Lion’s corporate history records the launch of Emeron Shokubutsu-Monogatari (“Plant Story”) in 1992, describing it as a beauty soap made with 100% plant ingredients [2].

Important distinction: Lion’s Japanese history traces the Shokubutsu-Monogatari product lineage to 1992, while Lion’s Singapore operation describes Shokubutsu as established in 1998. These dates are not necessarily contradictory: the former refers to the original Japanese Shokubutsu-Monogatari product, while the latter describes the establishment of the Shokubutsu brand and business in the Singapore market [3].

The word Shokubutsu (植物) is Japanese for “plant” or “plants.” The name directly communicates the brand’s central proposition of bringing botanical or plant-derived concepts into everyday personal cleansing.

The longer name Shokubutsu-Monogatari (植物物語) translates roughly to “Plant Story” or “Story of Plants.” Lion officially uses the English translation “Plant Story” when discussing the original product. This naming is significant because Shokubutsu was introduced during a period when Lion was expanding its use of plant-derived ingredients across its product portfolio.

Before Shokubutsu

Shokubutsu is part of a long-standing Lion tradition of producing soaps and personal-care products. Lion traces its foundation to 1891, when Tomijiro Kobayashi established the business that would eventually become Lion Corporation. The company originally developed around products such as soap and toothpaste before expanding into detergents, pharmaceuticals, and beauty and personal-care products.

By the late 20th century, Lion was increasingly exploring plant-derived ingredients as part of both product development and environmental initiatives.

1992: Shokubutsu-Monogatari

A key milestone occurred in 1992 when Lion developed and launched Emeron Shokubutsu-Monogatari. Lion describes the product as a beauty soap made with 100% plant-based ingredients, and its launch was part of a broader effort to expand products using plant-derived materials. This marked the fundamental origin of what became the Shokubutsu brand.

The launch occurred alongside other Lion initiatives involving plant-derived materials. In 1991, Lion had developed a palm-oil-based surfactant and launched Spark laundry detergent using plant-derived ingredients. Shokubutsu-Monogatari followed in 1992 as the company’s botanical-oriented beauty soap.

The original Shokubutsu concept was based around beauty soap, but the brand subsequently evolved with changing consumer habits. Today, the brand is much more strongly associated with liquid body washes and shower creams than traditional bar soap.

Lion Thailand currently lists several Shokubutsu categories, including:

• Shower cream
• Men’s shower cream
• Whipped foaming bath
• Skin Solution body wash
• Facial foam
• Feminine cleansing products
• Cooling powder

This evolution reflects the broader transition in Asian personal care from traditional bathing soaps toward specialized liquid cleansing products.

Shokubutsu’s positioning can broadly be summarized as “botanical beauty combined with everyday cleansing.” The brand emphasizes several recurring ideas:

1. Plants and botanical ingredients: Plants are the central identity of the brand rather than simply an occasional product ingredient.
2. Gentle cleansing: Many Shokubutsu products are positioned around cleansing while maintaining a comfortable skin feel.
3. Moisturization: Modern formulations increasingly combine cleansing with skin-conditioning and moisturizing benefits.
4. Fragrance and sensory experience: Fragrance is an important part of the shower experience, with different botanical, floral, and fruit-inspired variants.
5. Accessible everyday beauty: Rather than positioning itself exclusively as a premium skincare brand, Shokubutsu generally operates in the everyday personal-care market.

Lion Singapore explicitly describes the brand’s philosophy as “The Power of Botanical Beauty” and states that Shokubutsu was developed around botanical ingredients and plant-derived cleansing ingredients [1].

Shokubutsu Monogatari

Shokubutsu Monogatari remains one of the most recognizable names within the brand. In Thailand, Lion currently lists numerous Shokubutsu Monogatari shower-cream variants, including formulations associated with:

• Japanese Camellia
• Chinese Milk Vetch
• Ginkgo
• Advanced Moisture
• Orange Peel Oil
• Anti-Bacterial
• Fruity Fresh

The products use different botanical stories to differentiate variants according to desired skin benefits, fragrance, or sensory experience. For example, Lion Thailand positions the Japanese Camellia variant around camellia-derived oil, while Advanced Moisture emphasizes oat milk and shea butter.

