Gift from Ihatov” is a symbiotic yogurt made using 95% fresh raw milk from Iwate Prefecture which is fermented at a low temperature for a long time to achieve moderately sour taste and a firm texture. Symbiotic foods are known to deliver both probiotics, which are live bacteria that are good for you body, and prebiotics, which are compounds in food that induce the growth or activity of beneficial microorganisms. This yogurt is blended with Bifidobacterium lactis HN019, which is a probiotic strain that reaches the gut alive, as well as dietary fibers and oligosaccharide (low sugar) that acts as a substrate to facilitate the growth and activity of Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 to produce a synergistic effect to adjust the intestinal environment. Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 is scientifically proven to have an effect in doubling the tumoricidal activity of natural killer cells while also enhancing the immune function. Iwate Milk Co., Ltd. not only strived to produce delicious yogurt but also focused on delivering a product that can help maintain a good health by improving the functions of gut flora. “Ihatov” is the name of the fictional cluster of landmarks derived from the word “Iwate” as a toponym created by Kenji Miyazawa, an Iwate-native novelist and poet of children’s literature. The company is said the be the model of the milk store that appears in Kenji’s famous fantasy novel “Night on the Galactic Railroad”.