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

Hello, this is Kanako Yoshida from YOUYOUANG.
I hope you have been doing well.

As winter deepens, the first snowfall was observed this week at the foot of Mt. Akagi. Over time the bear incidents subsided, and the year-end events left are Christmas, traditional ringing of the New Year’s bells at Buddhist temples, and year-end cleaning—which is probably the hardest of all.

Except when I am traveling for business, I spend most of my time here in the countryside, which allows me to truly feel the changes of the seasons throughout the year. To put it a bit dramatically, I experience “spring,” “summer,” “autumn,” and “winter” very distinctly.

Wintersweet Blooming in the Cold of January

Snow-Draped Weeping Plum Blossoms

Lovely Double-Flowered Cherry Blossoms

A Veil of Summer River Mist on the Tone River

Nozori Lake at the First Touch of Autumn

Autumn Harvest: Feed Corn

Chinese Cabbage Covered in Snow

On my days off, I have been going out more often with my camera to explore the neighborhood. Being in this environment naturally makes me want to create products using more natural ingredients, inspired by fresh flowers, trees, and fra