Japanese tampon
with finger cots - ad for Elldy tampon
with applicator (October 1996) - Kotex stick tampon
(U.S.A.) - ad for
the Kotex stick tampon (1970s)
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Shampon Young stick menstrual
tampon (Japan, 1977)
About the time this stick tampon
appeared, Kotex sold a stick (ad from
the 1970s) tampon in America,
although the stick came already
attached. I believe Kotex sold it
to satisfy women who objected on
ecological and other grounds to
the cardboard and plastic
applicators of other tampons. I do
not know which tampon appeared
first. It's probable that the
differences between the two are to
avoid patent conflicts, at least
in part.
The fastidiousness of the
Japanese, which might explain the
extensive packaging (see the
photos), shows in the finger cots
a manufacturer packed with the
tampons in a later product.
One side of the box bears an
English-language version of the
other, something that occurs with
other Japanese menstrual products.
Tampons probably came late to
Japan, and I believe from America,
which may partly explain this. But
read some comments about the Elldy tampon.
In 1997 Tambrands gave the
box to this museum as part of an
amazing
gift of 450 boxes of
tampons dating to the founding
of the Tampax company, 1936,
plus hundreds of other items.
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The absorbing part of the tampon
seems to be wrapped in a
cellophane-like material. I don't
know if the user was supposed to
remove it before inserting; that
would make the process even more
irritating and noisy, something
many women want to avoid. Some
Japanese women's toilets have
noise-generating machines to
conceal these - and other -
tell-tale sounds. And I thought
only Americans would be concerned
about that.
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Someone at Tambrands stuck the
annotations onto the package,
except for the price label (315
yen). Tambrands, probably like
most companies, constantly
examines its competitors'
products. This was one such
example, one of hundreds the
company generously gave this
museum.
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The user took a stick from the
cellophane pack in the box and
stuck it into the
tampon. (See instructions,
below).
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The tampons came encased in
foil, like pills.
My impression is that the
Japanese are very concerned about
personal cleanliness, maybe more
so than any other large nation,
which might explain this
wrapping.
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Note the douche
syringe towards the
bottom of the second page, right
above (compare with an American
syringe). I don't know if
douching was as popular in Japan
as it was in America. Read more
about douching.
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Japanese tampon
with finger cots - ad for Elldy tampon
with applicator (October 1996) - Kotex stick tampon
(U.S.A.) -
ad for the Kotex
stick tampon (1970s)
© 1998 Harry Finley. It is illegal to
reproduce or distribute any of the work on
this Web site in any manner or
medium without written permission of the
author. Please report suspected violations
to hfinley@mum.org
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