Fantasy Interview | Kaori Ii

Hello. I'm Sato, your fantasy interviewer.

This may seem sudden, but animals don't usually speak, do they? But what if they could speak? Isn't this what they really think? What would their relationships be like with their companions? This series of interviews was written while I was daydreaming about such things. I hope you'll bear with me for a while as I indulge in my delusions.

Today, we have Ms. Kaori Ii here to talk about the theme of "Coexistence between Cows and Humans."

-Ii-san, thank you for joining us today!

-I've been looking forward to today. Thank you very much.

- Mr. Ii, 10 years ago, you launched the Ranch Aroma Oil brand, and have since grown it into a hugely popular brand with annual sales exceeding 200 million yen. Could you please explain the product to us again?

-Yes, thank you. It would be more accurate to say that rather than me starting the company, the zookeeper at the time (Yamane-san, the current president) started it on my behalf. As the name suggests, Farm Aromatherapy Oil is an aroma oil that smells like a farm. Just one drop in the dedicated diffuser will fill your room or bath with the scent of a farm.


--It seems like a pretty unique product, what prompted you to develop it?

-That's true. People who try it for the first time are always surprised. It was the summer of the year I turned 39. I'd been smelling this scent since I was born, but I didn't think anything of it.
But one time, we had a meet-and-greet with the cows, so we left the farm, got in the car, and went to a restaurant in the city. I was shocked. What was that smell!!!
It was so strong and pungent that it almost stabbed my nose, and I nearly lost consciousness. I managed to endure it, but I remember it being extremely difficult.
The feeling of relief when I returned to the farm afterwards was incredible. It was then that I realized for the first time that I loved the smell of this farm.
And wouldn't it be a shame if only we cows knew about this charm?! With the cooperation of Yamane-san (then a breeder and now the president), we managed to develop it.


-I see. So, can you tell us exactly what is so appealing about this ranch scent?

Yes, it is unique, but I think it is a gentle scent. It's like the scent has risen in an instant from deep within the soil of nature, and it has a strong yet relaxed scent.
It's hard to put into words, but the condensed nature of it is what makes it so appealing. Every day I feel like, "Ah, I'm enveloped in it again today."
The first breath you take when you wake up in the morning and the feeling of air circulating through your body is amazing, so I would definitely recommend you try it.


-When was the most difficult time for you?

- Things went surprisingly smoothly up until the development stage, but it was incredibly difficult from there. In order to expand our sales channels, we started by calling various stores, but we just couldn't get an appointment.
Looking back, I guess that makes sense. Because it's a cow. "I got a call from a cow!!" Looking back, it was really scary. It's a funny thing now, but at the time I remember wondering why. I'd made about 300 calls and been turned down by every one. So I consulted Yamane again, and he said, "Maybe it's because it's a cow?"

- I was a bit disappointed, but when I asked Yamane to call instead, he said, "I caught it." I was like, "You always space out like that, but you did it, Yamane!" I was so happy at the time.
I remember falling on my butt and having to take the next day off work.

- Butt-clutching...! I was so happy, I guess? (wry smile) Also, I think I'm becoming a fan of Yamane-san.

-I see, I think the dormice would be happy too (laughs).


-Finally, could you tell us your thoughts about the future?

-Yes, up until now we have been developing products that propose diffuser shapes and various uses, but starting this year we are planning to expand our repertoire of farm scents. Even though we say farm scent, the smell varies slightly depending on the area.
I would like to make Japan a place where people can notice the difference between, for example, a ranch in Akita and a ranch in Hiroshima. It is the air and smells that create Japan and the way of life in each region.
For cows, Japan is their country. It is an important country. We believe that the smell of farmland is necessary for Japan to be a society where people can live in peace.

-I see. It's an ambitious idea, but since this is the first company where humans and cows have teamed up, I feel like they can accomplish anything. Thank you very much for sharing your valuable story with us today.

-Thank you very much.

At boku Inc., we are looking for people to join us in our journey. Job type: Connecting cows and people (sales) Conditions for application: Must be a cow. (This time, we will be hiring cows.) We welcome those who can understand human emotions and those who can put into words the smell of the ranch. Work location: Yasakane Town, Fukushima Prefecture (remote work available) Working hours: 4 hours between 6:00 and 22:00 (each cow can work in their own way) Starting salary: 4 bales of grass *Our company operates a commission-based salary system. Vacation: 120 days off per year, 5-day work week To be honest, I think the employment conditions are quite generous. I just don't want you to push yourself too hard. This time we are only accepting cows, but if you are interested, please contact us. boku_saiyou@bokujou.suki.com

What did you think? Boku Co., Ltd. has proven that humans and cows can work together. We look forward to seeing their future success!
Once again, thank you very much, Mr. Ii, for your valuable insights.

This has been brought to you by Sato, your imaginary interviewer.

(Everything written here is my own fantasy. None of it is fact, so please be careful not to inadvertently talk about it as trivia!)