Forget Ricola — Mask that Cold!

Hay fever + Swine Flu = paranoia. While your chances of getting the dreaded disease are virtually nil, plain old allergies are still a major pain this time of year. In Japan, it’s not uncommon to see people wearing paper face masks
out in public, to lessen their chances of inhaling pollen or germs.

Last November, the company Pianta came out with a mentholated throat drop candy for easing the difficulty of breathing and soothing the irritable feeling in the nose and throat caused by seasonal allergies. What makes it unique is the fact that they combined it with a mask!

You eat a candy, exhale the strong menthol and let it permeate in your mask so that you feel better. The mask is understandably popular during allergy season (from October to March) and also recently because of the swine flu. Pianta initially prepared 200,000 bags of candy (with 23 candies per bag) and sold out within two months. They sell for 200 yen. Feel better!

Sarah S.

—————————————————————————
Visit us on facebook!

—————————————————————————
Thinking of doing business in Japan? We can make it easy for you!
japanizmo, a Los Angeles based company, provides practical solutions for U.S. ? Japan business projects. Our experienced Japanese staff will support all phases of your business project to seize business opportunities and turn your vision into a reality. >> Learn more