory is rated as one of the top factory tours in Japan, by local residents. Considering how many factory tours there are, that’s saying something. I’ve been on a fair few myself, and I will go on record that this was the best I had ever experienced. It’s just so … refined.

The 90-minute tour starts with three Yakult ladies — perfectly dressed in full uniform — ushering your group from the waiting area to the experience room. All white with curved lines, the venue feels like a beauty salon, complete with nostril-pleasing scents.

On your table awaits a Yakult 1000 (the one aimed at reducing stress), as well as two tiny bottles containing Shirota Essence and hyaluronic acid. After a quick look at the history of Yakult cosmetics, you get to test out the key ingredients yourself.

Shirota Essence is, according to the company website, a moisturizing ingredient extracted from the fermentation of those lovely little lactic-acid bacteria and milk. It “loves moisture” they said, and you can feel that when you rub it into your skin.

The rest of the tour is divided into:

• Product explanations (you get to check your skin hydration level and try some ultra-fancy creams on your hands)
• A tour of the factory proper — where the floor manager answers your questions, a nice touch
• A full tutorial on how to use the product range they have chosen on your particular day

In my case, it was Parabio AC — their aging-care series, and my hand was the test subject (you are not allowed to try the products on your face). Here is an artistic rendition of the before and after:

Souvenirs and other goodies

You are given another drink partway through the tour, and when you leave you are presented with a goodie bag of skincare samples, as well as a commemorative photo of you and Yakult Man.

There is no gift shop on the premises, but you can buy a one-week trial set (and probably other products too) before you go, if you like — though there is no obligation to do so.

There is no café, but there are two Yakult vending machines outside, where you can buy a bunch of Yakult drinks you don’t normally see in the stores.

Photography

You are not allowed to take photos in the factory itself, nor of the room or screens during the beauty lectures. Video is also mostly not permitted; if you are unsure, it’s better to ask the nice Yakult ladies.

Entry

Entry to the Yakult Cosmetics Factory tour in Fujisawa is free. However, you need to reserve your spot on the tour in advance. You can do that online here.

Important: Reservations must be made in Japanese. If you want to bring an interpreter, you need to call; you cannot make a web reservation. Children under middle-school age are not allowed to participate.

There are two tours a day at the Yakult Cosmetics Factory in Fujisawa: a morning tour from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., and an afternoon session from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. You are asked to arrive no later than 10 minutes before the start of your tour.

How to get there

The Yakult Cosmetics Factory is an approximately 20-minute walk from Fujisawa Station, which is served by the JR Tōkaidō Line, Odakyu Line, and the Enoshima Electric Railway. It’s only around an hour from Shinjuku, making it easily accessible as a day trip.

Instead of walking to the factory, you can take a bus or taxi — we did the latter one way, as it was rainy, and paid around ¥1,400. We walked on the way back. It’s an easy route to the station, along the main road.