trademark

Last month, a friend who lives in the Kanto region contacted me, saying, “I’m stopping over in Nagoya on the Shinkansen on my way back from a trip to Osaka—let’s grab dinner together,” so we met up.
We usually see each other once or twice a year, but since I’m the one who typically travels to Kanto, meeting up in my hometown of Nagoya feels different from our usual get-togethers and is always a lot of fun.

I eagerly made a reservation for dinner, bought some fresh Nagoya sweets—which I usually can’t give her—and went to meet her at the Shinkansen ticket gate. My friend stepped off the train with a big smile. “Here you go—a souvenir from Osaka!” she said, handing me the sweets shown in the photo. The box featured a cute girl holding the sweets and the words “Registered Trademark.”

After spending a fun time together and seeing my friend off, I went home and immediately searched for it on J-Plat Pat.
The product name, the girl’s upper body, and even a close-up of her face were all clearly registered.
Nodding to myself, “I see, I see,” I happily tucked into the sweets my friend had given me.
(Swimmer)

https://www.mukashin.com/ (Mukashin Website (Japanese only))
https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/c1801/TR/JP-2020-090910/40/en
https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/c1801/TR/JP-2024-002024/40/en
https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/c1801/TR/JP-2024-002025/40/en

Lately, I’ve been buying a lot of drip-bag coffee while traveling.
Not only at local coffee shops, but also at places like art museums, where they sometimes sell their own original blends—so there are actually quite a few opportunities to buy coffee while on the road.

The other day, when I visited Shimane Prefecture, I bought the following two varieties.

This one is from “Taisha Coffee,” which has a shop near Izumo Taisha Shrine.
The packaging really captures the essence of Izumo Taisha, doesn’t it?
Official Website: https://maruco.co.jp/taishacoffee/

This one is from “Saiundo,” a long-established Japanese confectionery shop in Shimane.
It was developed in collaboration with a local coffee shop, and the coffee is said to have a flavor that pairs well with the sweetness and texture of traditional Japanese sweets.
Official Website: https://www.saiundo.co.jp/

Even after returning from my trip, I’ve been enjoying the lingering memories of my journey by looking at the packaging and sipping the coffee.

The trademark “Saiundo” was registered on June 26, 2026, with Class 30 “Confectionery” as the designated goods (Rights Holder: Saiundo Co., Ltd., Japanese Trademark Registration No. 7058810).
(Sakuramochi)

Fireworks are a quintessential summer tradition. In recent years, more and more fireworks displays have been broadcast live on TV, allowing people who can’t make it to the venue for various reasons to enjoy them as well.

This year, my family and I watched the Okazaki and Nagara River fireworks displays on TV. While it may not quite match the immersive experience of being there in person, watching on TV has its own unique charm. The fireworks, set to background music, were absolutely beautiful, and at the Okazaki Fireworks Festival, a highlight reel filmed by drone was broadcast after the show ended.

The footage, which made it seem as though we were diving right into the fireworks, was as beautiful as a scene from a movie. I feel like I was able to fully appreciate the charm of the fireworks, which the pyrotechnicians had painstakingly crafted.
Okazaki Castle Grand Fireworks Live Broadcast 2026 | TV Aichi (Japanese only)

Amid all this, I began seeing more commercials for the “Harekaze” beer and learned about an initiative called “Harekaze ACTION.” This is a campaign that supports fireworks festivals facing the threat of cancellation by donating a portion of the product’s sales.

Not only does purchasing the beer automatically lead to a donation, but you can also donate using “Harekaze Coins,” which you can receive once a day by visiting the official website.
Fireworks Festival Support Activities | Harekaze ACTION | KIRIN (Japanese only)

Incidentally, “Harekaze” and “Harekaze ACTION” are registered Japanese trademarks of Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd. While attention tends to focus on the fireworks support initiative itself, from my perspective as someone involved in intellectual property, I cannot overlook the fact that the initiative’s name and brand name are appropriately protected as trademarks.

A beer enjoyed while watching fireworks is truly special. Learning about these initiatives makes that drink feel even more special. I can’t help but hope that this quintessential Japanese summer tradition will continue to be passed down for generations to come.

