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Things that help

Mono means things. This page gathers everything our guides mention, grouped by topic, each with a short note on what it is for. None of it is needed to follow the advice on this site, and none of it replaces a doctor or pharmacist when something is wrong.

A note: links to Amazon here are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Diffusers and reeds

Small rooms need small diffusers. Ultrasonic models use water and switch off when dry; a waterless one is stronger and suits bigger, well-aired rooms; reeds need no power at all.

  • A small ultrasonic diffuser Bedside size, about 150 ml of water; it switches itself off when the tank runs dry. View on Amazon
  • A larger ultrasonic diffuser with a timer A 500 ml tank and timer settings for a living room or an open-plan space. View on Amazon
  • A ceramic-covered diffuser An ultrasonic diffuser in a ceramic shell, with a high and a low mist setting. View on Amazon
  • A waterless nebulizing diffuser Runs straight from the oil bottle with no water, on a short timer, so a little goes a long way. View on Amazon
  • Natural rattan reeds Plain rattan reeds about 25 cm long; swap them when the scent fades rather than adding more oil. View on Amazon
  • Empty glass reed bottles Two clear glass bottles with cork stoppers for mixing your own reed blend. View on Amazon

Read about it: How to choose an essential oil diffuser: types, drops and safety · Essential oils around children and pets: babies, cats and dogs · Lavender oil: what the research does and doesn't show

Essential oils

Single oils from the profiles on this site, in small bottles, because freshness matters more than size. Absolutes such as rose and jasmine come already diluted in jojoba.

  • A six-oil starter set Six common single oils in small bottles, enough to learn what you actually like. View on Amazon
  • Lavender essential oil True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), the oil most beginners use first. View on Amazon
  • Rosemary essential oil Sharp and herbal; keep it away from small children and people with epilepsy. View on Amazon
  • Frankincense essential oil Boswellia carterii, soft and resinous; it blends with almost anything. View on Amazon
  • Helichrysum essential oil Helichrysum italicum is costly, so it comes in a very small bottle; use it a drop at a time. View on Amazon
  • Australian sandalwood oil Santalum spicatum, a sustainable stand-in for Indian sandalwood with a similar woody base. View on Amazon
  • Lemongrass essential oil Bright and grassy; it can irritate skin, so keep it at 0.7% or less. View on Amazon
  • Lemon essential oil Cold-pressed lemon; on skin it can react with sunlight, so diffuse it or keep it under 2%. View on Amazon
  • Bergamot, bergapten-free The bergapten-free (FCF) kind, which takes away most of the sunlight risk on skin. View on Amazon
  • Ylang ylang essential oil Heavy and sweet; one drop in a blend is often plenty. View on Amazon
  • Atlas cedarwood oil Dry and woody, a calm base note for sleep and focus blends. View on Amazon
  • Eucalyptus essential oil Eucalyptus globulus; not for use on or near children under 10. View on Amazon
  • Vetiver essential oil Thick, smoky and earthy; warm the bottle in your hand if it pours slowly. View on Amazon
  • Geranium essential oil Egyptian geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), rosy and green. View on Amazon
  • Roman chamomile oil Soft and apple-like; one of the gentler oils for evening blends. View on Amazon
  • Sweet orange essential oil Cheerful and easy to like; cold-pressed sweet orange is not considered a sunlight risk. View on Amazon
  • Peppermint essential oil Strong and cooling; keep it away from the faces of young children. View on Amazon
  • Rose absolute in jojoba Rose already diluted in jojoba, which is how most people can afford to use it. View on Amazon
  • Jasmine absolute in jojoba Jasmine already diluted in jojoba, ready for a roller bottle. View on Amazon
  • Vanilla extract for blends Vanilla is never a true distilled oil; this is an extract made for blending and diffusing. View on Amazon
  • Cinnamon leaf oil Leaf, not bark, which is far kinder to skin; still keep it at 0.6% or less. View on Amazon
  • Tea tree essential oil Melaleuca alternifolia; dilute it before it touches skin and keep it well away from cats. View on Amazon

Read about it: How to choose an essential oil diffuser: types, drops and safety · Lavender oil: what the research does and doesn't show

Carrier oils and blending kit

Everything for mixing a blend at the strengths in the dilution chart: a carrier oil, dark glass bottles, scent strips for trying an oil first, and a way to keep the cupboard shut.

