Cute Cat Menstrual Pads

    Japan really is an amazing place. I really never thought that it was possible to add this much cuteness to menstrual necessities and have it make sense or work well, but Japan's grasp on cuteness and adding it anywhere cannot be overstated. In fact, Japan is so filled with the kawaii that I don't think its necessary to list the obscure yet adorable items I've noticed while living here as I am sure everyone who has been here long enough to notice one has a list somewhere in their mind.

    Menstrual pads in this country in my experience tend to come in two varieties that I've managed to find before this:
1) tiny, flimsy, and barely able to stick to an undergarment, or
2) massively heavy duty and easily the length of my forearm.
    After getting frustrated with first variety, I picked up a giant haul of the second option from CostCo a few months ago and thought that would suit me well enough for a while. These beasts do work well enough on heavy days, but often cause an uncomfortable level of chaffing and can make the wearer feel diapered. Deciding I wanted around half as much coverage as the 37cm pad was boasting, I went looking for something in the 20 to 25 cm range and was pleasantly surprised.

    Center-in Happy Catch pads by Unicharm are right in that range, offering protection in a variety of sizes between 20cm and 26cm. I bought a 28 pack of the 21cm size and am happy with the product, though I will admit this size and thickness isn't the best for heavier flows. Still, I find the cats on the wrappers strangely comforting as their adorableness makes me feel slightly less miserable. There is even a vague cat-like imprint on the pad itself, which is just the kind of extra cuteness one should expect from Japanese menstrual pads. Should these be around when my daughter starts her monthly cycles, I think she will enjoy them more than the other varieties currently available to me.

    This isn't the first time that I have seen a company attempting to make menstruation products cool or fashionable in some way. When I was a teenager, one company folded the tampon applicators in half, making them easier to carry in small plastic cases provided. While it changed the shape of the product, it added nothing to functionality for me personally, as the locking mechanisms were less than perfect and being pinched by the plastic as the applicator collapsed was never a great time. After that, I only really saw the colors on the wrappers change, but never into anything I found terribly enjoyable.

    I guess that is the point in a way. Periods aren't cool. They are uncomfortable and gross. I feel like Japan's cute cat pads aren't trying to make it cool but instead supply us menstruation participants in our less comfortable times with something cute to look at, such as a bunch of kittens on our pad wrappers.