ものをつくるとき、名前をつけるというのは不思議な作業です。
名前はただの記号ではなく、そこに意味や時間が少しずつ宿っていく。今回は、LYTHAという名前をつけたときに考えていたことをお話しします。

When we create something, giving it a name is a curious act.
A name is more than a label—it gradually gathers meaning and time around it. In this episode, I talk about what I was thinking about when I named LYTHA.

しばらくお休みしていたArt Journeyを、今日からまた少しずつ再開します。

今回は、私がこれから始めようとしている新しいプロジェクトについて。

その名も、LYTHA（リサ）。

これまでMOLFOで扱ってきたヘンプシードオイルを、今度は自分自身でイタリアから輸入し、新しいウェルネスブランドとして育てていくことにしました。

「油を売る」という言葉の本当の意味から、なぜヘンプシードオイルなのか、なぜイタリアなのか。

そして、4gという小さな一包に込めたこと、28日間というリズム、ブランド名LYTHAに込めた思いまで。

まだ始まったばかりのプロジェクトですが、これからブランドができていく過程も、このArt Journeyで少しずつお話ししていきたいと思います。

ものをつくりながら、世界を考える。

そんな小さな旅を、また一緒に始められたら嬉しいです。

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I’m Actually Going to “Sell Oil.” — The Beginning of LYTHA, a New Wellness Brand

After taking a little break, I’m finally bringing Art Journey back.

In this episode, I’m sharing a new project that I’m about to embark on.

Its name is LYTHA.

I’ve worked with hemp seed oil through MOLFO for some time, but I’ve now decided to import the oil directly from Italy and develop it into a new wellness brand of my own.

Starting with the Japanese expression “sell oil,” which actually means to waste time chatting, I talk about why I chose hemp seed oil, why Italy, and why I decided to make each serving just 4g, arranged as a 28-day ritual.

I’ll also share a little about the name LYTHA and the ideas behind the brand.

It’s still at the very beginning, but I’d like to share the process of creating LYTHA here on Art Journey—from the ideas and materials to the challenges of actually bringing a new product into the world.

Making things, while thinking about the world.

I’m happy to begin this little journey again with you.

English is below.

麻の歴史と精神性 麻は、日本の伝統文化や神事において神聖視され、古代から人々の精神性に深く関わってきました。特に、麻は清浄な植物とされ、悪を祓う力があると信じられていました。

では、なぜ、いろいろな種類の麻がある中でヘンプだけが精神性と深く結びついていたのでしょうか？

今回は、そのなぜを深く掘り下げていきます。

(English script)

1. Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my Podccast.
Today, I’d like to share with you the story of hemp—a plant that has been deeply connected to Japanese spiritual culture since ancient times.

In Japan, hemp has never been just a fiber or a crop.
It has been revered as a sacred plant, appearing in myths, rituals, and even in ceremonies of the Imperial household.
For centuries, hemp was believed to have the power to purify, to ward off evil, and to restore clarity.

2. Myths and Ancient Texts

In Japan’s oldest chronicles, the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) and the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), hemp is described as an essential part of sacred rituals performed by the gods.
It was believed that through hemp, impurities could be removed, and balance could be restored.

Some traditions say that when the god Izanagi returned from the land of the dead and performed a ritual purification, hemp symbolized renewal and cleansing.
We also find references in the Fudoki (ancient regional records) and even in the Manyoshu, the oldest anthology of Japanese poetry, where hemp is praised as a sacred and pure plant.

3. Why Hemp Was Seen as “Pure”

Why was hemp considered such a “pure” plant?

One reason lies in its vitality.
Hemp grows quickly, strongly, and straight—ancient people saw this as a symbol of life’s pure and untamed force.

Another reason is its versatility.
Its fibers became clothing, ropes, and ritual tools such as gohei or sacred paper wands used in Shinto shrines.
Its seeds provided food and nourishment.
Because hemp was so essential in every aspect of daily life, it came to embody blessing and purity.

Even today, Shinto priests use hemp fibers in purification rituals.
When they wave a wand wrapped with hemp, it is not only a symbolic act of banishing impurity, but also a way of releasing the hidden fears and anxieties within the human heart.

4. Connection to the Imperial Tradition

Hemp was also deeply connected to the Imperial family of Japan.
In the enthronement ceremony known as the Daijosai—the first great ritual after a new emperor ascends the throne—hemp cloth called aratatae is offered to the gods.

This hemp cloth represents the most sacred and pure offering, symbolizing the emperor’s prayer for peace and prosperity in a new era.
In this way, hemp served not only as a material, but as a spiritual support at the very heart of Japan’s national identity.

5. Conclusion

So we see, hemp was more than a useful plant.
It was a mirror of Japanese spirituality: a force that could ward off evil, restore purity, and sustain the spirit.

From daily life to the highest rituals of the nation, hemp has carried a quiet yet powerful role in shaping the way people connected with nature, with each other, and with the divine.

Thank you for joining me.