--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: Big in Japan image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt34208316386f7db9/6a5bb984a56426c2b37b201d/Report_2_page_1_image_2.png?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9%2Coffset-x0.00%2Coffset-y12.47 --- # Big in Japan  It’s no surprise that Japanese companies make great products. Here, we share thoughts and philosophies from several leaders behind Japan’s foremost brands. **1\. Dashi packet from Nishihara Shokai** President Kazuyuki Nishihara says: “In Japan, we have many different ways to prepare dishes depending on both the location and the season. Even within hotpot there are many varieties, dependingn on the type of seasoning used and whether it is soup-based or not.”  **2\. Rilakkuma plush toy from San-X** President Hiroshi Chida says: “In modern times, I believe that the word ‘cute’ means to find something that can be relied upon for the heart, to gain a sense of security and to express one’s own existence.”  **3\. Monchhichi classic boy plush toy from Sekiguchi** President Toshitaka Yoshino says: “In many ways, society is only now catching up to what we have been doing in the Japanese market, where people have long recognized that our products are designed for adults.”  **4\. Canned coffee with milk from UCC Ueshima Coffee** President Hiroshi Shibatani says: “UCC introduced the first canned coffee, which was invented by our founder in 1969\. We later developed vending machines to sell our canned coffee, and the ready-to-drink market has continued to grow since then.”  **5\. Organic “nigori” apple cider vinegar from Tamanoi Vinegar** President Harino Takaya says: “Vinegar has many health benefits, but it can be difficult to drink every day, and some people are not accustomed to the distinct sour taste. We are creating vinegar products that are easier to incorporate into daily life.”  **6\. Karuekure dish from Nitori** President and COO Toshiyuki Shirai says: “We want to provide the best products at the best prices, and we are always looking to create products most suitable for local lifestyles. Because we do our own manufacturing ourselves, we can create products with high efficiency and low costs.”  **7\. Sylvanian Families chocolate rabbit girl from Epoch** President and CEO Kazuhiro Onoda says: “Japanese manga and characters are built on long-lasting stories, which would likely endure even without toys. Many of our toys have carried the same storylines for 40 years, allowing them to resonate across generations.”  **8\. Bigansui skin lotion from Momotani Juntenkan** President Seiichiro Momotani says: “Japan has a unique beauty culture, because we are an island nation that was separated from the rest of the world for a long time. Our Bigansui is based on a 140-year-old formula that remains relevant in Japan and overseas today.”  Big in Japan ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/big-in-japan/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/big-in-japan/"},"headline":"Big in Japan","datePublished":"2026-07-18T17:38:52.942Z","dateModified":"2026-07-18T17:38:45.207Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/big-in-japan/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/big-in-japan/","name":"Big in Japan"}}]}] ```