  • Cold-pressed jojoba oil A light, slow-to-spoil carrier that suits most skin types and face blends. View on Amazon
  • Sweet almond oil A classic body and massage carrier; skip it if anyone in the house has a nut allergy. View on Amazon
  • Fractionated coconut oil Stays liquid, has almost no scent and does not stain cloth easily; handy for roller bottles. View on Amazon
  • Amber dropper bottles, 30 ml Dark glass keeps light out of your blends; a dozen bottles with small funnels. View on Amazon
  • Amber roller bottles, 10 ml Ten millilitres is the size most dilution charts are written for. View on Amazon
  • Paper scent strips Smell an oil or a blend on paper first, before it goes near skin or a diffuser. View on Amazon
  • Cupboard strap locks Simple straps that keep a cupboard of oils shut to small hands. View on Amazon

Read about it: Essential oils around children and pets: babies, cats and dogs · How to dilute essential oils: a practical chart for skin · Lavender oil: what the research does and doesn't show

Posture and body care

For the desk, the floor and the commute: things that change how you sit and carry, plus simple tools for loosening up afterwards.

  • An acupressure mat with a pillow A spiked foam mat plus a neck pillow; start with a thin shirt on and about ten minutes. View on Amazon
  • A firm foam roller High-density foam that keeps its shape; slow passes over the upper back and calves. View on Amazon
  • Flat resistance bands A set of light to heavy bands for the shoulder and upper-back drills in our posture guides. View on Amazon
  • An adjustable laptop stand Lifts the screen toward eye level; pair it with a separate keyboard. View on Amazon
  • A memory foam lumbar cushion Memory foam that fills the gap between your lower back and the chair, at a desk or in the car. View on Amazon
  • A folding floor chair A padded zaisu-style seat whose back tilts through 14 positions. View on Amazon
  • A zabuton floor mat A firm, cotton-filled mat that takes the hardness out of sitting on the floor. View on Amazon
  • A thick exercise mat Cushioned enough for floor stretches on wood or tatami, with a strap to carry it. View on Amazon
  • A backpack with a chest strap Two padded straps and a chest strap share the load across both shoulders. View on Amazon

Read about it: Sitting on the floor: seiza, zabuton and a happier lower back · Desk posture without the gadgets · Katakori: why stiff shoulders are Japan's signature complaint

Keeping warm

Two old Japanese winter habits, a yutanpo in the futon and a foot bath before bed.

  • A large foot-soaking tub Deep enough to cover the ankles, which most washing-up bowls are not. View on Amazon
  • A hot water bottle with a knitted cover The yutanpo habit: warm the futon before bed, filled with hot but never boiling water. View on Amazon

Read about it: Mibyo: the idea of 'not yet ill' and how to use it sensibly · What is kampo? Japan's herbal medicine explained

Japanese tea

Loose-leaf sencha, hojicha and genmaicha, matcha with its whisk, a kyusu, a kettle that holds 70 degrees, and caffeine-free barley tea for summer and evenings.

  • Ceremonial-grade matcha A small 40 g tin from Japan for whisking with water; use it within a few weeks of opening. View on Amazon
  • Culinary-grade matcha A 100 g bag for lattes, smoothies and baking, where milk and sugar hide its bitterness. View on Amazon
  • A bamboo whisk and scoop A chasen and chashaku; soak the whisk in warm water before each use. View on Amazon
  • A Tokoname clay kyusu A small side-handle clay teapot of about 350 ml, the right size for two cups of sencha. View on Amazon
  • A kettle with temperature presets Preset temperatures from about 70 degrees C up to a full boil, so green tea is never scalded by guesswork. View on Amazon
  • Loose-leaf sencha An everyday Japanese sencha in an 80 g bag; keep it sealed and away from light once opened. View on Amazon
  • Loose-leaf hojicha Roasted green tea with a toasty smell; brew it with boiling water for 30 seconds. View on Amazon
  • Loose-leaf genmaicha Green tea mixed with roasted rice, mild and nutty, in a 100 g tin. View on Amazon
  • Japanese green tea bags Green tea with a little matcha in each bag, for the office or a travel mug. View on Amazon
  • Decaf green tea bags For an evening cup; decaf still has a trace of caffeine, about 1 to 2 mg a cup. View on Amazon
  • Roasted barley tea bags Caffeine-free mugicha that brews hot or cold, the Japanese summer standby. View on Amazon

