The "WOMAN'S BEAUTY FESTIBAL" will be held on March 21st at the Beauty Apothecary in Isetan Shinjuku, proposing methods for all women who wish to remain true to themselves, beautiful, and healthy, now and in the future.

At the event, birth coordinator Nanako Ohba will hold a lecture for future mothers to learn about pregnancy and childbirth and the importance of life. We spoke to Ohba, a working mother of five, about her method for living a holistic life.

■Choosing domestic, seasonal ingredients that Japanese people have enjoyed since ancient times

Ohba focuses on a diet that has been traditionally enjoyed by Japanese people since ancient times, including domestic, seasonal root vegetables, seaweed, and whole rice. Having taken no medication for the past 30 years, she is a true practitioner of a "holistic beauty" lifestyle, maintaining a balance between mind and body while maintaining natural beauty. When I was 19, I witnessed a friend's mother recover from cancer through dietary therapy. This sparked my interest in "natural medical food," a therapy that enhances the body's natural healing powers through a diet centered on brown rice and vegetables. "The owner of a natural food restaurant showed me a video about the dangers of additives and genetic modification, and I learned that what we put in our mouths becomes human cells. From then on, I became very conscious of what I ate. For the next three years, I was a full vegetarian. I rented a community farm to grow vegetables, and even the black beans we had for New Year's were grown in my own field. My special skill is growing vegetables (laughs)!" While the vegetarian lifestyle may seem like it would be difficult, Ohba's story sounds incredibly enjoyable. From his early twenties, he grew everything from vegetables to rice. He says his strict vegetarian lifestyle has gradually faded, but as he says, "The eco-friendly lifestyle that's popular now is something I learned about in Europe 30 years ago, and it's basically just an experiment (laughs)." He grew herbs, opened flea markets, and was many steps ahead of his time.

■Traveling the World Confirmed the Concept of "Shindo-Fuji"

Another of Ohba's roots is her backpacking trip to eight European countries when she was 20 years old. During her homestay in Italy, she witnessed her mother making everything from pasta to tomato sauce from scratch. "I became convinced that the body and the earth are one. Our bodies are made from the things that are grown in the land, and that what is harvested in season keeps us in the best condition at each moment of our lives."

At the March 21st event, Ohba will be appearing as a lecturer in the "Future Mother Lesson" (fee required, advance registration required). Ohba, who still advocates for "happy childbirth" and is also committed to training birth coordinators, says her journey began when she encountered a childbirth education school during her first pregnancy at the age of 22. So, 18 years ago, she conceived the idea of Future Mother Lesson, wanting to create a school where people could learn about pregnancy and childbirth as part of their life design, even before marriage. "I wish there were more opportunities for people who might have children someday to learn about this beforehand. 'If only I'd known, it could have been prevented.' It's a waste to think, 'If only I'd known, it could have been prevented.' Lack of knowledge can lead to unhealthy babies, or people being afraid of becoming mothers. It would be great if partners could participate as well, so they could become even better ikumen (fathers who are involved in child-rearing).

■First of all, adults should value their own rhythm

One of the things she wanted to convey in this seminar was to "value your own rhythm." Babies aren't born according to their parents' events and schedules. Ohba said, "The perfect timing and just-right events happen."

"It's great for businesspeople to seek maximum results in the shortest amount of time, but life can't be created like a plastic model kit. Children are new team members who join couples living their own lives. The most important thing is that you and your partner are a 'happy adult team.'" She also said that understanding how the body and mind work can help with stress management.

"Let's live our lives to the fullest, cherish the beautiful moments we have in life, and make them beautiful. The important thing is to be happy with life. Even illness should be cherished as a lesson that can teach us the most at this point. 'Relaxing' was also the theme of this event. Let's make the innate power of this beautiful life shine in this one and only life."

Ooba's talk magic will relax your heart and release the tension of everyday life just by listening to her speak. Come and experience this uplifting experience.

【Event Details】
■ Ohba Nanako "Future Mother Lesson"
Date: March 21st (Monday, substitute holiday)
Time: 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Venue: Isetan Shinjuku Main Building, 7th floor = Banquet Room
Capacity: 30 people
Participation Fee: 3,240 yen
*Advance reservations required in-store at Beauty Apothecary or by phone
Tel: 03 (3352) 1111
■ Ohba Nanako Special Talk Event "I LADY. Campaign"
Date: March 21st (Monday, substitute holiday)
Time: 7:30pm - (approx. 30 minutes)
Venue: Isetan Shinjuku Main Building, 2nd basement floor = Park/Promotion
Participation is free, no advance reservations required

【Profile】
Ohba Nanako (Ohba Nanako)
Born in Tokyo. A powerful mother of five children, ranging from a boy in eighth grade to three working adults. At the age of 15, she applied to be a reporter for a fashion magazine and was selected, experiencing overseas for the first time. She later worked as a model as a kimono goodwill ambassador for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her own experience of giving birth sparked her interest in the fields of childbirth preparation education and postpartum life design, and she began working to support pregnancy and childbirth. Since 1997, she has offered courses for both pre-conception and couples. In 2003, she founded Birth Sense Research Institute, Ltd. She created a generation-specific childbirth learning program she named "Birthology" (R). She is currently researching stress management for pregnant women and oxytocin in graduate school. In 2016, she was appointed an ambassador for the Ministry of the Environment's "Connect and Support Forests, Villages, Rivers, and Seas" project. She says, "Each of us must have the mindset of coexisting with the Earth while it allows us to exist."