Japan has a temperate and humid climate and, as a consequence, precipitations are frequent. It can rain quite a lot… Summer and autumn are affected by the rainy season and typhoons, whilst winter is, needless to say, the snowy season. Hence why you should always take along an umbrella with you. If you happen to have forgotten yours, there are plenty of places where you can immediately find umbrellas on sale. Just think of shopping malls, supermarkets, convenience stores and even drug stores. Have you heard about plastic umbrella? It seems to be quite popular abroad. Cheap and offhand is often what is needed. In the past, it was quite popular to get a plastic umbrella but recently more people are taking into account the durability of the umbrella too. You can find quite fancy umbrellas in Japan.

There is a reason why we decided to talk about umbrellas in the category of manners. In our beloved, safe and peaceful Japan, if there is something that you cannot be calm about is where you left your umbrella. If you leave it in the wrong place, it could easily disappear. Get sudden rain can be tough… Since a lot of people have the same one, the chance that your plastic umbrella gets stolen is higher than any other case. There are a lot of people that, when in trouble, take the wrong guess and think that things like an umbrella or a bike can be shared. As for the disposable umbrellas, well, they can be unexpectedly beautiful so people choose to buy them. There are even amusing people who, on purpose, replace their disposable umbrella with someone else’s. Moreover, disposable umbrellas might break easily. They people leave them somewhere without carrying them home. It would just be a nuisance. We are saying things in a round-about way. Be careful, really do. And, of course, never imitate those people! Something disappointing about Japan… When you see some, you can be astonished and say: “Oh, that was the thing…!”.

Let me also draw your attention to the following point. It’s about carrying wet umbrellas indoor and also inside vehicles. At the entrance of shops and restaurants you will usually find a bag you can put your umbrella into. In response to the environmental problems that the world and Japan are facing, disposable objects and bags will decrease. Recently, the installation of dripping devices for removing moisture has also increased. Be careful when it’s very wet as it could be dangerous for you to slip off. You might also make other’s people’s clothes and bags wet so let’s be careful! Therefore, we would strongly suggest that you always have an “umbrella bag” or something that can replace it, along with your umbrella. A variety of products to be used as umbrella bags might be released in the near future…


Mejirushi Accessory (Marker item)

As mentioned above, plastic umbrellas are now used all over the world. The reason why plastic umbrellas became popular is that they are very inexpensive, although they are not as durable as standard umbrellas. However, as time has passed, the quality of the plastic umbrellas has improved over the years. Various types of plastic umbrellas are now being produced, including those with improved durability of the frame and vinyl parts, those with one-touch open/close functions, and those with fashionable designs. However, it seems that the image of plastic umbrellas as less durable or cheaper than they used to be still remains strong. Because of this, unfortunately, plastic umbrellas are still very vulnerable to theft. In the value sense of those who steal, they probably still feel less guilty because the thinking that it is an inexpensive item has not changed. Needless to say, it is very aggravating for one whose own umbrellas are stolen. (By the way, “I” have had a great many umbrellas stolen…). Well, it is true that they are often stolen, but they are also very easy to be forgotten or mistaken for someone else’s belongings. Workplaces, schools, commercial facilities, public transportation such as trains and buses, etc… If we don’t pay some attention, there are so many opportunities to make mistakes that it’s surprising…(;’▽’)

Now, we would like to recommend the “Mejirushi Accessory” as a preventive measure against such “make mistakes”. That’s a marker item for umbrellas to help you distinguish yourself from others by attaching that marker to your umbrella. It prevents others from mistaking your umbrella for someone else’s, and also increases your attachment to your umbrella. Some multi-markers are designed to be placed over the tip of an umbrella handle, while others have an attached rubber (or silicone) ring that goes through the umbrella handle. There are quite a few different types available, and the prices vary widely. They are often marketed as character goods. In the old days, we used to wrap colored tape around plastic umbrellas handle or draw our own illustrations with magic pens… You’ve all done something like them before, right? Isn’t it fun to make an ordinary plastic umbrella a little more special with little things like them?