Speaking of which, while organizing some old photos, I came across a picture of fireworks.
This was taken at “Hanabi Fes.”, held at Laguna Beach in Gamagori Laguna Tenbos, which we visited during our 2018 staff trip.♪ (Cacao)

*“Harekaze” (Japanese Trademark Registration No. 6752854, Japanese Trademark Registration No. 6886937) and “Harekaze ACTION” (Japanese Trademark Registration No. 6841058) are registered trademarks of Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd.

The other day, I had the chance to try “BASE BREAD Chocolate” at a sports gym I stopped by briefly.
BASE BREAD is the flagship product of the “BASE FOOD” series sold by Base Food Co., Ltd., and it’s a marbled-style bread made with Belgian chocolate.

Designed as a “complete nutritional food”—meaning it provides about one-third of the daily recommended nutrients based on Japan’s Dietary Reference Intakes, with two packets constituting one serving—it features a balanced blend of 33 essential daily nutrients, including protein, dietary fiber, and 26 types of vitamins and minerals, all derived from over 10 natural ingredients such as whole wheat, soybeans, and chia seeds. The back of the package is densely packed with nutritional information.

I’ve often seen this product at supermarkets, convenience stores, and drugstores, and while I’d been curious about it for a while, to be honest, I’d heard rumors that it “didn’t taste good,” so I’d never actually bought it.
However, it turned out to be much tastier than I expected. The bread is moist, and I didn’t notice any dryness. The slight bitterness might be a characteristic of whole wheat flour, but it balances well with the chocolate, creating a sophisticated flavor with a subtly sweet taste. It’s also quite filling, so I’d definitely buy it again.
The fact that you can enjoy it as a delicious bread—rather than having to force yourself to eat it just because it’s a health food—seems to be the result of repeated improvements. It made me want to try other products in the series as well.

Additionally, the fact that it contains no preservatives makes it a healthy choice. The company is also committed to food safety and security. Apparently, they’ve refined their manufacturing process and moisture control to achieve a long shelf life of about one month at room temperature.

In addition to BASE BREAD, BASE FOOD Co., Ltd. has expanded its product lineup under the common “BASE” brand, including BASE Cookies, BASE RAMEN, and BASE YAKISOBA, and has filed and registered multiple trademarks in Japan that incorporate “BASE” or “ベース.”
The distinctive BASE FOOD logo is said to depict “a nutritionally balanced diet” and “building the foundation for health” using a regular pentagon as its motif.
What is the origin of the BASE FOOD logo? – Help Center (Japanese only)
The word “BASE” (meaning “basis” or “base”) aligns with the brand’s philosophy of building the basis for health, making it a prime example of a brand strategy that effectively utilizes trademarks.

I believe the BASE series offers products that allow people to easily and deliciously replenish their nutrients—even when they skip breakfast, rely too heavily on carbohydrates, or simply don’t have the time to consider nutritional balance. However, a healthy lifestyle cannot be achieved with just one food item; in addition to a diet that includes a variety of foods, moderate exercise and sufficient sleep are also important. That said, complete nutrition foods like these seem to be a strong option for supporting nutritional management in our busy daily lives. (Syszo)

BASE FOOD (Japanese only) https://shop.basefood.co.jp/

The other day, I bought some “Hana-gori” sweets made by Kamehiroyoshi.

What drew me to buy them was their refreshing appearance.
Hoping to feel even a little bit refreshed during the rainy season, I decided to give them a try.

As the product description states, “These jewel-like sweets are crafted from highly refined domestic rock sugar and premium thread-like agar,” and they are indeed as beautiful as jewels with their vibrant colors!

“Kyogashi-tsukasa Kamehiroyoshi” is a traditional Japanese confectionery shop located in Nishi Ward, Nagoya City.
Official Website: https://www.kamehiroyoshi.com/

Even if you can’t make it to the shop in Nishi Ward, it’s great that you can purchase several of their products through Takashimaya’s “100 Selected Confectioneries” collection.

I hope to get through the hot summer by taking in a bit of coolness through my eyes as well.

“Kamehiroyoshi Hana-gori” was registered as a trademark on July 1, 2020, with Class 30 “Japanese sweets, confectionery,” etc., as the designated goods (Rights Holder: Kenichi Mitani, Japanese Trademark Registration No. 6265156).
(Sakuramochi)