Shokubutsu Whipped Foaming Bath

Another development is the Whipped Foaming Bath line. Instead of dispensing a conventional liquid shower cream, the pump produces a fine foam directly. Lion Thailand describes the product as providing a soft, fine foam, gentle cleansing, and moisturizing benefits, while also emphasizing a long-lasting fresh fragrance. This format allows Shokubutsu to compete not only through ingredients but also through shower experience and texture.

Shokubutsu Skin Solution

The newer Skin Solution Series represents a more skincare-oriented direction for the brand. Lion Thailand describes the series as focusing on the skin microbiome, skin barrier, pH balance, gentle cleansing, plant-derived extracts, and specific body-skin concerns. One formulation is described as having a pH of 5.5 and incorporating hemp and double prebiotics. This represents an important evolution in Shokubutsu’s positioning from essentially “plant-based body cleansing” toward “body cleansing plus skin science.”

Shokubutsu Men

Shokubutsu also has a dedicated Men range. In Thailand, the men’s body wash is positioned around deep cleansing, freshness, and odor control. Lion Thailand states it uses plant-derived ingredients and includes IPMP (isopropyl methylphenol) as an antibacterial agent [4]. The men’s range adapts the basic Shokubutsu proposition to a more masculine positioning centered on freshness, sweat, body odor, antibacterial care, and active lifestyles.

One of Shokubutsu’s most important differentiators is its emphasis on plant-derived cleansing ingredients. However, “plant-based” does not necessarily mean that an entire finished cosmetic product consists exclusively of natural plant material. Modern body washes contain many different classes of ingredients, including surfactants, preservatives, fragrance components, stabilizers, and functional ingredients.

The original 1992 Shokubutsu-Monogatari was specifically described by Lion as a beauty soap made with 100% plant-based ingredients, while contemporary Shokubutsu products use different formulation claims depending on the market and product [5]. For example, Lion Thailand currently describes its Shokubutsu Monogatari Shower Cream as using cleansing agents derived 99% from natural plants.

Consequently, Shokubutsu uses plant-derived and botanical ingredients as a central formulation and branding philosophy, rather than being simply a “natural cosmetics” brand.

Thailand is one of the particularly important markets for Shokubutsu. The brand is operated locally by Lion Corporation (Thailand) Limited, part of the Lion group. The Thai portfolio is considerably broader than the original soap concept. Lion Thailand currently categorizes Shokubutsu under Personal Care, alongside brands such as Kirei Kirei, Shokubutsu Men, Flore, and Falless [2].

The Thai Shokubutsu portfolio includes products designed around distinctly different consumer needs:

Thailand serves as a primary example of how Shokubutsu has evolved from a single botanical soap concept into a broader personal-care platform.

Shokubutsu has also developed a strong presence in Southeast Asia. Lion Singapore describes the brand as having been established in 1998 and markets it as a range of body and face washes based on botanical beauty [1]. Its Singapore portfolio includes products such as Radiance, Anti-Bacterial, Men’s Body Foam, Men’s 2-in-1 products, HYDRO+, and facial cleansing products.

The Singapore business describes some Shokubutsu formulations using a concept called “Su-ken,” incorporating PCA-Na and natural extracts. Lion’s broader corporate reports also identify Shokubutsu as part of its expansion of products using plant-derived ingredients and its development of personal-care businesses in Asia [6].

Shokubutsu functions as a master brand with multiple sub-lines:

• Shokubutsu Monogatari: Botanical shower creams, anti-bacterial, fruity fresh, and botanical variants
• Shokubutsu Men: Men’s body wash
• Shokubutsu Whipped Foaming Bath: Foam-format body wash
• Shokubutsu Skin Solution: Skin-focused body wash
• Shokubutsu Facial: Facial cleansing
• Shokubutsu Feminine Cleansing: Feminine-care cleansing
• Shokubutsu Cooling Powder: Cooling and body-freshness products

The exact portfolio varies by country; not every sub-line is sold in every market [7].

