What is behind the rising demand for mugwort? Market trends and the potential for use

Demand for yomogi is rising remarkably.

Why is this Japanese herb, long familiar in Japan, drawing so much attention now? Behind it are rising health-consciousness, a reappraisal of Japanese herbs, and the discovery of new uses in the beauty and food industries. Since 2024 in particular,Mugwortsteam salons have grown nationwide to over 8,000 stores, reaching a scale surpassing the store count of major family-restaurant chains.

The data showing the yomogi market's expansion is clear. Internet search volume has climbed year by year, and in awareness surveys of yomogi-mushi, over 70% "know it but have no experience." This shows there's still plenty of room to grow.

A Japanese-herb boom pushes up yomogi demand

Japan's traditional plant materials are being reappraised.

Yomogi is a representative example, with steady demand in the wagashi industry as a raw material for the standard yomogi mochi and kusa dango. Because it's rich in chlorophyll, powdering it produces a vivid green, so it can also be used as a natural coloring ingredient. Thanks to its strong aroma, it has the trait of making its presence felt even in small blends.

Why trust in domestic yomogi is rising

Trust in domestic ingredients is boosting yomogi demand. Cases of adoption in clean-label products and natural-style sweets are increasing, reflecting consumers' awareness of "safety and security." That said, yomogi has strong seasonality and its harvest is easily swayed by climate conditions, so stable commercial supply calls for securing processed raw materials.

Versatility as a powdered raw material

Yomogi powder can be processed to suit the use. Coarse powder suits uses that want to strongly retain texture and aroma, while fine powder suits drinks and health foods that need coloring and even blending. It's used not only in confectionery, baking, and Japanese sweets but across a wide range of categories — smoothies, green juice, health foods.

Rising health-consciousness and yomogi's functionality

Attention is gathering on yomogi's functionality.

Its vivid green and rich aroma are valued, and demand is trending upward alongside rising health-consciousness. Yomogi-mushi is enjoyed as a method of onkatsu (warming self-care), and demand is increasing with rising health-consciousness. Yomogi-mushi is now also seen at femtech-related trade shows, and it's coming to be recognized as a means of addressing women's health issues.

Rapid growth of the yomogi-mushi market

The number of yomogi-mushi salons is increasing by 100–150 stores every month. Store counts tend to rise especially in winter, reaching 8,337 stores as of November 2025. This figure surpasses the roughly 6,500 domestic stores of family-restaurant chains like Gusto and Saizeriya.

The trend in search volume also backs the rising demand. Google data shows the search volume for yomogi-mushi increasing year by year. Given awareness levels, there's still room to rise, and further market expansion is expected.

Cases of yomogi use in the beauty and food industries

Yomogi is used across diverse industries.

At luxury hotel spas, the Ritz-Carlton Okinawa uses domestic yomogi in its high-end course. Orion Beer also makes use of yomogi drying technology in new-product development and releases new products every year. In the food industry, value-added product development is advancing, such as yomogi peanut butter offered as a Furusato Nozei return gift.

Points for use in product development

Because yomogi is a strongly aromatic material, product design must consider the balance with other ingredients. Since powder particle size and the drying process greatly affect quality, processing to suit the use is called for. Because its low unit price makes it unprofitable domestically, value-added product development is called for as the current situation.

Responding to a shortage of domestic yomogi

In the near future, a shortage of domestic yomogi is a concern. Yomogi raw material is mainly Chinese-grown, but as demand for domestic rises, raising the unit price and developing uses are challenges. In Aibetsu, Hokkaido, an effort has begun to make use of wild yomogi obtained from undergrowth-clearing in forest management, drawing attention as a case of putting to good use a resource that had been discarded.

Summary: the future and potential of the yomogi market

The rise in yomogi demand is not a passing boom.

A reappraisal of Japanese herbs, rising health-consciousness, and the discovery of new uses in the beauty and food industries support this market. Given the rapid increase in yomogi-mushi salons, the rise in internet search volume, and the headroom in awareness, further market expansion can be expected.

Making use of domestic yomogi's quality advantage and advancing value-added product development will lead to this market's sustained growth. Environmentally conscious efforts, such as making effective use of forest resources, have also begun, and yomogi holds potential beyond a mere food or beauty material. Why not consider product development that incorporates yomogi's appeal, or a yomogi-mushi experience?