Stress is everywhere—at work, at school, at home—but with the right tools, managing some of the pressures of everyday life can be easy. From a country known for long work hours, cram schools, and tiny apartments, comes 10 fun Japanese stress relief products to help you get your daily rest and relaxation.
Japanese Shouting Vases
Sometimes you’ve just got to let out your pent-up emotions—ideally, without scaring off your next-door neighbors or coworkers. These Japanese Shouting Vases can help relieve your anger, frustration, and excitement by creating a “soundproof” barrier between your vocal chords and the outside world. Developed to be a stress-relief solution to Japan’s crowded cities and thin-walled apartments, these mouth mufflers are claimed to magically transform your shrillest screams into the softest speech. Whether you choose the classic “terracotta” Shouting Vase or the slightly more stylish ceramic version, you’re sure to experience a whole new meaning to the phrase “bottle up your feelings.”
Cao Maru Stress Balls
The popular Cao Maru (or “round-faced”) stress balls are not only a therapeutic remedy for the hands but for the spirit, as well. Their durable, spongy material helps you squeeze out all your tension again and again; but what truly sets Cao Maru apart from other stress balls are their exaggerated facial expressions that only grow more hilariously distorted as you squish, squash, scrunch, and squeeze them. Whichever series you prefer—the original lineup (charmingly named Ni, Poo, Ge, and Ho) available in white or brown, the updated group in pastels, or the vivacious veggie trio (eggplant, tomato, and green pepper)—you’re likely to end up laughing, and there’s no better cure for stress than that!
Stress Mushrooms
When your brain feels like mush, make room for these de-stressing ’shrooms. Unlike conventional squeeze-and-squish stress balls, these flexible Stress Mushrooms are designed to be stretched, twisted, and beaten, and can provide an especially satisfying smack against hard surfaces. With several fungal species to choose from, you can pick the perfect mushroom to ease your stress. Just be careful where you leave it lying around—much like Japan’s realistic food displays, your fake fungus might be mistaken for the real deal at a glance.
Mondering Calf Massager
Whether on your feet all day or stuck behind a desk for hours on end, your legs are often the first to feel it; and when your legs are sore and tired, your body can become easily exhausted, too. The Mondering Calf Massager is designed to soothe tense muscles and keep blood circulating from your legs to the rest of your body. The rubbery rings come in three different sizes (S = 6.6 cm, M = 7.7 cm, L = 8.8 cm) to suit any calf, as well as soft (daytime) and hard (evening) silicone options. The Mondering Calf Massager is ideal for relaxing while on a work break, warming up before a run, or ending your day with a soak in the tub.
Rilamingo Handy Massager
Nothing beats a massage after a hard day, but trips to the local spa can be expensive and time-consuming. With the Rilamingo Handy Massager, you can easily soothe all your stiff, hard-to-reach muscles with the bird-shaped masseuse’s soft-but-powerful vibrating beak (6,500 rpm). Also, the massager is splash proof like a real flamingo, so you can take your not-so-feathery friend into the shower with you for a relaxing spa-like experience. And need we even mention the whimsical anthropomorphic stickers included with every Rilamingo?
Thanko USB Massage Helmet
Perhaps no product capitalizes on Thanko’s unique brand of odd-but-convenient Japanese gadgets like the Thanko USB Massage Helmet. How effective is the grey helmet on your grey matter? So effective that Thanko’s first run sold out in days, and the company’s CEO himself zealously uses one. Since the Massage Helmet is powered by USB, it’s ideal for plugging into your laptop while taking a work break (and can run on batteries whenever a USB port isn’t close at hand). Adjust the helmet size, vibration speed, and your chair, then kick back and enjoy a re-energizing experience.
Desktop Zen Gardens
Desktop Zen gardens recreate the iconic rock gardens found in Zen Buddhist temples, but on a much smaller scale, allowing you to enjoy their meditative benefits in the comfort of your home or workplace. The simple and uncluttered landscaping of these miniature Zen gardens free your mind to focus on the beauty of the task at hand. Arrange rocks and rake patterns in the sand without worrying about asymmetry or impermanence. Simply enjoy the refreshing release of creativity, and you may be surprised at how quickly you find yourself in the “now.”
Mugen Puchi Puchi: Endless Bubble Wrap Key Chain
There’s something about bubble wrap that captivates us. Perhaps it’s the rewarding “pop” as each individual bubble bursts, or the repetitive motion that keeps us in a trance until the entire sheet is cleared. Whatever the universal fascination with bubble wrap is, the Mugen Puchi Puchi: Endless Bubble Wrap Key Chain feeds this stress-reducing addiction. With eight rubber bubbles mimicking the texture of real bubble wrap, a surprise sound every 100th push, and small enough to fit in your pocket, you may find yourself popping, and popping, and popping, and….
SEGA Homestar Aqua Planetarium: Disney Series
Bathe in childhood nostalgia while taking a relaxing soak with the SEGA Homestar Aqua Planetarium: Disney Series, which bring the magic of your favorite Disney princesses to life through an enchanting projection of 10,000 stars along with dazzling character constellations. Don’t worry if your miniature planetarium accidentally takes a bath of its own—these princesses are waterproof (by the power of Disney magic, according to rumor).
Math Salts: Premium Japanese Bath Salts
Math Salts don’t have anything to do with arithmetic. The word “math” is a portmanteau combining “masu” (small wooden boxes that were historically used in Japan to measure rice) and “bath.” Each wooden package of these Premium Japanese Bath Salts carries a smoky aroma of Japanese cypress, which is wonderfully complemented by the fragrance of chamomile, rose, lavender, cherry blossoms, yuzu citrus, or green tea. After dissolving your stress away, be sure to look inside the cypress box for an uplifting message that will ensure your bath time is filled with pure positivity from beginning to end.
Where to Buy Japanese Stress Relief Products
The products listed above are all exclusive to Japan, but don’t let that fact stress you out! With a proxy service like FROM JAPAN, you can easily have these relaxing products and more shipped from Japan to your doorstep without a hassle.
