WE ARE WATO.
Japanese Remedies and Earth-Friendly Soaps
Our quest for Earth-friendly and natural living essentials began over twenty years ago, when our mother Noriko was searching for soap and detergent and could not find anything on the market that met her ideals. She taught herself how to make soap and studied traditional herbal and dyeing practices. She still helps her family understand the benefits of using not only natural ingredients but homemade dyes. With the launch of WATO, we are thrilled to share this journey with you.
Earth First
Using natural dyes feels good on our bodies, is gentle on our eyes, and celebrates the beauty of nature. We believe in building a sustainable future for all of us — what goes down the drain goes into the Earth, after all. When you hold a bar of WATO soap, you have Mother Earth in your hands.
Ancient practices
passed down to you
At WATO, we create all of our products under the guiding principles of Japanese remedies, drawing on ancient knowledge of nourishment and healing through herbs and natural materials. We believe in the restorative power of these plants and their essences. We hope you feel the magic, too.
Handmade Dyes: From the Leaf, the Seed, the Flower
Whereas most soapmakers use factory-produced clays and dyes, we create our own colors from scratch and by hand from botanical ingredients. We have also developed beautiful and effective techniques to incorporate these plant matter dyes into our creations. For more information, visit our Ingredients page.
Thank you to our stellar photographers Lisa Remerowski, Yuiko Sugino, and Rachael Lee Stroud!