Japanese Grapefruit Essential Oil: Bringing You a Warm Winter

Ⅰ. Grapefruit essential oil's origins

The Shikanshu River, touted as "Japan's cleanest river," flows its way through the southwestern section of the alluvial plain near Tosa Bay in Kochi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku (known as the Tosa clan in the Edo period).

Kochi Prefecture is Japan's major yuzu producer. From 600 to 700 years ago, the region had a long history of forestry and was well-known throughout the country. The prefecture boasts the largest forest cover in the country, at 84 percent, thanks to a 400-year history of forest protection.

As the timber industry declined after WWII, people overcame their own problems and began to plant Japanese yuzu, resulting in the nationally renowned organic fragrant yuzu that has been grown for over 800 years.

Kochi has a hot and humid climate, dense forests, a large temperature difference between day and night, mountains and the sea, and pure water, all of which contribute to the high nutritional value of the harvested yuzu and provide quality assurance for the agricultural processing industry's development.

To prevent polluting the environment, no chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used in the cultivation and production process, and the organic cycle of cultivation and hand-picking is required to ensure that the yuzu is green, high-quality, and pollution-free.

II. Grapefruit essential oil is made in a certain way

The partner farms are accountable for the quality of the product from start to end, from grapefruit farming to raw material production.

To make the perfect grapefruit, the grapefruit is nurtured for up to 18 years. Local villagers handpick each grapefruit, and the size, color, and aroma of the fruit are all important factors.

After cleaning, the grapefruits are divided into three categories: flesh, skin, and seeds, with the skin serving as the source of grapefruit essential oil extraction.

To get pure grapefruit essential oil, the farm uses a "60 degree vacuum low temperature flash steam," with very little yields and no compromise on quality. With a naturally sweet aroma that is as pleasant as a newly peeled grapefruit, 1kg of peel only generates half a teaspoon of essential oil.

The excess pomace is saved as fertilizer for the grapefruit plant the following year.

III. Using methods of the grapefruit essential oil

The little grapefruit fruit matures from dark green to golden yellow in late autumn, resembling a willow orange and reaching around 7cm in diameter. It is one of the few essential oils native to Japan, with a skin that is not as smooth as that of a willow orange and is somewhat pitted.

The grapefruit essential oil essence in the peel acts as a stimulant to the circulatory system, especially to unblock the blood and relieve fatigue, and soaking in a yuzu bath can also be effective in warding off winter colds, as it is traditionally used in hot baths at the winter solstice, when the whole fruit or peel is soaked in a hot bath.

Grapefruit essential oil has a mellow, layered citrus aroma that is somewhat acidic, grassy, and floral.

The first smell of grapefruit essential oil is a sweet and sour waft into the nose, with a mild bitterness, the fullness of the fruit, and the tranquillity and peace that autumn brings.

Grapefruit essential oil, unlike sweet oranges and grapefruit, which are innocent and simple, or lemons and limes, or bergamot and red oranges, which are mature and stable, takes its own unique path, like a young man with a golden heart, who has a unique perspective on life and enjoys every moment of it, attracting people unconsciously by its ease and confidence.

Grapefruit essential oil is extracted using steam distillation and has a scent similar to grapefruit tea, which makes your mouth water and makes you want to eat.