Winding Down During Tokyo High Season

As the city of Tokyo put up its glittering Christmas lights around all the major shopping spots the day after Halloween was over, I was quickly reminded that I have a few rituals that I could perhaps freshen up with new tools and items during the spending season!

1. Why not replace my bulky electric humidifier with this original brand-new Rocca Eco Paper Humidifier? It is so much nicer to have by your bedside, and you wouldn’t even know it’s there to keep your skin & throat moisturized! The trick is to put about 220ml inside the pot at the base, and the paper above soaks it up to release about 10 times the amount of moisture in the surrounding air. Since the nuclear incident at Fukushima, consumers have been wary of over-using electricity, so this is definitely an effective, yet stylish solution to avoid wasting more energy than we already do. It also comes shaped as a heart, clove, spade, diamond or globe!

2. In an era where most people have an increasing use of computer in their day-to-day life, our eyes have certainly become more exposed to fatigue and dryness. The Memoto Relax is an impressive new item in the ‘beauty-relaxation’ corner of this department store: An eye mask that not only warms your eyes, but also plays your choice of music while massaging your temples all at the same time!  The Japanese are demanding when it comes to good massages, and the mask features three different styles and effects that are integrated into the massage function.

3. Neither lime, nor lemon, but distinctly in between with a twist of mandarin orange, Japanese citrus liqueur yuzu is a holiday favorite both in Japan and increasingly abroad. Fruit-based alcohol liqueurs are found around the world, but Japan has its own original variety, the most famous being ume (local plum), called umeshu as a drink.  The liqueurs are usually prepared either on the rocks, or with soda. Their slightly sweet-taste might mislead you into thinking they are not strong alcohols, but actually, they contain 7-8% alcohol on average. One must beware of its side effects!