(The following is translation of the e-mail which was sent to Japanese customers.)

I'm Y from YOUYOUANG.

How are you doing?

It has been calm and windless here at the foot of Mt. Akagi in Maebashi. The sunset at the end of last week was red.

Last week the Gift Show, spring exhibition was held. Although heavy snow was forecasted for the Kanto area, it did not affect us at all (thanks to our customers!). We were able to finish the spring exhibition without any impact at all (thanks to our customers!). Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule, and moreover for visiting us in such bad weather!

As for our new product, "Spirit of Scent", both of the incense, which is sandalwood-based blended with cherry oil and lotus oil, and the matching incense plate gift set were very well received.

In fact, this was created "with pictures" first. I wanted to express the scent with an oriental illustration, so I decided on a theme and first drew it with a fine magic marker. Then I dropped it into illustrator, and turned it into its current form.

When I think of Japan’s satoyama landscape (undeveloped woodland near populated area), my image is "bamboo," and I thought "bamboo" could not be excluded. When I saw the finished plates, I thought that a fragrant wood base would suit them, so I made a prototype, and created the scent we have today.

During each exhibition, I stayed at a hotel near the Big Sight venue, and before changing into my kimono, namely, before I couldn’t move (laugh), I would slow-jog about 5 to 6 km every morning. This time I jogged too.

However, this week, when I woke up, I couldn't get up right away... My body is as heavy as lead, and I am acutely aware that I have reached an age at which fatigue comes at different times.

For more than 10 years now, I have been using a balance ball as my desk chair so that I can exercise while working out. But I forget about it and just sit on a "soft chair" because I am so absorbed in my PC. This is not good enough, so I entered the first race of the year. (LOL)

I have three months left, so I want to get my body back to the point where I can run 50km.

Though the calendar says that it is spring, it is just a name and still extremely cold at this time of the year.

I hope everyone is doing well.