BACK STORY

The RU Institute is a small research institute located by the Japan Sea in Tottori Prefecture, Japan. Our research starts with the idea of facing the bounty of the sea and making the most of it. We spare no effort in pursuing ingredients that are safe for people's bodies and skin, even they cannot be easily mass-produced and require great time and effort for manufacturing. We are a modest laboratory with nothing flashy about us, but we are confident in our ability to use the power of nature for being gentle to the human body.

The challenge for Researcher Yozo Ishizuka

RU Institute Chairman and Researcher Yozo Ishizuka has been engaged in various research projects, including fish collagen, under the theme of “shedding light on untapped resources.”

After successfully developing Japan's first technology to extract collagen from fish scales in 1997, he has continued his research to reuse various untapped resources such as shark cartilage, squid cartilage, grape skins, rice bran, and tofu residue.

The belief that everything can be recycled

As a researcher, Yozo Ishizuka believed that “there is no untapped resource that cannot be reused.”

In addition to collagen, which can be extracted from fish scales, there are always ingredients in all kinds of resources that can be used by people.

In addition to collagen, which can be extracted from fish scales, there are always ingredients in all kinds of resources that can be used by people.

Contributing to the sustainability of the global environment in any way possible by utilizing untapped resources. He has always professed this desire since his days as a researcher in Tokyo.

When he returned to Tottori Prefecture and set up his research institute with this idea in mind, the RU Institute received a variety of consultations from all over the country.

Today, RU Institute is extracting ingredients that benefit many people not only from marine resources, but also from a variety of underused resources such as fruits and grains.
From research to management. Delivering new value through business succession

The company founder, Yozo Ishizuka, entrusted the management of the company to his son, Raizo Ishizuka. Raizo, who is also a qualified acupuncturist, believed that in order to share our current research with a wider audience, he needed to develop new sales channels.

In 2011, after Yozo retired from management of the company, Raizo decided to deliver products to consumers nationwide via the Internet.

Kiralun toothpaste launched at this time. With its unique effect from natural apatite, the product went on to receive over 9,000 reviews on Rakuten Ichiba, the largest online shopping site in Japan.
New management philosophy: Pursuing truest selves

Raizo was struggling with how to communicate his philosophy to his staff as he ran the business.

At that time, he learned about Seiwa Jyukru, a management school led by Kazuo Inamori, the founder of KYOCERA Corporation who is considered the god of management in Japan.

Raizo was moved by the philosophy of “pursuing the material and intellectual happiness of all employees and at the same time contributing to the progress and development of humankind and society,” which he felt was the very raison d'etre of RU Institute.

Since the formulation of this new management philosophy, RU Institute has been sharing its direction with its employees by reciting the philosophy every morning.
Research enters a new stage

Yozo's research has been passed on to his apprentice, Takeshi Yorita.

Yorita's research motto is “the pursuit of human kindness and real feeling.” With stubborn persistence backed by meticulous research, Yorita selects the ingredients in the company’s formulations and continues to research underused resources in such a way that consumers can firmly feel the benefits.

Yuzo's thoughts and his commitment to research have been passed down from generation to generation.