Shokubutsu is a brand within the Lion group rather than an independent Japanese cosmetics company. Lion Corporation was founded in 1891 and today manufactures and sells products across oral care, soaps, detergents, hair care, skin care, and pharmaceuticals. Lion reported consolidated net sales of approximately ¥422 billion for FY2025, with 8,346 consolidated employees as of December 31, 2025.

Shokubutsu benefits from Lion’s broader expertise in surfactant technology, soap manufacturing, skin cleansing, consumer research, personal-care formulation, and Asian distribution.

Environmental considerations have historically been part of the Shokubutsu brand story. Lion’s move toward plant-derived ingredients in the early 1990s was not isolated to cosmetics; the company was simultaneously developing plant-based surfactants and detergents [8]. Lion subsequently established broader environmental criteria through initiatives such as its ECO LION Declaration and Lion Eco Standards.

This gives Shokubutsu a distinctive heritage: its botanical positioning emerged partly from Lion’s environmental and materials-development efforts rather than solely from the modern “clean beauty” trend.

From a marketing perspective, Shokubutsu occupies a middle ground. It is not purely a traditional soap brand, as its modern portfolio emphasizes body wash, skincare functionality, and specialized formulations. Nor is it a luxury skincare brand, as its products are designed for everyday mass-market personal care. Its positioning can be summarized as affordable everyday personal care inspired by botanical ingredients and Japanese product-development heritage.

The brand combines four major associations:

• Japanese origin: Credibility, formulation expertise, and Japanese beauty aesthetics
• Plants and botanicals: Naturalness and connection with nature
• Skin care: Moisturization, skin barrier, and targeted benefits
• Everyday cleansing: Practical, affordable, and frequently used products

Several factors distinguish Shokubutsu from generic body-wash manufacturers:

Botanical concept in the name

“Shokubutsu” literally means “plant,” so botanical ingredients are part of the brand’s identity at the most fundamental level.

Long history

The modern Shokubutsu story traces back to 1992, giving it more than three decades of history.

Evolution with consumer preferences

The brand has moved from bar soap toward liquid shower creams, foams, men’s products, and skin-science-oriented body washes.

Strong localization

Different Asian markets have developed different Shokubutsu product portfolios and positioning.

Combination of natural and scientific positioning

Earlier products emphasized plant-derived ingredients, while newer products increasingly discuss pH, microbiome, prebiotics, skin barrier, and specialized actives. This combination is essential to understanding the contemporary brand.

As of 2026, Shokubutsu is best described as a Japanese-origin, Asian-focused personal-care brand centered on botanical beauty and body cleansing under Lion Corporation. Its identity has evolved as follows:

• 1992: Plant-derived beauty soap
• 1990s–2000s: Botanical personal cleansing
• 2010s: More specialized body washes and beauty benefits
• 2020s: Botanical ingredients combined with skin science and specialized skin concerns
• Today: Botanical personal care combined with skincare technology and sensory bathing experience

The most important continuity throughout this evolution is the connection between plants, cleansing, and healthy-looking skin [9].

1. Shokubutsu | Lion Corporation – Smarter Living Solutions
2. Lion Corporation › Shokubutsu
3. Lion Corporation › Shokubutsu
4. Lion Corporation › Shokubutsu Men
5. “Shokubutsu Monogatari” is the No. 1 body soap brand in the Thai market. It is not the case that a Japanese company entered alone and won | The truth about the 9.7 billion baht Thai market｜長谷川舞美｜タイ貿易×海外販路×インバウンド戦略支援
6. SCGC and LION Launch Green Solution with SCGC Green Polymer, Introducing Lightweight Packaging for Lipon F Pro and Shokubutsu, Aiming to Reduce Material Usage and Greenhouse Gas Emissions | ThaiPR.NET
7. Lion Corp. and Dow Develop 100% Recyclable Refill Pouch | Packaging World
8. Lion joins hands with Dow and SCGC to launch recyclable refill bags to save the world
9. SHOKUBUTSU – Lion Corporation – Smarter Living Solutions