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Introduction
Our vision is to create what has never quite existed before and to deliver small surprises to our customers.
In food, we give new life to ingredients that hold hidden value.
In stationery, we reimagine everyday tools from a fresh perspective.
Different as these fields may seem, they share a common spirit: the pursuit of surprise and discovery.
About Us
FoodMark LLC was founded in 2015 in Miyazaki, Japan.
We operate two brands: Hinata no Hoshimonogatari, focusing on food, and Hinata no Shiodamari, focusing on stationery and design.
In food, we revive unused ingredients through drying technology, transforming them into new products that enrich daily life.
In stationery, we revisit tools that people take for granted and redesign them as new standards for the next 100 years. Though we are a small company in a regional city, our ambition is clear: to show that good ideas can reach the world from anywhere
About ichi-clip
The best expression of this ambition is the ichi-clip
Made from a single stainless-steel wire, this simple yet ingenious clip has a world-first feature:
its reversed tips allow the user to adjust the clamping force.
With one tool, you can bind 50 sheets of paper, secure business cards or thick stock, or even use it as a money clip.
Unlike conventional paper clips or binder clips, the ichi-clip introduces a new value — the ability to change strength.
It is not only about convenience but also about rethinking the very essence of a tool. Its originality has been widely recognized. In 2022, it won the Good Design Award in Japan, and in 2025 it received the BIG SEE Award in Europe.
We believe the ichi-clip is a tool that will remain relevant for the next 100 years.
Food Business
Alongside stationery, food is the other pillar of our work.
Our products include Fish Skin Jerky, made from fish skins that would otherwise be discarded; Lemon Sheets, created from 100% pure lemon juice; and Mentaiko Skin Jerky, made from the outer membranes of pollock roe. These are not only upcycled foods — they are proposals for new ways of eating.
They can be enjoyed as snacks, or dissolved in hot water to become soups or sauces.
With a shelf life of more than six months, they are suitable for emergency stockpiles, outdoor use, or even overseas shipping.
For us, drying is not just preservation — it is creation.
This philosophy drives us to turn “waste” into innovation, adding small surprises to everyday life.
Vision and Future
FoodMark is not just a company that makes products.
Our aim is to reinvest part of what we earn back into the future.
A portion of the profits from the ichi-clip and other projects is set aside to create a scholarship fund — one that supports children who wish to study, without the burden of repayment.
At the same time, we want to show that even from Miyazaki, a small regional city in Japan, it is possible to take on the world.
We hope our journey encourages the next generation of dreamers and creators. Our challenge has only just begun.
With flexible ideas and sincere craftsmanship, we will continue to deliver surprises and discoveries to the world.
Company Timeline
- 2015 – Founded FoodMark LLC in Miyazaki, Japan. Launched the dried food brand Hinata no Hoshimonogatari.
- 2021 – Began design development of the ichi-clip prototype.
- 2022 – ichi-clip won the Good Design Award (Japan).
- 2024 – Expanded dried food product line (Lemon Sheet, Mentaiko Skin Jerky, etc.).
- 2025 – ichi-clip received the BIG SEE Award (Europe).
- Future – Preparing a scholarship program for children who wish to study.