Having a Period in Japan Vs. in the US

In this article, I'll talk about the differences between "that time of the month" in Japan, versus that time the United States.

Periods in The US

When I lived in the United States. I remember my period getting quite expensive. In the US, pads and tampons are about 7-10 dollars, I believe. I always hated having to buy those for my time of the month. I knew it was a necessity, but it was also a hassle.
I found out, towards my last few years in the US, that the store-bought pads and tampons can cause cancer. Therefore, I tried to find an alternative. I found some cloth pads on Amazon. I bought three reusable pads. Three is not nearly as many as I needed, so I still had the store-bought ones as back-up.
If you don't know about the reusable pads, they are just pads made from cloth. I think most are made from cotton, so that they don’t irritate your skin. I used to bring extra ones to work in a little Ziploc bag. I put the Ziploc bag in a little make-up bag that I didn't use. I would put the used pad back into the Ziploc bag, and makeup case. I would then put it in my big purse. I worked in an office, in a cubicle, so I could easily put it in my bag, and then I could put it in my car later, if need be.

My Period in Japan

When I originally came to Japan, I came with my reusable pads. However, I worked at a small eikaiwa, where everyone was always in everyone's face. We had a small, cramped area where we kept our bags, so I didn't feel comfortable putting the reusable pads in my purse. I broke down and bought the pads from the store.
I wasn't sure if they still caused cancer, but I wanted to buy them, then do research later. But boy did I notice a difference straight away.

Difference in Pads

Japanese pads seem to be made more from a cotton material. I felt like pads in the US felt more like a diaper. I think that they have the same underlying material. It's like little beads tucked under the fabric. I'm not sure what they are called. And the US pads feel sort of like plastic. I can't explain it.
When I would go to sleep in the US, of course I would sleep for about seven or eight hours. Eight hours of not changing my pad. I would wake up sometimes, and unfortunately have what I would describe as a rash. I thought it was due to not changing my pad at night, but I can't wake up in the middle of the night to do so all the time. However, in Japan when I do the same thing, the rash doesn't happen.
I finally looked it up online. I wanted to see if Japanese pads can cause cancer like those in the US. The answer was NO! Japanese pads DO NOT have cancer causing agents. It makes me ponder the question, why can’t the ones in the United States also be cancer free. Again, one of those questions I’ll probably never get the answer to.

The Other Good Points

THE PRICE. In Japan, the price of sixteen nighttime pads is about 3-5 dollars! You saw correct, 3-5 DOLLARS. I know in the US, they are arguing that pads are a necessity for women, so they shouldn’t have such a high price tag. I couldn't agree more. Not only are they expensive in the US, but they can also make you sick! I HAVE to wonder why the US like this is. Everything in the US is about making money. The price of pads in Japan is GREAT. And the materials are also better. Go figure.

Another good point is the underwear. Yes, underwear. When I first came to Japan, I had NO IDEA about period panties. What a game changer! I usually wear my special panties, during my heavy flow days. They work wonders at night especially. They hold the pad in place well and have a thicker material than normal underwear. You can even buy them at the convenience store. It's amazing. I was so surprised that Japan is more advanced, in this particular section, as opposed to the US.

Sorry for the TMI there, but I thought these are good points to ponder. Good luck on having your period no matter where you are in the world. It'll suck regardless, but it's good to have products that will make it a little less sucky.