Read about it: Tsuyu fatigue: feeling heavy in the rainy season · Acid reflux at night: habits that help and warning signs · Mibyo: the idea of 'not yet ill' and how to use it sensibly · Eating through Japan's humid summer · What is kampo? Japan's herbal medicine explained · Bloating after eating: common causes and when to get it checked

Miso, fermenting and the Japanese kitchen

Three kinds of miso for soup and cooking, jars and weights for small batches of pickles, and a mat for rolling ehomaki.

  • Sweet white miso Mild and lower in salt than red miso, in a squeeze tube that keeps it fresh in the fridge. View on Amazon
  • Red rice miso A longer-aged rice miso, deeper and saltier; use a little less than white. View on Amazon
  • Awase (mixed) miso A blend of red and white miso, the safe all-rounder for everyday soup. View on Amazon
  • A wide-mouth jar fermenting kit Airlock lids and glass weights for four wide-mouth jars (jars not included). View on Amazon
  • A stoneware fermenting crock A 5 litre glazed crock with stone weights and a wooden pounder for bigger batches. View on Amazon
  • Glass fermenting weights Four heavy glass discs with a grip, to keep vegetables under the brine. View on Amazon
  • A bamboo rolling mat A makisu for rolling ehomaki and other sushi rolls at home. View on Amazon

Read about it: Miso, natto and nukazuke: fermented foods and the gut · Bloating after eating: common causes and when to get it checked

A healthy home

Humidity, clean air, a thermometer and a blood pressure monitor for the record your doctor asks for, and a few things for a better night and an easier stomach.

  • A bed wedge pillow Raises your head and chest along one gentle slope, instead of a stack of pillows that bends the neck. View on Amazon
  • A toilet footstool Lifts your feet about 18 cm, so your knees sit higher than your hips. View on Amazon
  • Disposable nitrile gloves For cleaning up after a stomach bug; one pair per clean-up, then into the bin. View on Amazon
  • A digital thermometer A quick-reading stick thermometer for the whole family; jot the readings down for the doctor. View on Amazon
  • A cool-mist humidifier Fills from the top and switches itself off when the tank is empty; rinse it often. View on Amazon
  • A room hygrometer Shows indoor humidity, so you can aim for roughly 40 to 60 percent. View on Amazon
  • An upper-arm blood pressure monitor For a home record to show your doctor between check-ups. View on Amazon
  • A HEPA air purifier A bedroom-sized purifier with a quiet sleep mode, handy in pollen season. View on Amazon

Read about it: Tsuyu fatigue: feeling heavy in the rainy season · Health check-ups in Japan: what the annual kenko shindan includes · Acid reflux at night: habits that help and warning signs

Out and about in Kyushu

For onsen towns, hanami picnics and gentle autumn walks: a tenugui, water, a blanket, a bento and poles for the downhill stretches.

  • Tenugui cotton towels Thin Japanese towels that dry fast; the one you carry into the onsen. View on Amazon
  • An insulated water bottle Keeps water cold through a long walk, or for after a long soak. View on Amazon
  • A waterproof picnic blanket A backed blanket that keeps damp spring ground out of a hanami picnic. View on Amazon
  • A stacking bento box Stacking tiers for rice and sides that pack neatly into a picnic bag. View on Amazon
  • Collapsible walking poles Light aluminium poles that take some of the strain off knees on downhill paths. View on Amazon

Read about it: Onsen etiquette and health: bathing safely in Kyushu's hot springs · Eating through Japan's humid summer

Product details change, so check the current listing before you buy. For how much oil to use, see the dilution calculator and the other tools and charts.