Encounter with the natural swiftlet's nest
Swiftlet's Nest, a very treasure and a talisman, a remedy for major diseases in Malaysia
The "BI-SU" brand started with the encounter of Inatomi (CEO) with swiftlet's nest.
Back in 2009, Mr Inatomi felt some emptiness while he was managing construction and restaurant businesses. "Is there anything that I can enthusiastically do in my life?" His first encounter with the swiftlet's nest was during a dinner in Malaysia. He was in tremendous shock when he heard that the local people consumes swiftlet's nest as a talisman and a remedy against serious illness and to hear about the benefits of swiftlet's nest.
"Isn't swiftlet's nest originated from China?", "Why is it consumed as a talisman and a remedy against serious illness?" Numbers of questions that popped up in his head, and vaguely he felt that "isn't this what I want to devote myself to throughout my life?" In that very moment, he felt like the encounter was his destiny.
Returning to Malaysia as his heart moved by the mystery and current situation.
Immediately after returning to Japan, Mr Inatomi read more information and books on the swiftlet's nest. The more he investigated, the more he discovered the charm of the swiftlet's nest and its mystery that has yet to be revealed. At the same time, he was very concerned on the environment surrounding the swiftlet's nest.
This swiftlet's nest is extremely rare as a food material and has various effects on humans. Hence there are mass production of fake nest as well as over-hunting of swiftlet's nest that destroying mother nature.
Mr Inatomi headed back to Malaysia while decided that "My mission is to convey the wonders of a real swiftlet’s nest to as many people as possible!"
Heading to the Jungle, a life-threatening destination.
"I want people to know the real swiftlet's nest. That's why I need to deliver it myself." With that in mind, he made contact with a Malaysian who’s familiar with the swiftlet’s nest in Malaysia, and crossed the sea to hear his story.
Mr Inatomi asked the contact person on the swiftlet's nest that he showed, "I may seems rude, but is this a real, natural swiftlet's nest? Is there anything that proves it?" The answer returned was "It's real, but there is no proof." Mr Inatomi then asked, "I can't deliver it with confidence without checking with my own eyes to see if it's genuine. I'd like you to take me to the site where the nests are being harvested." But the contact person refused Mr Inatomi's request. This was because the cave where swiftlets nested are in the land that is strictly managed by the government. Moreover, ones also need to cross a live-threatening jungle to go to the cave.
However, as a result of Mr Inatomi's strong determination and attitude towards the swiftlet's nest, he was finally allowed to accompany him to the cave.
Intuition that "this is life-changing place"
The caves, where swiftlets live, are located on Borneo Island, a wilderness full of 1.5 million species of plants and animals, two hours away from the Peninsular Malaysia by air. To reach your destination, you'll have to travel by car 2 to 3 hours from the airport, and then followed by miles of jungles and mountains trekking.
In the jungle, he encountered with the endangered orang utan and the dangerous poisonous spiders and snakes. The cave that appears after miles of trekking in such a jungle is strictly controlled by the Malaysian government. Only in the specific seasons and the appointed persons are allowed to enter the area.
The moment when he first entered the cave, he was fascinated by the mystery, trembled and intuitively felt that "this is a life-changing place".
Even for a veteran, harvesting swiftlet's nests is so dangerous that many fatalities recorded each year.
Swiftlets live in a cave that is large enough to fit an entire Tokyo Dome.
The harvesting of swiftlet's nests is done by climbing an iron ladder in this large cave without a lifeline, so every year even veterans lose their lives. Even so, they are harvested since it gives high incomes to the harvester, but behind that reasons, they might have been fascinated to the mysteries of the swiftlet’s nest.
Inatomi was not an exception. When he picked up the swiftlet's nest, he was really fascinated by its beauty that made him decided that [I will deliver this wonderful creation to the world ].
What is the goal of BI-SU?
Mr Inatomi has been travelling to Malaysia every year since the establishment of BI-SU, and harvesting swiftlet's nests with his own hands. The reason for this is, of course, the desire to "deliver the real swiftlet's nest", but at the same time to ritually thanks and pay respect to the swiftlets.
"I want to deliver this wonderful creation to t"he world. This thought is the starting point of "BI-SU". Bit by bit, thanks to the customers who understand its genuineness, BI-SU has grown bigger. However, we have not reached the top of the mountain we are aiming for. The current situation with the swiftlet’s nest is still in bad condition, the "environmental destruction of the jungle" and "the distribution of fake nests" still continues.
We will not only be receiving the blessings of the swiftlets, but also need to improve the environment of the jungle and mother nature, and convey the genuine goodness to the world. We will only reach our goal when the BI-SU's activity acknowledge by the world and when the relation between human and nature becomes a "circulating relation" that compensate each other. Mr Inatomi believes that is the way to return the favour to the swiftlets that shared with us their grace
「Genuine＋Heart」＝BI-SU
BI-SU will continue to grow with the customers who understand the genuineness of the products.