(The following is translation of the email which was sent to Japanese customers.)

I'm Y from YOUYOUANG.

How are you doing?

It's February, “Setsubun (A festival held on February 3 or 4, one day before the start of spring according to Japanese lunar calendar)” is over, and the February Gift Show is finally approaching. Every year, January seems to be over in about two weeks, doesn't it? I feel like it’s still busy December and February is the month when the pace finally returns. Is it just me?

Last weekend, I went for a drive to Mt. Akagi. It’s close to my office, so I can go there on a whim. If you are physically fit, you can even go there by bicycle. It was a beautiful Sunday, but it was a mountain. The road was icy from the middle of the way to the top and there was a lot of snow left.

The hill where there are always cute sheep was as you can see the photo below. As expected, no sheep.

Since it was a spur-of-the-moment trip, I did not climb the mountain as I wore sneakers. I got out of the car and took a walk around. At the top of the mountain, there is Onuma lake that is crowded with boaters and campers in summer. Now is the season for wakasagi, Japanese pond smelt, fishing. We saw people setting up small tents on the ice and enjoying fishing.

I wondered who would measure the thickness of the ice and decide that it was safe to walk on the ice from today. I slowly walked on the ice.

The Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2023 will start next Wednesday, the 15th. We will again exhibit at the "Fragrance Fair" in East Hall 5, T47-08. You will not be able to burn incense in the exhibition hall, but you will be able to pick up and smell the scent of each incense.

The scent I particularly want you to try is "Indulgence in Reading". It has a very deep scent and I think the characteristics of the fragrant wood are well expressed.

In addition to the above, I will also bring scent that I am planning to commercialize at the next autumn exhibition, based on your feedback. If it is convenient for you, please come and visit us.

We can hear the footsteps of spring even in the cold weather. I hope you are all doing well.