2-3 mins read

This is a story about Hana and her family.

Hana is just a little baby. She can’t walk or talk yet.

One day…

‘Waa! waa!’

Hana kept crying.

Itchy itchy, ouchy ouch!

‘What could the matter be?’

Mommy was very worried.

Mommy quickly took Hana to the doctor.

They went to see the doctor again and again,

and rubbed the ointment on Hana’s body.

Hana’s skin gradually got better.

‘That’s a relief.’ Mommy was pleased.

But then it began again.

‘Itchy itchy, ouchy ouch!’

Itchy at night, and throbbing in the morning

The ointment would sting

and the medicine was bitter

One clinic after another

but the skin just wouldn’t get better

‘I’m at loss.

Why isn’t it healing?

I don’t know what to do.

Am I doing something wrong?’

Thinking about Hana’s skin day in and day out.

made mommy feel gloomy.

She got exhausted.

‘Why isn’t the medicine working?

Even though it works at first,

it soon gets bad again.

Why does it keep getting itchy?’

Mommy plucked up the courage

and asked the doctor.

The doctor replied.

‘A baby’s skin barrier is still premature.

The ability to self-regenerate is still weak.

Make sure to use the ointment

and keep the skin moisturized.’

Skin barrier? Moisturize?

Mommy and Daddy scratched their heads,

they tried this and that, but to no avail.

Hana’s itchiness didn’t go away.

Daddy took the matter into his own hands.

He read lots and lots of books

about the human body, about medicine

and even about cosmetics…

He went to onsens

that were good for the skin

He even used spring water

that he got from the mountain

He tried various products made from herbs

He tried a bath filled with bamboo charcoal

and was mindful about the drinking water

And went to health and beauty trade fairs

to find answers

Daddy finally got an idea.

‘Soy beans.

Ingredients in fermented soy beans should work!

Daddy got to work every day for Hana.

He tried this and that to find a solution.

Whether at home or at work,

he kept thinking about finding an answer.

Then finally, the ‘Natto Lotion’ was created

‘It doesn’t sting, it’s so gentle, it feels nice’

Hana’s skin got better

with daddy’s ‘Natto Lotion’.

Her skin was soft and smooth just like before.

Hana and mommy and daddy all smiled.