The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun
Products enable shoppers to support Ukraine
Eorts to provide support to Ukraine amid the conict that has continued since Russia’s invasion have been picking up nationwide. Activities include various forms of assistance such as monetary donations made a er pro ts from the sales of Ukrainian specialty items and traditional Japanese cra s. One company is using Ukrainian wine to try to help make a di erence.
“I hope people drink the wine and gain a little more interest in my home country,” said Ukraine-born Anna Vasia, 37, who is in charge of the wine section of Helms Ltd., a trading rm based in Yokohama.
Wine has long been produced in Ukraine. Helms has been selling Ukrainian wine products since 2020. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, orders via the internet of wine products have increased about 10-fold from alcohol wholesalers, restaurants and individual customers.
ere have been messages sent to the rm from those who purchased the products, including one directly stating that the wine was bought “in support of Ukraine.”
Helms began donating portions of its sales of Ukrainian wine products to the embattled country last month. In April, it will organize a charity dinner in Yokohama.
Vasia hails from Sumy, a city in northeastern Ukraine, where she was a professional dancer. She developed an a nity for Japan a er several visits here as a performer.
While she has been a Japan resident since 2006, her mother and grandmother remain in Sumy, which has been besieged by the Russian military. “I hope these activities standing up for peace will further grow [in Japan],” Vasia said.
Kumano Shrine in Tokai, Aichi Prefecture, is using its original goshuin red ink stamp through March 31 in hopes of promoting peace in Ukraine. Every temple and shrine in Japan has original stamps called goshuin, and visitors can obtain the stamp as a proof of visit there for a nominal fee called “hatsuhoryo.”
e Kumano Shrine goshuin features multiple blue heart shapes arranged in form a circle, with the kanji character “wa,” meaning peace, harmony and unity, inside the circle. In the lower part of
the paper appears the message, “Bring peace to Ukraine and the world!”
e shrine said it plans to donate all the hatsuhoryo (¥500 each) funds to Ukraine, delivering the assistance to the country’s embassy in Japan. It has already sold the goshuin to about 1,900 visitors between March 1 and 21.
“I hope people do not consider the invasion taking place at this time to be happening in some far-away country, but instead take this as an opportunity to think about peace,” said Hitomi Banno, 34, one of the shrine’s senior priests.
In Manno, Kagawa Prefecture, Kamikougei Yamada, a maker of uchiwa fans, on March 7 kicked o sales of uchiwa featuring a Ukrainian national ag design for ¥2,500 each.
e rm prepared 400 of the uchiwa, with proceeds from the sales to go to the Ukrainian Embassy in Japan. e items almost instantly sold out.
“I hope [the uchiwa] conjures up thoughts of Ukraine,” said Tokisato Yamada, 50, president of the rm. He plans to get involved in other activities in support of Ukraine. (March 26)