Forgotten local resource budou-haze, a Japanese wax tree in the limelight

A project to revitalize the local economy using budou-haze, a type of Japanese wax tree, which is a local specialty grown in Wakayama Prefecture, is increasingly attracting interest. The species used to be heavily applied as an ingredient for Japanese candles, but has vanished from people’s memories with declined demand over the years. Once local high school students found a tree believed to be the original of budou-haze, the prefectural government has started working on re-designation of the species as a natural monument as well as nurturing growers of it.
For more information, please refer to The Rinsei News, Issue No.606, published on June 12.