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

Hello, this is Kanako Yoshida from YOUYOUANG.

I hope this message finds you well.

In June, we exhibited at Interior Lifestyle Tokyo for the first time in 20 years. We received a great response, and the event ended successfully. We were happy to meet new customers as well as reconnect with familiar faces, and we were able to showcase our new products. We're truly grateful for all the support. Thank you very much to everyone who visited us despite the heat.

At the end of June and into early July, I traveled to Hokkaido (located in northern Japan) for business meetings, where it turned out to be even hotter than I had imagined (haha).
Using rental cars and express trains, I visited as many stores as possible. Being on-site gave me fresh insights, making the trip both productive and meaningful. Once again, I felt how valuable it is to hear directly from our customers.

This is inside the store of Kitaichi Glass in Otaru.
The wind chimes looked refreshing, and the incense displays had a calm, summery feel.

The display at Coach & Four Utsukushigaoka Store in Sapporo had a clean and organized look—very fitting for a bookstore.

On Sunday the 28th, I participated in the 50km division of the Saroma Lake Ultra Marathon.
I had planned to run the entire course without walking this year, but after passing the 25km mark, I started experiencing cramps and knee pain. Thanks to some shakuyakukanzoto (a traditional herbal remedy) a friend gave me the day before, the cramps subsided—but unfortunately, the knee pain didn’t. Eventually, I couldn’t run anymore. I ended up dragging my left leg and walking the rest of the way to somehow finish the race. It was frustrating, joyful, and painful—all at once (haha).

That night, I iced my knee to reduce the inflammation. I was worried about how I’d manage work the next day, but perhaps all the walking during my trip helped—in two days, I was walking normally again. I’m grateful to my parents for blessing me with a strong body.

This photo was taken just as I opened the door to leave the office the other day. Seeing such a beautiful view at the end of the day instantly lifted my spirits. They say a double rainbow brings good luck—I hope it brings lots of good things to all of you, too.

It still feels like the rainy season hasn’t ended yet, even though the weather already feels like midsummer. Please take good care of yourselves and stay cool and healthy as we head into the real summer season.