Hakugen (Japanese: 白元, Hakugen) is a long-established Japanese household and personal-care name associated with products for clothing protection, humidity control, insect care, deodorization, personal comfort, bathing, masks, and other everyday household needs. Today, the name is closely connected with Hakugen Earth Inc. (白元アース株式会社), the Japanese company that carries on the major consumer businesses formerly associated with Hakugen.1

The current Hakugen Earth company was established in 2014, when it took over major businesses from the former Hakugen Co., Ltd. It officially began operations on September 1, 2014.2

The Hakugen name predates the current Hakugen Earth corporation by many decades. One of its best-known product lines, Parazol (パラゾール), dates back to 1950, when the first Parazol mothproofing product was introduced. Later versions included products for wardrobes and drawers, making the brand particularly associated with Japanese clothing-storage products.

A major characteristic of Hakugen’s history is its focus on solving relatively ordinary but persistent household problems: moths damaging clothing, excess humidity, unpleasant odors, temperature discomfort, and seasonal household care.

The modern corporate structure emerged in 2014. Rather than simply representing a new consumer brand, Hakugen Earth was created to continue a portfolio of established Hakugen products. The company specifically identifies products such as Mrs. Roid, Parazol, Dry & Dry UP, Yutapon, Ice-Non, Nonsmel, Kaiteki Guard and Sock Touch among the products transferred from the former Hakugen business.

Hakugen Earth currently has a broad household-product portfolio.

Clothing mothproofing

This is one of Hakugen’s most recognizable areas. The company’s products include:

• Mrs. Roid (ミセスロイド) — clothing and wardrobe mothproofing products
• Parazol (パラゾール) — a long-running mothproofing line
• Products for wardrobes, drawers and Japanese kimono storage

Mrs. Roid products, for example, can combine insect protection, deodorization, mold prevention and yellowing prevention, depending on the product.

Dehumidifiers

Hakugen is also prominent in household moisture control. Its Dry & Dry UP (ドライ＆ドライUP) range is designed to absorb moisture in closets, drawers and other enclosed spaces. The portfolio also includes specialized variants for clothing and footwear.

This category fits particularly well with the Japanese household environment, where humidity and seasonal changes can create problems with clothing, storage and mold.

Odor control

The Nonsmel (ノンスメル) family covers deodorizing and odor-control products. One example, Nonsmel Shimizu Kaori, is designed for odors on clothing and fabric products and can also be used in spaces. The range includes unscented and fragranced versions.3

Heating and cooling products

Hakugen also makes seasonal comfort products. Yutapon (ゆたぽん) products provide heat, while Ice-Non (アイスノン) products are designed for cooling and temperature relief. The current portfolio includes products for areas such as the head, neck and body.

For example, the Relax Yutapon range uses microwave heating and is designed to provide warm steam-like comfort around areas such as the neck, shoulders and eyes.

Bath products

Hakugen’s portfolio extends into Japanese bath culture. Its bath-product brands include:

• HERS Bath Lab
• Ii Yu Tabidachi
• Awa Awa Land
• Other bath additives and bath liquids

The products range from carbonated bath tablets to themed Japanese bathing experiences.

Masks and hygiene products

Hakugen Earth also operates several mask brands, including:

• Kaiteki Guard
• Kaiteki Guard Pro
• Be-style
• Kaiteki Guard Standard
• Kaiteki Guard Nodo-Uruoi Nure Mask

These include everyday masks as well as specialized designs. For example, Be-style products emphasize a face-fitting design, while Kaiteki Guard products focus on comfort and filtration.

Personal-care products

The company also has smaller personal-care categories, including Sock Touch, a product designed to help keep socks in place, and Oil Clear Film products for absorbing facial oil.

It is useful to distinguish Hakugen from the individual consumer brands underneath the Hakugen Earth portfolio.

The current official product catalog organizes these into categories including clothing insect repellents, storage care, dehumidifiers, insect-care products, heating products, bath products, hygiene products, masks, deodorizing/fragrance products and personal care.

Hakugen Earth describes its corporate philosophy around living alongside people’s lives and achieving coexistence with the Earth. It is part of the broader Earth Group and uses the group’s principles of customer-oriented market creation, passion, innovation and integrity.1

The company’s philosophy is therefore broader than simply selling household chemicals. Its portfolio is positioned around everyday quality of life — keeping clothes safe, controlling humidity and odors, maintaining personal comfort, and providing seasonal and hygiene products.

Hakugen represents a characteristic type of Japanese consumer-goods company: rather than concentrating on one glamorous category, it has built recognition through practical household problems and highly specialized products.

Its products address things such as:

• “How do I stop insects from damaging my clothes?”
• “How do I keep a closet dry?”
• “How do I remove unpleasant odors?”
• “How do I stay warm or cool?”
• “How can I make my daily bath more enjoyable?”
• “How can I wear a mask comfortably?”

This has produced a portfolio of long-running, highly specialized Japanese household brands. The longevity of some products is particularly notable. Parazol, for example, traces its product history back to 1950, while the company’s present corporate structure dates from 2014.

This distinction is important.

Hakugen (白元) is the historical Japanese name/company associated with the products and brands.

Hakugen Earth (白元アース株式会社) is the current company operating the business today. It was established in 2014 after acquiring the principal businesses of the former Hakugen company.2

So, when encountering a product marked 白元, Hakugen, or associated with brands such as Mrs. Roid, Parazol or Dry & Dry UP, it is useful to understand it as part of the historical Hakugen business and/or the present Hakugen Earth portfolio rather than assuming “Hakugen” is a single modern product brand.

As of the latest company information, Hakugen Earth has its main offices in Adachi and Ueno, Tokyo, with ¥300 million in capital and 385 employees as of December 31, 2025. Its current president is Kazuto Yoshimura (吉村一人).

The company’s present-day product portfolio demonstrates that Hakugen has evolved from its historical strength in mothproofing and household storage care into a much broader Japanese household, hygiene, seasonal-comfort and personal-care company.

1. 企業理念｜会社情報｜白元アース株式会社
2. Official Hakugen Earth website
3. 商品情報：カテゴリから探す｜白元アース株式会社