Aika Oyama

Global Dairy Girl

About me

Why make soap with milk?

Some of you may have wondered that.

I work on a family-run dairy farm in the South coast of Sydney, Australia.
Through the rhythms of nature and the realities of life overseas,
I am committed to delivering experiences and products that help people and companies move their lives forward.

The moment I tasted the corn my older brother brought home from his agricultural high school,
I realized “This is nothing like what you buy at the supermarket.”
That shock was what led me into the world of agriculture.

I grew up in a 50-year-old public housing apartment in Okazaki, Aichi.
When I was 17, my parents divorced, and my mother fell ill.
At that moment, I made a promise to myself:

“You only live once. I will carve out my own path.”

From tuition to transportation to insurance fees,
I paid for everything by working part-time.

After high school, I joined a small automotive company and traveled abroad for the first time at 19.
During a solo trip and volunteer activities in Cebu,
I discovered something important:

With communication, you can overcome any language barrier.

This experience opened my eyes to the world.

Back in Japan, I tried every way to surround myself with English —
befriending backpackers working abroad, visiting bars where international travelers gathered,
and spending time with an American colleague from the same automotive group.
I actively built connections with people from around the world.

I later moved to a major company with night shifts.
During my three years as a contract worker, I made a vow:

I will travel overseas at least once a year.

As I saved money for study abroad and continued to challenge myself
overseas volunteering, solo travel
my perspective grew even wider.

At 23, I left for Canada with only ¥100,000 in my pocket.

Two weeks after arriving, my language school became a COVID cluster.
I could barely attend, and my ¥800,000 investment in studying abroad seemed wasted.
But even then, I gained a powerful insight:

“Language is learned not at a desk, but through challenge.”

I worked at Italian restaurants and cafés,
then moved to the countryside to pursue agriculture.
After spending 1 year and 2 months in my first dairy job,
I finally found the core of my life’s purpose:

Agriculture connects people and nature and it can make someone’s life better.

Throughout my teens, I struggled with skin problems.
And when I learned that goat milk soap is common worldwide,
yet Japan’s “milk soap” often contains no actual milk,
I was shocked.

At that moment, my heart knew:

I need to create a real milk soap.

Using
– Pasture-raised Jersey milk from Shiraki Farm in Fukuoka
– Whey from Cheese Studio TAK that would have otherwise been discarded
– Organic Japanese ingredients such as camellia oil, indigo, and beets
– A 90-day cold process method
– Packaging and shipping supported by a welfare organization in Fukuoka

I created a one-of-a-kind regenerative model that connects
Nature × Agriculture × Welfare × Japanese Quality × SDGs.

That is why AIKA SOAP is
not “just a soap.”
It is a lifestyle that circulates kindness.

We officially launched in July 2024.
From word of mouth, our reach expanded,
and AIKA SOAP is now available through global e-commerce.

Through traveling to more than 10 countries,
working overseas,
and speaking at international online summits and business communities,
I realized something deeply:

Going abroad is not about talent it is about environment and opportunity.

But in Japan, only 17% of people hold a passport.
Many young people close the door to possibility before even taking their first step.

That is why I want to be
someone who creates that “first step.”

My Vision

① Build a regenerative dairy share-farm in Australia

Uniting cities, agriculture, welfare, SDGs, education, and global careers
a future model that does not yet exist in Japan.

② Grow AIKA SOAP into a global brand using Japan’s natural resources

Sharing the pride of producers and the value of Japanese nature with the world.

③ Create gentle cycles that connect people, nature, and society through soap

Supporting well-being for the skin, the environment, and our communities.

Finally
Thank you so much for reading.

Every product and service I offer carries not only my own story,
but the hopes of every person who has walked alongside me.