Today has been very cold since the morning. I went to the workshop in the afternoon and did some work. From today, many people have started their year-end and New Year holidays, so the roads are beginning to get crowded. People are traveling to spend the holidays at their family homes. In families with children, many parents take their children to see their own parents. Grandparents want to see their grandchildren, whom they usually cannot meet often, so people return home at this time or during Obon. For those whose hometowns are far away, this can be quite hard. Travel costs are also high, especially during this season when train and airplane tickets become more expensive. In Japan, this heavy travel period is called the “homecoming rush.” Many people stay until around January 3 or 4 and then return. The congestion on the way back is called the “U-turn rush.” I live in my hometown, so I do not need to travel far, but I plan to visit my parents’ home on January 2 this year, as I do from time to time.
This summer was very hot, and I really felt the effects of global warming. However, when this season comes, it still gets very cold as usual. My workshop also gets very cold, and one reason may be that it is located near a large river. As one way to deal with the cold, I use disposable hand warmers every year. You can put them in your pockets or attach them to your clothes to stay warm. Recently, there are also types you can put inside your shoes to warm your feet. Many companies make these warmers, but this year I made an interesting discovery. There are many brands on the market now, and most modern hand warmers perform well and stay warm for more than 12 hours. I used to buy well-known brands that are often advertised on TV. However, I tried one that is said to be amazing in online reviews. It is not a brand you see much advertising for, but its performance is excellent and it stays warm even after more than 24 hours. The product is called “Kiribai Kairo” (https://www.kiribai.co.jp/). The company was founded in 1915 and has specialized in making hand warmers for over 100 years. It is a little more expensive than other brands, but many reviews say, “Even though it costs more, it stays warm for a very long time, so it is actually economical.” There are many competing companies in the hand warmer market, but I think this is a perfect example of a product that survives by offering high quality, even at a higher price.
